Cooling unit for air conditioner outdoor units

Abstract

To provide a cooling unit for air conditioner outdoor units that can stably achieve cooling performance regardless of external air conditions, and that is less susceptible to deterioration and corrosion of components during long-term use, resulting in excellent maintainability. [Solution] The cooling system for the outdoor unit of an air conditioner comprises a drain water storage container 2 installed on the top plate 12 of the outdoor unit 11 to receive and store drain water discharged from the indoor unit of the air conditioner, and a water guide hose 3 extending downward from the drain water storage container 2 to guide the drain water from the drain water storage container 2 to a base pan located at the bottom of the outdoor unit 11. The drain water is supplied into the base pan via the water guide hose 3, and the inside of the outdoor unit 11 is cooled by the drain water held in the base pan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] It relates to a cooling unit for an air conditioner outdoor unit for cooling the air conditioner outdoor unit.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in order to improve the cooling efficiency and energy savings of an air conditioner outdoor unit, various techniques for supplying moisture to the heat dissipation part of the outdoor unit to perform evaporative cooling have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which water is guided from a water storage part provided on the top plate of the outdoor unit using the principles of capillary action and siphon, and cooling water is supplied to the heat dissipation fins through a water supply member such as a non-woven fabric. According to this configuration, it is intended to lower the fin temperature by utilizing the heat of vaporization when the water adhering to the fin surface evaporates, and enhance the heat dissipation performance of the outdoor unit.

[0003] Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a net-like water absorption member and a water spraying member arranged along the fin surface of the outdoor unit spread water widely over the entire fin surface, and a cooling effect is obtained by utilizing the evaporation action of the water film formed on the fin surface.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a configuration in which drain water from the indoor unit is supplied to a rear panel arranged on the rear side of the outdoor unit and a cooling sheet provided outside thereof. In the same document, it is intended that the cooling sheet absorbs and holds the drain water, and the moisture evaporates near the rear panel, thereby lowering the temperature of the air flowing in from the back surface part and suppressing the influence of heating by solar radiation with a breathable heat insulating panel.

[0005] Thus, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are mainly techniques for obtaining a cooling effect by watering or supplying water to the heat dissipation fins, and Patent Document 3 is proposed as a technique for cooling the air taken in from the rear side of the outdoor unit using the rear panel and the cooling sheet outside thereof.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-44844 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-216709 [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3184502 Gazette [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, the conventional technologies described above have several technical problems. First, the fin-spraying type cooling methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 both utilize the heat of evaporation by directly supplying water to the heat dissipation fins. However, this has the problem that moisture adhering to the fin surface for a long period of time can easily lead to corrosion and deterioration.

[0008] Furthermore, because water supply depends on capillary action and the way the water-spraying cloth spreads, the water distribution can become uneven depending on the operating conditions of the device and changes in airflow, which can lead to problems with a stable cooling effect.

[0009] Furthermore, these methods require nonwoven fabric, mesh fabric, or multiple watering components as water supply elements, resulting in a complex configuration and making installation and maintenance time-consuming.

[0010] On the other hand, the cooling sheet method described in Patent Document 3 involves permeating a large-area sheet that covers the entire back surface with drain water to perform evaporative cooling. However, in this method, the sheet constantly contains moisture, making it prone to sagging, deformation, and unevenness due to its own weight and wind force, posing challenges to stability during long-term operation. Furthermore, since the cooling performance is greatly affected by the dirt and deterioration of the sheet, maintenance based on periodic replacement is unavoidable, which is a significant burden from a practical standpoint.

[0011] Furthermore, the cooling methods common to all three of the above documents involve supplying moisture to the surface of the heat dissipation fins or rear panel to induce evaporation, and have the characteristic that the distribution of moisture and the amount of evaporation are greatly affected by the ambient temperature and operating conditions. Therefore, the cooling effect is difficult to keep constant, and performance may be unstable due to environmental fluctuations such as temperature, airflow, and humidity.

[0012] Furthermore, because the water-spraying cloth and cooling sheet are designed to retain moisture for extended periods, dirt and deterioration of the components tend to accumulate gradually, potentially leading to a decrease in water retention and deformation, which in turn can gradually impair cooling performance. In addition, the need for regular maintenance, such as replacing and cleaning the water-spraying components and sheets, is a significant burden from a long-term usage perspective, and maintaining stable cooling performance requires numerous management tasks.

