Thermoelastic Air Conditioning Module Without Expansion Mechanisms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners using elastic members like rubber for heating and cooling require complex mechanisms to expand or contract these members, leading to increased size and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner employing a thermoelastic material and an actuator to apply tension, allowing the material to change phases for heating and cooling without the need for expansion or contraction mechanisms, using a switching control section to manage tension application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an elastic member such as rubber is used for heating and cooling, then heating and cooling functions can be achieved through adiabatic expansion and contraction, but the device structure becomes complicated and size increases due to the need for expansion/contraction mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical expansion/contraction system with a thermoelastic material that undergoes phase transitions. Instead of using elastic members like rubber that require mechanical mechanisms for expansion and contraction, the invention uses a thermoelastic material (such as shape memory alloy) that changes its physical state between martensitic phase and austenitic phase, generating heat or cooling effects through phase transition rather than mechanical volume change.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of the thermoelastic material to achieve heating and cooling functions. When the material transitions from martensitic phase to austenitic phase, it generates heat; when it transitions from austenitic phase to martensitic phase, it absorbs heat. This phase transition mechanism eliminates the need for complex mechanical expansion/contraction systems while providing effective thermal control.
2Ease of manufacture
If an elastic member such as rubber is used for heating and cooling, then heating and cooling functions can be achieved through adiabatic expansion and contraction, but the device size increases due to the need for expansion/contraction mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical expansion/contraction system with a thermoelastic material that undergoes phase transitions. Instead of using elastic members like rubber that require mechanical mechanisms for expansion and contraction, the invention uses a thermoelastic material (such as shape memory alloy) that changes its physical state between martensitic phase and austenitic phase, generating heat or cooling effects through phase transition rather than mechanical volume change.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of the thermoelastic material to achieve heating and cooling functions. When the material transitions from martensitic phase to austenitic phase, it generates heat; when it transitions from austenitic phase to martensitic phase, it absorbs heat. This phase transition mechanism eliminates the need for complex mechanical expansion/contraction systems while providing effective thermal control.
3Device complexity
If a thermoelastic material with actuator is used to apply tension, then heating and cooling can be achieved without expansion/contraction mechanisms, but the device requires a switching control section to manage tension application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from mechanical expansion/contraction to tension application on the thermoelastic material. By applying or releasing tension through the actuator, the material undergoes phase transitions between martensitic and austenitic phases, generating heat or cooling effects. The switching control section manages the tension parameter to achieve desired thermal effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermoelastic material performs the heating and cooling functions automatically through its inherent phase transition properties when tension is applied or released. The material itself generates the thermal effects without requiring external heating or cooling mechanisms, making the system self-sufficient for thermal control.
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 reduces the size and complexity of the air conditioner while enabling efficient switching between heating and cooling modes, allowing for continuous or intermittent operation and adjustable cooling/heating capacity.
Implementation Method 1
If tension is applied to a thermoelastic material (21), the thermoelastic material (21) has its entropy decreased to generate heat accordingly. On the other hand, if the tension applied to the thermoelastic material (21) is removed, its phase changes from martensitic phase into parent phase (austenitic phase), and the thermoelastic material (21) comes to have a decreased temperature
Implementation Method 2
If the tension applied to the thermoelastic material (21) is removed, its phase changes from martensitic phase into parent phase (austenitic phase), and the thermoelastic material (21) comes to have a decreased temperature when the material (21) is thermally insulated
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner disclosed herein includes a cooling/heating module including a thermoelastic material and an actuator applying tension to the thermoelastic material and a switching control section selectively applying or removing tension to/from the thermoelastic material.