This disclosure relates generally to cabinets for commercial heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems. More particularly, this disclosure relates to HVACR cabinets including one or more plenum fans located in a fan box and the orientation of the fans relative to an indoor coil and a heat exchanger compartment.
Light commercial heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems drive air through the systems using one or more centrifugal blowers, particularly forward-curved scroll fans having logarithmic-type expansion housings. Single impeller fan units or arrays of multiple impeller fan units have been proposed as a replacement for centrifugal blowers in air handling units, with the arrays being mounted in place of the centrifugal blower, such as on a vertical wall within the air handling unit.
This disclosure relates generally to HVACR cabinets for commercial heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems. More particularly, this disclosure relates to HVACR cabinets including one or more plenum fans located in a fan box and the orientation of the fans relative to an indoor coil and a heat exchanger compartment. The fan box may be located between an indoor coil and a heat exchanger in the HVACR cabinet.
Using plenum fans located within a fan box reduces obstruction of the indoor coil typically caused by the centrifugal blower and improves airflow in the HVACR cabinet compared to HVACR cabinets using single centrifugal blowers. This improves efficiency for the fans. The reduced obstruction and more even flow also improves heat exchange between air in the HVACR system and the indoor coil.
Using a fan box to contain one or more plenum fans and position them within the HVACR cabinet efficiently uses space within the cabinet, to reduce cabinet length and accommodate the multiple plenum fans in the limited space available within the HVACR cabinet, particularly in light commercial applications, for example in the 3-ton to 25-ton capacity range, where space is particularly constrained. The locations and orientations of fan boxes in embodiments may eliminate the need to move or alter other components used within the HVACR cabinet, such as the indoor coil and the heat exchanger compartment while still accommodating the one or more plenum fans in place of a centrifugal blower.
In an embodiment, an HVACR cabinet includes an indoor coil, a heat exchanger compartment, a fan box located between the indoor coil and the heat exchanger compartment, the fan box including an inlet on an indoor coil side and an outlet on a heat exchanger compartment side, and one or more plenum fans mounted in the fan box.
In an embodiment, there are a plurality of plenum fans mounted in the fan box. In an embodiment, the plurality of plenum fans are arranged horizontally within the fan box. In an embodiment, the plurality of plenum fans are arranged vertically within the fan box.
In an embodiment, the plane of the inlet of the fan box is parallel to a plane of the indoor coil. In an embodiment, the plane of the inlet of the fan box is angled with respect to the plane of the indoor coil. In an embodiment, the plane of the inlet of the fan box is at an angle within a range of ±35° degrees with respect to a plane of the indoor coil.
In an embodiment, the heat exchanger compartment includes a heat exchanger compartment inlet opening, and the outlet of the fan box is configured to direct air towards the heat exchanger compartment inlet opening.
In an embodiment, the HVACR cabinet further includes a duct on a bottom of the HVACR cabinet, and the indoor coil is in a downflow duct orientation. In an embodiment, the HVACR cabinet further includes a duct on a side wall of the HVACR cabinet, and the indoor coil is in a horizontal duct orientation.
In an embodiment, the fan box is joined to a top of the HVACR cabinet and a wall of the heat exchanger compartment. In an embodiment, the fan box is joined to a side wall of the HVACR cabinet and a wall of the heat exchanger compartment.
In an embodiment, the one or more plenum fans are located entirely within the fan box.
In an embodiment, part of the fan box and part of the indoor coil overlap in a direction of a horizontal axis of the HVACR cabinet, and the part of the fan box is vertically above the part of the indoor coil.
In an embodiment, a method of directing airflow through an HVACR cabinet includes receiving air via a duct, drawing air into a fan box via one or more plenum fans in the fan box; and directing air from the fan box into a heat exchanger compartment. In this embodiment, the air passes through an indoor coil before entering the fan box, and the fan box is mounted in the HVACR cabinet between the indoor coil and the heat exchanger compartment.
