Systems and Methods to Improve Airflow and Reduce Noise in a Refrigerant Circuit

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/692,271, filed Sep. 9, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods to improve airflow and reduce noise in an outdoor unit of a refrigerant circuit.

BACKGROUND

Refrigerant circuits are used in many applications, including heat pump water heating systems, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, commercial refrigerant systems, such as cooled warehouses or supermarket coolers, etc. A refrigerant circuit typically includes a plurality of components including a compressor, an evaporator, an expansion device (e.g., an expansion valve or a capillary), a condenser, one or more fans, a reversing valve, and/or the like.

Constant efforts are being made to improve the efficiency of the refrigerant circuit systems. Further, it is known that one or more of the refrigerant circuit components generate noise during operation, which may cause inconvenience to users. In addition to improving the efficiency of the systems, efforts are being made to reduce the noise emanating from one or more components of the refrigerant circuit systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and/or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary refrigerant circuit system and an exemplary outdoor unit of the refrigerant circuit system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary first structure for improving airflow and reducing noise in a refrigerant circuit system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary second structure for improving airflow and reducing noise in a refrigerant circuit system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary method to make a structure to improve airflow and reduce noise in a refrigerant circuit system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed towards a refrigerant circuit system (“system”), such as a vapor compression cycle system that may be part of a water heating system configured to heat water or a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. In other instances, the system may be part of commercial refrigerant systems, such as cooled warehouses, supermarket coolers, and/or the like.

In certain embodiments, the system may include a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger may be configured to output a high-pressure refrigerant in a liquid state. In some aspects, the second heat exchanger may be packaged in a unit (e.g., an outdoor unit, a rooftop unit, etc.) along with a condenser and other refrigerant circuit system components. The system may further include one or more expansion devices (e.g., an expansion valve or a capillary) that may receive the refrigerant from the second heat exchanger. Hereinafter, in the present disclosure, the expansion device is referred to as expansion valve; however, such terminology should not be construed as limiting. The expansion valve may reduce the pressure and temperature of the received refrigerant and output a low-pressure, low-temperature mixed phase refrigerant. The first heat exchanger may receive the refrigerant from the expansion valve and may output the refrigerant in a vapor state. In some aspects, the first heat exchanger may be an evaporator. In some aspects, the evaporator may include a fan that may draw heat from ambient environment/air and may blow air across the first heat exchanger, thereby heating and vaporizing the refrigerant. The compressor may receive the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and output the refrigerant in high pressure, high temperature vapor state. The second heat exchanger may receive the refrigerant from the compressor, thus completing the vapor compression cycle.

As will be appreciated, the system may additionally include a reversing valve, which may reverse the flow of refrigerant described above based on a mode of operation of the system. For the sake of simplicity, a single flow direction of the refrigerant is described above.

In some aspects, one or more system components may be installed/placed outside a structure (e.g., building or home) in which the system may be operating. Specifically, one or more system components may be instated in an outside unit or a rooftop unit, which may be located outside the structure in which the system may be operating (and not disposed inside the structure interior portion). In an exemplary aspect, the system components, such as the compressor, the condenser, the evaporator, and/or the like, may be placed in the outside unit when the system may be part of an HVAC unit or a water heating system. The outside unit may include a housing in which the system components may be placed/installed and a fan that may be disposed at a top wall (or a sidewall or both) of the housing. The housing may be include vents on the housing sidewalls and the top wall, and the fan may be configured to draw air from ambient environment into the housing interior portion via the vents when the fan operates. The air drawn by the fan may be used to cool the system components (e.g., the compressor) that may be placed in the outside unit.

It is known that one or more system components, such as the compressor, generate noise during operation. To reduce the noise emanating from the outside unit due to the operation of the system components, the system may additionally include a dome or bell-shaped structure (“structure”) that may be placed inside the housing and that may be configured to encapsulate the system components and absorb the noise generated by the system components.

In some aspects, the structure may be placed in the housing interior portion over the system components that are placed/installed in the housing, such that the structure fully encapsulates the system components. The structure may include a hollow body interior portion and curved sidewalls that may be bent inwards towards the hollow body interior portion. The structure may further include an inlet that may be configured to enable air to enter the hollow interior portion and an outlet that may be configured to output the air from a top of the hollow interior portion. The air entering the hollow body interior portion via the inlet may cool the system components placed in the structure.

