Air guide ring, fan and air conditioner

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are an air guide ring, a fan and an air conditioner. The air guide ring (1000) comprises a main body (100), two ends of the main body (100) in the axial direction of an air channel being respectively provided with an air inlet (101) and an air outlet (102). The main body (100) comprises a first air guide section (110), a second air guide section (120), and a third air guide section (130), the first air guide section (110), the second air guide section (120), and the third air guide section (130) being successively connected in the direction from the air inlet (101) to the air outlet (102). The cross section of the air outlet (101) perpendicular to the axis of the air channel has a first cross section (131), the edge of the first cross section (131) being configured to comprise at least two straight edges (1311) and at least two arc edges (1312).

Description

Air guide ring, fan and air conditioner

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510345172.0, filed on March 21, 2025, entitled "Air Guide Ring, Fan and Air Conditioner", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of fan technology, and in particular to a guide vane, a fan, and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0004] The air guide ring is a key component in the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, guiding airflow into the duct, optimizing airflow direction, and improving the uniformity of the incoming flow. Currently, the duct outlet of the air guide ring mostly adopts a cylindrical structure. This structure does not make full use of space, resulting in the airflow still having a large average velocity and pulsating velocity when flowing out of the air guide ring, thus generating high energy loss. Moreover, the high-speed and unstable airflow is prone to impacting downstream structural components, thereby causing new energy loss and noise. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes an air guide ring that can effectively reduce energy loss and noise in the air duct, and has energy-saving and noise-reducing effects.

[0006] This application also proposes a fan and an air conditioner that include the aforementioned air guide ring.

[0007] According to a first aspect embodiment of this application, a guide ring includes a main body with an air duct. The main body has an air inlet and an air outlet at both ends along the axial direction of the air duct, respectively communicating with the air duct. The main body includes a first guide section, a second guide section, and a third guide section. Along the axial direction of the air duct, the first guide section, the second guide section, and the third guide section are sequentially connected from the air inlet to the air outlet. The air inlet is formed at the end of the first guide section away from the second guide section, and the air outlet is formed at the end of the third guide section away from the second guide section. The inner diameter of the third guide section gradually decreases in the direction away from the second guide section. The air outlet has a first cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct. The edge of the first cross-section includes at least two straight edges and at least two arc edges. The arc edges connect adjacent straight edges and are tangent to the straight edges.

[0008] The air guide ring according to the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0009] The air guide ring of this application comprises a first air guide section, a second air guide section, and a third air guide section. These three sections are arranged sequentially from the air inlet to the air outlet. The air inlet is formed at the end of the first air guide section away from the second air guide section, and the air outlet is formed at the end of the third air guide section away from the second air guide section. The inner diameter of the third air guide section gradually decreases in the direction away from the second air guide section, forming an expansion channel within it. The cross-section of the air outlet, perpendicular to the axis of the air duct, has a first cross-section. The edge setting includes at least two straight edges and at least two circular arc edges. The combination of straight edges and circular arc edges forms a polygonal first cross section. The tangency between the circular arc and the straight line makes the transition between them smooth at the connection point. Compared with a cylindrical structure, the shape of the first cross section has a larger air outlet flow area, which reduces the average speed of the airflow at the air outlet. This increases the kinetic energy recovery rate of the air outlet and reduces the air duct resistance, which helps to improve the efficiency of the fan, reduce power and speed, and thus achieve the purpose of noise reduction. It has the effect of energy saving and noise reduction and is suitable for outdoor units of air conditioners.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this application, the first cross section is a rounded rectangle, the connection position of the second air guide section and the third air guide section is a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct, the second cross section is circular, and the wall of the third air guide section between the first cross section and the second cross section is a transition surface.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional profile of the transition surface along the radial direction of the air duct includes at least one arc segment and / or at least one straight segment.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional profile has two or more arc segments, and adjacent arc segments are tangentially arranged.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional profile has an arc segment and a straight segment, and the arc segment and the straight segment are tangent to each other.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional profile includes the arc segment or the straight segment, and the length of the arc segment or the straight segment changes continuously along the circumference of the air duct.

[0015] According to some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional profile includes the arc segment and the straight segment, the length of the arc segment and the length of the straight segment changing continuously along the circumference of the air duct.

[0016] According to some embodiments of this application, the edge of the first cross section includes four straight edges and four circular arc edges. The straight edges are arranged opposite to each other in pairs, and the circular arc edges are respectively connected between two adjacent straight edges. The distance between two opposite straight edges is greater than or equal to the diameter of the second cross section.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this application, the length of the cross-sectional profile of the transition surface along the radial direction of the air duct gradually increases from the midpoint of the straight side to the midpoint of the arc side.

[0018] According to some embodiments of this application, the second air guide section has a third cross section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct, and the third cross section is circular in shape.

