The present invention generally relates to a diffuser used in, for example, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
HVAC systems often include a network of air passages and ducts that provide heated or cooled air to one or more rooms or other compartments via air outlets. Many conventional HVAC systems include a diffuser to help circulate the air and control the ventilation in the room or other compartment into which the HVAC system provides air. Use of such diffusers is generally well known.
Typically, the diffuser is located at the air outlet to control the flow of air entering the compartment, and provides an even distribution of air to the compartment without undue noise or uncomfortable drafts to disturb the occupants. The diffuser generally has one or more vanes or deflectors to direct the discharge air flow in the desired orientation.
The present invention includes a diffuser assembly for distributing air from an air distribution system to a compartment. The diffuser has one or more baffles—baffle strips or baffle wings. The baffle strips have a stackhead and a plurality of baffle walls extending from the stackhead. The baffle wings have a stackhead and a plurality of baffle walls, with a base plate extending therebetween. Adjacent baffle walls define a gap therebetween through which air can flow from the air distribution system to the compartment. The size, shape, distribution, disposition, etc., of the gaps influence the circulation pattern and mixing of the air entering the compartment through the air distribution system.
Some embodiments of the invention include baffle ears associated with the baffle walls. The ears are, for example, formed integrally with the baffle walls and are disposed, or are capable of being disposed, at preselected angles relative to the baffle wall with which they are associated. The baffle ears extend to intercept and redirect at least some of the air passing through a particular gap.
Baffles having ears associated with the baffle walls and disposed, or capable of being disposed, at preselected angles are also disclosed. Adjacent baffle walls define gaps therebetween through which air entering the compartment is to be directed.
In the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, embodiments of the invention are illustrated, which, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to example the principles of this invention, wherein:
The present application describes a diffuser assembly 10 that can be used in HVAC systems for providing air from an air distribution system to a compartment, such as a room. At least one embodiment of the diffuser assembly 10 provides a generally circular air distribution pattern in the room and results in a short throw. The diffuser assembly 10 also provides for significant mixing of the air entering the compartment with ambient air in the compartment. The invention will be described in terms of the exemplary embodiments presented herein, but is limited only by the claims. For example, the following discussion describes the invention in terms of an air distribution system, but the dispersion and distribution of any fluid, and not just air, may be accomplished by the present invention.
The diffuser frame 12 typically includes a neck flange 16, a diffuser face 18, and a diffuser transition face 20 connected to the neck flange 16 and the diffuser face 18 and providing a transition therebetween. Any dimensions of the neck flange 16 and the diffuser face 18 may be selected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Often, a diffuser assembly 10 is described with relation to the outside dimensions of the diffuser face 18 and the dimension of the neck flange 16. For example, a diffuser assembly may be described as 24 inch×24 inch with a 12 inch×12 inch neck, or with a 9 inch×9 inch neck.
The neck flange 16 defines the entering air aperture. The aperture is typically centered in the center of the diffuser frame 12. The neck flange 16 also generally provides a connection point with other ductwork (not shown) within the HVAC system and provides a connection point to the diffuser core 14.
The perimeter of the diffuser face 18 has, for example, ceiling connectors 19 to attach the diffuser assembly 10 to the ceiling system of the compartment (not shown).
The diffuser transition face 20 is the face between the neck flange 16 and the diffuser face 18. The diffuser transition face 20 provides a first surface for air entering the room to contact and assists in directing the flow of air.
The wings 22 are supported by, for example, one or more tie bars 24 that typically extend from the corner of the aperture in the neck flange 16 and to which the wings 22 are attached. The number and size of wings 22 included in a particular diffuser assembly 10 may be selected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. One or more of the tie bars 24 may be provided with a spring end 26 to facilitate connection of the diffuser core 14 to the neck flange 16. The tie bars generally align with one or more core supports 25.
The diffuser core 14 is also provided with one or more baffle strips 28. The baffle strips 28 redirect air flowing through the diffuser core 16.
The baffle walls 32 are arranged such that they are substantially perpendicular to the flow of air through the diffuser core 14 and direct the flow of air through the gaps 36. The baffle ears 34 are disposed at an angle 38 or 40 to the baffle walls 32 so that the air flowing through the gaps 36 strikes the baffle ears 34 and is redirected in a selected manner. The angle 38, 40 may be any non-zero angle, and is preferably 45, 60, 90, 120, or 135 degrees. As shown in
In the embodiment illustrated in
One way in which the baffle strips 28 may be constructed is by manufacturing a flat baffle strip 28, such as is illustrated in
Variations to the configuration of the baffle strips 28 are also within the spirit and scope of the invention and may be made to accommodate or result in a variety of air distribution patterns. For example,
The properties of the flow of air through the diffuser assembly 10 are affected by the baffle walls 32, the baffle ears 34, and the gaps 36. The variations described above and other variations affect the overall mix of the air from the air distribution system with the ambient air in the compartment or the throw associated with the diffuser, or both.
