Fan assembly and refrigeration equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a fan assembly and refrigeration equipment, the fan assembly comprises a volute, the volute is provided with a containing space and a water outlet which communicate with each other, the water outlet is located at the bottom of the volute in the gravity direction, and the volute comprises a first end and a second end which form the water outlet in a clamping mode; the impeller is arranged in the accommodating space; wherein the first end and the second end are sequentially distributed in the rotating direction of the impeller, the first end and the second end are oppositely arranged in the gravity direction, and the first end is located above the second end. According to the fan assembly, the water outlet of the volute is formed in the bottommost portion of the volute, so that water can flow out of the volute from the water outlet under the action of the gravity of the water, water drainage of the volute is achieved, the first end is located at the front end of the second end in the gas flowing direction, and the first end is located above the second end; therefore, the first end shields the airflow at the front end of the gas flowing direction, and the gas is prevented from directly escaping from the water outlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, and particularly relates to a fan assembly and refrigeration equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In existing refrigerators, the evaporator often defrosts during the cooling process. The hot and humid air generated during defrosting enters the fan casing and condenses into liquid water. If the water is not drained in time, when the evaporator starts cooling, the water inside the casing will freeze into frost, causing the fan to malfunction and affecting the refrigerator's cooling effect. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a fan assembly and a refrigeration device to solve the problem that the fan casing of existing refrigerators cannot drain water in time, causing water to freeze into frost and affect the operation of the fan.

[0004] This application provides a fan assembly for use in a refrigeration device, the fan assembly comprising:

[0005] A volute has a communicating receiving space and a drain outlet, the drain outlet being located at the bottom of the volute along the direction of gravity, and the volute includes a first end and a second end clamped to form the drain outlet;

[0006] An impeller is disposed within the accommodating space;

[0007] The first end and the second end are distributed sequentially along the rotation direction of the impeller, the first end and the second end are arranged opposite each other along the direction of gravity, and the first end is located above the second end.

[0008] Optionally, the height of the first end gradually decreases towards the side closer to the second end, and the height of the second end gradually decreases towards the side closer to the first end.

[0009] Optionally, the first end has a first arc shape that arches toward the side away from the impeller.

[0010] Optionally, the volute includes a flow guide end connected to the side of the second end away from the first end, the flow guide end being in the shape of a second arc, and the circle corresponding to the first arc being the same as the circle corresponding to the second arc.

[0011] Optionally, the second end extends along a tangent to one end of the guide end closest to the second end.

[0012] Optionally, the distance between the end of the impeller near the volute and the volute is in the range of 2mm to 6mm.

[0013] Optionally, the volute includes an inner wall facing the impeller, the inner wall being coated with a heat-absorbing coating, the heat-absorbing coating being used to absorb heat and heat the evaporating liquid water.

[0014] Optionally, it also includes:

[0015] A detection component is used to detect the frost formation on the impeller.

[0016] A heating element is disposed on the impeller, and the heating element is used to heat and defrost the impeller according to the detection result of the detection element.

[0017] Optionally, it also includes a wind deflector, which is closable and installed at the drain outlet.

[0018] This application also provides a refrigeration device, including:

[0019] Heat exchanger;

[0020] The fan assembly described above is connected to the heat exchanger.

[0021] The fan assembly provided in this application embodiment has a drain port on the bottom of the volute. Water can flow out of the volute from the drain port under its own gravity, thus achieving drainage. Furthermore, since the first end is located in front of the second end along the gas flow direction and is above the second end, the first end blocks the airflow at the front of the gas flow direction, preventing gas from escaping directly from the drain port, which would result in airflow loss and reduced air pressure, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the fan assembly. In other words, this drain port structure ensures both the drainage effect of the volute and avoids reduced air pressure, thus ensuring the air delivery effect of the fan assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a first structural schematic diagram of a fan assembly provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the fan assembly provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Exploded view.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of the fan assembly provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0029] 1. Volute; 11. Accommodation space; 12. Drain outlet; 13. First end; 14. Second end; 15. Guide end; 16. Baffle plate; 17. Air outlet; 2. Impeller. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0032] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0034] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of this application. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, various specific examples of processes and materials are provided in this application, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0035] In existing refrigerators, the evaporator often defrosts during the cooling process. The hot and humid air generated during defrosting enters the fan casing and condenses into liquid water. If the water is not drained in time, when the evaporator starts cooling, the water inside the casing will freeze into frost, causing the fan to malfunction and affecting the refrigerator's cooling effect.