[0019] According to some embodiments of this application, the air guide ring further includes an extension section connected to the third air guide section, which encloses a channel communicating with the air outlet; and

[0020] The connection points between the third air guide section and the second air guide section and the extension section are respectively formed with rounded corners, or the cross-sectional outline of the third air guide section along the radial direction of the air duct is respectively tangent to the wall surfaces of the second air guide section and the extension section.

[0021] According to some embodiments of this application, the inner diameter of the first air guide section gradually decreases along the direction from the first air guide section to the second air guide section.

[0022] A fan according to a second aspect of this application includes a wind turbine, a motor, and a wind guide ring as described in the first aspect of the embodiment above. The wind turbine is at least partially located within the air duct, and the motor is used to drive the wind turbine to rotate.

[0023] The fan according to the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0024] The fan adopts the air guide ring of the first embodiment, which has a larger outlet flow area, reduces the average velocity of the airflow at the outlet, thereby increasing the kinetic energy recovery rate of the airflow at the outlet and reducing the air duct resistance. This is beneficial to improving the efficiency of the fan, reducing power and speed, and thus achieving the purpose of noise reduction. It can achieve the effect of energy saving and noise reduction of the fan.

[0025] An air conditioner according to a third aspect of this application includes the fan described in the second aspect of the present application.

[0026] The air conditioner according to the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0027] The air conditioner uses the fan of the second embodiment, which is suitable for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner and can achieve the effect of energy saving and noise reduction.

[0028] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the wind guide ring and the wind turbine according to an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 is a three-dimensional structural view (air inlet side) of the air guide ring according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional structural view (air outlet side) of the air guide ring according to an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 4 is a front structural view (air outlet side) of the air guide ring according to an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 5 is a comparison diagram of a rounded rectangular air outlet of an embodiment of this application and a circular air outlet of a traditional air guide ring;

[0035] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the first cross-section in the AA direction of Figure 4;

[0036] Figure 7 is an enlarged structural diagram of point D in Figure 6;

[0037] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the second cross-section in the BB direction of Figure 4;

[0038] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the third cross-section in the CC direction of Figure 4;

[0039] Figure 10 is a comparison diagram of the energy consumption of a guide ring according to an embodiment of this application and a conventional guide ring structure; and

[0040] Figure 11 is a comparison diagram of the energy consumption of an air guide ring according to an embodiment of this application and a traditional air guide ring structure.

[0041] Reference numerals: Air guide ring 1000; Main body 100; Air inlet 101; Air outlet 102; Air duct 103; First air guide section 110; Fourth section 111; Gradient channel 112; Second air guide section 120; Third section 121; Third air guide section 130; First section 131; Straight edge 1311; Arc edge 1312; Second section 132; Transition surface 133; Expansion channel 134; Section outline 135; Arc segment 1351; First cut surface 140; Second cut surface 150; Third cut surface 160; Extension section 170; Circular air outlet 200; Impeller 2000; Blade tip 2100. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0043] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as axial, circumferential, radial, etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0044] In the description of this application, the use of "first" and "second" is for the purpose of distinguishing technical features only, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated or the order of the technical features indicated.

[0045] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0046] The outdoor unit of an air conditioner is a crucial component of the air conditioning system, primarily responsible for heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outside environment. The outdoor unit's fan, including components such as the impeller, air guide rings, and grille, mainly guides airflow to enhance heat exchange between the unit and the outside. The fan directly impacts the air conditioner's cooling performance, energy efficiency ratio, and noise level. With increasing user demand for energy conservation and quiet operation, minimizing the outdoor unit's energy consumption and operating noise is an inevitable trend.

[0047] The air guide ring is a key component in outdoor units that guides airflow. Its main function is to guide airflow into the duct, optimize airflow direction, and improve the uniformity of incoming airflow. Currently, most air guide rings use a cylindrical structure at the duct outlet. This structure does not fully utilize space and easily leads to a large average velocity and pulsating velocity in the airflow as it exits the air guide ring, resulting in significant energy loss. Furthermore, the high-speed, unstable airflow is prone to impacting downstream structural components, causing further energy loss and noise. Therefore, controlling the airflow at the air guide ring outlet is crucial for energy saving and noise reduction in outdoor units.

[0048] Therefore, embodiments of this application propose an air guide ring suitable for outdoor air conditioning units. By optimizing the air duct of the air guide ring, energy loss and interference noise in the air duct can be effectively reduced, achieving energy saving and noise reduction effects.

[0049] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in some embodiments, the air guide ring 1000 includes a main body 100, which is annular. An air duct 103 is formed on the inner side of the main body 100. An air inlet 101 and an air outlet 102 are respectively provided at both ends of the main body 100 along the axial direction of the air duct 103. The air inlet 101 and the air outlet 102 are respectively connected to the air duct 103. When the impeller 2000 rotates, the airflow is guided to flow from the air inlet 101 to the air outlet 102 through the air duct 103.

