US20220349613A1 - Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct - Google Patents
Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct Download PDFInfo
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- US20220349613A1 US20220349613A1 US17/242,432 US202117242432A US2022349613A1 US 20220349613 A1 US20220349613 A1 US 20220349613A1 US 202117242432 A US202117242432 A US 202117242432A US 2022349613 A1 US2022349613 A1 US 2022349613A1
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- air duct
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- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000001939 inductive effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000004513 sizing Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 230000006698 induction Effects 0.000 abstract description 8
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 229920002943 EPDM rubber Polymers 0.000 description 3
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000013517 stratification Methods 0.000 description 2
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- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920001084 poly(chloroprene) Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920003048 styrene butadiene rubber Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000009827 uniform distribution Methods 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
- F24F13/02—Ducting arrangements
- F24F13/06—Outlets for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air diffuser
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
- F24F13/02—Ducting arrangements
- F24F13/0209—Ducting arrangements characterised by their connecting means, e.g. flanges
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
- F24F13/02—Ducting arrangements
- F24F13/06—Outlets for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air diffuser
- F24F2013/0608—Perforated ducts
Definitions
- HVAC heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
- the supply air duct shown and described herein overcomes these disadvantages and shortcomings of conventional supply air ducts.
- the supply air duct disclosed is designed to provide high induction and linear diffusion of the supply air, which means that the entire or at least most of the duct system is diffusing air to the space in a uniform fashion, without the use of add-on diffusers.
- the high induction flow means that the continuous duct linear diffusion pattern causes the rapid mixture of the supply air with the air in the space, bringing the space to set point conditions more quickly than conventional supply air ducts.
- the design of the supply air duct entails nozzles in the outer walls of the duct and spacing and arranging the nozzles linearly along most of the length of the duct.
- openings in the outer wall that form the nozzles are sized to cause jet streams of supply air to be emitted from the supply air duct. This can lead to a negative pressure around the supply air duct and nozzles, which tends to induce existing air in the space to move towards the duct and nozzles where the existing air is efficiently mixed with the jet streams of supply air being emitted by the duct.
- the supply air duct is designed to enhance the mixing of supply air and existing air in an open space and generally comprises:
- the supply air duct configured to contain pressurized supply air and configured to be suspended or supported in the open space for heating and cooling the open space;
- the array of nozzles formed in a generally linear direction along the length of the supply air duct and including nozzles arranged in rows and generally uniformly spaced along the length of the supply air duct;
- the array of nozzles configured to disperse the pressurized supply air through the nozzles and generally uniformly along the length of the supply air duct.
- Another embodiment entails a method of dispersing supply air to an open space for heating and cooling the open space.
- the method comprises:
- the array of nozzles is generally uniformly spaced and extend in a generally linear direction along the length of the supply air duct.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an HVAC system including a supply air duct and a return air duct.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view illustrating the placement of the supply air duct in an upper corner area of the space being heated and cooled.
- FIG. 2-1 is a side elevational view of a duct section showing an array of nozzles employed in the supply air duct shown in FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 2-2 is a schematic illustration of a duct section illustrating the area generally occupied by the nozzles in the supply air duct shown in FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 2A is a schematic elevational view illustrating the placement of the supply air duct in an upper center area of the space being heated and cooled.
- FIG. 2A-1 is a bottom view of the duct section employed in the supply air duct shown in FIG. 2A .
- FIG. 2A-2 is a schematic illustration of the duct section showing the area occupied by the nozzles in the supply air duct shown in FIG. 2A .
- FIG. 2B is a view similar to FIG. 2A except that the supply air duct is provided with two groups of spaced apart nozzles.
- FIG. 2B-1 is a bottom view of the duct section employed in the supply air duct shown in FIG. 2B .
- FIG. 2B-2 is a schematic illustration of the area occupied by the nozzles in the supply air duct shown in FIG. 2B .
- FIG. 2C is a schematic elevational view showing the placement of the supply air duct in an upper central area of the space and wherein the supply air duct is provided with two groups of nozzles spaced 180° apart.
- FIG. 2C-1 is a side view of a duct section employed in the supply air duct shown in FIG. 2C .
- FIG. 2C-2 is a schematic illustration showing the area occupied by the nozzles in the supply air duct shown in FIG. 2C .
