Electrical appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hot-air devices, such as hair dryers and hot-air guns, have low efficiency due to dissipative heating by resistance heating elements, resulting in high power requirements.
Innovation Solution
An electrical device with a Peltier element that generates a temperature difference between two areas, allowing thermal energy to be transferred from one area to another, eliminating the need for dissipation heating, and using a blower to direct air flows past the heating element to create temperature-controlled air flows without resistance heating elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a resistance heating element is used to heat air, then the air temperature can be increased, but the power consumption increases and energy efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the resistance heating element (electrical heating system) with a heat pump system that uses mechanical work to transfer thermal energy. The heat pump uses a compressor, expansion device, and heat exchangers to move heat from the surrounding air to the output air stream, substituting dissipative electrical heating with a mechanical heat transfer system that is inherently more energy-efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a heat pump as an intermediary system between the power source and the air heating process. Instead of directly converting electrical energy to heat through resistance, the heat pump acts as a mediator that extracts thermal energy from the environment and transfers it to the air stream, reducing direct electrical-to-thermal conversion losses.
2Temperature
If a resistance heating element is used to heat air, then the air temperature can be increased, but the energy efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the resistance heating element (electrical heating system) with a heat pump system that uses mechanical work to transfer thermal energy. The heat pump uses a compressor, expansion device, and heat exchangers to move heat from the surrounding air to the output air stream, substituting dissipative electrical heating with a mechanical heat transfer system that is inherently more energy-efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pump system recovers thermal energy that would otherwise be lost to the environment. By extracting heat from the surrounding air and transferring it to the output stream, the system recovers ambient thermal energy that would naturally dissipate, thereby reducing overall energy loss and improving efficiency.
3Use of energy by moving object
If thermal energy is extracted from one area and transferred to another area, then energy efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pump system performs multiple functions: it heats the output air stream, cools the surrounding environment, and can potentially provide both heated and cooled air streams simultaneously. This multi-functionality justifies the increased complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single integrated system rather than requiring separate heating and cooling devices.
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 approach enhances energy efficiency, allowing the device to operate with a rechargeable battery and reducing power consumption, while maintaining or increasing temperature levels, thus improving the energy efficiency of hot and cold air generation.
Implementation Method 1
An electrical device with a Peltier element that generates a temperature difference between two areas
Implementation Method 2
using a blower to direct air flows past the heating element to create temperature-controlled air flows
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
An electrical device (1) for generating a temperature-controlled airflow with high energy efficiency is described. The electrical device (1) comprises an electrically operated heating element (2), a fan (4), and an air duct (3). The heating element (2) is configured to extract thermal energy from a first area (T1) on a side of the heating element (2) facing away from the air duct (3) and to supply heat to a second area (T2) on a side of the heating element (2) facing the air duct (3). The fan (4) is configured to generate an airflow (5) in the air duct (3) along the side of the heating element (2) facing the air duct (3).