A self-cleaning centrifugal fan

Abstract

This invention discloses a self-cleaning centrifugal fan, relating to the field of centrifugal fan cleaning technology. It includes: a casing, volute-shaped, with an impeller rotatably mounted inside; an air inlet located at the center of one side of the casing; and an air outlet tangentially located on the upper part of the casing; a drive motor located on one side of the casing; a horn-shaped collector located outside the air inlet, with a cooling chamber inside its peripheral wall for containing coolant; a drain outlet located on one side wall of the air outlet, with a reversible cover that can be rotated by a first drive mechanism to a first set angle; and a sludge collection box located outside the casing, connected to the drain outlet. This invention solves the problems in existing centrifugal fans where dust easily adheres to the impeller and inner surface of the volute, making it difficult to discharge the inhaled debris, which remains inside the volute, increasing the operating noise of the centrifugal fan, and making it difficult to clean the inhaled dust and debris.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of centrifugal fan cleaning technology, and more specifically, relates to a self-cleaning centrifugal fan. Background Technology

[0002] A centrifugal fan is a device that uses input mechanical energy to increase gas pressure and deliver the gas into the machine's interior; it belongs to fluid machinery. Centrifugal fans are mainly used for ventilation, dust removal, and cooling. In a centrifugal fan, gas enters the impeller axially. As the gas flows through the impeller, its direction changes, and it then enters the diffuser, i.e., the volute. In the volute, the gas changes its flow direction, and the increased cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel slows down the airflow. This deceleration converts kinetic energy into pressure energy.

[0003] Existing centrifugal fans draw in dust and debris during operation. After prolonged operation, the dust easily adheres to the inner surfaces of the impeller and volute. Furthermore, some debris, once inside the fan, is difficult to remove due to the presence of the outlet filter and remains within the volute, increasing operating noise. Currently, cleaning the dust adhering to the impeller and volute surfaces, as well as the debris inside the volute, often requires disassembling the centrifugal fan for manual cleaning, which is cumbersome, inconvenient, and inefficient. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a self-cleaning centrifugal fan. This solves the problems of existing centrifugal fans where dust easily adheres to the impeller and inner surface of the volute, making it difficult to expel the inhaled debris, which remains inside the volute, increasing the operating noise of the centrifugal fan, and making it difficult to clean the inhaled dust and debris.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a self-cleaning centrifugal fan, comprising:

[0006] The housing is volute-shaped, and an impeller is rotatably disposed inside the housing. The impeller includes a front plate, a rear plate, and multiple blades disposed between the front plate and the rear plate. A hub is disposed on the rear plate. An air inlet is disposed in the middle of one side of the housing. An air outlet channel is disposed tangentially on the upper part of the housing. An air outlet is disposed at the upper part of the air outlet channel.

[0007] A drive motor is disposed on one side of the housing, and the output end of the drive motor passes through the other side of the housing and is connected to the hub;

[0008] The collector is funnel-shaped and is located outside the air inlet. A cooling chamber is provided inside the peripheral wall of the collector to contain coolant.

[0009] A drain outlet is provided on one side wall of the air outlet duct. The drain outlet is provided with a flip-up cover plate, which can be driven to rotate a first set angle by a first drive mechanism.

[0010] A sludge collection box is located on the outside of the housing and is connected to the drain outlet.

[0011] Optionally, a coolant inlet pipe and a coolant outlet pipe are connected to the outside of the collector, and the coolant inlet pipe and the coolant outlet pipe are in communication with the cooling chamber.

[0012] Optionally, the drain outlet is located on the side wall of the air outlet channel away from the impeller, and the end of the cover plate near the air outlet is rotatably connected to the air outlet channel via a first rotating shaft. Fan-shaped baffles are provided on both sides of the cover plate, and the baffles are movably disposed in the drain outlet and slide in cooperation with the inner wall of the air outlet channel.

[0013] Optionally, the center of the hub protrudes towards the air inlet, and a power supply unit is embedded in the center of the hub. Multiple heating wires are connected to the power supply unit. The multiple heating wires are radially embedded in the hub and extend to the rear disc and the interior of multiple blades respectively. The power supply unit can be controlled by the control unit to supply power to the heating wires.

[0014] Optionally, an outlet filter and a flow guide baffle are sequentially arranged in the air outlet channel along the air outlet direction. The end of the flow guide baffle near the impeller is rotatably connected to the air outlet channel through a second rotating shaft. The flow guide baffle can be driven to rotate a second set angle by a second driving mechanism.

