Vending Machine Airflow Control for Lower Commodity Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic vending machines face challenges in maintaining optimal temperature during extended cold-maintaining operations, leading to potential loss of sales opportunities as commodities on the lower side of the storage device warm up, especially during prolonged periods of high demand.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of control means that manage the operation of lower-side and upper-side in-box blower fans to optimize air circulation within the vending machine, ensuring effective cooling of all commodities by utilizing the cooled air from the upper side to maintain the lower side at the desired temperature, and employing a flapper member to control an intermediate opening for efficient air discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the cold-maintaining operation time is lengthened to reduce electric power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but the temperature of commodities on the lower side gradually increases causing loss of sales opportunities
Solution Approach 1:
The commodity storage space is divided into upper and lower regions with separate air circulation paths. The lower region has its own blower fan and air inlet positioned at the lower rear, allowing independent temperature control and circulation without relying on cold air drainage from the upper region, thus maintaining reliable cooling for lower commodities during extended cold-maintaining operations
Solution Approach 2:
The lower region air circulation system serves itself by having its own blower fan that draws air from the lower rear inlet, cools it through the evaporator, and circulates it independently through the lower commodity region. This self-service capability ensures the lower region maintains proper temperature without depending on upper region cold air drainage, enabling extended cold-maintaining operation while preserving commodity temperature reliability
2Temperature
If the upper in-box blower fan is driven to cool all commodities, then cooling coverage is improved, but electric power consumption increases during high demand periods
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation system is segmented into upper and lower regions with separate blower fans. The lower region has its own blower fan positioned at the lower rear, creating independent circulation paths. This segmentation allows selective operation where only the necessary region's fan runs, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining adequate cooling coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which blower fan(s) to operate based on cooling requirements. During normal operation, both upper and lower fans may run for full coverage. During cold-maintaining periods or when lower region cooling is sufficient, only the lower fan operates, dynamically adjusting energy usage to match actual cooling needs
3Use of energy by moving object
If the lower in-box blower fan is driven to cool only lower commodities, then energy consumption is reduced, but upper commodities are not adequately cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation system is divided into independent upper and lower regions, each with its own blower fan and air circulation path. The lower region fan draws air from the lower rear inlet and circulates it through lower commodities, while the upper region fan handles upper commodity cooling. This segmentation ensures that when the lower fan operates alone, it effectively cools lower commodities without being constrained by upper region requirements
Solution Approach 2:
Each region's air circulation system serves its own cooling needs independently. The lower region fan draws air from the lower rear inlet, cools it through the evaporator, and circulates it through lower commodities without relying on upper region air drainage. This self-service capability allows the lower fan to operate effectively for lower commodity cooling while the upper region handles its own cooling requirements
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 solution allows for an extended cold-maintaining operation without compromising the temperature of commodities, thereby preventing sales opportunities from being lost, as the uppermost cooled commodities are utilized effectively to cool the rest, ensuring consistent temperature maintenance across the storage device.
Implementation Method 1
The evaporator comprises cooling means which cool the air surrounding itself
Implementation Method 2
an upper in-box blower fan is provided in front of the upper opening, and a lower in-box blower fan is provided in front of the lower opening
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
There are provided control means 50 which, when a normal cooling operation is being performed, forward-drive a lower-side in-box blower fan F1 and an upper-side in-box blower fan F2, thereby causing internal air which has been cooled by an evaporator 4a to circulate within a commodity storage box 2 in such a way that it enters a rear face duct 20 through a lower-side opening 21 and is discharged from an upper-side opening 22, and which, when on the other hand when a cold-maintaining operation is being performed, stop driving the abovementioned lower-side in-box blower fan F1 and the abovementioned upper-side in-box blower fan, and when a cooling recovery operation is being performed, forward-drive the lower-side in-box blower fan F1 and reverse-drive the upper-side in-box blower fan, thereby causing internal air that has been cooled by the evaporator 4a to enter the rear face duct 20 through the lower-side opening 21 and causing internal air to enter the rear face duct 20 through the upper-side opening 22, and also causing internal air which has entered the rear face duct 20 to be discharged from the intermediate opening 23.