Fan array fan section in air-handling systems

• US 7,914,252 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Ninh H
• Application Number:
  US12/079,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20080279677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 415/119, 415/1, 415/61, 416/120, 416/130, 417/3, 417/423.5, 417/426, 454/338, 361/695
• US Class Current: 415/61
• 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 programed 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. A fan array fan section in an air-handling system to supply air to a building, comprising:

an air handling compartment having a discharge plenum configured to deliver air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of the building;

a fan array of at least three fan units positioned in the air handling compartment, the fan units having motors and fans, the motors having a corresponding nameplate rated speed, the fans being configured to deliver an air flow amount based on a speed of the corresponding motor;

a speed controller to operate at least one of the motors at a first speed that is equal to or below the nameplate rated speed to deliver a first air flow amount from a corresponding one of the fans; and

the speed controller to operate the at least one of the motors at a second speed that is greater than the nameplate rated speed to deliver a second air flow amount from the corresponding one of the fans.

2. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein the number of fan units includes at least six fan units.

3. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein the fan array is arranged in a 2-dimensional pattern.

4. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein a wheel diameter of the fans substantially equals or is between 12 inches and 44 inches.

5. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein the wheel diameter of the fans substantially equals or is between 12 inches and 25 inches.

6. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein spacing between said fan units is between 60% and 20% of said fan wheel diameter.

7. The fan array fan section of claim 1, further comprises a grid system of grid cells in which the fan units are placed.

8. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein the fans constitute plenum fans.

9. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein the speed controller includes a variable frequency drive.

10. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein fan array includes a number of fan units sufficient to at least meet a total air handling requirement for at least the portion of the building, and wherein the speed controller is sized to meet a power consumption of the fan array needed to meet the total air handling requirement.

11. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein the fans are coupled to the motors in a direct drive connection.

12. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein a wheel diameter of the fans is substantially equal to or greater than 20 inches.

30. The fan array fan section of claim 1, wherein

the air handling compartment includes multiple chambers arranged in an array where at least a portion of the chambers are located adjacent to one another in at least one row or column;

wherein the fan units are positioned in corresponding chambers of the air handling compartment and are arranged adjacent to one another; and

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

31. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein the fan units are positioned adjacent to one another in a common plane, the sound attenuation layers being arranged in at least one of rows and columns, to traverse the common plane.

32. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein the sound attenuation layers are provided along each of the top, bottom, and sides of the corresponding chambers.

33. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein the sound attenuation layers include a perforated facing and at least one layer of insulation material.

34. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein each of the chambers has a front end and a back end, wherein the fan units are oriented such that the fans are located proximate to the front ends of the chambers and the motors extend toward the back ends of the chambers.

35. The fan array fan section of claim 34, wherein the sound attenuation layers extend from the front ends to the back ends of the corresponding chambers.

36. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein each of the fan units is positioned in a corresponding individual one of the chambers.

37. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein the sound attenuation layers are located along, and enclose, the top, bottom and sides of the fans and motors in the corresponding chambers.

38. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein a spacing between an outer periphery of the fans in adjacent chambers is between 20% and 60% of a fan wheel diameter.

39. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein a spacing between an outer periphery of the fans in adjacent chambers is between 30% and 60% of a fan wheel diameter.

40. The fan array fan section of claim 30, wherein the fan units direct air into a common area of the discharge plenum where the air combines before exiting the discharge plenum.

13. A method of implementing a fan array air handling system to supply air to a building, the air handling system including an air handling compartment having a discharge plenum configured to deliver air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of the building;

the method comprising;

obtaining a fan array of at least three fan units positioned in the air handling compartment, the fan units having motors and fans, the motors having a corresponding nameplate rated speed, the fans being configured to deliver an air flow amount based on a speed of the corresponding motor;

configuring a speed controller to operate at least one of the motors at a first speed that is equal to or below the nameplate rated speed to deliver a first air flow amount from a corresponding one of the fans; and

configuring the speed controller to operate the at least one of the motors at a second speed that is greater than the nameplate rated speed to deliver a second air flow amount from the corresponding one of the fans.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the number of fan units includes at least six fan units.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the fan array is arranged in a 2-dimensional pattern.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising sizing a wheel diameter of the fans to be substantially equal or between 12 inches and 44 inches.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising sizing a wheel diameter of the fans to be substantially equal or between 12 inches and 25 inches.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the fan array at least meets a specified air capacity that corresponds to a total air handling requirement of a structure.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising managing flow of air within the air handling compartment to exhibit a substantially uniform airflow at a back end of the air handling compartment.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising positioning sound attenuation layers between at least a portion of adjacent fan units, wherein the air handling compartment includes multiple chambers and the fan units are positioned in corresponding chambers of the air handling compartment and are arranged adjacent to one another.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the fan units are positioned adjacent to one another in a common plane, the sound attenuation layers being arranged in at least one of rows and columns, to traverse the common plane.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the sound attenuation layers are provided along each of the top, bottom, and sides of the corresponding chambers.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the sound attenuation layers include a perforated facing and at least one layer of insulation material.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the sound attenuation layers extend from front ends to back ends of the corresponding chambers.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the sound attenuation layers are located along, and enclose, top, bottom and sides of the fans and motors in the corresponding chambers.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the speed controller includes a variable frequency drive.

27. The method of claim 13, wherein fan array includes a number of fan units sufficient to at least meet a total air handling requirement for at least the portion of the building, and wherein the speed controller is sized to meet a power consumption of the fan array needed to meet the total air handling requirement.

28. The method of claim 13, wherein the fans are coupled to the motors in a direct drive connection.

29. The method of claim 13, wherein a wheel diameter of the fans is substantially equal to or greater than 20 inches.