US20120238199A1

US20120238199A1 - Air conditioning equipment for air-return area or room by using damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser

Info

Publication number: US20120238199A1
Application number: US13/497,832
Authority: US
Inventors: Song Yee Kim
Original assignee: Omnivent Corp
Current assignee: Omnivent Corp
Priority date: 2009-09-28
Filing date: 2010-09-27
Publication date: 2012-09-20
Also published as: WO2011037424A3; WO2011037424A9; WO2011037424A2; KR20110034090A

Abstract

The present invention relates to air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser which has both a damper function to open or interrupt the flow of air and a diffuser function to diffuse air therearound. As the present invention uses a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser in air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room, in addition to an effect of the damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser, each one of an air supply duct and a discharge duct can be configured, such that the present invention can be installed within a narrow ceiling space, and as a result, room-unit air conditioning or area-unit air-conditioning is enabled and further an installation cost thereof can be low.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser which has both a damper function to open or interrupt the flow of air and a diffuser function to diffuse air therearound.

BACKGROUND ART

In current air-conditioning facilities, an area-return type air-conditioning type for each house of houses and multi-use facilities in the related art is divided into a duct return type, a duct return type in which a room space (a hallway and stairs) return type and a room return type are coupled to each other, a ceiling return type, and the like according to a kind of return air. In the area-return type air-conditioning type for each house of houses and multi-use facilities in the related art, an air-conditioning operation for each room is disabled and an operation power cost is excessive. Therefore, as a structure in which the air-conditioning operation for each room is enabled, a ventilation facility type coupled with a multi-air-conditioner which is a refrigerant-carrying type for each room and an area-return type air-conditioning type for each room using a multi-duct have been developed.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

The air-conditioning type 100 of houses and multi-use facilities using a room-unit refrigerant-carrying type multi-air-conditioner includes an outdoor unit 101, a refrigerant pipe 102, an indoor unit 103 installed on a ceiling of each area or each of room RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4, and a dew condensation drain pipe 104, as shown in a cooling/ventilation separation type system diagram of FIG. 1. In the air-conditioning type, air-conditioning is enabled for each area or room and a building can be installed in a narrow ceiling space, but a ventilation facility including a ventilation unit 111, an air-supply duct 112, an air-exhausting duct 113, and a manual diffuser 114 is additionally required, and as a result, the air-conditioning type is very complicated.
Further, in the air-conditioning type, installation costs of refrigerant and dew condensation pipes are high, a repairing cost is excessively generated by a ceiling construction and a replacement construction of the refrigerant pipe when refrigerants leak by deterioration in the refrigerant pipe, a shoddy and fault construction, and the like, and a resident experiences a lot of convenience in repairing as the indoor unit is installed in each area or room throughout the indoor space.
In addition, as a room-unit air-return type air-conditioning type using a multi-duct, an air-conditioning type of houses and multi-use facilities using a packet air-conditioner of an air-return type for each room is shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. The air-conditioning type 200 of FIG. 2 includes a package air-conditioner 201, a plurality of air-supply ducts 202, a plurality of discharge ducts 203, a manual diffuser 204, and a plurality of dampers 205 and 206. As such, since a duct part for each area or each of the rooms RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4 is constituted by the plurality of air-supply ducts 202 and the plurality of discharge ducts 203, the ceiling space is narrow, and as a result, actual construction is hindered. Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in an air-conditioning type 300 using a ceiling space of a hallway as a ventilation passage, the plurality of discharge ducts 203 are removed from the configuration of FIG. 2 and an induction duct 303 is installed to ventilate air by using a ceiling space 305. In the air-conditioning type 300, a space for installing the duct is ensured, such that air-conditioning for each room or area is enabled and an installation cost is low, and indoor ventilation can also be achieved. However, in the air-conditioning type 300, air current is not smoothly circulated because the ceiling ventilation passage (ensuring the ceiling space of 200 mm or more is economical) is blocked by the air-supply duct 202 in terms of air-current circulation (cooling effect) as shown in FIG. 4, and as a result, cooling efficiency of a cooling room is deteriorated and power consumption is increased by common exhaust. In particular, when the air-conditioning type 300 is actuated while a door of a first area (room) is opened, cooling efficiency of a last area (room) is significantly deteriorated. Further, in a pressure difference for each area, that is, room, inconvenience in such a case in which the room door is suddenly closed when the room door is opened and closed is caused due to generation of the pressure difference between spaces by formation of negative pressure caused by exhaustion of a non-cooling room and in controlling an air volume, a control deviation is increased due to air-volume control of a damper type to increase the power consumption and achieving balance of a diffuser is disabled during ventilation for each area by a fan law in which the air volume increases toward the fan.
Accordingly, the present invention is contrived to solve the above problems and an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser, which has an operation structure in which air-conditioning (may include an outdoor air cooling function or a ventilation function) is enabled for each area or room and a low installation cost, is easily repaired, and also has a low repairing cost. Herein, the air-conditioning equipment is based on air-conditioner facilities (air-conditioner and affiliated facilities) of various configurations and may additionally include the outdoor air cooling function or the ventilation function. An air-conditioner to be described below basically adopts an air-conditioner and may additionally include a duct, a damper, and the like for outdoor air cooling or ventilation.