[0050] The main body 100 includes a first air guide section 110, a second air guide section 120, and a third air guide section 130. Along the axial direction of the air duct 103, the first air guide section 110, the second air guide section 120, and the third air guide section 130 are arranged sequentially from the air inlet 101 to the air outlet 102. The first air guide section 110, the second air guide section 120, and the third air guide section 130 together define the air outlet duct 103. The end of the first air guide section 110 away from the second air guide section 120 forms the air inlet 101, and the end of the third air guide section 130 away from the second air guide section 120 forms the air outlet 102. The airflow enters the air duct 103 through the air inlet 101, passes through the first air guide section 110, the second air guide section 120, and the third air guide section 130 in sequence, and then flows out through the air outlet 102. The first air guide section 110, the second air guide section 120, and the third air guide section 130 respectively guide the airflow.

[0051] Referring to Figure 2, in this embodiment, the first air guide section 110 is the inlet section, the second air guide section 120 is the middle section, and the third air guide section 130 is the outlet section. The air inlet 101 is located in the inlet section, and the air outlet 102 is located in the outlet section. The inlet section, the middle section, and the outlet section are connected sequentially along the direction from the air inlet 101 to the air outlet 102. Specifically, they can be fixedly connected by an integral molding method. For example, the main body 100 is integrally injection molded from engineering plastic. The side of the main body 100 where the air inlet 101 is located is the air inlet side, and the side where the air outlet 102 is located is the air outlet side.

[0052] The inner diameter of the first guide section 110 gradually decreases along the direction from the air inlet 101 to the second guide section 120, that is, a tapering channel 112 is formed within the first guide section 110, which helps to accelerate the airflow and reduce turbulence at the air inlet 101. In some embodiments, the tapering angle can be 5°-15°, and the ratio of the length of the tapering channel 112 to the total length of the air duct 103 can be 0.3-0.4.

[0053] In some embodiments, the second air guide section 120 is a straight cylindrical structure, that is, the second air guide section 120 has a channel of equal diameter, and its inner diameter remains unchanged along the axial direction. It can be understood that the inner diameter of the second air guide section 120 is equal to the minimum inner diameter of the first air guide section 110. The airflow passing through the first air guide section 110 is guided to the third air guide section 130 through the second air guide section 120, which plays a role in stabilizing the flow.

[0054] The inner diameter of the third guide section 130 gradually increases from the air inlet 101 to the air outlet 102, forming an expansion channel 134, which helps to diffuse and slow down the airflow. In some embodiments, the expansion angle of the third guide section 130 is 5°-15° to balance airflow diffusion and pressure loss. The ratio of the length of the expansion channel 134 to the total length of the duct 103 is 0.3-0.4.

[0055] Understandably, after the airflow enters the air duct 103 from the air inlet 101, it first flows through the first guide section 110, then through the second guide section 120, and finally into the third guide section 130. The inner diameter of the first guide section 110 gradually decreases, accelerating the airflow and increasing its kinetic energy; the constant diameter channel of the second guide section 120 can avoid sudden changes in flow velocity and play a role in stabilizing the flow during transition; the expansion channel 134 of the third guide section 130 plays a role in diffusion and deceleration.

[0056] Referring to Figure 3, the cross-section at the air outlet 102 is the first cross-section 131. Specifically, the cross-section at the air outlet 102 is a cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct 103 at the air outlet 102. The edge of the first cross-section 131 includes four straight edges 1311 and four arc edges 1312. The straight edges 1311 and the arc edges 1312 are connected alternately. The four straight edges 1311 are arranged opposite each other in pairs. The two opposite straight edges 1311 are parallel to each other. The arc edges 1312 are connected between adjacent straight edges 1311 to form a rounded rectangle. That is, the shape of the first cross-section 131 is a rounded rectangle.

[0057] The connection between the arc edge 1312 and the straight edge 1311 is achieved through a tangential transition. This tangency ensures a smooth transition between the arc edge 1312 and the straight edge 1311 at the connection point, eliminating sharp corners and reducing airflow separation and turbulence. The radius of curvature of the arc edge 1312 can be set according to the maximum inner diameter of the air outlet 102. For example, the radius of curvature of the arc edge 1312 can be 0.1 to 0.3 times the maximum inner diameter of the air outlet 102, which can be understood as the diameter of the circumcircle of the rounded rectangle.

[0058] In traditional air guide rings, the air outlet 102 is circular. The inner diameter of the air duct 103 can gradually decrease or remain constant along the direction from the air inlet 101 to the air outlet 102, forming a circular tapering structure or a cylindrical structure. In the embodiment of this application, the air outlet 102 is a rounded rectangle. With the minimum inner diameter unchanged, the rounded rectangle has a larger area than a circle. Therefore, the rounded rectangular air outlet 102 of the embodiment of this application has a larger flow area than the circular air outlet 200 of a traditional air guide ring.