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative design for the supply air duct wherein the diameter of the supply air duct is stepped down towards a remote end thereof.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration showing the mixing of supply air emitted by the nozzles and existing air in the space.
- FIG. 5A shows two duct sections and a securing band prior to the two duct sections being connected.
- FIG. 5B shows the two duct sections connected together by the securing band.
- FIG. 6A is a fragmentary sectional view showing portions of the two duct sections prior to being coupled together.
- FIG. 6B is a fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the two ducts being secured together by the securing band.
- HVAC system 10 comprises a dedicated outdoor air system 11 for heating and cooling outside air and directing the heated or cooled air into a supply air duct 12 .
- the HVAC system includes a return air duct 14 .
- Supply air duct 12 can be employed with various types and forms of HVAC systems.
- the dedicated outdoor air system 11 shown in FIG. 1 is just one example of an HVAC unit that can be used with the supply air duct 12 .
- Supply air duct 12 includes a plurality of duct sections 12 A.
- Duct sections 12 A are joined end-to-end to form the supply air duct 12 .
- the return air duct 14 includes a plurality of duct sections 14 A that are connected in end-to-end relationship. Note in FIG. 1 where the return air duct 14 includes a return air inlet 14 B formed in the remote end of the return air duct.
- Supply air duct 12 is designed to disperse supply air generally uniformly along the length of the supply air duct.
- the supply air is linearly dispersed along the length of the supply air duct 12 .
- the supply air duct 12 is a high induction duct.
- high induction it is meant that the existing air in the open space below the exposed supply air duct 12 is induced to move towards the supply air duct where the existing air efficiently mixes with the supply air being dispersed from the duct.
- Supply air duct 12 includes an array of nozzles 18 in the outer wall of the duct.
- the nozzles 18 are disposed in rows. In some examples, the nozzles may reside in a single row and in other examples the nozzles may be arranged in a plurality of rows.
- the nozzle configuration is not limited to aligned row configurations. Other nozzle patterns are contemplated. However, whatever nozzle pattern is employed, the nozzles are provided along the length of the supply air duct 12 . In the example shown in FIG. 2-1 , there are four rows of nozzles in the outer wall of the supply air duct. In the example shown in FIG.
- the nozzles 18 are grouped into two sets of nozzles with each set comprising two rows of nozzles. It is appreciated that the nozzles 18 can be grouped in two or more sets, and the spacing between the sets can vary. The nozzles are generally uniformly spaced with respect to each other.
- Nozzles 18 are formed, in one embodiment, by openings in the outer wall of the supply air duct 12 .
- the size or diameter of the openings can vary.
- Supply air directed from the HVAC unit 11 into the supply air duct 12 is pressurized.
- the pressure in the supply air duct 12 can vary.
- the pressure inside the supply air duct 12 can be measured in water column and can vary.
- Nozzles 18 effectively resist the flow of supply air from the supply air duct 12 .
- Nozzles 18 give rise to a Venturi effect. That is, in the course of restricting the flow of supply air, the velocity of the supply air exhausted by the nozzles 18 increases. This results in the supply air in the supply air duct 12 being dispersed in jet streams into the open space being heated or cooled.
- the nozzles 18 extend continuously along a substantial length of the supply air duct 12 .
- the length of the supply air duct is defined to be the length between the first and last nozzle or nozzles. This means that the length of the supply air duct does not include feed sections extending from the HVAC unit to where the first nozzles are located.
- the nozzle pattern formed in the supply air duct may not be continuous. For example, in some cases, not all of the duct sections 12 A in the supply air duct include nozzles. For example, in some embodiments, the nozzles may be provided in every other duct section 12 A.
- the nozzle pattern should extend over a substantial length of the supply air duct. It is preferable that at least 50% of the length of the supply air duct include a nozzle pattern for dispersing supply air.
- nozzles 18 emit a jet stream of supply air
- a negative pressure is generated immediately adjacent the exterior side of the nozzles. That is, there is a small pressure differential that exists between the open space generally and the area immediately adjacent the nozzles 18 . This gives rise to the induction feature of the supply air duct 12 .
- this negative pressure existing air in the open space tends to be induced or swept upwardly toward the supply air duct 12 and particularly to areas adjacent the nozzles 18 .
