Portable air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable air-conditioners are large, hard to handle, noisy, and inefficient due to limitations in air flow rates and heat exchanger design, which affect the performance and comfort of the cooling system.
Innovation Solution
A portable air-conditioner design featuring a cylindrical shape with a conical element to enhance airflow, a three-row cylindrical condenser with specific pipe arrangements, and a radial fan with sealing elements to improve air distribution and reduce pressure drops, along with an air diffuser for efficient air flow and temperature distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a portable air-conditioner uses a compact design with limited air flow rates, then the device size is reduced and ease of handling is improved, but the cooling performance and heat exchange efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The condenser is divided into three rows with different functions: first row for heat exchange, second row for additional heat exchange, and third row for air flow guidance. This segmentation allows efficient heat rejection in a compact space by optimizing the use of each row's surface area and air flow characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional flat condenser design to a three-dimensional cylindrical condenser with radial air flow. The radial configuration allows air to flow perpendicular to the compressor axis, maximizing heat exchange surface area utilization and improving cooling efficiency within a compact volume.
2Productivity
If the air flow rate is increased to improve cooling capacity, then the cooling performance is enhanced, but the noise level increases due to higher pressure drops in small diameter hoses
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical condenser design with radial air flow patterns reduces turbulence and pressure drops compared to linear flow through small hoses. The curved, radial flow path allows air to move more smoothly across the heat exchange surfaces, enabling higher cooling capacity with lower noise levels.
3Device complexity
If a single duct system is used to simplify the air exhaust design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the heat rejection efficiency is insufficient compared to dual duct systems
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the condenser are optimized for different functions: the first row handles primary heat exchange with ambient air, the second row provides additional heat exchange capacity, and the third row is specifically designed for air flow guidance and exhaust. This local optimization allows a single duct system to achieve heat rejection efficiency comparable to dual duct 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
The design enhances airflow, reduces noise, and increases cooling capacity while minimizing energy consumption, resulting in improved system performance and user comfort with higher energy efficiency ratios.
Implementation Method 1
the system takes air from its surroundings (conditioned space), forcing it to pass through the condenser surface and eventually removing the residual energy from it
Implementation Method 2
the evaporator and its fan are the components of the system that interact directly with the conditioned space, since it is through those components that the system provides the cooling capacity to the indoors area
Data Source
AI summary
A portable air-conditioner includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator located inside a housing. The air-conditioner further includes an element, such as an electronic box, located in the air-flow path inside the portable air-conditioner between the evaporator to an axial fan. The element can be wider at its lower section than at its upper section to enhance an upwards air-flow in the air conditioner.