Outdoor Unit Inverter Circuit Life Estimation Without Extra Thermistors
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Solution Overview
Problem
The reliability of outdoor air-conditioning units is compromised due to the inability to accurately estimate the lifespan of components without expensive thermistors, leading to unexpected failures and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a temperature detection circuit in the first heat generating component to estimate the lifespan of second heat generating components, which generate less heat, allowing for reduced costs while maintaining reliability by using a temperature acquisition module and estimate calculation module to calculate temperature estimates and life estimates based on the first heat generating component's temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermistors are installed in all components to estimate their lives, then the reliability of the outdoor unit is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature detection circuit installed in the heat generating component serves multiple functions: it directly detects the temperature of the heat generating component and indirectly estimates the temperatures of other components through heat transfer relationships. This multi-functional use of a single temperature detection circuit eliminates the need for multiple thermistors, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary medium to establish thermal relationships between components. By detecting the temperature of the heat generating component and using the known heat transfer characteristics through air, the system can estimate temperatures of other components without direct thermistor installation, thus reducing cost while maintaining monitoring capability.
2Ease of manufacture
If only some components are equipped with thermistors to reduce cost, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to inability to estimate lives of components without thermistors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of installing physical thermistors in every component with a computational approach. By using temperature detection combined with heat transfer modeling and estimation algorithms, the system can predict temperatures and estimate component lives without requiring physical sensors in every location, thus maintaining reliability while reducing manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of directly measuring temperatures of all components with physical thermistors, the system creates virtual temperature copies through calculation and estimation based on the heat generating component's temperature and known thermal relationships. This allows indirect monitoring of all components through a single direct measurement point.
3Reliability
If heat generating components are monitored to control compressor operation, then the reliability is improved, but the complexity of the temperature monitoring system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the monitoring approach from multiple direct temperature parameters (requiring multiple thermistors) to a single primary temperature parameter combined with calculated estimated parameters. By monitoring the heat generating component's temperature and using heat transfer relationships to estimate other temperatures, the system reduces the number of direct measurements needed while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability.
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 configuration enables accurate estimation of the lifespan of less heat-generating components, reducing the need for extensive thermistor use, lowering manufacturing costs, and enhancing the reliability of the outdoor unit by effectively managing temperature and extending the life of critical components.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature detection circuit provided in the first heat generating component and configured to detect a temperature of the first heat generating component
Implementation Method 2
the temperature of air in the controller is raised by heat from the heat generating component. At this time, the components other than the heat generating component may accumulate the heat
Data Source
AI summary
An outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus includes: a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor and an outdoor-side heat exchanger are connected by a refrigerant pipe; an outdoor-side fan that sends air to the outdoor-side heat exchanger; and a controller including an inverter circuit configured to drive the compressor. The controller includes: a first heat generating component; a second heat generating component that generates a smaller amount of heat than the first heat generating component; a temperature detection circuit provided in the first heat generating component to detect a temperature thereof; a temperature acquisition module that acquires the temperature detected by the temperature detection circuit; and an estimate calculation module that calculates a temperature estimate of the second heat generating component based on the temperature acquired by the temperature acquisition module, and calculates an estimate of a life of the second heat generating component based on the temperature estimate.