Scroll Casing Partition Wall for Uniform Airflow in Air Conditioners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners with centrifugal fans and heat exchangers experience nonuniform air flow and increased ventilation resistance due to partial alignment of scroll blowout openings with the partition member, leading to reduced blowing and heat exchange capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner design incorporates wall sections projecting from the heat exchanger side of the partition member to create a negative pressure area outside the scroll blowout openings, diffusing air and controlling nonuniformity in air flow while maintaining compactness and avoiding enlargement of scroll outlet sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If scroll blowout openings are partially aligned with the partition member, then the structure is simple and compact, but air flow becomes nonuniform and ventilation resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition member is designed with differentiated local structures: a flat plate section for general partitioning and a projection section that protrudes into the heat exchanger chamber to specifically guide air flow from scroll blowout openings. This local structural differentiation ensures uniform air flow distribution without complicating the overall compact structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection section of the partition member acts as an intermediary element between the scroll blowout openings and the heat exchanger. It mediates the air flow by directing it uniformly across the heat exchanger surface, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and effective air flow distribution.
2Productivity
If scroll outlet sections are enlarged to improve air flow uniformity, then air flow nonuniformity is reduced, but the device size increases and compactness is lost
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of enlarging the scroll outlet sections in the radial direction, the solution introduces a new dimensional element: the projection section extending into the heat exchanger chamber along the axial direction. This dimensional change achieves air flow uniformity without increasing the overall device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection section provides localized air flow guidance precisely where needed at the scroll blowout openings, rather than requiring global enlargement of the scroll outlet sections. This localized approach maintains device compactness while improving air flow uniformity.
3Ease of manufacture
If communication openings are formed only partially in the partition member, then manufacturing is simple, but air flow nonuniformity increases and heat exchange efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition member is segmented into two functional sections: the flat plate section for structural support and the projection section for air flow guidance. This segmentation allows simple manufacturing of each section while collectively achieving both manufacturing simplicity and high heat exchange efficiency through improved air flow distribution.
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 effectively diffuses air to reduce nonuniformity in air flow through the heat exchanger, maintaining blowing capability and heat exchange efficiency without enlarging scroll blowout openings, even in compact configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a negative pressure area outside the scroll blowout openings, diffusing air and controlling nonuniformity in air flow
Implementation Method 2
the air that has been blown out into the heat exchanger chamber from the scroll blowout openings is cooled or heated as a result of heat exchange being performed with refrigerant flowing inside a heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner includes a unit casing, an impeller, a scroll casing, and a heat exchanger. The unit casing is partitioned by a partition member into a fan chamber and a heat exchanger chamber. The heat exchanger is disposed inside the heat exchanger chamber so as to face a scroll blowout opening in the scroll casing. The scroll casing is disposed inside the fan chamber. A wall section projects from a heat exchanger side of a flat plate section of the partition member and is disposed outside a scroll outlet section of the scroll casing.