Fluid flow augmentation device for a fluid circulation system - Patents.com

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a fluid flow augmentation device for augmenting fluid flow in any fluid circulation system without consuming significant additional power. The device includes an annular body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an interior volume. The annular body includes a fluid inlet at one longitudinal end and a fluid outlet at the other end, and first and second fluid directing structures. The first fluid directing structure receives a first fluid flow having a first fluid flow rate from a fluid source via the fluid inlet, while the second fluid directing structure directs a second fluid flow having a second fluid flow rate from a periphery of the device to combine with the first fluid flow and generate an augmented fluid flow having an augmented fluid flow rate that is discharged via the fluid outlet.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 293,732, filed December 24, 2021, and U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 364,336, filed May 6, 2022. The contents of these prior applications are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in their entireties.

[0002] [Technical field] The present disclosure relates to fluid circulation systems, such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and cooling towers, and fluid flow augmentation devices for use in such fluid circulation systems.

[0003] 〔background〕 Many fluid circulation systems, such as air conditioners, HVAC systems, cooling towers, vehicle HVAC systems, refrigeration systems, industrial freezers, etc., are widely used in a variety of residential and / or industrial or commercial applications. These systems generally operate to provide conditioning (e.g., heating, cooling, filtration, dehumidification, etc.) to the corresponding environment. As the demand for such systems increases, concerns over their capacity, cost, and environmental sustainability have grown. To provide more cost-effective and energy-efficient solutions to accommodate such widespread use, many technological developments have been made to enhance such systems and satisfy government regulations.

[0004] For example, residential air conditioning systems typically use a series of copper coils in an outdoor condenser to cool a hot refrigerant, with air entrained by a fan on top of the condenser aiding in this process. Generally, the air entering the condenser is equivalent to the air leaving through the fan, and the cooled refrigerant is sent to the indoor air conditioning unit and returned to the outdoor unit to be cooled again. For example, most of the current technological developments to improve such air conditioning systems often focus on improving the efficiency and performance of existing components within such systems, such as fan blades / motors, enhanced demand-based control systems, and upgrades to energy analysis software. However, there has been little effort driven towards improving the fluid flow efficiency of such systems, which could improve operating capacity and power efficiency.

[0005] 〔overview〕 In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a fluid flow augmentation device for a fluid circulation system. The fluid flow augmentation device includes an annular body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device. The annular body includes a fluid inlet at one longitudinal end along the longitudinal axis and a fluid outlet at the other longitudinal end. The annular body further includes a first fluid directing structure and a second fluid directing structure. The first fluid directing structure is adapted to receive a first fluid flow having a first fluid flow rate from a fluid source via the fluid flow inlet and direct the received first fluid flow to the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device. The second fluid directing structure is adapted to direct a second fluid flow having a second fluid flow rate from a periphery of the fluid flow augmentation device. The second fluid flow combines with the first fluid flow to generate an augmented fluid flow having an augmented fluid flow rate that is exhausted via the fluid outlet. The augmented fluid flow rate is greater than each of the first and second fluid flows.

[0006] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a fluid circulation system. The fluid circulation system includes a heat transfer system, a fan assembly, an exhaust assembly, and a fluid flow augmentation device. The fluid flow augmentation device is fluidly connected to the fan assembly and the exhaust assembly and adapted to augment fluid flow through the heat transfer system. The fluid flow augmentation device includes an annular body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device. The annular body includes a fluid inlet at one longitudinal end along the longitudinal axis and a fluid outlet at the other longitudinal end. Additionally, the annular body includes a first fluid guide structure and a second fluid guide structure. The first fluid guide structure receives a first fluid flow having a first fluid flow rate from the fan assembly via the fluid inlet and guides the received first fluid flow to the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device. The second fluid guide structure is adapted to guide a second fluid flow having a second fluid flow rate from around the fluid flow augmentation device. The second fluid flow combines with the first fluid flow to generate an augmented fluid flow having an augmented fluid flow rate impinging on the heat transfer system and directed to the exhaust assembly via the fluid outlet, the augmented fluid flow rate being greater than each of the first and second fluid flows. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] The following description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a fluid circulation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an outdoor unit of a fluid circulation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an outdoor unit of a fluid circulation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a condenser assembly of an outdoor unit and one or more components within the condenser according to one embodiment of the disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fluid flow augmentation device according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fluid flow augmentation device according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a fluid flow augmentation device according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interior divider for use in a fluid flow augmentation device according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a top view of a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a top view of an outdoor unit and internal components of a condenser assembly having a fluid flow augmentation device according to one aspect of the disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a radiator and horizontal condenser system having a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a dry air-cooled radiator system having a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a system having a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a system having a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a system having a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a top view of the system of FIG. 16. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 illustrates an outdoor unit equipped with a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 illustrates a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a cooling tower having a fluid flow augmentation device according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a cooling tower having a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a cooling tower having a fluid flow augmentation device according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 23]FIG. 1 illustrates a fluid circulation system according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a top view of the outdoor unit of the fluid circulation system of FIG. 23. [Diagram 25] FIG. 24 is a front view showing the outdoor unit of the fluid circulation system of FIG. 23. [Figure 26] FIG. 13 is a top view of an outdoor unit of a fluid circulation system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a front view of the outdoor unit of FIG. 26. [Figure 28] FIG. 13 is a top view of an outdoor unit of a fluid circulation system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is a front view of the outdoor unit of FIG. 28. [Diagram 30] FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of a fluid flow augmentation device implemented with rotating vanes according to another aspect of the disclosure. [Diagram 31] FIG. 31 is a side elevational view of the exemplary fluid flow augmentation device of FIG. 30. [Diagram 32] FIG. 13 is a top view of a fluid flow augmentation device implemented with rotating vanes according to another aspect of the disclosure. [Diagram 33] FIG. 13 is a side view of a fluid flow augmentation device having a secondary fan according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] Detailed Description The present disclosure provides a fluid flow augmentation device that increases the volume of fluid flowing through a fluid circulation system without an equivalent increase in the energy required to power the system, and / or reduces energy usage while maintaining fluid flow using the system's existing configuration.

[0009] It is to be understood that in the following description, terms such as "vertical", "longitudinal", "lateral", "horizontal", "height", "width", "thickness", "top", "bottom", "front", "back" and the like are used. These terms are intended to describe the orientation of the components of the present disclosure when placed within a fluid circulation system and are not intended to limit the scope of the subject matter in any way. For example, the term "vertical" is used herein to refer to the "Y" or longitudinal axis, which indicates the "height" of the assembly. It will be understood that the longitudinal axis may be commonly referred to as "vertical" in the context of an assembly being placed upright. The terms "lateral" or "horizontal" are used herein to refer to the XZ plane, which includes the "X" axis, which indicates the "width" of the assembly, and the "Z" axis, which indicates the "thickness". Additionally, the terms "top" and "bottom" refer to the longitudinal top and bottom of the components that are placed along the longitudinal axis when the assembly is in an upright position. As such, these terms are understood to mean the relative orientation and positional relationship of the components within the assembly and are not intended to mean the orientation and positional relationship relative to an external reference point.

[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a fluid circulation system 100 according to an aspect of the disclosure. In one example, as shown in FIG. 1, the fluid circulation system 100 may be embodied as an indoor heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system (hereafter referred to as system 100) that may be implemented in an industrial or residential building to condition air flowing through the HVAC system. A fluid, such as air, may be directed through various chambers, sections, or plenums of the system 100 in this example, such as, but not limited to, a condensing section, an evaporating section, a heating section, an exhaust section, or any combination thereof. Circulation of air through these sections may enable the system 100 to condition the air in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, cooling, heating, dehumidifying, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 100 is configured to condition a supply airflow, such as ambient air, and / or a return airflow from the building, and circulate the conditioned air back to the building. Although the present disclosure is illustrated and described with respect to an HVAC system, it may be understood that in various applications, the system 100 may be implemented as any other type of fluid circulation system, such as, but not limited to, a cooling tower, vehicle HVAC, commercial refrigeration system, industrial freezer, cooler, etc.

