Refrigerant Pressurizing Circuit for Stable Air Conditioner COP
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners with vapor compression-type refrigerant circuits face challenges in controlling evaporating and condensing abilities efficiently, leading to increased parts and costs due to the need for multiple heat source heat exchangers and poor Coefficient of Performance (COP) during low air conditioning loads, especially when refrigerant pressure becomes unstable and refrigerant flows as a gas-liquid two-phase with a large gas fraction.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner incorporates a pressurizing circuit that merges high-pressure gas refrigerant with refrigerant whose pressure is reduced by the heat source expansion valve, and a cooler that condenses the refrigerant, allowing for expanded control of evaporating and condensing abilities by a single heat source heat exchanger, eliminating the need for multiple heat exchangers and improving COP by managing refrigerant pressure and flow effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If control is conducted to reduce the openings of the heat source expansion valves to reduce condensing ability, then the condensing ability is reduced, but the refrigerant pressure downstream of the heat source expansion valves drops and becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing circuit acts as an intermediary component that merges high-pressure gas refrigerant with the refrigerant flow downstream of the expansion valve. This mediator maintains stable refrigerant pressure in the utilization refrigerant circuits even when expansion valve openings are reduced to control condensing ability, thereby resolving the contradiction between reducing condensing ability and maintaining pressure stability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat source heat exchangers are disposed to expand control width, then the control width is improved, but the number of parts and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing circuit enables the single heat source heat exchanger to perform multiple functions effectively. By maintaining stable refrigerant pressure and enabling precise control of refrigerant flow, the system achieves wide control width for both evaporating and condensing abilities using only one heat source heat exchanger, eliminating the need for multiple units and reducing system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat source heat exchangers are disposed to expand control width, then the control width is improved, but the costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing circuit allows a single heat source heat exchanger to provide wide control width for both evaporating and condensing operations. This multi-functional capability eliminates the need to manufacture and install multiple heat source heat exchangers, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining adaptability.
4Productivity
If the openings of heat source expansion valves are reduced to control condensing ability, then the condensing ability is reduced, but the refrigerant pressure drops and control cannot be stably conducted
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing circuit serves as a stabilizing intermediary that compensates for pressure drops caused by reduced expansion valve openings. It merges high-pressure gas refrigerant into the flow stream, maintaining stable pressure conditions that enable reliable and stable control of condensing ability without the adverse effects of pressure fluctuations.
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 wider control of evaporating and condensing abilities, simplifies the heat source heat exchanger design, reduces the number of parts and costs, and enhances the Coefficient of Performance (COP) by preventing the need for multiple heat exchangers and stabilizing refrigerant pressure, even during low air conditioning loads.
Implementation Method 1
causes high-pressure gas refrigerant compressed in the compression mechanism (21) to merge with refrigerant whose pressure is reduced in the heat source expansion valve (24) and is sent to the utilization refrigerant circuits
Implementation Method 2
a cooler (121) that cools the refrigerant whose pressure is reduced in the heat source expansion valve (24) and is sent to the utilization refrigerant circuits
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner has a heat source refrigerant circuit, utilization refrigerant circuits, a pressurizing circuit, and a cooler. The heat source refrigerant circuit is configured by an interconnection of a compression mechanism, a heat source heat exchanger, and a heat source expansion valve that reduces a pressure of refrigerant condensed in the heat source heat exchanger. The pressurizing circuit is disposed in the heat source refrigerant circuit and causes high-pressure gas refrigerant compressed in the compression mechanism to merge with a refrigerant having a pressure that is reduced in the heat source expansion valve. The refrigerant is sent to the utilization refrigerant circuits. The cooler cools the refrigerant having the pressure that is reduced in the heat source expansion valve.