[0015] Optionally, the inner wall of the air outlet channel is provided with an annular receiving groove, the outer periphery of the outlet filter is movably embedded in the receiving groove, and the two sides of the outlet filter are respectively connected to the groove wall of the receiving groove through a first elastic component and a second elastic component.

[0016] Optionally, the bottom of the receiving groove is provided with a plurality of wedge-shaped grooves, and the outer periphery of the outlet filter is provided with a plurality of telescopic components. The telescopic end of the telescopic component can extend outward along the circumference of the outlet filter, and the telescopic end is provided with a wedge-shaped block that cooperates with the wedge-shaped groove.

[0017] Optionally, it also includes a base for supporting and securing the housing and the drive motor.

[0018] Optionally, the first drive mechanism includes a first servo motor and a first worm gear reducer, wherein the first servo motor drives the cover plate to rotate the first set angle through the first worm gear reducer.

[0019] Optionally, the second drive mechanism includes a second servo motor and a second worm gear reducer, wherein the second servo motor drives the guide baffle to rotate the second set angle through the second worm gear reducer.

[0020] This invention provides a self-cleaning centrifugal fan, the advantages of which are: the centrifugal fan's collector has a cooling chamber inside, capable of holding coolant. When self-cleaning is required, coolant is introduced into the cooling chamber, which cools the collector, promoting the condensation of water vapor in the air drawn in by the centrifugal fan into water droplets. These water droplets enter the housing along with the airflow. During this process, the water droplets wash over the front disc, rear disc, blades, and hub, carrying away dust adhering to these components, and are carried away by the airflow within the housing. The airflow direction is changed until it enters the air outlet channel; at this time, the first drive mechanism drives the cover plate to rotate at a first set angle, opening the drain port. Water droplets carrying dust can flow into the drain port under the guidance of the cover plate as the airflow changes direction, and then enter the sludge collection box; at the same time, debris in the shell can also be blown into the drain port by the airflow and discharged into the sludge collection box together with the water droplets carrying dust, thus realizing the self-cleaning of the centrifugal fan; the centrifugal fan does not require disassembly and manual cleaning during the self-cleaning process, and is simple, convenient and efficient to operate.

[0021] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0023] Figure 1 A front view schematic diagram of a self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 2 A side view of a self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0027] Figure 5A cross-sectional view of the air outlet channel of a self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0028] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the impeller of a self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 7 It shows Figure 6 A magnified structural diagram at point A.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 1. Shell; 2. Impeller; 3. Front plate; 4. Rear plate; 5. Blade; 6. Hub; 7. Air inlet; 8. Air outlet duct; 9. Air outlet; 10. Drive motor; 11. Collector; 12. Cooling chamber; 13. Drain outlet; 14. Cover plate; 15. Sludge collection box; 16. Coolant inlet pipe; 17. Coolant outlet pipe; 18. Baffle; 19. Power supply unit; 20. Heating wire; 21. Outlet filter; 22. Guide baffle; 23. Sealing door; 24. Exhaust port; 25. Exhaust filter; 26. Receiving groove; 27. First elastic component; 28. Second elastic component; 29. ​​Wedge groove; 30. Telescopic component; 31. Telescopic end; 32. Wedge block; 33. Base. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail. While preferred embodiments of the invention are described below, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0033] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the present invention provides a self-cleaning centrifugal fan, comprising:

[0034] The housing 1 is volute-shaped. An impeller 2 is rotatably arranged inside the housing 1. The impeller 2 includes a front plate 3, a rear plate 4, and multiple blades 5 arranged between the front plate 3 and the rear plate 4. A hub 6 is arranged on the rear plate 4. An air inlet 7 is arranged in the middle of one side of the housing 1. An air outlet 8 is arranged tangentially on the upper part of the housing 1. An air outlet 9 is arranged at the upper part of the air outlet 8.

[0035] The drive motor 10 is located on one side of the housing 1, and the output end of the drive motor 10 passes through the other side of the housing 1 and is connected to the hub 6.

[0036] The collector 11 is trumpet-shaped and is located outside the air inlet 7. A cooling chamber 12 is provided inside the peripheral wall of the collector 11, which is used to contain coolant.

[0037] The drain outlet 13 is located on one side wall of the air outlet duct 8. The drain outlet 13 is provided with a flip-up cover 14, which can be driven to rotate by a first set angle through a first drive mechanism.

[0038] The sludge collection box 15 is located on the outside of the housing 1 and is connected to the drain outlet 13.

