Guide Sleeve Airflow Routing for Heat Exchanger Fan Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling devices with heat exchanger units and fans suffer from bypass flow and noise due to a radial gap between the fan and the heat exchanger, leading to inefficient cooling, increased power consumption, and adverse acoustics, especially when the vehicle is stationary.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a guide sleeve that closes the radial gap between the fan and heat exchanger, directing airflow through a designated subface while allowing airflow through an uncovered subface, minimizing backflow and enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a radial gap is formed between the fan and heat exchanger unit, then the fan can be positioned without direct contact, but bypass flow occurs reducing cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
A guide sleeve is introduced as an intermediary component between the fan and heat exchanger unit. The guide sleeve has a through-flow channel that directs airflow from the fan through the heat exchanger, preventing bypass flow through the radial gap while maintaining the beneficial positioning flexibility. The guide sleeve acts as a mediator that converts the radial gap configuration into an effective cooling flow path.
2Productivity
If a hood is used to enclose the fan and prevent bypass flow, then cooling efficiency improves, but the front face is covered preventing direct airflow when vehicle is moving
Solution Approach 1:
The front face of the heat exchanger unit is segmented into multiple subfaces. The guide sleeve is positioned to cover only the first subface where the fan is located, while the second subface remains exposed. This segmentation allows the system to benefit from bypass flow prevention at the fan interface while maintaining direct airflow capability through the exposed second subface during vehicle operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the fan is dimensioned larger to provide adequate cooling both with and without airflow, then cooling performance is maintained in all conditions, but costs, energy consumption, and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide sleeve enables a smaller fan to achieve adequate cooling performance by ensuring that all airflow generated by the fan passes through the heat exchanger unit. The guide sleeve mediates the airflow path, preventing loss of cooling effectiveness that would otherwise require a larger fan to compensate for.
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 guide sleeve effectively reduces backflow and noise, improving cooling performance and reducing energy consumption by ensuring efficient airflow through and through the guide sleeve airflow, airflow is directed efficiently, enhancing cooling performance and reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
forms a flow channel that leads from an air outlet of the fan to the first subface and fluidically connects the air outlet of the fan to the first subface and fluidically separates the same from the second subface
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger unit through which air can flow and a fan that is arranged on the heat exchanger unit so as to form a radial gap in order to generate an airflow through the heat exchanger unit, whereby the air is heated as it flows through the heat exchanger unit and the air dissipates heat from the heat exchanger unit
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling device with a heat exchanger through which air flows and at least one fan arranged on the heat exchanger, forming a radial gap for generating airflow through the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger having a front face through which air flows which points toward the fan and is covered in portions by the fan, so that the front face is divided into a first subface that is at least partially covered by the fan and a second subface that is free of the fan. The cooling device has a guide sleeve arranged between the heat exchanger and the fan so as to close the radial gap at least in portions, forms a flow channel leading from an air outlet of the fan to the first subface of the front face, fluidically connects the air outlet to the first subface, and fluidically separates the same from the second subface.