U.S. patent application number 12/007603 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-16 for air conditioning system with multiple power selections.
Invention is credited to Ming-Hsiang Yeh.
Application Number | 20090178421 12/007603 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40849487 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090178421 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yeh; Ming-Hsiang |
July 16, 2009 |
Air conditioning system with multiple power selections
Abstract
An air conditioning system is provided with selection among
multiple power sources and includes an air conditioner and a power
selection device. The air conditioner includes a power system, a
control unit, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an
evaporator. The power system supplies power to the control unit and
the compressor and the control unit is connected to the compressor.
The compressor compresses refrigerant and is connected to the
condenser. The condenser realizes heat dissipation and condensation
and is connected to the expansion valve. The expansion valve
realizes expansion and dropping of pressure and is connected to the
evaporator. The evaporator absorbs heat by evaporating the
refrigeration fluid and is connected back to the compressor to
thereby complete refrigeration circulation. The power selection
device is connected to the power system of the air conditioner and
is built in the air conditioner. The power selection device
includes a distribution selector and an uninterrupted power supply
device. The distribution selector is arranged inside the
uninterrupted power supply device. As such, the air conditioning
system, as a whole, features multiple selections of power input,
enhanced efficiency of air conditioning and saving of energy.
Inventors: |
Yeh; Ming-Hsiang; (Taipei
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
40849487 |
Appl. No.: |
12/007603 |
Filed: |
January 14, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/132 ;
62/236 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02J 9/06 20130101; F25B
49/025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/132 ;
62/236 |
International
Class: |
F25B 27/00 20060101
F25B027/00; F25B 49/00 20060101 F25B049/00 |
Claims
1. An air conditioning system comprising: an air conditioner
comprising a power system, a control unit, a compressor, a
condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, wherein the power
system supplies power to the control unit and the compressor and
the control unit is connected to the compressor and wherein the
compressor compresses refrigerant and is connected to the
condenser; the condenser realizes heat dissipation and condensation
and is connected to the expansion valve; the expansion valve
realizes expansion and dropping of pressure and is connected to the
evaporator; and the evaporator absorbs heat and evaporates the
refrigerant and is connected back to the compressor, to thereby
complete refrigeration circulation; and a power selection device
connected to the power system of the air conditioner and built in
the air conditioner, the power selection device comprising a
distribution selector and an uninterrupted power supply device, the
distribution selector being arranged inside the uninterrupted power
supply device.
2. The air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
distribution selector selectively receives power input of
direct-current (DC) power and alternate-current (AC) power.
3. The air conditioning system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
power input is obtained from a plurality of power sources
comprising at least solar power generation, wind power generation,
hydraulic power generation, and an electric main, of which at least
one or a combination of more than one is selected as the power
input to diversify supplying of power.
4. The air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
power system comprises a circuit board that receives and
distributes different power inputs to provide the power to the air
conditioning system.
5. The air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
control unit comprises a control switch, a temperature controller
and a time controller.
6. The air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
distribution selector comprises a power factor correction/PV
(photovoltaic) inverter, at least one MPPT (Maximum Power Point
Tracking) chargers, and a DC/DC converter, the MPPT charger being
connected to the DC/DC converter, which is connected in parallel to
the power factor correction/PV inverter.
7. The air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
uninterrupted power supply device comprises a charger and a
battery.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system
with multiple power selections, and in particular to a system
comprising a combination of an air conditioner having a built in
power selection device that comprises a distribution selector for
receiving multiple power sources, including both alternate-current
(AC) power sources and direct-current (DC) power source, to supply
a combined power to the air conditioner to thereby feature multiple
selections of power input, enhanced efficiency of air conditioning
and saving of energy, so as to be applicable to private and public
places, such as home, office, and markets, to serve as air
conditioning facility thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Conventionally, an air conditioner is powered by electrical
main. However, with the change of the philosophy of power
consumption, various substitute and sustainable power sources are
now being proposed, including hydraulic power generation, wind
power generation, solar power generation and fuel cells. Almost
every country in the world encourages the development and use of
the substitute and sustainable power sources by providing various
rewards and incentives. Apparently, the electric main is no longer
an idea power source to suit the need of the future market.
