GB2410080A

GB2410080A - Free standing ventilation unit

Info

Publication number: GB2410080A
Application number: GB0400077A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Herbert
Original assignee: ALPHA PROJECT MAN Ltd
Current assignee: ALPHA PROJECT MAN Ltd
Priority date: 2004-01-05
Filing date: 2004-01-05
Publication date: 2005-07-20
Also published as: GB0400077D0

Abstract

A ventilation unit comprises an air inlet 8 in an upper part of the unit, an air outlet 10 in a lower part of the unit, an air cooling means 18 disposed between the inlet 8 and outlet 10 and an air directing means 12 to draw air into the unit via the inlet 8 over the cooling means 18 and expelling cooled air out through the outlet 10. The air may be drawn from within a room or from a duct connected to air external to the room. Inlet 8 may be in an upper surface or a vertical face of the unit. Outlet 10 may be provided in a vertical surface of the unit and the air may be directed into the room horizontally at or proximate the floor level. Air cooling means 18 may be a heat exchange unit located near the outlet 10 for a coolant cooled by a refrigerating unit which may be located externally of the unit. Air directing means 12 may comprise one or more fans 14 and a plurality of curved vanes 16. A filter 20 and a curved grille 6 may be provided. The air flow may be of a low velocity to permit air displacement rather than mixing of air in a room.

Description

241 0080

VENTILATION UNIT

lathe present invention relates to a ventilation unit and in particular to a free-standing displacement ventilation unit.

Displacement ventilation systems are well known and widely used in warehousing and retail premises. These systems work on the principle of delivering large volumes of cool air at low velocity to the room or space to be ventilated. This cool air is delivered at low velocity through displacement terminals mounted at lov, level around the perimeter of the space.

As the air is cooler and thus more dense it flows across the floor of the space. Additionally as the cool air is travelling at low velocity, it displaces rather than mixes with the rest of me air in the space. The low velocity of the air fierier means that it flouts effectively around comers and obstacles at floor level.

The result of dais delivery of cool air is to create a zone of cool air at floor level and displace heated air towards the roof of the space. Typically such systems are arranged to create a cool air zone from the floor of the space to above average head height.

The displaced heated air is removed from the space Trough vents at high levels and discharged to exterior of the space.

Conventionally SUC]I systems comprise a central treatment unit to cool Me air and a plurality of ternals distributed around the perimeter of each TOOTn or se Em_ space to be ventilated. In order to facilitate this, a network of ducts must be prodded to distribute the air Dom the central breaanent unit to each terminal.

Providing such a network of ducts adds significantly to the cost of such displacement systems. Additionally, it can be very difficult, if not impossible, to retrofit an appropriate network of ducts to an existing building.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a displacement air ventilation system which overcomes the above problems.

According to the present invention Mere is provided a ventilation unit comprising an air inlet provided in the upper part of said unit through which air may be drawn into said unit, an air outlet provided in a lower part of said unit through which air may be expelled from the unit, air cooling means disposed between such air inlet and said air outlet operative to cool air passing there rough, and air directing means operative to draw air into the unit, through said air inlet, direct said air through said air cooling means and expel said cooled Mom said unit through staid air outlet wherein said cooled air is expelled substantially horizontally Trough said air outlet.

This thus provides a free standing, independent ventilation unit capable 4 eve . . . . . . . of providing displacement ventilation for at least Mat part of a room adjacent to said unit. Preferably, in order to provide adequate ventilation for a large room or space, a number of such Units may be provided around the periphery of said room or space.

s The air inlet may be adapted to draw in air from within the room in which said unit is placed or may alternatively be adapted to draw in air from a duct connected to air external 10 said room.

Preferably the air inlet is provided in a substantially horizontal upper face of said mat In alternative embodiments however said air inlet mar be provided in We upper part of a substantially vertical face of the urut.

Preferably a filter is provided for filtering air drawn in through said air inlet. Said filter preferably Uprises a panel of a suitable filter matenal.

Said cooling means is preferably a heat exchange unit. Alternatively said cooling means is a reiligerating element. Preferably a flow of coolant Trough said heat exchange mat is maintained to cool said unit. Said coolant is preferably cooled by an Formal reDigerabug unit. Said coolant may be water or other suitable rehigerabn.g medium or refrigerant.

Said air outlet is preferably provided in the lower part of a substantially vertical face of said unit. Preferably said air cooling means is substantially adjacent to said air outlet.

Preferably said air directing means composes one or more fans and a ë e.e e e plurality of vanes or blades each having a curved cross- section. The operation of such fans in conjunction with the curvature of said vanes or blades is such Mat air drawn in through said air inlet in a substantially vertical direction is passed through said cooling means and expelled through said air outlet in a s substantially horizontal direction.

Preferably We unit is adapted such that the air flow from the outlet of said unit is of a sufficiently loser velocity that said air flow displaces rawer than mixes win air in the room. In order to achieve this, Me air 10w Trough the outlet is preferably 1-3 cubic metros per second.

Preferably a grille is provided concealing Me face of said unit in which said air outlet is provided. Said grille is preferably comprised of perforated sheet metal. Said grille is preferably curved and covers Me whole of said face in which said air outlet is provided.

