Supercooled Ice Storage Unit With Six-Mode Valve Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice-storage air conditioning systems have complex structures, are expensive, and lack both cold-storage and heat-storage functions, with limited supercooled degree and requiring additional components like secondary refrigerants and pumps.
Innovation Solution
A supercooled ice-storage unit with a simple structure incorporating an electronic expansion valve and electromagnetic valves, allowing for six operational modes that enable both cold-storage and heat-storage functions, including ice storing, melting, normal cooling, heating, heat storing, and releasing, by controlling valve states for efficient energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional secondary refrigerant and secondary refrigerant pump are added to the cooling unit, then ice-storage function is achieved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling the cooling unit to serve dual purposes: as a conventional cooling unit during normal operation and as an ice-storage unit during ice-making operation. Through control means that regulate refrigerant flow, the same equipment achieves both cooling and ice storage functions without requiring separate dedicated components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the ice-storage function with the existing cooling unit by integrating ice-making channels into the cooling unit's structure. The cooling unit's refrigerant circulation system is combined with ice-making channels, allowing refrigerant to flow through both cooling passages and ice-making passages. This merging eliminates the need for separate secondary refrigerant systems and pumps, reducing both device complexity and production cost while achieving ice-storage capability.
2Temperature
If ice-storage unit is designed to increase supercooled degree, then cooling capacity is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating localized ice-making channels within the cooling unit where supercooling occurs. Rather than requiring the entire system to be redesigned for high supercooled degree, the invention implements specific local structures (ice-making channels with particular flow characteristics) that enable enhanced supercooling only where needed. This localized approach achieves improved cooling capacity through higher supercooled degree without requiring complex system-wide modifications.
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
The system effectively utilizes ice storage equipment in various modes to enhance cooling and heating capacities, reduce electricity consumption, and achieve energy savings by switching between different operational modes, optimizing energy usage and equipment performance.
Implementation Method 1
freeze the water into ice; cold energy released from ice is supplied to the air conditioning system
Implementation Method 2
cold energy released from ice is supplied to the air conditioning system
Implementation Method 3
store the cold energy which is obtained by the cooling system into the water by means of secondary refrigerant
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a supercooled ice-storage unit which has a simple structure and both functions of cold-storage and heat-storage, and to an air conditioning system using the said ice-storage unit and the control method thereof. Said supercooled ice-storage unit comprises an ice-storage device (61) and a closed loop pipeline passing through said ice-storage device (61), on said closed loop pipeline are installed an electronic expansion valve (62) and a first electromagnetic valve (63), a second electromagnetic valve (64) and a third electromagnetic valve (65), wherein said electronic expansion valve (62) is parallel connected with the third electromagnetic valve (65), and the first and second electromagnetic valves (63) and (64) are parallel connected. Said supercooled ice-storage unit further comprises three external contacts (67), (68) and (69). The supercooled ice-storage unit is connected between a high pressure liquid reservoir (5) and parallel connected indoor units (7) and (8). By adjusting working state of different valves in air conditioning system, the air conditioning system is able to run switchably in six working modes.