Cooling Compressor Anti-Flame Protection for Electrical Connections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling compressor protective covers fail to prevent fire propagation and flame spread around electrical connections, posing a safety risk due to the presence of flammable coolant fluids and potential sparks within the protective covers.

Innovation Solution

A cooling compressor with an anti-flame body made of thermoplastic or heat shrinkable polymer material that seals the electrical connections chamber, preventing oxygen entry and coolant fluid leakage, and is designed to coat the protective cover to create a hermetic environment, thereby extinguishing any internal flames and preventing further flame propagation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protective cover is used to house electrical connections, then protection against impacts, humidity and dirt is improved, but fire prevention and flame propagation control are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against impacts, humidity and dirtVSAvoidfire prevention and flame propagation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protective cover is made from a composite material structure consisting of an inner fire-retardant material layer and an outer protective cover layer. This composite structure combines the fire-resistant properties of the inner layer with the protective functions (impact, humidity, dirt resistance) of the outer layer, thereby resolving the contradiction between physical protection and fire prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If coolant fluid quantity is increased to meet cooling capacity demand, then cooling performance is improved, but flammability risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling capacityVSAvoidflammability risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and isolates the coolant fluid from the electrical connections chamber by providing a sealed protective cover with fire-retardant properties. This separation removes the harmful interaction between flammable coolant and potential ignition sources, allowing increased coolant quantity for higher cooling capacity without proportionally increasing fire risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The fire-retardant inner layer of the protective cover creates an inert or low-oxygen environment within the electrical connections chamber, preventing combustion even when flammable coolant is present in increased quantities. This inert barrier allows the system to achieve higher cooling capacities without proportional increases in flammability risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Reliability

If a sealed protective cover is provided, then protection against environmental factors is improved, but oxygen is trapped inside creating fire hazard

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against environmental factorsVSAvoidoxygen trapping and fire hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protective cover employs local quality differentiation with an inner layer specifically designed for fire retardation and an outer layer optimized for environmental protection. The inner fire-retardant layer prevents oxygen from supporting combustion, while the outer layer provides the seal against humidity and dirt, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing and oxygen management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The solution effectively mitigates the risk of fire by creating a sealed environment that extinguishes internal flames and prevents coolant fluid leakage, ensuring user safety and compliance with environmental regulations by reducing flammability.

Implementation Method 1

preventing oxygen entry and coolant fluid leakage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxygen deprivation:

Implementation Method 2

creating a sealed environment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHermetic sealing:

Data Source

PatentUS10502202B1Cooling compressor comprising protection arrangement for electrical connections

Publication Date: 2019.12.10 NIDEC GLOBAL APPLIANCE BRASIL LTDA

AI summary

The present invention pertains to the technological field of cooling compressors and, more specifically, relates to an anti-flame protection arrangement for the electrical connections of said cooling compressor. Problem to be solved: Ensure end-user safety of the compressor through a simple and inexpensive solution and preventing the maintenance and/or propagation of flames/fire in the region of the chamber defined by the protective cover of the electrical connections external to the compressor housing. Problem resolution: Accordingly, it is provided a cooling compressor including a protection arrangement for electrical connections integrated by a protective cover defining an electrical connections chamber external to the housing, the protective cover being physically associated with an anti-flame body, which defines a sealing portion, preferably making the electrical connections chamber hermetic in relation to an external environment.