[0059] Referring to Figure 5, the air outlet 102 shown in Figure 5 will be used as an example for explanation. The rounded rectangle is the shape of the air outlet 102 in the embodiment of this application, and the circle inside the rounded rectangle is the circular air outlet 200 of the conventional air guide ring. It can be understood that the size of the air outlet 102 of the air guide ring 1000 is related to the size of the impeller 2000. When the diameter of the impeller 2000 remains unchanged, the minimum inner diameter of the air outlet 102 of the air guide ring 1000 cannot be less than the diameter of the impeller 2000. The diameter of the circular air outlet 200 does not exceed the distance between two opposite straight sides 1311 in the rounded rectangle. The distance between two opposite straight sides 1311 in the rounded rectangle is the diameter of the inscribed circle of the rounded rectangle. Therefore, when the diameter of the circular air outlet 200 is close to or equal to the diameter of the inscribed circle of the rounded rectangle, the air outlet 102 of the rounded rectangle has a larger flow area than the circular air outlet 200, with an increase of more than 20%. This reduces the average flow velocity of the air outlet 102, thereby increasing the kinetic energy recovery rate of the outlet airflow and reducing the resistance of the air duct 103 (which is positively correlated with the square of the wind speed). This improves the efficiency of the fan and reduces power and speed. Since noise is positively correlated with speed under the same flow characteristics, noise reduction can be achieved.

[0060] In the embodiments of this application, the fan is an axial flow fan. After the airflow enters the air duct 103 from the air inlet 101, it first flows through the tapered channel 112 of the first guide section 110, where it is accelerated and initially homogenized. Then it enters the equal diameter channel of the second guide section 120, where the flow velocity tends to stabilize and the turbulence intensity decreases. Finally, it flows out from the air outlet 102. Taking the example of the air outlet 102 of the wind guide ring 1000 with a maximum diameter of 336mm, the test was conducted. The diameter of the blade tip 2100 area of ​​the impeller 2000 is 210mm-230mm. In the traditional circular air outlet 200 scheme of the wind guide ring, the axial flow velocity in the blade tip 2100 area is below 4m / s. However, the rounded rectangular air outlet 102 of the embodiment of this application can effectively increase the axial flow velocity in the blade tip 2100 area, so that the axial flow velocity in the blade tip 2100 area reaches the range of 4m / s-5m / s. As shown in Figure 1, the downstream migration speed of the leakage vortex of blade Y1 increases, and the impact area with blade Y2 decreases, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing noise.

[0061] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, Figure 10 is a comparison of energy consumption between the air guide ring 1000 of the embodiment of this application and a traditional air guide ring structure, and Figure 11 is a comparison of noise between the air guide ring 1000 of the embodiment of this application and a traditional air guide ring structure. Q represents air volume, Power represents fan power, and SPL represents noise. During the test, the air volume of the traditional air guide ring and the air guide ring 1000 of the embodiment of this application were in the range of 2350m3 / h-2550m3 / h. By comparison, it can be seen that under the same air volume, the air guide ring 1000 of the embodiment of this application has a lower operating power than the traditional air guide ring. For example, when the air volume is 2450m3 / h, the power is reduced from 34W to 30.5W, a reduction of more than 10%, and the noise is reduced from 51.5dBA to 49.5dBA, a reduction of 2dBA. This achieves the purpose of reducing energy loss and noise in the air duct 103, and has the effect of energy saving and noise reduction. It is suitable for scenarios such as air conditioner outdoor units that are sensitive to energy efficiency and noise.

[0062] The air guide ring 1000 of the above embodiment is applied in the outdoor unit. The function of the air guide ring 1000 is to guide the airflow. The air outlet 102 of the air guide ring 1000 can face the mesh cover of the outdoor unit, that is, the mesh cover is located downstream of the air guide ring 1000. The air outlet flow area is increased, the extreme value of axial velocity moves in the outer diameter direction, and the extreme value of axial velocity is reduced, which helps to reduce the noise generated by the mesh cover. Since the noise generated by the mesh cover is positively correlated with the extreme value of the windward velocity, the mesh cover and the air guide ring 1000 of the above embodiment can ensure that the extreme value is reduced under the same air volume, thereby reducing the noise of the mesh cover.

[0063] In some embodiments, the edge of the first section 131 at the air outlet 102 includes two straight edges 1311 and two arc edges 1312. The two straight edges 1311 are arranged opposite each other and parallel to each other. The two arc edges 1312 are respectively connected between the two straight edges 1311. The connection between the arc edges 1312 and the straight edges 1311 is tangential. The arc edges 1312 are semicircular, and the radius of curvature of the arc edges 1312 is equal to half the distance between the straight edges 1311. That is, the middle of the first section 131 is a rectangular part, and the two ends are semicircles, and the whole is in the shape of a racetrack.