In order Mat the invention be more clearly understood, specific embodiments unit now be described filer herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1 is a perspective view of a ventilation unit according to the present invention, figure 2 shows side, front arid plan elevations of the ventilation unit of figure 1, and figure 3 shows side front and plan elevations of an alternative < * e e s embodi.nent of the ventilation unit of figure 1.

Refemug now to figure 1 a ventilation unit 2 comprises a body potion 4 and a screening grille 6 Epically formed from perforated sheet metal. The grille 6 comprises Tree portions 6a, 6b, 6c, Me central portion of which 6b is removable to allow access to the body 4. An air inlet 8 is provided in We upper surface of the body 4.

Refernng now to figure 2, air is drawn in through air inlet 8 by air directing means 12 comprising Tree fan units 14 a-c and a plurality of curved vanes 16. The air is additionally arranged to pass through a filter 20 below inlet 8. This cleans the air and helps prevent da.nage to the fans 14 a-c, and damage to a cooling means 18, caused by particulate matter.

The air directing means 12 additionally directs the air through a cooling means 18 and the cooled air is Ten expelled Trough air outlet 10. In Me alternative embodiment shown in figure 3, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, two fan units 14 a, t, are provided instead of three and the grille 6 is comprised of a single portion, said portion being removable to allow access to Me body 4 for maintenance.

The fan units generate an airflow through the unit of 1-3 cubic meters per second. This is sufficient to cool the air between tle floor and an average persons head height over an area of up to 400 square meters for the embodiment shown in figure 2 or up to 2SO square metres for Me smaller unit shown in figure * se. c c c C C .6C .C C 3. In Me embodiment of figure 2, having Tree few 14a-e, a typical airflow would be 2.5 cubic metros per second and in the embodiment of figure 3, having two fans, 14a, b a typical airflow would be 1.67 cubic meters per second The cooling means 18 is a heat exchange unit through which a coolant s flows. The coolant may be water or over suitable refrigerant. The coolant is cooled by an external rehigeratng unit (not shown).

Typically, such a unit 2 as shown in figure 2 is approximately 2 meters high 2 meters wide and 1.5 meters deep however, larger or smaller units 2 may be used to cool and or ventilate areas of different sizes if desired. In order to ventilate a large area, a number of units 2 are provided typically dispersed around We periphery of the area. As each unit 2 is independent, requiring only a power supply and coolant to, operate, such a ventilation system can be quicldy and easily installed in almost: any room without requinug any modifications It is of course to be understood Mat Me invention is not to be restricted to the demils of the above embodiment which has been described by way of

example only. i

Claims

1. A ventilation unit comprising an air inlet provided in an upper part of said unit through which air may be drawn into said unit, an air outlet provided in a lower part of said unit through which air may be expelled from the unit, air cooling means disposed between said air inlet and said air outlet operative to cool air passing there through, and air directing means operative to draw air into the unit, through said air inlet, direct said air through said air cooling means and expel said cooled air from said unit through said air outlet wherein said cooled air is expelled substantially horizontally through said air outlet.

2. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air inlet is adapted to draw in air from within a room, or other defined space, in which said unit is placed.

3. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air inlet is adapted to draw in air from a duct connected to air external to a room, or other defined space, in which said unit is placed.

4. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the air inlet is provided in a substantially horizontal upper face of said unit.

5. A ventilation unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air inlet is provided in an upper part of a substantially vertical face of the unit.

6. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim, wherein a filter is provided for filtering air drawn in through said air inlet.

7. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said filter comprises a panel of a suitable filter material.

8. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim, wherein said air cooling means comprises a heat exchange unit.

9. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heat exchange unit is adapted such that, in use, a flow of coolant through said heat exchange unit is maintained to cool said air.

10. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the coolant is cooled by a refrigerating unit.

11. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the refrigeration unit is located externally of the unit.

12. A ventilation unit as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the coolant is water or some other suitable refrigerant.

13. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the air outlet is adapted to direct air in to the room or other defined space generally horizontally at, or proximate to, floor level.

15. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the air outlet is provided in a lower part of a substantially vertical face of said unit.

16. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim when dependent on claim 8, in which said heat exchanger means is substantially adjacent to said air outlet.

17. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the air directing means comprises one or more fans.

18. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the air directing means further comprises a plurality of vanes or blades, each vane or blade having a curved profile.

19. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the, or each, fan is adapted to draw air in through the air inlet in a generally vertical direction and to direct the air onto a plurality of curved vanes or blades, which vanes or blades are configured to re-direct the air in a generally horizontal direction through the cooling means and the air outlet.

20. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the unit is adapted such that, in use, the cooled air flow from the outlet is of a sufficiently low velocity that it displaces rather than mixes with air in the room or other defined space.

21. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 20, wherein the air flow through the outlet is in a range of 1-3 cubic metres per second.

22. A ventilation unit as claimed in any previous claim, wherein a grille is provided concealing the face of said unit in which said air outlet is provided.

23. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 22, wherein the grille is comprised of perforated sheet metal.

24. A ventilation unit as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the grille is curved and covers substantially the whole of said face in which said air outlet is provided.

25. A ventilation unit substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in figures 1 and 2 or figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

26. A ventilation system comprising two or more ventilation units as claimed in any in one of claims 1 to 25 positioned around a periphery of a room or other defined space.

27. A ventilation system as claimed in claim 26, in which all the ventilation units are connected to a common refrigeration unit.