Three-Pipe Multi-Type Air Conditioner for Waste Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-type air conditioners face inefficiencies when some indoor units perform cooling operations while others perform heating operations, as waste heat from heating units is not recovered, leading to reduced efficiency and the need for additional components like HR units for heat recovery.
Innovation Solution
A multi-type air conditioner design that uses three pipes - a high-pressure pipe, a low-pressure pipe, and a liquid line - to connect indoor units, allowing some units to operate in cooling mode and others in heating mode, with waste heat from heating units being recovered and reused by cooling units, eliminating the need for a separate HR unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a general multi-type air conditioner is used with some indoor units performing cooling and others heating, then temperature control in different rooms is achieved, but waste heat from heating units is not recovered resulting in low efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the waste heat that would normally be discarded from indoor units performing heating operations into a useful resource. By routing the refrigerant from heating units through outdoor heat exchangers, the system recovers waste heat to pre-cool the refrigerant before it enters the cooling units, thereby eliminating energy loss and improving overall system efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a general multi-type air conditioner is used with some indoor units performing cooling and others heating, then simultaneous heating and cooling in different rooms is achieved, but outside air and indoor air may not be circulated resulting in poor ventilation
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor heat exchangers serve multiple functions: they act as condensers for cooling units, evaporators for heating units, and heat recovery devices for converting waste heat from heating units to benefit cooling units. This multi-functionality allows the system to simultaneously provide heating and cooling while maintaining proper air circulation and ventilation.
3Loss of energy
If an HR unit is added for heat recovery, then waste heat recovery efficiency is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat recovery function with the existing outdoor heat exchangers and refrigerant distribution system. Instead of adding a separate HR unit, the system integrates waste heat recovery into the conventional three-pipe configuration by strategically routing refrigerant flow through the outdoor heat exchangers, thereby achieving heat recovery without increasing device complexity or installation difficulty.
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 design enhances efficiency by allowing waste heat recovery without the need for additional HR units, simplifying installation and maintaining effective temperature control across indoor spaces.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator (220) configured to evaporate the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit
Implementation Method 2
a condenser (210) configured to condense the refrigerant discharged from the indoor unit
Implementation Method 3
an evaporator (220) configured to evaporate the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit
Implementation Method 4
a condenser (210) configured to condense the refrigerant discharged from the indoor unit
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-type air conditioner may include three pipes, including a high-pressure pipe, a low-pressure pipe, and a liquid line which may be connected to a plurality of indoor units, in which some of the indoor units may be operated in a cooling mode and the rest of the indoor units may be operated in a heating mode, such that waste heat from the indoor units operated in the heating mode may be recovered to be used for the indoor units operated in the cooling mode.