Chilling Unit Panel Design for Interchangeable Maintenance Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chilling units with heat-pump type heat source units lack interchangeability between panels making up the outer shell of the lower housing, leading to increased installation space requirements and inefficiencies in panel management during maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The chilling unit design includes a machine chamber unit with air heat exchangers inclined to form a V-shape, allowing a panel body to be positioned further outward than the fixing portion, ensuring a larger area for devices and enabling interchangeable panels without additional space, and a chilling-unit system with a minimum spacing of 350 mm between adjacent units for maintenance access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the upper housing is formed with reduced width downward and the lower housing is minimized to ensure service space, then the installation space is minimized, but the panels making up the outer shell of the lower housing lose interchangeability because additional heat insulating parts must be attached at different positions on different panels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat insulating function from the panel structure itself and separates it into a dedicated heat insulating member that is attached to the panel from the interior side. This allows the panel to maintain a standardized, interchangeable structure while the heat insulating member provides the necessary thermal insulation without requiring modifications to the panel itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel structure is segmented into two independent components: the panel body (which maintains standardized dimensions and interchangeability) and the heat insulating member (which provides thermal insulation). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the panel for interchangeability and the heat insulating member for thermal performance.
2Area of stationary object
If devices are placed in close proximity to panels to minimize installation space, then the installation area is reduced, but heat insulation becomes necessary requiring additional parts that compromise panel interchangeability
Solution Approach 1:
The heat insulating function is extracted from the panel structure and implemented as a separate heat insulating member attached to the panel's interior surface. This allows the panel to remain structurally simple and standardized while providing necessary heat insulation through the attached member, thus avoiding increased panel structure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding complexity to the panel's exterior or internal structure, the solution adds a thin heat insulating layer in the dimensional space between the panel interior surface and the devices. This utilizes the available gap space efficiently without compromising panel interchangeability or increasing structural complexity.
3Reliability
If custom heat insulating parts are attached to different panels at different positions, then heat insulation is provided for devices in contact with panels, but maintenance time and labor increase due to non-standardized panels
Solution Approach 1:
The heat insulating member is designed as a universal component that can be attached to any panel in the same manner and position relative to the device. This standardization allows panels to be freely interchanged during maintenance without requiring custom heat insulating parts, thus reducing maintenance time and labor while ensuring consistent heat insulation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat insulating member is pre-attached to the panel during manufacturing rather than during installation or maintenance. This preliminary action ensures that heat insulation is already in place when the panel is installed, and during maintenance, standardized panels with pre-attached heat insulating members can be quickly interchanged without requiring on-site customization or adjustment of heat insulation.
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 ensures interchangeability of panels, reduces installation space, and enhances maintenance efficiency by allowing easier access and management of panels, thus minimizing time and labor in removal and attachment work.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of air heat exchangers making up, along with the compressor and the heat exchanger, a refrigerant circuit
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger for air
Implementation Method 3
a compressor
Implementation Method 4
a heat exchanger (see, for example, Patent Literature 1)
Data Source
AI summary
A chilling unit includes a machine chamber unit formed in an elongated box shape; and air heat exchangers placed on the machine chamber unit. A pair of the air heat exchangers that is located opposite to each other in a short-side direction of the machine chamber unit is inclined such that a spacing between upper end portions of the pair is greater than a spacing between lower end portions of the pair, a machine chamber panel forming a side face of the machine chamber unit in the short-side direction includes a panel body positioned at a central portion of the machine chamber panel, and a fixing portion connected to a periphery of the panel body and fixed in contact with the machine chamber unit, and the panel body is located further outward from the machine chamber unit than is the fixing portion.