[0011] The system 100 may be part of a split system, as shown in FIG. 1, in some examples. The split system includes an indoor unit 102 and an outdoor unit 104 fluidly connected to the indoor unit 102 via one or more refrigerant lines 108. However, in some other examples, the system 100 may be implemented as a single assembly unit for use in residential, commercial, or industrial applications, which may be mounted, for example, on the roof of a building. The indoor unit 102 may be located, for example, inside the building (e.g., as shown to the right of the building wall 106 in FIG. 1), and the outdoor unit 104 may be located outside the building, for example, on the roof or adjacent to the building (e.g., as shown to the left of the building wall 106). The refrigerant lines 108 may be configured to transport refrigerant between the indoor unit 102 and the outdoor unit 104, for example, to supply refrigerant in liquid form in one direction and return vaporized refrigerant in the opposite direction.

[0012] The indoor unit 102 may include a return air vent 110 fluidly connected to the air handler unit 112 via a return air conduit 114. Return air may enter the return air vent 110 and flow into the air handler unit 112 via the return air conduit 114. The air handler unit 112 may be driven by a blower fan and motor 116, direct the air through and across a heat exchanger unit 120, which may be configured to heat and / or cool the air as desired, and distribute the air from the supply air vent 122 via one or more supply conduits 124 to environments within the building, such as rooms, apartments, or offices, to maintain the environments at a predetermined temperature. A controller, such as a thermostat (not shown), may be used to set the temperature of the conditioned air. The controller may also be used to control the flow of air through and out of the air handler unit 112, and to diagnose mechanical or electrical problems with the air handler unit 112. Other devices may also be included in the system, such as control valves to regulate the flow of refrigerant, and pressure and / or temperature transducers or switches to sense the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant, air, etc. Additionally, the controller may communicate with computer systems that may be integrated with other building control or monitoring systems or may be separate, and even systems remote from the building.

[0013] The outdoor unit 104 may include a condenser assembly 126 (e.g., a radiator) and an exhaust assembly 128 disposed, for example, next to the building wall 106. The condenser assembly 126 may be fluidly connected to the air handler unit 112 of the indoor unit 102 via the refrigerant lines 108. In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 1, the outdoor unit 104 may have the condenser assembly 126 and the exhaust assembly 128 disposed in a stacked configuration or a vertical exhaust configuration. However, in some other embodiments, the condenser assembly 126 and the exhaust assembly 128 may be disposed side-by-side, or in a horizontal exhaust configuration, or other configurations to achieve similar results.

[0014] The condenser assembly 126 can include a fan assembly 130 configured to draw cool ambient air (as indicated by arrow 132) through one or more condenser coils 134. For example, when the system 100 is turned on in a cooling mode (as shown in FIG. 1 ), hot refrigerant flows through the condenser coils 134 (i.e., the heat transfer medium) and the fan assembly 130 rotates to draw ambient air surrounding the condenser assembly 126 across the lower condenser coils 134 and into a lower section of the condenser assembly 126 (cooling the refrigerant by heat transfer).

[0015] As shown, the fan assembly 130 may include one or more fans 129 and one or more motors 131 (only one shown in FIG. 1 ) operably coupled to drive the fans 129. In some implementations, each of the one or more fans 129 may be identical to one another, while in some other implementations, the one or more fans 129 may have different shapes and sizes. The fans 129 may include one or more fan blades, the angle of the blades rotating the air and directing the air into the condenser assembly 126. Examples of the fans 129 may include, but are not limited to, low pressure axial fans, propeller fans, tube axial fans, vane axial fans, mixed flow impeller fans, centrifugal fans, and the like. The selection of the fan may depend on one or more variables related to the application, such as the flow requirements, pressure, power, or geometry of the application. In one example, the fan assembly 130 may include a motor shaft, and the fan 129 may be attached to the motor shaft to be driven by the motor 131. In another embodiment, the fan assembly 130 can include a fan shaft and a motor shaft, each having a sheave, and a belt contacting both sheaves and configured to transfer torque from the motor 131 to the fan 129. In yet another embodiment, the fan assembly 130 can include the motor 131, a gearbox, and a coupling therebetween configured to transfer torque to the fan 129.

[0016] The outdoor unit 104 may further include a compressor 140 configured to circulate a refrigerant between the condenser coil 134 and the heat exchanger unit 120 of the indoor unit 102. For example, the compressor 140 may be configured to reduce the volume of refrigerant vapor, thereby increasing the temperature and pressure of the vapor, and directing it to the condenser coil 134. The compressor 140 may be embodied as any suitable compressor, such as a screw compressor, a reciprocating compressor, a rotary compressor, a swing link compressor, a scroll compressor, a turbine compressor, or any other type of compressor known in the art.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the outdoor unit 104 further includes a fluid flow augmentation device 136, which is disposed in fluid communication with the fan assembly 130 and the exhaust assembly 128 and configured to increase the fluid flow (in this example, airflow from the fan assembly 130) through and around the heat exchanger unit (i.e., the condenser coil 134 in this example) to improve heat exchange efficiency or cooling capacity without significant additional power consumption. The fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be disposed downstream and / or upstream of the fan 129. In some embodiments, such as those shown in FIGS. 1-3, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be disposed vertically in a stacked configuration within the outdoor unit 104 implemented as a vertical or top exhaust assembly. However, it may be understood that the positioning and orientation of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may vary depending on the configuration of the outdoor unit and / or the end application in which the fluid flow augmentation device 136 is used. For example, in an outdoor unit implemented as a side or horizontal exhaust assembly, the fluid flow augmentation device may be positioned horizontally in front of the fan assembly rather than stacked on top of the fan assembly. Additionally, although only one fluid flow augmentation device 136 is shown and described herein, it may be understood that the fluid circulation system 100 and / or the outdoor unit 104 may include multiple fluid flow augmentation devices, for example, arranged in parallel or series with one another, and each of the fluid flow augmentation devices may operate in a similar manner and / or cooperate with one another to further increase fluid flow and improve heat exchange efficiency.

[0018] In some embodiments, the condenser coil 134 may be disposed downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device 136. Air within the condenser assembly 126 may be directed upward and outward (as illustrated by arrows 138) through the exhaust assembly 128 by the fan assembly 130 and the fluid flow augmentation device 136. To this end, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may include one or more fluid directing structures, such as orifices, conduits, or ducts, positioned to direct and entrain additional ambient airflow to supplement the airflow from the fan assembly 130 (referred to as the "first airflow" and shown, for example, in FIG. 10 by a set of arrows 1002) and the gas flow rate "(referred to as the first gas flow rate)" to generate an augmented or "combined airflow" having a "combined gas flow rate" exiting the fluid flow augmentation device 130. The combined gas flow rate is greater than the first gas flow rate from the fan assembly 130, and the combined gas flow rate impinges on a heat exchanger unit (i.e., in this example, the condenser coil 134), thereby cooling the refrigerant by heat transfer. In some examples, the combined gas flow rate may be at least 30% greater than the first gas flow rate, and in other examples, the combined gas flow rate may be at least 50% greater than the first gas flow rate.

