Negative air machines are used to remove contaminants from the air of an enclosed space. For example, negative air machines may be used to remove asbestos, mold, and/or microbes from the air. Once the negative air machine filters the contaminants from the air, depending on the configuration, the air may be either recycled within the space, or exhausted outside the space.
Negative air machines have been found to be particularly useful in hospital settings, where negative air machines are placed in particular rooms. Specifically, negative air machines have been used in various types of isolation rooms (e.g., airborne infection isolation (AII) rooms, protective isolation/environment (PE) rooms, convertible isolation rooms, and combination AII/PE rooms). By placing the negative air machines in these rooms, the spread of infectious diseases may be prevented, or at least mitigated.
To remove the microbes from the air, traditional negative air machines include a fan, at least one pre-filter, and a HEPA filter. The fan is used to create a negative pressure and draw air into the negative air machine (e.g., through the inlet and out of the outlet). The pre-filter is used to remove larger particles and debris from the air (e.g., large dust particles, hair, etc.). The HEPA filter is used to remove smaller particles from the air (e.g., the microbes). Commonly, the fan is disposed at the inlet of the negative air machine, with one or more of the filters (e.g., the pre-filter and/or the HEPA filter) disposed downstream of the fan. This generates a positive pressure across the filter(s) downstream of the fan. This positive pressure may cause increased stress on the filter(s) and/or on any seal around the filter(s), which may result in a leak of contaminants (e.g., either through a hole in a filter or through an opening in a seal around a filter). If contaminants are able to leak through the negative air machine then the negative air machine may not reliably prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
Traditionally, negative air machines include only compartment with only one inlet and only one outlet, which makes the negative air machine only capable of exhausting the treated air either in a single direction (i.e., either within the space or outside the space). This results in reduced flexibility for providing optimal treatment for certain types of spaces (e.g., hospital rooms, classrooms, etc.).
Accordingly, there remains a need for a multi-compartment negative air machine and method of operating such negative air machine, that is effectively removes contaminants from the air, while also providing increased flexibility.
According to one embodiment, a multi-compartment negative air filtration system is provided. The multi-compartment negative air filtration system includes a housing including a first compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment and the second compartment separated by at least one panel member. Each of the first compartment and the second compartment include an inlet, an outlet, a pre-filter disposed downstream of the inlet, a HEPA filter disposed downstream of the pre-filter, and a fan assembly disposed downstream of the HEPA filter. The fan assembly is in airflow communication with the pre-filter and the HEPA filter. The fan assembly generates a negative pressure across the pre-filter and the HEPA filter.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the fan assembly of the first compartment and the fan assembly of the second compartment share a constant torque motor with an operating torque.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the constant torque motor is operably connected to a selection device, the selection device configured to adjust the operating torque.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the operating torque correlates to an approximately constant RPM, wherein the approximately constant RPM is between 800 and 1500 RPM.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the fan assembly of the first compartment and the fan assembly of the second compartment each independently include a forward curved wheel blower.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the housing further includes an interior surface, wherein an insulation is disposed on at least a portion of the interior surface.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the insulation includes an exterior foil surface and a fiberglass body.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, each respective outlet includes a supply duct transition, each supply duct transition including an outlet flange and an outlet plate, wherein the outlet plate includes a plurality of apertures disposed therein.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the multi-compartment negative air filtration system further includes at least one pressure switch, the pressure switch operably connected to an indicator, the indicator disposed on the housing.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the pressure switch includes a tube, the tube including a first end and a second end, the first end disposed outside the housing and the second end disposed between the fan assembly and the HEPA filter.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the indicator is configured to signal when at least one of the pre-filter and the HEPA filter are in need of replacement.
