AXIAL FAN FOR HVAC SYSTEM

BACKGROUND

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

The present disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and, more particularly, to a fan for an HVAC system. A wide range of applications exist for HVAC systems. HVAC systems may be used to thermally regulate an environment, such as a space within a building, home, or other structure. The HVAC system may include a vapor compression system having heat exchangers, such as a condenser and an evaporator, which transfer thermal energy between the HVAC system and the environment. Accordingly, HVAC systems may be utilized to heat or cool a conditioned space. For example, an HVAC system may operate to dehumidify a conditioned space, ventilate air within a conditioned space, filter air supplied to a conditioned space, and so forth. Fans are frequently incorporated in HVAC systems to force or drive air flows in a desired direction or manner. For example, fans may be utilized to circulate air flow through the HVAC system, direct a flow of supply air into a conditioned space, direct a flow of return air from the conditioned space to the HVAC system, discharge a flow of exhaust air to an ambient environment, and so forth. Unfortunately, traditional fans in HVAC systems are susceptible to various shortcomings, including inefficient operation and undesirable energy consumption, among other deficiencies.

SUMMARY

A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be noted that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below

In one embodiment, an axial fan for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a blade having a blade body and a mounting portion, where the mounting portion includes a rib extending radially outward relative to a central axis of the blade. The axial fan also includes a hub having a cavity configured to receive the mounting portion of the blade, where the hub includes a plurality of grooves formed therein, each groove of the plurality of grooves is configured to receive the rib of the mounting portion of the blade, and the plurality of grooves corresponds to a plurality of orientations of the blade relative to the hub.

In another embodiment, an axial fan includes a hub having a first hub section and a second hub section configured to couple to one another to form a blade cavity, where the first hub section includes a plurality of grooves formed in an inner surface of the first hub section. The axial fan also includes a blade having a blade body and a mounting boss, where the mounting boss includes a rib extending therefrom, and the rib is configured to extend individually within the plurality of grooves to orient the blade at a plurality of pitch angles relative to the hub.

In a further embodiment, an axial fan for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a blade having a blade body, a mounting portion, and a rib integrally formed with the mounting portion and extending radially outward from the mounting portion relative to a central axis of the blade. The axial fan also includes a hub having a first hub section and a second hub section configured to couple to one another to form a cavity configured to receive the mounting portion of the blade. The first hub section includes a main body and a plurality of grooves integrally formed in the main body, and the rib is configured to extend individually within each groove of the plurality of grooves to orient the blade at a respective pitch of a plurality of pitches corresponding to each groove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of the present disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a building incorporating a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in a commercial setting, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an embodiment of an airside system of an HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an axial view schematic of an embodiment of a blade for a fan of an HVAC system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of a blade for a fan of an HVAC system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5A is a side view of an embodiment of a blade for a fan of an HVAC system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 5B-5B of FIG. 5A, of the blade of FIG. 5A, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 5C-5C of FIG. 5A, of the blade of FIG. 5A, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5D is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 5D-5D of FIG. 5A, of the blade of FIG. 5A, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5E is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 5E-5E of FIG. 5A, of the blade of FIG. 5A, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5F is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 5F-5F of FIG. 5A, of the blade of FIG. 5A, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a hub for a fan of an HVAC system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an embodiment of a fan of an HVAC system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an embodiment of a fan of an HVAC system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of a hub section for a fan of an HVAC system, illustrating a blade and hub interlock system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. These described embodiments are examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “generally,” and “substantially,” and so forth, are intended to convey that the property value being described may be within a relatively small range of the property value, as those of ordinary skill would understand. For example, when a property value is described as being “approximately” equal to (or, for example, “substantially similar” to) a given value, this is intended to mean that the property value may be within +/−5%, within +/−4%, within +/−3%, within +/−2%, within +/−1%, or even closer, of the given value. Similarly, when a given feature is described as being “substantially parallel” to another feature, “generally perpendicular” to another feature, and so forth, this is intended to mean that the given feature is within +/−5%, within +/−4%, within +/−3%, within +/−2%, within +/−1%, or even closer, to having the described nature, such as being parallel to another feature, being perpendicular to another feature, and so forth. Further, it should be understood that mathematical terms, such as “planar,” “slope,” “perpendicular,” “parallel,” and so forth are intended to encompass features of surfaces or elements as understood to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art, and should not be rigidly interpreted as might be understood in the mathematical arts. For example, a “planar” surface is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be substantially flat or smooth (within related tolerances) using techniques and tools available to one of ordinary skill in the art. Similarly, a surface having a “slope” is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be oriented at an angle (e.g., incline) with respect to a point of reference using techniques and tools available to one of ordinary skill in the art.

As briefly mentioned above, the present disclosure is directed toward heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) systems and, more particularly, toward a fan for an HVAC system. Specifically, present embodiments include a blade of a fan and an interlock system for a blade and a hub of a fan. Fans may be incorporated in an HVAC system to drive an air flow in a desired direction or manner. For example, fans may be utilized to direct an air flow across a heat exchanger, across a filter, out of the HVAC system, into the HVAC system, toward a conditioned space, through a conditioned space, out of a conditioned space, and so forth. In some embodiments, the fan is an axial fan (e.g., tube axial fan, vane axial fan). For example, an axial fan may be positioned within a conduit or housing and may be configured to direct an air flow across the fan and along an axis of the fan, such as a rotational axis of the fan. Further, in some embodiments, a fan may include blades that are adjustable. For example, a pitch or angle of the blades (e.g., relative to a hub of the fan, relative to a direction of rotation of the fan, etc.) may be adjusted to enable variable operation and improved functionality of the fan. Unfortunately, traditional fans may operate inefficiently, may be difficult or complicated to assembly, adjust, maintain, or otherwise operate.

Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a blade for a fan of an HVAC system and to a blade and hub interlock system for a fan of an HVAC system. For example, the blade may include a geometry, profile, shape, or other physical configuration configured to enable more efficient operation of the fan. In some embodiments, the blade may be at least partially defined by one or more profiles (e.g., two blade profiles, a blade tip profile and a blade root profile) that are blended with one another along a length of the blade. The blade (e.g., profile of the blade) may also include a twist profile (e.g., a twist about a length or central axis of the blade). In the manner described below, embodiments and features of the blade disclosed herein may enable more efficient operation of a fan including the blade. For example, the fan may operate with reduced drag, reduced power consumption, improved air flow, and/or improved efficiency (e.g., static efficiency). The disclosed techniques may also reduce costs associated with manufacture and maintenance of fans.

