Incubator Cooling Chamber Layout for Uniform Temperature and Low Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing incubators face issues with non-uniform temperature distribution and vibrations due to the presence of vibrating components like compressors in air conditioners, which affect cell cultures.
Innovation Solution
The incubator design includes a supply unit that introduces cooler air from a clean room to mix with warmer air from the thermostatic chamber, using multiple fans and a heater to ensure uniform temperature distribution without compressors, reducing vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a refrigerator with a compressor is used in the air conditioner to cool air, then the air can be cooled to the desired temperature, but vibrations are generated that affect cell cultures in the incubator
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful compressor component is completely removed from the system. Instead of using a refrigerator-based cooling system, the patent employs a cooling chamber that utilizes ambient air from a clean room environment to cool the circulating air, thereby eliminating vibrations while maintaining temperature control capability
Solution Approach 2:
Ambient air from the clean room serves as an intermediary cooling medium. This external air source acts as a mediator to transfer heat away from the incubator interior without requiring mechanical compression, thus achieving cooling without vibrations
2Temperature
If air is circulated between the thermostatic chamber and air-conditioning chamber to control temperature, then temperature regulation is achieved, but uniform temperature distribution is difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation system is segmented into multiple independent pathways with separate fans. The first fan circulates air within the thermostatic chamber while the second fan manages air flow in the air-conditioning chamber, allowing independent optimization of each zone's temperature distribution
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the incubator are provided with localized air circulation control. The segmentation of fan systems enables each chamber to be optimized independently, ensuring uniform temperature distribution in the thermostatic chamber while maintaining proper temperature gradients in the air-conditioning chamber
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
Achieves uniform temperature distribution and minimizes vibrations, ensuring stable temperature regulation and cleanliness for cell cultures.
Implementation Method 1
the second air supplied by the supply unit to the channel of the air-conditioning chamber, and the first air flowing through the channel is cooled to a desired temperature when mixed with the second air
Implementation Method 2
the upstream fan allows the first air in the thermostatic chamber to flow into the channel of the air-conditioning chamber, and the downstream fan allows the first air regulated to the desired temperature to flow from the air-conditioning chamber into the thermostatic chamber
Implementation Method 3
The air conditioner includes a heater that heats the first air
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present disclosure aims for uniform temperature distribution in a thermostatic chamber. An incubator 100 includes: a housing 1 which is divided into a thermostatic chamber 21 and an air-conditioning chamber 22 and allows first air to circulate between the thermostatic chamber 21 and the air-conditioning chamber 22; and an air conditioner 3 that regulates a temperature of the first air in the air-conditioning chamber 22. A channel 23 through which the first air flows is formed in the air-conditioning chamber 22. The air conditioner 3 includes: a supply unit 4 having a supply port 43 for supplying second air colder than the first air to the channel 23; an upstream fan 31 which is arranged upstream of the supply port 43 and allows the first air in the thermostatic chamber 21 to flow into the channel 23; and a downstream fan 32 which is arranged downstream of the supply port 43, mixes the second air with the first air, and allows the first air mixed with the second air to flow from the channel 23 into the thermostatic chamber 21.