Perforated Air Discharge Plate for Low-Noise Comfort Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioners often result in unpleasant temperature sensations for users due to direct exposure to discharged air, and increasing blower fan RPM leads to noise and reduced cooling speed, while alternative radiation-based systems require larger panels and higher installation costs.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioner design featuring a housing with a heat exchanger, a discharging plate with multiple holes, and a separation member to control air discharge velocity and direction, allowing for different air discharge methods, including convection and radiation, to maintain user comfort without direct air exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the blower fan RPM is increased to maximize air velocity and cooling speed, then the cooling performance is improved, but the noise level increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling speedVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The air discharge function is segmented into multiple discharge plates with different hole configurations. Some discharge plates have larger holes for high-velocity direct cooling, while others have smaller holes for low-velocity radiation cooling. This allows the system to switch between cooling modes without increasing fan RPM, thereby reducing noise while maintaining cooling effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the blower fan RPM is increased to maximize air volume, then the cooling coverage is improved, but the user comfort deteriorates due to direct exposure to discharged air

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair volumeVSAvoiduser discomfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge system is divided into multiple discharge plates, each with different hole sizes and patterns. This segmentation enables the system to distribute cooled air through various pathways - some for direct cooling and others for radiation - allowing users to experience cooling without direct exposure to high-velocity air streams.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the discharge system have different properties: some discharge plates are designed with larger holes for high-velocity direct cooling in specific areas, while other regions use smaller holes for low-velocity radiation. This local differentiation allows the system to provide both direct and indirect cooling to different locations, improving overall user comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If radiation-based air conditioning is used instead of blower fan, then the noise is reduced, but the panel size must be increased which slows down cooling speed and increases installation costs

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovenoiseVSAvoidcooling speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges both direct convection cooling (through larger holes in discharge plates) and radiation cooling (through smaller holes) into a single integrated system. This combination allows the AC to achieve effective cooling with smaller panel sizes while maintaining low noise levels, avoiding the need for large panels required by pure radiation-based systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 air conditioner effectively discharges heat at various wind velocities, enhancing user satisfaction by controlling air discharge patterns to maintain pleasant temperatures and reduce noise and installation costs.

Implementation Method 1

a heat exchanger arranged inside the housing for exchanging heat with air flowing from the outside

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

a discharging plate arranged to have a plurality of discharging holes to discharge the heat exchanged air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

cooling through radiation using a cold air area formed in a neighboring section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadiation: Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP3183508B1Air conditioner
Publication Date: 2023.04.19 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3183508B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3183508B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3183508B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a housing, a heat exchanger arranged to exchange heat with air flowing into the housing, a blower fan arranged inside the housing for discharging air that has exchanged heat with the heat exchanger to the outside and a discharging plate having an opening formed to discharge air blown from the blower fan out of the housing, and a plurality of discharging holes formed to discharge air to surroundings of the opening, wherein the discharging plate is arranged to discharge the air that has exchanged heat by the heat exchanger out of the housing, and wherein the discharging plate is made of metal. By such configuration, air conditioner increase user satisfaction.