The baffle strip 28 may be attached such that the baffle walls 32 are arranged at the peripheral end of a diffuser wing 22. Alternately, the baffle strip 28 may be attached to be positioned at any location along the inside of the diffuser wing 22. The top edge 50 of the baffle ears 36 is angled to accommodate the angle of the adjacent diffuser wing 22. The lower edge 52 of the baffle ear 34 is, for example, at a right angle to the plane of the baffle wall 34, as illustrated, but also may be any angle that does not interfere with the adjacent diffuser wings 22. The outside edge 54 of the baffle ear 34 is, for example, perpendicular to the bottom edge 52, but, again, may be selected depending on the circumstances of the specific installation without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The height of the baffle walls 32 is preferably about 100% of the vertical distance 48 between adjacent diffuser wings 22, such that the baffle strip 28 fills the space between adjacent diffuser wings 22. This will force the majority of the air, and preferably substantially all of the air, from the air distribution system to pass only through the gaps 36. Thus, the height of the gaps 36 and the configuration of the baffle ears 34 will significantly influence the distribution of the air from the air distribution system. As discussed above, the height of the gaps 36 and the configuration of the baffle ears 34 may be selected to achieve the desired air distribution pattern. The gaps 36 may have a height that is 100% of the distance 48 or any other height, as selected to achieve the desired result.
Likewise, the width of the gaps 36 and the baffle walls 32 may be selected to achieve the desired air distribution pattern without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the ratio between the width of the gaps 36 and the baffle walls 34 as illustrated is about 1:1. Other ratios and absolute widths may also be selected.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
An alternate embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
In this embodiment, the stackhead 30 is attached to a corresponding wing stackhead 46, for example, as described above for a baffle strip 28, but the base plate 58 is positioned adjacent to and parallel with the corresponding diffuser wing 22. The baffle walls 32, baffle ears 34, and gaps 36 then extend at angle 60 from the base plate 58 such that the baffle walls interrupt the flow of air and direct it to the gaps 36 and the baffle ears 34, as described above with the baffle strips 28. This baffle wing 56 is used, for example, in coordination with the exterior wing 22 at the periphery of the diffuser core 14, because there is not a wing stackhead 46 of an adjacent exterior wing 22 available to fasten a baffle strip 28 as illustrated in
Use of the term “baffle” herein refers to either a baffle strip 28, a baffle wing 56, or both. The baffles 28, 56 redirect the air flowing from the air distribution system over the diffuser wings 22 into the compartment in a desired air distribution pattern. Baffles 28, 56 may be configured to achieve a substantially circular air distribution pattern. This air distribution pattern results in an isovel, or pattern of constant air velocity, which is a function of the throw. The throw is the horizontal or vertical axial distance an air stream travels after leaving an outlet before the maximum stream velocity is reduced to a specified terminal velocity. A reduced or shorter throw generally indicates more entrainment of ambient air and better mixing of ambient air near the diffuser assembly 10.
The baffle walls 32, baffle ears 34, and gaps 36 provide effective mixing of the air entering the compartment from the air distribution system with the ambient air in the compartment. Without intending to be bound by the following explanation of the mechanics of the air flow, it is believed that the baffle walls 32 provide a blanked off area through which the air cannot flow and the gaps 36 and the baffle ears 34 create a jet (a high-velocity fluid stream forced under pressure out of a small-diameter opening or nozzle) or a Venturi effect by the speeding up of the air as it passes through the relatively narrower gaps 36. Because of the Bernoulli principle, the increased velocity of the air through the gaps 36 creates areas of lower pressure. The baffle ears 34 influence the direction and the size of the available passage of the air having increased velocity, so the areas of low pressure may be selectively located. The pressure differential between the areas of low pressure and areas of higher pressure force ambient air toward the diffuser assembly 10 and the entering air entrains the ambient air in the room providing for mixing of the ambient air with the entering air.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the above description of embodiments, and while the embodiments have been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the invention to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and descried. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicants' general or inventive concept.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application 60/539,201 filed Jan. 26, 2004, titled HIGH MIX AIR DIFFUSER, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60539201 | Jan 2004 | US |