Blower Diffuser Geometry to Reduce Noise and Power Consumption

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional blowers in air conditioners face inefficiencies in blowing air due to non-uniform air current distribution, leading to increased power consumption and noise, especially when multiple blowers are adjacent, causing air currents to collide and interfere.

Innovation Solution

A blower design featuring a bell mouth part and a diffuser part with an inclined surface that increases the cross-sectional area towards the downstream end, along with noise prevention blades, to optimize airflow and reduce noise by varying the diffuser angle and shape to match airflow rates, minimizing turbulence and pressure loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the number of revolutions of the propeller fan is increased to increase the suction flow rate, then the suction flow rate is improved, but power consumption increases and noise is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuction flow rateVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The diffuser part is designed with different diffuser angles in different regions to match the non-uniform air flow rate distribution. The diffuser angle is set to be smaller in regions with higher air flow rates and larger in regions with lower air flow rates, optimizing air flow guidance locally without requiring increased fan speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of increasing fan speed to improve air flow, the invention inverts the approach by optimizing the diffuser geometry to improve air flow efficiency at the same fan speed, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If the number of revolutions of the propeller fan is increased to increase the suction flow rate, then the suction flow rate is improved, but noise is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuction flow rateVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The diffuser part is designed with different diffuser angles in different regions to match the non-uniform air flow rate distribution. The diffuser angle is set to be smaller in regions with higher air flow rates and larger in regions with lower air flow rates, optimizing air flow guidance locally without requiring increased fan speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of increasing fan speed to improve air flow, the invention inverts the approach by optimizing the diffuser geometry to improve air flow efficiency at the same fan speed, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Productivity

If multiple blowers are adjacently disposed to correspond to heat exchangers arranged in parallel rows, then heat exchanger efficiency is improved, but air currents collide and interfere causing efficiency deterioration and noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange efficiencyVSAvoidair current interference

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The diffuser part is designed with asymmetric diffuser angles where the diffuser angle varies in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the diffuser angle is set to be smaller on the side adjacent to other blowers and larger on the opposite side, preventing air current collision and interference between adjacently disposed blowers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The diffuser part is designed with different diffuser angles in different regions to match the non-uniform air flow rate distribution. The diffuser angle is set to be smaller in regions with higher air flow rates and larger in regions with lower air flow rates, optimizing air flow guidance locally without requiring increased fan speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 significantly enhances blowing efficiency and reduces noise by ensuring uniform airflow and pressure restoration, while also reducing material costs and manufacturing complexity.

Implementation Method 1

a diffuser part installed on the downstream side of the bell mouth part, and having a flow path area which is enlarged from the upstream side toward the downstream side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

the diffuser part is provided to be inclined so that an area of a flow path increases toward a downstream end of the diffuser part

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS10393150B2Blower and outdoor unit of air conditioner comprising same

Publication Date: 2019.08.27 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Provided are a blower, capable of suppressing noise occurring in a stator while significantly improving blowing efficiency, and an outdoor unit using the same. The present invention comprises: a bell mouth part spaced apart at a predetermined distance in the radial direction with respect to an outer circumferential end of a propeller fan; and a diffuser part installed on the downstream side of the bell mouth part, and having a flow path area which is enlarged from the upstream side toward the downstream side with a larger magnification rate than the magnification rate of the flow path area in the downstream end of the bell mouth part; and a stator part having a plurality of stators, wherein the stator part is arranged within the diffuser part.