Outdoor Unit Layout Using Vertical Control Box Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing outdoor air conditioning units face challenges in downsizing while maintaining heat exchange ability and ensuring adequate space for maintenance and replacement, as extending the heat exchanger reduces the opening portion space for the control box, compromising workability.
Innovation Solution
The outdoor unit design includes a heat exchanger facing four side surfaces, with the electric component unit arranged to cross over the ventilating member, reducing its footprint and allowing wider access for maintenance, and utilizing dead spaces for component placement without affecting air flow or heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heat exchanger is extended to face four side surfaces, then the heat exchange ability is enhanced, but the opening portion space for control box arrangement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The electric component unit is arranged in the vertical direction by extending it downward from the opening portion, utilizing the third dimension (depth/vertical space) rather than expanding horizontally. This allows the control box to be positioned both within the opening portion and extending below it, effectively using vertical space to accommodate the component without reducing the horizontal opening space needed for maintenance access.
2Area of stationary object
If the ratio of arrangement space of control box in opening portion is increased, then more space is available for control box, but workability of maintenance is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The control box is arranged to extend in the vertical direction downward from the opening portion, utilizing vertical space rather than horizontal space. This dimensional transition allows the control box to occupy space below the opening without blocking the horizontal access path needed for maintenance operations, thereby maintaining workability while increasing arrangement capacity.
3Volume of stationary object
If the outdoor unit is downsized, then the compactness is improved, but the heat exchange ability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The electric component unit is arranged vertically downward from the opening portion, utilizing the vertical dimension to accommodate components. This frees up horizontal space that can be reallocated to increase the heat exchanger surface area or improve airflow paths, thereby maintaining or enhancing heat exchange ability while reducing the overall unit footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The outdoor unit adopts an asymmetric layout where the electric component unit is positioned vertically downward on one side rather than symmetrically distributed. This asymmetric arrangement optimizes space utilization by concentrating non-heat exchange components in vertical space, allowing the heat exchanger to occupy maximum horizontal and lateral space for enhanced heat exchange capability in a compact configuration.
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 configuration allows for a compact unit with enhanced heat exchange ability and improved workability by minimizing the electric component unit's space in the opening portion, facilitating easier maintenance and replacement.
Implementation Method 1
a fan provided in an upper part of the outdoor unit main body, the fan blowing out air suctioned from side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body upward
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger accommodated in the outdoor unit main body
Data Source
AI summary
An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device includes an outdoor unit main body, a heat exchanger, a fan provided in an upper part of the outdoor unit main body, the fan blowing out the air taken in from a side surface of the outdoor unit main body upward, a ventilating member surrounding an outer circumference of the fan and forming a blow-out port, and an electric component unit accommodated in the outdoor unit main body and arranged in an opening portion between one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger, wherein the electric component unit is provided so as to cross over a lower end of the ventilating member in the up and down direction, and on the upper side than the lower end of the ventilating member, the electric component unit is arranged on the horizontally outer side than the ventilating member.