In some aspects, the sidewalls may be made of a material that may be configured to absorb sound waves or noise generated by the system components. Therefore, when the system components are encapsulated by or placed in the structure, the sidewalls of the structure ensure that the noise generated by the system components does not escape the structure, thereby facilitating in reduction of noise emanating from the outside unit. Further, since the sidewalls are curved in shape, the structure is configured to improve the airflow towards the fan present at the top portion of the outside unit. Specifically, the aerodynamic shape of the sidewalls ensures that the air drawn in via the vents of the housing is channelized towards the blades of the fan (as opposed to a center portion of the fan), thereby enhancing the loading of the fan and improving the efficiency of the system.

In certain embodiments, the inlet of the structure that enables the air to enter the structure's hollow body interior portion is shaped as one or more slots that are disposed in proximity to or at a bottom portion of the structure. In other aspects, the inlet may be shaped as one or more through-holes that may be disposed on the sidewalls. When the inlet is shaped as holes, the structure may further include one or more channels that may channelize or provide passage to the air from the holes towards the outlet. In some aspects, the channels may be disposed/formed on an interior surface of the sidewalls, facing the hollow body interior portion.

In an exemplary aspect, the outlet may be disposed at a top portion of the structure and may be shaped as an annular orifice or ring. When the structure is placed in the outdoor unit, the outlet may be disposed in proximity to the fan and may be configured to output the air from the hollow body interior portion towards the blades of the fan, thereby further enhancing the loading of the fan. That is, the air may be directed from the outlet at an angle towards the blades of the fan as opposed to simply being directed upwards towards the center of the fan.

In some aspects, the dimensions of the structure (e.g., the structure's length, diameters of the top and bottom portions of the structure, etc.), the inlet, and the outlet are based on the dimensions of the fan, a fan type, and/or cooling requirements of the compressor or other system components that may be placed inside the structure.

The present disclosure describes a structure of a refrigerant circuit system that improves the airflow in an outside unit of the refrigerant circuit system and reduces noise emission from one or more system components that are placed in the structure. The structure is configured to increase the loading of the fan installed in the outside unit, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the system. The sidewalls of the system efficiently absorb the sound waves generated by the system components placed inside the structure, thereby reducing noise. Further, the inlet and the outlet of the structure ensure that the system components placed inside the structure are optimally ventilated and cooled.

Although certain examples of the disclosed technology are explained in detail herein, it is to be understood that other examples, embodiments, and implementations of the disclosed technology are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the disclosed technology is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components expressly set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed technology can be implemented in a variety of examples and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. In particular, the presently disclosed subject matter is described in the context of being a system and method for heating water with a heat pump/refrigerant circuit or providing cool or hot air via an HVAC unit. The present disclosure, however, is not so limited, and can be applicable in other contexts. Furthermore, the present disclosure can include other fluid heating systems configured to heat a fluid other than water such as process fluid heaters used in industrial applications. Such implementations and applications are contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, when the present disclosure is described in the context of being a system and method for heating water with a heat pump/refrigerant circuit or providing cool or hot air via an HVAC unit, it will be understood that other implementations can take the place of those referred to.

Although the term “water” is used throughout this specification, it is to be understood that other fluids may take the place of the term “water” as used herein. Therefore, although described as a system and method to heat water, it is to be understood that the systems and methods described herein can apply to fluids other than water. Further, it is also to be understood that the term “water” can replace the term “fluid” as used herein unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an example refrigerant circuit system 100 (or system 100) and an example outdoor unit 102 of the system 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. While describing FIG. 1, references will be made to FIGS. 2 and 3. In some aspects, the system 100 may be part of a water heating system. In other aspects, the system 100 may be part of a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit, commercial refrigerant systems such as cooled warehouses or supermarket coolers, or the like. The description below is described in the context of the system 100 being part of a water heating system; however, the application area of the system 100 should not be construed as limited only to a water heating system.