[0019] The fluid flow augmentation device 136 of the present disclosure (hereinafter referred to as device 136) provides an improved overall cooling amount for a given footprint and power consumption of a fluid circulation system such as the system 100 of the present embodiment. The device 136 may provide, for example, 5% more fluid flow rate or 10% less energy consumption for a given energy consumption compared to the fluid flow rate of the same system without such a device. In some embodiments, in the absence of ambient cross winds, the system 100 with the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may have an improved fluid flow rate in the range of about 5% to about 60% drawn through the condenser assembly 126 or other air handling system with less than a 1% improvement in power consumption. In some other examples, when operating with ambient cross winds in the range of about 4 meters per second (m / s) to about 8 meters per second (m / s), the system 100 with the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may have an improved fluid flow rate in the range of about 40% to about 60% drawn through the condenser assembly 126 or other air handling system with less than a 1% improvement in power consumption. For example, fluid testing with pilot systems and fluid simulations has demonstrated an increase in fluid flow rate of over 50% compared to the nominal gas flow rate without the device 136 .

[0020] Although the present disclosure is provided for the fluid flow augmentation device 136 to be implemented as part of the HVAC system 100, it may be contemplated that the device 136 may also be implemented in heat pumps operated in heating or cooling modes to increase airflow across, for example, external heat exchangers, HVAC exchangers (V-shaped, flat, or other forms of heat exchangers and condensers), exhaust, computers, air conditioning chillers, commercial refrigeration systems, industrial freezers, chillers, vehicle HVAC or air conditioning systems for cooling vehicles, or any other heat removal systems, improving their fluid handling efficiency and capacity in a manner similar to the present disclosure described herein. Additionally, the present disclosure provides applications for the fluid flow augmentation device 136. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be adapted for use with other devices incorporating fans to increase the flow rate of fluid exiting the fan.

[0021] In one aspect as illustrated herein, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 can be positioned downstream of the fan 129 to increase or multiply the airflow and improve heat exchange within the condenser coil 134 (containing the hot coolant) positioned downstream of the device 136. In some other embodiments, the fan 129 can alternatively be positioned downstream of the device 136, while in some other embodiments, the outdoor unit 104 can include two or more fans, for example, one positioned upstream of the device 136 and another positioned downstream of the device 136. In still other examples, the outdoor unit 104 can include a first fan positioned upstream of the device 136 and a second fan positioned within the device 136 itself.

[0022] 2 is a side elevational view of an outdoor unit 104 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, an outer condenser housing 202 of the condenser assembly 126 may be supported on a condenser base 204, and the exhaust assembly 128 may be supported or mounted on the condenser housing 202. In some examples, the condenser housing 202 may be a stamped sheet metal housing with perforations that allow airflow and may be configured to protect the outer fins (such as aluminum fins) of the condenser coil 134. Additionally, the condenser coil 134 may include a seal (e.g., a foam seal) on the top to force air through the coil 134 instead of bypassing the top.

[0023] The cooled ambient air 132 may be drawn into the condenser 126, and the warm air may be exhausted (as shown by arrow 138) through a stack outlet 205 of the exhaust assembly 128. In one embodiment, the exhaust assembly 128 may include an exhaust stack 127 that allows for exhaust air to be discharged into the environment through the exhaust outlet 205. The exhaust stack 127 may be implemented as a traditional stack and / or a speed reduction (recovery) stack in some examples, where the gas flow rate may be reduced and the horsepower requirements for the fan 129 may be reduced. However, in some alternative embodiments, the exhaust stack 127 may be formed into a nozzle shape or simply an orifice and may be located downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 to exhaust the airflow. Additionally, acoustic radiation reducing materials may be applied internally or externally to the exhaust stack 127 and / or other system components to reduce radiated noise levels. Additionally, insulation may be applied to the components to increase thermal efficiency. It will be appreciated that the materials used for insulation and noise reduction may be the same in some embodiments, and that the exhaust assembly 128 may include additional or fewer components to achieve similar functionality in various implementations.

[0024] In the illustrated embodiment, the exhaust stack 127 may include outer walls 206-1, 206-2 that may extend parallel to one another from above the condenser-stack transition 208 to a stack transition line 210 to define a first stack section 212, e.g., a stack central section, and may further taper from the stack transition line 210 toward the stack outlet 205 to define a second stack section 214. The second stack section 214 may define a trapezoidal cross-section configured to facilitate a reduction in the velocity of the exhaust air, and is therefore also referred to as a velocity reduction section of the exhaust stack 127. In one embodiment, the second stack section 214 may define a clearance angle of 7°, although other configurations are contemplated to achieve similar results. The condenser-exhaust stack transition 208 may be configured to accommodate potential variations in layout between the condenser housing 202 and the exhaust stack 127. In some embodiments, the exhaust stack 127 may have a form factor aligned with that of the condenser housing 202 (e.g., square shape) to facilitate mounting the exhaust stack 127 on the condenser housing 202, while in some other embodiments, they may be different (e.g., the exhaust stack 127 may be rounded or have a square to circular transition for mounting to the condenser housing 202) to further enhance fluid flow enhancement and benefit vortex generation of the internal airflow. Additionally, while the stack transition line 210 and the condenser-stack transition 208 are shown as straight, it will be understood that either or both of them may be curved to improve aerodynamic characteristics. Additionally, while the exhaust stack 127 is shown and described as having a velocity reduction section 214, it may be contemplated that the exhaust stack 127 without such a section may be implemented in some alternative embodiments. Additionally, the design and contours of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may also be configured to increase or decrease the amount of vortex generation to suit a desired application and / or to generate laminar and non-vortex airflow through the system 100.

[0025] Although only one exhaust assembly 128 is shown and described, it will be appreciated that in larger installations, multiple exhaust assemblies may be used in combination to handle larger volumes of airflow. Multiple fluid flow augmentation devices and exhaust assemblies may be installed in a single cooling system. Additionally, in some embodiments, vortex generators (not shown) may be installed within the exhaust stack 127, or may be attached to the interior or exterior of the fluid flow augmentation device 136, or to surrounding structures, for example, to increase turbulence to induce or entrain larger airflows through the fluid flow augmentation device 136 or system 100.

[0026] 3 and 4, the condenser assembly 126 may include a first or lower condenser section 302 having a lower section of the condenser coil 134 and a second or upper condenser section 304 having an upper section of the condenser coil 134 therein. The fan 129 may be configured to draw cool ambient air through the lower condenser section 302, while the fluid flow augmentation device 136 draws additional air (such as ambient air via one or more air ducts 404) through the upper condenser section 304 and induces heated air (shown as 138) to be exhausted through the exhaust stack outlet 205 via the velocity reduction section 214.

[0027] The condenser assembly 126 may include, for example, a support member 306 to form a partition between the lower condenser section 302 and the upper condenser section 304. In the illustrated embodiment, the support member 306 is embodied as a laterally disposed table (hereafter referred to as table 306) configured to be disposed around and mount the fan 129 thereon, while the motor 131 may be mounted either above or below the fan 129. The table 306 may support the fan 129 and define a tabletop on which the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be disposed. The table 306 may further be configured to partition an airflow upstream of the fan 129 from an airflow adjacent the fan 129. The table 306 may further include or support a bellmouth radius 402 (as shown in FIG. 4 ) that may be positioned and transitioned between the table 306 and the fluid flow augmentation device 136 to guide the airflow from the fan 129 to the fluid flow augmentation device 136. In some embodiments, this bellmouth radius 402 may be formed as an integral part of either the device 136 or the table 306, while in some other embodiments, it may be a separate structure disposed between the two. The table 306 may also include or support a horizontal or lateral partition (not shown) disposed between and extending between one or more edges of the table 306 and the condenser housing 202. The horizontal partition may be configured to prevent recycling around the edges of the table 306, allowing the fan 129 to draw in ambient air. In some embodiments, the table 306 may be positioned according to the desired height of the fan 129, which in this embodiment is shown at approximately 50% of the height of the condenser coil 134 from the condenser base 204.