- FIG. 4 Here the existing air is represented by arrows whose tails are dotted while the supply air is represented by full arrows. This is one example of a flow pattern for the supply air and the existing air.
- Supply air duct 12 is designed to be employed in an open ceiling environment where the duct is exposed in the open space.
- the supply air duct can be located at various locations in the open space. For example, see FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B and 2C . In these cases, the supply air duct 12 is suspended or supported in an upper portion of the open space. In FIG. 2 , the supply air duct 12 is supported in an upper corner area of the open space.
- the nozzle pattern includes four rows of nozzles. See FIG. 2-1 . The nozzle pattern extends approximately 45° around the duct. Note in FIG. 2 where the nozzle pattern is located generally in the 4:00-5:00 o'clock position such that the jet streams of supply air are directed generally outwardly and slightly downwardly from the supply air duct 12 .
- the supply air duct 12 is disposed in an upper center area of the open space.
- the nozzle pattern includes four rows and are provided over approximately a 45° of the supply air duct. See FIGS. 2A-1 and 2A-2 . Note in the FIG. 2A example where the nozzle pattern is generally centered at the 6:00 o'clock position such that the jet streams of supply air are directed downwardly.
- the supply air duct 12 is again located in the upper center of the open space.
- the supply air duct is provided with two sets or groups of nozzles 18 . See FIG. 2B-1 . Note in FIG. 2B where the jet streams of supply air are directed generally downwardly and slightly outwardly from the two sets of nozzles.
- FIG. 2C The example shown in FIG. 2C is similar in some respects to that shown in FIG. 2B .
- the supply air duct 12 is disposed in an upper central portion of the open space.
- Supply air duct 12 is provided with two sets or groups of nozzles 18 . These two sets of nozzles are generally separated by 180°.
- the two sets of nozzles provide an array of jet streams of supply air from both sides of the supply air duct 12 . That is, the jet streams are directed generally horizontally from opposite sides of the supply air duct 12 .
- the open space containing the supply air duct 12 will include what is termed an occupied area or space (occupiable area) where people work, congregate, move through, etc.
- the velocity of the supply air emitted by the nozzles 18 is typically greater than what is appropriate for the occupiable area.
- the HVAC system 10 and particularly the supply air duct 12 is designed to assure that the velocity of the supply air reaching the occupiable area is below a selected threshold. In one example, the threshold is approximately 50 feet per minute.
- the openings forming the nozzles 18 are particularly sized, spaced and arranged with respect to the HVAC system as a whole to assure that the velocity of the supply air reaching the occupiable area is less than the selected threshold which in this example is 50 feet per minute.
- FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B and 2C show the supply air being emitted by the nozzles 18 . But the supply air in each case is surrounded by a dotted line envelope. In this example, the velocity of the supply air outside of this envelope should be less than the threshold value.
- Duct sections 12 A can be constructed of various materials. In one embodiment, stainless steel is employed. Each duct section includes a main cylindrical body 12 A 1 and a pair of outwardly projecting flanges 12 A 2 and 12 A 3 . At least some of the duct sections 12 A have an integral gasket 20 incorporated into the duct section when fabricated.
- integral gasket means that the gasket is incorporated into the duct section during fabrication of the duct section and not at the installation site. This alleviates problems associated with installing or incorporating a gasket during on-site installation.
- Gasket 20 is secured to the outer side of at least one of the flanges 12 A 2 or 12 A 3 .
- both flanges 12 A 2 and 12 A 3 include the integral gasket 20 .
- the gasket comprises an ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) foam gasket.
- EPDM is blended with neoprene and styrene-butadiene rubber (SPR) to create a foam that offers excellent resistance to water and wear.
- one duct section 12 A having the integral gasket 20 is connected to another duct section that does not include the integral gasket. See FIG. 5A .
- the duct section 12 A on the left includes the integral gasket 20 but the duct section to the right does not include the integral gasket.
- the two duct sections are brought together and the flange 12 A 2 of the rightmost duct section is butted against the gasket 20 secured to flange 12 A 2 on the leftmost duct section.
- a V-band 22 is employed. As shown in FIGS.
- the V-band spans the two flanges and the gasket 20 and is tightly secured around the joint formed by the two flanges 12 A 2 and the gasket 20 .
