Fan and air conditioning unit comprising the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fan coil units are noisy and require significant space due to the placement of fans within temperature-controlled areas, complicating maintenance and installation, especially when installed in suspended ceilings.
Innovation Solution
A fan design with a radial airflow pattern achieved by operating within the stall region of the fan characteristic, allowing for a compact axial fan configuration without obstructions, and an air conditioning unit with a thermal element and fan placement optimized for reduced airflow velocity and pressure drop, enabling a low-profile, self-accessible design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the fan is placed within the temperature controlled space to achieve compact installation, then the space requirements are reduced, but the noise level increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan is extracted from the temperature-controlled space and relocated to the ceiling void or plenum space above. This separation removes the noise source from the occupied environment while maintaining the compact footprint of the air conditioning unit within the ceiling space.
2Volume of moving object
If the fan coil unit is installed in a suspended ceiling to reduce floor to floor heights, then the space efficiency is improved, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning unit is segmented into modular components including the fan assembly, thermal element, and housing. This modular design allows individual components to be accessed and replaced independently through service access panels in the ceiling, simplifying maintenance while maintaining compact installation.
Solution Approach 2:
Service access panels and maintenance ports are pre-configured in the ceiling installation to provide direct access to internal components. This preliminary arrangement of access pathways eliminates the need to remove ceiling tiles for routine maintenance while preserving the aesthetic and space-efficient suspended ceiling installation.
3Speed
If guide vanes and deflectors are added to redirect airflow, then the airflow direction control is improved, but the fan efficiency decreases due to obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow redirection is achieved by utilizing the three-dimensional geometry of the housing and internal passages rather than adding two-dimensional guide vanes or deflectors. The housing contours and passage configurations guide airflow in multiple dimensions, maintaining fan efficiency while achieving the required airflow direction control.
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 noise and space requirements, enhances heat transfer efficiency, and facilitates easier maintenance by allowing access without removing ceiling tiles, while maintaining airflow and pressure performance.
Implementation Method 1
the fan has a mode of operation and an arrangement such that, in use, the trajectory of the air flow through the air inlet is up to 360° in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the impeller, the trajectory of the air flow through the air outlet is up to 360° in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the impeller, and the air flow through the air flow passage turns generally 180°
Implementation Method 2
a thermal element is disposed within the airflow passage upstream of the fan
Data Source
AI summary
A fan includes a motor, an impeller and a stator. The fan defines an air flow passage between an air inlet and an air outlet. The fan has a mode of operation and an arrangement such that, in use, the trajectory of the air flow through the air inlet is up to 360° in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the impeller. The trajectory of the air flow through the air outlet is up to 360° in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the impeller, and the air flow through the air flow passage turns generally 180°. The fan has a mode of constant operation, and, in this mode, the operating point of the fan falls with the stall region of the fan characteristic.