T In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the HEPA filter includes an exterior perimeter, a sealing assembly disposed about the exterior perimeter, the sealing assembly configured prevent a bypass around the HEPA filter.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the sealing assembly includes at least one gasket and at least one planar member.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the multi-compartment negative air filtration system further includes a mounting rail disposed within the housing, the mounting rail disposed adjacent the sealing assembly.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the inlet is disposed on a lower surface of the housing and the outlet is disposed on an upper surface of the housing, the inlet and the outlet being vertically oriented.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the multi-compartment negative air filtration system further includes a plurality of wheels disposed on the lower surface of the housing.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, wherein the lower surface includes a surface area less 8 sq. ft.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for operating a multi-compartment negative air filtration system within a room is provided. The multi-compartment negative air filtration system includes a housing with a first compartment and a second compartment separated by at least one panel member, each of the first compartment and the second compartment including a pre-filter, a HEPA filter disposed downstream of the pre-filter, and a fan assembly disposed downstream of the HEPA filter. The method includes a step for operating the first compartment in at least one of an air scrubber mode and a negative air mode, the air scrubber mode being defined by a first exhausted air being discharged within the room, the negative air mode being defined by the first exhausted air being discharged outside the room. The method includes a step for operating the second compartment in at least one of an air scrubber mode and a negative air mode, the air scrubber mode being defined by a second exhausted air being discharged within the room, the negative air mode being defined by the second exhausted air being discharged outside the room.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, both the first compartment and the second compartment are operated identically.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, one of the first compartment and the second compartment are operated in the air scrubber mode and one of the first compartment and the second compartment are operating in negative air mode.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the disclosure, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The following descriptions of the drawings should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A multi-compartment negative air filtration system and a method of operating the multi-compartment negative air filtration system within a room are provided. The multi-compartment negative air filtration system includes a housing defining a first compartment and second compartment separated by at least one panel member. Each of the first compartment and the second compartment of the multi-compartment negative air filtration system include, an inlet and an outlet, a pre-filter, a HEPA filter, and a fan assembly. The multi-compartment negative air filtration system, by disposing the fan assemblies downstream of the HEPA filters and the pre-filters, generates a negative pressure across the pre-filters and the HEPA filters. By generating a negative pressure across the filters (e.g., instead of a positive pressure), the multi-compartment negative air filtration system may more reliably prevent the spread of infectious diseases (e.g., compared to existing negative air filtration systems) by avoiding the generation of unneeded stress on the filters and the seal around the filters. In addition, the multi-compartment negative air filtration system provided herein, by including multiple compartments, each with their own inlet and outlet, may have increased flexibility for providing optimal treatment. For example, instead of only being able to exhaust the treated in a single direction (i.e., either within the room or outside the room), the multi-compartment negative air filtration system described herein may be able to exhaust the treated air in multiple directions, resulting in increased control of airflow within the room. Although described herein to be particularly useful in a hospital setting, it should be appreciated that the negative air filtration system may be used within any environment that is in need of contaminant filtration (e.g., classrooms, offices, home remediation, etc.).
With reference now to the Figures, an exemplary multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 is shown in
As shown in
The housing 200 includes an interior surface 230, which may include insulation 231. For example, the housing 200 may be made of one or more pieces of sheet metal joined together (e.g., using any known fastening means) at the corners of the housing 200. The interior surface 230 of the housing 200 may be viewed as the inward facing surface of the pieces of sheet metal. In certain instances, the insulation 231 may line the entire interior surface 230 of the housing 200 to minimize noise outside the housing 200. It should be appreciated that, in certain instances, the insulation 231 lines only a portion of the interior surface 230 of the housing 200 (e.g., may only line the interior surface 230 near the fan assemblies 500, etc.). As shown in
The pre-filters 300 may be disposed directly adjacent to the HEPA filters 400. A perspective view of a pre-filter 300 installed within the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 is shown in
When exiting the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100, the air may be passed through a duct (not shown). For ease of installation (e.g., to make it easy to connect with the duct), the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 may include a supply duct transition 600 (as shown in
To function efficiently and effectively remove contaminants from the air, the filters (e.g., the pre-filters 300 and the HEPA filters 400) of the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 need to remain unclogged. To monitor the status of the filters the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 may include a pressure switch 700 (as shown in
The pressure switch 700 may trigger the indicator 720 using a diaphragm (not shown). For example, the pressure switch 700 may have a flexible diaphragm connected to a tube 710 (shown in
A perspective view of the exemplary fan assemblies 500 is shown in
In certain instances, the fan assemblies 500 may not use a constant CFM motor (e.g., which may incorporate one or more microprocessor). The constant torque motor 510 may be operably connected (e.g., through one or more wired or wireless connections) to a selection device 511 (e.g. a dial shown in
The multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 may prevent air from bypassing the HEPA filters 400. An exemplary embodiment of a HEPA filter 400 is shown in
The design and configuration of the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 may make the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 easy to install and/or move, which might be advantageous in environments where time is of the essence (e.g., in hospital settings, etc.). Additionally, the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 may be designed in such a way that it's footprint (e.g., the amount of space required) is minimal. For example, the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 may take up less than 8 square feet of floor space (e.g., the surface area of the lower surface 201 may be less than 4 square feet). This may be possible due to the orientation of the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100. For example, the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 may be configured to be vertically oriented (as shown in
As described above, the design and configuration of the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 makes it possible to remove contaminants (e.g., microbes) from air in an effective and reliable manner, with increased flexibility (e.g., when compared to existing negative air machines that only one inlet and only one outlet). As mentioned above, the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 described herein, by including multiple compartments, each with their own inlet and outlet, may have increased flexibility for providing optimal treatment. For example, instead of only being able to exhaust the treated in a single direction (i.e., either within the room or outside the room), the multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 described herein may be able to exhaust the treated air in multiple directions, resulting in increased control of airflow within the room. This benefit is illustrated in
The method 900 for operating a multi-compartment negative air filtration system 100 is shown in
The use of the terms “a” and “and” and “the” and similar referents, in the context of describing the invention, are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or cleared contradicted by context. The use of any and all example, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”, “e.g.”, “for example”, etc.) provided herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed elements as essential to the practice of the invention.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.