Method and System for Eliminating Air Pockets, Eliminating Air Stratification, Minimizing Inconsistent Temperature, and Increasing Internal Air Turns

• US 20160131380A1
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Internal Air flow Dynamics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Internal Air flow Dynamics, LLC
• Inventors: Price, Roy H., Fiorini, Albert E., Price, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,473,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/01 in which secondary air is induced by injector action of the primary air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties

Abstract

A method, a method for designing a system, and a system for creating substantially continuous circulation within a volume to be managed using one or more devices that are neither HVAC-based nor duct-based. The method includes one or more devices continuously drawing air, continuously processing air, and continuously pushing air through at least three exit zones. The method for designing a system includes determining the approximate volume of the facility or the approximate volume of air to be managed within the facility, determining the location of objects with an impact on air flow or temperature of the facility, and determining the number, type, and preferred locations of the one or more devices to install in the facility. The system includes one or more devices continuously drawing air, continuously processing air, and continuously pushing air through at least three exit zones.

Claims

1. A method for designing a system for increasing internal air turns in a volume of air to be managed within a facility using one or more devices that are neither HVAC-based nor duct-based, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

determining an approximate volume of air to be managed within the facility;

determining the locations of HVAC system components within the facility; and

based on the approximate volume of air to be managed within the facility and the locations of the HVAC system components within the facility, determining the number of the one or more devices to install in the facility and at least one preferred location for each of the one or more devices within the facility to increase the internal air turns within the volume of air to be managed within the facility.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the locations of objects, internal loads, windows, and/or doors within the facility,

wherein the step of determining the number of the one or more devices to install in the facility and the at least one preferred location for each of the one or more devices within the facility to increase the internal air turns within the volume of air to be managed is also based on the locations of the objects, the internal loads, the windows, and/or the doors within the facility.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining at least one preferred location for at least one sensor within the facility based on the at least one preferred location for the one or more devices within the facility, the locations of the objects, the internal loads, the windows, and/or the doors within the facility, the approximate volume of air to be managed within the facility, and the locations of the HVAC system components within the facility,

wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one of temperature, humidity, particulate concentration, and air flow of the environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

entering the approximate volume of air to be managed within the facility into a graphical user interface (GUI) on a computing device;

entering the locations of HVAC system components within the facility into the GUI; and

displaying at least one recommendation for the number of one or more devices to install in the facility and the at least one preferred location for the one or more devices within the facility to increase the internal air turns within the volume of air to be managed within the facility.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a desired reduction in tonnage utilized in the facility,

wherein the step of determining the number of the one or more devices to install in the facility and the at least one preferred location for the one or more devices within the facility to increase the internal air turns within the volume of air to be managed within the facility is also based on the desired reduction in tonnage utilized in the facility.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the number of the one or more devices to install in the facility includes determining a type of the one or more devices to install in the facility.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more devices are operable to continuously push air through at least three exit zones so that the air pushed through the at least three exit zones is pushed in at least three different directions.

8. A method for creating substantially continuous circulation within a volume to be managed comprising the steps of:

a device continuously taking in air from the volume to be managed; and

the device continuously pushing the air into the volume to be managed,

wherein the air that is pushed into the volume to be managed is mixed with itself and other air, thereby increasing internal air turns within the volume to be managed and maintaining an air temperature within the volume to be managed within 2 degrees Fahrenheit of a desired temperature.

9. A system for creating substantially continuous circulation within a volume to be managed comprising one or more devices that are neither HVAC-based nor duct-based,

wherein the one or more devices are operable to continuously draw air into at least one of the one or more devices, continuously process the air that is drawn into the at least one of the one or more devices, and continuously push air through at least three exit zones of the at least one of the one or more devices,

wherein the air pushed through the at least three exit zones is pushed in at least three different directions and mixed with itself and other air, thereby achieving substantially continuous circulation within the volume to be managed.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising at least one controller and at least one sensor,

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to measure at least one of a temperature, humidity, particulate concentration, and air flow,

wherein the at least one controller, in response to a measurement by the at least one sensor, is operable to adjust the location of the at least one of the one or more devices and/or at least one of the volume, speed, direction, and angle of air that is continuously drawn into the at least one of the one or more devices, continuously processed by the at least one of the one or more devices, and/or continuously pushed through the at least three exit zones of the at least one of the one or more devices.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a profile including a minimum and/or a maximum temperature and/or a minimum and/or a maximum airflow,

wherein the at least one controller is further operable to compare at least one of the measured temperature, and air flow to the minimum and/or the maximum temperature, and/or the minimum and/or the maximum airflow,

wherein in response to the comparison, the at least one controller is operable to adjust the location of the at least one of the one or more devices and/or at least one of the volume, speed, direction, and angle of air that is continuously drawn into the at least one of the one or more devices, continuously processed by the at least one of the one or more devices, and/or continuously pushed through the at least three exit zones in the at least one of the one or more devices.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one of the one or more devices include a noise reduction component for dampening the sound made by the one or more devices.

13. A method for creating substantially continuous circulation within a volume to be managed using one or more devices that are neither HVAC-based nor duct-based, comprising the steps of:

continuously drawing air into at least one of the one or more devices;

continuously processing the air in the at least one of the one or more devices; and

continuously pushing the air through at least three exit zones in the at least one of the one or more devices so that the air pushed through the at least three exit zones is pushed in at least three different directions,

wherein the air that is pushed in at least three different directions is mixed with itself and other air, thereby increasing internal air turns within the volume to be managed.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the steps of continuously drawing air into the at least one of the one or more devices, continuously processing air in the at least one of the one or more devices, and/or continuously pushing air through the at least three exit zones in the at least one of the one or more devices are performed according to a profile, wherein the profile includes pre-set preferences and/or user-defined preferences.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of at least one sensor measuring at least one property within the volume to be managed, wherein the at least one property includes at least one of air flow, and temperature.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

the at least one sensor comparing the at least one measured property to a minimum and/or maximum value for that property and

the at least one sensor and/or at least one controller adjusting at least one of one or more variables in response to the comparison,

wherein the one or more variables include the location of the at least one of the one or more devices and the speed, the volume, the direction, and/or the angle of air that is continuously drawn into the at least one of the one or more devices and/or pushed through the at least one of the at least three exit zones of the one or more devices.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of continuously processing air in the at least one of the one or more devices includes sanitizing the air.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of continuously processing air in the at least one of the one or more devices includes processing the air over and/or under at least one directional vane in the at least one of the one or more devices.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of continuously processing air in the at least one of the one or more devices includes heating the air.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of continuously pushing air through at least three exit zones in the at least one of the one or more devices includes pushing air through and/or over at least one louver.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of continuously pushing air through at least three exit zones in the at least one of the one or more devices includes pushing air through at least one lattice.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of continuously pushing air through at least three exit zones in the at least one of the one or more devices includes gathering air through air induction ports.

23. The method of claim 13 further comprising detecting a failure related to the steps of continuously drawing air into the at least one of the one or more devices, continuously processing air in the at least one of the one or more devices, and/or continuously pushing air through the at least three exit zones in the at least one of the one or more devices.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of performing between about three internal air turns and about five internal air turns in the volume to be managed using at least one of the one or more devices that are neither HVAC-based nor duct-based.