Cooling system and controlling method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems face inefficiencies due to frost formation on evaporators, which affects heat exchange and can disrupt the cooling performance of adjacent units, requiring separate communication lines for grouping and controlling defrosting operations.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system that groups cooling devices into defrosting units based on specified conditions, allowing simultaneous defrosting operations without additional communication lines, utilizing a controller to manage refrigerant flow and defrosting heaters within each unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate communication lines are installed for grouping cooling devices, then defrosting control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling devices automatically determine their own defrosting groups based on stored location information and predetermined grouping criteria, eliminating the need for external communication lines to assign groups. Each device independently performs the grouping function using its own controller and stored data.
Solution Approach 2:
The grouping function is extracted from the communication infrastructure and embedded directly into each cooling device's controller as stored location information. This removes the dependency on separate communication lines for grouping purposes while maintaining precise control.
2Productivity
If defrosting operation is performed on some cooling devices, then frost removal efficiency is improved, but cooling efficiency of adjacent devices deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Cooling devices are segmented into distinct defrosting groups based on location information, allowing independent control of defrosting operations in different spatial zones. This prevents adjacent devices from simultaneously defrosting and affecting each other's cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different defrosting control strategies are applied to different location-based groups. Devices in the same location group share defrosting timing, while devices in different groups operate independently, optimizing both frost removal and cooling efficiency for each local zone.
3Ease of operation
If multiple cooling devices are grouped by location, then operational control is simplified, but communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each cooling device autonomously determines its defrosting group using locally stored location information and predetermined grouping criteria, eliminating the need for complex communication infrastructure to coordinate grouping decisions across multiple devices.
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
Enhances operational efficiency by simplifying defrosting control and maintaining consistent cooling performance across multiple units, eliminating the need for separate communication infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and air
Implementation Method 2
a defrosting heater configured to generate heat
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system including a plurality of cooling devices, and an outdoor unit configured to provide a refrigerant to each of the plurality of cooling devices, wherein each of the plurality of cooling devices includes: an evaporator configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and air, a communication unit configured to communicate between the plurality of cooling devices, a user interface configured to obtain an input, and a controller electrically connected to the communication unit and the user interface and configured to set a defrosting group based on the user input. Based on any one of cooling devices belonging to the same defrosting group satisfying a specified defrosting entry condition, all of the cooling devices belonging to the same defrosting group are controlled to enter a defrosting operation together.