[0013] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a cooling unit for an air conditioner outdoor unit that can stably obtain cooling performance regardless of external air conditions, and that is less susceptible to deterioration and corrosion of components during long-term use, and has excellent maintainability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The invention according to claim 1 is a cooling system for an air conditioner's outdoor unit, comprising: a drain water storage container installed on the top of the outdoor unit to receive and store drain water discharged from the indoor unit of the air conditioner; and a water guide hose extending downward from the drain water storage container to guide the drain water from the drain water storage container to a base pan located at the bottom of the outdoor unit, thereby providing a cooling unit for an air conditioner's outdoor unit in which the drain water is supplied into the base pan via the water guide hose, and the inside of the outdoor unit is cooled by the drain water held in the base pan.

[0015] Furthermore, the invention according to claim 2 is a cooling unit for an air conditioner outdoor unit in which the material of the drain water storage container is one of the following metal materials: aluminum, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The effects of the present invention are as follows: First, according to the present invention as described in claim 1, drain water discharged from the indoor unit is temporarily received and stored in a drain water storage container installed on the top plate of the outdoor unit. The drain water stored in this storage container comes into direct contact with the top plate, thereby water-cooling the area from around the top plate to the exterior of the outdoor unit. This suppresses the temperature rise of the top surface of the outdoor unit, which is easily exposed to direct sunlight and high-temperature outside air. With this water-cooling configuration on the top plate, unlike the conventional method of evaporative cooling by spraying water on the heat dissipation fins of the outdoor unit, a cooling effect can be obtained mainly by heat transfer. Therefore, it is less affected by fluctuations in outside air conditions such as outside air temperature, humidity, wind direction, and wind speed, and can exhibit stable cooling performance.

[0017] Furthermore, the drain water stored in the drain water storage container is supplied to the base pan at the bottom of the outdoor unit via a water supply hose, forming a water film or puddle of drain water on the base pan. This base pan supports the compressor and various components of the refrigerant piping inside the outdoor unit, and heat from these components is transferred to the base pan. As a result, the drain water held in the base pan absorbs the heat from the entire inside of the outdoor unit, causing its temperature to rise gradually, and it slowly evaporates due to the airflow during operation. Consequently, the water in the base pan gradually evaporates, absorbing heat from the surroundings, and combined with the water cooling effect on the top plate, it can efficiently suppress the temperature rise inside the outdoor unit. This prevents overheating of the compressor and refrigerant piping, thus preventing a decrease in cooling capacity, and contributes to improved operating efficiency and reduced power consumption.

[0018] Furthermore, the cooling path of the present invention simply guides the drain water from the indoor unit to the base pan via a drain water storage container and a water supply hose, and does not directly supply drain water to the heat exchange fins or cooling sheet. Therefore, problems such as deterioration of heat exchange performance due to corrosion and dirt accumulation on the fin surface, and deterioration and deformation of the absorbent cloth / sheet, as seen in conventional fin-spray type and absorbent sheet type cooling methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, are less likely to occur.

[0019] By limiting the part where moisture concentrates to the base pan, the present invention can protect the main components of the outdoor unit from getting wet, maintain the cooling effect, be less affected by deterioration and corrosion of the components even during long-term use, and as a result, suppress the decrease in cooling performance and provide a cooling unit for an air conditioner outdoor unit with excellent maintainability.

[0020] In addition, the cooling system for an air conditioner outdoor unit of the present invention has a very simple structure mainly composed of a drain water storage container installed on the top plate of the outdoor unit and a water guide hose that guides drain water from the drain water storage container to the base pan, and can be retrofitted and installed without significant modification or new piping work for existing outdoor units.

[0021] Therefore, there is no need to newly install a complicated water spraying mechanism, a cooling sheet support structure, a solenoid valve, or a control device inside the outdoor unit as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3. It has excellent workability, can keep the introduction cost low, and can provide an energy-saving means that is easy to handle for installers and users.

[0022] Also, according to the present invention according to claim 2, by using a metal material excellent in thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or stainless steel as the material of the drain water storage container on the top plate, heat exchange with the drain water stored in the drain water storage container is quickly performed, and the temperature of the top plate and its periphery can be efficiently reduced. As a result, heat intrusion from the upper part to the inside of the outdoor unit is suppressed, and the temperature of the drain water in the drain water storage container also does not easily rise excessively. Therefore, the temperature of the drain water supplied to the base pan is also stabilized, and variations in the cooling effect in the base pan are suppressed.

