Multi-System Air Conditioner with Circulator-Based Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning apparatuses face inefficiencies in power consumption and installation costs due to complex indoor unit arrangements, leading to long installation times and insufficient heat transport capabilities, which result in nonuniform temperature distribution and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning system with two refrigerant systems and circulators that selectively operate based on load determination, where one system under high load continues operation while the other under low load is stopped, and circulators transport conditioned air to the low-load zone to enhance heat transport and reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If indoor units are arranged adjacently to reduce nonuniformity in air-conditioning effect, then temperature distribution uniformity is improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air-conditioning system is divided into multiple independent refrigerant systems, each capable of autonomous operation. This segmentation allows flexible arrangement of indoor units without requiring complex adjacent positioning, as each system can independently serve its designated zones while maintaining temperature uniformity through coordinated control.
2Use of energy by moving object
If systems are stopped under low load to improve operating efficiency, then power consumption is reduced, but heat transport capability becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A circulator is introduced as an intermediary device to transport conditioned air from operating indoor units to zones that would otherwise require additional active systems. This allows the system to maintain adequate heat transport capability and temperature uniformity even when some refrigerant systems are stopped during low-load conditions, thereby reducing power consumption without sacrificing performance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If circulators are used to improve heat transport capability, then temperature distribution uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circulator is designed to perform multiple functions: transporting conditioned air, balancing temperature distribution across zones, and enabling flexible system shutdown during low-load conditions. This multi-functionality justifies the added device complexity by providing comprehensive temperature uniformity control and system efficiency optimization in a single integrated component.
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 reduces power consumption, shortens installation time and cost, and maintains comfort by improving heat transport capability and uniform temperature distribution.
Implementation Method 1
one or more circulators configured to make a temperature distribution in the room uniform... the circulator to draw the blown air and to blow the air toward an air-conditioned zone of the refrigerant system determined to be under the low load
Data Source
AI summary
An air-conditioning apparatus includes refrigerant systems that each include an outdoor unit and indoor units and that air-condition a single room, and circulators for making a temperature distribution in the room uniform. The air-conditioning apparatus determines a load on each of the two refrigerant systems in operation, and, if it is determined that improvement of operating efficiency is possible on the basis of the determination result, performs a system-selective operation in which operation of one of the refrigerant systems determined to be under a low load is stopped and the other refrigerant system determined to be under a high load is selectively performed, and causes the circulators to transport blown air blown from the indoor units of the refrigerant system determined to be under a high load to an air-conditioned zone of the refrigerant system determined to be under a low load.