The system 100 may be a heat pump assembly that may form a vapor compression cycle system. In some aspects, the system 100 may include a first heat exchanger 104, a compressor 106, a second heat exchanger 108 and an expansion device 110 (hereinafter referred to as expansion valve 110) connected in series by refrigerant tubing 112 through which, during heat pump operation, a refrigerant may flow in the indicated clockwise direction. Specifically, the refrigerant may sequentially flow from an outlet of the compressor 106, through the second heat exchanger 108, through the expansion valve 110, through the first heat exchanger 104, and back to an inlet of the compressor 106.

In some aspects, the system 100 may additionally include a reversing valve (not shown) through which the flow of refrigerant shown in FIG. 1 and described above may be reversed. Depending on the mode of operation in which the system 100 may be operating (e.g., the heating mode or the cooling mode), the flow of refrigerant may be reversed. Consequently, the flow of refrigerant depicted in FIG. 1 should not be construed as limiting.

The refrigerant may be selected from a variety of materials. The refrigerant may be any material capable of supplying favorable thermodynamic properties to a cooling system. The refrigerant, for example, may be selected based on a desired boiling point, a high heat of vaporization, a moderate liquid density, a high critical temperature, and/or other aspects. Accordingly, the refrigerant may be any chlorofluorocarbon, chlorofluoroolefin, hydrochlorofluorocarbon, hydrochlorofluoroolefin, hydrofluorocarbon, hydrofluoroolefin, hydrochlorocarbon, hydrochloroolefin, hydrocarbon, hydroolefin, perfluorocarbon, perfluoroolefin, perchlorocarbon, perchloroolefin, halon, or haloalkane. In some aspects, the refrigerant may be any refrigerant designated as such by, and compliant with, the standards, rules, and regulations set forth by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) (e.g., ASHRAE Standard 34-2019). For example, the refrigerant may be R-410A or R-134a. In some embodiments, the refrigerant may be or may include a hydrofluoroolefin, such as HFO-1234yf or blends thereof, including R-454B.

In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the first heat exchanger 104 may be an evaporator (having evaporator coils and one or more fans, not shown) and the second heat exchanger 108 may be a condenser. Hereinafter, the first heat exchanger 104 is referred to as evaporator 104, and the second heat exchanger 108 is referred to as condenser 108. The first and second heat exchangers 104, 108 may be reversed based on the mode of operation of the system 100 (e.g., based on whether the system 100 is operating in cooling or heating mode).

The compressor 106 may be configured to output the refrigerant in vapor state towards the condenser 108, via the refrigerant tubing 112. The refrigerant output from the compressor 106 may be at high temperature and high pressure state. The condenser 108 may receive the refrigerant from the compressor 106 via the refrigerant tubing 112 and may convert the refrigerant into liquid state. In some aspects, the heat dissipated by the condenser 108 while changing the refrigerant phase from vapor to liquid may be used to heat water (e.g., when the system 100 is part of a water heating system).

The condenser 108 may output the refrigerant in liquid state towards the expansion valve 110, via the refrigerant tubing 112. The refrigerant output from the condenser 108 may be at high pressure and medium-to-high temperature state. The expansion valve 110 may receive the refrigerant from the condenser 108 and may output the refrigerant in low pressure, low temperature state towards the evaporator 104 via the refrigerant tubing 112. The refrigerant output from the expansion valve 110 may be in a mixture of liquid and vapor states.

The evaporator 104 may receive the refrigerant from the expansion valve 110 and may convert the refrigerant into low pressure, vapor state refrigerant. The evaporator 104 may include a fan (not shown in the block diagram) that may draw air from ambient environment and blow it towards the evaporator 104. The evaporator 104 may draw heat/warmth from the air that is received from the fan and may transfer the warmth towards the refrigerant received from the expansion valve 110, thereby vaporizing the refrigerant. The evaporator 104 may output the refrigerant in vapor state towards the compressor 106 via the refrigerant tubing 112. The compressor 106 may receive the refrigerant from the evaporator 104 and may “compress” the refrigerant to output the refrigerant in high pressure, high temperature state, as described above. In some aspects, the compressor 106 may be a pump that provides additional pressure to the refrigerant to enable the refrigerant to flow through the defined path, as indicated in FIG. 1. In this manner, the refrigerant flows in the system 100, facilitating heating of water through the condenser 108 when the system 100 is part of a water heating system.

