Air purifier having dehumidification function

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Solution Overview

Problem

Air purifiers face a challenge in simultaneously dehumidifying and purifying air, leading to a reduction in airflow and potential blockage of filters due to moisture accumulation, which degrades performance and shortens filter lifespan, especially in humid environments.

Innovation Solution

An air purifier design featuring a blower part that draws air from both sides, with a dehumidifying part using a dehumidifying rotor and condenser, and adjustable through-holes to manage airflow and pressure, allowing for selective dehumidification and purification while preventing blower fan overheating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the air purifier runs in an atmosphere having high humidity, then the deodorizing filter absorbs moisture from the air, but the accumulated moisture degrades the performance of the deodorizing filter and reduces its lifetime

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation in humid atmosphereVSAvoidfilter performance and lifetime
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the moisture removal function from the air purification system by adding a separate dehumidifying part with a dehumidifying rotor. This rotor absorbs moisture from the air before it reaches the deodorizing filter, preventing moisture accumulation that would otherwise degrade filter performance and shorten its lifetime.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The dehumidifying rotor is designed to be regenerable through a regenerating part that uses a heater to desorb accumulated moisture from the rotor. The moisture is then condensed and collected in a water tank, allowing the rotor to be reused without replacement, thus maintaining system reliability while enabling operation in humid conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Adaptability or versatility

If a dehumidifying part and air purifying filters are installed in sequence in the air flow path, then dehumidification and air purification can be performed simultaneously, but the constant pressure required for inflow air increases and discharged airflow amount is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimultaneous dehumidification and purificationVSAvoiddischarged airflow amount
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the air flow path into multiple independent channels: a dehumidifying air flow path through the dehumidifying rotor and a purifying air flow path through the deodorizing filter. This segmentation allows air to be processed through different paths simultaneously, reducing the total pressure drop compared to a single sequential path, thereby maintaining higher discharged airflow amount while achieving both dehumidification and purification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The blower is designed to supply air to multiple functions simultaneously - it powers both the dehumidifying rotor and the deodorizing filter through separate flow paths. This multi-functionality allows the system to perform dehumidification and purification concurrently without requiring additional blowers, thus maintaining airflow productivity while achieving versatile air treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If moisture accumulates on the deodorizing filter surface, then pollutants in the air become tangled with the moisture, but this increases pollution level of the filter and blocks filter pores

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepollutant captureVSAvoidfilter blowing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The dehumidifying rotor is positioned upstream in the air flow path to remove moisture from the air before it reaches the deodorizing filter. This preliminary dehumidification action prevents moisture from accumulating on the filter surface, thereby preventing the harmful effect of pollutants becoming tangled with moisture and blocking filter pores, while still allowing the filter to capture pollutants effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 enhances dehumidification and purification efficiency, maintains airflow, and allows for user-controlled operation, preventing blower fan shutdown and optimizing pressure distribution for improved performance.

Implementation Method 1

a dehumidifying part removing moisture from air drawn from the other side of the body case by a dehumidifying rotor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

a condenser connected to the dehumidifying rotor unit and condensing the moisture removed from the air drawn from the other side of the body case

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentEP2358459B1Air purifier having dehumidification function
Publication Date: 2019.06.26 WOONGJIN COWAY
  • EP2358459B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2358459B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2358459B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4(b)

AI summary

There is provided an air purifier having a dehumidification function, including: a body case having an inner space; a blower part installed in the inner space of the body case and drawing outside air from both sides of the body case through a single blower fan; an air purifying part purifying air drawn from one side of the body case; and a dehumidifying part removing moisture from air drawn from the other side of the body case by a dehumidifying rotor. Through the blower part drawing the air from both sides of the body case, the air purifier purifies the air drawn from one side of the body case and dehumidifies the air drawn from the other side of the body case. Accordingly, a drop in an airflow amount caused by concurrently performing the dehumidification and the purification may be alleviated, so improved dehumidification and purification effects are achieved.