[0036] Therefore, this application provides a fan assembly and a refrigeration device to solve the problem that the fan casing of existing refrigerators cannot drain water in time, causing water to freeze into frost and affect the operation of the fan. The following will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0037] The fan assembly provided in this application embodiment is applied to a refrigeration device. The fan assembly includes a volute 1 and an impeller 2. Please refer to... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 1 This is a first structural schematic diagram of the fan assembly provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the fan assembly provided in an embodiment of this application. The volute 1 is provided with a communicating receiving space 11 and a drain outlet 12. Figure 3 for Figure 2The exploded view shows that the drain outlet 12 is located at the bottom of the volute 1 along the direction of gravity. The volute 1 includes a first end 13 and a second end 14 that form the drain outlet 12. The impeller 2 is disposed in the receiving space 11. The first end 13 and the second end 14 are distributed sequentially along the rotation direction of the impeller 2. The first end 13 and the second end 14 are arranged opposite each other along the direction of gravity, and the first end 13 is located above the second end 14.

[0038] The fan assembly provided in this application embodiment has a drain port 12 located at the bottom of the volute 1. Water can flow out of the volute 1 from the drain port 12 under its own gravity, thus achieving drainage of the volute 1. Furthermore, since the first end 13 is located at the front end of the second end 14 along the gas flow direction and is located above the second end 14, the first end 13 blocks the airflow at the front end of the gas flow direction, preventing gas from escaping directly from the drain port 12, which would result in airflow loss and reduced air pressure, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the fan assembly. In other words, this drain port 12 structure ensures both the drainage effect of the volute 1 and avoids reduced air pressure, thus ensuring the air delivery effect of the fan assembly.

[0039] Optionally, the height of the first end 13 gradually decreases towards the side closer to the second end 14, and the height of the second end 14 gradually decreases towards the side closer to the first end 13. That is, both the first end 13 and the second end 14 gradually slope downwards towards the side closer to the drain outlet 12, so as to smoothly guide the water to the drain outlet 12 and avoid water stagnation in the first end 13 or the second end 14, which would cause the liquid water stagnating in the first end 13 or the second end 14 to freeze and affect the normal operation of the impeller 2 during the cooling process.

[0040] Optionally, the first end 13 is an arc shape that arches towards the side away from the impeller 2. By setting the first end 13 to be arc-shaped and arched towards the side away from the impeller 2, the airflow flowing through the first end 13 can be smoothly guided to the second end 14, avoiding the formation of turbulence or vortices at the first end 13, improving airflow efficiency, and reducing frictional losses of the airflow at the first end 13, thus reducing noise.

[0041] Optionally, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of the fan assembly provided in the embodiment of this application. The volute 1 includes a guide end 15, which is connected to the side of the second end 14 away from the first end 13. The guide end 15 is in the shape of a second arc, and the circle corresponding to the first arc is the same as the circle corresponding to the second arc.

[0042] The second arc of the guide end 15 and the first arc of the first end 13 are concentric arcs on the two ends of a circle with the same diameter. The guide end 15 is located on the side of the second end 14 away from the first end 13 and is opposite to the first end 13. Therefore, the airflow passing through the first end 13 can smoothly flow through the guide end 15 under the guidance of the first arc of the first end 13, further reducing the probability that the airflow from the first end 13 will escape along the second end 14 to the drain outlet 12 when flowing through the guide end 15, and further reducing the reduction in airflow and air pressure loss caused by the drain outlet 12. At the same time, since the second arc of the guide end 15 has the same curvature as the first arc of the first end 13, the probability of turbulence or vortexes forming when the airflow passes through the guide end 15 can be reduced, improving the smoothness of airflow guidance, improving airflow efficiency, and reducing friction loss of airflow at the guide end 15, thus reducing noise.