Embodiments of the present disclosure also include a blade and hub interlock system for a fan of an HVAC system. The blade and hub interlock system is configured to enable securement of a blade to a hub of the fan in a desired position and/or orientation (e.g., a desired position and/or orientation of the blade relative to the hub). The blade and hub interlock system is also configured to enable improved adjustment of the blade relative to the hub. For example, the blade and hub interlock system may enable simplified, more rapid adjustment of an orientation (e.g., a pitch) of the blade relative to the hub. As a result, blade orientation of a fan may be readily adjusted in the field more efficiently and at a reduced cost. These and other features will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for building environmental management that may employ a fan. As used herein, an HVAC system includes any number of components configured to enable regulation of parameters related to climate characteristics, such as temperature, humidity, air flow, pressure, air quality, and so forth. For example, an “HVAC system” as used herein is defined as conventionally understood and as further described herein. Components or parts of an “HVAC system” may include, but are not limited to, all, some of, or individual parts such as a heat exchanger, a heater, an air flow control device, such as a fan, a sensor configured to detect a climate characteristic or operating parameter, a filter, a control device configured to regulate operation of an HVAC system component, a component configured to enable regulation of climate characteristics, or a combination thereof. An “HVAC system” is a system configured to provide such functions as heating, cooling, ventilation, dehumidification, pressurization, refrigeration, filtration, or any combination thereof. The embodiments described herein may be utilized in a variety of applications to control climate characteristics, such as residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, or other applications where climate control is desired.

In the illustrated embodiment, a building 10 is serviced by a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 100 that may include a plurality of HVAC devices and/or other HVAC equipment (e.g., heaters, chillers, air handling units, pumps, fans, thermal energy storage units, etc.) configured to provide heating, cooling, air conditioning, ventilation, and/or other services for the building 10. For example, the HVAC system 100 is shown to include a waterside system 102 and an airside system 104. The waterside system 102 may generate and provide a heated fluid and/or a chilled fluid to equipment of the airside system 104, and the airside system 104 may utilize the heated fluid and/or the chilled fluid to heat or cool an air flow provided to the building 10. However, it should be appreciated that the techniques disclosed herein may be incorporated with other embodiments of the HVAC system 100, such as a direct expansion system.

The HVAC system 100 may include a chiller 106, a boiler 108, and an air handling unit (AHU) 110 (e.g., a rooftop unit). The waterside system 102 may utilize the chiller 106 or the boiler 108 to cool or heat, respectively, a conditioning fluid (e.g., water, glycol, etc.) and may circulate the conditioning fluid to the AHU 110. In various embodiments, components of the waterside system 102, such as the chiller 106 and/or the boiler 108, may be located in or around the building 10 or at an offsite location such as a central plant (e.g., a chiller plant, a steam plant, a heat plant, etc.) that serves one or more portions of the building 10. The conditioning fluid may be heated in the boiler 108 or cooled in the chiller 106, depending on whether heating or cooling is desired in the building 10. The boiler 108 may add heat to the circulated conditioning fluid, for example, by burning a combustible material (e.g., natural gas) or using an electric heating element to transfer heat to the conditioning fluid. The chiller 106 may place the circulated conditioning fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) in a heat exchanger (e.g., an evaporator) to absorb heat from the conditioning fluid. The conditioning fluid from the chiller 106 and/or the boiler 108 may be directed to the AHU 110 via piping 112 (e.g., fluid conduits, supply piping).

The AHU 110 may place the conditioning fluid in a heat exchange relationship with an air flow directed through the AHU 110 (e.g., via one or more stages of cooling coils and/or heating coils). The air flow may be, for example, outside air, return air from within the building 10, or a combination of both. The AHU 110 may transfer heat between the air flow and the conditioning fluid to heat and/or cool the air flow. For example, the AHU 110 may include one or more fans or blowers configured to direct the air flow across or through a heat exchanger configured to circulate the conditioning fluid. The conditioning fluid may then be directed back to the chiller 106 and/or the boiler 108 via piping 114 (e.g., fluid conduits, return piping).

The airside system 104 may deliver the air flow supplied by the AHU 110 (e.g., a supply air flow) to the building 10 via air supply ducts 116 (e.g., ductwork) and may direct return air from the building 10 to the AHU 110 via air return ducts 118 (e.g., ductwork). In some embodiments, the airside system 104 includes one or more variable air volume (VAV) units 120. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the airside system 104 include separate VAV units 120 positioned within or otherwise associated with each floor or zone of the building 10. The VAV units 120 may include dampers or other flow control elements that are operable to control an amount of the supply air flow provided to individual zones of the building 10. In other embodiments, the airside system 104 is configured to deliver the supply air flow to one or more zones of the building 10 (e.g., via the air supply ducts 116) without utilizing the VAV units 120 or other flow control elements. The AHU 110 may include various sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, pressure sensors, etc.) configured to detect and/or measure attributes of the supply air flow or other operating parameters of the HVAC system 100. The AHU 110 may receive input (e.g., feedback, data) from sensors located within the AHU 110 and/or within the building 10 and may adjust the flow rate, temperature, or other attributes of the supply air flow through the AHU 110 to achieve set point conditions for the building 10.

In some embodiments, the HVAC system 100 may incorporate one or more fans 122, such as an axial fan (e.g., tube axial fan). For example, one or more of the fans 122 may be a component of the AHU 110. In such an embodiment, the fan 122 may be configured to direct an air flow across a heat exchanger, filter, or other component of the AHU 110, into the AHU 110, out of the AHU 110 and into the air supply ducts 116, out of the air return ducts 118 and into the AHU 110, into an ambient environment surrounding the AHU 110, or any combination thereof. For example, the fan 122 may be an axial fan that is installed inline (e.g., along, serially with) one of the air supply ducts 116 or one of the air return ducts 118. In some embodiments, the fan 122 may be a component separate from the AHU 110. For example, the building 10 may be a warehouse, industrial building, data center, computer server building, or other large structure, and the fan 122 may be utilized to enable circulation or ventilation of air into and/or out of the building 10. The fan 122 (e.g., tube axial fan) may be a ventilation or supply air fan configured to direct fresh air from an ambient environment into the building 10 via an inlet duct of the building 10. In some embodiments, the fan 122 (e.g., axial fan) may be an exhaust fan configured to direct air from within the building 10 to the ambient environment surrounding the building 10 (e.g., as exhaust air) via an exhaust duct of the building 10.

