Edge-Free Blower Cooling Interface for Acoustic Noise Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling air interfaces in HVAC units for motor vehicles often disrupt the main airflow due to their geometry, leading to negative acoustic effects and allowing dirt and moisture to penetrate, while failing to ensure consistent air supply under varying conditions.
Innovation Solution
A cooling air interface with a curved, spiral-shaped cooling air channel that eliminates edges and corners, using rounded surfaces to minimize disruption to the main airflow and incorporate a rib for water retention, optimizing air flow and adjusting the share of cooling air diverted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If straight edges or corners are used in the cooling air interface geometry, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but acoustic disturbances and tonal effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling air interface is designed with curved surfaces instead of straight edges or corners. The interface includes a curved transition region that smoothly connects the cooling air passage to the main air flow path, eliminating abrupt geometric discontinuities that cause tonal effects and acoustic disturbances.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a curved cooling air channel is used to reduce acoustic disturbances, then acoustic performance improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The curvature is applied locally only at the cooling air interface where it is most needed to reduce acoustic disturbances, while other parts of the housing may maintain simpler geometries. This localized application of curvature minimizes the overall manufacturing complexity while achieving the acoustic benefit.
3Quantity of substance
If the cooling air interface is inserted into the main air flow, then cooling air can be diverted, but flow disturbances and tonal effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling air interface employs curved surfaces and a smooth transition region that gradually divert cooling air from the main flow without creating abrupt interruptions. This curved geometry reduces flow separation and minimizes the generation of harmful flow disturbances and tonal effects while maintaining adequate cooling air quantity.
4Device complexity
If edges and corners are present in the cooling air channel, then the channel structure is simpler, but dirt and moisture penetration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling air channel is designed with curved surfaces throughout, eliminating edges and corners where dirt and moisture could accumulate or penetrate. The smooth curved geometry prevents stagnation zones and makes the channel easier to clean, reducing contamination risks.
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 reduces acoustic disturbances, prevents dirt and moisture ingress, and ensures consistent cooling air supply by smoothing airflow and optimizing the diversion of cooling air, maintaining acoustic performance and preventing contamination.
Implementation Method 1
Wall areas of the main air flow path adjoining the intake opening, which—in relation to the direction of the main air flow—are located upstream and downstream of the intake opening, continue up to the adjoining intake opening and into the cooling air channel, transitioning into cooling air channel walls of the cooling air channel disposed opposite one another, in the form of rounded surfaces without corners or edges.
Implementation Method 2
In one embodiment, the cooling air channel empties into a cooling air passage, wherein, in the cooling air passage, a rib for holding back water is provided downstream of the emptying point of the cooling air channel but upstream of the cooling air exit opening, with respect to the flow direction of the cold air.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling air interface in a fan housing provided for diverting an amount of cooling air to cool a fan motor from a main air flow on a compression side of the fan, and delivering the cooling air to the fan motor to be cooled. The interface including a cooling air channel with an intake opening emptying into a cooling air passage having a cooling air exit opening where the cooling air is brought to the fan motor. Wall sections of the main air flow path that adjoin the intake opening, which in relation to the direction of the main air flow, are located upstream and downstream of the intake opening, extend up to the adjoining intake opening and into the cooling air channel, transitioning into the cooling air channel walls situated opposite one another in the form of rounded surfaces without corners and edges.