Patent Application
20230041732
Embodiments described herein relate generally to heat exchangers for heating devices, and more particularly to a noise muffler for a heat exchanger.
Heating and cooling appliances such as water heaters, HVAC systems, and furnaces typically include a heat exchanger and an air moving device such as a blower or fan that draws air into the appliance. The air moving device creates noise that emanates from the appliance. In most cases, an elbow or other tube is attached to the air moving device at the exterior of the appliance, however, the elbow or other tube does not reduce the noise emanating from the air moving device.
In view of these shortcomings, them is a need for an improvement to air moving devices that reduces the noise emanating from the air moving device.
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure relates to a noise muffler for an air moving device. The noise muffler can be attached to a variety of types of appliances that have an air moving device such as a water heater or a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. The noise muffler comprises a housing, a housing inlet, and a housing outlet, wherein the housing defines a cavity within the housing. The noise muffler also comprises a first foam component located within the housing and a second foam component located within the housing. The first foam component and the second foam component are configured within the housing to redirect an air flow through the cavity in three dimensions.
In one example, the first foam component and the second foam component define an air channel through which the air flow passes. In one example, the entirety of the air channel can be surrounded by the foam of the first foam component, the second foam component, and a third foam component thereby optimizing the absorption of noise.
In an example embodiment, the first foam component can comprise a first opening and a second opening. The second foam component can comprise a third opening and a fourth opening. When the first foam component and second foam component are placed within the housing, an air flow can enter the housing inlet, follows a sequence of passing through the first opening, the third opening, the second opening, and then the fourth opening, and then exit through the housing outlet.
In another example embodiment, the first foam component can have a cross-section having a U shape and the second foam component has a wedge shape. When the first foam component and the second foam component are placed within the housing, an air flow can enter the housing inlet, pass around the first foam component and then be directed in a perpendicular direction by the second foam component, and then exit through the housing outlet.
These and other aspects, objects, features, and embodiments will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
The drawings illustrate only example embodiments of a noise muffler for an air moving device. Therefore, the example embodiments of the drawings are not to be considered limiting in scope, as the example noise mufflers illustrated and described herein can be applied to a variety of appliances. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the example embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or positions may be exaggerated to help visually convey such principles.
The example embodiments discussed herein are directed to systems, methods, and devices for a noise muffler to be used with an air moving device. The noise muffler can attach to any of a variety of appliances that may contain an air moving device, such as a water heater, a furnace, an air conditioner, or an integrated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. While the noise muffler is referenced in the example embodiments described in connection with the drawings, it should be understood that the principles described herein can be applied to a variety of noise mufflers having different shapes or configurations. As described further below in connection with the example embodiments, the noise muffler can substantially reduce the level of noise emanating from an air moving device of an appliance.
In addition to reducing noise levels, the example noise mufflers described herein provide other advantages. First, the example noise mufflers are compact so that they can fit in small spaces to facilitate attachment to an appliance with an air moving device. Second, the example noise mufflers described herein provide a smooth air channel within the noise muffler so that the flow rate of air through the noise muffler is maintained at a sufficient level for operation of the appliance. Third, the example noise mufflers described herein are designed to simplify manufacturing and assembly of the noise mufflers.
Example embodiments of noise mufflers for air moving devices will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of noise mufflers are shown. Noise mufflers may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the example noise mufflers to those of ordinary skill in the art. Like, but not necessarily the same, elements (also sometimes called components) in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency.
Referring now to
As further illustrated by the arrows in
Referring now to
In the example shown in the exploded view of
As further illustrated in the exploded view of
Referring to the path the intake air takes through the noise muffler 100, the intake air first enters the housing inlet 105, then enters the first opening 132 traveling downward and parallel with the y-axis. In the example of
Testing of the example noise muffler 100 of
In the first test shown in Table 1, the water heater was off and a sound meter placed next to the water heater measured lab ambient noise to be 79.2 dB. In the second test of Table 1, the water heater was operating with its air moving device (blower) operating and no noise muffler and the noise level was measured at 113.4 dB. In the third and fourth tests shown in Table 1, the example noise muffler was attached to the water heater as the water heater and blower were operating and the measured noise level was substantially reduced to 93.5 and 93.1 dB, respectively. In the third test listed in Table 1, the foam components of the noise muffler were made from urethane foam and in the fourth test listed in Table 1, the foam components of the noise muffler were made from melamine foam. In the course of other testing, other types of foam materials were tested, but the other types of foam material were less effective at absorbing sound than the urethane foam and melamine foam.
Optionally, a fourth foam component similar in shape to the third foam component 136 can be placed adjacent to the broad side of the second foam component 138 that is opposite to the side adjacent to the first foam component 130. When the fourth foam component forms a fourth layer with the first 130, second 138, and third 136 foam components within the noise muffler 100, the intake air passes through the air channel defined by the first opening 132, the third opening 140, the second opening 134, and the fourth opening 142 and the air channel is surrounded by the foam surfaces of the first 130, second 138, third 136, and fourth foam components. Surrounding the air channel with the foam surfaces of the foam components optimizes the absorption of noise by the foam as the sound waves of the noise pass through the noise muffler 100.
