Stocker Duct Design with Variable Blowout Openings for Uniform Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stocker designs face challenges in maintaining cleanliness and controlling airflow uniformly across the storage area, leading to increased equipment costs and heat generation due to the need for multiple fans to ensure consistent airflow.
Innovation Solution
A stocker design featuring a duct with a flow regulator and blowout openings of varying opening ratios, combined with a ceiling fan inlet and a fan on the lower side to draw in outside air, allows for efficient airflow regulation and reduced fan usage, maintaining cleanliness while minimizing temperature increases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple fans are arranged in the vertical direction of the duct to ensure constant airflow over the entire storage area, then the airflow uniformity is improved, but the equipment cost increases due to the increased number of fans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the opening ratios of blowout openings at different vertical positions in the duct. The upper portion has larger opening ratios while the lower portion has smaller opening ratios, creating non-uniform local characteristics that compensate for the natural weakening of downward airflow. This allows a single fan to achieve uniform airflow distribution across the entire storage area without requiring multiple fans arranged vertically.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple fans are arranged in the vertical direction of the duct to ensure constant airflow over the entire storage area, then the airflow uniformity is improved, but the power consumption increases for driving the fans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by making the opening ratios of blowout openings non-uniform in the vertical direction. The upper portion has larger opening ratios and the lower portion has smaller opening ratios, which compensates for the natural decay of downward airflow strength. This design allows a single fan to maintain constant airflow across the entire storage area, eliminating the need for multiple fans and thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining airflow uniformity.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple fans are arranged in the vertical direction of the duct to ensure constant airflow over the entire storage area, then the airflow uniformity is improved, but the temperature in the stocker increases due to increased heat generation from the fans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the opening ratios of blowout openings at different vertical positions. The upper portion has larger opening ratios while the lower portion has smaller opening ratios, which compensates for the natural weakening of downward airflow. This allows a single fan to provide uniform airflow across the entire storage area, reducing the number of fans from multiple to one, thereby minimizing heat generation and preventing temperature increase in the stocker.
4Productivity
If air is fed into the duct by the blower motor and blown out to the storage area again, then the amount of air blown out from the lower side of the duct is ensured, but the cleanliness in the storage area may not be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by reversing the conventional approach. Instead of using a blower motor to feed air into the duct and relying on ceiling downward airflow, the patent introduces outside air directly into the upper portion of the duct and uses a fan to blow it downward. This inverted approach ensures that fresh outside air is supplied to the storage area, maintaining cleanliness while providing sufficient airflow amount through the varying opening ratios of blowout openings.
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 configuration ensures uniform airflow across the storage area, reduces equipment costs, and prevents temperature rises by optimizing airflow distribution and fan placement.
Implementation Method 1
a fan on a lower side of the flow regulator of the duct to draw in outside air and introduce the outside air into the duct
Implementation Method 2
an inlet at an upper end of the duct to introduce air flowing downward into the duct
Implementation Method 3
a flow regulator to regulate an airflow between an upper side and a lower side of the duct
Implementation Method 4
blowout openings on a storage area side of the duct to blow out air to the storage area
Data Source
AI summary
A stocker includes a wall that separates inside and outside of the stocker, a storage area on an inner side of the wall to store articles, a duct on a wall side of the storage area and extending in a vertical direction, an inlet at an upper end of the duct to introduce air flowing downward into the duct, a flow regulator to regulate an airflow between an upper side and a lower side of the duct, blowout openings on a storage area side of the duct to blow out air to the storage area, and a fan on a lower side of the flow regulator of the duct to draw in outside air and introduce the outside air into the duct.