Air exchanger device

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air exchanger devices for building ventilation suffer from noise transmission, particularly telephonic noise, and fan noise, and often require significant space, making them cumbersome to install and unsuitable for post-construction installations.

Innovation Solution

An air exchanger device with a bent airflow path and offset air inlets and outlets, combined with sound-absorbing materials and a radial fan design, reduces noise transmission and minimizes space requirements, allowing for efficient and space-saving installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of stationary object

If a straight airflow path is used in air exchanger devices, then installation space is reduced, but noise transmission between rooms increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation spaceVSAvoidnoise transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a bent airflow path design where the air inlet and air outlet are offset from each other, creating a curved flow path through the device body. This curvature prevents direct sound wave transmission between rooms while maintaining compact dimensions, resolving the contradiction between space savings and noise reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Productivity

If fans are used to support airflow in air exchanger devices, then ventilation function is improved, but fan noise emissions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation functionVSAvoidfan noise emissions
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces sound-absorbing material as an intermediary substance within the device housing and airflow path. This material absorbs fan-generated noise and prevents its transmission, allowing the fan to maintain effective ventilation function while significantly reducing harmful noise emissions to the surrounding environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional air exchanger devices are installed in walls, then air exchange between rooms is enabled, but telephonic noise transmission occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair exchange functionVSAvoidtelephonic noise transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The offset inlet and outlet configuration creates a bent airflow path that disrupts the direct transmission of telephonic noise between rooms. The curved path causes sound waves to reflect and dissipate rather than passing straight through the wall opening, enabling air exchange while blocking harmful noise transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs sound-absorbing material within the device structure that acts as a porous barrier to noise transmission. This material absorbs acoustic energy from telephonic noise while allowing air molecules to pass through, maintaining ventilation function while blocking harmful sound frequencies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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

The solution effectively decreases noise transmission and fan noise emissions while enabling compact installation, addressing the issues of noise and space constraints in existing devices.

Implementation Method 1

Furthermore, the housing chamber is configured such that sound waves traveling from the air inlet to the air outlet are absorbed by the housing chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Data Source

PatentEP4276372A1Air exchanger device
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 ZEHNDER GROUP INTERNATIONAL AG
  • EP4276372A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4276372A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4276372A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed herein is an air exchanger device (1) for exchanging air between two rooms of a building, the air exchanger device (1) comprising: a body housing (2) defining a housing chamber (3) and which comprises an inlet wall portion (4) and an oppositely arranged outlet wall portion (5), wherein the inlet wall portion (4) defines an air inlet (6) and the outlet wall portion (5) defines an air outlet (7), wherein the air inlet (6) and the air outlet (7) are offset to each other; a fan unit (8) comprising a fan (9), the fan (9) being arranged inside the housing chamber (3), wherein the air inlet (6), the air outlet (7) and the housing chamber (3) define a bent airflow path (10) through the body housing (2) from the air inlet (6) via the fan (9) to the air outlet (7).