Technical Solution

In order to solve the problem, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser that supplies air processed from an air conditioner to each area or room and discharges or recirculates (ventilates) the air within the areas (rooms) to the outside, including: one air supply duct for supplying the air processed from the air conditioner to each area or room; a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser including a diffuser cone and a diffuser casing installed in each area or each of the rooms and connected to be in communication with the air supply duct and forming an air flow passage between outer peripheries opposite to each other and a motor means actuating the diffuser cone with respect to the diffuser casing to control an opening rate of the air flow passage or open/close the air flow passage with diffusion of air; an area (room) controller including a control unit for controlling the motor means of the integrated motorized diffuser; and a discharging duct for discharging or recirculating (ventilating) the air within each area or each of the rooms to the outside or an induction duct to a ceiling space.
Further, the present invention further provides the following detailed exemplary embodiments with respect to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the integrated motorized diffuser may be installed in the discharging duct or the induction duct.
According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner may be any one of heat pumps, separated air conditioners, and integrated air conditioners.
According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the diffuser cone may include a diffuser cone body forming an air flow passage on outer peripheries between the diffuser cone and the diffuser casing when the diffuser cone is opened with respect to the diffuser casing, a diffuser cone cover forming a space part between the diffuser cone and the diffuser cone body and removably fixed to the diffuser cone body, and the motor means fixedly installed in the space part.

Advantageous Effects

According to “Technical Solution” of the present invention, as the present invention uses a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser in air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room, in addition to an effect of the damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser, each one of an air supply duct and a discharge duct can be configured, such that the present invention can be installed within a narrow ceiling space, and as a result, room-unit air conditioning or area-unit air-conditioning is enabled and further an installation cost thereof can be low. Further, the present invention can be configured to include each of the air supply duct and the discharge duct, such that the present invention can be easily repaired and a repairing cost thereof is low.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a system diagram of a cooling/ventilation separating type of an air-conditioning type adopted in houses and multi-use facilities using a refrigerant-carrying type multi-air-conditioner for each room in the related art.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a system diagram of a cooling/ventilation separating type of an air-conditioning type of houses and multi-use facilities using an area-return type package air-conditioner for each room.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an exemplary embodiment of a system diagram and a duct plan view of a cooling/ventilation separating type of an air-conditioning type of houses and multi-use facilities using an area-return type package air-conditioner for each room using a ceiling space of a hallway as a ventilation passage in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of a configuration in which the air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied to a heat pump.

FIG. 8 shows an exemplary embodiment of a configuration in which the air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied to a separated air conditioner.

