Two-Pipe Air Conditioning with Heat Pump Outdoor Air Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioning systems face challenges in simultaneously performing cooling and heating operations efficiently, leading to increased facility and operation costs, comfortability issues, and inaccurate energy consumption billing due to the need for four-pipe water heat source facilities or the limitations of two-pipe systems.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning system incorporating a heat pump that switches between cooling and heating operations, a heat exchanger that selectively allows cold or hot water flow, and a radiation unit to mix and radiate air-conditioning air, allowing for comfortable air conditioning at a lower cost by using a two-pipe water heat source facility and optimizing energy usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a four-pipe water heat source facility is used to simultaneously perform cooling and heating operations, then the air conditioner can simultaneously provide cooling and heating, but facility cost and operation cost are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling and heating functions into a single air conditioner unit that connects to a two-pipe water heat source facility. The outdoor air processing unit with heat pump integrates both cooling and heating operations, allowing the system to utilize either cold water or hot water from the same facility without requiring separate systems, thereby reducing overall facility complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between cooling and heating modes based on operational requirements. The outdoor air processing unit can alternatively perform either a cooling operation or a heating operation, and the control system automatically selects the appropriate mode, enabling flexible adaptation to different seasonal and operational conditions while using a simpler two-pipe facility.
2Device complexity
If a two-pipe water heat source facility is used to reduce facility cost, then facility cost is reduced, but the air conditioner cannot simultaneously perform cooling and heating operations, impairing comfortability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an outdoor air processing unit with heat pump as an intermediary component that enables the two-pipe facility to support both cooling and heating operations. This intermediate unit processes outdoor air and can alternatively perform cooling or heating, acting as a mediator that allows the simple two-pipe facility to achieve the functionality normally requiring a complex four-pipe system.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If outdoor air is introduced to maintain carbon dioxide concentration, then air quality is improved, but energy consumption increases due to additional cooling or heating requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor air processing unit utilizes the heat pump to self-regulate the temperature of introduced outdoor air. The system recovers heat from the refrigerant cycle to pre-condition the outdoor air before it enters the air conditioner, reducing the energy required for subsequent cooling or heating operations and thereby lowering overall energy consumption while maintaining air quality.
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 reduces facility and operation costs, enhances comfortability by freely switching between cooling and heating, improves dehumidifying and humidifying effects, and accurately calculates energy consumption, thereby providing efficient and comfortable air conditioning.
Implementation Method 1
an outdoor air processing unit 4 that includes a heat pump capable of switching between a cooling operation and a heating operation, and exchanges heat of an outdoor air by a heat exchanging medium of the heat pump
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger that selectively allows a cold water or a hot water, which is a heat exchanging water, to flow therethrough, and causes the outdoor air and the return air to exchange heat with the heat exchanging water
Implementation Method 3
a radiation unit that induces the return air of the air-conditioned space by using the air-conditioning air supplied from the air supply unit to generate an air mixture of the air-conditioning air and the return air, and radiates heat of the air mixture while discharging the air mixture to the air-conditioned space
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioning system includes an outdoor air processing unit including a heat pump and exchanging heat of an outdoor air by a heat exchanging medium of the heat pump, a heat exchanger allowing a heat exchanging water to flow therethrough, an air supply unit supplying the outdoor air supplied from the outdoor air processing unit and a return air of an air-conditioned space as an air-conditioning air by causing the outdoor air and the return air to exchange heat with the heat exchanging water of the heat exchanger, and a radiation unit inducing the return air of the air-conditioned space by using the air-conditioning air supplied from the air supply unit to generate an air mixture of the air-conditioning air and the return air, and radiating heat of the air mixture while discharging the air mixture to the air-conditioned space.