The compressor 106 may be of any type. For example, the compressor 106 may be a positive displacement compressor, a reciprocating compressor, a rotary screw compressor, a rotary vane compressor, a rolling piston compressor, a scroll compressor, a diaphragm compressor, a dynamic compressor, an axial compressor, or any other form of compressor that can be integrated into the heat pump assembly for the particular application. The example compressors described here may be controlled by an inverter, or may operate at a fixed speed.

In some aspects, one or more components of the system 100 may be placed outdoors (i.e., not in the interior portion of the building where the water heating system or the HVAC system is installed), to enable optimal operation of the system 100 and for the system components to efficiently draw air from ambient environment. For example, it is known that in some instances, the components such as the compressor 106, the evaporator 104, the condenser 108, and/or the like are placed in outdoor units, such as the outdoor unit 102 depicted in FIG. 1.

The outdoor unit 102 may include a plurality of components including, but not limited to, a housing 114, a fan 116, and/or the like. In an exemplary aspect, the fan 116 may be installed/disposed at a top portion/wall of the housing 114 (or on any other portion of the housing 114), and the housing 114 may include a plurality of slots/through-holes/vents 118 through which air may flow inside and outside of the housing 114. In an exemplary aspect, the fan 116 may be configured to draw air from ambient environment via the vents 118 disposed on the sidewalls of the housing 114, when the fan 116 operates. Stated another way, the air from ambient environment may be drawn into the housing interior portion by the fan 116 via the vents 118 disposed on the sidewalls of the housing 114, when the fan 116 operates. Further, the fan 116 may be configured to output or emit the air present in the housing interior portion to ambient environment via the vents 118 disposed on the top wall of the housing 114. An example flow of air in the housing interior portion via the vents 118 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, as an airflow 202.

As described above, one or more components of the system 100 may be placed in the outdoor unit 102. In the exemplary aspect depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the compressor 106 is shown to be placed in the outdoor unit 102. The example depiction should not be construed as limiting. In other aspects, one or more additional system components (e.g., the condenser 108, the evaporator 104, etc.) may also be placed in the outdoor unit 102, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The air drawn by the fan 116 towards the housing interior portion may be used to cool the system components placed in the housing 114.

In some aspects, the system's efficiency may be enhanced when the airflow 202 towards the fan 116 is improved. Specifically, the system's Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM) may be reduced (and hence the system's efficiency may be enhanced) when the airflow 202 is directed towards the blades of the fan 116 (as opposed to the fan's center portion). Furthermore, in some aspects, one or more system components, e.g., the compressor 106, generate noise when the compressor 106 operates.

To improve the airflow towards the fan 116 and reduce the noise that gets emanated from the system components placed in the outdoor unit 102, a structure 120 may be placed in the housing 114. In some aspects, the structure 120 may be part of the system 100. In other aspects, the structure 120 may not be part of the system 100 and subsequently added.

In an exemplary aspect, the structure 120 may be shaped as a bell or a dome, which may have a hollow interior portion, an open bottom end/portion and a partially closed top end/portion. The structure 120 may have curved sidewalls, which may facilitate in regulating the airflow 202 towards the fan 116 (specifically towards the fan's blades) when the fan 116 operates, thereby enhancing the system's efficiency. Specifically, the bell or dome-shaped structure 120 creates a more streamlined airflow path between the vents 118 on the sidewalls of the housing 114 and the vents 118 on the top wall of the housing 114. This facilitates in reducing the dead zones near the bottom portion of the outdoor unit 102, thereby reducing the required CFM and enhancing the system's efficiency.

Further, the system components placed in the outdoor unit 102 may be encapsulated in the hollow interior portion of the structure 120. The walls of the structure 120 may be formed of a material that absorb sound waves/noise, and do not allow (or minimally allow) the noise generated by the system components to escape the structure 120. In this manner, the noise generated by the system components (e.g., the compressor 106) gets trapped inside the structure 120 and is not allowed to escape the outdoor unit 102, thereby considerably reducing noise and enhancing user convenience.

