Pump-Fan Assembly With Flow Separation to Prevent Liquid Carryover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal fan-based air freshener devices suffer from 'weeping' and 'spitting' issues due to forced airflow causing liquid carryover, and inconsistent fragrance dispersion due to manufacturing variations, over-filling, and evaporation, leading to operational failures and unsightly drawbacks.
Innovation Solution
A pump-fan assembly with a liquid-impermeable fan disk and a unique flow pattern that separates air and liquid flows, preventing significant liquid carryover and ensuring consistent fragrance dispersion by propelling liquid radially onto the fan's bottom surface, where it flows and is flung outward, creating a 'rain effect' that returns to the basin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a centrifugal fan is used to circulate volatizable material, then the dissemination of fragrance is enhanced, but liquid carryover causes weeping and spitting
Solution Approach 1:
The fan assembly is segmented into distinct functional zones: an air intake path and a liquid discharge path separated by the fan disk. The disk itself is segmented with radial flow patterns that direct liquid outward while maintaining air flow through the center, preventing mixing of air and liquid streams
Solution Approach 2:
The fan disk acts as an intermediary barrier between the liquid reservoir and the air exhaust path. It mediates the separation of phases by allowing air to pass through its center while directing liquid radially outward to the periphery, preventing liquid carryover into the exhaust air stream
2Speed
If forced airflow is used to disperse fragrance, then circulation speed is improved, but liquid droplets are lifted out causing weeping
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the fan disk have different functions: the central region allows air passage while the peripheral region directs liquid discharge. The blade design creates localized high-velocity air flow through the center while generating centrifugal force at the periphery to甩 off liquid droplets, preventing them from entering the exhaust stream
3Quantity of substance
If manufacturing variations and over-filling occur, then liquid level becomes inconsistent, but fragrance dispersion remains unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The pump-fan assembly creates a self-regulating system where the pump draws liquid from the reservoir and delivers it to the fan disk, which then distributes it radially outward. The system automatically maintains consistent liquid flow to the vaporization zone regardless of reservoir level variations, ensuring reliable fragrance dispersion
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains consistent operating parameters by controlling the pump flow rate and fan rotation speed to ensure that liquid is delivered to the fan disk at optimal rates. This parameter control compensates for manufacturing variations and over-filling conditions, maintaining reliable fragrance dispersion
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 solution effectively minimizes 'weeping' and 'spitting' while ensuring consistent fragrance dispersion, reducing liquid and fragrance consumption, and extending the device's operating duration by separating air and liquid flows, allowing efficient volatizable material transfer into the environment.
Implementation Method 1
Centrifugal fans typically change the direction of airflow after the air enters into the system and expels the air in a radial direction
Implementation Method 2
The pump is submerged in the liquid contained in the basin and is configured to draw the liquid from the basin and propel the liquid axially upward
Implementation Method 3
the liquid flows radially outward across the bottom surface of the rotating fan to the outer circumferential edge of the fan where the liquid is then flung off
Implementation Method 4
A pump-fan assembly includes a fan sub-assembly including a disk and a hub disposed on a top or air surface for coupling the fan sub-assembly to a rotating shaft, and a pump sub-assembly coupled to a bottom or liquid surface of the fan sub-assembly in a rotationally secure manner
Data Source
AI summary
A pump-fan assembly of an air modification device may include a fan, a pump and a disk. The fan may include a central hub disposed on a top surface of the disk, and a plurality of blades extending from the hub towards an outer circumferential edge of the disk. The pump may include a hollow pump body defining an inner tubular passage between an inlet end and a discharge end. An impeller may be arranged at the inlet end and an outlet port may be arranged at the discharge end. The pump and the fan may be coupled at an interface between the discharge end of the pump body and a bottom surface of the disk. The outlet port may be disposed in the interface and arranged to guide a stream of pumped liquid along the bottom surface of the disk. The disk may define a liquid barrier.