Outdoor Unit Discharge Grille Layout for Quiet Upward Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional outdoor air conditioner units face issues with noise increase and decreased cooling efficiency when attempting to direct hot air discharge upward, and they struggle with space efficiency when installed in parallel configurations.
Innovation Solution
The outdoor unit design features a top discharge grille and a side discharge grille, both obliquely positioned to facilitate upward and sideward air discharge, respectively, with a blower fan and orifice member configuration that ensures efficient air flow and noise reduction by guiding air through eccentrically positioned components with curved surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a separate wind direction guide is mounted to direct hot air upward, then pedestrians are protected from hot air, but noise increases and cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge grille is integrated directly into the case structure, merging the discharge function with the housing. The oblique discharge ports are formed as part of the case itself rather than as a separate attached component, eliminating the need for additional wind direction guides that would increase noise and reduce efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge grille directs air in multiple dimensions - both upward and sideways - rather than solely upward. This multi-directional discharge approach achieves pedestrian protection while maintaining better airflow characteristics and reducing noise compared to vertical-only discharge.
2Device complexity
If air is discharged through the front surface of the outdoor unit, then the structure is simple, but hot air directly affects pedestrians
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge grille is positioned on the upper surface of the case with oblique discharge ports that direct air both upward and sideways. This three-dimensional discharge configuration protects pedestrians from hot air while maintaining relatively simple integration into the case structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the outdoor unit is disposed at a pedestrian path, then installation location is flexible, but hot air discharge affects pedestrians
Solution Approach 1:
The oblique discharge ports on the upper surface direct hot air upward and sideways, creating a discharge pattern that avoids pedestrian areas regardless of the unit's horizontal placement. This maintains installation flexibility while protecting pedestrians.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge function is segmented into multiple oblique ports distributed across the upper surface, allowing air to be discharged in various directions (upward and sideways) rather than through a single directional outlet, thus adapting to different installation contexts while protecting pedestrians.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If suction grilles are formed at front and rear surfaces for upward air discharge, then pedestrians are protected, but space utilization is poor when units are installed in parallel
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge function is localized to the upper surface with oblique ports specifically positioned to direct air upward and sideways. This localized discharge configuration protects pedestrians while minimizing the horizontal space required, allowing better parallel installation compared to front-and-rear suction configurations.
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 design enhances heat exchange efficiency, reduces noise, and allows for flexible installation of units in parallel without space constraints, ensuring discharged air does not affect pedestrians and maintains efficient air flow.
Implementation Method 1
a blower fan for a forcible flow of air
Implementation Method 2
an outdoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat with outdoor air
Implementation Method 3
air suctioned through the suction grille by an operation of the blower fan is heat-exchanged with refrigerant while passing through the outdoor heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
air suctioned through the suction grille by an operation of the blower fan is heat-exchanged with refrigerant while passing through the outdoor heat exchanger
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the outdoor unit including a case forming a front surface and a rear surface and an exterior of a circumferential surface between the front surface and the rear surface and divided into a mechanical room and a heat exchange space by a barrier, a blower fan disposed in the heat exchange space to suction in air in the axial direction and discharge in the circumferential direction, an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in the heat exchange space to allow a heat exchange to occur between air suctioned through the rear surface of the case and refrigerant, an orifice member disposed to divide the blower fan and the outdoor heat exchanger and guide the air that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger toward the blower fan, and discharge grilles formed at a portion of the circumferential surface of the case including an upper surface of the case and having a plurality of outlets to allow the heat-exchanged air to be discharged in the circumferential direction.