As mentioned above, the fan 122 may be an axial fan, such as a tube axial fan, configured to be positioned within a housing or conduit 124 (e.g., a tube). Accordingly, the fan 122 may be configured to direct an air flow through the conduit 124 (e.g., duct), and the fan 122 may be configured to impart axial and/or radial forces onto the air flow (e.g., to induce a swirl flow) directed through the conduit 124. In this way, the fan 122 may be configured to direct the air flow at elevated pressures and/or flow rates with increased efficiency. In some embodiments, the fan 122 includes blades having an airfoil shape with an improved design (e.g., shape, geometry, profile, configuration) that enables more efficient operation of the fan 122. Further, in accordance with present techniques, the fan 122 may include blades coupled to a hub via a blade and hub interlock system that enables improved (e.g., more rapid, more efficient) adjustment of the blades relative to the hub to, for example, adjust a pitch of the blades relative to the hub. It should be appreciated that the presently disclosed techniques may be incorporated within any suitable fan 122 utilized to direct an air flow in a desired direction or manner. It should be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be incorporated with the building 10 (e.g., ductwork of the building), the AHU 110, a residential heating and cooling system, or other HVAC systems. For example, the features described herein may be applied to mechanical cooling systems, free cooling systems, chiller systems, direct expansion systems, and/or other heat pump or refrigeration applications.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an embodiment of the HVAC system 100 including an airside system 200, such as an embodiment of the airside system 104. The airside system 200 may include one or more of the HVAC devices and/or equipment discussed above, such as the AHU 110, the VAV units 120, the ducts 116, 118, fans, dampers, and so forth. Accordingly, one or more components of the HVAC system 100 may be located in or around the building 10. The airside system 200 may operate to heat or cool an air flow provided to the building 10 using a heated or chilled fluid provided by the waterside system 102.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, the airside system 200 includes include an economizer-type air handling unit (AHU) 202 (e.g., HVAC unit). The economizer-type AHU 202 may vary respective amounts of outside air and return air used by the AHU 202 for heating or cooling a building zone 204 (e.g., conditioned space). For example, the AHU 202 may receive return air 206 from the building zone 204 via return air duct 208 (e.g., of the building 10) and may deliver supply air 210 to the building zone 204 via a supply air duct 212 (e.g., of the building 10). In some embodiments, the AHU 202 (e.g., the AHU 110) is a rooftop unit located on the roof of the building 10 or otherwise positioned and/or configured to receive both the return air 206 and outside air 214 from an environment surrounding the HVAC system 100 and/or building zone 204. The AHU 202 may be configured to operate an exhaust air damper 216, a mixing damper 218, and an outside air damper 220 to control an amount of the outside air 214 and the return air 206 that is combined to form the supply air 210. Return air 206 that does not flow through the mixing damper 218 may be exhausted from the AHU 202 through the exhaust damper 216 as exhaust air 222.

Each of dampers 216, 218, 220 may be operated by an actuator. For example, the exhaust air damper 216 may be operated by an actuator 224, the mixing damper 218 may be operated by an actuator 226, and the outside air damper 220 may be operated by an actuator 228. The actuators 224, 226, 228 may communicate with an AHU controller 230 via a communications link 232. The actuators 224, 226, 228 may receive control signals from the AHU controller 230 and may provide feedback signals to the AHU controller 230. Feedback signals may include, for example, an indication of a current (e.g., detected, measured) actuator or damper position, an amount of torque or force exerted by the actuator 224, 226, 228, diagnostic information (e.g., results of diagnostic tests performed by actuators 224, 226, 228), status information, commissioning information, configuration settings, calibration data, and/or other types of information or data that may be collected, stored, or used by the actuators 224, 226, 228. The AHU controller 230 may be an economizer controller configured to execute one or more control algorithms (e.g., state-based algorithms, extremum seeking control [ESC] algorithms, proportional-integral [PI] control algorithms, proportional-integral-derivative [PID] control algorithms, model predictive control [MPC] algorithms, feedback control algorithms, etc.) to control the actuators 224, 226, 228.

The AHU 202 further includes a cooling coil 234 (e.g., heat exchanger), a heating coil 236 (e.g., heat exchanger), and a fan 238 (e.g., fan 122) positioned within the supply air duct 212. The fan 238 may be configured to force the supply air 210 across the cooling coil 234 and/or the heating coil 236 and provide the supply air 210 to the building zone 204. The AHU controller 230 may communicate with the fan 238 via a communications link 240 to control a flow rate of the supply air 210 (e.g., through the supply air duct 212, into the building zone 204). In some embodiments, the AHU controller 230 is configured to control an amount of heating or cooling applied to the supply air 210 by modulating a speed of the fan 238.

The cooling coil 234 may receive a chilled fluid from the waterside system 102 (e.g., the chiller 106), such as via piping 242, and may return the chilled fluid to the waterside system 102 via piping 244. A valve 246 may be positioned along the piping 242 and/or the piping 244 to control a flow rate of the chilled fluid through cooling coil 234. In some embodiments, the cooling coil 234 includes multiple stages of cooling coils that may be independently activated and deactivated (e.g., by the AHU controller 230, by a supervisory controller 266, etc.) to modulate an amount of cooling applied to the supply air 210.

The heating coil 236 may receive a heated fluid from the waterside system 102 (e.g., the boiler 108) via piping 248 and may return the heated fluid to the waterside system 102 via piping 250. A valve 252 may be positioned along the piping 248 and/or the piping 250 to control a flow rate of the heated fluid through the heating coil 236. In some embodiments, the heating coil 236 includes multiple stages of heating coils that may be independently activated and deactivated (e.g., by the AHU controller 230, by the supervisory controller 266, etc.) to modulate an amount of heating applied to the supply air 210.

Each of the valves 246 and 252 may be controlled by a respective actuator. For example, the valve 246 may be controlled by an actuator 254, and the valve 252 may be controlled by an actuator 256. The actuators 254, 256 may communicate with the AHU controller 230 via communications links 258, 260. The actuators 254, 256 may receive control signals from the AHU controller 230 and may provide feedback signals to the AHU controller 230. In some embodiments, the AHU controller 230 may receive a measurement (e.g., data) of the temperature of the supply air 210 from a temperature sensor 262 positioned within the supply air duct 212 (e.g., downstream of the cooling coil 234 and/or the heating coil 236). The AHU controller 230 may also receive a measurement (e.g., data) of a temperature in the building zone 204 from a temperature sensor 264 located within the building zone 204.

In some embodiments, the AHU controller 230 is configured to operate the valves 246 and 252 via the actuators 254, 256 to modulate an amount of heating or cooling provided to the supply air 210 (e.g., to achieve a set point temperature for the supply air 210 and/or to maintain a temperature of the supply air 210 within a set point temperature range). The positions of the valves 246 and 252 may affect an amount of heating or cooling provided to the supply air 210 by the cooling coil 234 or the heating coil 236, respectively, by controlling a flow rate of the chilled fluid or heated fluid, respectively, therethrough. The AHU controller 230 may control a temperature of the supply air 210 and/or a temperature within the building zone 204 by activating or deactivating the coils 234, 236, adjusting a speed of the fan 238, or both.

