Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
F I ELD OF THE I NVENT I ON ~ 1 3 2 0 0 1~ 1
Thi~ invention is directed to a ma~-flow air
temper~ture control device, to system~3 lncorporating
em~odiments of the device, and to methads of handling ~ir in
using the device~
B~CKGROUND OF THE INVENTION,
Th e h ~n d l i n~ o f ma~ a i r f l ow~ 9 particularly in the ca~e
of sy~tem~ ~uch the air conditioning o~ large building~ and/
or ~ooling o~ stand-by generator~ can prove quite critical~
In the case of stancl-by generatc\rs which ~n b~ requirQd te~
b~ fi;witched into operation at a moment~; notlre, it i~;
import~nt to m~intain a warm enclosed enviranl7ent for the
engine generator a~d it~ ancillarie~a PrioP a~rangements
general 1 y require an ai r ~1 ow control,u~ilizing three
motorized damper~,tognther wi th aux i I i ary heat input, using
air recircul~tion to f~cilitate ~tart-up, whatever th~
seasonal climate condition9 while havlng the capability to
rapidly chang~ the ~ystem to a heat ~tabilizin~ or more
usually a heat dispensing mod~, to c~pe with the requisite
th~rmal operating requirement~ cf the ~enerator by
dl~lpatir7g heat at a high rate.
In th~ cas~ o~ ~ir condi~ioning plant~, which t~rm
includ~s the matter o~ medium t~ large in~tallation~ for
building heat~ng or cooling and ventilation, there is need
for a wide ~peotrum af variation in air mixing capability, in
both a heat lnput and a heat rejection mode of aperation~
.~, ~
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In m~ny instances the transfer of significant ~uantitie~
of conditioning air has utilize~ mas~ive arrangement~ of
motor ope~ated and air-tight dampers, usually with three or
multiple sets of motorized louvre6; often of 6ignificant
area, theoreti~ally ~apabl~ of operating in unison in
accordance with ~ystem requirements 5 SO a~ to maintain system
temperature and pre-set bui 1 di ng air pressur~s, at
~ubstantially atmo~pheric pressure or above.
Due to the use of in~ivi~u~l servo motors on e~ch of the
lar~e a~ea motorized dampers involv~d, and the fact that the
linkage~ linking the moving elements of the dampers to the
servo drive are prone to joint wear and linkage buckllng,
balanced functionlng of the respective motorized damper~ dDes
not alway~ occur. In the e:~treme9 component failures 6uch as
çervo motor inoperability or incorrect pres~ure controller
location or operation has even led to the generation o~
su4~icient ov~r-pressure within a building, at a rate of
pressure rise high enough to cause cata~trophic failure~ by
~ruption of the bullding ~acade.
Other~ le0s catastrophic failures in the case o-f stand-
by p~er generator~ can lead to failure o~ ~he generator t~
~tart~ Dr failure to maintai~ its operation, due to ~e~iou~
~ver-heat~g o~ the engine g~er~or ~t.
C~rtain of th~ elements of the present invention may be
found in the $ollowing li~ted United States patents, n~ne of
which ar~ thought to anticipate or foreshado~ the present
inventl~ns
o~ ~
1 3~0047
824, 1 6b June 19~ Qiken
3~194,271 July 1965 Viessmann
4,361,170 Nov.1~982 ~elo2a
4 9 246 9 918 Jan~19H7 Dean
1,152,176 Q~9.191S Hennebohle
3,228,~53 Jan.196~ Trimmer
2,57~,657 Dec.lqS1 Houk
4,520,844 June 1985 Finkelstein et al~
SUM~A~Y OF THE INVENTION.
The present invention provides an air mas~ flow
condi~ioning sy6tem having a ~ingle moving ele~ent to effect
a full range of sy6tem control.
The system ~urthe~ pruvide~ an air m~s~ flow handling
~ystem having a hollow fl~w controlling device with a
centrally loeated deflecting vane mean~ pivotally moveable ln
air flow directing relation wlthin the device, fDur acces~
port~ in mutually fipaced quadranture relation connecting with
the inte~ior of the devi~e, two adjacent ones o$ the a~ce~s
port~ connecting with atmosphere to provide a re~pectiv2
$resh air inlet and an exhaust air outlet, the other twn
adjac~nt ones of the acce6s ports c~nnect~ng with he~t load
apparatus, in h0at transfer relation therewith, fan mean~ ln
~ir di~placing relation with the devlce; and, 6ervo motor
means $or displ~cing the vane over a predetermined range of
~ngular displacement, in flow deflerting rel~tion between
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respective one of the access po~ts, whereby the air ~low
through the device may be varied from full flow recirculation
to ~ull flow replacementt and intermediate combinations
the~eof, while m~intaining full flow throughout such
variatlon6.