[0064] It is understandable that the distance between the two straight sides 1311 is the diameter of the inscribed circle of the first section 131. When the diameter of the conventional circular air outlet 200 is close to or equal to the diameter of the inscribed circle, the racetrack-shaped air outlet 102 has a larger flow area than the circular air outlet 200, which increases the energy recovery rate of the outlet airflow, reduces the resistance of the air duct 103, improves the efficiency of the fan, and achieves the purpose of reducing the energy loss of the air duct 103 and reducing noise.

[0065] Of course, the shape of the first section 131 is not limited to a rounded rectangle or a runway shape. The edge of the first section 131 may include at least two straight edges 1311 and at least two rounded edges 1312. For example, the edge of the first section 131 is formed by alternating connections of six straight edges 1311 and six rounded edges 1312, which can reduce the energy loss and noise of the air duct 103.

[0066] Referring to Figure 3, the cross-section at the connection point between the second air guide section 120 and the third air guide section 130 is the second cross-section 132. Specifically, this cross-section is a section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct 103 at the connection point. The second cross-section 132 is the starting position of the expansion channel 134. In this embodiment, the shape of the second cross-section 132 is circular. That is, the cross-section at the starting position of the third air guide section 130 is circular, and the cross-section at the ending position is a rounded rectangle. The wall surface of the third air guide section 130 between the first cross-section 131 and the second cross-section 132 is a transition surface 133. This transition surface 133 can be understood as the inner wall surface of the expansion channel 134. The location of the second cross-section 132 can be the free boundary of the air guide ring 1000, which can be connected to the outer casing of the outdoor unit or the downstream air duct 103. For example, the air outlet 102 of the third air guide section 130 can be connected to the exhaust pipe.

[0067] In traditional air guide rings, the air outlet is circular. When the inner diameter of the air duct gradually decreases or increases along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet, the cross-section at different positions along the axial direction of the air duct is circular. However, in the embodiment of this application, since the cross-section at the air outlet 102 is a rounded rectangle, the transition surface 133 transitions from the second cross-section 132 to the first cross-section 131. The cross-section at different positions along the axial direction of the transition surface 133 is not circular. The closer to the air outlet 102, the closer the cross-section of the transition surface 133 is to a rounded rectangle, and the closer to the second cross-section 132, the closer the cross-section of the transition surface 133 is to a circle. Compared with the structure of traditional air guide rings, the transition surface 133 gradually increases the flow area, which can reduce the average airflow velocity and pulsation velocity, thereby reducing the energy loss of the air duct 103, improving the airflow direction at the air outlet 102, and providing uniform airflow conditions for the downstream structure, thereby achieving energy saving and noise reduction of the outdoor unit.

[0068] Specifically, the transition surface 133 is an arc-shaped surface, which guides the airflow more smoothly and reduces airflow separation and turbulence. The shape of the transition surface 133 is set according to the shape of the first cross-section 131. When the first cross-section 131 is a rounded rectangle, the termination position of the transition surface 133 is composed of a straight edge 1311 and a rounded edge 1312. The bending deformation of the transition surface 133 needs to meet the requirement of changing from a circular cross-section to a rounded rectangular cross-section.

[0069] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the transition surface 133, along the radial direction of the air duct 103, has a cross-sectional profile 135 including an arc segment 1351. One end of the arc segment 1351 is connected to the first cross-section 131, and the other end is connected to the second cross-section 132. Specifically, the arc segment 1351 can be a circular arc segment 1351 with continuously varying curvature, allowing the fluid flow direction to gradually transition, reducing abrupt changes in flow velocity, avoiding flow separation and eddy generation, thereby reducing turbulent energy loss. Figure 7 shows a cross-section of the main body 100, and the cross-sectional profile 135 is the profile of the cross-section position, specifically the profile of the inner wall of the air duct 103.

[0070] It should be noted that the number of arc segments 1351 is not limited to one; it can be a combination of two or more arc segments 1351. For example, two arc segments 1351 can be connected sequentially along the direction from the first section 131 to the second section 132, and the two arc segments 1351 can be tangentially connected. Tangency ensures a smooth transition between the two arc segments 1351 at the connection point, ensuring no sharp corners and reducing airflow separation and turbulence.

[0071] In other embodiments, the transition surface 133 includes a straight segment along the radial cross-sectional profile 135 of the air duct 103. One end of the straight segment is connected to the first cross-section 131, and the other end is connected to the second cross-section 132. The straight segment allows for a gradual transition in the fluid flow direction, reducing abrupt changes in flow velocity, avoiding flow separation and eddy generation, thereby reducing turbulent energy loss. It should be noted that the number of straight segments is not limited to one; it can be a combination of two or more straight segments. For example, multiple straight segments can be connected sequentially along the direction from the first cross-section 131 to the second cross-section 132, with the included angle between adjacent straight segments being an obtuse angle to reduce wind resistance.