As mentioned above, the airside system 200 may include the supervisory controller 266, which may be communicatively coupled to a client device 268. The supervisory controller 266 may include one or more computer systems (e.g., servers, supervisory controllers, subsystem controllers, etc.) that serve as system level controllers, application or data servers, head nodes, or master controllers for the airside system 200, the waterside system 102, the HVAC system 100, and/or other controllable systems that serve the building 10. The supervisory controller 266 may communicate with multiple downstream building systems or subsystems (e.g., the HVAC system 100, a security system, a lighting system, the waterside system 102, etc.) via a communications link 270 according to like or disparate protocols (e.g., LON, BACnet, etc.). In various embodiments, the AHU controller 230 and the supervisory controller 266 may be separate or integrated. In an integrated implementation, the AHU controller 230 may be a software module configured for execution by a processor of the supervisory controller 266.

In some embodiments, the AHU controller 230 is configured to receive information from the supervisory controller 266 (e.g., commands, set points, operating boundaries, etc.) and provide information to the supervisory controller 266 (e.g., temperature measurements, valve and/or actuator positions, operating statuses, diagnostics, etc.). For example, the AHU controller 230 may provide the supervisory controller 266 with temperature measurements from the temperature sensors 262, 264, equipment on/off states, equipment operating capacities, and/or any other information that may be used by the supervisory controller 266 to monitor or control a variable state or condition within the building zone 204.

The client device 268 may include one or more human-machine interfaces or client interfaces (e.g., graphical user interfaces, reporting interfaces, text-based computer interfaces, client-facing web services, web servers that provide pages to web clients, etc.) for controlling, viewing, or otherwise interacting with the HVAC system 100 and the subsystems and/or devices thereof. The client device 268 may be a computer workstation, a client terminal, a remote or local interface, or any other type of user interface device. In some embodiments, the client device 268 may be a stationary terminal or a mobile device. For example, the client device 268 may be a desktop computer, a computer server with a user interface, a laptop computer, a tablet, a smartphone, and/or any other type of mobile or non-mobile device. The client device 268 may communicate with the supervisory controller 266 and/or the AHU controller 230 via a communications link 272.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the airside system 200 may also include one or more embodiments of the fan 122 (e.g., an axial fan, a tube axial fan). For example, in some embodiments, the fan 122 may be disposed within the supply air duct 212 extending from the AHU 202 to the building zone 204 and may be configured to control a flow of the supply air 210 directed into the building zone 204. Additionally or alternatively, the fan 122 may be disposed along the return air duct 208 and be configured to direct the return air 206 from the building zone 204 to the AHU 202. An embodiment of the fan 122 may be disposed at an end of the return air duct 208 and may be configured to discharge the exhaust air 222 from the AHU 202.

In some embodiments, the HVAC system 100 may include one or more fans 122 configured to direct outside air 214 (e.g., fresh air) into the building zone 204 without first directing the outside air 214 through the AHU 202. For example, the HVAC system 100 may include a fresh air conduit 274 fluidly coupling (e.g., directly fluidly coupling) the building zone 204 to an ambient environment 276 (e.g., outdoor environment) surrounding or otherwise external to the building zone 204 (e.g., the building 10). The fan 122 (e.g., tube axial fan) may be disposed within the fresh air conduit 274 and may be configured to force a flow of the outside air 214 directly into the building zone 204, for example, to provide ventilation of the building zone 204. Similarly, the HVAC system 100 may additionally or alternatively include an exhaust air conduit 278 fluidly coupling (e.g., directly fluidly coupling) the building zone 204 to the ambient environment 276 surrounding the building zone 204. An embodiment of the fan 122 (e.g., tube axial fan) may be disposed within the exhaust air conduit 278 and may be configured to discharge a flow of the exhaust air 222 from the building zone 204 directly to the ambient environment 276, for example, to provide ventilation of the building zone 204.

FIG. 3 is an axial view schematic of an embodiment of a fan 300, in accordance with the present techniques. The fan 300 may be implemented as an embodiment of the fan 122 discussed above in any suitable application in which air flow is desired. For example, the fan 300 may be implemented to direct a flow of supply air, return air, exhaust air, or any other suitable flow of air. Further, in accordance with present embodiments, the fan 300 may be an axial fan, a tube axial fan, or any other suitable type of fan configured to generate and/or facilitate flow of air. For example, the fan 300 may be disposed within a tube or other conduit and may operate to force a flow of air through the conduit.

The fan 300 includes a hub 302 and a plurality of blades 304 coupled to the hub 302. The fan 300 may include any suitable number of blades 304. Additionally, the hub 302 may include a plurality of hub sections 306 (e.g., two hub sections) that are coupled to one another to form the hub 302. The assembled hub sections 306 forming the hub 302 may cooperatively define a plurality of cavities 308 (e.g., blade pockets, recesses, mounting cavities, blade cavities), and each blade 304 may be at least partially disposed within a corresponding one of the cavities 308 to couple the blades 304 to the hub 302. The plurality of cavities 308, and therefore the blades 304 coupled to the hub 302 may be variably spaced about a circumference 310 of the hub 302, in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the plurality of cavities 308 and the blades 304 may be equidistantly spaced about the circumference 310 of the hub 302. Further, in some embodiments, a number of the blades 304 of the fan 300 may be adjustable.

In accordance with present embodiments, one or more of the blades 304 may be at least partially defined by one or more airfoil profiles, shapes, or configurations that enable improved operation of the fan 300. For example, the geometry, shape, profile, and/or configuration of the blades 304 may enabled improved efficiency of the fan 300, reduced energy consumption of the fan 300, reduced costs associated with the fan 300, and so forth. Additionally, the fan 300 may include a blade and hub interlock system 312 (e.g., an integral blade and hub interlock system) configured to enable securement of the blades 304 to the hub 302 (e.g., hub sections 306). In particular, a respective position and/or orientation of each blade 304 may be adjustable relative to the hub 302, and the blade and hub interlock system 312 may enable improved adjustable securement of the blades 3040 to the hub 302 in each of a plurality of orientations of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. For example, a pitch of the blade 304 may be readily adjusted or modified (e.g., in the field, without utilization of specialized tools, etc.) via the blade and hub interlock system 312, as discussed in further detail below.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the blade 304 of the fan 300, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The blade 304 includes a blade body 320 (e.g., main body, airfoil body) and a mounting portion 322 (e.g., blade boss, blade mounting portion, mounting extension, mounting boss) extending from the blade body 320. The blade body 320 may define an airfoil 324 (e.g., profile, geometry, shape) configured to direct an air flow and improve operation of the fan 300 (e.g., by improving efficiency of the fan 300, reducing energy consumption of the fan 300, reducing costs associated with the fan 300, etc.). In some embodiments, the blade body 320 is at least partially defined by one or more airfoil profiles, shapes, or configurations. For example, the blade body 320 may be at least partially defined by a first airfoil profile at a root 326 of the blade body 320 and by a second airfoil profile at a tip 328 of the blade body 320. The first airfoil profile and the second airfoil profile may be blended along a length 330 of the blade body 320 to further define the airfoil 324 of the blade body 320, as discussed in further detail below.

