When it comes to your air conditioner, the more you know about how it works the better you can take care of it. And while many homeowners know that the indoor portion of their air conditioner is responsible for producing cool air, the purpose of the outdoor portion is lesser known. So let’s talk about what role your outside air conditioner unit plays in the cooling process and what you should know about keeping it well-maintained!
What does your outside air conditioner unit do?
The outside portion of your air conditioner is most often referred to as the “condenser unit.” Whereas the inside part of your air conditioner is responsible for absorbing heat from your home’s air, your outside unit’s job is to release that heat to the air outside. Without your air conditioner’s outside unit, the heat that’s removed from your home would have nowhere to go!
What parts are located in your air conditioner's outside unit?
There are a few different parts located in the outside portion of your air conditioner. The most important of those include:
The compressor. Your air conditioner’s compressor adds pressure to the refrigerant that it receives from inside your home in order to increase the refrigerant’s temperature and make it easier to transfer heat in the next step of the cooling process.
Condenser coils and fan. After leaving the compressor, refrigerant flows through your condenser coils. As this happens, a fan blows air over the coils in order to cool them off and release heat to the air outside.
Refrigerant lines. Refrigerant lines are what connect your indoor and outdoor units in order to cycle refrigerant and continue the cooling process.
How to design an Air conditioner outdoor unit?
Design requirements
Modern air conditioner outdoor unit designs require:
High-efficient power factor correction (PFC) with optimized bill of material (BOM) and size.
Efficient and dependable compressor control with low acoustic noise.
Highly-dependable valve control.
Robust and reliable communication.
Accurate environmental sensing.
As shown in the figure below, the design drawing includes 14 parts, namely Input power protection、Non-isolated AC/DC power supply、Isolated AC/DC power supply、Power protection and gating、Non-isolatedDC/DC power supply、Isolated AC/DC power supply、Sensors、Analog front-end、System controller、Power stage、Wired interface、Motor and power controller、Monitoring、Motor drive、Current & voltage sense. Each part has corresponding products and models. Next, I will introduce them to you one by one.
Non-isolated AC/DC power supply is a cost effective, high efficiency and small form factor AC/DC solutions for power factor correction and bias power supply generation with excellent EMI performance. Non-isolated AC/DC power supplies include Flyback controllers、PWM controllers、Power factor correction (PFC) controllers、Isolated DC/DC converters & modules、Shunt voltage references、N-channel MOSFETs、SR & load share controllers. Their corresponding models are UCC28740、UC2844A、UCC28180、TL431LI、CSD19531Q5A、UCC24636
Isolated AC/DC power supply is an off-line switch mode power supply solutions with multiple output rails (isolated and non-isolated) optimized for cost, efficiency, space and low EMI. Isolated AC/DC power supply as the same as Non-isolated AC/DC power supply, their corresponding product models are all the same.
Power protection & gating is a highly integrated, small size and fully protected solutions help provide safety for different low power voltage rails (eFuse, load switch, etc.). Power gating solutions for lowest stand-by power. Power protection & gating include Stepper motor drivers、High-side switches、USB power switches & charging port controllers、eFuses & hot swap controllers、N-channel MOSFETs、Load switches. Their corresponding models are DRV8860、TPS2065、TPS2051B、TPS25944L、CSD19531Q5A、TPS22968
Non-isolated DC/DC power supply is a cost effective, high efficiency and small form factor DC/DC solutions with excellent EMI performance. Non-isolated DC/DC power supply include Buck converters (integrated switch)、Boost converters (integrated switch)、Linear & low-dropout (LDO) regulators、Multi-channel ICs (PMICs)、N-channel MOSFETs、SR & load share controllers. Their corresponding models are TPS62932、TPS61288、TPS7A25、TPS65910、CSD19531Q5A、UCC24650
