U.S. patent application number 11/866014 was filed with the patent office on 2008-06-12 for turbo fan and air conditioner having the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Min Gi Cho, Weon Seok Choi, Jin Baek Kim, Young Jae Kim, Jai Kwon Lee, Hyun Ho Park.
Application Number | 20080134713 11/866014 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39496381 |
Filed Date | 2008-06-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080134713 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Choi; Weon Seok ; et
al. |
June 12, 2008 |
TURBO FAN AND AIR CONDITIONER HAVING THE SAME
Abstract
A turbo fan including backward-inclined blades that are inclined
in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of a rotating
plate. A positive pressure surface of each blade, facing the
rotating direction of the rotating plate, takes the form of a flat
surface, and a negative pressure surface of the blade, opposite to
the rotating direction of the rotating plate, takes the form of a
convexly-curved surface. A radius of curvature defined by the
convexly-curved negative pressure surface is within a range of
2.5.about.4 times of a radius of the turbo fan. The turbo fan can
reduce noise and consumption of power together, and consequently,
an air conditioner having the turbo fan can achieve an improvement
in performance.
Inventors: |
Choi; Weon Seok; (Seoul,
KR) ; Kim; Jin Baek; (Suwon-si, KR) ; Lee; Jai
Kwon; (Suwon-si, KR) ; Kim; Young Jae;
(Yongin-si, KR) ; Cho; Min Gi; (Suwon-si, KR)
; Park; Hyun Ho; (Seoul, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STANZIONE & KIM, LLP
919 18TH STREET, N.W., SUITE 440
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
39496381 |
Appl. No.: |
11/866014 |
Filed: |
October 2, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/407 ;
416/180 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 29/282 20130101;
F04D 29/30 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/407 ;
416/180 |
International
Class: |
F25D 17/06 20060101
F25D017/06; F04D 29/38 20060101 F04D029/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 12, 2006 |
KR |
2006-126374 |
Claims
1. A turbo fan comprising: a rotating plate connected with a drive
unit; blades radially arranged on the rotating plate; and a
ring-shaped shroud mounted to face one surface of the rotating
plate, wherein a positive pressure surface of each blade facing a
rotating direction of the rotating plate takes the form of a flat
surface, and a negative pressure surface of the blade facing
opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating plate takes the
form of a convexly-curved surface.
2. The turbo fan according to claim 1, wherein a radius of
curvature defined by the convexly-curved negative pressure surface
is within a range of 2.5.about.4 times a radius of the turbo
fan.
3. The turbo fan according to claim 1, wherein the blades take the
form of backward-inclined blades, which are inclined in a direction
opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating plate.
4. An air conditioner comprising: a body having an air suction
opening and an air discharge opening; a heat exchanger provided in
the body and adapted to perform heat exchange of air suctioned
through the suction opening; and a turbo fan including a rotating
plate connected with a drive unit, blades radially arranged on the
rotating plate, and a ring-shaped shroud mounted to face one
surface of the rotating plate, the turbo fan serving to suction the
air from the suction opening and blow the suctioned air toward the
heat exchanger, wherein a positive pressure surface of each blade,
facing a rotating direction of the rotating plate, takes the form
of a flat surface, and a negative pressure surface of the blade,
opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating plate, takes the
form of a convexly-curved surface.
5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein a radius of
curvature defined by the convexly-curved negative pressure surface
is within a range of 2.5.about.4 times of a radius of the turbo
fan.
6. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the blades
take the form of backward-inclined blades, which are inclined in a
direction opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating
plate.
7. A turbo fan, comprising: a rotating plate to connect to a drive
member; a plurality of blades connected at one side to the rotating
plate and inclined in a direction opposite to a rotating direction
of the rotating plate, each of the blades being shaped to have one
curved surface; and a ring shaped shroud connected to opposite
sides of each of the plurality of blades from the side connected to
the rotating plate.
8. A turbo fan according to claim 7, wherein a positive pressure
surface of each blade takes a form of a flat surface and a negative
pressure surface of each blade takes a form of a curved
surface.