The mounting portion 322 may be configured to extend within one of the cavities 308 defined by the hub 302 of the fan 300. That is, each cavity 308 of the hub 302 may accommodate a corresponding one of the mounting portions 322 of the blades 304. In some embodiments, the mounting portion 322 may engage with features of the hub 302 defining the cavity 308 to enable securement of the blade 304 to the hub 302 in an assembled configuration of the fan 300, as described further below.

Moreover, in accordance with present techniques, the blade 304 may include features and/or components of the blade and hub interlock system 312. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the blade 304 includes a rib 332 formed on the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304. The rib 332 may extend outward (e.g., radially outward relative to a central axis 334 of the blade 304) from the mounting portion 322. In an assembled configuration of the fan 300, the rib 332 may extend within a groove formed in the hub 302 (e.g., one of the hub sections 306) to set or fix an orientation of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. In particular, the rib 332 may extend within a groove formed in the hub 302 to set or fix a pitch of the blade 304. Further, in some embodiments, the blade 304 (e.g., the fan 300) may include a pitch indicator system 336. For example, the pitch indicator system 336 may be utilized with the blade and hub interlock system 312 configured to enable pitch adjustment of the blade 304. For example, the pitch indicator system 336 may include an index, markings, symbols, guides, or other indicia that indicate a position or orientation (e.g., pitch) of the blade 304 (e.g., relative to the hub 302 to which the blade 304 is coupled). In one embodiment, the pitch indicator system 336 may include one or more numerals and/or one or more hashmarks that indicate a pitch angle (e.g., degrees) of the blade 304 (e.g., the blade body 320). In this way, the pitch indicator system 366 may provide a visual indication of a particular pitch angle (e.g., orientation) of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302.

FIG. 5A is a side view of an embodiment of the blade 304 of the fan 300, illustrating various section views of the blade body 320, and FIGS. 5B-5F are cross-sectional views of the blade 304 of FIG. 5A. As discussed above, the blade body 320 may define an airfoil 324 that is at least partially defined by one or more airfoil profiles, shapes, or configurations 340 along the length 330 of the blade body 320. For example, the blade body 320 may be at least partially defined by a first airfoil profile 342 (e.g., root blade airfoil profile) at the root 326 (e.g., base) of the blade body 320, as shown in FIG. 5B. The blade body 320 may also be at least partially defined by a second airfoil profile 344 (e.g., tip blade airfoil profile) at the tip 328 of the blade body 320, as shown in FIG. 5F. The one or more airfoil profiles 340 utilized to define the blade body 320 may be high lift (e.g., high lift value), high stall (e.g., high stall value), and/or low Reynold's number (e.g., low Reynold's number value) airfoil profiles. In some embodiments, the first airfoil profile 342 at the root 326 of the blade body 320 may be a modified Eppler 420 airfoil profile. The second airfoil profile 344 at the tip 328 of the blade body 320 may be a modified NACA 6306 airfoil profile. Other airfoil profiles may be used in other embodiments.

In an embodiment of the blade body 320 having the first airfoil profile 342 at the root 326 of the blade body 320 and the second airfoil profile 344 at the tip 328 of the blade body 320, the first airfoil profile 342 and the second airfoil profile 344 may be blended with one another along the length 330 of the blade body 320. In other words, some embodiments of the blade body 320 may be defined by the first airfoil profile 342, the second airfoil profile 344, and a mixture or blend of the first airfoil profile 342 and the second airflow profile 344 (e.g., along the length 330 of the blade body 320 between the root 326 and the tip 328). For example, the first airfoil profile 342 and the second airfoil profile 344 may be blended linearly along the length 330 of the blade body 320 from the root 326 of the blade body 320 to the tip 328 of the blade body 320. In some embodiments, the airfoil profiles 340 of the blade body 320 may be blended across multiple sections along the length 330 of the blade body 320 (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or more sections). By utilizing the first airfoil profile 342 at the root 326 of the blade body 320, the second airfoil profile 344 at the tip 328 of the blade body 320, and a blend or mixture of the first and second airfoil profiles 342 and 344 along the length 330 of the blade body 320, a weight of the blade 304 may be reduced, which may enable improved efficiency and reduced energy consumption of the fan 300 having the blade 304.

In some embodiments, the one or more airfoil profiles 340 of the blade body 320 may be modified to improve efficient operation of the blade 304 and the fan 300 having the blade 304. As shown in FIG. 5, the blade body 320 may include a trailing edge or section 346 that is shortened or trimmed (e.g., to reduce a width 349 of the blade body 320). The trailing edge or section 346 may additionally or alternatively be rounded, such as to define a curved or elliptical (e.g., filleted) profile or geometry. The shortened and/or rounded trailing edge or section 346 is configured to enable improved air flow attachment as an air flow travels across and leaves the blade body 320. In an embodiment, the blade body 320 may be at least partially defined by a modified Eppler 420 airfoil profile (e.g., first airfoil profile 342) and/or a modified NACA 6306 airfoil profile (e.g., second airfoil profile 344), and a thickness of the blade body 320 may be greater than an unmodified Eppler 420 airfoil profile and/or NACA 6306 airfoil profile. In some embodiments, a camber of one or more of the airfoil profiles 340 of the blade body 320 may be modified.

Further, in some embodiments, a chord of one or more of the airfoil profiles 340 of the blade body 320 may be modified. As an example, multiple sections (e.g., cross-sections, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or more sections) along the length 330 of the blade body 320 may each have a corresponding airfoil profile 340 with a respective chord that is modified to improve performance of the blade 304. In some instances, the respective chords of the airfoil profiles 340 may be modified to achieve a desired taper of the blade body 320. In accordance with present techniques, the modified geometry of the blade 304 may enable improved performance of the fan 300 having the blade 304 at each orientation (e.g., pitch) of the blade 304 (e.g., relative to the hub 302). For example, the respective chord of each airfoil profile 340 for multiple sections (e.g., eleven sections) of the blade body 320 along the length 330 of the blade body 320 may be modified and/or selected to enable improved performance of the blade 304 across a range of pitch angles of the blade 304 coupled to the hub 302.

