Rotatable Air Discharge Unit for Quiet, Comfort-Focused Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners often result in unpleasant temperature sensations for users due to direct discharge of cold air, noise issues from high blower fan RPM, and inefficiencies in cooling and heating performance, especially in radiator systems without blower fans.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner design featuring a rotatable discharge unit with multiple outlet ports of varying lengths and speeds, allowing for selective air discharge at different velocities to optimize user comfort and reduce noise, while maintaining efficient cooling and heating capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the RPM of the blower fan is increased to maximize wind speed and airflow, then cooling efficiency is improved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge unit is divided into multiple discharge ports (first discharge port and second discharge port) with different characteristics. The first discharge port discharges air at high speed for efficient cooling, while the second discharge port discharges air at low speed for noise reduction. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both high cooling efficiency and low noise operation by selecting the appropriate discharge port based on operational requirements.
2Productivity
If the discharge air is discharged at high speed, then cooling efficiency is improved, but user comfort deteriorates due to direct cold air exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge unit provides two distinct discharge modes: high-speed discharge through the first discharge port for efficient cooling, and low-speed discharge through the second discharge port for user comfort. The control unit enables selective operation of these ports, allowing the system to discharge cold air at low speed when the user is present, thereby avoiding direct cold air exposure while maintaining cooling effectiveness through alternative pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the discharge velocity parameter by selecting different discharge ports. The first discharge port is designed for high velocity airflow to maximize cooling efficiency, while the second discharge port is designed for low velocity airflow to ensure user comfort. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to different operational conditions and user requirements.
3Volume of moving object
If the heat exchanger is minimized and blower fan RPM is increased, then device size is reduced, but temperature difference between discharged air and indoor temperature increases
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge unit is segmented into two discharge ports with different airflow characteristics. The first discharge port handles high-speed airflow that may have larger temperature differences, while the second discharge port handles low-speed airflow that can better maintain temperature balance. This segmentation compensates for the minimized heat exchanger size by providing alternative discharge pathways that adjust temperature delivery to match indoor conditions.
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 air at different speeds, enhancing user comfort by avoiding direct cold air exposure and reducing noise, while maintaining efficient cooling and heating performance without the need for large panels or high blower fan RPM.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger configured to heat-exchange air introduced from the inlet port
Implementation Method 2
a blowing unit configured to circulate air into or out of the housing
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a housing having an inlet port, a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with air flowing in through the inlet port, a blowing unit configured to circulate air into or out of the housing, and a discharge unit rotatably provided relative to the housing, the discharge unit having a first outlet port formed in a portion of the outer circumferential surface to discharge the heat-exchanged air and a second outlet port formed in another portion of the outer circumferential surface to discharge the heat-exchanged air at different speed from the air discharged from the first outlet port.