Kitchen Air Conditioner Return-Air Layout for Cooking Fume Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooking fumes easily enter air conditioning units in kitchens, leading to reduced service life due to inadequate filtering and frequent filter replacements.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning system with a first return air inlet located at the lower part of the indoor space and a second return air inlet at the upper part, equipped with a cooking fume detection device and an exhaust duct, which allows air to be exhausted outdoors when fumes are detected, preventing fumes from entering the unit and ensuring cleanliness and extended system lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter net is provided at the return air inlet to filter cooking fume, then the filtering effect is improved, but the filter net needs to be replaced frequently and the filtering effect remains poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the return air inlet into two separate inlets: a first return air inlet positioned in the lower part of the indoor space and a second return air inlet positioned in the upper part. This segmentation allows differentiated air intake strategies - the lower inlet draws clean air from below while the upper inlet handles cooking fume exhaust, eliminating the need for frequent filter replacements and maintaining consistent filtering effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a switch device as an intermediary mechanism that controls the connection between the return air inlet and the heat exchanger. This switch device enables selective routing of air flows, allowing the system to switch between drawing air from the lower inlet (avoiding cooking fume) and the upper inlet (when fume exhaust is needed), thereby protecting the heat exchanger from cooking fume contamination without requiring frequent filter maintenance.
2Device complexity
If the return air inlet is positioned in the upper part to match the indoor unit body location, then the air flow path is simplified, but cooking fume easily enters the air conditioner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the return air inlet function into two spatially separated inlets: the first return air inlet in the lower part and the second return air inlet in the upper part. This segmentation allows the system to draw return air from the lower region where cooking fume concentration is lower, while the upper inlet can be used for coordinated exhaust operations, thus reducing cooking fume contamination without significantly complicating the air flow path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vertical spatial dimension by positioning return air inlets at different heights (lower and upper parts of the indoor space). This dimensional approach exploits the natural stratification of air temperatures and cooking fume distribution in the vertical direction, allowing the lower inlet to access cleaner air while the upper inlet handles fume-laden air for exhaust, effectively separating clean air intake from fume exhaust paths.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a cooking fume filter system is provided at the return air inlet, then cooking fume filtering is attempted, but the filter net needs frequent replacement and filtering effect is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air handling function by providing separate return air inlets at different heights, with the primary return air inlet positioned in the lower part where cooking fume concentration is lower. This segmentation reduces the filtering burden on any single filter, extends filter service life, and maintains effective cooking fume removal by directing most return air through the lower inlet away from the heat exchanger.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cooking fume exhaust function from the general return air intake by providing a separate second return air inlet in the upper part specifically for fume exhaust coordination. This extraction allows the main return air path through the lower inlet to remain relatively free of cooking fume, reducing filter contamination and maintenance requirements while still enabling effective fume removal when needed.
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
Effectively prevents cooking fumes from entering the indoor unit body, maintaining cleanliness and prolonging the service life of the air conditioning system by strategically positioning return air inlets and utilizing an exhaust duct to remove fumes when detected.
Implementation Method 1
an airflow driving device, and the airflow driving device drives air in the indoor space to be exhausted to the outdoor space through the second return air inlet and the exhaust duct
Implementation Method 2
The indoor unit body includes a cavity and a heat exchanger provided in the cavity
Data Source
AI summary
Air conditioning system and a method for controlling same. The air conditioning system is configured to carry out air conditioning in indoor space, and includes an indoor unit body. The indoor unit body includes a cavity and a heat exchanger arranged inside the cavity. The air conditioning system further includes at least one return air inlet connecting the indoor space to the cavity. The at least one return air inlet includes a first return air inlet, and the first return air inlet is located at a lower portion of the indoor space.