Two example embodiments/versions of the structure 120 are depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 and described below.

FIG. 2 depicts an example first structure 200 for improving airflow and reducing noise in the outdoor unit 102 of the system 100. The structure 200 may be the same as or similar to the structure 120 described above.

The structure 200 may include a body 204 having a hollow body interior portion. The body 204 may include a bottom portion 206, a top portion 208, and sidewalls 210 connecting the top portion 208 and the bottom portion 206. The top portion 208 and the bottom portion 206 may have circular shapes, and a diameter “D1” of the bottom portion 206 may be greater than a diameter “D2” of the top portion 208. In an exemplary aspect, “D2” may be in a range of 30-50% of “D1”. In some aspects, the diameters “D1” and “D2” may be based on the system dimensions and/or a system type. For example, the diameters “D1” and “D2” may be based on the dimensions of the fan 116 (e.g., the length of the fan 116 or its blades) and/or a fan type.

As described above, the structure 200 is shaped as a bell or a dome. In some aspects, the sidewalls 210 may have a curved shape bended inwards towards the hollow body interior portion, as shown in FIG. 2. In some aspects, a gradient or angle “α” of curve of a middle part of the sidewalls 210 may be greater than a gradient or angle of curve of a top part and/or a bottom part of the sidewalls 210 (which may tend to zero). For example, the angle “α” may be 5 or 10 degrees, while the angle of curve of the top part and/or the bottom part of the sidewalls 210 may be close or equivalent to zero. Such a curved shape of the sidewalls 210 enables the structure 200 to have an aerodynamic body, which causes the airflow 202 to get streamlined from the vents 118 on the sidewalls of the housing 114 towards the fan blades disposed at the top of the housing 114.

In some aspects, the angle “α” and other dimensions of the structure 200 (e.g., the structure's length from the bottom portion 206 to the top portion 208) may also be based on the dimensions of the fan 116 and/or the fan type.

In an exemplary aspect, the sidewalls 210 may have an inner surface 212, an outer surface 214, and a middle layer 216 disposed between the inner surface 212 and the outer surface 214. The inner surface 212 may face the hollow body interior portion, and the outer surface 214 may face away from the hollow body interior portion. The inner surface 212 may be made of the same material as the outer surface 214. In an exemplary aspect, the inner surface 212 and the outer surface 214 may be made of a perforated material having a plurality of micro-perforations, which may allow sound waves to enter the middle layer 216. The middle layer 216 may be made of a material that absorbs sound waves. In an exemplary aspect, the middle layer 216 is made of long strain glass wool or a similar material that efficiently absorbs sound waves/noise.

The hollow body interior portion may be configured to encapsulate one or more system components, e.g., the compressor 106, as shown in FIG. 2, when the structure 200 may be placed in the housing 114 and over the system components. The bottom portion 206 may be open, which may enable a system operator/user to conveniently slide/place the structure 200 over the compressor 106, thereby enabling the hollow body interior portion to encapsulate the compressor 106. Since the sidewalls 210 include the middle layer 216 that absorbs sound waves (as described above), the noise generated by the system components, e.g., the compressor 106, may not escape (or minimally escape) the structure 200, thereby effectively reducing the noise generated by the system components that are placed in the outdoor unit 102. In this manner, the structure 200 acts as a “silencer”that reduces noise.

Furthermore, to ensure that the system components placed inside the structure 200 are properly ventilated/cooled and operate optimally, the structure 200 may additionally include one or more inlets 218 (or inlet 218) and an outlet 220. The inlet 218 may be configured to intake air into the hollow body interior portion (thereby cooling the system components placed in the hollow body interior portion). Specifically, the inlet 218 may be configured to intake air drawn from the ambient environment by the fan 116 via the vents 118 and transfer the air into the hollow body interior portion. Further, the outlet 220 may be configured to output the air from the hollow body interior portion. In some aspects, the outlet 220 may be configured to output the air from the hollow body interior portion towards the fan 116.

