Outside air treatment device and air conditioning system

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing outside air processing devices with vaporizing humidifying functions face challenges in controlling humidity while maintaining efficient power consumption, as reducing indoor carbon dioxide concentration leads to decreased sensible and latent heat capacity, resulting in inadequate humidification and increased energy consumption when increasing airflow rates.

Innovation Solution

An outside air processing device with a control unit that adjusts the temperature of air at the inlet of the humidifying element based on target space humidity, allowing for humidity control while reducing power consumption by adjusting the supply air temperature and airflow rate, thereby optimizing heat source efficiency and ventilation load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the airflow rate is increased to improve humidification, then the humidity in the target space is improved, but the power consumption of the air-conditioning system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovehumidityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit changes the temperature parameter of the supply air to optimize the operating conditions of the humidifying element. By adjusting the supply air temperature, the system can achieve effective humidification while maintaining lower airflow rates, thus reducing power consumption compared to simply increasing airflow to improve humidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If the supply air temperature is increased to improve humidification effectiveness, then the latent heat capacity is improved, but the heat source efficiency decreases due to excessive temperature increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehumidification capacityVSAvoidheat source efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit dynamically adjusts the supply air temperature parameter to an optimal value that balances humidification effectiveness with heat source efficiency. Rather than using excessively high temperatures, the system finds the optimal temperature point that provides sufficient latent heat capacity for humidification while minimizing energy loss and maintaining heat source efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by moving object

If the airflow rate is reduced to reduce power consumption, then the power consumption is improved, but the humidification capacity decreases due to reduced latent heat capacity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidhumidification capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

When airflow rate is reduced to lower power consumption, the control unit compensates by adjusting the supply air temperature parameter. This ensures that the humidifying element operates under optimized conditions that maintain sufficient humidification capacity despite the lower airflow, thereby achieving energy savings without sacrificing humidification effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of operation

If the supply air temperature is fixed to a set value for simple control, then the control complexity is reduced, but the humidity control capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol simplicityVSAvoidhumidity control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit implements dynamic control by continuously adjusting the supply air temperature parameter based on feedback from humidity sensors in the target space. This transforms the static temperature control into a dynamic system that adapts to changing humidity conditions, enabling effective humidity control while maintaining operational simplicity through automated feedback mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback control where humidity sensors monitor the target space humidity levels and provide information to the control unit. The control unit then adjusts the supply air temperature parameter accordingly to maintain desired humidity levels, creating a closed-loop control system that achieves humidity control capability while keeping the operation simple for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 solution enables effective humidity control while minimizing power consumption by dynamically adjusting the supply air temperature and airflow rate, ensuring adequate humidification and reducing energy expenditure in air-conditioning systems.

Implementation Method 1

a heating element (12) configured to heat air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a humidifying element (13) configured to humidify air that has passed through the heating element (12)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP3967944B1Outside air treatment device and air conditioning system
Publication Date: 2024.03.06 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3967944B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

An outside air processing device (20) adjusts the temperature and humidity of outside air taken thereinto, and then supplies the adjusted air to a target space (SP1, SP2). The outside air processing device (20) includes a heating element (12) configured to heat air, a humidifying element (13) configured to humidify air that has passed through the heating element (12), and a control unit (31) for outside air processing configured to change the temperature of air at an inlet (13a) of the humidifying element (13) in accordance with the humidity in the target space (SP1, SP2).