[0039] Specifically, to address the problems in existing centrifugal fans where dust easily adheres to the impeller 2 and inner surface of the volute, making it difficult to expel the inhaled debris and causing increased operating noise, and where the inhaled dust and debris are difficult to clean, the self-cleaning centrifugal fan provided by this invention has a cooling chamber 12 inside the collector 11, which can hold coolant. When self-cleaning of the centrifugal fan is required, coolant is introduced into the cooling chamber 12, which cools the collector 11, promoting the condensation of water vapor in the air drawn into the centrifugal fan into water droplets. The water droplets enter the housing 1 along with the airflow. During this process, the water droplets form a ring on the front disc 3, rear disc 4, blades 5, and hub 6. The rinsing action removes dust adhering to the front disc 3, rear disc 4, blades 5, and hub 6, and the dust changes direction within the housing 1 with the airflow until it enters the outlet duct 8. At this time, the first drive mechanism drives the cover plate 14 to rotate at a first set angle, opening the drain port 13. Water droplets carrying dust can flow into the drain port 13 under the guidance of the changed airflow through the cover plate 14, and then enter the sludge collection box 15. Simultaneously, debris present in the housing 1 can also be blown into the drain port 13 by the airflow, and discharged into the sludge collection box 15 together with the water droplets carrying dust, thus achieving self-cleaning of the centrifugal fan. The centrifugal fan does not require disassembly or manual cleaning during self-cleaning, making it simple, convenient, and highly efficient.

[0040] Optionally, a coolant inlet pipe 16 and a coolant outlet pipe 17 are connected to the outside of the collector 11, and the coolant inlet pipe 16 and the coolant outlet pipe are connected to the cooling chamber 12.

[0041] Specifically, the coolant is introduced into the cooling chamber 12 through the coolant inlet pipe 16 and then discharged from the coolant outlet pipe 17 to cool the collector 11, promote the condensation of water vapor in the air drawn in by the centrifugal fan into water droplets, and thus clean the impeller 2 and the inner wall of the housing 1.

[0042] Optionally, the drain outlet 13 is located on the side wall of the air outlet duct 8 away from the impeller 2. The end of the cover plate 14 near the air outlet 9 is rotatably connected to the air outlet duct 8 via a first rotating shaft. Fan-shaped baffles 18 are provided on both sides of the cover plate 14. The baffles 18 are movably disposed in the drain outlet 13 and slide in cooperation with the inner wall of the air outlet duct 8.

[0043] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, the airflow after passing through the impeller 2 carries water droplets carrying the washed-down dust and changes its flow direction in the housing 1 as indicated by the arrow. After the cover plate 14 rotates to the first set angle, the drain port 13 is opened. The water droplets can enter the drain port 13 through the opening of the cover plate 14. The fan-shaped baffles 18 on both sides of the cover plate 14 are attached to the front and rear side walls of the air outlet channel 8, so that all the water droplets can enter the drain port 13 as much as possible, ensuring the sewage discharge effect. At the same time, the debris in the housing 1 can also enter the drain port 13 along with the water droplets.

[0044] Optionally, the center of the hub 6 protrudes towards the air inlet 7, and a power supply unit 19 is embedded in the center of the hub 6. Multiple heating wires 20 are connected to the power supply unit 19. The multiple heating wires 20 are radially embedded in the hub 6 and extend to the rear disc 4 and the interior of multiple blades 5 respectively. The power supply unit 19 can be controlled by the control unit to supply power to the heating wires 20.

[0045] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the power supply unit 19 can supply power to the heating wire 20 under the control of the control unit, causing the heating wire 20 to heat up, thereby heating the wheel hub 6, rear disc 4 and multiple blades 5. By heating the wheel hub 6, rear disc 4 and multiple blades 5, they can obtain high temperatures. Combined with the rinsing of water droplets, the cleaning effect on the wheel hub 6, rear disc 4 and multiple blades 5 is improved, especially for cleaning oily impurities attached to them. The water droplets after rinsing are heated to a higher temperature and when they hit the inner wall of the housing 1, they can also improve the cleaning effect on the inner wall of the housing 1.

[0046] Optionally, an outlet filter 21 and a baffle 22 are sequentially arranged in the air outlet duct 8 along the air outlet direction. The end of the baffle 22 near the impeller 2 is rotatably connected to the air outlet duct 8 through a second rotating shaft. The baffle 22 can be driven to rotate a second set angle by a second driving mechanism.

