Center mounted fan module with even airflow distribution features

• US 6,491,502 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Canada Limited (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Canada Limited (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hunt, Alexander Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, HAN L
• Application Number:
  US09/730,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20020110462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 417/360, 417/353, 417/354, 417/366, 417/368, 417/423.5, 415/121.2, 415/211.2, 415/119, 415/220, 416/169.A, 416/189, 416/203, 416/247.R
• US Class Current: 417/360
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/681 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Abstract

A fan shroud structure 10 including a shroud body 12 having a pair of opposing first sides 14 and a pair opposing second sides 16. The first sides 14 are joined with the second sides 16 at corners 18 so as to form a box-like configuration defining an interior space 20. The shroud body has a front end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a condenser and a back end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a radiator. Generally annular wall structure 26 is within the interior space and is constructed and arranged to receive blades of a fan within bounds thereof. Vortex preventing structure 40 is provided in each corner near the back end. The vortex preventing structure is constructed and arranged to prevent large scale eddy current generation of air in the corners as air enters the radiator. Air deflecting structure 50 is provided in each corner near the front end. The air deflecting structure is constructed and arranged to deflect incoming air towards the sides, thereby reducing air drawn by the fan from the corners.

Claims

1. A fan shroud structure for housing blades of at least one fan, the fan shroud structure comprising;

a shroud body having a pair of opposing first sides and a pair opposing second sides, the first sides being joined with the second sides at corners forming a box-like configuration defining an interior space, the shroud body having a front end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a condenser and a back end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a radiator,

generally annular wall structure within the interior space constructed and arranged to receive the blades of a fan within bounds thereof,

vortex preventing structure in each said corner near said back end, said vortex preventing structure being constructed and arranged to prevent large scale eddy current generation of air in said corners as air enters the radiator, and

air deflecting structure in each said corner near said front end, said air deflecting structure being constructed and arranged to deflect incoming air towards said sides, thereby improving air distribution into the fan.

2. The shroud structure of claim 1, wherein the vortex preventing structure comprises an arc-shaped member defined at a radius greater than a radius of the annular wall structure, the arc-shaped member joining a first side with a second side at each corner and having an edge which extends downstream with respect to the annular wall structure.

3. The shroud structure of claim 2, wherein the vortex preventing structure further includes rib structure extending radially from a juncture of said first and second sides to said arc-shaped member.

4. The shroud structure of claim 1, wherein said air deflecting structure comprises an air deflector disposed at a radius greater than a radius of said annular wall structure and constructed and arranged to separate air flow regions at said corners.

5. The shroud structure of claim 4, wherein said air deflector is of generally U-shaped having ends which extend towards said annular wall structure.

6. The shroud structure of claim 5, wherein said deflecting structure further includes rib structure extending radially from a juncture of said first and second sides to said air deflector, each of said rib structures having a pair of members joined to define an apex directed towards the front end of the shroud body so as to direct incoming air towards said sides.

7. The shroud structure of claim 1, wherein the shroud body includes a pair of adjacent annular wall structures defining upper and lower spaces between the annular wall structures, a pair of vortex preventing structures and a pair of air deflecting structure being provided in each of said upper and lower spaces so that one vortex preventing structure and one air deflecting structure in each of the upper and lower spaces is associated with a different annular wall structure.

8. A fan shroud structure for housing blades of at least one fan, the fan structure comprising:

shroud means for housing a fan, the shroud means having a pair of opposing first sides and a pair opposing second sides, the first sides being joined with the second sides at corners forming a box-like configuration defining an interior space, the shroud means having a front end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a condenser and a back end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a radiator,

generally annular wall structure within the interior space constructed and arranged to receive the blades of a fan within bounds thereof,

means for preventing vortex in each said corner near said back end, said vortex preventing means being constructed and arranged to prevent large scale eddy current generation of air in said corners as air enters the radiator, and

means for deflecting air in each said corner near said front end, said air deflecting means being constructed and arranged to deflect incoming air towards said sides, thereby improving air distribution into the fan.

9. The shroud structure of claim 8, wherein the vortex preventing means comprises an arc-shaped member defined at a radius greater than a radius of the annular wall structure, the arc-shaped member joining a first side with a second side at each corner and having an edge which extends downstream with respect to the annular wall structure.

10. The shroud structure of claim 9, wherein the vortex preventing means further includes rib means extending radially from a juncture of said first and second sides to said arc-shaped member.

11. The shroud structure of claim 8, wherein said air deflecting means comprises an air deflector disposed at a radius greater than a radius of said annular wall structure and constructed and arranged to deflect air that that the velocity component around a fan axis increases.

12. The shroud structure of claim 11, wherein said air deflector is of generally U-shaped having ends which extend towards said annular wall structure.

13. The shroud structure of claim 12, wherein said deflecting means further includes rib structure extending radially from a juncture of said first and second sides to said air deflector, each of said rib structures having a pair of members joined to define an apex directed towards the front end of the shroud body so as to direct incoming air towards said sides.

14. The shroud structure of claim 8, wherein the shroud means includes a pair of adjacent annular wall structures defining upper and lower spaces between the annular wall structures, a pair of vortex preventing means and a pair of air deflecting means being provided in each of said upper and lower spaces so that one air vortex preventing means and one air deflecting means in each of the upper and lower spaces is associated with a different annular wall structure.

