An Air Conditioning Assembly

• US 20190328595A1
• Filed: 01/11/2018
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sporting Edge Limited
• Original Assignee: Sporting Edge Limited
• Inventors: Vincent, David
• Granted Patent: US 11,951,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/02 with artificial climate; with means to maintain a desired pressure, e.g. for germ-free rooms dust-free laboratory rooms B01L1/04; decompression arrangements B63C11/32; arrangements or adaptations in aircraft B64D13/00; air-conditioning in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/30 characterised by sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0047 mounted in the ceiling or at the ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/072 of elongated shape, e.g. between ceiling panels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/70 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/76 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/14 mounted on the ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/14 by humidification; by dehumidification
• 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: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An air conditioning assembly for an environmental chamber includes a suspended ceiling below a structural ceiling creating a plenum space. The suspended ceiling is configured to cover a substantially horizontal plane of the environmental chamber while leaving a first perimeter gap adjacent to a wall of the environmental chamber and a second perimeter gap adjacent to an opposing wall of the environmental chamber. A substantially vertical wall covers a vertical plane of the plenum space. At least one fan draws air from one from the environmental chamber into the plenum space through the first perimeter gap and blows air from the plenum space into the environmental chamber through the second perimeter gap. At least one air conditioning means in fluid communication with the at least one fan conditions the air flow passing through the at least one fan. The air conditioning assembly creates substantially laminar air flow.

Claims

1. An air conditioning assembly for an environmental chamber, the air conditioning assembly comprising:

a suspended ceiling for suspending below a structural ceiling of the environmental chamber to create a plenum space therebetween, said suspended ceiling being configured to cover a substantially horizontal plane of the environmental chamber while leaving a first perimeter gap adjacent to a wall of the environmental chamber, and a second perimeter gap adjacent to an opposing wall of the environmental chamber;

a substantially vertical wall for covering a vertical plane of the plenum space;

at least one fan within the plenum space, said at least one fan being configured to draw air from one side of the substantially vertical wall to the other side, and therefore configured to draw air from the environmental chamber and into the plenum space through the first perimeter gap, and to blow air from the plenum space and into the environmental chamber through the second perimeter gap; and

at least one air conditioning means in fluid communication with the at least one fan, configured to condition the air flow passing through said at least one fan;

wherein the at least one air conditioning means comprises an altitude simulator for changing the oxygen content of the air flow, and the first perimeter gap and the second perimeter gap are configured such that they span along substantially the entire edge of the suspended ceiling such that, in use, the air conditioning assembly is configured to create substantially laminar air flow throughout the environmental chamber.

3. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning means comprises a dehumidifier for reducing the humidity of the air flow.

4. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning means comprises a humidifier for increasing the humidity of the air flow.

5. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning means comprises a heater to increase the temperature of the air flow.

6. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning means comprises a cooling radiator to reduce the temperature of the air flow.

7. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning assembly comprises at least one sensor.

8. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from at least one of an oxygen sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and carbon dioxide sensor.

12. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning assembly comprises at least one control means operatively connected to the at least one fan and the at least one air conditioning means.

13. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 7, wherein the air conditioning assembly comprises at least one control means operatively connected to the at least one sensor.

14. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vertical wall comprises a cooling coil.

15. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fan incorporates a plurality of vanes for directing the air flow to the full width of the environmental chamber.

16. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vertical wall comprises a partitioning board.

17. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vertical wall comprises a sealing means for sealing the vertical wall within the plenum space, and at least one aperture corresponding with an inlet of the at least one fan.

18. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning means is mounted external to the environmental chamber, and in fluid communication with the plenum space through ducting.

19. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning assembly comprises flow directing means.

20. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 19, wherein the flow directing means comprises curved ceiling coving.

21. An air conditioning assembly according to claim 19, wherein the flow directing means comprises planar, inclined coving.

23. An environmental chamber incorporating the air conditioning assembly of claim 1.

24. An environmental chamber according to claim 23, wherein the walls and structural ceiling comprise a prefabricated shell.

25. A method of installing the air conditioning assembly of claim 1 in a room to form an environmental chamber, comprising the steps of:

installing a suspended ceiling below a structural ceiling of the room to create a plenum space therebetween, said suspended ceiling being configured to cover a substantially horizontal plane of the environmental chamber while leaving a first perimeter gap adjacent to a wall of the environmental chamber, and a second perimeter gap adjacent to an opposing wall of the environmental chamber whereby the first perimeter gap and the second perimeter gap span substantially the entire edge of the suspended ceiling;

installing a substantially vertical wall to cover a vertical plane of the plenum space;

installing at least one fan within the substantially vertical wall, said at least one fan being configured to draw air from the environmental chamber and into the plenum space through the first perimeter gap, and to blow air from the plenum space and into the environmental chamber through the second perimeter gap; and

,

installing at least one air conditioning means in fluid communication with the at least one fan, configured to condition the air flow passing through said at least one fan;

wherein at least one air conditioning means comprises an altitude simulator and, in use, the air conditioning assembly is configured to create substantially laminar air flow throughout the environmental chamber.

2. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

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11. (canceled)

22. (canceled)