9. An air conditioner comprising: a body having an air suction
opening and an air discharge opening; a heat exchanger provided in
the body and adapted to perform heat exchange of air suctioned
through the suction opening; and a turbo fan to suction the air
from the suction opening and blow the suctioned air toward the heat
exchanger, the turbo fan including: a rotating plate to connect to
a drive member, a plurality of blades connected at one side to the
rotating plate and inclined in a direction opposite to a rotating
direction of the rotating plate, each of the blades being shaped to
have one curved surface, and a ring shaped shroud connected to
opposite sides of each of the plurality of blades from the side
connected to the rotating plate.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2006-0126374, filed on Dec. 12, 2006 in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present general inventive concept relates to a turbo fan
and an air conditioner having the same, and, more particularly, to
a turbo fan which can reduce noise and consumption of power, and an
air conditioner having the turbo fan.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, blowing fans serve to blow air by a rotational
force, and are used in a refrigerator, air conditioner, vacuum
cleaner, etc. The blowing fans may be classified into an axial flow
fan, a sirocco fan, a turbo fan, etc., according to their air
suction and discharge manners and their shapes.
[0006] Of the various fans, the turbo fan is configured such that
air is sucked in an axial direction of the fan, and then,
discharged in a radial direction from between blades of the fan.
The turbo fan has no need for an additional duct because it allows
air to be naturally introduced into the fan and discharged to the
outside. By virtue of such a structural advantage, the turbo fan is
widely used in various fields.
[0007] Considering the configuration of a general turbo fan, the
turbo fan includes a rotating plate defining a rear surface of the
fan, to which a fan motor is mounted, a plurality of blades
radially arranged on the rotating plate with a predetermined
interval, and a shroud defining a front surface of the fan.
[0008] The shroud is centrally formed with a suction opening,
through which air is suctioned. A discharge opening for discharging
the suctioned air is defined between the rotating plate and the
shroud in a circumferential direction.
[0009] If the rotating plate is rotated by operation of the fan
motor, the blades, which are integrally formed with the rotating
plate, are rotated simultaneously, thereby allowing air to be
suctioned in an axial direction through the suction opening and the
suctioned air to be discharged in a radial direction through the
discharge opening.
[0010] Meanwhile, the blades have an air-foil shape, and are
arranged radially about a shaft of the fan motor between the
rotating plate and the shroud.
[0011] The blades installed between the rotating plate and the
shroud may have various installation angles. On the basis of their
installation angle, the blades may be classified into a
forward-inclined type and a backward-inclined type.
[0012] When using backward-inclined blades that are inclined in a
direction opposite to a rotating direction of the rotating plate,
the turbo fan has high operational efficiency (in view of
consumption of power), but suffers from relatively loud noise
because the revolution per minute of the fan has to be increased.
On the other hand, when using forward-inclined blades that are
inclined in the same direction as the rotating direction of the
rotating plate, the operational efficiency of the turbo fan is poor
(in view of consumption of power) although the turbo fan causes
less noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present general inventive concept provides a turbo fan
which can reduce noise while achieving improved operational
efficiency, and an air conditioner having the turbo fan.
[0014] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the general
inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description
which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description,
or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.
[0015] The foregoing and/or other aspects and utilities of the
present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a
turbo fan including: a rotating plate connected with a drive unit,
blades radially arranged on the rotating plate, and a ring-shaped
shroud mounted to face one surface of the rotating plate, wherein a
positive pressure surface of each blade, facing a rotating
direction of the rotating plate, takes a form of a flat surface,
and a negative pressure surface of the blade, opposite to the
rotating direction of the rotating plate, takes a form of a
convexly-curved surface.
[0016] A radius of curvature defined by the convexly-curved
negative pressure surface may be within a range of 2.5.about.4
times of a radius of the turbo fan.
[0017] The blades may take a form of backward-inclined blades,
which are inclined in a direction opposite to the rotating
direction of the rotating plate.
[0018] The foregoing and/or other aspects and utilities of the
present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing an
air conditioner including: a body having an air suction opening and
an air discharge opening; a heat exchanger provided in the body and
adapted to perform heat exchange of air suctioned through the
suction opening; and a turbo fan including a rotating plate
connected with a drive unit, blades radially arranged on the
rotating plate, and a ring-shaped shroud mounted to face one
surface of the rotating plate, the turbo fan serving to suction the
air from the suction opening and blow the suctioned air toward the
heat exchanger, wherein a positive pressure surface of each blade,
facing a rotating direction of the rotating plate, takes a form of
a flat surface, and a negative pressure surface of the blade,
opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating plate, takes a
form of a convexly-curved surface.
