Excavator Cab Air Intake Layout for Dust-Filtered Cooling Air
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioner units in construction machines like hydraulic excavators face inefficiencies in supplying outside air due to the placement of air inlet ports relative to the cooling air flow, leading to reduced air supply and potential dust intrusion.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner unit is configured with an outside air inlet port located within the heat exchanger chamber, positioned to receive cooling air flowing upstream, ensuring efficient air supply and dust filtration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the outside air inlet port is positioned away from the cooling air flow path, then dust intrusion is reduced, but air supply efficiency to the air conditioner unit deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specific zone within the heat exchanger chamber where the outside air inlet port is positioned to receive cooling air directly from the cooling fan. This localized positioning ensures that the inlet port is in the optimal location to capture high-velocity cooling air while remaining within a region where dust concentration is相对较低 compared to the direct cooling air path, thus resolving the contradiction between air supply efficiency and dust intrusion reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger chamber serves as an intermediary space that mediates between the cooling air flow and the outside air inlet port. By positioning the inlet port within this chamber, the system uses the chamber as a buffer zone that allows efficient air intake while providing some separation from the direct cooling air path, thereby reducing dust intrusion while maintaining air supply efficiency.
2Device complexity
If the outside air inlet port opens perpendicular to cooling air flow, then structural simplicity is maintained, but air introduction is interrupted by cooling air flow
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of opening the outside air inlet port perpendicular to the cooling air flow as in conventional designs, the patent inverts the approach by positioning the port to open in the same direction as the cooling air flow (upstream direction). This inversion allows the cooling air flow to directly enter the inlet port without interruption, significantly improving outside air introduction efficiency while the duct configuration remains relatively simple.
3Volume of moving object
If the air conditioner unit is located in narrow space below cab, then compactness is achieved, but air supply from cooling fan becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air supply function with the existing cooling air flow system by positioning the outside air inlet port within the heat exchanger chamber where cooling air naturally flows. This integration allows the air conditioner unit in the narrow space to efficiently receive cooling air without requiring separate air supply paths, thus maintaining compactness while improving air supply efficiency.
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 enables efficient introduction of outside air to the air conditioner unit, reducing dust intrusion and extending the life of dust filters, while maintaining effective cooling and heating performance.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling fan (8A) that generates cooling air
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger (21) that cools fluid by the cooling air supplied from the cooling fan (8A)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A hydraulic excavator (1) includes a cooling fan (8A), a heat exchanger (21) to which cooling air from the cooling fan (8A) is supplied, an air conditioner unit (24) provided inside a cab (10), and an outside air introducing duct (25) for introducing outside air to the air conditioner unit (24). An outside air inlet port (25B) of the outside air introducing duct (25) opens toward the upstream side of the flow of the cooling air inside a heat exchanger chamber (23) into which the cooling air to be supplied to the heat exchanger (21) flows.