[0028] Additionally, four walls may be vertically positioned extending downward from the table 306 along the longitudinal axis of the outdoor unit 104 toward the condenser base 204 and function as table legs 308. The table legs 308 may function as dividers for the lower condenser section 302 and may be configured to support the table 306 and the fan and motor assembly 130 to suppress cross winds as well. In some embodiments, the table legs 308 may be spaced 90 degrees apart from one another around a central axis (not shown) of the assembly supporting the table 306 and may be configured to help guide the air drawn through the fan 129. For example, the table legs 308 may function as straightening vanes to efficiently guide the air to the inlet of the device 136, and thus rotating these vanes may also be used to create appropriate changes in the direction of the airflow through the fluid flow augmentation device 136. Additionally, as shown, one or more exterior partition walls 310 may be disposed on the table 306 and disposed between the fluid flow augmentation device 136 and the condenser assembly 126, thereby creating a box-like structure and creating a partition from the exterior corners of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 to the interior corners of the housing of the fan and motor assembly 130, preventing cross winds from blowing directly through the condenser 126. For example, the exterior partition walls 310 may capture cross winds and redirect the cross wind flow to align with the exhaust of the surrounding fluid flow augmentation device 136 rather than just rising through the center of the device 136. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be supported on the table 306 and table legs 308, and an annular space may be defined between the device 136 and the upper condenser section 304 surrounding the device 136. The annular space may be configured to increase the flow rate of the entrained airflow of additional air entrained by the device 136 into the annular space.

[0029] The details of the structure and operation of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 5-9. The fluid flow augmentation device 136 includes an annular body 502 (e.g., a generally cylindrical body as shown) extending along a longitudinal axis 504 of the device 136. It will be appreciated that when positioned in a vertical exhaust assembly, the longitudinal axis 504 of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be parallel to the longitudinal axis or Y-axis of the outdoor unit 104, while when positioned in a side exhaust assembly, the longitudinal axis 504 may be parallel to the Z-axis of the outdoor unit 104. However, it is contemplated that these orientations of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 are described with respect to certain aspects and may be varied to achieve similar results. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may have a form factor including one or more profiles, such as circular, square, elliptical, triangular, lobed, screw-shaped, etc., when viewed from upstream. The annular body 502 defines a first longitudinal end 506 and a second longitudinal end 508 opposite the first longitudinal end 506 along the axis 504. In one embodiment, the first longitudinal end 506 may define an air inlet 507 for the device 136 which may be positioned to contact and engage the table 306, for example, while the second longitudinal end 508 may define an air outlet 509 for the device 136 which may be positioned to contact and engage the exhaust stack 127. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may have a generally conical shape with a larger opening at the second longitudinal end 508 (i.e., air outlet 509) and may taper in a direction opposite to the direction of airflow such that the second longitudinal end 508 has a relatively smaller opening at the first longitudinal end 506 (i.e., air inlet 507).

[0030] The air inlet 507 may be a bell-mouth ring inlet that may be configured to be located at the center of the fan 129. The fan air from the fan 129 may enter the fluid flow augmentation device 136 via an inlet edge of the air inlet 507 around the inner cone 514 and the duct 404 of the device 136. The air outlet 509 may also define an exhaust edge that may have an increased geometric perimeter relative to the air inlet 507 and be implemented as one or more of a blending lobe, a scalloped edge, an elliptical pattern, or one or more chevrons that may include a partial ellipse, a scalloped pattern, or the like. In some embodiments, the air inlet 507 and outlet 509 may include a perimeter to facilitate efficient airflow therethrough. The fan air entering from the fan 129 having a first gas flow rate (hereinafter, the "first air flow", e.g., as shown by the set of arrows 1002 in FIG. 10) may be configured to travel in a specified direction (shown by arrows 706, 708 in FIG. 7), which in the illustrated example is defined as from the fan 129 to the stack outlet 205 via the fluid flow augmentation device 136. As will be appreciated, the blades of the fan 129 may be angled to rotate the air and direct it through the fluid flow augmentation device 136 via the inlet 507 and into the condenser assembly 126 .

[0031] The device 136 further includes one or more exterior walls 510 that may be configured to extend between the first end 506 and the second end 508 and define a perimeter and an interior volume of the device 136. In some examples, the exterior walls 510 may have a circular, square, elliptical, triangular, lobed, or screw-like configuration when viewed from above. The interior volume of the device 136 may be divided into two sections: a first or inner cone 514 and a second or outer cone 516 that is fluidly connected to the inner cone 514. Each of the inner cone 514 and the outer cone 516 are fluidly connected to the air inlet 507 and the air outlet 509 and may be configured to generate a respective internal airflow within the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device 136, and the airflow from each of these sections may be configured to supplement the combined airflow before exiting the outlet 509. The outer cone 516 may be supported by the air inlet 507. In one example, the inner cone 514 may further include an aperture or opening 518 located at the lower end (i.e., the end facing or proximate to the fan 129) for energizing the airflow rising through the inner cone 514. The aperture or opening 518 may be even larger for a larger percentage of airflow. In some other embodiments, the opening 518 may include a surface forming a tube, a cone, or any other shape beyond that extending toward the outlet edge. Alternatively, the bottom of the inner cone 514 may remain closed.

[0032] 7, in one embodiment, the fan air inlet 507 may transition into an outer cone 516 to define a fan transition area 702 of the fluid flow augmentation device 136. As shown, the outer cone 516 may be angled away from the central axis 504 until a transition point 704 where the outer wall 510 transitions toward the central axis 504 of the device 136. One or more openings (not shown) may be provided in the fan transition area 702 to form, for example, a Coanda surface for receiving high velocity fan air. It will be appreciated that the angles and intersections of the outer cone 516, transition point 704, and other surfaces may be smoothed or rounded to enhance aerodynamics and airflow efficiency, as opposed to sharp angles in the design that may impede flow. Fan 129 rotates the air and directs it at an angle (as indicated by arrow 706) to air inlet 507 where it interacts with duct 404 causing it to change direction and align with wall 510 (as indicated by arrow 708).

[0033] 5 and 6, in one embodiment, the outer wall 510 may further define one or more fluid guide structures, such as air channels or conduits 512 (hereinafter referred to as conduits 512) fluidly connected to receive air driven by the fan 129 (i.e., the first airflow 1002) and guide the air around the device 136 and into the exhaust assembly 128. In some examples, the conduits 512 may be symmetrically arranged about the periphery of the device 136, each extending longitudinally along the axis 504 and defining a hollow cross-sectional shape with one or more contact surfaces that guide the air from the fan 129 to funnel vertically into the conduits 512, for example, from the device 136, above the condenser assembly 126, and through the exhaust stack 127. The outer wall 510 may facilitate alignment of the first airflow from the fan 129 with the exhaust stack 127. In some implementations, the conduit 512 may be implemented as an airfoil having inlet and outlet faces with multiple peripheries defined thereon to allow the fan air to directly enter the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device 136, where it may be added to the second airflow (e.g., additional ambient airflow) of the device 136 to augment the output airflow to the exhaust assembly 128 of the device 136. Although only one fan 129 is shown and described, it may be understood that if multiple fans are included, they may all contribute to the inlet airflow in a similar manner. Furthermore, if multiple fluid flow augmentation devices are included, each fan may contribute to the inlet of the fluid flow augmentation device. In such implementations, the fluid flow augmentation devices may be laid in a pattern around the airflow from the fan(s) 129 to provide an efficient inlet for the fan air. Furthermore, in some implementations where multiple fluid flow augmentation devices 136 are connected in series, the duct 404 may be formed to extend to direct the second airflow beyond each fluid flow augmentation device.