This disclosure relates generally to HVACR cabinets for commercial heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems, for example in rooftop units and/or air handlers. More particularly, this disclosure relates to HVACR cabinets including one or more plenum fans located in a fan box.
HVACR cabinet 10 is a part of an HVACR system where air handled by the system is heated or cooled by heat exchanger 20 or indoor coil 12, respectively. HVACR cabinet 10 may receive air from a building via return air inlet, and additional outdoor air may enter HVACR cabinet 10.
Indoor coil 12 is an indoor coil, for example the indoor coil of an air conditioner. Indoor coil 12 is part of a refrigerant circuit, and receives cooled refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit. When the air conditioner is used, air flowing through indoor coil 12 rejects heat to the refrigerant in indoor coil 12, cooling the air. Indoor coil 12 is oriented within HVACR cabinet 10 based on the position of the duct through which HVACR cabinet 10 receives air, for example a horizontal duct or a downflow duct. The face of indoor coil 12 may be inclined based on the orientation of indoor coil 12 within HVACR cabinet 10.
Fan box 14 supports one or more plenum fans 16 in a position between the indoor coil 12 and heat exchanger compartment 18. Fan box 14 includes fan box inlet 22 and fan box outlet 24. Fan box inlet 22 is in communication with the portion of HVACR cabinet 10 including indoor coil 12. Fan box outlet 24 is in communication with heat exchanger compartment 18, for example via heat exchanger compartment inlet 28. In an embodiment, fan box outlet 24 is in fluid communication the heat exchanger compartment inlet 28. In an embodiment, fan box outlet 24 is the same plane as heat exchanger compartment inlet 28. In an embodiment, the fan box outlet 24 is configured to direct airflow from the one or more plenum fans 16 towards the heat exchanger compartment inlet 28. In an embodiment, fan box 14 includes two plenum fans 16, the plenum fans 16 are 500-mm diameter plenum fans, and the fan box 14 is at or about 67 to at or about 70 inches in width. In an embodiment, fan box 14 contains a single 630-mm diameter plenum fan. Fan box 14 is made of a material of sufficient strength to support the one or more plenum fans 16, for example, but not limited to a suitable sheet metal, such as, but not limited to G90 sheet metal.
One or more plenum fans 16 are located in fan box 14. In the embodiment shown in
In an embodiment, the plenum fans 16 are direct drive impeller fans. In an embodiment, the plenum fans 16 are backward-curved airfoil impellers. In an embodiment, the plenum fans 16 are driven by electric motors. In an embodiment, the electric motors driving plenum fans 16 are brushless electric motors. In an embodiment, the plenum fans 16 are controlled by variable-frequency drives (VFDs). In an embodiment, e.g. the embodiment shown in
In embodiments with multiple plenum fans 16 within fan box 14, each plenum fan 16 may have a different orientation, for example at least one plenum fan 16 may have an inlet having a plane parallel with the plane of indoor coil 12 while another plenum fan 16 has an inlet having a plane that is angled with respect to the plane of the indoor coil 12.
Heat exchanger compartment 18 is a portion of the HVACR cabinet 10 configured to contain a heat exchanger 20 and receive an airflow and then direct the airflow over the heat exchanger 20. Heat exchanger compartment 18 is defined in part by wall 26 dividing the heat exchanger compartment 18 from the rest of the inside of HVACR cabinet 10. Heat exchanger compartment wall 26 includes inlet 28, where air enter the heat exchanger compartment 18. In an embodiment, inlet 28 receives air from fan box 14 that has been pressurized by the one or more plenum fans 16. Heat exchanger compartment 18 contains heat exchanger 20. Heat exchanger 20 may be one or more tubes that, when the HVACR system is in a heating mode, reject heat to an airflow passing through heat exchanger compartment 18 to heat that airflow. The airflow leaving heat exchanger compartment 20 may then be distributed to one or more locations to heat or cool a structure.