The sections (e.g., eleven sections) of the blade body 320 may also be defined or selected to determine blending of the airfoil profiles 340 of the blade body 320. For example, the first airfoil profile 342 selected for the root 326 of the blade body 320 (e.g., a first section 352) may be blended from the root 326 of the blade body 320 to a second section 354 of the blade body 320, which may have a selected or determined chord that achieves a desired taper of the blade body 320 from the second section 354 to the first section 352. In other words, the first airfoil profile 342 may be selected for the first section 352, a desired chord (e.g., chord length) of the airfoil profile 340 for the second section 354 may be selected, and the portion of the blade body 320 extending from the first section 352 to the second section 354 may be blended (e.g., linearly blended) to at least partially define the geometry of the blade body 320.

The airfoil profiles 340 of the blade body 320 may be aligned or “stacked” along a stacking line 348 of the blade body 320 that extends along the length 330 of the blade body 320. The stacking line 348 may be the central axis 334 of the blade body 320, in some embodiments. For example, the first airfoil profile 342 at the root 326 of the blade body 320 and the second airfoil profile 344 at the tip 328 of the blade body 320 may each be centered along the stacking line 348. More specifically, a respective centroid of the first airfoil profile 342 and the second airfoil profile 344 may each be centered along the stacking line 348. Indeed, a respective centroid of the respective airfoil profile 340 of the blade body 320 at any cross-section of the blade body 320 along the length 330 of the blade body 320 may be centered along the stacking line 348.

In some embodiments, the blade body 320 may be twisted (e.g., turned, curved) about the stacking line 348. Twist of the blade body 320 may be characterized by a change in an angle of the blade body 320 along the length 330 of the blade body 320. In other words, an angle (e.g., blade angle, angle of attack) of the blade body 320 may vary along the length 330 of the blade body 320. The illustrated embodiment shows various portions or sections (e.g., cross-sections) of the blade body 320, taken along section lines B-B, C-C, D-D, E-E, and F-F, to illustrate angles of the blade body 320 at various locations along the length 330 of the blade body 320.

For example, the blade body 320 may be twisted about the stacking line 348 from the first airfoil profile 342 at the root 326 of the blade body 320 to the second airfoil profile 344 at the tip 328 of the blade body 320. Thus, an amount of twist of the blade body 320 may be expressed as an amount (e.g., angle) of rotation (e.g., about the stacking line 348) between the blade body 320 at section F-F and the blade body 320 at section B-B. In some embodiments, a twisted geometry or configuration of the blade body 320 about the stacking line 348 from the root 326 to the tip 328 of the blade body 320 may result in the blade body 320 to have an increasingly upward pitch along the length 330 from the root 326 to the tip 328. The amount of twist (e.g., blade angle change, about the stacking line 348) along the length 330 of the blade body 320 (e.g., from the root 326 to the tip 328) may vary. For example, the amount of twist of the blade body 320 may be approximately 5 to 15 degrees, approximately 7 to 13 degrees, or approximately 11 degrees. In some embodiments, the twist of the blade body 320 (e.g., from the root 326 to the tip 328) may be between approximately 11.40 to 11.50 degrees or approximately 11.45 degrees. In an assembled configuration of the blade 304 with the hub 302, in which the blade 304 is oriented at a zero degree pitch, the tip 328 of the blade body 320 (e.g., section F-F) may be relatively horizontal (e.g., a zero degree angle of attack), and the root 326 of the blade body 320 (e.g., section B-B) may be oriented at an 11.45 degree angle of attack, for example. Twist of the blade body 320 may provide multiple benefits. For example, twist of the blade body 320 may provide improved balance of spanwise loading of the blade 304. The blade body 320 twist may also improve efficiency by reducing tip losses and otherwise improving aerodynamic properties of the blade 304.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the root 326 (e.g., root portion) of the blade body 320 may be slightly tapered inward (e.g., toward the central axis 334 of the blade 30). That is, the root 326 of the blade body 320 may include one or more tapered portions 350 (e.g., leading edge tapered portion, trailing edge tapered portion). The magnitude of the taper of the tapered portions 350 (e.g., amount of taper of the blade body 320, such as the leading edge or trailing edge, towards the central axis 334) at the root 326 may be less than other, existing fan blades. Indeed, in some embodiments, the blade body 320 may not be tapered inward at the root 326 of the blade body 320. By reducing an amount of taper of the blade body 320 inward at the root 326 of the blade body 320, aerodynamic losses may be reduced. In some embodiments, the first airfoil profile 342 at the root 326 of the blade body 320 may include the tapered portions 350, while other airfoil profiles 340 along the length 330 of the blade body 320 may not include tapered portions 350. The root 326 of the blade body 320 may also include a geometry that is curved and/or extends in a circumferential direction (e.g., about a rotational axis of the fan 300).

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an embedment of the hub 302, illustrating two hub sections 306 (e.g., a first hub section 360 and a second hub section 362) configured to be assembled together to form the hub 302. As mentioned above, the blades 304 and the hub 302 are configured to couple to one another to form the fan 300. To this end, each hub section 306 includes a main body 364 defining a plurality of blade recesses 366 arranged about a respective circumference 368 of the hub section 306. In an assembled configuration of the hub 302, the blade recesses 366 of the first hub section 360 may align with (e.g., overlap with) the blade recesses 366 of the second hub section 362. Specifically, corresponding blade recesses 366 of the first hub section 360 and second hub section 362 may be disposed opposite one another and may extend in a radially outward direction (e.g., relative to a rotational or central axis 370 of the hub 302 and/or the fan 300) from a central opening 372 of the hub 302, which may be configured to receive a shaft (e.g., a motor shaft), in some embodiments. In this way, the blade recesses 366 of the hub sections 306 may cooperatively define the cavities 308 of the hub 302. As discussed above, each cavity 308 is configured to receive and retain one of the blades 304 of the fan 300 in an assembled configuration of the fan 300. The two hub sections 306 may have similar configurations and features, in some embodiments. Additionally, the hub sections 306 may be assembled together utilizing any suitable technique, such as mechanical fasteners (e.g., nuts and bolts) extending within corresponding apertures 374 formed in each hub section 306.

One or more of the hub sections 306 may also include features of the blade and hub interlock system 312 (e.g., integral blade and hub interlock system). As mentioned above, the blade and hub interlock system 312 is configured to enable securement of the blades 304 to the hub 302 (e.g., hub sections 306). In particular, the blade and hub interlock system 312 may enable improved adjustable securement of the blades 304 to the hub 302 in each of a plurality of orientations (e.g., pitch orientations) of the blades 304 relative to the hub 302. For example, one or more of the hub sections 306 may include recesses, notches, slots, grooves, surfaces, or other features formed in the main body 364 of the hub section 306. In the manner described below, the blade and hub interlock system 312 enables improved (e.g., more efficient, more rapid, more reliable) adjustment of a pitch of the blades 304 coupled to the hub 302 (e.g., in the field, without utilization of specialized tools, etc.). Features of the blade and hub interlock system 312 incorporated with the hub sections 306 are described in further detail below.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the fan 300, illustrating an embodiment of the blade 304 coupled to the hub 302 in an assembled configuration of the fan 300. The illustrated cross-sectional view may be taken along the central axis 334 of the blade 304. The hub sections 306 (e.g., first hub section 360 and second hub section 362) are coupled to one another to define the hub 302 having the plurality of cavities 308. In the illustrated assembled configuration of the fan 300, the blade 304 is at least partially disposed within one of the cavities 308 defined by the hub 302. More specifically, the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304 is disposed within the cavity 308.

The hub 302 may include features (e.g., geometries, configurations, surfaces, etc.) configured to engage with the blade 304 and enable securement of the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304 within the cavity 308. For example, each hub section 306 may define a notch 380 (e.g., channel, indention) exposed to the cavity 308 that is formed via the assembled hub sections 306. In some embodiments, the notch 380 of each hub section 306 may have a generally curved or semi-circular geometry. The respective notch 380 of each of the first hub section 360 and the second hub section 362 are configured to receive a flared portion 382 (e.g., dovetail portion) of the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304. In the assembled configuration, the hub sections 306 may cooperatively capture the flared portion 382 of the mounting portion 322 within the notches 380 to enable securement of the mounting portion 322 within the cavity 308. Specifically, the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304 may be secured along the central axis 334 of the blade 304. It should be noted that the notches 380 may nevertheless enable rotation of the mounting portion 322 within the cavity 308 to enable adjustment (e.g., pitch adjustment) of an orientation of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302.

Each hub section 306 also includes features of the blade and hub interlock system 312. For example, each hub section 306 may include a plurality of grooves 384 (e.g., slots, depressions, channels, slits) formed therein. The grooves 384 may be formed in an inner surface 386 of the hub section 306 that generally defines the blade recess 366 associated with the grooves 384. The inner surfaces 386 of the hub sections 306 may face one another in an assembled configuration of the hub 302. Each of the grooves 384 may be configured to receive the rib 332 (e.g., protrusion) extending from the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304. In particular, the rib 332 may extend into one of the grooves 384, and the rib 332 may be retained within the groove 384 to fix or set an orientation (e.g., pitch) of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the mounting portion 322 of the blade 3004 may include two ribs 332 (e.g., protrusions), which may be positioned opposite one another about the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304 (e.g., relative to the central axis 334 of the blade 304). Each rib 332 may be positioned within one of the grooves 384 of one of the hub sections 306. In this way, the hub sections 306 may each engage with one of the ribs 332 to set or fix a selected orientation of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. Indeed, each hub section 306 may include respective pluralities of grooves 384 associated with (e.g., corresponding to) each blade cavity 366 defined by the hub section 306. The grooves 384 and the ribs 332 may each extend in a generally radial direction (e.g., relative to the rotational axis 370 of the hub 302. In other words, in the assembled configuration of the fan 300, the grooves 384 and the ribs 332 may extend generally along the central axis 334 of the blade 304. However, in other embodiments, the grooves 384 and the ribs 332 may have any other suitable orientation, shape, and/or configuration configured to enable engagement between one another and thereby retain the blade 304 in a selected orientation relative to the hub 302.

Each groove 384 associated with one of the blade recesses 366 of the hub section 306 (e.g., associated with one of the cavities 308 of the hub 302) may correspond to one of a plurality of orientations (e.g., pitch angles) at which the blade 304 may be coupled to (e.g., secured to) the hub 302. The grooves 384 may extend in a generally radial direction (e.g., relative to the central axis 334 of the blade 304). The ribs 332 of the blade 304 may also extend in a generally radial direction (e.g., relative to the central axis 334 of the blade 304). As a result, the grooves 384 and the ribs 332 of the blade and hub interlock system 312 may enable coupling of the blade 304 to the hub 302 in a straight and/or aligned orientation (e.g., radial orientation, aligned in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis 370 of the hub 302) while also enabling desired adjustment of a pitch (e.g., angular orientation) of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. Thus, the blade and hub interlock system 312 may enable more efficient and precise adjustment of an orientation of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an embodiment of the fan 300, illustrating the blade 304 secured to the hub 302 defined by two hub sections 306 coupled to one another. The illustrated embodiment may be taken cross-sectional view of the fan 300 taken crosswise (e.g., perpendicular) to the central axis 334 of the blade 304. As shown, the two hub sections 306 are secured to one another with the blade 304 (e.g., mounting portion 322 of the blade 304) positioned within the cavity 308 formed by the two hub sections 306. As shown, each hub section 306 includes a corresponding set of the plurality of grooves 384 discussed above, and the blade 304 includes two ribs 332 extending outward (e.g., radially outward, relative to the central axis 334) from the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304 positioned within the cavity 308. Each rib 332 extends within one of the grooves 384 of one of the hub sections 306.

Further, as shown, the cavity 308 formed by the respective blade recesses 366 of the two hub sections 306 may have a generally oblong geometry or cross-sectional profile (e.g., relative to the central axis 334), while the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304 positioned within the cavity 308 may have a generally circular geometry or cross-sectional profile (e.g., relative to the central axis 334). As a result, the hub sections 306 may be secured (e.g., clamped, bolted, fastened, assembled) to one another (e.g., in abutment with one another) without imparting a clamping load to the ribs 332 of the blade 304. Further, the oblong and circular geometries (e.g., cross-sectional profiles) discussed above may enable improved flexibility with tolerances and/or may allow for material growth or expansion (e.g., of the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304), among other benefits. In the assembled configuration shown, the ribs 332 of the blade 304 may nevertheless extend into a corresponding one of the grooves 384 of one of the hub sections 306 to set or fix an orientation of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302.

Rotation of the blade 304 (e.g., the mounting portion 322) within the cavity 308 (e.g., about the central axis 334 of the blade 304) of the hub 302 may transition the ribs 332 of the blade 304 to different grooves 384 of the hub sections 306. In this way, an orientation or pitch of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302 may be adjusted. As mentioned above, each groove 384 of the hub section 306 may correspond to a particular pitch angle or other orientation of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. To effectuate orientation or pitch adjustment of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302, the assembly and/or securement of the hub sections 306 may be adjusted. For example, in an assembled configuration, the hub sections 306 may be secured to one another via bolts extending through corresponding apertures 374 formed in each hub section 306. To enable adjustment of the orientation or pitch of the blade 304, the loosening bolts securing the hub sections 306 together may be loosened to increase a size (e.g., cross-sectional area) of the cavity 308, such as relative to the central axis 334 of the blade 304. In other words, the hub sections 306 may adjusted at least partially radially outward, relative to the central axis 334 of the blade 304, as the assembly of the hub 302 is loosened.

