Outdoor unit for refrigeration device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing refrigeration apparatus heat exchangers suffer from reduced heat exchange efficiency due to wide interstices between distribution pipes and fins, which also lead to corrosion from moisture accumulation and salt damage, especially when made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.
Innovation Solution
The outdoor unit incorporates a heat exchanger with seal members made of closed-cell polymer foam that deform to close these interstices, reducing airflow bypass and preventing salt damage by surrounding the collection header pipes and fins with casing constituent members, thereby enhancing heat exchange efficiency and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the heat exchanger is manufactured with aluminum or aluminum alloy and flat heat transfer tubes, then the heat exchanger has good heat transfer performance and is cost-effective, but the interstices between distribution pipes and fins become wide causing airflow bypass and the components corrode easily due to salt damage
Solution Approach 1:
A seal member made of elastic material is introduced as an intermediary between the distribution pipe and the fin. This seal member fills the wide interstice and prevents airflow bypass, while also protecting the aluminum components from moisture and salt damage that would cause corrosion.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is made of elastic material that can deform to conform to the irregular gap between the distribution pipe and fin. This flexible sealing structure effectively closes the interstice without requiring precise manufacturing tolerances, preventing both airflow bypass and corrosion.
2Ease of manufacture
If the interstices between distribution pipes and fins are wide, then the heat exchanger structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but airflow bypass occurs reducing heat exchange efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member acts as an intermediary that compensates for the wide interstices created by simple manufacturing. Instead of requiring complex manufacturing processes to reduce gap size, the elastic seal member is inserted to fill the gap and prevent airflow bypass, maintaining heat exchange efficiency despite manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the sealing interface by introducing a deformable elastic material that can adapt to varying gap sizes. This allows the system to maintain effective sealing across different manufacturing tolerances without changing the fundamental manufacturing process.
3Productivity
If seal members are attached to close the interstices, then airflow bypass is prevented improving heat exchange efficiency, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is a simple elastic component that can be attached in various configurations (wrapping around the distribution pipe or attached to the fin). This flexible, simple structure effectively closes the interstice without requiring complex mechanical assemblies or multiple parts.
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 prevents airflow bypass and salt damage, improving heat exchange efficiency and extending the lifespan of the heat exchanger by maintaining a windless state around the heat exchanger components, while also being cost-effective and reducing corrosion risks.
Implementation Method 1
a seal member that is attached to the casing constituent members, is pressed against one of the collection header pipes and one of the fins in the periphery of the interstice facing the casing constituent member, becomes deformed, and closes the interstice
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger that has plural collection header pipes, plural fins that are disposed at a predetermined fin pitch between the plural collection header pipes, and plural heat transfer tubes that are inserted through the plural fins
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
To prevent the heat exchange efficiency of a heat exchanger from being lowered by interstices between collection header pipes and fins adjacent to the collection header pipes. Seal members (51, 52, 53, 54) are adhered to a blower chamber-side front panel (25), an air blocking plate (60), a machine chamber-side side panel (24), and a partition panel (28). The seal members (51, 52, 53, 54) are pressed by the blower chamber-side front panel (25), the air blocking plate (60), the machine chamber-side side panel (24), and the partition panel (28) against collection header pipes (34, 35) and heat transfer fins (32) in the environs of interstices (IS1, IS2) facing the blower chamber-side front panel (25), the air blocking plate (60), the machine chamber-side side panel (24), and the partition panel (28), become deformed, and close the interstices (IS1, IS2).