[0047] Specifically, such as Figure 4As shown, unlike existing centrifugal fans, the outlet filter 21 of the centrifugal fan in this invention is located closer to the inner end of the air outlet channel 8. The outlet filter 21 is closer to the impeller 2 than the guide baffle 22. The debris blocked by the outlet filter 21 can quickly fall back into the housing 1 and enter the drain port 13 with the airflow. The guide baffle 22 can rotate a second set angle under the drive of the second drive mechanism. When the second set angle is less than 90°, the airflow in the air outlet channel 8 converges in the direction away from the impeller 2 under the action of the guide baffle 22. The airflow convergence direction is closer to the drain port 13, and water droplets and debris can more easily enter the drain port 13 through the opening side of the cover plate 14 and be discharged. When the second set angle is equal to 90°, the air outlet channel 8 is completely closed, and the airflow can only flow into the drain port 13, achieving efficient sewage discharge.

[0048] In this embodiment, a sealing door 23 and an exhaust port 24 are provided on the side of the sludge collection box 15 away from the air outlet 8, and an exhaust filter screen 25 is provided inside the exhaust port 24.

[0049] Optionally, the inner wall of the air outlet duct 8 is provided with an annular receiving groove 26, the outer periphery of the outlet filter 21 is movably embedded in the receiving groove 26, and the two sides of the outlet filter 21 are connected to the groove wall of the receiving groove 26 through the first elastic member 27 and the second elastic member 28 respectively.

[0050] Specifically, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the outlet filter 21 is movably disposed in the receiving groove 26 and is elastically connected to the receiving groove 26 by the first elastic component 27 and the second elastic component 28. The outlet filter 21 can vibrate with the vibration of the housing 1 and the air outlet channel 8, which can better shake off the debris and dust on the outlet filter 21 and let it fall back into the housing 1, thus achieving a self-cleaning effect for the outlet filter 21.

[0051] Optionally, the bottom of the receiving tank 26 is provided with a plurality of wedge-shaped grooves 29, and the outer periphery of the outlet filter screen 21 is provided with a plurality of telescopic components 30. The telescopic end 31 of the telescopic component 30 can extend outward along the circumference of the outlet filter screen 21, and the telescopic end 31 is provided with a wedge-shaped block 32 that cooperates with the wedge-shaped grooves 29.

[0052] Specifically, to prevent the outlet filter 21 from vibrating with the centrifugal fan and generating unnecessary noise when it is not self-cleaning, multiple telescopic components 30 are provided on the outer periphery of the outlet filter 21. When the telescopic end 31 of the telescopic component 30 extends, the wedge block 32 can be inserted into the wedge groove 29 to reliably fix the outlet filter 21. Only when self-cleaning begins, the telescopic end 31 of the telescopic component 30 retracts, causing the outlet filter 21 to start vibrating.

[0053] Optionally, a base 33 is also included, which is used to support and fix the housing 1 and the drive motor 10.

[0054] Specifically, the specific structure of the base 33 is not specifically limited. The base 33 is provided with mounting holes at the bottom, which can fix the centrifugal fan to the ground.

[0055] Optionally, the first drive mechanism includes a first servo motor and a first worm gear reducer, wherein the first servo motor drives the cover plate 14 to rotate a first set angle through the first worm gear reducer.

[0056] Optionally, the second drive mechanism includes a second servo motor and a second worm gear reducer. The second servo motor drives the guide baffle 22 to rotate a second set angle through the second worm gear reducer.

[0057] Specifically, the first servo motor and the second servo motor drive the cover plate 14 and the guide baffle 22 to rotate through the first worm gear reducer and the second worm gear reducer, respectively, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the drain outlet 13 and the opening of the air outlet 8. By utilizing the servo characteristics of the servo motor and the self-locking performance of the worm gear reducer, the first set angle and the second set angle are controllable and can be stably stopped at the above-mentioned set angle position.

