Outdoor Unit Base Layout for Defrost Water Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In air-conditioning apparatus outdoor units with heat exchangers on all four sides, there is no space for a control box, leading to potential immersion in defrost water and electric leakage, which existing configurations fail to address.
Innovation Solution
A housing configuration with a heat exchanger on the upper part and a control box on a base with a water drainage groove and hole, where the control box is positioned on the highest surface, preventing immersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a heat exchanger is disposed along all four side surfaces to increase heat-exchange capability, then heat-exchange capability is improved, but there is no space left for a control box that needs to be accessed from outside the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The control box is moved from a horizontal arrangement (side-by-side with heat exchanger) to a vertical arrangement (below the heat exchanger), utilizing the vertical dimension to resolve the space conflict. This allows the heat exchanger to occupy all four side surfaces while the control box is positioned in the lower portion of the housing, maintaining both heat-exchange capability and control box placement.
2Volume of stationary object
If a control box is disposed in a lower part of the housing to make space for heat exchanger on all sides, then space for heat exchanger is improved, but the control box becomes susceptible to immersion in defrost water causing electric leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The base is segmented into multiple surfaces at different heights, creating a stepped structure. The control box is placed on the first surface (highest), while the second surface (lower) and third surface (lowest) form a drainage path that directs defrost water away from the control box, preventing immersion while maintaining the lower position for space efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The water drainage groove and water drainage hole act as intermediary structures between the control box and the defrost water. The groove receives defrost water that flows down from the heat exchanger and channels it through the drainage hole to the outside, serving as a protective intermediary that prevents direct contact between water and the control box.
3Volume of stationary object
If a control box is disposed below a heat exchanger to optimize space utilization, then space utilization is improved, but countermeasures against water immersion are necessary increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The base serves multiple functions: it supports the control box on its first surface, provides a water drainage path through its stepped structure (second and third surfaces), and facilitates drainage of defrost water to the outside. This multi-functional design achieves water protection and space optimization without adding separate complex drainage systems.
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 effectively prevents the control box from being immersed in defrost water, reducing the risk of electric leakage and improving maintainability by ensuring efficient water drainage.
Implementation Method 1
defrost water molten by the defrosting operation flows down onto a base that constitutes a bottom surface of a housing
Data Source
AI summary
An outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus includes a housing, a heat exchanger provided in an upper part of an inside of the housing, and a control box disposed in the housing and configured to control the outdoor unit. The housing includes a base on which the control box is disposed and that is provided with a water drainage groove and a water drainage hole for draining defrost water generated on the heat exchanger to an outside, the base has three surfaces located at different heights that are, in order from top, a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface that is a bottom surface of the water drainage groove and is provided with the water drainage hole, and the control box is disposed on the first surface.