[0034] Further, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the exterior wall 510 may be provided with additional fluid directing structures, such as one or more orifices or ducts (e.g., ducts 404) to allow additional ambient air to enter the interior volume (or core) of the device 136 to supplement the airflow from the fan 129 via the air inlet 507, thereby forming a combined airflow having a corresponding combined gas flow rate exiting the outlet 509 of the device 136. To this end, in the illustrated embodiment, the conduits 512 are configured to be spaced apart from one another, for example at an angle of about 90°, to define one or more orifices that include corresponding air ducts 404. The ducts 404 may also be positioned and spaced apart around the periphery of the fluid flow augmentation device 136. The air ducts 404 may be configured to fluidly connect each conduit to the air outside the fluid flow augmentation device 136. As illustrated, the air ducts 404 can also have a suitable aerodynamic profile to facilitate the intake of additional air from around and outside the device 136. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the conduits 512 can include respective exterior surfaces 902 that can define the profile of the ducts 404, and these exterior surfaces 902 (as well as one or more surfaces of the inner cone 514 in some embodiments) can incorporate one or more patterns, such as, but not limited to, chevrons, scallops, or ellipses, to facilitate increased airflow into the fluid flow augmentation device 136. Additionally, the ducts 404 can be configured to merge with the outer wall 510 of the corresponding conduit 512 to define one or more outer duct corners 904 and merge with the inner cone 514 to define inner duct corners 906. The profile of the ducts 404, the inner surface 902 of the conduits 512, and the corners 904, 906 can be designed to enhance airflow. In some implementations, the duct 404 may extend beyond the annulus 502, for example to surround all or a portion of the air or fluid inlet 507 at the first end 506. In some other implementations, the duct 404 may merge with one or more other ducts provided in the fluid flow augmentation device 136.

[0035] The ducts 404 may be fluidly separated from the air inlet 507 to induce additional air from the periphery to the center of the device 136 (e.g., inner cone 514) and entrain it with the first airflow (i.e., the fan airflow) to generate a combined airflow that may then be exhausted through the exhaust assembly 128. This induced airflow (hereinafter referred to as the "second airflow" and shown, for example, by the set of arrows 1004 in FIG. 10) may have a corresponding airflow (hereinafter referred to as the "second airflow") that combines with the first airflow from the fan 129 to generate a combined airflow. Additionally, the ducts 404 may each define respective airflows, all of which supplement the first airflow and contribute to the combined airflow.

[0036] For example, during operation, high velocity air from the fan 129 may be exhausted through the top of the fluid flow augmentation device 136, which creates vortices downstream of the exhaust edge of the conduit 512. These vortices create a low pressure area in the central region of the device 136 (e.g., inner cone 514), which induces air from the center downstream into the surrounding high velocity flow. This low pressure facilitates the ingress of a second airflow through the duct 404 inside the device 136, as described above. The first and second airflows may then combine due to mixing from the vortices from the high velocity air moving within the conduit, creating a combined airflow.

[0037] In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7 , the duct 404 may have a periphery and a closed end as shown toward the duct lower end 405, and an axis of symmetry 171 that may be angled relative to the longitudinal axis 504 of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 to enable rotational or swirling flow of air downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device 136. For example, the duct 404 may be angled downstream relative to the axis of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 by an angle ranging from about 10° to 80°. In some implementations, the air ducts 404 may be located at approximately equal angular distances from each other and approximately equal linear geometric distances from the fan 129. In some alternative implementations, the ducts 404 may not be located at equal distances from each other, but may be located at approximately equal linear geometric distances from the fan 129. In still other implementations, at least some of the ducts 404 may not be located at equal distances from the fan 129. The duct 404 may be in the form of an airfoil, a Coanda surface, a venturi, a suction nozzle, an ejector, an injector, an eductor, etc. As will be appreciated, the duct 404 and other components described herein of the present disclosure may be oriented in a symmetric or asymmetric arrangement as appropriate for the application. For example, asymmetry may be beneficial in applications where the second airflow 1004 accesses the fluid flow augmentation device 136 from one direction. In other applications where the second airflow 1004 accesses the fluid flow augmentation device 136 from two opposing directions, the duct 404 may bifurcate the fluid flow augmentation device 136.

[0038] In some additional embodiments, one or more orifices and / or passages (not shown) may be added to the inner cone 514 and / or duct 404 to add a secondary airflow induced relative to the high velocity air from the fan 129 and motivate the secondary airflow downstream toward the exhaust edge. These orifices and passages may also be used to assemble one or more fluid flow augmentation devices 136 in series or parallel downstream of the first device 136. The orifices may be provided in symmetrical or asymmetrical layouts with varying lengths and angles from the central axis 504 of the device 136. Additionally, in some embodiments, the duct 404 may be perpendicular to the central axis of the airflow or may be set at an angle of the axis between 10-180° to enhance airflow efficiency.

[0039] Additionally, a "third airflow" (indicated in FIG. 10 by a set of arrows 1006) of air may be configured to be drawn through the upper condenser section 304 around the device 136 and entrained with the first airflow 1002 and the second airflow 1004 from the fan 129 to further supplement the combined airflow output to the exhaust assembly 128. In one embodiment, the third airflow and corresponding third gas flow rate may be configured not to pass through an interior volume or center of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 to supplement the combined airflow and combined gas flow rate. For example, an annular space defined between the device 136 and the upper condenser section 304 surrounding the device 136 may be configured to allow the third airflow to flow into the combined airflow exhausted from the exhaust assembly 128.

[0040] The fluid flow augmentation device 136 of the present disclosure may be configured to modify the first airflow 1002 to generate a combined airflow through one or more of non-vortex turbulent motion, non-vortex laminar motion, or vortex (described above). For example, depending on the end application, it may be beneficial to increase or decrease laminar, turbulent, and vortex flows in different sections of the fluid circulation system for heat transfer and airflow efficiency. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the three airflows may be combined downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device 136, while in some alternative or additional embodiments, the three airflows may be combined within the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device 136. Furthermore, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be designed to create either the second airflow and / or the third airflow in any desired ratio when combined into the total flow rate of the system 100. In some additional or alternative implementations, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be designed to utilize only the ambient third airflow to be combined with the first airflow from the fan 129. Furthermore, when multiple fluid flow augmentation devices are employed, it will be understood that each device generates its respective combined airflow in a similar manner.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may also include one or more interior partitions 802 (shown in FIG. 8 ), for example, disposed within the inner cone 514, to define corresponding interior compartments having respective interior volumes within the device 136. Each of the interior compartments is configured to fluidly connect with the air inlets 507 as well as the air outlets 509 of the fluid flow augmentation device 136. It will be understood that the number and configuration of the interior partitions 802 and interior compartments are shown and described herein by way of example and may be varied to achieve similar results. In one embodiment, the interior partitions 802 may also include a suitable aerodynamic profile and may have a suitable angle to complement and match the profile and angle of the duct 404. The interior partitions 802 may be configured to prevent cross winds from blowing through the center of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 and modify the direction of the airflow therein.

[0042] As previously described, the application of the fluid flow augmentation device 136 in an HVAC system is one example of how the device may be used. It will be appreciated that such a device may be implemented in many applications, such as increasing airflow across external heat exchangers, HVAC exchangers (V-shaped, flat-plate, or other types of heat exchangers and condensers), exhaust, computer, and air conditioning cooling devices, commercial refrigeration systems, industrial freezers, or vehicle air conditioning systems for cooling vehicles, improving their fluid flow handling efficiency and capacity, and therefore improving their overall power consumption. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the fluid flow augmentation device 136 not only increases the volume of fluid flow through a single fluid circulation system, but in applications having multiple fluid circulation systems, the fluid flow augmentation device 136 may be adapted to increase the total fluid flow through these fluid circulation systems. The increased or increased fluid flow rate may be equal or unequal in each of the fluid circulation systems.

