Ceiling Air Conditioning Unit Layout for Low-Noise Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fan coil units are noisy, require large floor-to-floor heights, and complicate maintenance due to their installation within suspended ceilings, which necessitates removal of ceiling tiles for access.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile air conditioning unit design featuring a fan and thermal element arrangement with the air inlet and thermal element positioned at the periphery of the unit, reducing airflow velocity at the thermal element, increasing thermal transfer efficiency, and allowing for self-access through a rotatable housing portion for maintenance without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the air inlet and thermal element are positioned centrally within the unit, then the structural arrangement is simplified, but the airflow velocity at the thermal element increases, reducing thermal transfer efficiency and increasing pressure drop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a central positioning arrangement to a peripheral positioning arrangement of the air inlet and thermal element. This dimensional reconfiguration places components at the periphery of the housing rather than at the center, fundamentally changing the spatial relationship between components and enabling lower airflow velocities at the thermal element while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Area of stationary object
If the fan coil unit is installed within a suspended ceiling, then it saves floor space, but it requires large floor-to-floor heights to accommodate the unit and complicates maintenance by requiring removal of ceiling tiles
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a fixed portion and a rotatable portion that can be independently moved. The rotatable portion containing the fan and motor can be accessed by rotating it outward without removing ceiling tiles, while the fixed portion remains installed in the ceiling. This segmentation enables maintenance accessibility while preserving the space-saving ceiling installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing transitions from a static, fully enclosed structure to a dynamic structure with a rotatable portion. This rotational movement capability allows the maintenance personnel to access internal components by simply rotating the housing portion outward, eliminating the need to remove ceiling tiles while maintaining the compact ceiling-mounted installation.
3Productivity
If the fan is positioned to provide high airflow velocity, then the airflow rate increases, but the pressure drop across the thermal element increases and noise level increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement from central to peripheral positioning of the air inlet and thermal element. This dimensional change creates a larger effective flow area at the thermal element, allowing the same airflow rate to be achieved at lower velocities, thereby reducing both pressure drop and noise generation.
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 design reduces noise, minimizes the pressure drop across thermal elements, enhances heat transfer efficiency, and facilitates easier maintenance by allowing access without removing ceiling tiles, while maintaining a compact profile suitable for installation in standard ceiling grids.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal element disposed within the airflow passage upstream of the fan
Implementation Method 2
a fan disposed within the airflow passage
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning unit (2) comprises a main body (3) including an air inlet (24) and an air outlet (22), the main body (3) defining an airflow passage between the air inlet (24) and the air outlet (22). A fan (28) is disposed within the airflow passage and a thermal element (26) is disposed within the airflow passage upstream of the fan (28). The main body (3) has a front face exposed to a temperature controlled space (8), on which the air outlet is disposed, and the air inlet and thermal element are disposed around the periphery of the front face.