Indoor Unit Slat Control for Wide Cooling Air Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioner indoor units struggle to distribute cooled air evenly across indoor spaces during high cooling loads, leading to temperature variations due to gravity-induced airflow primarily downward from outlet openings, which limits the effectiveness of wind direction adjusting slats in shifting airflow patterns.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner indoor unit with a controller that adjusts the wind direction adjusting slats to shift airflow in a limited range with a smaller lowermost angle relative to the horizontal plane, and optionally uses air current blocking mechanisms and fan control to distribute air more widely across the space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the wind direction adjusting slat is swung to shift air direction upward and downward within the normal possible range, then the air impelling performance is improved, but the air flows downward due to gravitation and is hardly distributed over the indoor space during high cooling load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the lower limit of the wind direction adjusting slat's swing angle variable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the lower limit angle based on operational conditions (higher during high cooling load when horizontal distribution is needed, lower during normal operation when downward airflow is acceptable). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize air distribution patterns according to real-time requirements, resolving the contradiction between maintaining air impelling performance and achieving proper air distribution.
2Ease of operation
If the wind direction adjusting slat swings in a limited possible range with smaller lowermost angle, then the air is distributed over the indoor space to widely cool, but the swing range is restricted compared to normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the swing angle parameters of the wind direction adjusting slat based on operational conditions. During high cooling load, the control unit sets a higher lower limit angle (e.g., 0 degrees or positive angle) to prevent downward airflow and promote horizontal distribution. During normal operation, the lower limit angle is set lower (e.g., -30 degrees or below) to maximize air impelling performance. This parameter adjustment strategy allows the system to adapt the swing range to specific operational requirements, resolving the contradiction between air distribution effectiveness and wind direction adjustment versatility.
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 solution reduces temperature variations and load distribution issues by ensuring airflow is directed more horizontally and widely across the indoor space, even during high cooling loads, enhancing cooling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the (cooled) air blown out of the outlet opening of the indoor unit in the cooling operation tends to flow downward of the outlet opening by gravitation
Data Source
AI summary
If a load of an indoor space is higher than a predetermined value in a cooling operation, a controller performs a swing control operation to swing a wind direction adjusting slat so that a direction of blown air shifts in a limited possible range. The angle of a lowermost wind direction relative to a horizontal plane in the limited possible range is smaller than the angle of a lowermost wind direction relative to the horizontal plane in the normal possible range. The normal possible range is previously determined to be a range where if the load of the indoor space is lower than the predetermined value, the direction of the blown air can shift upward and downward.