[0043] 11-22, several other embodiments of the fluid flow augmentation device of the present disclosure are provided.

[0044] 11 illustrates an example of a radiator and horizontal condenser system 1100 including a fluid flow augmentation device 1102 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, ambient air (indicated at 1101) is drawn through a radiator coil 1104 by a fan assembly 1106 including a motor 1108 and a fan 1110 having fan blades. Additional air (indicated at 1112) may be entrained with air from the fan 1110 flowing from the fluid flow augmentation device 1102 to generate a combined airflow. This airflow is then exhausted (indicated at 1114) from an exhaust stack 1116 in a similar manner as described above. In this embodiment, the system 1100 may include one or more dividers 1118 configured to direct a crosswind airflow. As illustrated, the system 1100 may be supported by a housing 1120.

[0045] FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a dry air-cooled radiator system 1200 including a fluid flow augmentation device 1202 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, ambient air (shown as 1201) is drawn through one or more radiator coils 1204 by a fan assembly 1206 including a fan having a motor and fan blades. The radiator coils 1204 may be one or more rows deep. Additional air (represented as 1208) may be entrained with air from the fan 1206 flowing from the device 1202 to create a combined airflow, and warm air (represented as 1210) may be exhausted from an exhaust stack 1212 (and / or via a velocity reduction section 1213) in a similar manner as described above. In this embodiment, the system 1200 may include one or more dividers 1214 configured to guide the crosswind airflow. As illustrated, the system 1200 may be supported by a housing 1216.

[0046] 13 illustrates an example of a system 1300 including a fluid flow augmentation device 1302 implemented in a mixing lobe design according to yet another embodiment of the disclosure. The system 1300 includes a bottom fan air inlet 1304, a mixing lobe outer radius 1306, a mixing lobe inner radius 1308, and an upper exhaust lip 1310 of the fluid flow augmentation device 1302. A fan assembly 1312 having a motor 1314 and a fan 1316 may be configured to draw in inlet air (indicated by arrow 1318) and exhaust air may flow upward (indicated by arrow 1320) and exit the exhaust lip 1310. This may induce additional airflow upward (indicated by arrow 1322) through an exhaust stack 1324. Design features such as mixing lobes, scallops, ellipses, and chevrons may extend the length of the interface along the exhaust lip 1310 of the fluid flow augmentation device 1302, thereby promoting turbulent mixing with the fan airflow along with the entrained and induced airflow. The generation of vortices by these features may further improve performance. For example, the outer radius 1306 of the mixing lobe, the inner radius 1308 of the mixing lobe may be curved or angled relative to the central axis of the system 1300, which may generate increased turbulence, or vortex flow, downstream of the upper exhaust lip 1310.

[0047] FIG. 14 illustrates an alternative layout of a fan assembly 1400 that may be implemented to drive air into a fluid flow augmentation device 1402 according to some additional or alternative embodiments of the present disclosure. The fan assembly 1400 includes a motor 1404 and a fan 1406 having fan blades mounted in a fan inlet nozzle 1408 of the device 1402. Additional air 1410 may be drawn into a converging portion 1412 of the device 1402, and exhaust air 1414 may exit from an outlet portion 1416 of the device 1402 in a manner similar to that described above. In some implementations, the outlet portion 1416 may be suitably designed to facilitate the entrainment of ambient air into the exhaust air 1414. One or more ducts 1418 may be used to draw air into the center of the device 1402. In some other implementations, an eductor, venturi, suction nozzle, injector, or ejector may be employed instead. Additionally, a Coanda surface may be placed downstream of the nozzle 1408 to induce or draw more air into the convergence 1412. In this, as well as some other, embodiments of the device 1402, the inlet nozzle 1408 or equivalent component may be expanded as a conduit to allow the device 1402 design to accommodate various geometric requirements of the application and to create an efficient layout of the device 1402 that increases induced and entrained flow rates. For example, a venturi, nozzle, ejector, injector, or eductor may be used to generate a high velocity airflow with low pressure to induce and entrain the increased airflow in the device 1402.

[0048] 15 depicts a system 1500 having a fluid flow augmentation device 1501 according to some additional or alternative embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the system 1500 includes an exhaust assembly 1503 having an exhaust stack 1505. As shown, the exhaust assembly 1503 may further include a wind band 1502 attached to the exhaust assembly 1503 and a fluidic diode 1504 inside the stack 1505. The wind band 1502 may be configured to add airflow efficiency to the exhaust flow in crosswinds, while the fluidic diode 1504 is configured to improve the exhaust flow in downwind situations. The wind band 1502 and the fluidic diode 1504 may be supported by internal column supports and other structures (not shown). 15, the windband 1502 may be configured to direct the horizontal airflow of the crosswind (as illustrated by arrow 1506) to align with the exhaust flow 1507 (i.e., the combined airflow coming from the fan assembly 1509 via the fluid flow augmentation device 1501). Additionally, the fluidic diode 1504 may be configured to redirect the airflow against the exhaust (as illustrated by arrow 1510) to align with the exhaust flow 1507.

[0049] FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a system 1600 including an outer housing of an HVAC condenser assembly with an air inlet extension, according to another embodiment of the disclosure. As illustrated, the system 1600 includes a condenser assembly 1602 having a fluid flow augmentation device 1702 (shown in FIG. 17) and a fan assembly (not shown for simplicity) disposed therein, in a manner similar to that described above. The internal fan and fluid flow augmentation device 1702 draws cool ambient air 1604 into the fluid flow augmentation device 1702 through the condenser section 1602 guided by one or more outer partitions 1704 (similar to the outer partitions 310 described above). Heated exhaust air 1606 is exhausted through an exhaust stack 1608, a velocity reduction section 1610. In a crosswind environment, the ambient air 1604 is guided into the condenser section 1602 by the air inlet extension 1612, which may include a bottom panel 1614, a vertical outer edge of the outer partition extension 1616, and a top panel of the air inlet extension 1618, as shown. The dimensions and configuration of the air inlet extension 1612 may be modified or increased to channel increased cool ambient air 1604 into the condenser assembly 1602. For example, the outer partition extension 1616 and the top panel of the inlet extension 1618 may be configured to channel airflow toward the center of the assembly. The entire assembly is supported by a base 1620 in a manner similar to that already described. As will be appreciated, multiple fluid flow augmentation devices may also be installed to share a common exhaust flow, exhaust stack 1608, and / or velocity reduction section 1610.

[0050] 18 illustrates an example of a system 1800 according to additional or alternative embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the system 1800 may be electronically controlled by a controller 1802. To this end, the system includes a fluid flow augmentation device 1804, a condenser assembly having an upper condenser section 1806 and a lower condenser section 1808, an exhaust stack 1810, a velocity reduction section 1812, a fan assembly having a fan 1814 supported on a table 1816 and table legs 1817 and driven by a motor 1818, and an outer partition wall 1820. All of these components are arranged and implemented in a manner similar to that previously described.

