Oblique-Flow Air Circulator Housing for Directed Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air circulators and air cleaners face issues with air leakage and loss of flow energy due to increased pressure in the intake path, leading to air being dispersed without being discharged in a predetermined direction, resulting in reduced airflow efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an oblique-flow fan and a unique outer wall structure with a second outer wall that guides air flowing along the outside of the air circulator in a predetermined direction using the Coanda effect, minimizing flow energy loss and ensuring air is directed correctly, even with a reduced intake path area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the fan rotates to suction air through the inlet, then air is discharged in a predetermined direction, but air pressure in the intake path increases causing air to leak outside without being discharged
Solution Approach 1:
A guide vane is introduced as an intermediary component between the fan and the outlet. The guide vane has a guide surface that redirects airflow from the fan toward the outlet in a predetermined direction, preventing air leakage outside the device while maintaining discharge efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The guide vane changes the flow direction parameter of the air. By adjusting the angle and orientation of the guide surface, the airflow is redirected from a radial pattern to a directed stream toward the outlet, improving discharge efficiency without increasing energy loss
2Device complexity
If the intake path area is reduced, then the device structure is simplified, but air flow quantity is lost due to leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vane acts as a mediator that captures airflow that would otherwise escape outside the reduced intake path. By positioning the guide vane strategically, it intercepts and redirects this air into the discharge path, maintaining air flow quantity despite the simplified structure
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 effectively minimizes airflow loss and ensures that air is discharged in a predetermined direction, enhancing the efficiency of air circulators and air cleaners by utilizing an oblique-flow fan and a guided airflow path.
Implementation Method 1
a circulation fan (30) disposed in the housing to suction air through the first inlet (S1) and then discharge the air through the first outlet (S3) to a front of the housing
Implementation Method 2
a unique outer wall structure with a second outer wall that guides air flowing along the outside of the air circulator in a predetermined direction using the Coanda effect
Data Source
AI summary
An air circulator includes a housing having a first inlet and a first outlet, an oblique-flow fan disposed in the housing, and a motor rotating the oblique-flow fan. An outer wall of the housing includes a first outer wall extending in a front-rear direction and a second outer wall having the first inlet and extending from an edge of the first inlet towards the first outer wall to be enlarged in a radially outward direction. An outer surface of the second outer wall comprises a first surface that extends towards the first outer wall to be rounded outwards, and forms a surface continuous with an outer surface of the first outer wall, thus guiding air flowing along an outside of the first inlet so that the air flows forwards along the outer surface of the first outer wall.