Patent Application
20180264529
The present disclosure generally relates to a fume hood used in a chemical operational chamber and, more particularly, to a fume hood capable of replenishing the operating space thereof with outdoor air to prevent directly pumping air from the airtight air-conditioned chamber, which will result in insufficient air conditioning in the air-conditioned chamber and waste of energy.
During working in the laboratory, there is often a need to carry out chemical preparation operations and microbiological experiments. Since the above processes are likely to produce harmful substances, it has been an important goal for the industry to prevent harmful substances from being exposed to the air and causing environmental pollution, as well as to avoid the operator from accidentally inhaling the harmful substances.
Normally, a large number of the conventional fume hoods 9 are arranged in the airtight chamber with the air conditioning apparatus 90. Therefore, when the fume hood 9 is operated, the operating chamber A is continuously replenished with cooling air produced by the air conditioning apparatus 90 in the case where the harmful gas within the fume hood 9 is continuously discharged. Thus, the internal pressure of the operating chamber A is maintained.
The above conventional fume hood 9 adapts replenishment type discharge. That is, the door leaf 93 of the operation window 92 is opened to allow the operating chamber A of the fume hood 9 to be filled with replenishing air from the air replenishment power system of the building. In such design, the air replenishment process will lead to energy consumption of the air conditioning apparatus 90, and the replenishing air cannot establish a stable air flow pattern in the operating chamber A of the fume hood 9. As a result, the air turbulence and vortex problems in the operating chamber A remain unresolved, and the risk of overflow from the operating chamber A that may endanger the health and safety of experimentalists still exists. Besides, higher energy consumption can be expected if multiple fume hoods 9 are operated simultaneously.
It is therefore the objective of this disclosure to provide an air replenishing fume hood comprising an air replenishing unit with an outdoor tube extending into an external space. Through the arrangement of the outdoor tube, the air replenishing fume hood will not pump air from an airtight air-conditioned chamber during operation, such that the temperature inside the air-conditioned chamber can be maintained to avoid fluctuation, achieving an energy saving effect.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, an air replenishing fume hood is disclosed. The air replenishing fume hood includes a cabinet, a door set, an air replenishing unit and air guiding unit. The cabinet has an inner casing defining an operating chamber. The inner casing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. A surface of the cabinet facing the air inlet includes an operation window. A first air passage is formed between the inner casing with the air inlet and the cabinet with the operation window. The door set includes an outer door leaf and an inner door leaf. The outer door leaf is used to open or close the operation window, and the inner door leaf is used to open or close the air inlet of the inner casing. An end of the air replenishing unit extends into an external space via an outdoor tube, and another end of the air replenishing unit is connected to the first air passage via an extension tube. An end of the air guiding unit is connected to the air outlet of the inner casing, and another end of the air guiding unit extends into the external space or a collection tank.
In accordance to the above structure, since the air replenishing fume hood according to the embodiment of the disclosure comprises the door set with an outer door leaf and an inner door leaf that form a first air passage therebetween, and an outdoor tube of an air replenishing unit is utilized to guide outdoor air into the first air passage, the air replenishing fume hood can ensure that the air guided into the first air passage comes from an external space during operation. Namely, the air replenishing fume hood will not pump air from an airtight air-conditioned chamber, such that the temperature inside the air-conditioned chamber can be maintained at a constant value, achieving energy saving effect.
In an example, the inner casing receives a guiding plate. A second air passage is formed between the guiding plate and the inner casing, and the second air passage is in communication with the air outlet of the inner casing. Thus, air in the operating chamber can be exhaust more authentically.
In the example, the cabinet has a central processing unit. The inner casing receives a spraying member and a temperature sensing device. The temperature sensing device is able to send a signal to the central processing unit to generate a warning signal or sound and activate the spraying member. As such, when an abnormal situation such as a fire occurs in the operating chamber, the abnormal situation can be eliminated effectively.
In the example, the central processing unit is able to control a driving device to activate the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf to close the operation window and the air inlet. As such, when an abnormal situation such as a fire occurs in the operating chamber, the spread of the abnormal situation can be prevented.
In the example, the door leaf includes a slot in communication with the first air passage and the operating chamber. As such, a small amount of the air guided into the first air passage can be filled into the operating chamber via the slot and, thus, air vortex that may form at the top of the operating chamber can be effectively prevented.
In the example, the door set includes two counterweights respectively connected to the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf via two connecting members. The cabinet has two motion sensors respectively sense the displacements of the two counterweights. As such, the two motion sensors are able to send the sensing results to the central processing unit, making the lifting of the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf easier, as well as enabling the central processing unit to precisely control the displacements of the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf. Thus, an air replenishment volume and an air exhaust volume can be adjusted precisely.
In the example, each of the connecting member is coupled to a transmission assembly and driven to rotate by the driving device, making it easier to control the lifting of the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf.
In the example, the door set further includes a control switch. The control switch is a multistage footswitch, and the control switch is able to control the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf to be fully opened or partially opened at the same time, making it easier for the operator to control the lifting of the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf.
