Air Compressor Intake Noise Reduction via Partitioned Flow Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air compressors for fuel cell vehicles face challenges with noise reduction due to intake pulsation noise, requiring large installation spaces and generating radiation noise, especially when components need to be spaced apart in limited vehicle layouts.
Innovation Solution
The air compressor design incorporates a curved connecting portion with a partition wall that divides the flow passage into two chambers with different path lengths, causing interference and canceling out intake pulsation noise, and also increases the rigidity of the connecting portion to reduce radiation noise, eliminating the need for additional sound absorbers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a plenum chamber is connected to the intake side of the compressor to reduce intake pulsation noise, then noise reduction is achieved, but installation space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the noise reduction function directly into the connecting portion structure by forming first and second chambers within the connecting portion itself, rather than adding a separate plenum chamber. This merging of functions reduces the overall installation space while maintaining the noise reduction effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The first and second chambers are nested within the connecting portion structure, with the partition wall creating internal chambers that would otherwise be empty space. This nesting approach allows the noise reduction functionality to be embedded within the existing structural volume.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the compressor and plenum chamber are spaced away from each other due to limited layout space, then installation flexibility is improved, but radiation noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting portion is designed as an integrated rigid structure that combines the connection function with noise reduction chambers, eliminating the need for separate plenum chamber installation and reducing radiation noise from connecting tubes.
3Ease of operation
If a rubber tube is used to connect the air cleaner to the compressor intake side, then installation ease is improved, but radiation noise increases due to low rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the flexible rubber tube with a rigid connecting portion structure that is integrated into the compressor housing, eliminating the need for separate flexible connections while reducing radiation noise.
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 effectively reduces noise levels, particularly in the high-frequency range, without increasing the compressor's size, thus requiring less installation space and avoiding potential issues with foreign matter ingress, while maintaining efficient compression performance.
Implementation Method 1
the partition wall 54 divides the flow passage into a first chamber 51 and a second chamber 52... causing interference and canceling out intake pulsation noise
Data Source
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AI summary
An air compressor includes a compression mechanism (10) for compressing intake air and discharging the compressed air, and an intake chamber portion (50) through which intake air is introduced into the compression mechanism (10). The intake chamber portion (50) has an inlet (50A) of intake air and an outlet (50B) connected to the compression mechanism (10). The intake chamber portion (50) is integrated with the compression mechanism (10). The intake chamber portion (50) has therein a partition wall (54) extending in the direction from the inlet toward the outlet (50B) to form plural flow passages (51,52) in the intake chamber portion (50). The plural flow passages (51,52) have different flow path lengths and connect between the inlet (50A) and the outlet (50B).