JP-7855187-B1 - Cooling unit for air conditioner outdoor units

JP7855187B1JP 7855187 B1JP7855187 B1JP 7855187B1JP-7855187-B1

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a cooling unit for an air conditioner outdoor unit that can stably achieve cooling performance regardless of external air conditions, and is less susceptible to deterioration and corrosion of components during long-term use, resulting in excellent maintainability. [Solution] The cooling system for the outdoor unit of an air conditioner comprises a drain water storage container 2 installed on the top plate 12 of the outdoor unit 11 to receive and store drain water discharged from the indoor unit of the air conditioner, and a water guide hose 3 extending downward from the drain water storage container 2 to guide the drain water from the drain water storage container 2 to a base pan located at the bottom of the outdoor unit 11. The drain water is supplied into the base pan via the water guide hose 3, and the inside of the outdoor unit 11 is cooled by the drain water held in the base pan. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

朝田剛
杉木誠

Assignees

朝田剛
杉木誠

Dates

Publication Date: 20260508
Application Date: 20251223

Claims (2)

A cooling system for an air conditioner's outdoor unit, comprising: a drain water storage container installed on the top of the outdoor unit to receive and store drain water discharged from the indoor unit of the air conditioner; and a water guide hose extending downward from the drain water storage container to a base pan located at the bottom of the outdoor unit, wherein the drain water is supplied to the base pan via the water guide hose, and the inside of the outdoor unit is cooled by the drain water held in the base pan.
A cooling unit for an air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the material of the drain water storage container is a metal material selected from aluminum, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel.

Description

This concerns a cooling unit for the outdoor unit of an air conditioner. Conventionally, various technologies have been proposed to improve the cooling efficiency and energy saving of air conditioner outdoor units by supplying moisture to the heat dissipation section of the outdoor unit for evaporative cooling. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which water is guided from a water reservoir on the top plate of the outdoor unit using capillary action and the siphon principle, and cooling water is supplied to the heat dissipation fins via a water supply member such as a nonwoven fabric. This configuration aims to lower the fin temperature by utilizing the heat of vaporization when water adhering to the fin surface evaporates, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the outdoor unit. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a mesh-like water-absorbing member and a water-spraying member are arranged along the fin surface of the outdoor unit to widely distribute water across the entire fin surface, and that a cooling effect is obtained by utilizing the evaporation action of the water film formed on the fin surface. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a configuration in which drain water from the indoor unit is supplied to a rear panel located on the back side of the outdoor unit and a cooling sheet provided on its outside. In this document, the cooling sheet absorbs and retains the drain water, and the evaporation of this water near the rear panel lowers the temperature of the air flowing in from the rear. Additionally, the breathable insulation panel is intended to suppress the effects of heating due to solar radiation. Thus, Patent Documents 1 and 2 primarily describe techniques for achieving a cooling effect by spraying or supplying water to the heat dissipation fins, while Patent Document 3 proposes a technique for cooling the air taken in from the rear side of the outdoor unit using the rear panel and the cooling sheet on its outside. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-44844Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-216709Utility Model Registration No. 3184502 Gazette This is a front right-side perspective view of the cooling unit 1 for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention when it is attached to the outdoor unit 11 of the air conditioner.Figure 1 is a front-left perspective view of the cooling unit 1 for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the cooling unit 1 for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, taken from the right rear side. The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, similar elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals in all drawings, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, in the text, reference numerals previously mentioned will be used as necessary. Figure 1 shows a perspective view from the front right when the cooling unit 1 for the outdoor unit of an air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as the cooling unit) of the present invention is attached to the outdoor unit 11 of the air conditioner. Figure 2 shows a perspective view from the front left of the cooling unit 1 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows an enlarged perspective view from the rear right of the cooling unit 1 shown in Figure 1. The outdoor unit 11 of the air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as the outdoor unit) to which the cooling unit 1 of the present invention is attached has a general box-shaped casing, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and a top plate 12 is provided on its upper surface. An air outlet equipped with a blower fan and a heat exchanger is formed on the front, and has a structure similar to that of a typical outdoor unit of a household air conditioner. The cooling unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a drain water storage container 2 placed on the top plate 12 of the outdoor unit 11, and a water guide hose 3 extending downward from the drain water storage container 2 to the bottom of the outdoor unit 11 to guide the drain water. The drain water storage container 2 is a sealed container that receives and stores drain water discharged from an indoor unit (not shown). Furthermore, the tip of the drain hose 14 from the indoor unit is inserted into a drain water inlet hole 21C provided on the upper surface of the drain water storage container 2, so that the drain water flows directly into the drain water storage container 2. Since the drain hose 14 is a flexible resin pipe, there is a risk that its tip may detach from the drain water storage container 2 due to wind or vibration. Therefore, if necessary, the tip of the drain hose 14 may be secured to the drain water storage container 2 using a locking mechanism or clip (not shown). This improves the retention of the drain hose 14 depending on the installation environment and wind strength,