Referring now to
Referring now to
As further illustrated by the arrows in
Example noise muffler 400 further comprises a first foam component 430 and a second foam component 438. The back housing portion 410 comprises a mounting feature 412 on the inner wall of the back housing portion 410. A mounting 423 slides onto the mounting feature 412. In the example shown in
The foam components 430 and 438 of noise muffler 400 are arranged to minimize a drop in pressure as the intake air passes through the noise muffler 400. As illustrated in
Testing of the example noise muffler 400 of
In the first test shown in Table 2, the water heater was off and a sound meter placed next to the water heater measured lab ambient noise to be 77.6 dB. In the second test of Table 2, the water heater was operating with its air moving device (blower) operating and no noise muffler and the noise level was measured at 114 dB. In the third test shown in Table 2, the example noise muffler 400 described in connection with
The components of the foregoing example embodiments can be pre-fabricated or specifically generated (e.g., by shaping a malleable body) for a particular appliance and/or environment. The components of the example embodiments described herein can have standard or customized features (e.g., shape, size, features on the inner or outer surfaces). Therefore, the example embodiments described herein should not be considered limited to creation or assembly at any particular location and/or by any particular person.
The noise muffler and the components therein can be made of one or more of a number of suitable materials and/or can be configured in any of a number of ways to allow the appliance to which it is attached to meet certain standards and/or regulations while also maintaining reliability of the appliance, regardless of the one or more conditions under which the appliance can be exposed. Examples of such materials can include, but are not limited to, aluminum, steel, fiberglass, plastic, and various types of foams, for example.
The example components of the noise mufflers described herein can be made from a single piece (e.g., as from a mold, injection mold, die cast, 3-D printing process, extrusion process, stamping process, crimping process, and/or other prototype methods). In addition, or in the alternative, the example components of the noise mufflers described herein can be made from multiple pieces that are mechanically coupled to each other. In such a case, the multiple pieces can be mechanically coupled to each other using one or more of a number of coupling methods, including but not limited to epoxy, welding, fastening devices, compression fittings, mating threads, and slotted fittings. One or more pieces that are mechanically coupled to each other can be coupled to each other in one or more of a number of ways, including but not limited to fixedly, hingedly, removeably, slidably, and threadably.
As used herein, a “coupling feature” can couple, secure, fasten, abut, and/or perform other functions aside from merely coupling. A coupling feature as described herein can allow one or more components of an example noise muffler to become coupled, directly or indirectly, to another portion (e.g., an inner surface) of the noise muffler. A coupling feature can include, but is not limited to, a snap, a clamp, a portion of a hinge, an aperture, a recessed area, a protrusion, a slot, a spring clip, a tab, a detent, a compression fitting, and mating threads. One portion of an example noise muffler can be coupled to a component of a noise muffler and/or another portion of the noise muffler by the direct use of one or more coupling features.
In addition, or in the alternative, a portion of an example noise muffler can be coupled to another component of a noise muffler and/or another portion of the noise muffler using one or more independent devices that interact with one or more coupling features disposed on a component of the noise muffler. Examples of such devices can include, but are not limited to, a weld, a pin, a hinge, a fastening device (e.g., a bolt, a screw, a rivet), epoxy, adhesive, and a spring. One coupling feature described herein can be the same as, or different than, one or more other coupling features described herein. A complementary coupling feature as described herein can be a coupling feature that mechanically couples, directly or indirectly, with another coupling feature.
Any component described in one or more figures herein can apply to any other figures having the same label. In other words, the description for any component of a figure can be considered substantially the same as the corresponding component described with respect to another figure. For any figure shown and described herein, one or more of the components may be omitted, added, repeated, and/or substituted. Accordingly, embodiments shown in a particular figure should not be considered limited to the specific arrangements of components shown in such figure.
Appliances to which an example noise muffler may be attached can be subject to complying with one or more of a number of standards, codes, regulations, and/or other requirements established and maintained by one or more entities Examples of such entities can include, but are not limited to, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA), the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Underwriters' Laboratories (UL), the National Electric Code (NEC), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The example noise mufflers described herein allow the appliance to which is attached to continue complying with such standards, codes, regulations, and/or other requirements. In other words, the example noise mufflers described herein do not compromise compliance with any applicable codes and/or standards.
Terms such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “end,” “back,” “front,” “side”, “length,” “width,” “inner,” “outer,” “above”, “lower”, and “upper” are used merely to distinguish one component (or part of a component or state of a component) from another. Such terms are not meant to denote a preference or a particular orientation unless specified and are not meant to limit embodiments of the noise mufflers described herein. In the foregoing detailed description of the example embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the example embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
Accordingly, many modifications and other embodiments set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that example embodiments are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this application. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16725648 | Dec 2019 | US |
| Child | 17871719 | US |
