Refrigerant Charge Estimation From Extension Pipe Volume
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method for calculating the internal volume of refrigerant extension pipes in refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatuses is time-consuming and requires special operations, making it difficult to accurately determine the refrigerant amount and detect leakage during normal operation.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus with a measurement unit to collect temperature and pressure data, a calculation unit to process this data for initial learning, and a determination unit to calculate the internal volume and refrigerant amount, allowing for accurate detection of leakage without special operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If special operations are performed to calculate the internal volume of refrigerant extension pipes, then the calculation accuracy is improved, but the time consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary learning operations during normal operation to collect operation data, which is then used to calculate the internal volume of refrigerant extension pipes. This preliminary data collection eliminates the need for special operations later, reducing time consumption while maintaining calculation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus uses its own normal operation data to calculate its own extension pipe internal volume, without requiring external special operations or additional measurement devices. The system serves itself by utilizing existing operation data for volume calculation.
2Measurement precision
If special operations are performed to calculate the internal volume of refrigerant extension pipes, then the calculation accuracy is improved, but the operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs volume calculations using its own normal operation data without requiring users to perform special operations. The control unit autonomously processes operation data to determine internal volume, simplifying the user experience while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual special operations with an automated control unit that processes operation data electronically. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with automated electronic processing reduces operational complexity while preserving calculation accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If operation data is collected during normal operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the measurement accuracy may be affected by operational variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system collects operation data during normal operation as a preliminary step, accumulating sufficient data points that can withstand normal operational variations. This preliminary data collection phase allows the system to establish accurate baseline measurements without requiring special operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system collects operation data multiple times during normal operation, gathering more data than the minimum single measurement would provide. This excessive data collection approach compensates for operational variations by providing multiple samples for analysis, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy while operating under normal conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus including a refrigerant circuit, which in turn includes an outdoor unit, and an indoor unit, connected by an extension pipe. The apparatus further includes a control unit having a memory, and is configured to calculate an internal volume of the extension pipe and calculate a standard refrigerant amount, serving as a criterion for determining whether the refrigerant is leaked from the refrigerant circuit, on the basis of the calculated refrigerant extension pipe internal volume. The memory is configured to store the refrigerant extension pipe internal volume and the standard refrigerant amount. The control unit is configured to calculate a total amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit on the basis of the refrigerant extension pipe internal volume stored in the memory and operation data measured during normal operation, and compare the calculated total refrigerant amount with the standard refrigerant amount stored in the memory to determine whether refrigerant is leaked.