US20090178423A1

US20090178423A1 - Power selection system for air conditioner

Info

Publication number: US20090178423A1
Application number: US12/007,602
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

A power selection system is provided for an air conditioning system, including a power selection device, an interface unit, and an 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. The distribution selector controls selection of power input of the power selection device among multiple power sources. The interface unit is connected to the power selection device. The air conditioner includes a power system, which is connected to the interface unit. As such, the system, as a whole, can be arranged in accordance with the user's need to receive a power input or a combination of multiple power inputs selected from multiple power sources in different periods of time and is fit for air conditioners of different brands available in the market.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a power selection system for an air conditioner, and in particular to a system comprising a combination of a power selection device, an interface unit and an air conditioner, wherein the power selection device comprises a distribution selector for receiving and selecting among multiple power sources, including both alternate-current (AC) power sources and direct-current (DC) power source, to supply a selectively, combined power to the air conditioner to thereby feature multiple selections of power input, 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 a power selection system for an air conditioner that allows the air conditioners to be operated with a power source or a combination of multiple power sources selected from various ones and considered the most economically efficient in accordance with beneficial energy policy of local governments in order to overcome the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a power selection system for an air conditioner, which features a combination of a power selection device, an interface unit, and an air conditioner, wherein the power selection device comprises a selection distributor that controls selection of power inputs, which can be either direct-current (DC) power sources or alternate-current (AC) power sources so that power supplied to the air conditioner is from a different power source or a combination of multiple power sources selected from various power sources in different periods of time in accordance with preset arrangement done by a user to there enhance the practicability of the present invention.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a power selection system for an air conditioner, which features a combination of a power selection device, an interface unit, and an air conditioner, wherein the interface unit comprises electrical receptacles formed in accordance with power systems of various air conditioners so that the power selection system of the present invention is fit for air conditioners of various brands available in the market to thereby enhance the convenience of the present invention.
To realize the above objective, in accordance with the present invention, a power selection system is provided for an air conditioning system, including a power selection device, an interface unit, and an 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. The distribution selector controls selection of power input of the power selection device among multiple power sources. The interface unit is connected to the power selection device. The air conditioner includes a power system, which is connected to the interface unit. As such, the system, as a whole, can be arranged in accordance with the user's need to receive a power input or a combination of multiple power inputs selected from multiple power sources in different periods of time and is fit for air conditioners of different brands available in the market.

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 a power selection system in accordance with the present invention that is applied to an air conditioner;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating connection between a power selection device and an interface unit of the power selection system in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of a distribution selector of the power selection device 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 a power selection system specifically for an air conditioner. The power selection device comprises a power selection device, generally designated at 10, which 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 1 1 1, 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.
An interface unit 20, which in a preferred embodiment, comprises an electrical receptacle, has an end connected to the uninterrupted power supply device 12 of the power selection device 10 and an opposite end serving as an output terminal that supplies DC or AC power.
An air conditioner 30 comprises a power system 31, a control unit, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The power system 31 is connected to the interface unit 20 for receiving, supplying and distributing the DC or AC output power from the interface unit 20 to the control unit and the compressor. The control unit is connected to the compressor. The compressor functions to compress refrigerant and is connected to the condenser; the condenser functions to dissipate heat and cause condensation of the refrigerant and is connected to the expansion valve; the expansion valve functions to realize expansion and dropping of pressure of the refrigerant and is connected to the evaporator; and the evaporator functions to absorb heat by the evaporation of the refrigerant and is connected back to the compressor to thereby complete the refrigeration circulation.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the power selection system in accordance with the present invention is provided for an air conditioner and features that the distribution selector 11 of the power selection device 10 receives both DC power sources 13, 14 and AC power sources 15, 16 and the interface unit 20 is connected with the power system 31 of the air conditioner 30 so that when the air conditioner 30 is initially started, the distribution selector 11 carries out control to have the air conditioner 30 powered by the electrical main as a priority power source 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 30 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 conditioner. 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. Apparently, it is possible to carry out programming or arrangement 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. Moreover, the interface unit 20 can be embodied as electrical receptacle of different forms or specifications to mate the power systems 31 of different air conditioners 30 available in the market so that the power selection device 10 is fit for the power systems 31 of air conditioners 30 of various brands.
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. A power selection system adapted for use with an air conditioning system and comprising:

a power selection device comprising a distribution selector and an uninterrupted power supply device, the distribution selector being arranged inside the uninterrupted power supply device, the distribution selector controlling selection of power input of the power selection device among multiple power sources;

an interface unit connected to the power selection device; and

an air conditioner comprising a power system, which is connected to the interface unit.

2. The power selection 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 power selection system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power input is obtained from the multiple 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 power selection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface unit has an output that selectively supplies DC power or AC power.

5. The power selection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface unit comprises an electrical receptacle.

6. The power selection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air conditioner comprises a power system, a control unit, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, the power system supplying power to the control unit and the compressor, the control unit being connected to the compressor, and wherein the compressor functions to compress refrigerant and is connected to the condenser; the condenser functions to dissipate heat and cause condensation of the refrigerant and is connected to the expansion valve; the expansion valve functions to realize expansion and dropping of pressure of the refrigerant and is connected to the evaporator; and the evaporator functions to absorb heat by the evaporation of the refrigerant and is connected back to the compressor to thereby complete refrigeration circulation.

7. The power selection 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.

8. The power selection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the uninterrupted power supply device comprises a charger and a battery.