[0003] Further, for an inverter air conditioner that is one of most
popular category of air conditioners, it comprises compressor that
is operated with direct-current (DC) power. The electrical main
that provides alternate-current (AC) power has to be subjected to
conversion into DC power by a power system built in the air
conditioner before it can be supplied to the compressor.
Apparently, an additional processing that converts the AC power
into the DC power is required for the inverter air conditioner and
due to the fact that the conversion from the AC power to the DC
power is a low efficiency process, using the electrical main to
power the inverter air conditioner is economically less
efficient.
[0004] In view of the above problems, the present invention is
aimed to provide an air conditioning system with multiple power
selections to overcome the problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An objective of the present invention is to provide an air
conditioner with multiple power selection, which features a
combination of a power selection device with an air conditioner and
the power selection device comprises a distribution selector, which
functions to realize selection and distribution of input power at
an input side among a plurality of power sources, including
electrical main, solar power generation, wind power generation, and
hydraulic power generation and directly supplying electrical power,
either in alternate current or direct current, to the air
conditioner without any conversion of the power and allows for
distribution of the receipt among various power sources in
accordance with specific ratios and periods of time set in a scheme
that is planned in advance by the users so as to enhance the
practicability of the present invention.
[0006] To realize the above objective, in accordance with the
present invention, an air conditioning system is provided,
comprising an air conditioner in which a power selection device is
arranged. The air-conditioner comprises a power system, a control
unit, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an
evaporator. The power system functions to supply power to the
control unit and the compressor. The control unit is connected to
and controls the compressor. The compressor compresses the
refrigerant and is connected to the condenser; the condenser
realizes heat dissipation and condensation and is connected to the
expansion valve; the expansion valve realizes expansion and
dropping of pressure and is connected to the evaporator; and the
evaporator absorbs heat and evaporates the refrigerant and is
connected back to the compressor to thereby complete a
refrigeration circulation. The power selection device is connected
to the power system of the air conditioner and is built in the air
conditioner. The power selection device comprises a distribution
selector and an uninterrupted power supply device. The distribution
selector is arranged inside the uninterrupted power supply device.
As such, the system, as a whole, realizes multiple selections of
power input, enhanced efficiency of air conditioning and saving of
energy.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in
the art by reading the following description of a preferred
embodiment thereof with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an air conditioning
system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a distribution
selector of the air conditioning system in accordance with the
present invention; and
[0010] FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the distribution
selector of the air conditioning system of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0011] With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS.
1-3, the present invention provides an air conditioning system with
multiple power selections. The air conditioning system comprises an
air-conditioner 20, which is comprised of a power system 21, a
control unit 22, a compressor 23, a condenser 24, an expansion
valve 25, and an evaporator 26. The power system 21 is comprised of
a circuit board that realizes distribution and supply of different
electrical powers for the operation of the control unit 22 and the
compressor 23. The control unit 22 is connected to the compressor
23 and comprises a control switch, a temperature controller, and a
time controller. The compressor 23 functions to compress
refrigerant and is connected to the condenser 24. The condenser 24
functions to dissipate heat and cause condensation of the
refrigerant and is connected to the expansion valve 25. The
expansion valve 25 functions to realize expansion and dropping of
pressure of the refrigerant and is connected to the evaporator 26.
The evaporator 26 functions to absorb heat by the evaporation of
the refrigerant and is connected back to the compressor 23 to
thereby complete the refrigeration circulation.
