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How to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Air - conditioner Compressors?

2025-03-16
The main energy - consuming components of an air conditioner include: compressor, indoor fan, outdoor fan, control system, air - direction motor, standby power consumption, etc. Among them, the energy consumption of the air - conditioner compressor is relatively high. Therefore, how to improve the energy efficiency of the air - conditioner compressor has always been a matter of great concern.
7 General Ways to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Air - conditioner Compressors
First of all, it must be noted that the improvement of the compressor's energy efficiency mainly relies on technological improvements rather than a significant increase in material consumption. This is also the most cost - effective energy - saving method in terms of technical economy.
Secondly, what I want to say is that the following 7 general ways to improve the energy efficiency of air conditioners are just general methods.
  1. Improve the motor efficiency. An increase in the motor efficiency means an increase in the electrical efficiency of the compressor and the overall efficiency of the compressor.
  2. Reduce frictional power consumption. Reducing frictional power consumption means an increase in mechanical efficiency.
  3. Improve the gas valve. Any improvement in aspects such as the correctness of the gas - valve movement law, the reasonable matching of spring force and air - flow thrust, the optimization of structural parameters, the reduction of flow resistance, and the control of the clearance volume caused by the gas valve can improve the efficiency of the compressor.
  4. Reduce the suction and exhaust pressure losses and pressure pulsations.

    How to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Air - conditioner Compressors?1742133334674

  5. Increase the temperature coefficient.
  6. Increase the volumetric coefficient.
  7. Reduce leakage, that is, increase the leakage coefficient.
Explanation 1: The Energy Efficiency of an Air - conditioner Compressor ≠ Actual Energy Efficiency
However, it should be noted that for the convenience of measurement and comparison, the energy efficiency of the compressor is measured under a specific operating condition. Compressor manufacturers develop and design high - efficiency compressors for this specific condition in order to obtain a high energy - efficiency evaluation.
But when the air conditioner is undergoing performance testing, the operating condition of the compressor is often not its design condition, and this operating condition also varies depending on different air - conditioner designs.

How to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Air - conditioner Compressors?1742133334722

Furthermore, the operating condition of the air conditioner during actual operation is neither the testing condition of the air conditioner nor the design condition of the compressor. It will change with the usage environment, that is, the ambient temperature and the indoor temperature set by the user.
In this way, compared with the energy efficiency of the compressor under the design condition, there are two levels of variables in the actual operation of the compressor: the specific design of the air conditioner (depending on the air - conditioner manufacturer) and the usage environment. Then, simply pursuing high efficiency of the compressor under the design condition loses the significance of energy conservation.
Therefore, the concept of the variable - condition performance of the compressor is proposed: The energy efficiency of the compressor should remain high within a relatively wide range, so that good energy - saving effects can be achieved during the actual operation of the air conditioner.
Explanation 2: The Energy Efficiency of the Compressor ≠ the Energy Efficiency of the Air Conditioner
From the perspective of air - conditioner design, a high - efficiency compressor can improve the efficiency of the air conditioner. But conversely, the improvement of the air - conditioner's energy efficiency does not entirely depend on the compressor. In other words, a relatively high - efficiency air conditioner can be developed with a less - efficient compressor, and a low - efficiency air conditioner can also be manufactured with a high - efficiency compressor. Everything depends on the actual operating condition of the compressor when the air conditioner is tested under the testing condition specified by the national standard.
At present, some air - conditioner manufacturers use high - efficiency compressors and smaller heat exchangers to manufacture low - energy - efficiency air conditioners to reduce costs. At this time, due to the large heat - exchange temperature difference, the exhaust pressure of the compressor is relatively high, the suction pressure is relatively low, resulting in a large pressure ratio of the compressor, low refrigeration capacity, and low efficiency. Developing a high - efficiency air conditioner requires a larger heat exchanger.
Therefore, from the perspective of air - conditioner design, improving the efficiency of the air conditioner includes two aspects:
(1) When designing an air conditioner under the fixed testing condition specified by the national standard, make the air conditioner have a high efficiency, which includes the meaning of giving full play to the refrigeration capacity and high efficiency of the compressor.
(2) The concept of variable - condition operation of the air conditioner: The air conditioner should maintain a high energy efficiency within a relatively wide range, so that good energy - saving effects can be achieved during the actual operation of the air conditioner.
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