Air conditioning system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mini-split air conditioning systems face challenges in outdoor unit placement, including limited vertical lift, aesthetic concerns, and difficult maintenance access, as they often require outdoor units to be mounted on roofs or exterior walls, making them hard to access and maintain.
Innovation Solution
The system integrates an outdoor unit within an exterior wall opening, utilizing a revamped PTAC unit with its components fluidly coupled to an indoor split-system unit, allowing for indoor maintenance access and reducing visual impact by using a sleeve cover that encases and silences the outdoor unit's noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the outdoor unit is mounted on the roof, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor unit is relocated from traditional horizontal mounting positions (roof or exterior wall) to a vertical configuration within the wall thickness. This dimensional change allows the unit to be positioned in an previously underutilized space, achieving both aesthetic concealment and maintenance accessibility through the wall opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The outdoor unit is nested within the wall structure itself, utilizing the wall thickness as the mounting space. This nesting approach allows the unit to be hidden from external view while remaining accessible from the interior side of the wall for maintenance purposes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the outdoor unit is mounted on the exterior wall, then installation flexibility is improved, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor unit is relocated from traditional horizontal mounting positions (roof or exterior wall) to a vertical configuration within the wall thickness. This dimensional change allows the unit to be positioned in an previously underutilized space, achieving both aesthetic concealment and maintenance accessibility through the wall opening.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the outdoor unit is mounted on the exterior wall, then installation flexibility is improved, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor unit is relocated from traditional horizontal mounting positions (roof or exterior wall) to a vertical configuration within the wall thickness. This dimensional change allows the unit to be positioned in an previously underutilized space, achieving both aesthetic concealment and maintenance accessibility through the wall opening.
4Ease of operation
If the outdoor unit is placed inside the room, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but noise pollution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor unit is relocated from traditional horizontal mounting positions (roof or exterior wall) to a vertical configuration within the wall thickness. This dimensional change allows the unit to be positioned in an previously underutilized space, achieving both aesthetic concealment and maintenance accessibility through the wall opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall structure is segmented to create a dedicated opening that provides access to the outdoor unit. This segmentation allows the unit to be positioned in a location that is accessible for maintenance while being separated from the interior living space to reduce noise impact.
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning system and a method of installing the same are provided. In one aspect, an air conditioning system includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit is a split-system indoor unit that includes an indoor coil and an indoor fan for moving air over the indoor coil to condition a designated space. The outdoor unit is positioned within an opening defined by an exterior wall and includes an outdoor coil and an outdoor fan for moving air over the outdoor coil. The indoor coil of the indoor unit and the outdoor coil of the outdoor unit are fluidly coupled such that a sealed system is formed between the indoor and outdoor units. The outdoor unit can be a revamped packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) with the indoor sealed components removed therefrom. A streamlined sleeve cover can be connected to a sleeve of the revamped PTAC.