Climatization container

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current climatization containers, such as refrigerators and freezers, face inefficiencies in their cooling systems due to air bypassing the evaporator, leading to uneven cooling and increased energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of air guides within the duct directs air flow over the evaporator, ensuring that a greater proportion of air is cooled, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the cooling system and reducing operational time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If air is allowed to flow freely through the duct, then air flow volume is sufficient, but a portion of air bypasses the evaporator resulting in inefficient cooling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidduct structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The duct cross-section is segmented into multiple flow paths using air guides. The air guides divide the duct into a first flow path that directs air over the evaporator and a second flow path for alternative air flow, ensuring efficient heat exchange while maintaining adequate overall air flow volume

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Air guides are introduced as intermediary elements within the duct to control and direct air flow. These guides act as mediators between the evaporator and the air stream, ensuring that air is properly directed over the evaporator surface to maximize cooling efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the evaporator is made wider to match the duct, then more air can be cooled, but the evaporator width is constrained by duct dimensions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling capacityVSAvoidevaporator width
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing evaporator width in the lateral dimension to match the duct, the solution extends the evaporator in the longitudinal dimension (along the air flow direction). This dimensional shift allows the evaporator to achieve sufficient cooling capacity without being constrained by the limited duct width

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the cooling system operates continuously to maintain temperature, then temperature control is reliable, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature controlVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The improved heat exchange efficiency provided by the air guides creates a more responsive cooling system that can better respond to temperature changes. This enhanced feedback mechanism allows the cooling system to operate more efficiently and intermittently rather than continuously, reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable temperature control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 increases the efficiency of the cooling system by maximizing heat exchange between air and the evaporator, resulting in more efficient cooling and reduced energy consumption while maintaining cost-effectiveness through standardization of components across different configurations.

Implementation Method 1

the cooling system includes an evaporator within the duct such that air passing through the duct passes over the evaporator to cool the air before being expelled back into the compartment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP3995764B1Climatization container
Publication Date: 2024.06.05 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC
  • EP3995764B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3995764B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3995764B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A climatization container (1) comprising a compartment (2) for storing products, a duct (11), a fan (12) configured to draw air from the compartment into the duct (11), a cooling system including an evaporator (14) located in the duct (11) and at least one air guide (18) located in the duct (11). The evaporator (14) is narrower than the duct (11) in a plane defined by a surface of the evaporator (14), the air guide (18) directing air drawn from the compartment (2) such that it passes over a surface of the evaporator (14).