The noted d~flecting vane me~ns is sel~ctively v~riable
to enable sele~tive division of air entering a first port
into a fir~t9 reLirculation portion flowing from ~ third
port, and a second exhaust por~ion flowing to a second port.
The sy~tem lncludes ~ervo motor means ~or selectively
movlng the pivot~l vane mean~ to a de~ired air ~low
controlling position.
In one embodiment, suit~d for use in conditioning a
mi~ing chamber or in use with mass heat generating mean~ s~ch
a~ a stand-by generator, the pivotal deflector mean~ may have
a ~ingle~ centrally pivoted ~y~metrical deflæctor blade.
The air ~lnw d~flecting device may include ancillary
deflector means within the device positione~ in at least
partial flow blocking relatlon between an interior portlon o~
the ca~ing of the device and the moveable defl~cting vane,
for a pred~t~rmined range nf movement of the moveable vane.
In ~ne embodiment~ ~or u6e primarily with ~n a~r
cunditioning plant~ the ancillary de-flector means comprise~ a
~ub~tantially radially inwardly projecting baf~le supported
~om the int~r~nr of the device ca~ing ~nd extending tnward~
the pivotal axls Qf the vane, in flow moderating relation
th~arebQtween~ being located between ~he air inlet port and
1 32~)047
the air exhaust port.
In a further embodiment the ancillary deflector means
cQmprl6es an ancilliary vane portian extendlng from the
deflQcting vane to one side and adiacent one end thereof
whereby, with the de41ecting vane posi tioned in a
predetermi ned i ntermediate po~ition~ in ~u~3tantially
bisecting relat$on with an access port csnnecting with a heat
load fan means7 the auxiliary vane portion ~ubstantially
precludes unwanted reversed circulation within the device~
between th~ two atmospheric access port~.
In one preferred embodiment the flow baffle is
perforated on a face portion thereo4 to permit pressure
balanced ~ir flaw therethrough, beiny located between the
above-identl~ied ~xternal acce~ ports for inlet and e~haust
air flow.
In the preferred embodiment the pivotal deflector means
may have a periph~ral elastomeric edge ~e~l abou~ at l~ast a
portlon of the ~dg~ thereo4~ to afford enhanced s~al ing
between the deflector mean~ ~nd interior surfaces of the body
portion of the device to afford enhanced sealing w$th the
body at le~st when the deflector i5 in it~ fully clo6ed
positlun.
In the preferred embodiment the body portion i~ of
r2ctangular a~ial section, corre~ponding to the shap~ of th~
p$votal deflector me~ns, gener~lly having an axial len~th
~r~ater than the wldth ~hereo~, whereby the radial length o~
the d~41~ctor me~ns 4rom the pivotal cer\tre thereof is
~.
1 320047
e~ceeded by the axial length o~ the de~lector mean~, It will
be seen that adoption of the device to larger installations
can ~e readily athieved by increases to the axial length of
the device. ~s indlcated ~bove~ one embodiment i5
particularly preferred for use in combination with a stand-by
generator, the c~rculated air being in heat.exchange relation
with the generat~r and engine.
~ further one of the tambsdiments is of particular
u~lity with air conditionin~ and ventilatinq means, and in
particular with large ~cale buildin~ air conditioning means,
wherein air that is circulated ~ the system ef~ects h~at tr~nsfer
relation with the conditioner cycle.
