Hand-Portable Drying Apparatus with Parallel Ducts and Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing room drying apparatuses are bulky, heavy, and unsuitable for confined spaces or single-person operation, and they struggle with achieving required temperatures in rooms with limited electrical power or large size.
Innovation Solution
A hand-portable drying apparatus with parallel airflow ducts, a butterfly or flap valve system for recirculation and exhaust modes, and adjustable fan speeds to control thermal losses, allowing for efficient drying in confined spaces and power-limited environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional room drying apparatus is used, then drying function is achieved, but the apparatus is bulky and heavy making it difficult to transport and use in confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is divided into separate functional modules: a collapsible ducting system that can be folded into compact sections, a removable heating element, and a separable fan unit. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and enables the overall system to be collapsed into a space-efficient configuration for transport while maintaining full functionality when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The ducting system incorporates collapsible and expandable sections that transition between a compact stored state and a fully extended operational state. The ducting can be folded flat or collapsed into a small volume for transport, then expanded and configured to fit various room shapes and sizes when in use, providing dynamic adaptability to different spatial requirements.
2Ease of operation
If traditional room drying apparatus is used, then drying function is achieved, but the apparatus weighs over 50 kg making it unsuitable for single-person operation
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is divided into separate functional modules: a collapsible ducting system that can be folded into compact sections, a removable heating element, and a separable fan unit. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and enables the overall system to be collapsed into a space-efficient configuration for transport while maintaining full functionality when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The ducting system utilizes flexible, thin-walled material construction that provides the necessary structural integrity for air flow while minimizing weight. The flexible nature of the ducting allows it to be collapsed and folded without requiring heavy reinforcement, significantly reducing the overall apparatus weight while maintaining functional performance.
3Productivity
If heated air recirculation is used to dry rooms, then drying efficiency is improved, but thermal energy loss increases in large or poorly insulated rooms
Solution Approach 1:
The ducting system incorporates collapsible and expandable sections that transition between a compact stored state and a fully extended operational state. The ducting can be folded flat or collapsed into a small volume for transport, then expanded and configured to fit various room shapes and sizes when in use, providing dynamic adaptability to different spatial requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of operational parameters including heater power output, fan speed, and ducting configuration to match the specific thermal characteristics of different room sizes and insulation levels. This enables optimization of the balance between drying efficiency and energy consumption for each specific application scenario.
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 apparatus is compact, lightweight, and user-friendly, enabling effective drying in confined spaces and power-limited conditions, with improved thermal management and evaporation encouragement through negative pressure.
Implementation Method 1
downstream of at least one of which is an electrically operable heater whereby to selectively introduce heated air into the room being dried
Implementation Method 2
first and second fan means for, in a first mode, recirculating air within the room and, in a second mode, for introducing fresh air from without the room being dried and exhausting air from within the room
Data Source
AI summary
A hand-portable drying apparatus and method for use in a damp or waterlogged room, the apparatus including a housing having a carrying handle, the housing containing first and second airflow ducts arranged generally parallel to each other and having respective air inlet and air outlet ends, the apparatus further including means to force air through the ducts and to selectively heat it in at least one of the ducts, and valve means within the housing to selectively direct air from the first duct to the second duct whereby to move air from within the room received by the first duct back to the room via the second duct or to expel air from the room via the first duct to outside the room and draw in fresh air from outside the room via the second duct.