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary embodiment of a configuration in which the air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied to an integrated air conditioner.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of the damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser used in the present invention, which is closed.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an opened state of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a diffuser cone is separated from a diffuser casing of a motorized diffuser installed on a ceiling.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show a characteristic curve diagram of a damper in the related art and a diffuser used in the present invention in regard to control of an air volume.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams showing configurations of air conditioning equipment 500 and 600 for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 7 to 9 show exemplary embodiments of configurations in which the air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room of FIG. 5 is applied to a heat pump, a separated air conditioner, and an integrated air conditioner. FIGS. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views of a closed state and an opened state of a configuration of a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser 540 used in the present invention, respectively, and FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a diffuser cone 10 is separated from a diffuser casing 20.
Air conditioning equipment 500 and 600 of an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention are not shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, but are configured to include an air-conditioner 510 to supply processed air to each area or each of rooms RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4 and further, include one air supply duct 520, a plurality of damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffusers 540, an area (room) controller (R/C), and one discharge duct 530 or an induction duct 531 to a ceiling space 535, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9.
In FIGS. 7 to 9, the air processed by the air-conditioner 510 is supplied to each area or each of the rooms RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4 through one air supply duct 520 and each integrated motorized diffuser 540. The integrated motorized diffuser 540 is installed in each area or each of the rooms RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4 in connection with the air supply duct 520 and includes a diffuser cone (deflector) 10 and a diffuser casing 20 such as an angular cross-section or a circular cross-section, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Further, the integrated motorized diffuser 540 is installed such that the diffuser cone 10 can be actuated with respect to the diffuser casing 20 so as to open/close an air flow passage on an outer periphery between the diffuser cone 10 and the diffuser casing 20 and control an opening rate of the air flow passage. Herein, the diffuser cone 10 includes a diffuser cone body 11 forming the air flow passage on the outer periphery between the diffuser cone 10 and the diffuser casing 20 when the diffuser cone 10 is opened, a diffuser cone cover 12 forming a space part 13 between the diffuser cone 10 and the diffuser cone body 11 and removably fixed to the diffuser cone body 11, and a motor means 60 fixedly installed in the space part 13.
A sealing member 14 is preferably installed in the diffuser cone 10 or the diffuser casing 20 to secure airtightness when the diffuser cone 10 and the diffuser casing 20 are closed and a printed circuit board (PCB) 70 for controlling the motor means 60 is also preferably installed in the space part 13 in terms of maintenance. In this case, the PCB 70 and an external power supply are connected to each other through a cable and a connector connected with the cable. Therefore, the PCB 70 and the external power supply may be completely separated from each other easily when the diffuser cone 10 is disassembled. Reference numerals “19 and “22 c” represent through-holes of cables 73 and 73 a and sealing materials 19 a and 74 are preferably installed to maintain airtightness. The diffuser cone body 11 and the diffuser cone cover 12 are fixed by a screw 14 a with the sealing member interposed therebetween as in an exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11.
The motor means 60 may generally adopt a geared motor using DC power, but is not limited to the configuration. Further, the motor means 60 as a configuration of one example for configuring vertical movement of the diffuser cone 10 may be configured such that a lead screw 62 which rotatably protrudes outside the center of the space part 13 of the diffuser cone body 11 is connected to a motor rotating shaft 61. As such, when the opening rate is controlled by the vertical movement of the diffuser cone 10, a means for preventing rotational movement of the diffuser cone 10 and guiding the diffuser cone 10 to move only vertically is required when the motor means 60 rotates. As one example, the means may include at least one rod-shaped guide means 18 and a fixation supporting member 15 including a through-hole 17 guiding the vertical movement of the guide means 18 and installed in the diffuser casing 20. Further, a fixation nut 65 which engages with the lead screw 62 is fixedly installed in the fixation supporting member 15. In addition, the fixation supporting member 15 may also be installed in an internal casing 21 to be disassembled and assembled. As one example, as shown in the figure, a coupling portion 16 is formed at each end portion of the fixation supporting member 15 in a bent “
” shape, a coupling groove having a groove shape into which the coupling portion 16 of the fixation supporting member 15 is inserted is formed at a coupling portion 26 in the internal casing 21, and a through-groove that enables the coupling portion 16 of the fixation supporting member 15 to enter the coupling groove may be installed. By this configuration, when the fixation supporting member 15 is assembled, the coupling portion 16 of the fixation supporting member 15 is inserted through the through-groove and slightly rotates in the coupling groove of the internal casing 21 to be prevented from being separated. When the fixation supporting member 15 is disassembled, the process is reversely performed. As described above, after the fixation supporting member 15 is disassembled and assembled, the diffuser cone cover 12 may be disassembled from and assembled to the diffuser cone body 11.
Further, limit switches 71 and 72 may be installed to limit upward or downward movement of the diffuser cone 10, and particularly, a maximum opening rate adjusting nut 66 is installed together to serve as a stopper and a maximum opening rate of the diffuser cone 10 may be adjusted to prevent unnecessary opening due to adoption to various environments, thereby preventing waste of energy.
In the case where the motorized diffuser according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration is installed on a ceiling 50 for indoor ventilation or cooling/heating a building, when the motorized diffuser needs to be checked or repaired, the diffuser cone 10 is separated from the diffuser casing 20 and the diffuser cone cover 12 of the diffuser cone 10 is separated from the diffuser cone body 11 to easily check or repair the motor means 60 or the PCB 70. Further, when the adjusting nut 66 needs to be adjusted, the diffuser cone 10 is separated from the diffuser casing 20 to adjust the adjusting nut 66. In particular, when the coupling portions 16 and 26 of the fixation supporting member 15 and the internal casing 21 are configured, the diffuser cone 10 rotates slightly in a decoupling direction and then is lifted up from the coupling groove to be separated through the through-groove, and as a result, the diffuser cone 10 may be separated from the diffuser casing 20. The coupling is achieved in a reverse order to the decoupling. As described above, decoupling and coupling configurations between the diffuser cone 10 and the diffuser casing 20 are not limited to the configurations.