In the example, the door set further includes a manual button, and the manual button is able to control the movement of the inner door leaf, making it easier for the operator to control the lifting of the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf.
In the example, the door set includes a region sensor able to generate and send a signal to the central processing unit when an operator leaves the air replenishing fume hood. The central processing unit activates the driving device to drive the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf after receives the signal. As such, when the operator leaves the air replenishing fume hood, the outer door leaf and the inner door leaf are closed to a predetermined height automatically, assuring that air inside the air replenishing fume hood does not overflow.
In the example, the air replenishing unit includes an intake valve having an opening angle, and the opening angle is able to be changed to control an air replenishment volume. As such, the air replenishment volume can be adjusted precisely.
In the example, the air replenishing unit includes a first air volume detecting device received in the first air passage or the extension tube. As such, the air replenishment volume can be adjusted precisely.
In the example, the air guiding unit includes an exhaust valve having an opening angle, and wherein the opening angle is able to be changed to control an air exhaust volume. As such, the air replenishment volume of the first air passage and the air exhaust volume of the operating chamber can be adjusted precisely to keep the air exhaust volume larger than the air replenishment volume.
In the example, the air guiding unit includes an air expelling device such as an exhaust fan. As such, the air exhaust volume can be adjusted precisely.
In the example, the wherein the air replenishing unit includes an air inhaling device such as a blower. As such, the air replenishment volume of the first air passage and the air exhaust volume of the operating chamber can be adjusted precisely to keep the air exhaust volume larger than the air replenishment volume.
In the example, the air guiding unit further includes a second air volume detecting device received in the inner casing. As such, the air exhaust volume can be adjusted precisely.
The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
In the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer” and similar terms are used hereinafter, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings, and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention.
In the following contents, the term “external space” may be an outside space isolated from a space inside a building, an airtight space, an airtight chamber with an air conditioning apparatus, or the conventional operational chamber.
The cabinet 1 may be in the form of a cuboid and arranged on a base 10. The cabinet 1 has an inner casing 11 defining the operating chamber A. The inner casing 11 includes an air inlet 12. The side of the cabinet 1 facing the air inlet 12 includes an operation window 13. The operation window 13 may be opened or closed by an outer door leaf 21 of the door set 2, and the air inlet 12 may be opened or closed by the inner door leaf 22. The first air passage P1 is formed between the inner casing 11 with the air inlet 12 and the cabinet 1 with the operation window 13. The first air passage P1 is in communication with the air replenishing unit 3, allowing outdoor air to be guided into the inner casing 11 via the air inlet 12. The inner casing 11 can further receive a guiding plate 14 to avoid the formation of a dead angle. By providing the guiding plate 14, airflow can be smoothly guided to avoid the air turbulence, and the second air passage P2 can be formed inside the inner casing 11, such that the air in the operating chamber A may be guided to the air guiding unit 4 via the second air passage P2.
The inner casing 11 further includes an air outlet 15 through which the air in the operating chamber A may be guided outwards to the air guiding unit 4. The second air passage P2 is in communication with the air outlet 15 of the inner casing 11. The inner casing 11 can further receive a spraying member 16. The spraying member 16 may be connected to a fire extinguishing material (not shown) and can be coupled to a temperature sensing device 17. When an abnormal situation such as a fire occurs in the operating chamber A, the temperature sensing device 17 may generate a warning signal or sound to activate the outer door leaf 21 and the inner door leaf 22 of the door set 2 to close the operation window 13 and the air inlet 12, and to control the spraying member 16 to spay the fire extinguishing material. A central processing unit 18 is coupled to a top portion of the cabinet 1. The central processing unit 18 can receive signals sent by the temperature sensing device 17, a detection device or a control device and can perform corresponding actions. The top portion of the cabinet 1 may be unsealed, such that the door set 2 can be easily installed or maintained.
Referring to
The cabinet 1 can have two motion sensors 19 electrically connected to the central processing unit 18 if necessary. The two motion sensors 19 can respectively sense the displacements of the two counterweights 23, such that the central processing unit 18 can control the displacements of the outer door leaf 21 and the inner door leaf 22. Moreover, in order to make it easier to control the lifting of the outer door leaf 21 and the inner door leaf 22, the door set 2 can also include a control switch 27, a region sensor 28, a manual button 29 and an emergency button 20. The control switch 27 may be a footswitch as shown in
The air replenishing unit 3 may guide outdoor air into the first air passage P1. As shown in
The air guiding unit 4 may guide air from the operating chamber A to an external space. As shown in
In summary, since the air replenishing fume hood according to the embodiment of the disclosure comprises the door set 2 with an outer door leaf 21 and an inner door leaf 22 that form a first air passage P1 therebetween, and an outdoor tube 31 of an air replenishing unit 3 is utilized to guide outdoor air into the first air passage P1, the air replenishing fume hood can ensure that the air guided into the first air passage P1 comes from an external space during operation. Namely, the air replenishing fume hood will not pump air from an airtight air-conditioned chamber, such that the temperature inside the air-conditioned chamber can be maintained at a constant value, achieving an energy saving effect.
Although the disclosure has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferable embodiments, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
