Spiral Cold Water Tank Assembly for Uniform Internal Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cold water tanks in water purifiers suffer from poor cooling efficiency due to inefficient heat exchange, leading to reduced cold water extraction and user satisfaction. Additionally, the post-bending process of evaporators can result in cracks and foreign substance intrusion into the purified water.
Innovation Solution
A cold water tank assembly and manufacturing method that incorporates a spiral evaporator and spiral partition wall structure within the tank, eliminating the post-bending process and maximizing heat exchange efficiency. This design enhances cold water extraction and prevents foreign substance intrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the evaporator is arranged to surround the outer circumferential surface of the cold water tank, then the cooling coverage is increased, but the chilliness is discharged outside resulting in poor cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the evaporator from the external position and relocates it inside the cold water tank. This extraction resolves the contradiction by keeping the cooling coverage area large while preventing chilliness discharge outside, thereby maintaining cooling efficiency. The evaporator is specifically positioned in the lower portion of the tank where it can effectively cool the stored water without losing coldness to the external environment.
2Loss of energy
If the evaporator is placed inside the cold water tank, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the overall cooling efficiency is reduced due to different cooling rates between water at different locations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the internal space of the cold water tank by introducing a partition wall that extends from the upper portion to the lower portion. This partition wall divides the water storage space into multiple regions, ensuring that water at different locations experiences more uniform cooling. The segmentation prevents large temperature gradients by creating separate cooling zones that collectively achieve homogeneous temperature distribution throughout the tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a vertical dimension to the cooling strategy by positioning the evaporator in the lower portion and using a partition wall that extends vertically. This dimensional approach creates multiple cooling pathways and zones, allowing heat to be removed more uniformly from different levels of the water storage space, thereby improving overall cooling uniformity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the evaporator is re-bent after electrolytic polishing, then stable arrangement and connection are achieved, but cracks occur resulting in foreign substance intrusion and rust
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by performing the electrolytic polishing process on the evaporator before bending it into the final spiral shape. This sequence ensures that the polishing is done on the flat sheet material where it is most effective, and the subsequent bending does not compromise the polished surface. The evaporator is then assembled in this pre-polished, pre-bent state, eliminating the need for post-bending operations that would damage the surface integrity and prevent crack formation.
4Volume of stationary object
If the cold water tank is miniaturized, then space efficiency is improved, but the amount of cold water extraction is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies the nesting principle by placing the evaporator inside the cold water tank rather than positioning it externally. This nested configuration allows the cooling system to be compact while maintaining effective heat exchange. The evaporator is positioned in the lower portion of the tank, nesting the cooling function within the storage volume, thereby achieving miniaturization without sacrificing cooling capacity or cold water extraction amount.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a spiral curved shape for the evaporator, which allows maximum surface area to be packed into the limited internal volume of the miniaturized tank. The spiral configuration optimizes the heat exchange surface area within the compact space, enabling efficient cooling and maintaining cold water extraction capacity despite the reduced tank volume.
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 spiral design maximizes heat exchange efficiency, increases cold water extraction, and prevents cracks and rust in the evaporator, thereby improving user satisfaction and maintaining the purity of the extracted water.
Implementation Method 1
purified water at room temperature is introduced into the cold water tank and cooled to a set temperature through heat exchange with an evaporator (cooling pipe)
Implementation Method 2
the spiral design maximizes heat exchange efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a cold water tank assembly according to an aspect of the present invention may include a cold water tank preparation step, an evaporator preparation step, a partition wall preparation step, a first assembly step, a second assembly step, and a third assembly step. A cold water tank assembly according to another aspect of the present invention may include a cold water tank including a body and a cap; an evaporator including a spiral shaft tube and a spiral tube extending to forming a plurality of turns of first spirals at a set pitch around the spiral shaft tube; and a partition wall including a shaft body and a partition extending to form a plurality of turns of second spirals at a set pitch around the shaft body.