Outdoor unit for air conditioner

Solution Overview

Problem

In outdoor air-conditioning units, the harmonic suppressing unit overheating degrades the performance and shortens the product life of electric and electronic components due to their shared chassis arrangement.

Innovation Solution

The housing is divided into two sections, with the harmonic suppressing unit in one section and the electric and electronic components, such as the compressor driving circuit, in a separate section to isolate them, allowing for independent temperature management and reduced overheating effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the harmonic suppressing unit and electric/electronic components are arranged together in the same chassis section, then the device structure is simplified, but the electric/electronic components are exposed to overheating which degrades their performance and shortens product life

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice structureVSAvoidproduct life of electric components

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a first housing section containing the harmonic suppressing unit and a second housing section containing the electric and electronic components, with a partition wall separating the two sections. This segmentation isolates the heat-generating harmonic suppressing unit from the temperature-sensitive electric components, allowing independent thermal management for each section while maintaining overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the harmonic suppressing unit is isolated in a separate section, then the performance and product life of electric components are protected from overheating, but the device structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance stability of electric componentsVSAvoidhousing structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a first housing section containing the harmonic suppressing unit and a second housing section containing the electric and electronic components, with a partition wall separating the two sections. This segmentation isolates the heat-generating harmonic suppressing unit from the temperature-sensitive electric components, allowing independent thermal management for each section while maintaining overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A partition wall is introduced as an intermediary structure between the harmonic suppressing unit and the electric/electronic components. This partition wall serves as a thermal barrier that blocks heat transfer from the first housing section to the second housing section, protecting the electric components from overheating while maintaining structural connection between the two sections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Power

If the harmonic suppressing unit generates heat during operation, then it effectively suppresses harmonics, but the generated heat causes overheating that degrades nearby electric components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveharmonic suppression capabilityVSAvoidoverheating effect on electric components

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmonic suppressing unit, which generates heat during operation, is extracted from the common housing section and placed in a separate first housing section. This extraction removes the source of harmful heat from proximity to the electric components, eliminating the overheating problem while preserving the harmonic suppression function in its dedicated section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A partition wall is introduced as an intermediary structure between the harmonic suppressing unit and the electric/electronic components. This partition wall serves as a thermal barrier that blocks heat transfer from the first housing section to the second housing section, protecting the electric components from overheating while maintaining structural connection between the two sections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3882529B1Outdoor unit for air conditioner

Publication Date: 2024.06.26 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

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AI summary

An outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus includes a compressor, a heat exchanger, and a controller. The controller includes a compressor driving circuit configured to drive the compressor, a harmonic suppressing unit configured to suppress harmonics in the compressor driving circuit, and a housing containing the compressor driving circuit and the harmonic suppressing unit. The housing has a first section having ventilation holes that allow communication between the outside and the inside, and a second section constituting a frame outside the first section. The first section contains the harmonic suppressing unit and a fan configured to blow air from inside the first section to the outside through the ventilation holes. The second section contains the compressor driving circuit.