[0023] As a result, the cooling unit according to the present invention can stably obtain cooling performance without being affected by outdoor conditions even in an environment where the fluctuations of the outside air temperature and solar radiation conditions are large, and can function as a cooling unit for an air conditioner outdoor unit that is less affected by deterioration and corrosion of components even during long-term use and has excellent maintainability.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] The figure is a perspective view from the front right side when the cooling unit 1 for an air conditioner outdoor unit of the present invention is attached to the air conditioner outdoor unit 11. [Figure 2] The figure is a perspective view from the front left side of the cooling unit 1 for an air conditioner outdoor unit shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] The figure is an enlarged perspective view from the back right side of the cooling unit 1 for an air conditioner outdoor unit shown in FIG. 1.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, the same elements in all the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. Also, in the description in the text, the reference numerals described previously will be used as necessary.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view from the front right side when the cooling unit (hereinafter referred to as the cooling unit) 1 for an air conditioner outdoor unit of the present invention is attached to the air conditioner outdoor unit 11. FIG. 2 shows a perspective view from the front left side of the cooling unit 1 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view from the back right side of the cooling unit 1 shown in FIG. 1. The air conditioner outdoor unit (hereinafter referred to as the outdoor unit) 11 to which the cooling unit 1 of the present invention is attached has a general box-shaped housing as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a top plate 12 is provided on its upper surface. On the front, an air outlet equipped with a blower fan and a heat exchanger is formed, and it has the same structure as the outdoor unit of a general household air conditioner.

[0027] The cooling unit 1 of this embodiment includes a drain water storage container 2 placed on the top plate 12 of the outdoor unit 11, as shown in Figure 1, and a water guide hose 3 extending downward from the drain water storage container 2 to guide the drain water to the bottom of the outdoor unit 11. The drain water storage container 2 is a sealed container that receives and stores drain water discharged from an indoor unit (not shown). The tip of the drain hose 14 from the indoor unit is inserted into a drain water inlet hole 21C provided on the upper surface of the drain water storage container 2, so that the drain water flows directly into the drain water storage container 2.

[0028] Since the drain hose 14 is a flexible resin pipe, there is a risk that its tip may detach from the drain water storage container 2 due to wind or vibration. For this reason, if necessary, the tip of the drain hose 14 may be secured to the drain water storage container 2 using a locking mechanism or clip (not shown). This will improve the retention of the drain hose 14 depending on the installation environment and wind strength, and enable stable drain water to be guided into the drain water storage container 2.

[0029] The water guide hose 3 is a flexible tubular member that allows the drain water stored in the drain water storage container 2 to flow down towards the bottom of the outdoor unit 11. In Figure 1, the water guide hose 3 is connected to the drain water outlet hole 22 provided on the bottom surface of the drain water storage container 2 and is positioned to hang naturally along the side of the outdoor unit 11. In other words, the starting end of the water guide hose 3 is connected to the drain water outlet hole 22 formed in the bottom of the drain water storage container 2, and the drain water stored in the drain water storage container 2 flows down into the water guide hose 3 by gravity.

[0030] The cooling unit 1 of this embodiment has the advantage of being easily retrofitted to existing outdoor units 11 without requiring any modification to the outdoor unit 11, as it can be installed simply by placing or fixing the drain water storage container 2 on the top plate 12 and securing the water supply hose 3 along the side of the outdoor unit 11 with clips or bands.

[0031] Figure 2 shows the outdoor unit 11 to which the cooling unit 1 of the present invention is attached, viewed from a direction slightly to the left of the front. In this figure, the top plate 12 of the outdoor unit 11, the heat exchange fins exposed on the left side, and the front air outlet are visible. A drain water storage container 2 for receiving and storing drain water discharged from the indoor unit is placed on the top plate 12, as in Figure 1, and the tip of the drain hose 14 extending from the indoor unit is inserted into the drain water inlet hole 21C inside the drain water storage container 2.

[0032] At the angle shown in Figure 2, the left side of the drain water storage container 2 is clearly visible, and the connection between the drain water outlet hole 22 at the bottom of the drain water storage container 2 and the starting end 3A of the water supply hose 3, with the water supply hose 3 extending downwards, can be seen. The water supply hose 3 is a flexible tubular member and is positioned along the left side of the outdoor unit 11 so that it hangs naturally from the drain water outlet hole 22 at the bottom of the drain water storage container 2. It is then guided downwards, passing outside the lattice-shaped protective cover on the side of the outdoor unit 11 towards the bottom.

[0033] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the drain water storage container 2 has three drain water inlet holes 21 (21A, 21B, 21C) on its upper surface. However, the size, shape, and number of drain water inlet holes 21 can be changed as desired. Also, depending on the position of the drain hose 14, its tip may be inserted into any of the drain water inlet holes 21A, 21B, or 21C.