- flanges of the two duct sections are inside the V-band 22 . Once the V-band 22 is disposed around the joint, it is tightened so as to effectively secure one duct section to another duct section.
- the diameter of the supply air duct 12 is constant throughout its length. There may be cases where it is desirable to step down the diameter of the supply air duct 12 along its length.
- the supply air duct 12 includes three duct sections of one diameter and three duct sections of another diameter. This can be helpful in particularly designing the supply air duct for a particular application and in cases where varying the diameter can facilitate a final design that emits a more generally uniform distribution of supply air along the length of the supply air duct.
- supply air duct 12 There are many advantages of supply air duct 12 .
- Supply air emitted from the supply air duct is more laminar and evenly distributed into the open space being heated or cooled. Further, the supply air duct is a high induction supply air diffuser. High induction means that the continuous linear diffusion pattern causes rapid mixture of the supply air with the existing air in the open space, bringing the open space to setpoint conditions much more quickly than conventional supply air ducts.
- Supply air duct 12 also has enhanced aesthetics, particularly when constructed of stainless steel. This highly finished appearance for open ceiling or industrial use makes the supply air duct of the present invention appealing in restaurants, breweries, and commercial and industrial buildings.
- the duct sections 12 A are field-ready for installation at the installation site. No metal cutting is required and there is no requirement to install seals or gaskets. This is because the individual duct sections 12 A come with an integral gasket. Thus, it is just a matter of aligning respective duct sections 12 A together and coupling them together with a V-band 22 .
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and more particularly to a supply air duct used in HVAC systems.
- Conventional supply air ducts, such as spiral ducts, commonly used today in commercial buildings to supply air to a space being heated and cooled have many disadvantages and shortcomings. First, insulation is difficult, complicated, and extremely time consuming. For example, many of the conventional supply air ducts require cutting and sealing on site. Secondly, most conventional supply air ducts rely on independently sourced diffusers that are secured to the duct or otherwise communicatively connected with the duct. The spacing and location of the diffusers are often haphazardly located with little or no engineering analysis. This results in the inefficient mixing of supply air with existing air in the space being heated or cooled, all of which leads to a non-uniform diffusion of supply air, hot and cold spots as well as temperatures stratification in the space being heated and cooled.
- The supply air duct shown and described herein overcomes these disadvantages and shortcomings of conventional supply air ducts. The supply air duct disclosed is designed to provide high induction and linear diffusion of the supply air, which means that the entire or at least most of the duct system is diffusing air to the space in a uniform fashion, without the use of add-on diffusers. The high induction flow means that the continuous duct linear diffusion pattern causes the rapid mixture of the supply air with the air in the space, bringing the space to set point conditions more quickly than conventional supply air ducts.
- The design of the supply air duct entails nozzles in the outer walls of the duct and spacing and arranging the nozzles linearly along most of the length of the duct. In one embodiment, openings in the outer wall that form the nozzles are sized to cause jet streams of supply air to be emitted from the supply air duct. This can lead to a negative pressure around the supply air duct and nozzles, which tends to induce existing air in the space to move towards the duct and nozzles where the existing air is efficiently mixed with the jet streams of supply air being emitted by the duct.
- In one embodiment, the supply air duct is designed to enhance the mixing of supply air and existing air in an open space and generally comprises:
- a series of duct sections secured together in end-to-end relationship which forms the supply air duct;
- the supply air duct configured to contain pressurized supply air and configured to be suspended or supported in the open space for heating and cooling the open space;
- an array of nozzles in the outer wall of the supply air duct and configured to disperse the pressurized supply air from the supply air duct in the form of an array of jet streams;
- the array of nozzles formed in a generally linear direction along the length of the supply air duct and including nozzles arranged in rows and generally uniformly spaced along the length of the supply air duct; and
- the array of nozzles configured to disperse the pressurized supply air through the nozzles and generally uniformly along the length of the supply air duct.
- Another embodiment entails a method of dispersing supply air to an open space for heating and cooling the open space. The method comprises:
- suspending or supporting a supply air duct over the open space;
- directing pressurized conditioned supply air into and through the supply air duct;
- dispersing the conditioned supply air from the supply air duct generally uniformly along the length of the supply air duct by:
- dispersing jet streams of the conditioned supply air from the supply air duct through an array of nozzles in the outer wall of the supply air duct; and
- wherein the array of nozzles is generally uniformly spaced and extend in a generally linear direction along the length of the supply air duct.
- Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an HVAC system including a supply air duct and a return air duct. -
FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view illustrating the placement of the supply air duct in an upper corner area of the space being heated and cooled. -
FIG. 2-1 is a side elevational view of a duct section showing an array of nozzles employed in the supply air duct shown inFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 2-2 is a schematic illustration of a duct section illustrating the area generally occupied by the nozzles in the supply air duct shown inFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 2A is a schematic elevational view illustrating the placement of the supply air duct in an upper center area of the space being heated and cooled. -
FIG. 2A-1 is a bottom view of the duct section employed in the supply air duct shown inFIG. 2A . -
FIG. 2A-2 is a schematic illustration of the duct section showing the area occupied by the nozzles in the supply air duct shown inFIG. 2A . -
FIG. 2B is a view similar toFIG. 2A except that the supply air duct is provided with two groups of spaced apart nozzles. -
FIG. 2B-1 is a bottom view of the duct section employed in the supply air duct shown inFIG. 2B . -
FIG. 2B-2 is a schematic illustration of the area occupied by the nozzles in the supply air duct shown inFIG. 2B . -
FIG. 2C is a schematic elevational view showing the placement of the supply air duct in an upper central area of the space and wherein the supply air duct is provided with two groups of nozzles spaced 180° apart. -
FIG. 2C-1 is a side view of a duct section employed in the supply air duct shown inFIG. 2C . -
FIG. 2C-2 is a schematic illustration showing the area occupied by the nozzles in the supply air duct shown inFIG. 2C . -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative design for the supply air duct wherein the diameter of the supply air duct is stepped down towards a remote end thereof. -
FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration showing the mixing of supply air emitted by the nozzles and existing air in the space. -
FIG. 5A shows two duct sections and a securing band prior to the two duct sections being connected. -
FIG. 5B shows the two duct sections connected together by the securing band. -
FIG. 6A is a fragmentary sectional view showing portions of the two duct sections prior to being coupled together. -
FIG. 6B is a fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the two ducts being secured together by the securing band. - With further reference to the drawings, particularly
FIG. 1 , an HVAC system is shown therein and indicated generally by the numeral 10.HVAC system 10 comprises a dedicatedoutdoor air system 11 for heating and cooling outside air and directing the heated or cooled air into asupply air duct 12. In addition, the HVAC system includes areturn air duct 14. - The focus of this invention is on the
supply air duct 12.Supply air duct 12 can be employed with various types and forms of HVAC systems. Thus, the dedicatedoutdoor air system 11 shown inFIG. 1 is just one example of an HVAC unit that can be used with thesupply air duct 12. -
Supply air duct 12 includes a plurality ofduct sections 12A.Duct sections 12A are joined end-to-end to form thesupply air duct 12. As will be explained later, when therespective duct sections 12A are connected end-to-end, an airtight seal is formed. Likewise, thereturn air duct 14 includes a plurality ofduct sections 14A that are connected in end-to-end relationship. Note inFIG. 1 where thereturn air duct 14 includes areturn air inlet 14B formed in the remote end of the return air duct. -
Supply air duct 12 is designed to disperse supply air generally uniformly along the length of the supply air duct. Thus, as seen in the drawings, the supply air is linearly dispersed along the length of thesupply air duct 12. Furthermore, thesupply air duct 12 is a high induction duct. By high induction, it is meant that the existing air in the open space below the exposedsupply air duct 12 is induced to move towards the supply air duct where the existing air efficiently mixes with the supply air being dispersed from the duct. -
Supply air duct 12 includes an array ofnozzles 18 in the outer wall of the duct. In the examples shown in the drawings, thenozzles 18 are disposed in rows. In some examples, the nozzles may reside in a single row and in other examples the nozzles may be arranged in a plurality of rows. The nozzle configuration is not limited to aligned row configurations. Other nozzle patterns are contemplated. However, whatever nozzle pattern is employed, the nozzles are provided along the length of thesupply air duct 12. In the example shown inFIG. 2-1 , there are four rows of nozzles in the outer wall of the supply air duct. In the example shown inFIG. 2B , thenozzles 18 are grouped into two sets of nozzles with each set comprising two rows of nozzles. It is appreciated that thenozzles 18 can be grouped in two or more sets, and the spacing between the sets can vary. The nozzles are generally uniformly spaced with respect to each other. -