[0012] A power selection device 10 is connected to the power system
21 of the air conditioner 20 and is built in the air conditioner
20. The power selection device 10 comprises a distribution selector
11 and an uninterrupted power supply device 12. The distribution
selector 11 is arranged inside the uninterrupted power supply
device 12 and functions to select power input among direct-current
(DC) power sources 13, 14 and alternate-current (AC) power sources
15, 16, which can be at least one of a plurality of power sources
including for example solar power generation, wind power
generation, hydraulic power generation, and an electric main, for
proper distribution of the input power supply among these power
sources to realize diversification of supply of power. The
distribution selector 11 is comprised of a plurality of capacitors,
an inductor, a power factor correction/PV (photovoltaic) inverter
111, two MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) chargers 112, 113, and
a DC/DC converter 114. Each MPPT charger 112, 113 is connected to
the DC/DC converter 114, which is connected in parallel to the
power factor correction/PV inverter 111. The uninterrupted power
supply device 12 comprises a charger 121 and a battery 122.
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the air conditioning system with
multiple power selections in accordance with the present invention
features that the compressor 23 of the air conditioner 20
compresses a low-temperature low pressure gas refrigerant into a
high-temperature high-pressure gas refrigerant and the compressor
23 is connected to the condenser 24; the condenser 24 removes heat
to have the high-temperature high-pressure gas refrigerant
condensed into room-temperature high-pressure liquid refrigerant
and is connected to the expansion valve 25; the expansion valve 25
makes the room-temperature high-pressure liquid refrigerant
expanded with pressure thereof dropping to become room-temperature
low-pressure liquid refrigerant and is connected to the evaporator
26; the evaporator 26 absorbs external heat to evaporate the
room-temperature low-pressure liquid refrigerant into
low-temperature low-pressure gas refrigerant to thereby generate
cooled air flow, and is connected back to the compressor 23 to
allow the gas refrigerant to flow back to the compressor 23,
completing the refrigeration circulation. The air conditioner 20
has built therein the power selection device 10, of which the
distribution selector 11 receives a power input that is selected
among solar power generation, wind power generation, hydraulic
power generation, and electric main for proper distribution of the
input power among these power sources. For example, the
distribution selector 11 may receive a power input that is a
combination of 80% DC power provided by the solar power generation
and 20% AC power supplied from the electric main for diversified
distribution of supplying of power, or any other distributed
combination of any other power inputs. The power selection device
20 then directly supplies the combined power to the power system 21
of the air conditioner 20 without carrying out any power
conversion, such as conversion of DC power to AC power. The
distribution selector 11 also functions to control the air
conditioner 20 in such a way that the air conditioner 20, when
being started, is powered by the electrical main and is
subsequently powered by a second priority DC power, such as solar
power generation, as a supplemental power source, by being
controlled by the distribution selector 11 that is programmed to
carry out such an operation after the air conditioner 20 stays in
normal operation. The selection of the second priority power source
may be determined simply due to economic power management
consideration, such as discounted off-peak utility charge or
government sponsored substitute power resources. In condition of
insufficiency of power supply based on the above arrangement, a
third priority power source, such as wind power generation, can be
supplemented to the air conditioning system. Apparently, it is
possible to carry out programming in such a way that power
management can be done by varying the priority of each power source
or the ratio of the amount of power supplied from different sources
in for example a specific time period of a day or specific period
of days of a year or under specific conditions to ensure optimum
efficiency of power supply.
[0014] Further, the distribution selector 11 can be programmed by
means of either software, or hardware or both on the basis of a
user's need to automatically carry out the optimum distribution of
power supply. Thus, no matter how the power supplied from the
primary power sources varies or even shut down, the system of the
present invention carries out search for a second priority power
source, as well as other power source, and combines powers supplied
from these power source together in different ratios for different
period of power consumption in accordance with the programming
exercised by the user in advance. Consequently, the present
invention, as a whole, realizes multiple selections of power input,
enhanced efficiency of air conditioning and saving of energy.
[0015] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to
those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention which is intended to be defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *