Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 2959896 2017-03-06
1 AIR HANDLER AND INSERT FOR THE SAME
2 TECHNICAL FIELD
3 [0001] The following relates generally to climate control. In particular,
the following relates to an air
4 handler and an insert for the same.
BACKGROUND
6 [0002] Air handlers are well known. An air handler draws air from an
environment, conditions it by
7 either cooling, warming, humidifying, or dehumidifying it via an air
conditioning element, and forces
8 it through a set of ducts that services areas of a space. Where heating
is provided, typically hot
9 water from a water heater is pumped through a heat exchanger coil located
in the air handler. Air
passed over the heat exchanger coil is heated by the temperature differential
of the hot water and
11 the air, and then impelled through the ductwork to heat the areas.
12 [0003] One such air handler 20 is shown in Fig. 1. The air handler 20 is
a high-velocity air handler
13 that has a housing 24 with a return port 28 at a lower end thereof. The
return port 28 permits the
14 ingress of return air from an environment being conditioned. The return
port 28 can be coupled to
ducting through which return air is drawn. A blower fan positioned in a lower
portion 32 inside the
16 housing 24 draws the return air and forces an air stream upwards through
a heat exchanger coil.
17 The heat exchanger coil has an inlet port 36 and an outlet port 38 that
are coupled via conduits to a
18 water heater, such as an instantaneous water heater. A pump circulates
water from the water
19 heater through the heat exchanger coil via the conduits. As the air
stream passes through the heat
exchanger coil, the air is heated before it is forced upwards through a plenum
40 of the air handler
21 20 downstream of the heat exchanger coil to ductwork 44 that directs the
forced air to one or more
22 areas to be serviced.
23 [0004] Such air handlers are generally cuboid in shape, having a "boxed
top" above the air
24 conditioning element. This boxed top results in the plenum 40 downstream
of the air conditioning
element. An air outlet in the top of the housing of the air handler 20
connects to the ductwork 44.
26 Typically, this air outlet is about eight inches in diameter;
significantly smaller than the flat top
27 surface of the housing 24 of the air handler 20. As the air stream is
forced through the smaller air
28 outlet, turbulence is created. Further, some of the energy of the air
stream is dissipated as it
29 encounters the top of the housing 24 of the air handler 20, leading to
additional energy spent to
deliver the heated forced air. Still further, the turbulence and sudden
distortion of the housing 24,
31 which is typically made of sheet metal, when the fan in the air handler
20 commences operation
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1 due to the unnecessary pressure created within the plenum 40 create a
significant amount of
2 noise.
3 SUMMARY
4 [0005] In one aspect, there is provided an insert for an air handler,
comprising a first end having a
first opening therein for receiving conditioned air and a periphery being
dimensioned to correspond
6 substantially to the interior dimensions of a plenum of an air handler
downstream of an air
7 conditioning element, a second end having a second opening therein for
permitting the conditioned
8 air to exit the insert, and at least one wall extending between the first
end and the second end
9 defining a first air passage tapering from the first opening to the
second opening.
[0006] The at least one wall can be four walls, and at least one of the walls
can slope inwards from
11 the first opening to the second opening. The insert can further comprise
a cap extending between
12 the four walls at the second end, the second opening being located in
the cap.
13 [0007] The at least one wall can be four walls sloping inwards from the
first opening to the second
14 opening.
[0008] The at least one wall can be a continuous frustoconical wall.
16 [0009] The second opening can be dimensioned to match an air outlet in
the air handler.
17 [0010] The second end can have a third opening therein for permitting
the conditioned air to exit
18 the insert, and the at least one wall can define the first air passage
and a second air passage
19 tapering from the first opening to the second opening.
[0011] In another aspect, there is provided an air handler, comprising a
housing, an air
21 conditioning element disposed in an air passage in the housing through
which air is moved by a
22 fan, a first air outlet in the housing, and at least one wall of the air
passage within the housing
23 tapering the air passage from between the air conditioning element and
the first air outlet.
24 [0012] The at least one wall can be four walls, and at least one of the
walls can slope inwards from
the air conditioning element to the first air outlet.
26 [0013] The at least one wall can be four walls sloping inwards from the
air conditioning element to
27 the first air outlet.
28 [0014] The at least one wall can be a continuous frustoconical wall.
29 [0015] The air conditioning element can be a heat exchanger coil.
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1 [0016] In a further aspect, there is provided an air handler, comprising
a housing, an air
2 conditioning element disposed in an air passage in the housing through
which air is moved by a
3 fan, a first air outlet in the housing, a second air outlet in the
housing, and at least one wall of the
4 air passage within the housing tapering the air passage from between the
air conditioning element
and the first and second air outlets.
6 [0017] These and other aspects are contemplated and described herein. It
will be appreciated that
7 the foregoing summary sets out representative aspects of an air handler
and an insert for the same
8 to assist skilled readers in understanding the following detailed
description.
9 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] A greater understanding of the embodiments will be had with reference
to the Figures, in
11 which:
12 [0019] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an air handler;
13 [0020] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an insert for an air handler such
as that shown in Fig. 1 in
14 accordance with an embodiment;
[0021] Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the air handler of Fig. 1 being fitted
with the insert of Fig. 2;
16 [0022] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another insert for an air handler
such as that shown in Fig. 1
17 in accordance with another embodiment; and
18 [0023] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an air handler in accordance with
a further embodiment.
19 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered
appropriate, reference numerals
21 may be repeated among the Figures to indicate corresponding or analogous
elements. In addition,
22 numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough
understanding of the
23 embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of
ordinary skill in the art
24 that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these
specific details. In other
instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been
described in detail so
26 as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Also, the
description is not to be considered
27 as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.
28 [0025] Various terms used throughout the present description may be read
and understood as
29 follows, unless the context indicates otherwise: "or' as used throughout
is inclusive, as though
written "and/or"; singular articles and pronouns as used throughout include
their plural forms, and
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1 vice versa; similarly, gendered pronouns include their counterpart
pronouns so that pronouns
2 should not be understood as limiting anything described herein to use,
implementation,
3 performance, etc. by a single gender; "exemplary" should be understood as
"illustrative" or
4 "exemplifying" and not necessarily as "preferred" over other embodiments.
Further definitions for
terms may be set out herein; these may apply to prior and subsequent instances
of those terms, as
6 will be understood from a reading of the present description.
7 [0026] In one embodiment, the following provides an insert for an air
handler. The described insert
8 comprises a first end, a second end, and at least one wall. The first end
has a first opening therein
9 for receiving conditioned air and a periphery being dimensioned to
correspond substantially to the
interior dimensions of a plenum of an air handler downstream of an air
conditioning element. The
11 second end has a second opening therein for permitting the conditioned
air to exit the insert. The at
12 least one wall extends between the first end and the second end defining
an air passage tapering
13 from the first opening to the second opening.
14 [0027] In another embodiment, an air handler is provided. The air
handler has a housing, an air
conditioning element, and an air outlet. The air conditioning element is
disposed in an air passage
16 in the housing through which air is moved by a fan. At least one wall of
the air passage within the
17 housing tapers the air passage between the air conditioning element and
the first air outlet.
18 [0028] By tapering the air passage to the air outlet within the air
handler via an insert, turbulence
19 and noise can be decreased and the energy efficiency of the air handler
can be increased in some
scenarios.
21 [0029] Fig. 2 shows an insert 100 for an air handler in accordance with
an embodiment. The insert
22 100 has four side walls 104 that are sloped inwardly upwardly, making
the insert 100 frusto-
23 pyramidal in shape. The bottom edges of the four side walls 104 define a
periphery 108 of a first
24 end 110 of the insert 100. The periphery 108 is dimensioned to
correspond substantially to the
interior dimensions of the plenum of an air handler downstream of an air
conditioning element. The
26 first end 110 is open. A second end 111 of the insert 100 has a cap 112
that spans between the
27 four side walls 104. The cap 112 has an opening 116 dimensioned to
correspond substantially to
28 the dimensions of an air outlet in an air handler. The side walls 104
define an air passage through
29 the insert 100 that is tapered from the opening defined by the periphery
108 towards the opening
116 in the cap 112. Four screw holes 120 are spaced apart in the cap 112.
31 [0030] The insert 100 can be made of any one of a number of suitable
materials that can
32 withstand the temperatures and humidity levels in the air passage of an
air handler, such as
4
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1 corrosion-resistant sheet metal, rotationally-molded plastic, and vacuum-
formed plastic. The inside
2 or outside surface can be insulated via an insulator such as a half inch
to a one inch layer of
3 fiberglas or the like. Where insulation is employed on the inside surface
of an insert, a smooth
4 surface is preferably provided.
[0031] The side walls 104 and cap 112 of the insert 100 may be secured to each
other via any one
6 of a number of manners, such as soldering, welding, fastening via nuts
and bolts or other suitable
7 fasteners, a heat-resistant adhesive tape, etc. Two or more side walls
104 and/or the cap 112 may
8 also be made from a single sheet of material and folded to the desired
shape. It may be desirable
9 to provide a continuous, air-tight joint between the side walls 104 and
the cap 112 to ensure that,
when the insert is positioned along the air passage inside an air handler, the
air forced through the
11 insert does not leak between the side walls 104 and the cap 112.
12 [0032] Fig. 3 shows the insert 100 installed in the air handler 20 of
Fig. 1. In order to install the
13 insert 100 in the air handler 20, a front panel of the air handler 20
may be removed by removing
14 the screws holding it in place. Once the front panel is removed, the
insert 100 may be inserted into
the plenum 40 and slid fully in. In addition, the insert 100 may be moved
upwards to place the cap
16 112 of the insert 100 in contact with the top wall of the housing 24
such that the opening 116 in the
17 cap 112 is adjacent and aligned with the air outlet of the air handler
20. The insert 100 may then be
18 secured in place to the housing 24 via fasteners and duct tape. Bolts
may be inserted through the
19 screw holes 120 of the cap 112 and corresponding holes in the top of the
housing 24 of the air
handler 20 and secured with nuts. Strips of duct tape may be used to secure
the opening 116 in
21 the cap 112 to the air outlet of the air handler 20. In addition, strips
of duct tape may be used to
22 secure the periphery 108 of the insert 100 against the interior of the
housing 24 of the air handler
23 20.
24 [0033] As shown, the return port 28 of the air handler 20 enables air to
enter the air handler 20. A
blower fan 48 is positioned to draw the entering air and force it upwards
through a heat exchanger
26 coil 52. The blower fan 48 can be replaced by any suitable motor-driven
fan for use in an air
27 handler.
28 [0034] When installed, the insert 100 defines the air passage in the
plenum 40 of the air handler
29 20 downstream of the heat exchanger coil 52. The side walls 104 taper
the air passage from the
heat exchanger coil 52 to the air outlet and the ductwork 44.
31 [0035] An alternative insert 200 in accordance with another embodiment
is shown in Fig. 4. The
32 insert 200 has a continuous frustoconical side wall 204. A periphery 208
of the continuous
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1 frustoconical side wall 204 at a first end 210 of the insert 200 has
arcuate edges corresponding to
2 the line along which the frustoconical side wall 204 intersects the
profile of the interior of a housing
3 of an air handler into which the insert 200 is to be installed. The first
end 210 is open. An opening
4 212 is defined by the continuous frustoconical side wall 204 at a second
end 216 of the insert 200.
The opening 212 is dimensioned to correspond to an air outlet of an air
handler into which the
6 insert is to be installed.
7 [0036] The insert 200 can be made of any one of a number of suitable
materials that can
8 withstand the temperatures in the air passage of an air handler, such as
corrosion-resistant sheet
9 metal, rotationally-molded plastic, and vacuum-formed plastic. The inside
surface can be insulated
via an insulator such as a half inch to a one inch layer of fiberglas or the
like. Where insulation is
11 employed on the inside surface of an insert, a smooth surface is
preferably provided.
12 [0037] The continuous frustoconical side wall 204 of the insert 200 may
be constructed from one
13 or more panels that are secured together. For example, the one or more
panels may be soldered,
14 welded, fastened via nuts and bolts or other suitable fasteners, taped
with a heat-resistant
adhesive tape, etc.
16 [0038] While the shape of the insert is described with reference to
certain embodiments described
17 herein, other shapes of the insert will occur to those skilled in the
art. For example, an insert can be
18 generally cuboid but may have one or more interior surfaces that provide
tapering to an air
19 passage defined between first and second ends of the insert. The
interior walls defining the air
passage can be planar, concave, convex, etc. Where the air handler is of
another form, the air
21 handler may be shaped to correspond to the interior of the air handler.
For example, where the
22 plenum of the air handler between the air conditioning element and the
ductwork is cyclindrical, the
23 insert may be frustoconical.
24 [0039] Exterior walls or features can be provided for the insert. For
example additional walls or
features can be provided by the insert to stabilize the insert within the
interior of a plenum of an air
26 handler.
27 [0040] The insert can be sold assembled or unassembled. For example,
where the side walls
28 and/or cap are secured to one another via fasteners, the side walls
and/or cap can be sold
29 unassembled together with the fasteners.
[0041] The insert can also be made integral with the air handler prior to
sale.
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1 [0042] An air handler 300 in accordance with a further embodiment is
shown in Fig. 5. In this
2 embodiment, the air handler 300 is similar to the air handler 20 of Fig.
1, but is provided an internal
3 air passage that is tapered between the air conditioning element and the
air outlet. The air handler
4 300 has a housing 302 that has a return port 304 at a lower end thereof.
The return port 304
permits the ingress of return air from an environment being conditioned. The
return port 304 can be
6 coupled to ducting through which return air is drawn. A blower fan
positioned in a lower portion 308
7 inside the housing 302 draws ambient air via the return port 304 and
forces an air stream upwards
8 through a heat exchanger coil. The heat exchanger coil has an inlet port
312 and an outlet port 314
9 that are coupled via conduits to a water heater, such as an instantaneous
water heater. A pump
circulates water from the water heater through the heat exchanger coil via the
conduits. As the air
11 stream passes through the heat exchanger coil, the air is heated before
it is forced upwards
12 through a plenum 316 to ductwork 320 that directs the forced air to one
or more areas to be
13 serviced. The housing 302 at the plenum 316 is dimensioned to define a
tapered air passage
14 through the plenum 316.
[0043] Air handlers of other forms, such as cylindrical, may also be provided
with tapered air
16 passages through their plenum between the air conditioning element and
the ductwork. For
17 example, where the air handler is cyclindrical, the plenum of the air
handler may be frustoconical.
18 [0044] The air handler or insert may provide a tapered air passage to
two or more air outlets
19 connected to separate ductwork.
[0045] The air handler or insert can provide more than one tapered air
passage. For example, for
21 a multi-zone air handler where separate ductwork for each zone is
directly connected to the air
22 handler, the air handler or insert can provide a separate tapered air
passage for each zone's
23 ductwork.
24 [0046] While certain embodiments were described with respect to heat
exchanger coils, it will be
appreciated that the above approach can be used with air handlers with other
types of air
26 conditioning elements, such as humidifiers and dehumidifiers.
27 [0047] While, in the above-described embodiment, the air handler is
provided with a single fan for
28 generating an air stream through the air handler, it will be appreciated
that the air handler can be
29 alternatively configured with two or more separate fans.
[0048] One or more return ports can be provided to enable return air to enter
the air handler. The
31 return ports can be dedicated to serving a particular blower or can be
used to enable a pool of air
32 to enter the air handler for drawing by the blowers.
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1 [0049] Although the invention has been described with reference to
certain specific embodiments,
2 various transformations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the
art. The scope of the claims
3 should not be limited by the preferred embodiments, but should be given
the broadest
4 interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
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