Heat exchanging ventilator
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing heat exchanging ventilators face issues with water leakage when installed upside down, as the drain pan is not effectively utilized, leading to water accumulation and potential damage, especially when installed under the floor for maintenance purposes.
Innovation Solution
The heat exchanging ventilator features a housing configuration with an inner housing that is integrally molded in a box shape with one open face, where the drain pan is positioned near the open face, allowing water retention in either installation orientation, preventing leakage whether installed on the ceiling or under the floor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the heat exchanging ventilator is installed upside down under the floor for easier maintenance, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but water leakage occurs because the drain pan cannot retain water properly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by allowing the ventilator to be installed in either orientation (ceiling or floor). The drain pan is designed with a specific structure that enables it to retain water effectively regardless of whether the ventilator is installed right-side up or upside down, thus resolving the contradiction between maintenance accessibility and water leakage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain pan is designed to perform its water retention function universally in both installation orientations. By positioning the drain pan near the open face of the inner housing and designing it with appropriate depth and configuration, it can effectively collect and retain water whether the open face is oriented upward or downward, making the system adaptable to both ceiling and floor installations.
2Reliability
If the drain pan is positioned at the lower portion of the housing for ceiling installation, then water retention is effective, but maintenance becomes difficult when installed on the ceiling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by enabling the entire housing assembly to be installed in either orientation. When installed on the ceiling, the drain pan positioned near the open face effectively retains water. When installed on the floor, the same configuration allows easy maintenance accessibility, thus inverting the traditional installation paradigm to satisfy both water retention and maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides dynamic adaptability by allowing the ventilator to function effectively in two different installation configurations. The drain pan's position relative to the open face ensures water retention in both orientations, while the overall design accommodates both ceiling and floor installation scenarios, making the system flexible rather than fixed to a single orientation.
3Reliability
If the heat exchanging ventilator is installed on the ceiling for proper drainage, then water leakage is prevented, but maintenance requires unstable positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by flipping the traditional installation paradigm. Instead of requiring ceiling installation for proper drainage, the design allows floor installation with the same effective water retention capability. This inversion enables maintenance to be performed in a stable position on the floor while maintaining reliable water leakage prevention through the strategically positioned drain pan.
4Ease of manufacture
If the housing is assembled from multiple separate parts, then manufacturing and assembly are easier, but water leakage may occur through gaps between parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating the drain pan and inner housing into a unified structure where the drain pan is positioned near the open face of the integrally molded inner housing. This combination reduces the number of separate parts and potential leakage gaps while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular assembly of the integrated unit with the outer housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies nesting by placing the drain pan inside the inner housing structure, with the drain pan nested within the space defined by the open-faced inner housing. This nested configuration ensures that water is contained within the inner housing and retained by the drain pan, eliminating leakage paths through gaps between separate components while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
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 ensures that water from dew condensation is retained within the inner housing or drain pan, preventing leakage and maintaining the integrity of the system regardless of installation orientation, thus protecting the building from water damage.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanging ventilator also performs heat exchange between the outdoor air (supplied air) flowing through the air supply path and the indoor air (discharge air) flowing through the discharge path using a heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
water caused when either the outdoor air or the indoor air is cooled by the other
Implementation Method 3
the drain pan which is disposed near the open face of the inner housing... water caused by dew condensation inside the housing may be retained in any one of the inner housing and the drain pan
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In a configuration of a heat exchanging ventilator in which an air supply fan, an discharge fan, and a heat exchanger are disposed inside a housing and which performs ventilation while exchanging heat using the heat exchanger between outdoor air suctioned into the housing by the air supply fan and indoor air suctioned into the housing by the air discharge fan and is capable of accumulating water caused by dew condensation inside the housing, the housing is configured by using an inner housing which is integrally molded in a box shape with one open face and a drain pan which is disposed at the open face of the inner housing. This prevents the water from leaking when the heat exchanging ventilator is installed whichever of the ceiling and the floor of a room.