[0019] A radius of curvature defined by the convexly-curved
negative pressure surface may be within a range of 2.5.about.4
times of a radius of the turbo fan.
[0020] The blades may take the form of backward-inclined blades,
which are inclined in a direction opposite to the rotating
direction of the rotating plate.
[0021] The foregoing and/or other aspects and utilities of the
present general inventive concept may be also achieved by providing
a turbo fan, including a rotating plate to connect to a drive
member, a plurality of blades connected at one side to the rotating
plate and inclined in a direction opposite to a rotating direction
of the rotating plate, each of the blades being shaped to have at
least one curved surface, and a ring shaped shroud connected to
opposite sides of each of the plurality of blades from the side
connected to the rotating plate.
[0022] A positive pressure surface of each blade can take a form of
a flat surface and a negative pressure surface of each blade can
take a form of a curved surface.
[0023] The foregoing and/or other aspects and utilities of the
present general inventive concept may be also achieved by providing
an air conditioner including: a body having an air suction opening
and an air discharge opening; a heat exchanger provided in the body
and adapted to perform heat exchange of air suctioned through the
suction opening; and a turbo fan to suction the air from the
suction opening and blow the suctioned air toward the heat
exchanger, the turbo fan including: a rotating plate to connect to
a drive member, a plurality of blades connected at one side to the
rotating plate and inclined in a direction opposite to a rotating
direction of the rotating plate, each of the blades being shaped to
have at least one curved surface, and a ring shaped shroud
connected to opposite sides of each of the plurality of blades from
the side connected to the rotating plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] These and/or other aspects and utilities of the exemplary
embodiments of the general inventive concept will become apparent
and more readily appreciated from the following description of the
embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a turbo fan consistent
with an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive
concept;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a front view of the turbo fan illustrated in FIG.
1;
[0027] FIGS. 3A and 3B are front views illustrating comparative
examples of the turbo fan consistent with the exemplary embodiment
of FIG. 1;
[0028] FIGS. 4A and 4B are graphs, respectively, illustrating the
relationship of noise and air flow and the relationship of air flow
and consumed power, depending on the turbo fan illustrated in FIG.
2 and the comparative turbo fans illustrated in FIGS. 3A and
3B;
[0029] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view illustrating a blade of the turbo
fan illustrated in FIG. 2;
[0030] FIGS. 6A and 6B are graphs, respectively, illustrating the
relationship of noise and air flow and the relationship of air flow
and consumed power, depending on a variation in the radius of
curvature of a negative pressure surface of the blade illustrated
in FIG. 5; and
[0031] FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating an air conditioner
having the turbo fan consistent with an exemplary embodiment of the
present general inventive concept.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] Reference will now be made in detail to a turbo fan and an
air conditioner having the same consistent with exemplary
embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of
which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The
embodiments are described below to explain the present general
inventive concept by referring to the figures.
[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the turbo fan 1, according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept,
includes a rotating plate 10 adapted to be rotated by a drive unit
(not illustrated) that is connected to the center of the rotating
plate 10, a plurality of blades 20 radially arranged on the
rotating plate 10, the blades 20 being integrally formed with the
rotating plate 10, and a ring-shaped shroud 30 coupled to distal
ends of the blades 20 so as to face one surface of the rotating
plate 10.
[0034] The rotating plate 10 has a hub 11 that is configured to
receive the drive unit, for example, a fan motor, connected to the
center of the rotating plate 10 for rotation of the rotating plate
10. The hub 11 also serves to guide flow of air, which is
introduced through an inner periphery 31 of the shroud 30 and
discharged from between the blades 20. The rotating plate 10 also
has a boss portion 12 formed at the center of the hub 11, the boss
portion 12 internally defining a shaft bore to couple, for example,
a shaft of the fan motor, and vent holes 13 perforated in the hub
11 to cool the fan motor. The vent holes 13 guide cool air to the
fan motor, to cool the fan motor.
[0035] The ring-shaped shroud 30, which is coupled to the distal
ends of the blades 20 integrally formed with the rotating plate 10,
has the inner periphery 31 and an outer periphery 32, to allow air
to be axially introduced into the turbo fan 1 and discharged
radially from the turbo fan 1.