[0034] Since the water supply hose 3 has a certain length, there is a risk that the water supply hose 3 may swing due to the operating vibrations of the outdoor unit 11 or the effects of wind. For this reason, as shown in Figure 2, the water supply hose 3 may be held in place by fastening means 15, 15 such as cable ties or clips on a lattice-shaped protective cover or the like provided on the side of the outdoor unit 11. By properly holding the water supply hose 3 in this way, the orientation and position of the water supply hose 3 are stabilized, and the drain water flowing down from the drain water storage container 2 can be reliably guided into the base pan 13.

[0035] Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the outdoor unit 11 with the cooling unit 1 of the present invention attached, viewed from the rear right side, showing the end 3B of the water intake hose 3 from a different angle than in Figure 2. In Figure 3, in addition to the fins exposed on the left side of the outdoor unit 11 and the air outlet on the front, the base pan 13 located at the bottom of the outdoor unit 11 can be seen over a wider area. As shown in Figure 3, the water intake hose 3 extends downward along the left side of the outdoor unit 11, and its end 3B is securely placed above the base pan 13. As a result, drain water falls directly into the base pan 13 through the water intake hose 3, forming a water film or puddle on the base pan 13.

[0036] The cooling unit 1 of this embodiment, shown in Figures 2 and 3, reliably guides drain water from the indoor unit to the base pan 13 at the bottom of the outdoor unit 11 using a drain water storage container 2 and a water supply hose 3, and cools the inside of the outdoor unit 11 via the water film formed on the base pan 13.

[0037] As described above, the cooling unit for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention employs an extremely simple yet highly efficient cooling configuration, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, in which drain water discharged from the indoor unit is temporarily received and stored in a drain water storage container on the top plate, and this drain water is reliably guided to the base pan at the bottom of the outdoor unit through a water supply hose.

[0038] The drain water storage container is placed directly on the top plate and plays a role in cooling the top plate itself through the stored drain water, suppressing the temperature rise on the top of the outdoor unit and reducing heat intrusion into the interior. Meanwhile, the water supply hose ensures that the drain water received in the drain water storage container flows down to the base pan, and its end is located inside the base pan, forming a stable water film or puddle on the base pan.

[0039] This water film evaporates slowly due to heat transmitted from the internal components and airflow during operation, and the simultaneous action of evaporative cooling and heat transfer cooling effectively suppresses overheating of the entire interior of the outdoor unit. Furthermore, because the drain water does not directly come into contact with the fins or absorbent material, problems such as fin corrosion, deterioration of absorbent cloth, and deformation of sheets, which are inevitably associated with conventional water-spraying cooling systems, are less likely to occur. By limiting the area where water concentrates to the base pan, it is possible to achieve both cooling efficiency and durability, and stable cooling performance can be maintained even with long-term use.

[0040] In addition, the cooling unit of the present invention, which consists only of a drain water storage container and a water supply hose, can be easily retrofitted to existing outdoor units without requiring major modifications, and the installation process is simple. Since the drain hose and water supply hose can be held in place by fixing means as needed, displacement due to wind and vibration can be minimized, ensuring a stable water flow that is less affected by the operating environment.

[0041] Thus, unlike conventional methods that are affected by external conditions such as ambient temperature and wind direction, this invention achieves consistently high cooling performance regardless of external conditions by realizing two mechanisms—top plate cooling and base pan cooling—using only drain water. Furthermore, by protecting key components such as heat dissipation fins from water damage and suppressing corrosion and deterioration, this invention provides a cooling unit with excellent maintainability for long-term use. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 Cooling unit for air conditioner outdoor unit, 2 Drain water storage container, 3 Water supply hose, 3A Starting end of water supply hose, 3B End of water supply hose, 11 (Air conditioner) outdoor unit, 12 Top plate, 13 Base pan, 14 Drain hose, 15 Fixing means, 21 (21A, 21B, 21C) Drain water inlet, 22 Drain water outlet

Claims

1. A cooling system for an air conditioner's outdoor unit, comprising: a drain water storage container installed on the top of the outdoor unit to receive and store drain water discharged from the indoor unit of the air conditioner; and a water guide hose extending downward from the drain water storage container to guide the drain water from the drain water storage container to a base pan located at the bottom of the outdoor unit, wherein the drain water is supplied into the base pan via the water guide hose, and the inside of the outdoor unit is cooled by the drain water held in the base pan.

2. A cooling unit for an air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the material of the drain water storage container is a metal material selected from aluminum, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel.

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