The referred to embodiment~ all function in a fail-safe
mode~ to positively precludt~ the occurrence of over-
pres~urizat~on of the building, there being no position of
the flow controlling vane wherein undue pre~sure rise~ may be
generatedO
The pre~ent invention further provide~ a method for
controlling the ma55 flow o~ air relal:ive to a sy~tem havlng
an i nducti on :l nl e t: f or passage of atmospher i c ai r therei n~
an exhaust outl~t ~or passage of air from a return air fan~
the fan me~ns dl~placing air rel~tive to the alr mas~ flow
cantrol devic~, comprl~ing the 6teps of~
connecting the exhaust outlet ~y way of the flow ccntrol
device to the lndllction inlet~ to provldQ dir~act
recircul~tian ~f air fram the retu~n fan to the ~yst~m lnlet~
and~ d~vertlng by way of repositioning the control device at
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least ~ portion of air from the fan mean~ to the exhaust
outlet, while recirculating another portion of air from the
fan means, ~nd inducing an in-flow of out~ide fresh air into
the air conditioning cycle by the simultaneou~ provision of a
connection to the in~uc~ion inlet, to sub~tantially balance
ma~s in-flow again~t mass out-~low.
~ctuation o4 the ~ystem in changing from one ~low mode
to anothPr flow mode is achieved by actu~ting a single air
flow control device, to effect 5i multaneous flow changes,
which a~sure substanti~lly air pre~sure equilibrium
thraughout, while avoiding the occurr~nce of sy~tem ~ver~
pressurlz~tion or under-pressuri~ation.
BRIEF DESC~IPTXON OF THE DR~WIN~S~
Certain embodlment~ of the invention are deacribed by
way ~f illustratlon~ without limitation of the invention
thereto, reference being made to the accompanying drawings,
whereinl
Figure 1 i~ a ~chematic plan view, in partial section,
of ~ne embodiment of the sy~tem ln accordanc~ with the
pre~ent lnvention~
Fi~ure 2 is an external ~eneral perspective n-F an
~nclosure portion of ~he Figure l installation~
~lgure 3 i6 a schematic plan view, in ~ection, of
another embodiment of the ~low control devioe~ and~
Figure 4 i~ a view similar to Figure 1, of ~ further
~7 ' .
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embodiment of the flow cont~ol device.
DET~ILED DESCRIPTION OF THE IN~ENTION
fi~eferrlng to F~gure 1 the arrangement iO comp~ls~s a
plan view o~ a utility installatiQn such a~ a buildin~ alr
conditioning ~y6tem or a 6tand-by g~nerato~ (n~ith~r o~ which
1g shaw~) incorpQrat1ng an embodiment of the flow control device
in accordance with the invention. The installat.ion comprises an
enclosure 16, having ventilation apertures 1~, 20, each with
fixed louvres 22.
~ flow control device 24 ~n acc~rd~nce with the pre6ent
inY~ntion co~p~ises a ca~ing 30, having a p~ir uf
diametrically opposed flow ape~tu~es 32,34 and 3~,38~ in
mutual quadranture relation. The adjacent aperture~ 34~ 36
are connected by trunking 40~42 with the v~ntilation
apertures 18,~0 Qf enclo~ure 1~.
~ fan 43 that generally comprise a ~ortion of the respec-
tive heat transfer system is located in enc].osure 16. ~ithin
flow control device 24 is located control vane ~4 pivotall"v
mounted for angular displacement ahout axis ~6. The axis 46
comprises a vertical shaft (not shown) supported in end bearings
47, of whlch the lowermost one is shown, carried ~y end closure
~9 of the casin~ 30.
l~near ~ervo actuator 51, coupled to crank S3, or directly
to shaft 46 for pivoting the vane ~4 a~out axis ~6 is illustrated,
the end closure 49 beinq shown broken awa~ for purposes of visual
access and illustration. It will ~e understood that this
1 32()047
servo motor arrangYment is purely ~or p~rpo~;es of
illustration, and tha~ al~ernative arrangements may be readilv
adopted, such as hiqh tor~ue steppinq motors ol ~ear driv~.
~ eferring to Fig~re ~, it will be recogni~ed that
adoption Q~ the pr esen t 1 y d i 5C 103ed vertically axi~ed 410w
cont~ol devicQ 24 permit6 u~ ation of ad~a~ent f~ces of a
building, incorporating 6tationa~y louvr~s ~2, and requiring
internally within enclosure 16 a minimum o~ air tr~lnkin~
~,42~
Thi~ a~rangement minimi~es the likelihood of undesired
external outlet to inlet air recirculation, and en~ures
minimal internal pressure drops, due to the shQrt runs of the
trunking 40,42.
Refe~ring to Figu~e 3,th~ enclo6ure 16 incorpo~ates an
air conditiDning plant SO, shown schematically, having a
~uctlon fan 52 and return air fan 54.. Heating coil5 56 and
cooling coil~ SB, shown ~chematically, serve to condition ~iP
flowing through the plant 5~. An air filter ~0 and anti-
stratification ~evice 62 also are shown schematically.
The anti-~tratl~ication d~vice ~2 may comprise a
rDtatable fan-like d~vice or ~ statianary louvred fl~w
director, to impart a rotational swirl component to the ~ir
flowing in th~ system, and thu~ avold thermal or velocity
strat~fication.
The flow contral device ~4 incorporate~ an ancilliary
flow deflector means compri~ing baffle 25, attached to caslng
30. The baf~l~ 2S gen~rally ls pe~orated~ and come6 into
1 320047
operation when the flow control vane 44 is in an
interm2diate, flow mixing position ~3uch as wh~n being in
axial alignment with axis 27.
In u~e, in the illustrated po~itlon, the ~low control
vane 44 directly connects return air inl0t ~L with the 5y3te~
inlet ~3, while isolating the e~ternal aCCe~5R~ 1~,20~
It will be under~tood that control vane 44 may be of
insulated construction, to prevent undue heat transfer
thereacro~s and to maintain thermal gradients that can arise
due to l~rge temperatLlre differen~es between the interior and
exterior of enclosure lb~
Stationary vane seals 64,66 permit the vane 44 to seat
in sealing relation within its casing 30. However; in the
operational condition illustrated it i5 usual to align the
v~ne 44 as ~hawn, to pro~ote streamline recirculation flow
frsm r~turn fan 549 thrDugh ports 61,~ into the air
~ondi ti aning unit 50.
With the vane 44 ln an intermediate ~o-called mixing
posltion~ ~uoh a~ in alignment with axis 2~, same of th~
return ~ir ~ro~ ~an 54 is free to exit from flow control
device 24, by way of trunklng 40 and venti lation ap~rture 18.
Fresh air ic induced to flow into the flow ~ontrol devi ce 24,
~hrough access ap~rtur~ ~0 and trunking 42. The perforated
baffle 25 permit~ pressure balancin~, and effectively
precludes a reve~sed flow of exhau~t air in apertur~ 18,
about the ~djacent end of v~ne 44.
The eKtent of ~re~h air belng admitt~d through access 20
- 1 32(~047
.
and return flow air being exhausted through acc~5s lB is
dependent upon the angle of set of vane 44. ~ith vane 44 at
right angles to the position illustrated, there i~ full
exhausting of air from fan 54, and full fresh air admi~sion
to fan 52.
Referring to the Figure 4 embodiment, the device 2q' has
an anc$11ary flow de41ector means comprising a lateral
extension 44' to the guide vane 44.
In the ca~ of a heat load apparatu6 this may compri~e
an engine driven generato~, such a5 a stand-by engine
generator 70~ ~hown ~chematic~lly.
The flow control device 24'i~ capa~l~, ag b~fQre7 af one
hundred per-ce~t recirculation, or one hundred per-cent air
renewal and exhaust~ aperating at the two extreme positions
for vane 44 indicate~ by chain datted line~.
In the illu~t~ated intermediate position of Figure ~ in
which partial recirculat$on and partial exhau~t tak~s plac~
the lateral vane ancillary extension 44' promotes ~f4ective
exhaust flow f~om device ~4' by way of outlet 20. This
ancillary v~n~ 44' effectively preclude~ exhau~t air flowing
along the face o4 vane 44 toward~ fre~h air inlet 18,and
prevents any reci~culatiDn of exhaust air about the remote
end of vane 44, t~ contaminate the ent~ing fresh ai~.
The ancillary vane portion 44' need no~ e~fectively
obstruct the air exhaust flow path to part ~07 wh~n in a
full-e~hau~t position, shswn in phantom.
~ n auxiliary he~ter 2~ is illustrated, for maintaining a
,
1 320047
suitable ambient temperature within the enclosure 1~ when the
engine~generator 70 i5 shut down, in a non-heat producing
condition.
The thermal capacity of heater ~6 normally requires to
be only a fraction of the heat capacity generated by
engine/generator 70, when aperating.
While ~eference is made above to controlliny ai~ flaws,
it will be understQod that the ef~ect of blendiny o-~t~ide
ambient air to any desired extent with air being circulated
through the heat transfer mechani6m, results also in control
of air temperature. Thus, in essence, ~ir tempe~ature i~
controlled, within the capacity of the sy~tem, by controlling
air flow.
