Fan array fan section in air-handling systems

• US 7,527,468 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Huntair Incorporated (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Hopkins, Lawrence G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Ninh H
• Application Number:
  US11/595,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20070104568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 415/60, 415/61, 415/108, 415/177, 415/119, 416/120, 417/3, 417/423.5, 417/426, 454/338
• US Class Current: 415/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/002 Axial flow fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/004 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/0261 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/522 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/644 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/664 by means of sound absorbing material
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/023 of different spools or shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/03 in variable speed operation
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/3061 of the working fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/007 with forced flow using ducting systems F24F7/06
• 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

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 programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration.

Claims

1. An air handling system comprising:

(a) A plurality of individual fan units;

(b) said plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array; and

(c) a control system capable of controlling selected fan units in said array of fan units in order to allow the remaining fans in said plurality of fan units which are not running at substantially peak efficiency to be run at substantially peak efficiency.

2. The air handling system of claim 1 further comprising a, unitary air-handling compartment within which said plurality of fan units is located and which the air from all of said fan units in said fan array of fan units flows into.

3. The air-handling system of claim 1 wherein said control system is a programmable array controller.

4. A method of providing air to an enclosed space comprising:

(a) Providing a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array such that air flow from all of said fan units flows into substantially the entire enclosed space; and

(b) turning selected ones of said fan units off in order to allow the remaining fan units in said plurality of fan units which are not running at substantially peak efficiency to be run at substantially peak efficiency.

5. A method of providing air into an enclosed space comprising:

(a) Providing a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array such that air flow from all of said fan units flows into substantially all of said enclosed space; and

(b) controlling selected fan units in said array of fan units in order to allow the remaining fan units in said plurality of fan units which are not running at substantially peak efficiency to be run at substantially peak efficiency.