Multi-Unit Air Conditioner Temperature Control to Reduce Energy Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioner control systems face inefficiencies due to large deviations in heat load within facilities, leading to increased power consumption and reduced operating efficiency, as they require costly calculations and measurements of enthalpy, power consumption, and thermo-on/off states.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner control device and method that adjusts setting temperatures based on ambient and target temperatures, using a controller to optimize the operation of multiple air conditioners by adjusting their settings to either increase or decrease temperatures, ensuring uniform operation or shutdown, thereby maintaining high efficiency without additional hardware or functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If air conditioners are controlled using existing methods that calculate operating efficiency based on enthalpy and power consumption, then operating efficiency can be optimized, but calculation cost and measurement instrument cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential control parameters (ambient temperature and setting temperature) from the complex set of parameters (enthalpy, power consumption, thermo-on/off state) used in existing methods. By taking out only the necessary temperature measurements, the system achieves operating efficiency optimization without the burden of complex calculations and additional measurement instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive and complex measurement instruments (enthalpy meters, power consumption meters) with simple and inexpensive temperature sensors. This substitution uses cheap, readily available components to achieve the same control objective, significantly reducing both equipment cost and calculation complexity.
2Reliability
If air conditioners operate with large deviations in heat load, then individual air conditioner performance can be maintained, but overall operating efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control mechanism where the controller continuously monitors ambient temperatures from multiple air conditioners and adjusts setting temperatures based on this feedback. This enables coordinated operation of air conditioners, ensuring they work together efficiently even when heat loads vary, thereby maintaining both individual performance and overall system efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic adjustment of setting temperatures based on real-time ambient temperature conditions. Rather than fixed settings, the system adaptively modifies operating parameters according to current conditions, allowing air conditioners to respond flexibly to varying heat loads while maintaining optimal overall efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If setting temperatures are adjusted to optimize overall efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but temperature uniformity control becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different setting temperature adjustments to different air conditioners based on their local ambient temperature conditions. Rather than applying a uniform adjustment to all units, the system tailors control parameters to each air conditioner's specific environment, enabling energy optimization while maintaining local temperature requirements and overall uniformity.
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner control device includes: a receiver that receives measurement values for ambient temperatures of air conditioners installed inside a facility; and a controller that adjusts setting temperatures for cooling operations (or heating operations) of each of the air conditioners to values that are less (or values that are greater) than the measurement values for each of the air conditioners, when at least one of the measurement values received by the receiver is greater (or less) than a target temperature inside the facility.