Suction Muffler Cavity Segmentation for Airflow Pulsation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing suction mufflers for refrigerators suffer from airflow pulsation disturbances that can cause resonance, reducing their muffling effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A suction muffler design featuring a housing assembly with a partition plate and tubes that divide the cavity into two muffler cavities, where the first tube communicates the suction port with the second muffler cavity, reducing airflow pulsation and resonance by redirecting airflow through the second tube, enhancing the muffling effect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If airflow is directly introduced into the first expansion cavity through the suction port, then the suction port can be simply positioned, but airflow pulsation causes disturbance and resonance in the first expansion cavity, reducing muffling effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemuffler structureVSAvoidairflow pulsation disturbance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The muffler cavity is divided into a first expansion cavity and a second expansion cavity using a partition plate. The first tube introduces airflow directly into the second expansion cavity, separating the suction port positioning function from the first expansion cavity, thereby avoiding direct pulsation disturbance in the first expansion cavity while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second expansion cavity acts as an intermediary chamber that receives pulsating airflow from the suction port through the first tube, then releases it into the first expansion cavity. This intermediary structure buffers the pulsation before it reaches the first expansion cavity, reducing disturbance and resonance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If the suction port is positioned to directly face the first expansion cavity, then the structure is simple, but resonance occurs due to airflow pulsation, reducing muffling performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemuffler assemblyVSAvoidmuffling effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The muffler is segmented into two expansion cavities with a partition plate, allowing the suction port to be positioned independently. The first tube connects the suction port to the second expansion cavity, enabling simple assembly while preventing direct pulsation impact on the first expansion cavity, thus maintaining both ease of manufacture and reliable muffling performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second expansion cavity serves as a buffer zone between the suction port and the first expansion cavity. Airflow enters the second expansion cavity first, where pulsation is dampened, before entering the first expansion cavity. This intermediary arrangement ensures reliable muffling effect without complicating the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If airflow pulsation is allowed to directly enter the first expansion cavity, then the muffler structure remains simple, but vibration and resonance occur, reducing overall muffling effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecavity configurationVSAvoidvibration and resonance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cavity is segmented into two separate expansion cavities divided by a partition plate. The first tube directs airflow into the second expansion cavity, isolating the first expansion cavity from direct pulsation impact. This segmentation reduces vibration and resonance while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second expansion cavity functions as an intermediary buffer that absorbs and dampens airflow pulsation before it can affect the first expansion cavity. This reduces vibration and resonance in the first expansion cavity while keeping the cavity configuration simple with only a partition plate and first tube added.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 design effectively minimizes airflow pulsation and resonance, ensuring improved muffling performance by redirecting airflow through the second tube, resulting in a more satisfactory muffling effect.

Implementation Method 1

Pulsation of the airflow sucked from the suction port can cause significant disturbance to the airflow in the expansion cavities

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAirflow pulsation:

Implementation Method 2

even cause resonance in severe cases, which affects muffling effect of the expansion cavities

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Data Source

PatentEP4033097B1Suction muffler
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 ANHUI MEIZHI COMPRESSOR CO LTD
  • EP4033097B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4033097B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4033097B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

Disclosed is a suction muffler. The suction muffler includes a housing assembly, at least one partition plate and a first tube. The housing assembly defines a cavity and is provided with a suction port and a discharge port. The at least one partition plate is provided in the cavity to divide the cavity into at least two muffler cavities, the at least two muffler cavities include a first muffler cavity and a second muffler cavity, and the at least one partition plate defines a penetrating hole to communicate the first muffler cavity with the second muffler cavity. The suction port corresponds to the first muffler cavity. The first tube has at least a portion provided in the first muffler cavity, an end of the first tube is in communication with the suction port, the other end of the first tube passes through the at least one partition plate and is in communication with the second muffler cavity. The suction muffler according to the present disclosure reduces disturbance of airflow pulsation at the suction port to the airflow in an expansion cavity, to ensure muffling effect of the suction muffler.