FAN ARRAY FAN SECTION IN AIR-HANDLING SYSTEMS

• US 20120057962A1
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Huntair Incorporated (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Hopkins, Lawrence G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,398,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/119
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/06 the pump being electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/12 Combinations of two or more pumps combinations with priming pumps or booster pumps to counteract vapour-lock F04D9/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/00 Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/664 by means of sound absorbing material
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/511 augmenting, i.e. with intercepting fluid flow cross sectional area greater than the rest of the machine behind the inlet
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/96 Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/24 Means for preventing or suppressing noise
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/242 Sound-absorbing material
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/044 Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/06 with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/065 fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49245 Vane type or other rotary, e.g., fan
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A fan array fan section in an air handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller program to operate the plurality of the fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a space pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset configuration, columns slightly offset configuration, or a staggered array configuration.

Claims

1. A fan array configured for use in an air-handling system configured to deliver air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building, the fan array comprising:

a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array, the modular units each including a top, a bottom, sides, a front end and a back end that define a chamber;

motors and fans positioned in the chambers of the modular units, the fans being located proximate to the front ends of the corresponding chambers, the fans directing air to discharge from the back ends of the chambers; and

sound attenuation layers that extend along at least one of the top, bottom and sides of the corresponding chambers, the sound attenuation layers at least partially surrounding the corresponding fans and motors, the sound attenuation layers being positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.

2. The fan array of claim 1, further comprising inlet cones mounted at the front ends of the chambers, the inlet cones located upstream of the fans.

3. The fan array of claim 1, wherein the modular units are structured in a plug and play configuration.

4. The fan array of claim 1, wherein the modular units are joined to one another with interlocking structures on an exterior thereof.

5. The fan array of claim 1, wherein the modular units are joined to one another with separate interlocking structures.

6. The fan array of claim 1, further comprising a grid system into which the modular units are placed.

7. The fan array of claim 1, wherein the modular units have interlocking structures on exteriors of at least one of the top, bottom and sides to facilitate locking the modular units together.

8. A method for providing a fan array configured for use in an air-handling system that is configured to deliver air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array, the modular units each including a top, a bottom, sides, a front end and a back end that define a chamber;

positioning motors and fans in the chambers of the modular units, the fans being located proximate to the front ends of the corresponding chambers, the fans directing air to discharge from the back ends of the chambers; and

including, in at least a portion of the chambers, sound attenuation layers along at least one of the top, bottom and sides of the corresponding chambers, the sound attenuation layers at least partially surrounding the corresponding fans and motors, the sound attenuation layers being positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising mounting inlet cones at the front ends of the chambers, the inlet cones located upstream of the fans.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the modular units are structured in a plug and play configuration.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the modular units are joined to one another with interlocking structures on an exterior thereof.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the modular units are joined to one another with separate interlocking structures.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising a grid system into which the modular units are placed.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the modular units have interlocking structures on exteriors of at least one of the top, bottom and sides to facilitate locking the modular units together.