Refrigerator Scroll Housing Layout for Low-Noise Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators face issues with reduced cooling efficiency due to inadequate heat dissipation of thermoelectric elements, leading to increased noise and reduced airflow rates, especially when using axial or centrifugal fans for heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design with a scroll housing that minimizes vortex generation at the air intake using a linear portion perpendicular to the heat dissipation fins, coupled with multiple discharge ports for improved airflow and a compact structure that cools the circuit board, utilizing centrifugal fans and multiple heat sinks for efficient heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If an axial fan is used for heat dissipation, then the structure is simple, but the flow rate is rapidly reduced when the flow path has high resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a centrifugal fan instead of an axial fan to dynamically adapt to varying flow resistance conditions. The centrifugal fan's design allows it to maintain stable airflow performance across different resistance levels, solving the problem of rapidly reduced flow rate in axial fans when encountering high resistance in the heat dissipation path.
2Productivity
If a centrifugal fan is used for heat dissipation, then the airflow performance is improved, but space limitations exist and noise is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the centrifugal fan and heat sink into a compact scroll housing structure, nesting components within each other to minimize space occupation. The scroll housing contains the fan, heat sink, and airflow paths in a nested arrangement that reduces the overall footprint while maintaining effective heat dissipation performance.
3Productivity
If a centrifugal fan is used for heat dissipation, then the airflow performance is improved, but noise is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a scroll housing as an intermediary structure that mediates between the centrifugal fan and the external environment. This scroll housing with its specific inlet and outlet configurations reduces turbulence and noise generation while allowing the centrifugal fan to maintain high airflow performance for effective heat dissipation.
4Device complexity
If heat dissipation is insufficient, then the structure is simple, but cooling efficiency is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heat dissipation system into multiple functional components: a centrifugal fan for air movement, a heat sink with extended surface area for heat exchange, and a scroll housing for optimized airflow management. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function efficiently, ensuring reliable cooling while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
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 reduces noise and increases airflow rates, enhancing cooling efficiency while optimizing space utilization by effectively dissipating heat from the thermoelectric element and circuit board.
Implementation Method 1
The thermoelectric element has two sides, and while consuming electric energy according to the direction of current, transfer heat from one side to the opposite side
Implementation Method 2
the opposite side is provided to discharge heat and have a high temperature. Therefore, when heat dissipation of the thermoelectric element is not sufficiently performed, cooling efficiency may be lowered
Implementation Method 3
when a centrifugal fan is used for a blower, space limitations exist
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a refrigerator in which a heat dissipation structure has been improved to expand a storage compartment and achieve low noise. The refrigerator according to the disclosure comprises: a main body including a suction port and a plurality of discharge ports; a storage compartment formed inside the main body; a thermoelectric element provided to supply cold air to the storage compartment; a heat sink receiving the heat from the thermoelectric element; a blowing fan disposed below the heat sink to cool the heat sink; and a scroll housing accommodating the blowing fan and including an inlet so that air flows from the suction port to the blowing fan. The scroll housing includes a linear portion which forms the inlet and is formed perpendicular to the flow direction of air passing through the heat sink, and air that has passed through the blowing fan is discharged in several directions through the plurality of discharge ports.