Integrated Combustion Air Intake Silencer for Compact Vehicle Heaters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle heaters suffer from noise emissions due to the combustion air fan, and there is a need for a compact and efficient design that reduces noise without requiring additional parts outside the heater housing.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a combustion air intake silencer within the heater housing, designed as a one-piece component with the heater housing, which includes a muffler housing made of plastic material, and strategically arranged to provide a long flow path for sound damping, using sound-damping materials and a specific configuration of flow paths to minimize noise emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a separate combustion air intake silencer is added to reduce noise, then noise emissions are reduced, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The silencer is integrated into the heater housing as a single piece component, merging the silencer function with the existing housing structure. This eliminates the need for separate silencer parts and their associated mounting hardware, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining noise reduction functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The heater housing is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support, contains combustion components, and simultaneously acts as the silencer housing. This multi-functionality approach reduces the total number of components needed in the system
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a combustion air intake silencer is added to reduce noise, then noise emissions are reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The silencer housing is formed as an integral part of the heater housing, combining two manufacturing operations into one. This eliminates the need for separate silencer manufacturing and assembly operations, simplifying the overall manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The silencer housing is designed with specific geometric parameters (flow path length, cross-sectional area variations) that can be directly incorporated into the housing design specifications. These parameter changes are integrated into the existing housing design workflow rather than requiring separate silencer design and manufacturing
3Device complexity
If the silencer is integrated into the heater housing, then device complexity is reduced, but available space for sound damping material is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The silencer flow path is designed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the heater housing, utilizing the available length of the housing. This longitudinal extension provides sufficient flow path length for effective sound damping without requiring additional radial or lateral space
4Productivity
If the combustion air fan is positioned centrally to optimize heating air flow, then heating efficiency is improved, but noise control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The silencer flow path is divided into multiple sections with varying cross-sectional areas and flow directions. This segmentation allows the flow path to navigate around the centrally positioned combustion air fan while maintaining effective sound damping characteristics in each section
Solution Approach 2:
The silencer flow path utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the heater housing to create an extended flow path that circumvents the centrally positioned fan. By extending the flow path in the longitudinal direction rather than radially, the design maintains both central fan positioning and effective noise control
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 solution effectively suppresses noise emissions from the combustion air fan, achieving a compact and easy-to-manufacture design without additional parts, while ensuring efficient sound damping characteristics within the limited radial installation space.
Implementation Method 1
the combustion air intake silencer is arranged essentially in the heater housing and has a silencer housing which is designed in one piece with the heater housing
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
A vehicle heater comprises: - a heater housing (12) through which hot air to be heated can flow, with a hot air inlet area and a hot air outlet area, - a burner arrangement arranged in the heater housing, - a combustion air fan (46) arranged in the heater housing for conveying combustion air to the burner arrangement, - a Heat exchanger arrangement arranged in the heater housing (12) and around which the heating air flowing through the heater housing (12) can flow, wherein the combustion air blower (46) has a combustion air intake silencer (76) essentially arranged in the heater housing (12) with a silencer housing formed in one piece with the heater housing (12). (78) is assigned.