Nozzles 18 are formed, in one embodiment, by openings in the outer wall of thesupply air duct 12. The size or diameter of the openings can vary. - Supply air directed from the
HVAC unit 11 into thesupply air duct 12 is pressurized. The pressure in thesupply air duct 12 can vary. The pressure inside thesupply air duct 12 can be measured in water column and can vary. -
Nozzles 18 effectively resist the flow of supply air from thesupply air duct 12.Nozzles 18 give rise to a Venturi effect. That is, in the course of restricting the flow of supply air, the velocity of the supply air exhausted by thenozzles 18 increases. This results in the supply air in thesupply air duct 12 being dispersed in jet streams into the open space being heated or cooled. - In one embodiment, the
nozzles 18 extend continuously along a substantial length of thesupply air duct 12. The length of the supply air duct is defined to be the length between the first and last nozzle or nozzles. This means that the length of the supply air duct does not include feed sections extending from the HVAC unit to where the first nozzles are located. In some embodiments, the nozzle pattern formed in the supply air duct may not be continuous. For example, in some cases, not all of theduct sections 12A in the supply air duct include nozzles. For example, in some embodiments, the nozzles may be provided in everyother duct section 12A. The nozzle pattern should extend over a substantial length of the supply air duct. It is preferable that at least 50% of the length of the supply air duct include a nozzle pattern for dispersing supply air. - Because the
nozzles 18 emit a jet stream of supply air, a negative pressure is generated immediately adjacent the exterior side of the nozzles. That is, there is a small pressure differential that exists between the open space generally and the area immediately adjacent thenozzles 18. This gives rise to the induction feature of thesupply air duct 12. Because of this negative pressure, existing air in the open space tends to be induced or swept upwardly toward thesupply air duct 12 and particularly to areas adjacent thenozzles 18. This is schematically shown inFIG. 4 . Here the existing air is represented by arrows whose tails are dotted while the supply air is represented by full arrows. This is one example of a flow pattern for the supply air and the existing air. These flow patterns can vary depending on numerous factors, such as the location of thesupply air duct 12 in the open space, the arrangement of nozzles in the supply air duct, the spacing and size of the openings that form thenozzles 18, as well as other factors. In any event, this results in the efficient mixing of existing air with the jet streams of supply air being emitted by thenozzles 18. This efficient mixing of supply air with existing air in the space being heated or cooled provides a uniform diffusion of supply air into the open space and avoids hot and cold spots, as well as temperature stratification in the space being heated or cooled. -
Supply air duct 12 is designed to be employed in an open ceiling environment where the duct is exposed in the open space. As the drawings indicated, the supply air duct can be located at various locations in the open space. For example, seeFIGS. 2, 2A, 2B and 2C . In these cases, thesupply air duct 12 is suspended or supported in an upper portion of the open space. InFIG. 2 , thesupply air duct 12 is supported in an upper corner area of the open space. In this particular example, the nozzle pattern includes four rows of nozzles. SeeFIG. 2-1 . The nozzle pattern extends approximately 45° around the duct. Note inFIG. 2 where the nozzle pattern is located generally in the 4:00-5:00 o'clock position such that the jet streams of supply air are directed generally outwardly and slightly downwardly from thesupply air duct 12. - In
FIG. 2A , thesupply air duct 12 is disposed in an upper center area of the open space. In this example, the nozzle pattern includes four rows and are provided over approximately a 45° of the supply air duct. SeeFIGS. 2A-1 and 2A-2 . Note in theFIG. 2A example where the nozzle pattern is generally centered at the 6:00 o'clock position such that the jet streams of supply air are directed downwardly. - Turning to the example shown in
FIG. 2B , thesupply air duct 12 is again located in the upper center of the open space. However, in this example, the supply air duct is provided with two sets or groups ofnozzles 18. SeeFIG. 2B-1 . Note inFIG. 2B where the jet streams of supply air are directed generally downwardly and slightly outwardly from the two sets of nozzles. - The example shown in
FIG. 2C is similar in some respects to that shown inFIG. 2B . Here again, thesupply air duct 12 is disposed in an upper central portion of the open space.Supply air duct 12 is provided with two sets or groups ofnozzles 18. These two sets of nozzles are generally separated by 180°. As seen inFIG. 2C , the two sets of nozzles provide an array of jet streams of supply air from both sides of thesupply air duct 12. That is, the jet streams are directed generally horizontally from opposite sides of thesupply air duct 12. - The open space containing the
