Parallel Refrigerant Cycles for Simultaneous HVAC and Hot Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combined air-conditioning and hot-water supply systems face challenges in providing simultaneous air conditioning and hot-water supply due to extended connection pipelines, difficulty in integrating hot-water supply into existing air conditioners, and inefficiencies in energy saving, particularly when hot-water supply requires stopping air conditioning.
Innovation Solution
A system with a heat source unit, indoor unit, and branch unit connected by at least two pipelines, utilizing a dual refrigerating cycle where the refrigerant circuits for air conditioning and hot-water supply are connected in parallel, allowing heat exchange between refrigerants to enable simultaneous air conditioning and hot-water supply, and using a refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger to optimize energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a dual refrigerating cycle is used to provide both air conditioning and hot-water supply, then both functions can be provided simultaneously, but extended connection pipelines are needed resulting in construction difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air conditioning refrigerant circuit and hot-water supply refrigerant circuit into a shared system. The outdoor heat exchanger serves both circuits, and the refrigerant flows through a combined path that includes both the air conditioning components (indoor heat exchanger, air blower) and hot-water supply components (water pump, hot-water tank). This merging eliminates the need for separate extended pipelines for each function, reducing construction complexity while maintaining simultaneous operation capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate refrigerant circuits are used for air conditioning and hot-water supply, then each function can operate independently, but the system cannot be easily introduced into existing air conditioners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal refrigerant circuit that can perform multiple functions. The same refrigerant loop serves both air conditioning (through the indoor heat exchanger and air blower) and hot-water supply (through the water pump and hot-water tank). The system includes switching mechanisms (valves) that allow the refrigerant to be directed to different components based on operational needs, enabling independent operation of each function while using a shared infrastructure that can be integrated into existing air conditioner units.
3Use of energy by moving object
If hot-water supply is prioritized using compressor discharged heat, then hot-water supply efficiency is improved, but air conditioning must be stopped reducing convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic refrigerant circuit with switching capability. The system can dynamically redirect refrigerant flow between air conditioning and hot-water supply functions based on operational demands. Valves control the refrigerant path to prioritize hot-water supply when needed (directing compressor discharged heat to the hot-water tank) while maintaining the ability to switch back to air conditioning mode, thus providing both high efficiency and convenience without requiring one function to stop the other.
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 allows for stable, energy-efficient provision of both air conditioning and hot-water supply while reducing construction complexity and maintaining convenience, by utilizing discharged heat for hot-water supply, thus enhancing energy savings.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerating cycle for hot-water supply which is a second refrigerant circuit in which a compressor for hot-water supply, a heat medium-refrigerant heat exchanger, throttle means for hot-water supply, and the refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger are connected in series, in which the refrigerating cycle for air conditioning, and the refrigerating cycle for hot-water supply are connected so as to exchange heat between the refrigerant for air conditioning and the refrigerant for hot-water supply in the refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
a heat medium-refrigerant heat exchanger, throttle means for hot-water supply
Data Source
AI summary
A configuration provided with a heat source unit A, an indoor unit B, a circuit D for a hot-water supply heat source provided with a refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger and throttle for the hot-water supply heat source, and a branch unit C that distributes a refrigerant flowing through the indoor unit and the circuit for hot-water supply heat source and also provided with a refrigerating cycle for air conditioning in which the indoor unit and the circuit for hot-water supply heat source are connected in parallel and connected to the heat source unit by at least two connection pipelines via the branch unit and a refrigerating cycle for hot-water supply in which a compressor for hot-water supply, a heat-medium-refrigerant heat exchanger, throttle for hot-water supply, and the refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger are connected in series, in which the refrigerating cycle for air conditioning and the refrigerating cycle for hot-water supply are connected so as to exchange heat between the refrigerant for air conditioning and the refrigerant for hot-water supply in the refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger.