Concealed upstream air tower guide vanes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerating appliances often experience temperature disparities, particularly in upper corners and perimeter areas, due to inefficient air distribution, leading to warmer spots and inconsistent cooling.
Innovation Solution
The integration of air-directing guide vanes within the air tower, positioned upstream of the cool-air slots, redirects cooled air in a laminar flow path towards upper corners, maintaining velocity and ensuring consistent temperature distribution by redistributing velocity profiles and minimizing energy loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooled air is delivered directly from the evaporator through the air channel, then the cooling system is simple, but temperature disparities occur in upper corners and perimeter areas
Solution Approach 1:
The air distribution system is segmented into multiple functional zones using guide vanes positioned at different locations within the air channel. These vanes divide the single air stream into multiple directed flows, each targeting specific areas (upper corners, perimeter regions, central areas) to eliminate temperature disparities without requiring multiple evaporators or complex ductwork
Solution Approach 2:
Guide vanes are introduced as intermediary components within the air channel to mediate the flow of cooled air. These vanes redirect and distribute the air stream to reach previously inaccessible areas (upper corners and perimeter regions) without adding complex external distribution systems, thus improving temperature consistency while maintaining system simplicity
2Temperature
If guide vanes are added to redirect air to upper corners, then temperature distribution improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vanes are integrated within the existing air channel structure, merging the air redirection function with the existing air delivery pathway. This combination allows the system to achieve improved temperature distribution while minimizing the addition of separate components, as the vanes utilize the already-present air flow path rather than requiring additional ducts or channels
Solution Approach 2:
The guide vanes perform multiple functions simultaneously: they redirect air flow direction, distribute air to multiple target areas, and maintain laminar flow characteristics. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, achieving improved temperature uniformity without proportionally increasing device complexity
3Productivity
If air velocity is increased to improve circulation, then cooling efficiency improves, but energy loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vanes are positioned upstream within the air channel to pre-direct the air flow before it exits into the refrigerating compartment. This preliminary organization of the air stream ensures efficient circulation patterns are established from the source, maximizing cooling efficiency while minimizing the energy required to maintain high velocity flows throughout the compartment
4Temperature
If air is directed toward upper corners, then temperature consistency improves, but flow path complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vanes utilize the vertical dimension within the air channel to redirect air flows toward upper corners and perimeter areas. By employing vertical positioning and angular orientation of the vanes, the system achieves three-dimensional air distribution without requiring complex horizontal ductwork or multiple delivery points, thus improving temperature consistency while maintaining relatively simple flow path configuration
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 configuration achieves greater temperature consistency throughout the refrigerating compartment by effectively directing cooled air to upper corners and perimeter areas, counteracting natural convection and reducing temperature extremes.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of air-directing guide vanes and the upper cool-air slot define a laminar flow of redirected air that is expelled from the upper cool-air slot
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerating appliance includes an evaporator for providing cooled air to a refrigerating compartment. An air tower defines an air channel for directing the cooled air from the evaporator to the refrigerating compartment. A plurality of air-directing guide vanes is positioned within the air tower and proximate a top of the air channel. The air directing guide vanes direct the cooled air from the air channel to define redirected air that is delivered in a direction toward an upper cool-air slot defined within the air tower. The redirected air from the air-directing guide vanes travels through the upper cool-air slot at substantially the same velocity as the cooled air entering the air-directing guide vanes. The redirected air is directed through the upper cool-air slot and toward at least one upper corner of the refrigerating compartment.