In the exemplary aspect depicted in FIG. 2, the inlet 218 is shaped as a slot or a slit (i.e., an elongated through-hole, which may have a length in a range of 5-15% of “D1”), which may be disposed in proximity to the bottom portion 206. For example, the inlet 218 may be disposed on the periphery of the sidewalls 210 at the bottom portion 206. In some aspects, the dimensions of the inlet 218/slots may be based on the cooling requirements of the compressor 106, and/or other components that may be placed inside the structure 200. In some instances, the bottom portion 206 may be spaced apart from a support surface by one or more legs to allow air to flow into the structure 200 from the bottom.

Further, the outlet 220 may be disposed on the top portion 208. In some aspects, when the structure 200 is placed inside the housing 114 encapsulating the system components that are present in the housing 114, the top portion 208 may be disposed in proximity to and under/below the fan 116. Since the top portion 208 is disposed in proximity to the fan 116 and the outlet 220 is disposed on the top portion 208, the outlet 220 is also disposed in proximity to the fan 116, thereby enabling the fan 116 to efficiently receive/draw air from the hollow body interior portion via the outlet 220.

In one exemplary aspect, the outlet 220 may include a plurality of through-holes that may enable the air to escape the hollow body interior portion. In a second exemplary aspect, the outlet 220 may be shaped as a single circular through-hole disposed at a center of the top portion 208. In a third exemplary aspect, the outlet 220 may be shaped as an annular orifice or ring disposed on the top portion 208, as shown in FIG. 3 and described later in the description below. In this case, the top portion 208 may be partially closed.

The structure 200 may further include one or more support members or support rods 222 that may be connected or placed between the sidewalls 210 (e.g., touching the inner surface 212 of the middle part of the sidewalls 210) and the bottom surface of the housing 114 or any external surface on which the structure 200 may be placed. The length of each support rod 222 may be based on the dimensions and/or weight of the structure 200. The support rods 222 may be rigid rods that prevent the sidewalls 210 from collapsing or falling onto itself, when the structure 200 may be placed over the system components in the housing 114. It may be appreciated that since the sidewalls 210 are made of perforated material/sheet and material such as glass wool, the sidewalls 210 may not be rigid and may be prone to collapsing, if not provided with an optimal support. To ensure that such an instance does not occur, the structure 200 includes the support rods 222, which may be made of rigid material and which may prevent the sidewalls 210 (and hence the structure 200) from collapsing.

Although the description above describes an aspect where the structure 200 improves the airflow towards the fan 116 (due to the curved shape of the sidewalls 210) and reduces the noise emanating from the system components placed in the housing 114 (due to the middle layer 216 present in the sidewalls 210), the use of the structure 200 is not limited to these applications. In additional aspects, the structure 200 may also protect the system components placed inside the body 204 from getting damaged due to dust, ice, snow, etc., that may enter the housing interior portion via the vents 118. Furthermore, in some aspects, instead of the structure 200 being placed underneath the fan 116 (as described above and as shown in FIG. 2, the top portion 208 is disposed under the fan 116), the structure 200 may also be placed over/above the fan (e.g., on the top wall of the housing 114) to prevent ice, snow, etc. to enter the housing interior portion and/or the fan 116.

In addition, one or more of the diameter “D1” of the bottom portion 206, the diameter “D2” of the top portion 208, a height “H1” (shown in FIG. 2) of the bottom portion 206 above the base of the housing 114, and a height “H2” of the structure 200 are controlled parameters, and can be optimized based on the dimensions of the fan 116, the fan type, and/or the cooling requirements of the compressor 106 or other system components that may be placed inside the structure 200.

Further, although the description above describes an aspect where the sidewalls 210 include three layers/surfaces (i.e., the inner surface 212, the outer surface 214, and the middle layer 216), the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In alternative aspects, the sidewalls 210 may include only a single layer, which may be made of a material that absorbs sound waves. In yet another aspect, the sidewalls 210 may include two layers, instead of the three layers described above.

Furthermore, although the description above describes an aspect where the structure 120 has a shape of a dome or a bell, the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In alternative aspects, the structure 120 may have any other shape (with sidewalls including the three layers/surfaces described above), which may effectively encapsulate one or more system components to reduce noise without impacting (or impacting minimally) the airflow through the housing 114.