Fan box 14 is located between indoor coil 12 and heat exchanger compartment 18. In the embodiment shown in
In an embodiment shown in
Returning to the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
A fan box, such as fan box 14 shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In distribution of airflow 100 across the indoor coil of an HVACR cabinet having a forward-curved scroll fan shown in
In the distribution of airflow 104 across the indoor coil of an HVACR cabinet embodiment having one 630-mm diameter plenum fan located in a fan box shown in
In the distribution of airflow 108 across the indoor coil of an HVACR cabinet embodiment having two 500-mm diameter plenum fans located in a fan box shown in
Aspects:
It is understood that any of aspects 1-13 may be combined with any of aspects 14-19.
Aspect 1. An HVACR cabinet, comprising:
an indoor coil;
a heat exchanger compartment;
a fan box, located between the indoor coil and the heat exchanger compartment, including an inlet on an indoor coil side and an outlet on a heat exchanger compartment side; and
one or more plenum fans mounted in the fan box.
Aspect 2. The HVACR cabinet according to aspect 1, wherein the one or more plenum fans are a plurality of plenum fans arranged vertically within the fan box.
Aspect 3. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-2, wherein the one or more plenum fans are a plurality of plenum fans arranged horizontally within the fan box.
Aspect 4. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-3, wherein a plane of the inlet of fan box is parallel with a plane of the indoor coil.
Aspect 5. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-4, wherein a plane of the inlet of the fan box is angled with respect to a plane of the indoor coil.
Aspect 6. The HVACR cabinet according to aspect 5, wherein the plane of the inlet of the fan box is at an angle within a range of ±35° degrees with respect to a plane of the indoor coil.
Aspect 7. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-6, wherein heat exchanger compartment includes a heat exchanger compartment inlet opening, and the outlet of the fan box is configured to direct air towards the heat exchanger compartment inlet opening.
Aspect 8. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-7, further comprising a duct on a bottom of the HVACR cabinet and wherein the indoor coil is in a downflow duct orientation.
Aspect 9. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-7, further comprising a duct on a side wall of the HVACR cabinet and wherein the indoor coil is in a horizontal duct orientation.
Aspect 10. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-9, wherein the fan box is joined to a top of the HVACR cabinet and a wall of the heat exchanger compartment.
Aspect 11. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-10, wherein the fan box is joined to a side wall of the HVACR cabinet and a wall of the heat exchanger compartment.
Aspect 12. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-11, wherein the one or more plenum fans are located entirely within the fan box.
Aspect 13. The HVACR cabinet according to any of aspects 1-12, wherein part of the fan box and part of the indoor coil overlap in a direction of a horizontal axis of the HVACR cabinet, and the part of the fan box is vertically above the part of the indoor coil.
Aspect 14. A method of directing airflow through an HVACR cabinet, comprising:
receiving air via a duct;
drawing air into a fan box via one or more plenum fans in the fan box; and
directing air from the fan box into a heat exchanger compartment,
wherein the air passes through an indoor coil before entering the fan box, and the fan box is mounted in the HVACR cabinet between the indoor coil and the heat exchanger compartment.
Aspect 15. The method according to aspect 14, wherein the duct is located on a bottom of the HVACR cabinet, the indoor coil is in a downflow duct orientation, and the one or more plenum fans are a plurality of plenum fans arranged horizontally.
Aspect 16. The method according to any of aspects 14-15, wherein the duct is located on a side wall of the HVACR cabinet and the indoor coil is in a horizontal duct orientation, and the one or more plenum fans are a plurality of plenum fans arranged vertically.
Aspect 17. The method of any of aspects 14-16, wherein a plane of an inlet of fan box is parallel with a plane of the indoor coil.
Aspect 18. The method according to any of aspects 14-17, wherein a plane of an inlet of the fan box is angled with respect to a plane of the indoor coil.
Aspect 19. The method according to aspect 18, wherein the plane of an inlet of the fan box is at an angle within a range of ±35° degrees with respect to a plane of the indoor coil.
The examples disclosed in this application are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not limitative. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.
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