The motorized diffuser according to the present invention having the above configuration and operation may be adopted for indoor ventilation or cooling/heating the building. Since the motor means 60 or the PCB 70 may be disassembled/assembled together with the diffuser cone 10, a check hole is not required and the ceiling may retain an esthetic design. Further, when only the diffuser cone cover 12 is disassembled directly outside, simple maintenance may be achieved more conveniently.
In addition, when the motorized diffuser is not used, the diffuser cone 10 may be closed and displacement of the diffuser cone 10 is easily controlled to control an air volume proportionally as shown in FIG. 14 and the maximum opening rate may be controlled according to an environment by the adjusting nut 66, thereby contributing to saving energy of the building. In FIG. 13, as compared with a characteristic curve of a parallel blade (PB) damper or an opposite blade (OB) damper in the related art, a characteristic of a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser 540 used in the present invention can be known well. Further, the configuration is simple and the disassembly and the assembly are easy to facilitate the maintenance and the motor means 60 or the PCB 70 is incorporated, and as a result, failure is minimized and the flow passage is not interrupted to reduce flow resistance.
The above-mentioned integrated motorized diffuser 540 is illustrated and described in more detail in a motorized diffuser separately filed by the applicant and is not limited to an exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.
In the integrated motorized diffuser 540 configured as described above, the motor means 60 is controlled by a control unit included in the area (room) controller (R/C). Reference numerals “M/C” and “MCB” represent a master controller and a main control board, respectively.
The air conditioning equipment 500 for an air-return area or room of the present invention may include one discharge duct 530 for discharging air in each area or each of the rooms RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4, as shown in FIG. 5, and in this case, in addition to the above-described advantage of the integrated motorized diffuser 540, each of the air supply duct 520 and the discharge duct 530 may be configured by using the integrated motorized diffuser 540 to be installed within the narrow ceiling space 535, and as a result, air conditioning for each room or air conditioning for each area is enabled and further, an installation cost thereof may be low. Further, the air supply duct 520 and the discharge duct 530 are configured each one, and as a result, repairing is easy and a repairing cost is low.
The air conditioning equipment 600 for an air-return area or room of the present invention may include an induction duct 531 to the ceiling space 535 instead of the discharge duct 530 for discharging the air within each area or each of the rooms RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4, as shown in FIG. 6. In this case, the damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser 540 is installed even in the discharge duct 530 or the induction duct 531 and the control unit for controlling the motor means 60 of the integrated motorized diffuser 540 is also preferably installed in the area (room) controller (R/C).
Air conditioning equipment 700, 800, and 900 for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 are exemplary embodiments of a configuration in which the air conditioning equipment 510 for an air-return area or room of FIG. 5 is adopted in a heat pump, a separated air-conditioner, and an integrated air-conditioner, respectively. The exemplary embodiments are just illustrated and described as an example and may be adopted in various air-conditioner configurations known in the related art.
Further, in the air conditioning equipment 700, 800, and 900 for an air-return area or room, an outdoor air supplying duct 526 and an indoor air discharging duct 527 may be connected to the air supply duct 520 and the discharging duct 530 together with a motorized damper, respectively, so as to additionally discharge or recirculate (ventilate) the air within the area or rooms RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4 to the outside in addition to a recirculation duct 525 for an outdoor air cooling function or a ventilation function, in addition to the air-conditioner equipment (air-conditioner and affiliated facilities), as shown in the figure as other exemplary embodiments of the present invention. In this case, a return-side motorized damper MDr is installed in the recirculation duct 525 and reference numeral “SF” represents a supply fan and “RF” represents a return fan (discharge fan).
In FIG. 7, in the air conditioner 510 of the air conditioning equipment 700 for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to the present invention, an outdoor unit 610 is installed to be separated from a body 620 (including an evaporator) and the evaporator of the body 620 is installed in the upstream of the air supply duct 520. Roles of a condenser and the evaporator of the body 620 are converted as known according to whether or not a 4-way valve in the outdoor unit 610 is operated.
In the air conditioning equipment 800 for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser shown in FIG. 8, the air conditioner 510 includes an outdoor unit 810 separated from a body 820 of the air conditioner 510 and even in this case, the evaporator is installed in the upstream of the air supply duct 520. Further, in addition to the above configuration, a heat exchanger may be further provided optimally. In FIG. 9, in the air conditioner 510 of the air conditioning equipment 900 for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to the present invention, an outdoor unit 910 is configured integrally with a body 920.
In the present invention, each area or each of the rooms RM1, RM2, RM3, and RM4 includes even an area in a space which is not physically divided in addition to a room divided by a partition or a wall and the present invention may be adopted as a variable air volume (VAV) control system of the building requiring a large space or even for local air conditioning of a space in which an available time zone and a position are not constant, such as a restaurant, and the like.
Economical efficiency of the above-described air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to the present invention is as follows. That is, as a calculation result based on a 38 pyeong type apartment and a cooling capacity of 5 HP and a consumer price, in the case of a ventilation facility type coupled with a multi-air-conditioner of FIG. 1, an equipment cost is seven million won (including five indoor units and electric control construction), a construction cost of discharging refrigerant and dew condensation is eight million won, and a construction cost of a ventilation unit is two million won, that is, total sixteen million won is consumed, but in the present invention, the equipment cost is five million won, a duct construction cost (including thermal insulating construction) is two million won, and an integrated motorized diffuser cost is 2.4 million won, that is, total 9.4 million won is consumed, and as a result, a 41% saving effect is achieved.
As described above, the air conditioning equipment of the present invention may be well user-directed as can be seen from the configuration, the operation, and the effect of the air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser according to the present invention.
The present invention described above is not limited by the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings and it is apparent those skilled in the art that simple substitutions, modifications, and changes are made within the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. Air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser that supplies air processed from an air conditioner to each area or each of rooms and discharges or recirculates (ventilates) the air within the areas (rooms) to the outside, comprising:

