Refrigerant Cycle Switching for Wider Air Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners have limited temperature adjustment ranges due to inadequate adjustment of the refrigerant's heat absorbing and radiating capacities in the outdoor heat exchanger, leading to restricted temperature control of the air blown into the chamber, and they often struggle with frost formation and insufficient dehumidification.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerant cycle device with a compressor, refrigerant radiator, outdoor heat exchanger, evaporator, and adjustable throttle parts allows for varying the refrigerant passage configurations to adjust the heat exchange capacity between the refrigerant and outdoor air, enabling a wider temperature range adjustment of the air blown into the space by controlling the series or parallel coupling of the outdoor heat exchanger and evaporator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the refrigerant passage is switched to couple the indoor evaporator to the outdoor heat exchanger in parallel to make the outdoor heat exchanger function as a heat absorbing device, then the heating and dehumidifying operation can be performed, but the temperature adjustment range of the air blown into the chamber is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the refrigerant passage configuration adjustable between series and parallel couplings of the outdoor heat exchanger and evaporator. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt the heat exchange capacity to different operating conditions, thereby expanding the temperature adjustment range while maintaining versatile operation modes including heating, cooling, and dehumidifying operations
2Adaptability or versatility
If the refrigerant passage is switched to couple the outdoor heat exchanger and evaporator in series to make the outdoor heat exchanger function as a refrigerant radiator, then the moderate cooling and dehumidifying operation can be performed, but the heat absorbing capacity adjustment is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamics by enabling dynamic switching between series and parallel refrigerant passage configurations. When configured in parallel, the system can adequately adjust the heat absorbing capacity of the evaporator while maintaining the outdoor heat exchanger's refrigerant radiator function, thus resolving the inadequacy of heat absorbing capacity adjustment in series configuration
3Quantity of substance
If the refrigerant evaporation temperature in the outdoor heat exchanger is decreased to increase the amount of heat absorbed, then the amount of heat absorbed increases, but frost formation occurs on the evaporator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the heat absorbing functions of the outdoor heat exchanger and the evaporator into independent controllable units. By configuring them in parallel rather than series, the system can independently control the refrigerant flow and evaporation temperature in each heat exchanger, allowing the evaporator to absorb sufficient heat without the outdoor heat exchanger's evaporation temperature dropping low enough to cause frost formation
4Device complexity
If the refrigerant passage configuration is fixed to simplify the system structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature control flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a refrigerant cycle device that can perform multiple operation modes (heating, cooling, dehumidifying) and temperature adjustments through a single unified system architecture. The ability to switch between series and parallel configurations of the outdoor heat exchanger and evaporator provides multi-functionality, allowing the same hardware to adapt to different temperature control requirements without requiring separate dedicated systems
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 expands the temperature adjustable range of the air blown into the space, ensuring comfortable air conditioning by effectively adjusting the refrigerant's heat absorption and radiation capacities, preventing frost formation, and maintaining sufficient dehumidification.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor which compresses and discharges refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a refrigerant radiator disposed to make refrigerant discharged from the compressor exchange heat with the feed air to thereby radiate an amount of heat of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor
Implementation Method 3
an outdoor heat exchanger disposed to make the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerant radiator exchange heat with outdoor air
Implementation Method 4
an evaporator disposed to make the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger exchange heat with the feed air before passing through the refrigerant radiator to thereby evaporate the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger
Implementation Method 5
a first throttle part that is arranged in the first refrigerant passage to be capable of changing a passage opening area of the first refrigerant passage
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerant cycle device includes a first refrigerant passage for guiding refrigerant from a refrigerant radiator to an inlet side of an outdoor heat exchanger, a first throttle part capable of varying an opening area of the first refrigerant passage, a second refrigerant passage for guiding the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger to a compressor-suction side, a first opening/closing part for opening/closing the second refrigerant passage, a third refrigerant passage for guiding the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger to the compressor-suction side via an evaporator, a second throttle part capable of varying an opening area of the third refrigerant passage, a bypass passage for guiding the refrigerant flowing between the refrigerant radiator and the first throttle part to a position between the outdoor heat exchanger and the second throttle part in the third refrigerant passage, and a second opening/closing part for opening/closing the bypass passage.