[0036] The shroud 30 is centrally perforated with a suction opening
30a, through which air is suctioned. A discharge opening 30b to
discharge the suctioned air is defined between the rotating plate
10 and the shroud 30 in a circumferential direction.
[0037] Generally, the blades 20 are integrally injection molded
with the rotating plate 10, and the shroud 30 is generally coupled
to the distal ends of the blades 20 by thermal fusion or ultrasonic
fusion. Alternatively, the shroud 30 also may be integrally
injection molded together with the rotating plate 10 and the blades
20.
[0038] The inner periphery 31 of the shroud 30, as illustrated in
FIG. 1, protrudes outward by a predetermined length, such that air
to be suctioned into the fan 1 can be efficiently guided toward the
blades 20 through the inner periphery 31 of the shroud 30.
[0039] FIG. 2 is a front view of the turbo fan 1 illustrated in
FIG. 1.
[0040] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the turbo fan 1 according to the
present exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 includes the plurality of
blades 20 arranged between an outer periphery of the hub 11 and the
outer periphery 32 of the shroud 30. The blades 20 are radially
formed about the boss portion 12 formed at the hub 11.
[0041] Strictly speaking, the blades 20 do not extend radially from
the boss portion 12. The blades 20 are inclined in a direction
opposite to a rotating direction of the rotating plate 10.
Accordingly, the blades 20 are backward-inclined blades.
[0042] To improve the operational efficiency of the turbo fan 1,
each blade 20 is shaped to have at least one curved surface. In the
turbo fan 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2, one surface of the blade 20 facing
the rotating direction of the rotating plate 10, namely, a positive
pressure surface 20a takes the form of a flat surface, and the
other surface of the blade 20 opposite to the rotating direction of
the rotating plate 10, namely, a negative pressure surface 20b
takes the form of a curved surface.
[0043] FIGS. 3A and 3B are front views illustrating turbo fans
consistent with two comparative examples for comparing with the
turbo fan 1 having the flat positive pressure surface 20a of the
blade 20, in view of noise and consumed power.
[0044] FIG. 3A illustrates the comparative turbo fan (hereinafter,
referred to as "A type") in which the positive pressure surface 20a
of the blade 20 takes the form of a convexly-curved surface, and
FIG. 3B illustrates the comparative turbo fan (hereinafter,
referred to as "B type") in which the positive pressure surface 20a
of the blade 20 takes the form of a concavely-curved surface.
[0045] In the present general inventive concept, an experiment is
conducted to compare the performance of the turbo fan 1 in which
the blade 20 has the flat positive pressure surface 20a, with
performances of the comparative A-type and B-type turbo fans.
[0046] On the basis of results of the above experiment performed on
the three types of different turbo fans, FIG. 4A illustrates the
relationship of noise and air flow, and FIG. 4B illustrates the
relationship of air flow and consumed power.
[0047] As can be appreciated from FIG. 4A, under the condition of
the same air flow among the three types of turbo fans illustrated,
the turbo fan 1 consistent with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 has
less noise than the A-type and B-type turbo fans.
[0048] Also, as can be appreciated from FIG. 4B, under the
condition of the same air flow among the three types of turbo fans
illustrated, the consumed power of the turbo fan 1 consistent with
the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is slightly greater than that of
the A-type turbo fan, but is remarkably less than that of the
B-type turbo fan.
[0049] Comparing the above three types of turbo fans with reference
to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the A-type turbo fan has a problem of having a
greater amount of noise than the turbo fan 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2,
although it has slightly superior performance, in view of consumed
power, than the turbo fan 1. Also, the B-type turbo fan has
inferior performance, in view of both noise and consumed power,
than the turbo fan 1 consistent with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and
2.
[0050] Judging from the above experimental results, accordingly, it
will be appreciated that the turbo fan 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 having
the flat positive pressure surface 20a of the blade 20 is the most
advantageous in view of performance.
[0051] Meanwhile, under the assumption that the positive pressure
surface 20a of the blade 20 is a flat surface, the experiment for
testing the performance of the turbo fan depending on the shape of
the negative pressure surface 20b was performed. In this case, the
positive pressure surface 20a was a flat surface, whereas the
negative pressure surface 20b was a flat surface or convexly-curved
surface.
