Heat source machine and heat source device

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Solution Overview

Problem

In heat source units with refrigeration cycles, imbalances in temperature and air flow can lead to abnormal increases in compressor operating current, resulting in decreased energy efficiency due to release control measures.

Innovation Solution

A controller is used to distribute the capacity reduction from one compressor to other compressors, increasing their capacity proportionally to maintain energy efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If release control is executed to reduce capacity of a compressor with abnormal current increase, then the harmful factor (abnormal current) is eliminated, but the energy efficiency (COP) decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabnormal operating currentVSAvoidcoefficient of performance (COP)
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control of multiple compressors into a unified system where the total capacity is maintained constant. When one compressor undergoes release control, its reduced capacity is compensated by increasing the capacity of other compressors in the group, thereby maintaining overall system efficiency while eliminating the harmful current increase in the affected compressor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes the operating parameters (capacity settings) of compressors based on real-time monitoring. When a compressor shows abnormal current increase, the controller adjusts the capacity parameters of both the affected compressor (reduction) and other compressors (increase) to maintain optimal overall performance and prevent COP degradation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the capacity of one compressor is reduced through release control, then the reliability of the refrigeration cycle is improved, but the productivity of the heat source unit decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational reliabilityVSAvoidheat supply capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple compressors into an integrated system where capacity can be dynamically redistributed. The controller monitors the total heat supply capacity and ensures that reductions in one compressor are compensated by increases in others, maintaining constant overall productivity while improving reliability through selective capacity management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3156747B1Heat source machine and heat source device
Publication Date: 2019.08.14 TOSHIBA CARRIER CORP
  • EP3156747B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3156747B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3156747B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A heat source unit which comprises a plurality of compressors and a controller. When release control for reducing capacity of any one of the compressors is executed, the controller increases capacity of one or more of the compressors except the compressor subjected to the release control by an amount of the capacity reduced by the release control.