US20090178421A1

US20090178421A1 - Air conditioning system with multiple power selections

Info

Publication number: US20090178421A1
Application number: US12/007,603
Authority: US
Inventors: Ming-Hsiang Yeh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-01-14
Filing date: 2008-01-14
Publication date: 2009-07-16

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.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

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

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.
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.
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

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.
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

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:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an air conditioning system constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a distribution selector of the air conditioning system in accordance with the present invention; and

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

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.