Air conditioner and control method for air conditioner
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat-pump air conditioners with a single indoor fan have a limited control range for air volume, leading to an imbalance in latent and sensible heat, causing excessive indoor temperature drops during dehumidifying operations without sufficient humidity reduction.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner system with multiple indoor units connected via a refrigerant pipe, where indoor fans can operate at different rotation speeds based on temperature and humidity thresholds, allowing for controlled air volume adjustments to balance dehumidification and temperature management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If only the rotation speed of one indoor fan is controlled, then the control structure remains simple, but the control range of air volume is narrow leading to imbalance between latent heat and sensible heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single indoor fan into multiple indoor fans (first indoor fan and second indoor fan). Each fan can be independently controlled, allowing for finer adjustment of air volume. This segmentation enables the system to achieve a broader control range while maintaining balanced latent and sensible heat extraction during dehumidifying operations.
2Productivity
If the rotation speed of indoor fan is increased to improve dehumidification, then dehumidification performance improves, but indoor temperature drops excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of multiple indoor fans with different rotation speeds. During dehumidifying operations, the first indoor fan operates at a higher rotation speed to enhance dehumidification, while the second indoor fan operates at a lower rotation speed to moderate the cooling effect. This dynamic multi-speed control allows the system to achieve effective dehumidification while preventing excessive indoor temperature drops.
3Temperature
If the rotation speed of indoor fan is decreased to suppress temperature drop, then indoor temperature is maintained, but dehumidification effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air handling function into multiple fans with different speed characteristics. The first indoor fan is optimized for high-speed operation to maximize dehumidification when needed, while the second indoor fan provides low-speed operation to maintain temperature. By coordinating these segmented functions, the system can selectively emphasize dehumidification or temperature maintenance based on operational requirements.
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
The system effectively dehumidifies the room while preventing excessive indoor temperature drops, maintaining a comfortable humidity level and expanding the air volume control range, thus enhancing the air conditioning performance.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant circuit in which at least an evaporator is connected to the refrigerant pipe
Implementation Method 2
at least an evaporator is connected to the refrigerant pipe
Implementation Method 3
at least two indoor fans configured to blow air to the evaporator
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner includes an outdoor unit, and a plurality of indoor units connected with a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit flows. Each indoor unit includes a refrigerant circuit in which at least an indoor heat exchanger is connected to the refrigerant pipe, an operation controller configured to control the refrigerant circuit according to an operating state, a sensor configured to measure an indoor environment, and a plurality of indoor fans configured to blow air to the indoor heat exchanger. Further, during a dehumidifying operation, the operation controller is configured to control the plurality of indoor fans respectively at different rotation speeds based on a result of the measurement by the sensor.