Refrigeration cycle device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration cycle devices face challenges in ensuring uniform refrigerant flow through heat exchangers with multiple flow paths, requiring multiple temperature sensors and complex adjustments to prevent uneven flow, which increases complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration cycle device with a heat exchanger and flow rate adjustment units, controlled by a unit that adjusts flow rates based on overall efficiency values, including pressure and temperature sensors, to prevent uneven refrigerant flow, using a learning device to optimize flow rate settings for improved heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple temperature sensors are used to monitor each refrigerant flow path, then uniform refrigerant flow can be prevented, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple independent flow paths, each equipped with its own flow rate adjustment unit. This segmentation allows independent control of each path's refrigerant flow, ensuring uniform distribution without requiring temperature sensors in each path, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit receives information about refrigerant flow conditions and adjusts the opening degrees of flow rate adjustment units accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables automatic balancing of refrigerant flow across multiple paths without requiring complex sensor arrays, resolving the contradiction between flow uniformity and system simplicity
2Reliability
If flow rate adjustment units are added to each refrigerant flow path, then refrigerant flow uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flow rate adjustment units are integrated into a unified control system where a single control unit manages all adjustment units. This merging approach coordinates the operation of multiple components through centralized control, achieving uniform refrigerant flow distribution while avoiding proportional increases in overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls all flow rate adjustment units, receives flow condition information, and coordinates refrigerant distribution across all paths. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control mechanisms in each flow path, improving flow uniformity without proportionally increasing device complexity
3Reliability
If complex adjustments are made to prevent uneven refrigerant flow, then flow uniformity is achieved, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adjusts refrigerant flow distribution through the control unit and flow rate adjustment units without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates to maintain uniform flow across all paths, achieving reliable operation while simplifying user interaction to basic on/off control
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors refrigerant flow conditions and automatically adjusts the opening degrees of flow rate adjustment units based on received information. This closed-loop feedback system maintains flow uniformity automatically, eliminating the need for complex manual adjustments and improving ease of operation
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 solution allows for efficient adjustment of refrigerant flow rates across multiple paths with fewer sensors, preventing uneven flow and enhancing heat exchange capability, thereby improving the overall efficiency and reducing the complexity of the system.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanger has a plurality of refrigerant flow paths including a first refrigerant flow path and a second refrigerant flow path
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of flow rate adjustment units adjust flow rates of a refrigerant flowing through the respective refrigerant flow paths
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration cycle device includes a heat exchanger main body, a plurality of flow rate adjusters, and a controller. The heat exchanger main body has a plurality of refrigerant flow paths including a first refrigerant flow path and a second refrigerant flow path. The flow rate adjusters adjust flow rates of a refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow paths. The controller adjusts the flow rates of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow paths by controlling opening degrees of the flow rate adjusters. The controller controls the opening degrees of the flow rate adjusters based on a first value or a second value. The first value is a value representing overall efficiency of the refrigeration cycle. The second value is a value representing overall efficiency of the heat exchanger main body.