[0058] In summary, when the self-cleaning centrifugal fan provided by this invention is used, after a certain period of normal operation, the dust drawn in adheres to the impeller 2 and the inner surface of the volute, and some debris is difficult to expel after entering the centrifugal fan and remains inside the volute, causing increased operating noise. At this point, the centrifugal fan can be self-cleaned. First, by introducing coolant into the cooling chamber 12, the collector 11 is cooled. As the collector 11 cools, water vapor in the air drawn in by the centrifugal fan condenses into water droplets. These water droplets enter the housing 1 along with the airflow. During this process, the water droplets wash over the front disc 3, rear disc 4, blades 5, and hub 6, carrying away the dust adhering to them. The water droplets then change direction within the housing 1 with the airflow until they enter the outlet channel 8. At this time, the first drive mechanism drives the cover plate 14 to rotate at a first set angle, opening the drain port 13. Simultaneously, the control unit controls the power supply unit 19 to supply power to the heating wire 20, thus... Heating wire 20 heats up the hub 6, rear disc 4, and blades 5, which, combined with the flushing of water droplets, improves the cleaning effect on the hub 6, rear disc 4, and multiple blades 5, especially for cleaning oily impurities attached to them. The water droplets, after flushing, are heated and when they hit the inner wall of the housing 1, they also improve the cleaning effect on the inner wall of the housing 1. Water droplets carrying dust can flow into the drain port 13 under the guidance of the cover plate 14 with the airflow that changes direction, and then enter the sludge collection box 15. At the same time, debris present in the housing 1 can also be blown into the drain port 13 by the airflow and discharged into the sludge collection box 15 together with the water droplets carrying dust, thus realizing the self-cleaning of the centrifugal fan. During the sewage discharge process, the second servo motor can be activated to drive the guide baffle 22 to rotate at a second set angle. When the second set angle is less than 90°, the airflow in the outlet duct 8 converges towards the direction away from the impeller 2 under the action of the guide baffle 22. The airflow convergence direction is closer to the sewage outlet 13, making it easier for water droplets and debris to enter the sewage outlet 13 through the opening side of the cover plate 14 and be discharged. When the second set angle is equal to 90°, the outlet duct 8 is completely closed, and the airflow can only flow into the sewage outlet 13, achieving efficient sewage discharge. This centrifugal fan does not require disassembly or manual cleaning during self-cleaning, making it simple, convenient, and highly efficient.

[0059] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning centrifugal fan, characterized in that, include: The housing is volute-shaped, and an impeller is rotatably disposed inside the housing. The impeller includes a front plate, a rear plate, and multiple blades disposed between the front plate and the rear plate. A hub is disposed on the rear plate. An air inlet is disposed in the middle of one side of the housing. An air outlet is disposed tangentially on the upper part of the housing. An air outlet is disposed at the upper part of the air outlet. A drive motor is disposed on one side of the housing, and the output end of the drive motor passes through the other side of the housing and is connected to the hub; The collector is funnel-shaped and is located outside the air inlet. A cooling chamber is provided inside the peripheral wall of the collector to contain coolant. A drain outlet is provided on one side wall of the air outlet duct. The drain outlet is provided with a flip-up cover plate, which can be driven to rotate a first set angle by a first drive mechanism. A sludge collection box is disposed on the outside of the housing, and the sludge collection box is connected to the drain outlet; The drain outlet is located on the side wall of the air outlet channel away from the impeller. The end of the cover plate near the air outlet is rotatably connected to the air outlet channel via a first rotating shaft. Fan-shaped baffles are provided on both sides of the cover plate. The baffles are movably disposed in the drain outlet and slide in cooperation with the inner wall of the air outlet channel. An outlet filter and a flow guide baffle are sequentially arranged in the air outlet channel along the air outlet direction. The end of the flow guide baffle near the impeller is rotatably connected to the air outlet channel through a second rotating shaft. The flow guide baffle can be driven to rotate a second set angle by a second driving mechanism. The sludge collection box is equipped with a sealed door and an exhaust port on the side away from the air outlet, and an exhaust filter is installed inside the exhaust port.

2. The self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outside of the collector is connected to a coolant inlet pipe and a coolant outlet pipe, and the coolant inlet pipe and the coolant outlet pipe are connected to the cooling chamber.

3. The self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The center of the hub protrudes towards the air inlet, and a power supply unit is embedded in the center of the hub. Multiple heating wires are connected to the power supply unit. The multiple heating wires are radially embedded in the hub and extend to the rear disc and the interior of multiple blades respectively. The power supply unit can be controlled by the control unit to supply power to the heating wires.

4. The self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the air outlet channel is provided with an annular receiving groove, and the outer periphery of the outlet filter is movably embedded in the receiving groove. The two sides of the outlet filter are respectively connected to the groove wall of the receiving groove through a first elastic component and a second elastic component.

5. The self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom of the receiving tank is provided with multiple wedge-shaped grooves, and the outer periphery of the outlet filter screen is provided with multiple telescopic components. The telescopic end of the telescopic component can extend outward along the circumference of the outlet filter screen, and the telescopic end is provided with a wedge-shaped block that cooperates with the wedge-shaped groove.

6. The self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a base for supporting and securing the housing and the drive motor.

7. The self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first driving mechanism includes a first servo motor and a first worm gear reducer. The first servo motor drives the cover plate to rotate the first set angle through the first worm gear reducer.

8. The self-cleaning centrifugal fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second drive mechanism includes a second servo motor and a second worm gear reducer. The second servo motor drives the guide baffle to rotate at the second set angle through the second worm gear reducer.

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