Scroll Fan Housing Geometry for Low-Noise Air Blower Flow

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air blowers for air conditioners experience flow rate loss and increased noise due to insufficient expansion of the flow path as air approaches the outlet, leading to a surging phenomenon.

Innovation Solution

The air blower design incorporates a centrifugal fan with a fan housing forming a scroll-type flow path that progressively increases in cross-sectional area and height from the start to the end, featuring an inclined bottom surface to guide air efficiently to the outlet, thereby reducing noise and enhancing airflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the flow path in the fan housing is not sufficiently expanded as it approaches the outlet, then the device complexity is reduced, but this causes a surging phenomenon leading to flow rate loss and increased noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow rateVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by forming a scroll-type flow path with a curved bottom surface that gradually expands from the inlet to the outlet. The bottom surface is formed with a specific curvature radius that varies along the flow direction, creating a smooth, rounded expansion rather than a straight or angular path. This curved geometry guides the air flow smoothly, preventing sudden expansions that would cause surging, while efficiently increasing the flow path cross-sectional area to reduce noise and improve flow rate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Productivity

If the flow path cross-sectional area is sufficiently expanded near the outlet, then noise is reduced and flow rate increases, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarged air amountVSAvoidflow path structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by varying the thickness of the bottom surface at different locations along the flow path. The bottom surface is designed with different thicknesses: thinner at the inlet region and progressively thicker toward the outlet region. This localized variation in geometry allows the flow path to expand smoothly where needed (near the outlet) while maintaining a compact structure at the inlet, thereby increasing discharged air amount without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If the bottom surface of the flow path is made thicker uniformly, then structural strength is improved, but the flow path expansion is reduced causing surging phenomenon

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebottom surface strengthVSAvoidflow path expansion
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the bottom surface thickness location-dependent rather than uniform. The bottom surface is designed with variable thickness: thinner at the inlet region where structural load is lower and flow expansion is prioritized, and progressively thicker toward the outlet region where structural strength is more critical. This localized differentiation allows the flow path to achieve sufficient expansion for high productivity while maintaining adequate structural strength at each location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This design increases the amount of discharged air and reduces noise by expanding the flow path sectional area, minimizing the surging phenomenon, and allows for miniaturization of air conditioners while maintaining equivalent airflow performance.

Implementation Method 1

a centrifugal fan; and a fan housing covering the centrifugal fan, and forming a scroll-type flow path having a varying cross-sectional area and guiding air forcibly blown by the centrifugal fan

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentUS9145900B2Air blower for an air conditioner
Publication Date: 2015.09.29 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • US9145900B2 patent drawing
  • US9145900B2 patent drawing
  • US9145900B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Provided is an air blower for an air conditioner. The air blower for the air conditioner includes a centrifugal fan and a fan housing. The fan housing covers the centrifugal fan, and forms a scroll-type flow path having a varying cross-sectional area and guiding air forcibly blown by the centrifugal fan to an outlet. Here, a bottom surface of the scroll-type flow path inclines and is thinnest near a region where the scroll-type flow path ends. The thickness of the bottom surface progressively increases along a straight line running from a region where the bottom surface is thinnest to an opposite outer side of the scroll-type flow path through a center of the centrifugal fan.