Refrigerant Pipe Closure for False Leak Detection in Air Conditioners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioning apparatuses face challenges in accurately determining whether refrigerant leakage sensor detection is erroneous, leading to potential further refrigerant leakage during the determination process, as they do not effectively close the refrigerant pipe before assessing the detection.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit, an indoor unit with a refrigerant leakage sensor, a refrigerant pipe, an opening/closing device, and a control unit that closes the pipe and operates the air blowing fan when the sensor detects a high refrigerant concentration, then determines if the detection is erroneous by monitoring changes in concentration after the pipe is closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the refrigerant pipe remains open while determining whether detection is erroneous, then the determination process can proceed normally, but refrigerant leakage cannot be suppressed
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit closes the opening/closing device before initiating the erroneous detection determination process. This preliminary action ensures the refrigerant pipe is sealed prior to any operations that might cause leakage, allowing the system to safely determine whether the sensor detection is erroneous without risking further refrigerant loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies a counter-action by closing the refrigerant pipe before the determination process. This preventive measure counteracts the potential harmful effect of refrigerant leakage that could occur during the determination process, allowing safe evaluation of sensor accuracy.
2Reliability
If the air blowing fan operates continuously, then refrigerant leakage can be detected more quickly, but false detection increases in environments with smoke or gas
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit operates the air blowing fan in periodic cycles rather than continuously. The fan operates for a predetermined time period, then stops, allowing the refrigerant concentration to stabilize. This periodic operation enables multiple measurements to be taken at different times, helping distinguish between actual refrigerant leakage and false detections caused by environmental factors like smoke or gas.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors refrigerant concentration over multiple time periods and uses this feedback to determine whether detection is erroneous. By comparing concentration readings taken at different times and conditions, the system can identify patterns that indicate false detection versus actual leakage, improving measurement precision.
3Loss of time
If the determination process is simplified, then the system response time is reduced, but the accuracy of erroneous detection determination decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs a predetermined number of determination processes, which may be more than the minimum single check. This partial repetition of the determination process allows the system to gather sufficient data to accurately distinguish erroneous detection from actual leakage while maintaining a reasonable response time through automated sequential evaluation.
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 more reliable suppression of refrigerant leakage and accurate determination of erroneous detection, even in environments filled with smoke or gas, by controlling the air direction plate and fan operation to prevent false alarms.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant leakage sensor configured to detect a refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
an air blowing fan, an air outlet for blowing out air fed by the air blowing fan
Implementation Method 3
an opening/closing device configured to open and close the refrigerant pipe
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Provided is an air conditioning apparatus capable of determining whether detection of a refrigerant leakage sensor is erroneous detection while more reliably suppressing refrigerant leakage. An air conditioning apparatus 1 includes: an outdoor unit 20; an indoor unit 30 including an air blowing fan, an air outlet 310 for blowing out air fed by the air blowing fan, an air direction plate 320 capable of opening and closing the air outlet 310, and a refrigerant leakage sensor 307 configured to detect a refrigerant; a refrigerant pipe connecting the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30; an opening/closing device configured to open and close the refrigerant pipe; and a control unit 100 configured to, when the refrigerant leakage sensor 307 detects a refrigerant concentration higher than a predetermined value, close the opening/closing device and determine whether the detection of the refrigerant leakage sensor 307 is erroneous detection.