15. A method of distributing air in a fan shroud structure, the fan shroud structure housing a fan and including a shroud body having a pair of opposing first sides and a pair opposing second sides, the first sides being joined with the second sides at corners so as to form a box-like configuration, the shroud body having a front end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a condenser and a back end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a radiator, the method including:

preventing large scale eddy current generation of air in said corners by the fan as air exits the shroud structure and enters the radiator, and

deflecting incoming air towards said sides thereby improving air distribution into the fan.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the preventing step includes providing vortex preventing structure in each said corner near said back end, and the deflecting step includes providing air deflecting structure in each said corner near said front end.

17. A shroud structure comprising:

a shroud body, and

motor mount structure coupled to the shroud body, the motor mount structure being constructed and arranged to mount a fan motor thereto and to permit axial flow of air through the motor mount structure to cool the fan motor, the motor mount structure having surfaces defining a diffuser to convert air entering the motor mount structure at velocity pressure to static pressure as the air exits the motor mount structure,

wherein the diffuser is defined by an outer cone member and an inner cone member concentric with the outer cone members to define an air flow space between the cone members.

18. A shroud structure comprising:

a shroud body, and

motor mounting means for mounting a motor coupled to the shroud body, the motor mounting means being constructed and arranged to mount a fan motor and to permit axial flow of air through the motor mounting means to cool the fan motor, the motor mounting means having surfaces defining a diffuser to convert air entering the motor mounting means at velocity pressure to static pressure as the air exits the motor mounting means,

wherein the diffuser is defined by an outer cone member and an inner cone member concentric with the outer cone member to define an air flow space between the cone members.

19. A method of increasing airflow through a fan module, the fan module including a shroud body and a motor mount structure coupled to the shroud body, the method including:

configuring the motor mount structure to mount a fan motor thereto and to permit axial flow of air through the motor mount structure to convert air entering the motor mount structure at velocity pressure to static pressure as the air exits the motor mount structure,

wherein the configuring step includes configuring the motor mount structure to include surfaces defining a diffuser,

wherein the diffuser is configured to include an outer cone member and an inner cone member concentric with the outer cone member to define an air flow space between the cone members.

20. A fan module constructed and arranged to be mounted between a condenser and a radiator, the fan module comprising:

a shroud structure,

motor mount structure coupled to the shroud structure, motor mount structure being constructed and arranged to permit axial flow of air through therethrough,

a fan motor carried by the motor mount structure, and

a fan hub driven by the motor for rotation within the shroud structure, the fan hub carrying a plurality of fan blades extending radially therefrom to define an axial flow fan, the fan hub including a plurality of hub blades defining a mixed flow impeller, the axial flow fan and the impeller sharing a common axis of rotation thereby defining nested fans to increase the net airflow through the fan module,

wherein the shroud structure comprises a shroud body having a pair of opposing first sides and a pair opposing second sides, the first sides being joined with the second sides at comers so as to form a box-like configuration defining the interior space, the shroud body having a front end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a condenser and a back end constructed and arranged to be disposed adjacent to a radiator, and

wherein the shroud structure further comprises;

vortex preventing structure in each said corner near said back end, said vortex preventing structure being constructed and arranged to prevent large scale eddy current generation of air in said corners as air enters the radiator, and

air deflecting structure in each said corner near said front end, said air deflecting structure being constructed and arranged to deflect incoming air towards the sides, thereby improving the air distribution into the fan.

21. A fan module constructed and arranged to be mounted between a condenser and a radiator, the fan module comprising:

a shroud structure,

motor mount structure coupled to the shroud structure, motor mount structure being constructed and arranged to permit axial flow of air through therethrough,

a fan motor carried by the motor mount structure, and

a fan hub driven by the motor for rotation within the shroud structure, the fan hub carrying a plurality of fan blades extending radially therefrom to define an axial flow fan, the fan hub including a plurality of hub blades defining a mixed flow impeller, the axial flow fan and the impeller sharing a common axis of rotation thereby defining nested fans to increase the net airflow through the fan module,

wherein the fan hub is arranged with respect to the motor mount structure such that air drawn by the impeller enters the motor mount structure and passes through the motor mount structure,

wherein the motor mount structure includes surfaces defining a diffuser to convert air entering the motor mount structure at velocity pressure to static pressure as the air exits the motor mount structure,

wherein the diffuser is defined by an outer cone member and an inner cone member concentric with the outer cone members to define an air flow space between the cone members.

22. A fan module constructed and arranged to be mounted between a condenser and a radiator, the fan module comprising:

a shroud structure,

motor mount structure coupled to the shroud structure, motor mount structure being constructed and arranged to permit axial flow of air through therethrough,

a fan motor carried by the motor mount structure, and

a fan hub driven by the motor for rotation within the shroud structure, the fan hub carrying a plurality of fan blades extending radially therefrom to define an axial flow fan, the fan hub including a plurality of hub blades defining a mixed flow impeller, the axial flow fan and the impeller sharing a common axis of rotation thereby defining nested fans to increase the net airflow through the fan module,

wherein the motor is received in an interior space of the hub with a clearance defined between the motor and the hub, the hub including a disc constructed and arranged to deflect air away from the clearance and towards the ribs or impeller surfaces.

23. A fan module constructed and arranged to be mounted between a condenser and a radiator, the fan module comprising:

a shroud structure,

motor mount structure coupled to the shroud structure, motor mount structure being constructed and arranged to permit axial flow of air through therethrough,

a fan motor carried by the motor mount structure, and

a fan hub driven by the motor for rotation within the shroud structure, the fan hub carrying a plurality of fan blades extending radially therefrom to define an axial flow fan, the fan hub including a plurality of hub blades defining a mixed flow impeller, the axial flow fan and the impeller sharing a common axis of rotation thereby defining nested fans to increase the net airflow through the fan module,

wherein the hub blades are constructed and arranged to vary in circumferential position as a function of radius.