[0072] In other embodiments, the cross-sectional profile 135 of the transition surface 133 along the radial direction of the air duct 103 includes at least one arc segment 1351 and at least one straight segment. For example, it can be a combination of an arc segment 1351 and a straight segment, with the arc segment 1351 and the straight segment being tangentially arranged; or it can be a combination of two arc segments 1351 and a straight segment, with the straight segment connecting the two arc segments 1351, and the arc segment 1351 and the straight segment being tangentially arranged. Different cross-sectional profiles 135 can be selected according to the specific length of the transition surface 133 or the air guiding requirements to ensure that an expansion channel 134 is formed in the direction from the second cross-section 132 to the first cross-section 131. By adjusting different combinations of cross-sectional profiles 135, the transition changes of the transition surface 133 can be controlled to adapt to the air guiding requirements.

[0073] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, it can be understood that, since the shape of the first cross-section 131 is a rounded rectangle, the radial distance between the first cross-section 131 and the second cross-section 132 changes along the circumference of the main body 100. The cross-sectional outline 135 of the transition surface 133 has different dimensions at different positions, and the dimensions change continuously. The transition surface 133 transitions from a circle to a rounded rectangle. The distance between the straight edge 1311 and the arc edge 1312 and the second cross-section 132 will gradually increase or decrease with the position, rather than suddenly changing the value at a certain position. That is, the change of the dimensional parameters is smooth, without any jumps or abrupt changes. In other words, the dimensions are not only numerically continuous, but their rate of change is also consistent, avoiding sharp inflection points or sudden acceleration changes.

[0074] Referring to Figures 6, 8, and 9, Figure 6 shows the first cross-section 140 of the main body 100 at an inclination angle of 0°, Figure 8 shows the second cross-section 150 of the main body 100 at an inclination angle of 22°, and Figure 9 shows the third cross-section 160 of the main body 100 at an inclination angle of 45°. The vertical direction is used as the reference line, and the angle between the cross-section line and the reference line is the inclination angle.

[0075] It is understandable that the length of the cross-sectional profile 135 at the second cross-section 150 is greater than the length of the cross-sectional profile 135 at the first cross-section 140, and the length of the cross-sectional profile 135 at the third cross-section 160 is greater than the length of the cross-sectional profile 135 at the second cross-section 150. The position corresponding to the first cross-section 140 is the midpoint of the straight edge 1311, where the length of the arc segment 1351 is the smallest. The position corresponding to the third cross-section 160 is the midpoint of the circular arc edge 1312. That is to say, the length of the arc segment 1351 changes continuously along the circumference of the air duct 103, and the length of the arc segment 1351 gradually increases from the midpoint of the straight edge 1311 to the midpoint of the circular arc edge 1312. This results in a longer curved surface between the circular arc edge 1312 and the second cross-section 132, which effectively accelerates the downstream migration of the leakage vortex, thereby reducing the impact area between the leakage vortex and the blade, and significantly reducing noise.

[0076] In the embodiment, the cross-sectional contour lines 135 in the first cross-section 140, the second cross-section 150 and the third cross-section 160 all include an arc segment 1351. The length of the arc segment 1351 varies along the circumference of the air duct 103. That is, the composition of the cross-sectional contour lines 135 of any cross-section in the circumference of the air duct 103 remains unchanged, but the size changes continuously. For example, when the cross-sectional contour lines 135 all include two arc segments 1351, the cross-sectional contour lines 135 of any cross-section in the circumference of the air duct 103 also include two arc segments 1351.

[0077] Of course, the cross-sectional profile 135 is not limited to the arc segment 1351. If the cross-sectional profile 135 includes a straight segment, the length of the straight segment changes continuously along the circumference of the air duct 103, and the length of the straight segment gradually increases from the midpoint of the straight edge 1311 to the midpoint of the arc edge 1312. If the cross-sectional profile 135 includes both the arc segment 1351 and the straight segment, the length distribution of the arc segment 1351 and the straight segment changes continuously along the circumference of the air duct 103, and the lengths of the arc segment 1351 and the straight segment gradually increase respectively from the midpoint of the straight edge 1311 to the midpoint of the arc edge 1312.

[0078] The dimensional variation law of the transition surface 133 in the embodiments of this application ensures a natural transition of the overall shape, avoids stress concentration, and satisfies the requirements of continuous differentiability and no discontinuities. This continuity guarantees manufacturability and functionality.

[0079] Considering the transition of airflow from the second guide section 120 to the third guide section 130, a sharp angle at the transition point could cause airflow separation, forming a vortex zone and resulting in local pressure drop and energy loss. Therefore, in some embodiments, the connection point between the second guide section 120 and the third guide section 130 is rounded. The rounded corners eliminate sharp edges through a smooth transition, reducing turbulence intensity and local resistance; moreover, the rounded corners can disperse the impact force of the airflow on the wall, reducing noise or vibration caused by high-speed airflow directly impacting the wall.

