Refrigerating apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Refrigerant coolers connected to conductive materials in refrigeration systems can form capacitors, leading to high-frequency current leakage and noise issues due to potential variations in electrode potentials, which existing noise filters attempt to mitigate but at increased cost and complexity.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a refrigeration apparatus with a control section that performs overmodulation control, reducing switching operations in the inverter circuit, and using an interior permanent magnet motor to adjust motor terminal voltage, thereby minimizing high-frequency current leakage through the refrigerant cooler.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a refrigerant cooler made of conductive material is used to cool the power element, then the cooling effect is improved, but high frequency current leakage and noise problems occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower element temperatureVSAvoidhigh frequency current leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

An insulating member is introduced as an intermediary between the power element and the refrigerant cooler. This insulating member electrically insulates the power element from the cooler while still allowing thermal conduction to occur, thereby preventing high frequency current leakage paths while maintaining effective cooling of the power element.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The contact interface between the power element and refrigerant cooler is segmented into distinct functional layers: a thermal conduction portion that allows heat transfer and an insulating portion that blocks electrical current leakage. This segmentation enables independent optimization of thermal and electrical properties at different locations of the contact interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-generated harmful factors

If a noise filter is added to reduce high frequency current leakage, then noise problems are improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovenoiseVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating member, originally intended to prevent electrical discharge breakdown, inadvertently serves as an effective barrier against high frequency current leakage. This converts a protective measure against one type of electrical failure into a solution for noise reduction, eliminating the need for separate noise filtering components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Temperature

If the power element is directly attached to the refrigerant cooler, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but electrical discharge breakdown risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower element cooling efficiencyVSAvoidelectrical discharge resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating member serves as a mediator that simultaneously addresses both cooling efficiency and electrical discharge resistance. It provides a thermal conduction path for heat removal while creating an electrical insulation barrier that prevents discharge breakdown, allowing the power element to be effectively cooled without direct electrical contact to the conductive refrigerant cooler.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Effectively reduces high-frequency current leakage and associated noise without the need for additional noise filters, thereby simplifying the system and reducing costs while maintaining efficient cooling.

Implementation Method 1

a refrigerant cooler (81) in which a refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit (10) flows and which cools the power module (61)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a capacitor is formed inside the power element between the internal electrode and the metal plate, with the insulator serving as a dielectric. If the power element is attached to a refrigerant cooler made of a conductive material, a capacitor is formed inside the power element between the metal plate and the refrigerant cooler

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP2568597B1Refrigerating apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.04.15 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP2568597B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2568597B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2568597B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A power module (61) is attached to a refrigerant cooler (81) in contact with the refrigerant cooler (81), and cooling is performed by dissipating heat to the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant cooler (81). A controller (60) outputs a driving signal to a drive circuit (31) to reduce the number of switching operations of switching elements (37).