Air conditioning system
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioning systems fail to maintain optimal airflow volume through utilization heat exchangers, leading to potential malfunctions and inefficiencies in heat exchange, which can result in inadequate conditioning of air in buildings.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning system with a heat exchanger unit, ducts, and fan units, where a main controller regulates airflow volume by adjusting fan motor speeds and damper openings based on sensing units to ensure predetermined airflow conditions are met, linking this control with the refrigerant circuit for efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the air conditioning system supplies conditioned air through multiple distribution flow paths with individual fan units, then the air conditioning coverage and flexibility are improved, but the airflow volume through the utilization heat exchanger becomes difficult to control and may fall below required levels
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates airflow volume sensing units in each distribution flow path that detect local airflow conditions and feed this information back to the main controller. The main controller calculates total airflow volume through the utilization heat exchanger by summing detected values and adjusts fan motor revolutions accordingly to maintain airflow above required levels, preventing heat exchanger malfunction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation of individual fan units based on real-time airflow conditions. The main controller can vary fan motor revolutions or damper opening degrees in each distribution flow path to optimize local airflow while ensuring the total airflow through the utilization heat exchanger meets minimum requirements, allowing flexible adaptation to changing conditions.
2Ease of operation
If the system allows individual fan units to operate independently to meet local cooling/heating demands, then the responsiveness to user needs is improved, but the total airflow volume through the heat exchanger may become insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The main controller receives airflow volume detection values from sensing units in each distribution flow path, calculates the total airflow volume through the utilization heat exchanger, and compares it with required levels. When the total airflow falls below requirements, the controller sends instructions to increase fan motor revolutions or open dampers in appropriate distribution flow paths to restore sufficient total airflow while respecting local user demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The main controller coordinates multiple fan units and dampers across different distribution flow paths to achieve a universal goal of maintaining sufficient total airflow through the heat exchanger. Individual fan units can be adjusted independently or in combination to meet both local user needs and system-wide airflow requirements, making the control system multi-functional in addressing different operational scenarios.
3Device complexity
If the airflow volume through the utilization heat exchanger is not properly controlled, then the system simplicity is maintained, but the heat source operation may stop or malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses airflow volume sensing units to continuously detect airflow conditions in each distribution flow path and feed this information to the main controller. The controller calculates total airflow through the utilization heat exchanger and adjusts fan operations to maintain airflow above minimum levels, preventing heat source malfunction while adding only necessary control elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The airflow volume sensing units and main controller work together to automatically monitor and adjust airflow conditions without requiring external intervention. When airflow volume approaches problematic levels, the system self-corrects by adjusting fan motor revolutions or damper positions to maintain safe operating conditions for the heat source.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration prevents malfunctions by maintaining optimal airflow through the heat exchanger, ensuring efficient heat exchange and maintaining desired temperatures in the air conditioning target space while reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
each of the fan units may include a differential pressure sensor 121 configured to detect a differential pressure between airflows upwind and downwind of a corresponding one of the fan units
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger unit 10 having a utilization heat exchanger 11, and configured to generate conditioned air through heat exchange in the utilization heat exchanger 11
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An air conditioning system configured to supply a plurality of places in a building with conditioned air with use of ducts inhibits malfunction of the air conditioning system due to airflow volume through a utilization heat exchanger. A heat exchanger unit (10) includes a utilization heat exchanger (11). The heat exchanger unit (10) is connected with a plurality of ducts (20). A plurality of fan units (30) sucks conditioned air from the heat exchanger unit (10) through the plurality of ducts (20) and supplies a plurality of blow-out ports (71) with the conditioned air. The fan units (30) include fan motors (33) as a plurality of actuators configured to individually change supply air volume of the conditioned air. A main controller (40) controls the plurality of fan motors (33) such that airflow volume through the utilization heat exchanger (11) satisfies a predetermined condition.