[0080] In other embodiments, at the connection point between the second guide section 120 and the third guide section 130, the cross-sectional profile 135 of the third guide section 130 along the radial direction of the air duct 103 is tangent to the wall surface of the second guide section 120. This ensures that the profiles of the two guide sections are tangent and continuous at the connection point, guaranteeing a smooth transition in geometry and avoiding flow separation caused by abrupt changes in cross-section. The tangent design allows the airflow to naturally change direction along the wall surface, reducing interference with the mainstream direction and thus reducing noise. When the cross-sectional profile 135 of the third guide section 130 is tangent to the wall surface of the second guide section 120, no rounding is required.

[0081] In some embodiments, the air guide ring 1000 further includes an extension section 170, which is connected to the end of the third air guide section 130 away from the second air guide section 120. The extension section 170 is disposed around the air outlet 102 and is used to connect to the housing or the downstream air duct 103. The extension section 170 can be configured to form a channel, through which the air outlet 102 and the downstream air duct 103 are connected. The extension section 170 can extend radially along the air guide ring 1000 or extend in a direction away from the third air guide section 130 to adapt to different installation requirements.

[0082] To reduce the impact of the transition between the extension section 170 and the third guide section 130 on the airflow, the connection point between them is rounded. This eliminates the influence of sharp edges, reduces turbulence intensity, and decreases local resistance. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the extension section 170 and the third guide section 130 can be tangentially positioned. This tangential design allows the airflow to naturally deflect along the wall, reducing interference with the mainstream direction and thus reducing noise. When the cross-sectional outline 135 of the third guide section 130 is tangential to the wall of the extension section 170, rounding is not required.

[0083] The second air guide section 120 has a straight cylindrical structure, and its cross-section is a third section 121. Specifically, the cross-section of the second air guide section 120 is a section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct 103 at the second air guide section 120. The shape of the third section 121 is circular. In the embodiment, the diameters of the second section 132 and the third section 121 are equal. The airflow passing through the first air guide section 110 is guided to the third air guide section 130 through the second air guide section 120, thereby playing a role in stabilizing the flow.

[0084] After the airflow enters the air duct 103 from the air inlet 101, it first flows through the tapered channel 112 of the first guide section 110, where it is accelerated and initially homogenized; then it enters the equal diameter channel of the second guide section 120, where the flow velocity tends to stabilize and the turbulence intensity decreases; finally, it enters the third guide section 130, where it plays a role in diffusion and deceleration.

[0085] Considering that traditional air guide rings often employ cylindrical or circular tapering inlets, cylindrical structures do not fully utilize space, leading to increased air intake unevenness and higher energy losses. In circular tapering structures, the separated airflow generated at the tapering initiation position is close to the blade tip 2100 of the impeller 2000, causing interference and further energy losses and noise. Therefore, in some embodiments, this application optimizes and adjusts the air inlet 101 of the air guide ring 1000.

[0086] Referring to Figure 2, specifically, the cross-section at the air inlet 101 is the fourth section 111. The cross-section at the air inlet 101 is specifically a section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct 103 at the air inlet 101. The shape of the fourth section 111 is a rounded rectangle. Compared with the circular air inlet of the traditional air guide ring, the rounded rectangular air inlet 101 of this embodiment has a larger flow area, which helps to improve the uniformity of air intake, reduce wind resistance, improve operating efficiency, and reduce noise.

[0087] After the airflow enters the air duct 103 through the air inlet 101, it first flows through the tapered channel 112 of the first guide section 110, where it is accelerated and initially homogenized. Then it enters the equal-diameter channel of the second guide section 120, where the flow velocity tends to stabilize and the turbulence intensity decreases. The rounded rectangular air inlet 101 increases the distance from the boundary of the tapered channel 112 to the blade tip 2100 of the impeller 2000. The location of the separation vortex is far away from the core flow area, which weakens its influence on the mainstream and reduces interference noise, making the fan more efficient. The location of the separation vortex is the boundary position of the air inlet 101. The core flow area can be understood as the projection area of ​​the impeller 2000 along the axial direction of the air duct 103.

[0088] When the air guide ring 1000 of the above embodiment is applied to the outdoor unit, the air inlet 101 of the air guide ring 1000 can be set towards the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit, which increases the air intake flow area, improves the uniformity of air intake of the heat exchanger, reduces the resistance of the heat exchanger, improves the operating efficiency, and can reduce the speed of the fan, thereby achieving the purpose of noise reduction and energy saving.

[0089] The embodiments of this application also propose a fan, which is an axial flow fan, specifically including a fan wheel 2000, a motor and the air guide ring 1000 of the above embodiments. The fan wheel 2000 may be partially located in the air duct 103 or the entire fan wheel 2000 may be located in the air duct 103. The central axis of the fan wheel 2000 coincides with the central axis of the air guide ring 1000. The motor is used to drive the fan wheel 2000 to rotate.

