Movable Air Conditioner Control Box Cooling Using Partitioned Air Flow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional movable air conditioners face inefficiencies in cooling heat generating devices within their control boxes, leading to potential overheating and malfunction due to unfiltered external air and resistance against air flow, which also affects the outdoor heat exchanger's performance.
Innovation Solution
A movable air conditioner design that includes a drain pan partitioning the accommodation space into upper and lower regions, with the control box mounted on the drain pan, allowing a portion of the heat sink to be exposed to both spaces, and utilizing an auxiliary cooling flow path to guide cooled air from the indoor heat exchanger to the heat sink for efficient cooling without additional cooling devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heat sink is disposed inside the suction flow path of the outdoor heat exchanger, then the heat sink can be cooled by air flow, but the heat sink and heat generating device act as resistance against air flow and raise the temperature of air flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the air flow paths into separate segments: one for cooling the heat sink (through the control box) and another for the outdoor heat exchanger. This segmentation allows each component to receive optimized air flow without interfering with the other, eliminating the resistance problem while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the control box with its own air intake and flow path) that mediates between the heat sink cooling requirement and the outdoor heat exchanger operation. This intermediary allows the heat sink to be cooled without directly obstructing the main air flow path of the outdoor heat exchanger.
2Temperature
If unfiltered external air is introduced to cool the heat generating device, then cooling is achieved, but moisture or foreign substances may adhere to the printed circuit board resulting in failure or malfunctioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a filter as an intermediary element in the air flow path that cools the heat generating device. The filter mediates between the need for cooling and the need to protect electronic components, allowing air to pass through while blocking moisture and foreign substances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful elements (moisture and foreign substances) from the air flow by using a filter, separating the cooling function from the contamination risk. This allows the air to cool the heat generating device without introducing harmful substances to the printed circuit board.
3Volume of moving object
If the control box is installed inside the movable air conditioner, then the air conditioner can be miniaturized, but the heat generating devices require efficient cooling which conflicts with space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function for the heat generating device with the existing air conditioning system by utilizing the cooled air from the indoor heat exchanger. This combination allows efficient cooling of the control box without requiring separate cooling equipment, thus maintaining compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the cooled air from the indoor heat exchanger serve multiple functions: it cools the indoor air and simultaneously cools the heat generating devices in the control box. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated cooling systems for the control box, enabling miniaturization.
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 cools the heat sink of the control box using air generated by the air conditioner, improving product reliability and performance while downsizing the overall unit by efficiently arranging components and utilizing cooled air for heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sink 215 is attached to emit heat generated in the heat generating device 212... the heat sink 215 may be cooled by an air flow
Implementation Method 2
an outdoor heat exchanger 1300... configured to heat or cool air which is suctioned from the outside
Implementation Method 3
an indoor heat exchanger 1500... configured to cool air which is introduced from the inside
Data Source
AI summary
A movable air conditioner provides a structure in which a drain pan is disposed above an outdoor heat exchange part disposed in a lower accommodation space, an indoor heat exchange part is disposed in an upper accommodation space above the drain pan, and a control box is mounted on the drain pan. A portion of the heat sink of the control box is exposed to the upper accommodation space, and another portion of the heat sink is exposed to the lower accommodation space.