Ceiling Indoor Unit Airflow Control to Prevent Adjacent Air Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ceiling-mounted indoor air-conditioning units sometimes experience a phenomenon where the air current blown from one unit is immediately drawn into an adjacent unit due to their configuration and positioning, leading to inefficient temperature distribution.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of airflow direction adjusting flaps and blocking mechanisms in indoor units, controlled by a controller, to manage airflow direction and blockage, ensuring that air currents collide and flow downwards, reducing the likelihood of air being drawn into adjacent units and improving temperature distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple indoor units are installed in the ceiling at predetermined distances apart, then the room can be efficiently conditioned, but air current from one unit may be immediately drawn into an adjacent unit
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow blocking mechanism proactively prevents the harmful effect of air current recycling by blocking the airflow path before the air can be drawn into the adjacent unit. The controller coordinates the blocking mechanism to close the outlet opening of the adjacent unit when air blowing in a predetermined direction is detected, thereby preventing the energy loss before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation of adjacent indoor units based on real-time airflow conditions. When air blowing in a predetermined direction is detected, the controller dynamically changes the state of the adjacent unit from air blowing mode to air intake blocking mode, optimizing the system performance adaptively.
2Area of stationary object
If air currents are blown in multiple directions from outlet openings, then coverage area is increased, but air currents may collide and reduce effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow direction adjusting flap dynamically changes the discharge direction of air currents based on operational requirements. The controller can adjust the flap to direct air in different directions (e.g., toward walls or away from adjacent units) to optimize coverage while preventing harmful collisions or recycling, thereby maintaining air current effectiveness across varying conditions.
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 solution effectively reduces the occurrence of air being drawn into adjacent units, enhances temperature uniformity by ensuring air currents collide and flow downwards, and allows for efficient conditioning of both close and distant areas within the indoor space.
Implementation Method 1
the air current coming from one or some of the outlet openings (24a to 24d) is blocked by the airflow blocking mechanism (50), thereby increasing a speed of the air current coming from the rest of the outlet openings (24a to 24d)
Implementation Method 2
an airflow direction adjusting flap (51) provided at a corresponding one of the outlet openings (24a to 24d) and configured to change a direction of air blown from the corresponding one of the outlet openings (24a to 24d)
Implementation Method 3
air currents are blown from the outlet openings (24a to 24d) which face each other with the predetermined distance interposed therebetween, and that the air currents collide with each other. The air currents which have collided with each other are forced to flow down toward the floor of the indoor space (500)
Data Source
AI summary
Occurrence of a phenomenon in which an air current that has just been blown from any indoor unit is drawn into an adjacent indoor unit is reduced. A controller makes each of a plurality of indoor units perform a partial supply operation. In the partial supply operation, the controller controls an airflow direction adjusting flap such that, regarding the indoor units adjacent to each other with a predetermined distance α interposed therebetween, air currents are blown from both outlet openings which face each other with the predetermined distance α interposed therebetween, and that the air currents collide with each other.