Solar Panel Air Conditioning with Absorption Machine and Thermal Buffer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning equipment using solar panels faces issues with overheating, especially in summer, and struggles to achieve a high coefficient of performance in both heating and cooling modes, while also relying on costly and energy-intensive measures to prevent panel damage and requiring fossil energy sources.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioning equipment incorporates a thermal buffer with multiple heat exchangers and circulators, along with stop valve devices to manage energy transfer and circulation, allowing for efficient energy storage, modulation, and prevention of solar panel overheating, enabling quick mode switching between heating and cooling, and utilizing solar energy without fossil fuels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If solar panels are used for heating in summer, then solar energy utilization is improved, but solar panel overheating occurs leading to potential destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat exchanger as an intermediary component between the solar panel and the absorption chiller. The heat exchanger transfers thermal energy from the solar panel's heat transfer fluid to the absorption chiller's refrigerant, enabling solar energy utilization while preventing direct overheating of the solar panel through controlled heat transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful thermal energy from the solar panel system by directing it to the absorption chiller through a separate heat transfer circuit. The chiller absorbs the excess heat that would otherwise cause overheating, while still utilizing it for cooling purposes
2Reliability
If absorption chiller is used for cooling, then cooling performance is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple heat transfer circuits and valve devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the heat transfer circuits and valve devices to serve multiple functions. The same heat exchanger and circulator components are used in both heating and cooling modes, and the valve devices control fluid distribution for different operational requirements, reducing the need for separate dedicated components for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamically controllable valve devices that can switch between different circuit configurations based on operational mode. The valves adjust fluid flow paths in real-time to optimize system performance for heating or cooling, allowing a single system to adapt to different requirements without permanent structural changes
3Loss of energy
If thermal buffer with multiple heat exchangers is added, then energy storage and performance are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple heat exchangers into an integrated thermal buffer system where heat transfer occurs between different fluid circuits through the heat exchanger surfaces. This merging allows energy storage functionality to be achieved without requiring separate isolated systems for each heat transfer function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested heat exchanger configuration where heat transfer occurs between concentric or nested fluid passages. The inner heat exchanger handles one fluid circuit while the outer heat exchanger handles another, allowing compact integration of multiple heat transfer functions within a single thermal buffer structure
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 effectively prevents solar panel overheating, achieves high coefficients of performance in both modes, and operates under variable sunlight conditions without fossil energy, ensuring efficient and cost-effective temperature control.
Implementation Method 1
The solar radiation captured by the panels then heats the heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 2
Absorption chillers, or 'absorption units,' in particular, use the vaporization of a refrigerant to absorb heat
Implementation Method 3
a thermal buffer comprising at least a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to an air conditioning device (10) comprising: - a thermal buffer (30, 31, 32, 33) comprising at least a first heat exchanger (41) and a second heat exchanger (42), - an absorption machine (12) with an inlet heat exchanger (14) and an outlet heat exchanger (16), - at least one air conditioning exchanger (20), - at least one solar panel (22), - a first heat transfer circuit (51) for cooling, - a second heat transfer circuit (52) for heating, - a third heat transfer circuit (53) for supplying the absorption machine and - a fourth heat transfer circuit (54) for supplying the thermal buffer. The invention is applicable in the air conditioning of residential premises and premises used for industrial or agricultural purposes.