supply air duct 12 will include what is termed an occupied area or space (occupiable area) where people work, congregate, move through, etc. The velocity of the supply air emitted by thenozzles 18 is typically greater than what is appropriate for the occupiable area. Thus, theHVAC system 10 and particularly thesupply air duct 12 is designed to assure that the velocity of the supply air reaching the occupiable area is below a selected threshold. In one example, the threshold is approximately 50 feet per minute. So, in this case, the openings forming thenozzles 18 are particularly sized, spaced and arranged with respect to the HVAC system as a whole to assure that the velocity of the supply air reaching the occupiable area is less than the selected threshold which in this example is 50 feet per minute.FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B and 2C show the supply air being emitted by thenozzles 18. But the supply air in each case is surrounded by a dotted line envelope. In this example, the velocity of the supply air outside of this envelope should be less than the threshold value. - Turning to
FIGS. 5A and 5B , details of theduct sections 12A are shown.Duct sections 12A can be constructed of various materials. In one embodiment, stainless steel is employed. Each duct section includes a main cylindrical body 12A1 and a pair of outwardly projecting flanges 12A2 and 12A3. At least some of theduct sections 12A have anintegral gasket 20 incorporated into the duct section when fabricated. The term “integral gasket” means that the gasket is incorporated into the duct section during fabrication of the duct section and not at the installation site. This alleviates problems associated with installing or incorporating a gasket during on-site installation.Gasket 20 is secured to the outer side of at least one of the flanges 12A2 or 12A3. In one embodiment, both flanges 12A2 and 12A3 include theintegral gasket 20. Various materials can be used for thegasket 20. In a preferred embodiment, the gasket comprises an ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) foam gasket. EPDM is blended with neoprene and styrene-butadiene rubber (SPR) to create a foam that offers excellent resistance to water and wear. - In one embodiment, one
duct section 12A having theintegral gasket 20 is connected to another duct section that does not include the integral gasket. SeeFIG. 5A . Theduct section 12A on the left includes theintegral gasket 20 but the duct section to the right does not include the integral gasket. In any event, the two duct sections are brought together and the flange 12A2 of the rightmost duct section is butted against thegasket 20 secured to flange 12A2 on the leftmost duct section. To secure the two duct sections together, a V-band 22 is employed. As shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B , the V-band spans the two flanges and thegasket 20 and is tightly secured around the joint formed by the two flanges 12A2 and thegasket 20. As seen in the drawings, flanges of the two duct sections are inside the V-band 22. Once the V-band 22 is disposed around the joint, it is tightened so as to effectively secure one duct section to another duct section. - In many instances, the diameter of the
supply air duct 12 is constant throughout its length. There may be cases where it is desirable to step down the diameter of thesupply air duct 12 along its length. One example of this is shown inFIG. 3 where thesupply air duct 12 includes three duct sections of one diameter and three duct sections of another diameter. This can be helpful in particularly designing the supply air duct for a particular application and in cases where varying the diameter can facilitate a final design that emits a more generally uniform distribution of supply air along the length of the supply air duct. - There are many advantages of
supply air duct 12. Supply air emitted from the supply air duct is more laminar and evenly distributed into the open space being heated or cooled. Further, the supply air duct is a high induction supply air diffuser. High induction means that the continuous linear diffusion pattern causes rapid mixture of the supply air with the existing air in the open space, bringing the open space to setpoint conditions much more quickly than conventional supply air ducts.Supply air duct 12 also has enhanced aesthetics, particularly when constructed of stainless steel. This highly finished appearance for open ceiling or industrial use makes the supply air duct of the present invention appealing in restaurants, breweries, and commercial and industrial buildings. - Moreover, the
duct sections 12A are field-ready for installation at the installation site. No metal cutting is required and there is no requirement to install seals or gaskets. This is because theindividual duct sections 12A come with an integral gasket. Thus, it is just a matter of aligningrespective duct sections 12A together and coupling them together with a V-band 22. - The term “configured to” is used herein and in the claims. The term “configured to” means “designed to”. It does not mean “capable of” or “adapted to”. Hence, the use of “configured to” with reference to a component or element of the invention means that such component or element is specifically designed to perform a recited function.
