Pre-Entry Air Conditioning Control for Uneven Room Temperature

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioning systems face challenges in reducing operational load due to uneven temperature distribution in rooms, particularly during heating operations, as they do not perform ventilation before heating, leading to increased energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioning system that includes a ventilation device, an air agitation device, and a detection device, which are controlled by an air conditioner based on indoor and outdoor temperatures, operation mode, and user presence, allowing for pre-operation ventilation and agitation before the user enters the room.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If ventilation is performed before cooling operation, then the load in cooling operation is reduced, but the load in cooling operation cannot be sufficiently reduced when temperature distribution in the room is not uniform

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload in cooling operationVSAvoidtemperature distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary ventilation before cooling operation to discharge accumulated hot air, and additionally performs preliminary air agitation when temperature distribution is uneven. This preliminary action prepares the room environment before the main cooling operation, reducing the load on the air conditioner by pre-venting hot air and pre-agitating to achieve more uniform temperature distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If ventilation is not performed before heating operation, then the system structure remains simple, but the load in heating operation becomes significantly heavy when temperature distribution in the room is uneven

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem structureVSAvoidload in heating operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary air agitation before heating operation when temperature distribution is uneven, without requiring additional ventilation infrastructure. This preliminary agitation redistributes temperature more uniformly before heating starts, reducing the heating load while maintaining simple system structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If air conditioning is controlled after user enters the room, then the system operation is simple, but the room environment comfort is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem operation simplicityVSAvoidroom environment comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The detection device detects user approach in advance, and the control device performs preliminary ventilation and/or air agitation before the user enters the room. This creates a comfortable environment in advance while maintaining automatic simple operation - the system decides what preliminary actions to take based on detected conditions without requiring user intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 system effectively reduces the operational load by performing ventilation and agitation before the air conditioner is activated, ensuring a comfortable environment and optimizing energy usage by adapting to temperature differences and user presence.

Implementation Method 1

a ventilation device to ventilate the room

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure difference: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

ventilate the room

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

an air agitation device to agitate air in the room

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3795916B1Air-conditioning system
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3795916B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3795916B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3795916B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An air conditioning system (100) for controlling air conditioning in a room in accordance with an air conditioning operation instruction received from a user includes: a ventilation device (2) that ventilates the room; an air agitation device (3) that agitates air in the room; an air conditioner (1) that controls the air conditioning of the room and controls operations of the ventilation device (2) and the air agitation device (3); and a detection device (4) that detects presence of the user in the room. The air conditioner (1) controls the operations of the ventilation device (2) and the air agitation device (3) before the user enters the room based on an indoor temperature that is a temperature inside the room, an outdoor temperature that is a temperature outside the room, an operation mode of air conditioning control performed by the air conditioner (1) included in the air conditioning operation instruction, an operating status of the ventilation device (2), and a detection result provided by the detection device (4).