Control box, and outdoor unit of air conditioner comprising same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioners, particularly water-cooled units, face challenges in heat dissipation within sealed spaces, leading to potential malfunction and shortened lifetimes of electrical components due to inadequate heat management.
Innovation Solution
A control box equipped with both a refrigerant cooling device and an air cooling device, featuring a heat dissipating plate that directly contacts electrical components and a refrigerant pipe for efficient heat transfer, along with a circulation fan for air circulation, optimizes heat dissipation by combining refrigerant and air cooling methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a control box is installed in a sealed space like the water-cooled heat exchanger, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but electrical components may not perform their own functions or their lifetimes are shortened due to self-heating
Solution Approach 1:
The control box is segmented into multiple independent cooling zones: a refrigerant cooling device with heat dissipating plates contacting electrical components, and a separate air cooling device with circulation fans. This segmentation allows targeted cooling of heat-generating components while maintaining the sealed space structure, resolving the contradiction between heat exchange efficiency and electrical component reliability
Solution Approach 2:
Heat dissipating plates serve as intermediary elements between electrical components and the refrigerant cooling system. These plates conduct heat away from electrical components to the refrigerant, preventing direct thermal accumulation while maintaining the sealed environment, thus preserving both heat exchange efficiency and component reliability
2Temperature
If only a refrigerant cooling device is used, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant cooling device and air cooling device are merged into a single integrated cooling system within the control box. Both systems share the same sealed space and work complementarily - the refrigerant system handles high-heat components while the air cooling system manages general ambient temperature, reducing overall system complexity compared to separate independent systems
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed with multi-functionality: the refrigerant cooling device handles point-source heat from electrical components, the air cooling device manages overall thermal environment, and both systems operate within the same sealed enclosure. This universal approach achieves high heat dissipation efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity
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
Effectively dissipates heat from electrical components, ensuring reliable operation and extending their lifespan by optimizing the cooling process within the control box.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant cooling device which is attached to one side of the case, contacts the electrical component, and dissipates the heat to the outside
Implementation Method 2
an air cooling device attached to one side of the case and including a circulation fan which forcibly circulates internal air of the case
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a control box and to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner comprising the same; the control box using a refrigerant cooling device and an air cooling device so as to radiate heat efficiently. The control box comprises: a case; a heat-radiating electronic component located inside the case; a refrigerant cooling device which is attached to one side of the case and makes contact with the electronic component so as to radiate heat to the outside; and an air cooling device which is attached to one side of the case and has a circulation fan for forcible circulating the air inside the case. Because the present invention is provided both with the refrigerant cooling device and the air cooling device, the electronic component inside the control box can radiate heat efficiently.