Ventilation device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ventilation devices with total heat exchangers primarily focus on improving humidity exchange efficiency during winter conditions where outside air receives moisture from return air, neglecting scenarios where outside air supplies moisture to return air, especially under summer conditions.
Innovation Solution
A ventilation device with a refrigerant circuit configuration that includes a compressor, flow switching device, outside air heat exchanger, return air heat exchanger, and supply air heat exchanger, allowing for improved humidity exchange efficiency by controlling the relative humidity of both outside and return air through sequential and parallel connections, and switching between different refrigerant circuits based on absolute humidity levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a condenser is disposed at a downstream side of a supply air path and an evaporator is disposed at an upstream side of an exhaust air path to increase return air relative humidity to about 90%, then humidity exchange efficiency is improved under winter conditions, but the system cannot effectively handle summer conditions where outside air supplies moisture to return air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the refrigerant circuit configuration changeable based on operating conditions. The flow switching device enables the system to dynamically reconfigure the refrigerant flow paths, allowing the same heat exchangers to serve different functions (evaporator/condenser roles) depending on whether it is winter or summer operation, thus adapting to different seasonal moisture exchange requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the heat exchangers by switching their roles in the refrigerant circuit. During winter, the return air heat exchanger serves as an evaporator to increase humidity; during summer, the configuration is reversed to allow outside air to supply moisture to return air. This parameter change enables the system to handle both winter and summer conditions effectively
2Adaptability or versatility
If a complex refrigerant circuit with multiple heat exchangers and flow switching devices is implemented to handle both winter and summer humidity exchange, then adaptability to different conditions is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing heat exchangers that can serve multiple functions. The return air heat exchanger and outside air heat exchanger can alternatively function as evaporators or condensers depending on the season, eliminating the need for separate dedicated components for winter and summer operations. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The flow switching device acts as an intermediary that enables flexible configuration of the refrigerant circuit. By using this intermediary component, the system can switch between different operational modes without requiring completely separate systems for winter and summer, thereby managing complexity while achieving versatility
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
Enhances humidity exchange efficiency in total heat exchangers by optimizing the transfer of moisture between outside and return air, regardless of the direction of moisture flow, thereby improving performance in both winter and summer conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a total heat exchanger including a supply air passage and an exhaust air passage and configured to exchange heat between outdoor air passing through the supply air passage and indoor air passing through the exhaust air passage
Implementation Method 2
a compressor, a flow switching device, the outside air heat exchanger, an outside air expansion device, and the return air heat exchanger are sequentially connected by pipes, the supply air heat exchanger and a supply air expansion device are connected in parallel to the outside air heat exchanger and the outside air expansion device by pipes to form a refrigerant circuit in which refrigerant is circulated
Implementation Method 3
an outside air expansion device, and the return air heat exchanger are sequentially connected by pipes, the supply air heat exchanger and a supply air expansion device are connected in parallel to the outside air heat exchanger and the outside air expansion device
Data Source
AI summary
A ventilation device includes an outside air heat exchanger disposed between a total heat exchanger and an outside air port, a return air heat exchanger disposed between the total heat exchanger and a return air port, and a supply air heat exchanger disposed between the total heat exchanger and a supply air port. A compressor, a flow switching device, the outside air heat exchanger, an outside air expansion device, and the return air heat exchanger are sequentially connected by pipes, the supply air heat exchanger and a supply air expansion device which are connected in series by pipes are connected in parallel to the outside air heat exchanger and the outside air expansion device by pipes, thereby forming a refrigerant circuit in which refrigerant is circulated.