[0051] As previously described, the fan 1814 draws in cool ambient air through the lower condenser section 1808, and the fluid flow augmentation device 1804 draws in additional air through the upper condenser section 1806. The heated air 1822 is exhausted through the exhaust stack 1810, the velocity reduction section 1812. In this embodiment, the temperature of the airflow can be measured by the air temperature sensor 1824, while the velocity of the airflow can be measured by the air velocity sensor 1826. The air velocity and temperature data can be sent to the controller 1802, which can implement control logic to determine the most appropriate fan speed for the current environmental conditions and adjust the fan speed by communicating and controlling the motor speed controller 1828. In an exemplary embodiment, as cross winds increase, the controller 1802 can control the motor 1818 via the motor speed controller 1828, and the fan motor speed can be reduced, for example, to maintain an airflow equivalent to a zero cross wind condition. This can reduce the electrical consumption of the unit in cross wind applications. Additionally, the controller 1802 may be further configured to circulate the coolant through the condenser assembly while fan power is shut off, for example to benefit from airflow in cross drafts or ambient cooling. In some alternative implementations, a pressure sensor (not shown) may be used in place of the wind speed sensor to achieve similar results. Additionally, additional coolant temperature, ambient air temperature, wind speed, or pressure sensors (not shown) may provide inputs to the controller 1802 to monitor atmospheric conditions and determine optimal fan speed for current environmental conditions. Additionally, although sensors are shown and described as being located downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device 1802, this is one aspect of the description and one skilled in the art will appreciate that other sensor placements are possible while achieving similar results.

[0052] FIG. 19 illustrates an alternative design of a fluid flow augmentation device 1900 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The fluid flow augmentation device 1900 includes a fan air inlet 1902 that transitions from the fan bell mouth to an outer cone 1904 of the device. The fluid flow augmentation device further includes an outer cone surface 1906 that extends to an exhaust surface 1908. In an exemplary embodiment, the exhaust surface 1908 is angled to form an inverted chevron configured to contribute to turbulent mixing of the airflow. In some other implementations, other shapes such as, but not limited to, a partial ellipse can also be used in place of the chevron to encourage turbulent mixing of the fan airflow with the surrounding and central airflows. In some additional or alternative implementations, the edge of the exhaust surface 1908 can also be fluted, scalloped, etc. to increase the edge length of the interface between the fan air and the additional air drawn into the fluid flow augmentation device 1900. Additionally, as shown, the fluid flow augmentation device 1900 includes one or more inlet ducts 1910 configured for air to flow into a center cone (not shown). A fan assembly having a motor 1912 and a fan 1914 having fan blades is shown at the bottom of the fluid flow augmentation device 1900 such that the fan airflow as well as the air induced through the center of the device 1900 exits through an exhaust 1908. Additionally, the downstream edges of the outer cone surface 1906 and the inner cone surface (not shown) may be parallel or offset to the central axis of the airflow to contribute additional air induction.

[0053] In another embodiment, Figure 20 illustrates an example of a cooling tower 2000 according to aspects of the present disclosure. The cooling tower 2000 may be embodied as a cross-flow cooling tower, but in other examples may be embodied as a counter-flow cooling tower. The cooling tower 2000 includes one or more fill assemblies 2002 (only one shown in this example), a hot water distributor 2004 disposed above the fill assembly 2002, a cold water collection tank 2006 disposed below the fill assembly 2002, a fan assembly 2008, and an exhaust stack 2010 supported on the top of the cooling tower 2000.

[0054] The fill assembly 2002 may include one or more fills that may be configured to act as a heat transfer medium where air interacts with an evaporating liquid, such as hot water, to cool. The fill assembly 2002 may be implemented as a film fill and / or splash fill having one or more sheets of material and may be configured to have additional patterns, such as wrinkles, pleats, and / or other types of channels, to increase the cooling surface area and the path the hot water travels. Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 20, the cooling tower 2000 may include an asymmetric configuration, i.e., having a fill assembly 2002 on one side of the fan assembly 2008 and an exterior wall 2003 on the opposite side. However, in some other embodiments, the cooling tower 2000 may include a symmetric configuration, i.e., one fill assembly 2002 on each side of the fan assembly 2008.

[0055] The fan assembly 2008 may include one or more fans 2014 and one or more motors 2016 (only one shown in FIG. 20) operably coupled and configured to operate the fans 2014. In some implementations, the second fan may be located inside or outside the fluid flow augmentation device 2032. For example, the second fan may be set inside or downstream of an inner cone of the device 2032, where the inner cone may be kept larger than the second fan to increase airflow efficiency. The fan assembly 2008 may be configured to rotate and draw cool ambient air (indicated by arrow 2018) through the filling assembly 2002 (which cools the hot water by heat transfer). Examples of the fans 2014 may include, but are not limited to, low pressure axial fans, propeller fans, tube axial fans, vane axial fans, mixed flow impeller fans, centrifugal fans, and the like. The selection of the fan may depend on one or more variables related to the application, such as flow requirements, pressure, power, or geometry of the application. In one example, the fan assembly 2008 may include a motor shaft, and the fan 2014 may be attached to the motor shaft to be driven by the motor 2016. In another example, the fan assembly 2008 may include a fan shaft and a motor shaft, both of which have sheaves, and a belt contacting both of the sheaves configured to transfer torque from the motor 2016 to the fan 2014. In yet another example, the fan assembly 2008 may include the motor 2016, a gearbox, and a coupling therebetween configured to transfer torque to the fan 2014.

[0056] The exhaust stack 2010 may be configured such that the exhaust air is discharged to the environment via an outlet (as illustrated by arrow 2019). The exhaust stack 2010 may be implemented in some examples as a traditional stack and / or a velocity-reducing stack, in which the gas flow rate may be reduced and the horsepower requirements for the fan 2014 may be reduced. However, in some alternative embodiments, the exhaust stack 2010 may be formed into a nozzle shape or simply an orifice configured to exhaust the airflow. Additionally, materials for reducing acoustic radiation may be applied internally or externally to the exhaust stack 2010 and other system components to reduce radiated noise levels. Additionally, insulation may be used on the components to increase thermal efficiency. It will be appreciated that the materials used for insulation and noise reduction may be the same in some embodiments.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, the hot water distributor 2004 can receive hot water from hot water piping 2020, and the collected hot water 2022 is distributed to the filling assembly 2002 via one or more openings or nozzles 2024. The hot water is cooled as it, for example, drops downward (indicated by arrow 2025) through the filling assembly 2002, and the cooled water 2026 is collected in a cold water collection basin 2006. Further, the cooled water 2026 is moved through piping 2028 by a chilled water pump 2030, for example, to remove accumulated liquid in the basin 2006 and / or to supply water to equipment requiring the same for cooling and / or to return the water to the source.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, the cooling tower 2000 further includes a fluid flow augmentation device 2032 disposed in fluid communication with the fan assembly 2008 and the exhaust stack 2010 to increase the airflow through and around the fill assembly 2002 to improve heat exchange or cooling capacity without significant additional power consumption. For example, the fluid flow augmentation device 2032 can be disposed upstream and / or downstream of the fan assembly 2008. Although only one fluid flow augmentation device 2032 is shown, it can be understood that the cooling tower 2000 may include multiple fluid flow augmentation devices, for example, arranged in parallel or in series / stage with each other, and the multiple fluid flow augmentation devices may couple the generated airflow to one or more exhausts and / or may all be fed by the airflow of one or more fans upstream of the device 2032. Each of the fluid flow augmentation devices may operate in a similar manner and / or cooperate with each other to further increase the fluid flow and improve heat exchange capacity.

[0059] The fluid flow augmentation device 2032 may be implemented and may function in a similar manner as described above. For example, the fluid flow augmentation device 2032 may include a duct 2034 that may be configured to entrain and / or direct additional air (as indicated by arrow 2035) along with the fan air from the fan assembly 2008 to generate a combined airflow, with the warm air being exhausted from the stack 2010 in a similar manner as already described above. The gas flow rate of the combined airflow is greater than the first gas flow rate from the fan assembly 2008, and the combined airflow impinges on the filling assembly 2002. The fluid flow augmentation device 2032 may also be disposed on a support platform that, in this example, is configured to support the fan assembly 2008 and to form a partition of the airflow upstream of the fan assembly 2008 from the airflow adjacent to the fan assembly 2008. An air inlet divider (not shown) may further be disposed around the periphery of the table and configured to separate the downward airflow drawn beneath the device 2302 through the fan assembly 2008 from the upward airflow entrained and directed through the fluid flow augmentation device 2032. The table legs and outer divider walls may also be positioned in a similar manner as described above to facilitate efficient drawing of additional air through the fluid flow augmentation device 2032 and to inhibit cross winds from passing through the cooling tower 2000. The table legs may be crisscross from corner to corner for a four sided cooling tower or straight across the center for a two sided cooling tower.