[0043] Optionally, the second end 14 extends along the tangent of the end of the guide end 15 closest to the second end 14. That is, the tangent at the connection between the guide end 15 and the second end 14 coincides with the extension direction of the second end 14, achieving a smooth transition at the connection between the second end 14 and the guide end 15, improving airflow efficiency, and preventing the connection between the guide end 15 and the second end 14 from having an inflection point design, which would cause liquid water to remain at the guide end 15, or cause airflow to collide with the first end 13 during the flow from the first end 13 to the guide end 15, thus causing a certain amount of airflow loss.

[0044] Optionally, the volute 1 is also provided with an air outlet 17, which is located above the volute 1 along the direction of gravity.

[0045] Optionally, the volute 1 is also provided with an air inlet, which is located at one end of the impeller 2 along the axial direction of the impeller 2, and the air inlet is connected to the chamber where the heat exchanger of the refrigeration equipment is located.

[0046] Optionally, the distance between the end of the impeller 2 near the volute 1 and the volute 1 is in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm.

[0047] Existing fan assemblies, designed to maximize air pressure and airflow, have a very small distance between the impeller 2 and the volute. While this prevents icing issues at room temperature, it can lead to impeller 2 shattering due to ice buildup in low-temperature outdoor environments. To improve the fan assembly's applicability, the distance between the impeller 2 and the volute 1 is increased to between 2mm and 6mm. This allows the fan assembly to operate normally even when impeller 2 is only slightly iced, preventing any impact on the cooling performance of the refrigeration equipment. In some examples, the distance between the end of the impeller 2 near the volute 1 and the volute 1 can be 2 mm; in other examples, the distance between the end of the impeller 2 near the volute 1 and the volute 1 can be 3.5 mm; in other examples, the distance between the end of the impeller 2 near the volute 1 and the volute 1 can be 4 mm; in other examples, the distance between the end of the impeller 2 near the volute 1 and the volute 1 can be 5 mm; and in other examples, the distance between the end of the impeller 2 near the volute 1 and the volute 1 can be 6 mm.

[0048] Optionally, the volute 1 includes an inner wall facing the impeller 2, the inner wall being coated with a heat-absorbing coating, which is used to absorb heat and heat the evaporating liquid water after heating.

[0049] In some examples, the heat-absorbing coating can be made of graphene, a two-dimensional material composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern. Graphene has a very high thermal conductivity, typically reaching about 5000 W / (m·K) at room temperature, which allows it to rapidly absorb and conduct heat. When a heat exchanger, such as an evaporator, is defrosting, high-temperature steam enters the volute 1. The graphene coating on the inner wall of the volute 1 can quickly absorb the heat from the high-temperature steam, causing its own temperature to rise rapidly. Therefore, the temperature inside the volute 1 is high, which in turn heats the liquefied water inside the volute 1, causing it to evaporate. This avoids the friction between water droplets and the inner wall of the volute 1, as small water droplets cannot fall naturally due to their own weight. Therefore, the graphene coating can assist in evaporation to remove liquid water.

[0050] Optionally, the fan assembly provided in this application embodiment further includes a detection element and a heating element. The detection element is used to detect the frost condition of the impeller 2; the heating element is disposed on the impeller 2 and is used to heat the impeller 2 to defrost it based on the detection result of the detection element. In some examples, the detection element can be an infrared sensor, which measures the thickness of the frost layer on the impeller 2. In some examples, the heating element can be a graphene electrothermal film. When current passes through the graphene, resistance heat (Joule heating) is generated, thereby heating the graphene and causing it to melt the frost layer on the impeller 2. The graphene electrothermal film can at least partially cover the outer periphery of the impeller 2.

