Vacuum Cleaner Diffuser Vane Design to Reduce Flow Loss and Noise
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum cleaners face challenges in miniaturization and intake performance due to increased noise and size from closely spaced impellers and diffusers, which also lead to flow losses and poor direction change performance.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a diffuser with airfoil-shaped vanes that have passages crossing through them, with entry and exit portions positioned differently in thickness and width directions, and inclined to reduce noise and flow losses, allowing for effective flow direction change and miniaturization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the impeller and diffuser are closely spaced to compensate for pressure loss, then intake power is improved, but noise increases due to pressure fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
A vortex generator is introduced as an intermediary component between the impeller and diffuser. This vortex generator creates controlled vortices that stabilize pressure fluctuations, allowing the impeller and diffuser to be closely spaced for high intake power while reducing noise from pressure instability
Solution Approach 2:
The vortex generator changes the flow parameters by creating rotational vortices that modify the pressure distribution pattern. This parameter change stabilizes the pressure fluctuations that cause noise, enabling close spacing without the harmful noise effects
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the size of the impeller and motor is increased to prevent noise, then noise is reduced, but the size of the vacuum cleaner increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vortex generator acts as a noise-control intermediary that allows compact impeller-motor assembly. Instead of enlarging components to reduce noise, the vortex generator stabilizes pressure fluctuations, enabling small size without compromising noise performance
3Ease of operation
If the diffuser is arranged in multiple layers to gradually change flow direction, then direction change performance is improved, but the overall length of the motor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser is segmented into multiple vanes arranged in layers, each vane contributing to gradual flow direction change. This segmentation allows effective direction control in a compact axial length by distributing the flow turning across multiple discrete elements
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser vanes are arranged in multiple layers along the axial dimension, transforming the flow direction control from a single-plane problem to a multi-layer three-dimensional arrangement. This enables gradual direction change without increasing radial or circumferential dimensions
4Ease of operation
If a vane is mounted on the diffuser to guide air, then air guidance is improved, but the diameter cannot be reduced due to required vane length
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser structure transitions from a single-plane radial arrangement to a multi-layer axial arrangement. Vanes are distributed across multiple layers along the axial direction, enabling effective air guidance without requiring long radial extensions that would increase diameter
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 reduces the axial length of the motor, improves intake performance by minimizing flow losses, and effectively changes the air flow direction, enhancing overall efficiency and compactness.
Implementation Method 1
each of the plurality of diffuser vanes includes a single vane body having an airfoil in cross section
Implementation Method 2
reduce losses caused by flow separation
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum cleaner including an intake portion within a main body, wherein the intake portion includes an impeller to draw in air while rotating about a shaft, and a plurality of diffuser vanes to guide air discharged from the impeller, wherein each of the diffuser vanes includes a single vane body having an airfoil shape in cross section, and a passage to cross through at least a portion of the vane body. The vacuum cleaner is capable of effectively changing the direction of a flow flowing into a diffuser, and reducing losses caused by flow separation.