Refrigerant Valve Kit Layout for Adding Indoor Units Live
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning apparatuses face performance issues when indoor space loads change, requiring additional indoor units, which typically necessitate stopping the system for installation, complicating the process.
Innovation Solution
The air-conditioning apparatus includes valve kits with inclined distal ends on refrigerant pipes, allowing for the easy addition of new indoor units without stopping the system by connecting additional refrigerant pipes, enabling enhanced performance without suspending operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional indoor units are added to enhance air-conditioning performance, then the air-conditioning performance is improved, but the system must be stopped for construction work
Solution Approach 1:
Valve kits are pre-installed on the refrigerant pipes during initial system installation, positioned at locations that provide access to all floors. This preliminary placement of valve kits enables future indoor unit additions without requiring system shutdown or complex construction work, as the valve kits are already in position to control refrigerant flow to new units.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant distribution system is segmented into multiple independent zones controlled by individual valve kits. Each valve kit can independently control refrigerant flow to specific floors or areas, allowing new indoor units to be added to specific segments without affecting the operation of existing units on other segments.
2Ease of manufacture
If the air-conditioning apparatus is stopped for adding new indoor units, then the installation can be performed, but continuous operation is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
Valve kits are pre-installed on the refrigerant pipes during initial system installation, positioned at locations that provide access to all floors. This preliminary placement of valve kits enables future indoor unit additions without requiring system shutdown or complex construction work, as the valve kits are already in position to control refrigerant flow to new units.
Solution Approach 2:
Valve kits serve as intermediary components between the refrigerant pipes and potential future indoor units. These valve kits remain in the system during operation and act as pre-prepared connection points that facilitate easy addition of new indoor units without requiring system shutdown or complex construction work.
3Ease of operation
If valve kits are provided with distal end portions inclined upwards, then additional refrigerant pipes can be easily connected, but the valve kit structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end portions of the valve kits are designed with an asymmetric inclination upwards rather than being symmetric or horizontal. This asymmetric upward inclination specifically facilitates easy connection of additional refrigerant pipes by allowing gravity to assist in pipe alignment and connection, while the rest of the valve kit structure remains relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
In an air-conditioning apparatus, an outdoor unit installed in an outdoor space and an indoor unit installed in an indoor space are connected by refrigerant pipes to form a refrigerant circuit. One or more pairs of valve kits are provided at the refrigerant pipes by which the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected, and allow a pair of additional refrigerant pipes on an inflow side and an outflow side to be connected to one of the one or more pairs of valve kits, the pair of additional refrigerant pipes being additionally provided to enable a new indoor unit to be added after installation of the air-conditioning apparatus. The valve kits of the one or more pairs of valve kits have respective distal end portions that are inclined upwards relative to a horizontal direction. The distal end portions each allow an associated one of the additional refrigerant pipe to be connected to the distal end portion.