Positive pressure ventilation in enclosed housings

Abstract

The invention provides a positively pressurized housing ventilated by establishing and / or maintaining a pressure differential between at least two chambers in the housing. The invention also provides a method for ventilating a substantially closed housing that involves establishing and / or maintaining a pressure differential between at least two chambers in the housing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 61 / 878,582, filed Sep. 16, 2013, and U.S. provisional application No. 61 / 984,650, filed Apr. 25, 2014, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]Enclosed housings provide shelter and a controlled environment through which unfavorable environmental conditions can be mitigated. Enclosed livestock housings, for example, provide animals with shelter from the climate, protection from preditors, as well as airborne pathogens and contaminants. Similarly, enclosed greenhouses can be useful where the growing season is short, light levels are poor, or environmental conditions are marginal for plant growth. Although enclosed housings provide shelter and can be useful as high production facilities for plants and animal husbandry, when poorly ventilated, enclosed housings can be susceptible to odor and moisture buildup, as well as elevated levels of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]The invention provides a positive pressure ventilation system that utilizes a pressure differential between two chambers within the housing to promote ventilation and limit entry of air-borne pathogens. The invention provides a substantially closed housing having at least two chambers: an overpressure chamber which is maintained at a high positive static pressure, and at least one living chamber which is maintained at a lower positive static pressure relative to the overpressure chamber. The overpressure chamber is in communication with the living chamber through one or more interconnecting air passages that allow for controlled airflow from the overpressure chamber to the living chamber. The pressure differential between the chambers enable unidirection airflow from the overpressure chamber to the living chamber thereby enabling ventilation of the living chamber, and the overall positive static pressure prevents or minimize entry of contaminated external air into the housing. Thus, the invention provides a method for ventilating a substantially closed housing, a ventilation system for a substantially closed housing, as well as a substantially closed housing having positive static pressure and at least one overpressure chamber supplying ventilation air to at least one living chamber through a pressure differential between the chambers.

[0025]In some embodiments, the ventilation system is effective to maintain a pressure differential between the first and second chambers of about 0.05 to about 0.125 inch of water column. In some embodiments, the ventilation system is effective to maintain a pressure differential between the first and second chambers of about 0.1 inch of water column. In some embodiments, the ventilation system is effective to maintain pressure in the first chamber at about 0.2 inch of water column. In some embodiments, the ventilation system is effective to maintain pressure in the second chamber at about 0.1 inch of water column.

Problems solved by technology

Although enclosed housings provide shelter and can be useful as high production facilities for plants and animal husbandry, when poorly ventilated, enclosed housings can be susceptible to odor and moisture buildup, as well as elevated levels of air pollutants such as dust, viruses, bacteria and pollutant gases including ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and methane.

This can contribute to the spread of diseases or lead to decreased production.

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