Air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners with wall-mount indoor units face difficulties in discharging a large volume of air over long distances due to the design of their discharge flow paths, which limits their cooling efficiency in larger spaces.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner incorporates a unique discharge guide system featuring curved and straight surface portions, protrusions, and grooves in the upper guide to enhance airflow directionality and maintain cross-sectional area, utilizing the Coanda effect to facilitate long-distance air discharge and prevent flow separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a conventional discharge flow path is used in wall-mount indoor units, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the air discharge distance is limited and the cooling efficiency in large spaces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge flow path incorporates curved surface portions instead of straight surfaces. Specifically, the flow path includes a first curved surface portion and a second curved surface portion that guide air in arc-shaped trajectories, enabling the air to travel longer distances and reach higher positions. This curvature principle directly resolves the contradiction by extending air discharge distance while maintaining structural feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge flow path is divided into multiple segments with different functions: a first curved surface portion for initial air direction, a second curved surface portion for further guidance, and a straight surface portion for final discharge. This segmentation allows each portion to optimize its local airflow control, achieving long-distance discharge through coordinated action of multiple simpler components.
2Quantity of substance
If the discharge flow path cross-sectional area is reduced downstream, then the structure becomes more compact, but the air discharge volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surface portions in the discharge flow path create a gradual expansion effect that maintains larger cross-sectional area throughout the flow path. The arc-shaped guidance prevents flow convergence that would occur in straight-path designs, thereby maintaining higher air discharge volume while achieving compact overall structure through efficient spatial arrangement.
3Productivity
If a simple discharge flow path is used, then manufacturing is easier, but flow separation occurs and air discharge efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surface portions in the discharge flow path create gradual direction changes that prevent flow separation. Unlike sharp angles in simple straight-path designs, the curved surfaces guide air smoothly through the flow path, maintaining attached flow and preventing turbulence. This significantly improves air discharge efficiency while the modular segmented structure keeps manufacturing complexity manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for efficient air discharge over long distances while maintaining a sufficient air volume, improving cooling performance in larger spaces by leveraging the Coanda effect and minimizing flow separation.
Implementation Method 1
as air is discharged through an upper side along an upper guide due to the Coanda effect at a downstream of the discharge flow path, there is an advantageous effect that air can be discharged by a long distance
Implementation Method 2
as a cross section of the discharge flow path increases toward the downstream, even though a vane is not formed horizontally at the air outlet, a cross section of the discharge flow path is not greatly decreased, and therefore, it is possible to secure a predetermined amount of air flow to be discharged through the air outlet
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes: a housing forming an air inlet and an air outlet disposed below the air inlet; a blowing fan disposed below the air inlet and in an upper rear side of the air outlet, and rotating about a rotational axis formed in a left-right direction so that air suctioned through the air inlet flows toward the air outlet; a lower guide guiding air, discharged to a rear side and a lower side of the blowing fan, toward the air outlet; and an upper guide disposed above the lower discharge guide to form a discharge flow path with the lower discharge guide in such a way that a cross section of the discharge flow path from the blowing fan to the air outlet is extended gradually toward the air outlet, wherein the upper discharge guide forms a curved surface at an end adjacent to the air outlet, the surface which is convex in a direction toward the air outlet.