one air supply duct for supplying the air processed from the air conditioner to each area or each of the rooms;

a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser including a diffuser cone and a diffuser casing installed in each area or each of the rooms and connected to be in communication with the air supply duct and forming an air flow passage between outer peripheries opposite to each other and a motor means actuating the diffuser cone with respect to the diffuser casing to control an opening rate of the air flow passage or open/close the air flow passage with diffusion of air;

an area (room) controller including a control unit for controlling the motor means of the integrated motorized diffuser; and

a discharging duct for discharging or recirculating (ventilating) the air within each area or each of the rooms to the outside or an induction duct to a ceiling space.

2. The air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser of claim 1, wherein the integrated motorized diffuser is installed in the discharging duct or the induction duct.

3. The air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser of claim 2, wherein the air conditioner is any one of heat pumps separated air conditioners, and integrated air conditioners.

4. The air conditioning equipment for an air-return area or room by using a damper-diffuser integrated motorized diffuser of claim 1, wherein the diffuser cone includes a diffuser cone body forming an air flow passage on outer peripheries between the diffuser cone and the diffuser casing when the diffuser cone is opened with respect to the diffuser casing, a diffuser cone cover forming a space part between the diffuser cone and the diffuser cone body and removably fixed to the diffuser cone body, and the motor means fixedly installed in the space part.