With the size or cross-sectional area of the cavity 308 enlarged, the ribs 332 of the blade 304 may disengage from the corresponding grooves 384 in which the ribs 332 are disposed, thereby enabling rotation of the blade 304 (e.g., the mounting portion 322) about the central axis 334, within the cavity 308, and relative to the hub 302. Indeed, the blade 304 may be rotated to position the ribs 332 in different grooves 384 associated with a different orientation or pitch. With the blade 304 arranged in a desired orientation and/or at a desired pitch, the hub sections 306 may be re-secured (e.g., tightened, fastened, assembled) to one another, such as via tightening of bolts coupling the hub sections 306 together, and the ribs 332 may extend within (e.g., engage with) the corresponding grooves 384 of the hub sections 306 associated with the desired orientation or pitch as the cross-sectional area of the cavity 308 is reduced. This process may be repeated for each blade 304 of the fan 300 in a quick and efficient manner, while also ensuring designed alignment (e.g., radial alignment) of the blades 304 relative to the hub 302.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of the fan 300, illustrating an embodiment of the blade 304 secured to the hub 302. The illustrated embodiment also includes additional features of the blade and hub interlock system 312 and/or the fan 300. For example, the fan 300 may include the pitch indicator system 336 that may be incorporated with the blade and hub interlock system 312 to enable improved adjustment (e.g., pitch adjustment, orientation adjustment) of the blades 304 relative to the hub 302. Specifically, the pitch indicator system 336 may be configured to provide visual feedback and/or confirmation of a particular orientation (e.g., pitch) of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. The fan 300 may include multiple pitch indicator systems 336, with each pitch indicator system 336 corresponding to one of the cavities 308 and one of the blades 304 coupled to the hub 302. In some embodiments, the pitch indicator system 336 may be cooperatively defined by features of the blade 304 and features of the hub 302 (e.g., one or more hub sections 306).

As mentioned above, the pitch indicator system 336 may include indicia 400 formed in, applied to, and/or otherwise coupled to the blade 304 (e.g., the mounting portion 322). The indicia 400 may include indices, numerals, symbols, guides, other suitable markings, or any combination thereof that may indicate a position or orientation (e.g., pitch) of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. In one embodiment, the indicia 400 of the pitch indicator system 336 may include one or more hashmarks 402 (e.g., markings) formed in or on the blade 304 that indicate a pitch angle (e.g., degrees) of the blade 304. Additionally or alternatively, the indicia 400 may include one or more numerals 404 that denote one or more pitch angles of the blade 304 (e.g., upper most pitch angle, lower most pitch angle, pitch angles associated with corresponding hashmarks 402, etc.).

In some embodiments, one or more of the hub sections 306 may include an indicator 406 (e.g., indention, protrusion, extension, marker, identifier) of the pitch indicator system 336. For example, each hub section 306 may include one of the indicators 406 for each blade recess 366 defined by the hub section 306 and therefore for each blade 304 that may be secured to the hub 302. The particular orientation or pitch of the blade 304 may be referenced and verified via reference to the indicator 406 and at least a portion of the indicia 400. For example, the indicator 406 may align with one of the indicia 400 of the pitch indicator system 32 formed in and/or coupled to the blade 304 to indicate a particular pitch and/or orientation of the blade 304 relative to the hub 302. It should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the indicator 406 may align with different indicia 400 (e.g., different hashmarks 402) for each position of the rib 332 within different grooves 384 formed in the hub section 306. In this way, the orientation or pitch of the blade 304 may be readily verified. Each blade 304 coupled to the hub 302 may be associated with a respective pitch indicator system 336 (e.g., of the blade 304 and/or the corresponding cavity 308 of the hub 302). Thus, respective pitches or orientations of each blade 304 may be readily verified in an efficient manner to ensure proper adjustment of each blade 304 of the fan 300 and therefore proper adjustment of the fan 300 generally. In other words, the pitch indicator system 336 (e.g., the indicia 400 and the indicator 406) may enable rapid assessment and verification of the orientation or pitch of the blade 304. Thus, the pitch indicator systems 336 of the fan 300 may enable rapid assessment and verification of whether all blades 304 coupled to the hub 302 are oriented in a common, same, or other desired orientation (e.g., pitch).

As will be appreciated, the components of the fan 300 descried herein may be formed from any suitable materials and/or via any suitable manufacturing process or technique. For example, the hub sections 306 may be formed via a casting process, and the grooves 384 may be cast within the main body 364 of the hub section 306. Similarly, the blade 304 may be formed via a casting process, and the ribs 332 may be cast as integrally formed components of the blade 304. In this way, the blade and hub interlock system 312 disclosed herein may be integral to the fan 300. The integrally formed features of the blade and hub interlock system 312 enable proper and efficient adjustment, alignment, orientation, and securement of blades 304 relative to the hub 302. The integral blade and hub interlock system 312 may also function as a backup anti-rotation system for the blade 304. In some embodiments, one or more features of the pitch indicator system 336 may be integrally formed in the fan 300. For example, the indicia 400 may be stamped, cut, or otherwise formed in the mounting portion 322 of the blade 304, and/or the indicator 406 may be stamped, cut, or otherwise formed in the hub section 302. In other embodiments, one or more features of the pitch indicator system 336 (e.g., indicia 400, indicator 406) may be applied to the hub 302 and/or the blade 304, such as via adhesives (e.g., decals) or other suitable technique.

As set forth above, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a blade and a blade and hub interlock system that enable more efficient operation, adjustment, and maintenance of a fan, such as an axial fan, an exhaust fan, a ventilation fan, and/or any other suitable fan. Indeed, embodiments of the blade incorporating the techniques disclosed herein may enable more efficient operation of the fan, which may enable a reduction in costs (e.g., reduction in fan motor size) and reduced energy consumption. Additionally, the blade and hub interlock system disclosed herein enables more rapid and convenient adjustment of blade orientation (e.g., pitch), such as in the field after manufacture and/or installation of the fan. It should be understood that the technical effects and technical problems in the specification are examples and are not limiting. Indeed, it should be noted that the embodiments described in the specification may have other technical effects and can solve other technical problems.

While only certain features and embodiments have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art, such as variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, such as temperatures and pressures, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, and so forth, without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure.

Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not have been described, such as those unrelated to the presently contemplated best mode, or those unrelated to enablement. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, without undue experimentation.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

AXIAL FAN FOR HVAC SYSTEM

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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Provisional Applications (1)