[0090] The fan adopts the air guide ring 1000 of the above embodiment, which has a larger air outlet 102 flow area, thereby reducing the average speed of the airflow at the air outlet 102, increasing the air kinetic energy recovery rate at the air outlet 102, and reducing the resistance of the air duct 103. This is beneficial to improving the efficiency of the fan, reducing power and speed, and thus achieving the purpose of noise reduction. It can achieve the effect of energy saving and noise reduction of the fan.

[0091] When the fan is used in the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the fan is installed on the bracket of the outdoor unit. The bracket is located upstream of the air inlet 101 of the air guide ring 1000. The average velocity decreases due to the improved airflow uniformity of the heat exchanger, which reduces the wind resistance and turbulence noise generated by the bracket, thus improving efficiency and reducing noise. Moreover, the increased frontal area improves the airflow uniformity of the heat exchanger, reduces the heat exchanger resistance, improves operating efficiency, and reduces the speed, thereby achieving the purpose of energy saving and noise reduction.

[0092] In addition, the mesh cover is located downstream of the air guide ring 1000, and the extreme value of the axial velocity of the airflow moves towards the outer diameter direction, and the extreme value of the axial velocity decreases, which helps to reduce the noise generated by the mesh cover. The mesh cover and the air guide ring 1000 work together to ensure that the extreme value is reduced under the same air volume, thereby reducing the noise of the mesh cover.

[0093] The embodiments of this application also provide an air conditioner, including the fan of the above embodiments. The air conditioner can be a split-type air conditioner, including an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The fan is installed in the outdoor unit, which can achieve the energy-saving and noise-reducing effects of the air conditioner.

[0094] Since the air conditioner adopts all the technical solutions of the fan in the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0095] Of course, this application is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of this application. All such equivalent modifications or substitutions are included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An air guide ring, comprising: The main body has an air duct, and the main body has an air inlet and an air outlet communicating with the air duct at both ends along the axial direction of the air duct; wherein The main body includes a first air guide section, a second air guide section, and a third air guide section. Along the axial direction of the air duct, the first air guide section, the second air guide section, and the third air guide section are connected sequentially from the air inlet to the air outlet. The air inlet is formed at the end of the first air guide section away from the second air guide section, and the air outlet is formed at the end of the third air guide section away from the second air guide section. The inner diameter of the third air guide section gradually decreases in the direction away from the second air guide section. The air outlet has a first cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct. The edge of the first cross-section includes at least two straight edges and at least two arc edges. The arc edges are connected between adjacent straight edges and are tangent to the straight edges.

2. The air guide ring according to claim 1, wherein, The first cross section is a rounded rectangle. The second cross section is a circular cross section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct at the connection position between the second and third air guide sections. The wall of the third air guide section between the first and second cross sections is a transition surface.

3. The air guide ring according to claim 2, wherein, The cross-sectional profile of the transition surface along the radial direction of the air duct includes at least one arc segment and / or at least one straight segment.

4. The air guide ring according to claim 3, wherein, The cross-sectional profile has two or more arc segments, and adjacent arc segments are tangent to each other. Alternatively, the cross-sectional profile may have an arc segment and a straight segment, wherein the arc segment and the straight segment are tangent to each other.

5. The air guide ring according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The cross-sectional profile includes the arc segment or the straight segment, and the length of the arc segment or the straight segment changes continuously along the circumference of the air duct. Alternatively, the cross-sectional profile may include the arc segment and the straight segment, the lengths of the arc segment and the straight segment varying continuously along the circumference of the air duct.

6. The air guide ring according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein, The edge of the first cross section includes four straight edges and four circular arc edges. The straight edges are arranged opposite each other in pairs, and the circular arc edges are respectively connected between two adjacent straight edges. The distance between two opposite straight edges is greater than or equal to the diameter of the second cross section.

7. The air guide ring according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein, The length of the cross-sectional profile of the transition surface gradually increases along the radial direction of the air duct, from the midpoint of the straight side to the midpoint of the arc side.

8. The air guide ring according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The second air guide section has a third cross section perpendicular to the axis of the air duct, and the third cross section is circular in shape.

9. The air guide ring according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an extension section, wherein the extension section is connected to the third air guide section and encloses a channel communicating with the air outlet; and The connection points between the third air guide section and the second air guide section and the extension section are respectively formed with rounded corners, or the cross-sectional outline of the third air guide section along the radial direction of the air duct is respectively tangent to the wall surfaces of the second air guide section and the extension section.

10. The air guide ring according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The inner diameter of the first air guide section gradually decreases along the direction from the first air guide section to the second air guide section.

11. A fan, comprising a wind turbine, a motor, and a wind guide ring as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the wind turbine is at least partially located within the air duct, and the motor is used to drive the wind turbine to rotate.

12. An air conditioner comprising the fan of claim 11.

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