Air-conditioning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
In air conditioning systems with multiple indoor units sharing a refrigerant system, operating efficiency is compromised when the operating mode of a prioritized indoor unit is maintained even after its operation request ceases, leading to inappropriate operating modes for the overall system.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control component that performs a redetermination process when there is no longer an operation request from the priority indoor unit or a predetermined time has passed since an operating mode was set for a non-priority unit, allowing for the adjustment of the operating mode based on the current requests and capacities of other indoor units, and employing a first-come-first-served process to manage operating mode changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operating mode corresponding to the priority indoor unit is continued even when there is no operation request from the priority indoor unit, then the control is simplified, but the operating efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control method dynamically adjusts the executed operating mode based on real-time operation requests from indoor units. When a priority indoor unit has an operation request, its mode is executed; when the request ceases or a predetermined time passes, the system redetermines the mode based on current requests from other indoor units, making the control adaptive rather than static
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors operation requests from indoor units and uses this feedback to adjust the executed operating mode. The control component determines whether to maintain or change the operating mode based on whether operation requests from priority and non-priority indoor units are present, creating a closed-loop control system
2Productivity
If the operating mode is frequently changed to match current operation requests, then the operating efficiency is improved, but the number of operating mode changes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs redetermination of the operating mode only at predetermined timings (when operation requests change or after a predetermined time has passed), rather than continuously. This preliminary action approach prevents unnecessary frequent mode changes while ensuring the system adapts when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The control component periodically redetermines the executed operating mode at specific intervals or trigger points (when operation requests change). This periodic redetermination balances the need for up-to-date operating modes with the avoidance of excessive mode changes, as the system checks and adjusts only at these periodic moments
Data Source
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AI summary
It is a problem of the present invention to improve, in an air conditioning apparatus equipped with plural indoor units and an outdoor unit that shares a refrigerant system with the indoor units, operating efficiency by performing an operation resulting from an appropriate operating mode. An air conditioning apparatus is equipped with plural indoor units (20a to 20e), an outdoor unit (30) that shares a refrigerant system with the plural indoor units (20a to 20e), and a control component. In a case where there is an operation request from an indoor unit that has been set as a priority indoor unit among the plural indoor units (20a to 20e), the control component decides, as an executed operating mode, the operating mode corresponding to the priority indoor unit. In a case where there is no longer an operation request from the priority indoor unit, or in a case where a predetermined amount of time has passed since an operating mode corresponding to an indoor unit other than the priority indoor unit was decided as the executed operating mode in a state in which there is no operation request from the priority indoor unit, the control component performs a redetermination process in which the control component redetermines the executed operating mode and decides the executed operating mode in accordance with the result of the redetermination.