Modular climate control system and method for the operation thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning systems are difficult to expand or maintain without shutting down, as adding or replacing modules requires interrupting the refrigeration process, and they lack flexibility in adapting to changing cooling demands or user needs.
Innovation Solution
A modular air-conditioning system with a common collector for detachable modules, allowing for easy connection and disconnection without interrupting secondary circuits, along with a frame design that allows for horizontal extension and easy installation, and control circuits that can be prefabricated and easily swapped.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If modules are permanently connected to form a continuous refrigeration system, then system reliability is improved, but system adaptability and ease of expansion deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigeration system is divided into independent modular units, each with complete refrigeration circuitry. These modules can be connected in series through a collector manifold system, allowing the system to maintain reliability through redundancy while enabling easy expansion and reconfiguration by adding or removing modules without affecting other parts of the system.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the system is designed as a unified continuous structure, then operational stability is improved, but ease of maintenance and module replacement deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses independently enclosed modular units with complete refrigeration circuits. Each module can be removed and replaced without shutting down the entire system, as the collector manifold maintains continuous operation with remaining modules. This segmentation enables easy maintenance while preserving operational stability through parallel operation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The collector manifold acts as an intermediary component that distributes refrigerant to multiple modules and collects return refrigerant. This intermediary structure allows individual modules to be disconnected for maintenance while the manifold continues to serve remaining modules, facilitating easy repair without system shutdown.
3Ease of operation
If modules are detachably connected for easy installation, then ease of operation is improved, but system reliability may deteriorate due to connection interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple modular units are merged into a unified system through the collector manifold, which integrates refrigerant distribution to all modules. The manifold design ensures that connections are maintained continuously during operation, and modular units can be added or removed without interrupting the refrigeration cycle in remaining modules, thus maintaining both ease of operation and connection reliability.
4Ease of manufacture
If the refrigeration system is designed as a fixed configuration, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to changing cooling demands deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is manufactured as standardized modular units with identical connection interfaces that attach to a collector manifold. This segmentation allows simple mass production of individual modules while enabling flexible system configuration by varying the number and arrangement of modules to match different cooling demands, thus achieving both manufacturing simplicity and adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a modular climate control system (10), particularly for generating cold and/or heat, comprising one or more modules (M1, M2,..., Mn), a working medium or coolant being condensed, liquefied, relieved and re-evaporated in a circuit in said modules (M2,..., Mn), and the heat and/or cold generated in the process being delivered to corresponding secondary circuits via heat exchangers. High flexibility in the use of the system, and tremendous simplification in the set-up and modification are achieved in that a common collector (K) comprising collector tubes (21,..., 24) is provided for several modules (M1, M2,..., Mn), the modules (M1, M2,..., Mn) being detachably connected to said collector, and said collector connecting the modules (M1, M2,..., Mn) to the respective common secondary circuit.