[0052] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view illustrating the blade 20 of the
turbo fan 1 illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0053] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the radius of the turbo fan 1 is
designated as "d," and the radius of curvature of the negative
pressure surface 20b is designated as "r." In this case, a ratio of
the radius of curvature r of the negative pressure surface 20b to
the radius d of the turbo fan 1 is designated as "R," and the
formula of R=r/d is obtained.
[0054] On the basis of the value of R as experimentally calculated,
FIG. 6A illustrates the relationship of noise and air flow, and
FIG. 6B illustrates the relationship of air flow and consumed
power.
[0055] As can be appreciated from FIG. 6A, under the condition of
the same air flow among the three types of turbo fans as
illustrated, the greatest amount of noise is generated when the
value of R is zero (hereinafter, "R=0" means that the negative
pressure surface of the blade takes the form of a flat surface),
and the least noise is generated when the value of R is 4 or 6.
[0056] Also, as can be appreciated from FIG. 6B, under the
condition of the same air flow, consumed power is maximized when
the value of R is 6, and is minimized when the value of R is 0, 2,
or 4.
[0057] Judging from the results illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, it
can be concluded that the value of R is preferably within a range
of 2.5.about.4 in order to reduce both noise and consumption of
power together. Accordingly, the turbo fan 1 consistent with the
embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is designed such that the ratio R of
the radius d of the turbo fan 1 to the radius of curvature r of the
negative pressure surface 20b is within the range of
2.5.about.4.
[0058] As described above, when the blade 20 has the flat positive
pressure surface 20a and the radius of curvature r of the negative
pressure surface 20b of the blade 20 is within a range of
2.5.about.4 times of the radius d of the turbo fan 1, the turbo fan
1 consistent with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 can achieve a
reduction in both noise and consumption of power together.
[0059] FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating an air conditioner
having the turbo fan 1 according to another exemplary embodiment of
the present general inventive concept.
[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the ceiling-mounted air
conditioner includes a box-shaped body 50 having an opened lower
surface, the body 50 being mounted in a ceiling 41 through an
opening 42 of the ceiling 41, and a lower panel 60 mounted to a
lower end of the body 50 and configured to cover both the lower
surface of the body 50 and the opening 42 of the ceiling 41.
[0061] A blowing device 52 is mounted in the center of the body 50
and adapted to endow indoor air with a blowing force. Also, a heat
exchanger 53 is mounted around the blowing device 52 and adapted to
cool or heat air discharged from the blowing device 52. The lower
panel 60 has a center suction opening 61, and a discharge opening
62 around the suction opening 61.
[0062] The blowing device 52 includes the turbo fan 1 similar to
that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, which is designed to
suction air axially from the center thereof and discharge the
suctioned air radially, and a fan motor 2 secured to an inner top
surface of the body 50. The heat exchanger 53 is mounted around the
turbo fan 1 such that the air blown by operation of the turbo fan 1
is heat exchanged while passing through the heat exchanger 53. A
supporting member 54 is mounted in a lower region of the body 50
and used to support the heat exchanger 53. The supporting member 54
also serves to collect and discharge condensate water falling from
the heat exchanger 53.
[0063] In the ceiling-mounted air conditioner having the above
described configuration, if the blowing device 52 within the body
50 is operated, the air, which is suctioned into the body 50
through the suction opening 61, is heat exchanged while passing
through the heat exchanger 53. As the heat exchanged air is
supplied back into a room, the cooling or heating of the room can
be accomplished.
[0064] By installing the turbo fan 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 to the
ceiling-mounted air conditioner of FIG. 7, the air conditioner can
achieve a reduction in noise and consumption of power. Although the
above description deals with the ceiling-mounted air conditioner
having the turbo fan 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be appreciated
that the turbo fan 1 can be installed in a variety of other air
conditioners and other various electronic appliances.
[0065] As apparent from the above description, the turbo fan
consistent with the embodiments of the present general inventive
concept has the effects of reducing both noise and consumption of
power together and achieving an improvement in performance.
[0066] When mounting the turbo fan to an air conditioner,
furthermore, it is possible to reduce noise and consumption of
power of the air conditioner.
[0067] Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive
concept have been illustrated and described, it should be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made
herein without departing from the principles and spirit of the
general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the
claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *