Multi-Split Air Conditioner Sequential Defrosting for Stable Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-type air conditioners face inefficiencies in heating performance due to frost accumulation on outdoor heat exchangers, requiring defrosting operations that split refrigerant flow, leading to prolonged frost removal times and potential residual frost at heat exchanger boundaries, which deteriorates heating efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner employs a sequential defrosting method where outdoor units alternate between defrosting and heating modes, with high-temperature refrigerant flowing through the defrosting unit while other units maintain heating operation, ensuring continuous indoor heating and minimizing heating performance deterioration by systematically addressing frost on all heat exchanger parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the refrigerant bypassed in the compression unit flows into the outdoor heat exchanger during defrosting operation, then the frost can be removed, but the amount of refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger is reduced, causing the defrosting process to take relatively long time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a defrosting heat exchanger as an intermediary component that receives high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant from the compression unit and uses it to defrost the outdoor heat exchanger. This mediator allows the system to utilize the refrigerant's thermal energy effectively for frost removal without directly reducing the refrigerant flow to the outdoor heat exchanger, thereby resolving the contradiction between effective frost removal and defrosting time
2Reliability
If a portion of the outdoor heat exchanger performs defrosting operation while the remaining portion performs heating operation, then the defrosting can be performed, but the heating efficiency is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the defrosting and heating functions into separate components: the outdoor heat exchanger is dedicated to heating, while a separate defrosting heat exchanger handles the defrosting operation. This segmentation allows both functions to operate simultaneously without interfering with each other, maintaining heating efficiency while performing defrosting
Solution Approach 2:
The defrosting heat exchanger acts as an intermediary that handles the defrosting operation using high-temperature refrigerant, allowing the outdoor heat exchanger to continue its heating function without interruption or performance degradation
3Reliability
If the frost on the upper heat exchanger part is completely removed and then the frost on the lower heat exchanger part is removed, then the upper part can be defrosted, but the frost on the boundary between upper and lower heat exchanger parts may not be smoothly removed, causing residual frost to remain
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor heat exchanger is divided into multiple parts (upper and lower), and each part is equipped with its own expansion mechanism. This segmentation allows independent control of refrigerant flow to each heat exchanger part, enabling uniform and complete frost removal across all sections including boundaries, without leaving residual frost
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 approach allows for efficient frost removal across all outdoor heat exchangers, preventing residual frost and maintaining indoor heating comfort while minimizing heating performance degradation during defrosting operations.
Implementation Method 1
When the defrosting operation is performed, a high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant discharged from a compression unit is bypassed to flow into the heat exchanger part in which the defrosting operation is performed
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a multi type air conditioner. The multi type air conditioner includes a plurality of indoor units, each comprising an indoor heat exchanger and a plurality of outdoor units connected to the plurality of indoor units, each comprising an outdoor heat exchanger. When a defrosting operation condition is satisfied during a heating operation, the plurality of outdoor units successively perform a defrosting operation.