Fan Coil Unit with Perpendicular Fan Axis for Reduced Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Typical fan coil units in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems suffer from inefficient fan and heat exchanger usage due to conventional fan configurations, leading to suboptimal performance and increased thickness.
Innovation Solution
A fan coil unit design featuring a fan with a perpendicular axis of rotation, a cabinet with a separator dividing it into inlet and outlet portions, and varying cross-sectional areas to optimize airflow, allowing for a reduced thickness while improving performance by enhancing fan and heat exchanger utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional fan configuration is used in the cabinet, then the fan and heat exchanger can be installed, but the usage efficiency is poor and the thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan axis of rotation is positioned perpendicular to the general flow direction of the airflow, representing a dimensional reorientation from conventional parallel arrangements. This perpendicular configuration allows the fan to be integrated more compactly within the cabinet structure, improving space utilization and reducing overall cabinet thickness while maintaining effective airflow generation across the heat exchanger.
2Length of stationary object
If the cabinet thickness is reduced, then the unit becomes more compact, but the fan and heat exchanger usage efficiency may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cabinet is divided into distinct inlet and outlet portions by a separator, creating localized flow paths with optimized characteristics. The inlet portion has a cross-sectional area that decreases toward the fan to accelerate airflow, while the outlet portion has an area that increases to facilitate smooth discharge. This local optimization of flow characteristics ensures efficient fan and heat exchanger operation within the reduced thickness constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional area of the cabinet inlet portion decreases with decreasing distance from the airflow inlet to the fan, and the outlet portion area increases with increasing distance from the fan to the airflow outlet. These parameter variations optimize airflow velocity and pressure distribution, ensuring efficient heat exchanger utilization and fan performance within the compact thickness of 150-210mm.
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 design enhances airflow efficiency and heat exchanger utilization, achieving improved performance and reduced thickness compared to traditional fan coil units.
Implementation Method 1
A fan is located in the cabinet to urge the airflow through the cabinet
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger located in the cabinet, the heat exchanger conditioning the airflow
Data Source
AI summary
A fan coil unit includes a cabinet, a heat exchanger located in the cabinet, an airflow inlet to admit an airflow into the cabinet, and an airflow outlet to allow the airflow to exit the cabinet. A fan is located in the cabinet to urge the airflow through the cabinet. The fan has an axis of rotation perpendicular to a general flow direction of the airflow. A method of operating a fan coil unit includes flowing an airflow into a cabinet via an airflow inlet and through a fan. The fan is oriented such that a fan axis of rotation is perpendicular to a general flow direction of the airflow from the airflow inlet to an airflow outlet. The airflow is urged across a heat exchanger located in the cabinet, the heat exchanger conditioning the airflow and is output from the cabinet through the airflow outlet.