[0051] By setting up detection and heating elements, when the defrosting time of the heat exchanger is short and the volute 1 cannot drain water in time, there may still be liquid water remaining in the volute 1, which may then freeze when the heat exchanger is in a cooling state. Therefore, at this time, the detection and heating elements can work together to melt the frost on the impeller 2, so as to avoid the fan assembly failure caused by the icing of the impeller 2, which would affect the cooling effect of the refrigeration equipment.

[0052] Optionally, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a second structural schematic diagram of the fan assembly provided in this application embodiment. The fan assembly provided in this application embodiment also includes a baffle plate 16, which is closable and installed on the drain outlet 12. By setting the baffle plate 16, the baffle plate 16 can be opened when the volute 1 has a drainage requirement, and when the volute 1 does not have a drainage requirement, the baffle plate 16 can be closed to block the drain outlet 12, thereby reducing the airflow loss when the fan assembly is working and ensuring the air delivery efficiency of the impeller 2.

[0053] The specific structure of the baffle 16 is not further limited here. In some examples, one end of the baffle 16 is rotatably connected to the second end 14, and the other end overlaps with the first end 13. In this case, the baffle 16 can communicate with the main board of the refrigeration equipment and control the opening and closing of the baffle 16 through the main board. Preferably, one end of the baffle 16 can be rotatably connected to the first end 13, and the other end can overlap with the second end 14. In this case, the baffle 16 can communicate with the main board of the refrigeration equipment and control the opening and closing of the baffle 16 through the main board. Alternatively, the baffle 16 is designed to be lightweight. When the volute 1 has a drainage requirement, the weight of the water can force open the baffle 16 to achieve automatic drainage. The structure of the baffle 16 can be selected according to actual needs.

[0054] This application also provides a refrigeration device, including a heat exchanger and a fan assembly as described above. The fan assembly is in communication with the heat exchanger. Optionally, the heat exchanger may be an evaporator.

[0055] In some examples, the refrigeration device provided in this application embodiment can be a refrigerator. Furthermore, the fan assembly provided in this application embodiment can be mounted on the evaporator compartment cover of the refrigerator. The type of refrigerator is not further limited here; for example, it can be a single-door refrigerator, a double-door refrigerator, etc.

[0056] In other examples, the refrigeration equipment provided in this application embodiment can be an air conditioner. No further limitation is made to the type of air conditioner herein.

[0057] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0058] The fan assembly and cooling device provided in the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A fan assembly used in a refrigeration device, characterized in that, The fan assembly includes: A volute has a communicating receiving space and a drain outlet, the drain outlet being located at the bottom of the volute along the direction of gravity, and the volute includes a first end and a second end clamped to form the drain outlet; An impeller is disposed within the accommodating space; The first end and the second end are distributed sequentially along the rotation direction of the impeller, the first end and the second end are arranged opposite each other along the direction of gravity, and the first end is located above the second end.

2. The fan assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height of the first end gradually decreases towards the side closer to the second end, and the height of the second end gradually decreases towards the side closer to the first end.

3. The fan assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first end has a first arc shape that arches towards the side away from the impeller.

4. The fan assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The volute includes a flow guide end connected to the side of the second end away from the first end. The flow guide end is in the shape of a second arc, and the circle corresponding to the first arc is the same as the circle corresponding to the second arc.

5. The fan assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second end extends along a tangent to the end of the guide end closest to the second end.

6. The fan assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the end of the impeller near the volute and the volute is in the range of 2mm to 6mm.

7. The fan assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The volute includes an inner wall facing the impeller, the inner wall being coated with a heat-absorbing coating, the heat-absorbing coating being used to absorb heat and raise the temperature to heat and evaporate liquid water.

8. The fan assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A detection component is used to detect the frost formation on the impeller. A heating element is disposed on the impeller, and the heating element is used to heat and defrost the impeller according to the detection result of the detection element.

9. The fan assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a wind deflector, which is closable and installed at the drain outlet.

10. A refrigeration device, characterized in that, include: Heat exchanger; The fan assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9 is in communication with the heat exchanger.

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