- The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope and the essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
Claims (10)
Priority Applications (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/242,432 US20220349613A1 (en) | 2021-04-28 | 2021-04-28 | Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct |
PCT/US2022/025483 WO2022231895A1 (en) | 2021-04-28 | 2022-04-20 | Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct |
AU2022264377A AU2022264377A1 (en) | 2021-04-28 | 2022-04-20 | Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct |
EP22796403.8A EP4330605A1 (en) | 2021-04-28 | 2022-04-20 | Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct |
CA3216758A CA3216758A1 (en) | 2021-04-28 | 2022-04-20 | Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US17/242,432 US20220349613A1 (en) | 2021-04-28 | 2021-04-28 | Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20220349613A1 true US20220349613A1 (en) | 2022-11-03 |
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ID=83808346
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US17/242,432 Pending US20220349613A1 (en) | 2021-04-28 | 2021-04-28 | Supply air duct with integral nozzles for diffusing supply air along the length of the supply air duct |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20220349613A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP4330605A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2022264377A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA3216758A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2022231895A1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
AT293690B (en) * | 1969-07-15 | 1971-10-25 | Zumtobel Kg | Equipment for air conditioning systems, in particular for air conditioning lights |
US3837571A (en) * | 1972-11-15 | 1974-09-24 | Dynamics Corp America | Self-controlled air distribution system |
JPS50102036U (en) * | 1974-01-26 | 1975-08-23 | ||
DD109432A1 (en) * | 1974-02-15 | 1974-11-05 | ||
JPS60186222U (en) * | 1984-05-21 | 1985-12-10 | 三菱自動車工業株式会社 | Vehicle air conditioner |
JPH11268542A (en) * | 1998-03-25 | 1999-10-05 | Kubota Corp | Operator cab structure of work machine |
JP3954978B2 (en) * | 2002-04-01 | 2007-08-08 | 富士空調工業株式会社 | Air conditioning duct unit |
JP2008105486A (en) * | 2006-10-24 | 2008-05-08 | Toyota Motor Corp | Dust reduction device |
JP2008120131A (en) * | 2006-11-08 | 2008-05-29 | Calsonic Kansei Corp | Dust reduction device |
JP2008183959A (en) * | 2007-01-29 | 2008-08-14 | Valeo Thermal Systems Japan Corp | Vehicular air-conditioner |
DE102010033515A1 (en) * | 2010-08-05 | 2012-02-09 | Gm Global Technology Operations Llc (N.D.Ges.D. Staates Delaware) | Apparatus and method for preventing the entry of foreign particles into a vehicle interior |
JP6197616B2 (en) * | 2012-12-20 | 2017-09-20 | 株式会社デンソー | Blower for vehicle |
CN203477680U (en) * | 2013-08-07 | 2014-03-12 | 成信绿集成股份有限公司 | Novel air duct system of heating ventilation air conditioner |
US9599362B2 (en) * | 2015-06-25 | 2017-03-21 | Leiterman And Associates, Inc. | Air duct systems and methods of air flow control |
JP6787266B2 (en) * | 2017-07-20 | 2020-11-18 | 株式会社デンソー | Air blower |
JP2019196813A (en) * | 2018-05-10 | 2019-11-14 | 株式会社あさひ産業 | Gasket, method for manufacturing gasket and duct for air conditioning, smoke exhaustion and kitchen |
-
2021
- 2021-04-28 US US17/242,432 patent/US20220349613A1/en active Pending
-
2022
- 2022-04-20 EP EP22796403.8A patent/EP4330605A1/en active Pending
- 2022-04-20 CA CA3216758A patent/CA3216758A1/en active Pending
- 2022-04-20 AU AU2022264377A patent/AU2022264377A1/en active Pending
- 2022-04-20 WO PCT/US2022/025483 patent/WO2022231895A1/en active Application Filing
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WO2022231895A1 (en) | 2022-11-03 |
EP4330605A1 (en) | 2024-03-06 |
AU2022264377A1 (en) | 2023-10-26 |
CA3216758A1 (en) | 2022-11-03 |
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