Sensors is an innovative solutions for humidity, temperature and other sensor types applicable to outdoor air-conditioner units Optimized for cost, performance and reliability. Sensors include Humidity sensors、Analog temperature sensors、Temperature switches、Digital temperature sensors、Signal conditioners. Their corresponding models are LM20、FDC2214
Analog front end is a signal conditioning solutions for a wide range of sensor types. Analog and digital output options. Cost effective or high end. Analog front end include High-speed op amps (GBW ≥ 50 MHz)、General-purpose op amps、Comparators、Precision op amps (Vos<1mV)、Isolated amplifiers、Analog switches & muxes、Precision DACs (≤10 MSPS)、Precision ADCs、Digital potentiometers (digipots)、Series voltage references、Signal conditioners. Their corresponding models are TLV365、OPA835、TLV9052、LM393B、TLV9022、OPA2727、AMC1301、TMUX1308、DAC7760、ADS7887
System controller
MCUs have advanced capabilities in secure wired and wireless connectivity, robust touch-key solutions, power and stand-by management, as well as high performance processors with multimedia options from simple displays to advanced HMIs. System controller include C2000 real-time microcontrollers、Arm-based processors、MSP430 microcontrollers、AND gates、Shift registers、Noninverting buffers & drivers、Inverting buffers & drivers、D-type flip-flops. Their corresponding models are AM4378、MSP430G2553、SN74HCS08、SN74HC164、CD74HCT241、SN74AHC1G14、SN74LVC1G175
Power stage is highly reliable solutions optimized for cost, size and pin-count to drive single or multiple loads such as relays, valves or any kind of actuators with options for isolation and advanced protection. Power stage include Isolated gate drivers、Low-side switches、Gallium nitride (GaN) ICs、Low-side drivers、Isolated DC/DC converters & modules、Half-bridge drivers、N-channel MOSFETs、Stepper motor drivers、Solenoid drivers. Their corresponding models are UCC5350、TPL7407LA、LMG3411R070、UCC27624、UCC27710、CSD19531Q5A、DRV8860、DRV110
Wired interface
Robust connectivity solutions (isolated and non-isolated, with and without protection) in support of common standards such as UART, RS485, etc. or proprietary protocols. Wired interface include RS-485 & RS-422 transceivers、RS-232 transceivers、TVS diodes、ESD protection diodes、I2C general-purpose I/Os (GPIOs)、I2C & I3C level shifters, buffers & hubs、I2C isolators. Their corresponding models are THVD1500、TRS3232E、TPD2E001、TCA9535、TCA9517A
Motor & power controller
MCUs with advanced capabilities for high efficiency motor control and power management. Motor & power controller include C2000 real-time microcontrollers、Arm Cortex-M0+ MCUs、Arm Cortex-M4 MCUs、Arm-based processors、MSP430 microcontrollers. Their corresponding models are TM4C123GE6PZ、AM3358、MSP430G2553
Motor driver
Integrated solutions optimized for cost, size and pin-count to drive any kind of motors (universal, stepper, brushed DC, brushless DC) in different subsystems such as the compressor or fan. Always well protected and power efficient. High voltage and low voltage. Motor driver include Stepper motor drivers、Brushed DC (BDC) motor drivers、Integrated control BLDC drivers、General-purpose op amps、Analog current-sense amplifiers、Half-bridge drivers、N-channel MOSFETs、Hall-effect latches & switches. Their corresponding models are DRV8860、DRV8251、DRV10987、TLV9062、INA186、UCC27710、CSD19531Q5A
Monitoring
Cost and board-space effective solutions to assure proper operation and/or detect any fault conditions reliably. (Watchdog timers, voltage monitors and supervisors, temperature sensors, etc.). Monitoring include Supervisor & reset ICs. It's corresponding models are TLV840、TPS3435、TPS3701
Current & voltage sense
Advanced current sense solutions (isolated & non-isolated) for a wide range of motor control applications and power supervision. Current & voltage sense include High-speed op amps (GBW ≥ 50 MHz)、General-purpose op amps、Comparators、Analog current-sense amplifiers、Precision op amps (Vos<1mV)、Isolated amplifiers、Series voltage references. Their corresponding models are TLV365、TLV9062、TLV7022、INA186、OPA2727、AMC1301、REF70.
This the design of Air conditioner outdoor unit, our integrated circuits and reference designs for air conditioner outdoor unit systems help you maximize energy efficiency and minimize acoustics for your design while considering cost.
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