FIG. 3 depicts an example second structure 300 for improving airflow and reducing noise in the outdoor unit 102 of the system 100. The structure 300 may be the same as or similar to the structure 120 or the structure 200 described above. However, instead of the sidewalls 210 being made of the inner surface 212, the outer surface 214 and the middle layer 216 as described above in conjunction with the structure 200, the sidewalls 210 of the structure 300 may be made of a rigid material. In an exemplary aspect, the sidewalls 210 of the structure 300 may be made of Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) or a similar high durability material that dampens vibration and reduces noise. Since the sidewalls 210 of the structure 300 are made of rigid material, the structure 300 may not include or require the support rods 222.

Further, instead of the inlet 218 being shaped like a slot/slit as described above in conjunction with the structure 200, the inlet 218 of the structure 300 may be shaped as one or more through-holes that may be disposed on the sidewalls 210 (e.g., at or in proximity to the middle part of the sidewalls 210). The dimensions (e.g., diameter) of the holes may be based on the cooling requirements of the compressor 106, and/or other components that may be placed inside the structure 300.

In some aspects, the structure 300 may additionally include one or more channels 302 that may have a channel proximal end 304 and a channel distal end 306. In an exemplary aspect, the channels 302 may be disposed/formed on an interior surface of the sidewalls 210, facing the hollow body interior portion. The channel proximal end 304 and the channel distal end 306 may be open ends. Further, the channel proximal end 304 may be connected to the inlet 218, and the channel distal end 306 may be disposed in proximity to the top portion 208 or the outlet 220. The channel may be shaped as a rib, a passage or an air transferring channel that may channelize or guide the air drawn-in via the inlet 218 towards the top portion 208/outlet 220.

The air that gets transferred towards the outlet 220 via the channels 302 may escape the structure 300 via the outlet 220 and may get drawn towards the fan 116. In the exemplary aspect depicted in FIG. 3, the outlet 220 of the structure 300 is shaped as an annular orifice or ring disposed on the top portion 208. The diameter and/or width of the annular orifice may be based on the fan dimensions and/or the fan type. In an exemplary aspect, an outer diameter “D3” of the annular orifice may be in a range of 40-60% of “D2”, and a width “W” of the annular orifice may be in a range of 10-20% of “D2”.

In addition to receiving the air from the outlet 220, the fan 116 also draws air from ambient environment via the vents 118 present on the sidewalls of the housing 114, as described above. The curved sidewalls 210 of the structures 200, 300 channelize the airflow 202 towards the blades of the fan 116 (as opposed to towards the center of the fan 116). Further, the outlet 220 shaped as the annular orifice/ring also outputs the air towards the blades of the fan 116 (as shown by arrows 308 in FIG. 3). In some aspects, the fan efficiency or “fan loading” may be considerably improved/enhanced when the air is directed towards the fan's blades, as opposed to its center portion. Therefore, the structure 200, 300, with its curved sidewalls 210 and the annular orifice-shaped outlet 220, improves the air aerodynamic property of the outdoor unit 102, thereby improving the efficiency of the system 100. In this manner, in addition to reducing the transmission of noise generated from the compressor 106 and/or other system components placed in the outdoor unit 102, the structure 200, 300 enhances the system efficiency by improving the air aerodynamic property of the outdoor unit 102.

FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of an example method 400 to make the structure 120, 200, 300 to improve airflow and reduce noise in the system 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 may be described with continued reference to prior figures. The following process is exemplary and not confined to the steps described hereafter. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include more or less steps than are shown or described herein and may include these steps in a different order than the order described in the following example embodiments.

The method 400 may start at step 402. At step 404, the method 400 may include providing the body 204 having the hollow body interior portion and the curved sidewalls 210, as described above. At step 406, the method 400 may include providing the inlet 218 that is configured to intake air into the hollow body interior portion. At step 408, the method 400 may include providing the outlet 220 that is configured to output air from the hollow body interior portion.

At step 410, the method 400 may end.

In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, one skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

It should also be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusionary and non-limiting in nature. More particularly, the word “example” as used herein indicates one among several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is being directed to the particular example being described.

With regard to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claims.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the application is capable of modification and variation.

All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc., should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.