Multi-Room AC Refrigerant Separation for Low-Loss Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-room air-conditioning systems face issues with increased pressure loss in outdoor-unit-side heat exchangers during heating operations due to unnecessary gas refrigerant flow, and inability to perform simultaneous cooling and heating operations across indoor units.
Innovation Solution
A multi-room air-conditioning apparatus with a four-way switching valve and a second gas-liquid separating device that bypasses the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger during heating, ensuring only liquid refrigerant for heat exchange and maintaining constant refrigerant flow direction, allowing for simultaneous cooling and heating operations across indoor units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a two-phase refrigerant flows into the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger during heating operation, then the heat exchange function is provided, but the pressure loss in the heat exchanger increases due to unnecessary gas refrigerant flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the unnecessary gas refrigerant from the two-phase refrigerant flow before it enters the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger. A gas-liquid separating device is installed on the inlet side of the heat exchanger to separate gas refrigerant from liquid refrigerant, and only the liquid refrigerant is supplied to the heat exchanger, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of gas refrigerant causing pressure loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas-liquid separating device acts as an intermediary component between the refrigerant supply line and the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger. This intermediary device processes the two-phase refrigerant by separating gas and liquid phases, ensuring that only the appropriate liquid refrigerant reaches the heat exchanger, thus resolving the contradiction between heat exchange function and pressure loss.
2Loss of energy
If a gas-liquid separating device is provided on the inlet side of the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger, then pressure loss is reduced, but the direction of refrigerant flow at the inlet is not constant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a four-way switching valve that dynamically changes the refrigerant flow path based on operation mode (cooling or heating). In heating mode, the valve directs refrigerant through the gas-liquid separating device to ensure stable liquid refrigerant flow direction into the heat exchanger, while in cooling mode, the valve redirects the flow to bypass the separating device, thus adapting the system behavior to maintain flow direction stability when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If simultaneous cooling and heating operations are to be performed on multiple indoor units, then user convenience is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the refrigerant distribution system by providing individual flow control devices for each indoor unit and using a relay unit with switching mechanisms. This segmentation allows independent control of refrigerant flow to different indoor units, enabling some units to perform cooling while others perform heating simultaneously, thus achieving operational versatility through systematic division of control functions.
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 reduces pressure loss in the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger, maintains high refrigerant temperature for efficient compressor performance, and enables effective simultaneous cooling and heating operations across indoor units.
Implementation Method 1
a gas-liquid separating device that separates a refrigerant into a gas refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
an outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
at least a compressor
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-room air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit, a relay unit connected to an outdoor unit by first and second connection pipes, and a plurality of indoor units connected to the relay unit. The outdoor unit includes a second gas-liquid separating device provided on the suction side of the compressor. The suction side of the compressor and the second gas-liquid separating device are connected to each other by a gas-side outlet pipe and a liquid-side outlet pipe.