[0060] Additionally, the high velocity fan air exiting the fluid flow augmentation device 2032 may be configured to move the air around the top outer edge of the device 2032 in the same direction through an entrainment process. The total exhaust airflow is comprised of the fan airflow, the induced air in the central chamber of the fluid flow augmentation device 2032, and the entrained air around the device 2032. Additionally, in some embodiments, the three airflows may be combined downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device 2032, and in some alternative or additional embodiments, the three airflows may be combined within the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device 2032. In some additional or alternative embodiments, the fluid flow augmentation device 2032 may be designed to utilize only the ambient third airflow to be combined with the first airflow from the fan assembly 2008. Additionally, when multiple fluid flow augmentation devices are employed, it may be understood that each device generates its respective combined airflow in a similar manner.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, the fluid flow augmentation device 2032 may further include vortex generation (not shown) to create a swirling pattern in the exhaust flow of the multiplier. For example, vortex generation may be achieved by angling the airfoil duct 2034 of the fluid flow augmentation device 2032. Additionally, one or more internal dividers located on the inner cone of the device 2032 may be angled to match the angle of the duct 2034 to further increase the airflow. Additionally, the exhaust surface may be angled with the conduit 512 to contribute to the vortex. In other applications, a portion of the flow may be split off and reintroduced at an angle to the original flow to contribute to the vortex. Alternatively, a separate fan or external flow may be introduced to generate the vortex.

[0062] The fluid flow augmentation device 2032 provides an improved overall cooling rate for a given footprint and power consumption of the cooling tower 2000. The device 2032 can, for example, provide 10% more airflow for a given energy consumption or provide 10% less energy consumption compared to the airflow of the same system without such a device. In some examples, without ambient crosswinds, the cooling tower 2000 with the fluid flow augmentation device 2032 can have an increased fluid flow rate in the range of about 34% to 55% drawn through the filling assembly 2002 with less than 0 to 1% increase in power consumption. In other examples, when operating with ambient crosswinds in the range of about 4 meters per second (m / s) to 8 meters per second (m / s), the cooling tower 2000 with the fluid flow augmentation device 2032 can have an increased fluid flow rate in the range of about 40% to 62% drawn through the filling assembly 2002 with less than 0 to 1% increase in power consumption.

[0063] 21 illustrates another example of a cooling tower 2100 having a fluid flow augmentation apparatus 2102 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the cooling tower may include multiple hot water tanks 2104 and fill assemblies 2106, such as those arranged symmetrically around a fan assembly 2108. Although only one hot water tank and fill assembly is shown and described, it may be contemplated that a cooling tower assembly having four or any other number of hot water tanks and fill assemblies may be implemented to achieve similar results.

[0064] As shown, cool ambient air (indicated by arrow 2105) is drawn through the fill assembly 2106 (heat exchange surface) by a fan assembly 2108 having one or more fans and motors. Additional air, indicated by arrow 2110, is entrained with air from the fan flowing from the fluid flow augmentation device 2102, and warm air (indicated by arrow 2112) is exhausted through an exhaust stack 2114. In the illustrated embodiment, the cooling tower 2100 can include an exterior wall partition 2116 configured to prevent the ambient air from passing directly through the cooling tower 2100 and to guide it upward toward the fluid flow augmentation device 2102. The fluid flow augmentation device 2102 or features it has can be rotated about its vertical axis in some embodiments for most airflow efficient alignment with the exterior wall partition 2116. The design of the exterior wall partition 2116 can also be modified to accommodate one or more hot water tanks 2104, a modular tower design, or a tower layout with multiple towers side-by-side.

[0065] Additionally, the piping provides hot water 2118, which flows through nozzles 2122 into the hot water tank 2104 for further distribution. The falling hot water (indicated by arrows 2124) is cooled as it flows through the fill assembly 2106 into the cold water tank 2128. The cooled water 2129 is moved through piping 2130 by a chilled water pump 2132. In some embodiments, when viewed from above, the outer edge of the cold water tank 2128 can form a square or other shape depending on the shape of the hot water tank 2104 or the fill of the cooling tower design.

[0066] In the illustrated embodiment, the drift eliminator 2134 may be configured to reduce the amount of water droplets carried by the airflow and exhausted through the exhaust stack 2114. Additionally, the air inlet partition 2136 separates the airflow drawn in by the fan assembly 2108 from the additional air 2110 entrained and directed through the fluid flow augmentation device 2102 located above the central axis 2138 of the exterior wall partition 2116.

[0067] The fluid flow augmentation devices presented herein can be utilized in cross-flow cooling towers as shown, counter-flow cooling towers, or hybrid designs of both. The airflow can be induced or forced. The fluid flow augmentation devices can also be used in wet cooling towers, dry cooling towers, or towers with combined wet and dry sections.

[0068] In yet another embodiment, Figure 22 illustrates an example of a cooling tower 2200 that may be electronically controlled by a controller 2202. To this end, the cooling tower 2200 includes a fluid flow augmentation device 2204, one or more filling assemblies 2206, an exhaust stack 2208, and a fan assembly 2210 having one or more fans driven by a motor. All of these components are arranged and implemented in a similar manner as previously described.

[0069] During operation, cool ambient air (as indicated by arrow 2212) is drawn through the fill assembly 2206 (heat exchange surface) by the fan assembly 2210. Additional air (as indicated by arrow 2214) is entrained and induced with the air from the fan flowing from the fluid flow augmentation device 2204, and warm air (as indicated by arrow 2216) is exhausted through the exhaust stack 2208. Hot water 2218 flows into the hot water tank 2220, and collected hot water 2222 is further distributed through nozzles 2224. Falling hot water, as indicated by arrow 2221, is cooled as it moves through the fill assembly 2206 to the cold water tank 2226. Cooled water 2227 is moved through ducting 2228 by the cooling water pump 2220. As shown, the cooling tower may be asymmetric with an outer wall 2230 facing a symmetric fill with a fill assembly on either side of the fan assembly 2210. In this example, the temperature of the airflow can be measured by air temperature sensor 2232 and the speed of the airflow can be measured by air speed sensor 2234. The air speed and temperature data can be provided to the controller 2202 to determine the appropriate fan speed for the current environmental conditions and adjust the fan and motor speed via the motor speed controller 2236. For example, if there is an increase in cross wind, the fan motor speed can be reduced to maintain an airflow equivalent to a zero cross wind condition, reducing the electrical consumption of the cooling tower in cross wind applications. It will be further understood that an additional temperature sensor (not shown) provides an input to the controller logic to measure the ambient temperature and determine the optimal fan speed for the current environmental conditions. In some alternative embodiments, a pressure sensor (not shown) can be used in place of the wind speed sensor to achieve similar results. Additionally, additional refrigerant temperature, ambient air temperature, wind speed, or pressure sensors (not shown) can also provide input to the controller 2202 to monitor the atmospheric conditions and determine the optimal fan speed for the current environmental conditions.

[0070] 23-33, several further embodiments of the fluid flow augmentation devices of the present disclosure are provided.

[0071] 23-25 ​​show an example of an outdoor unit assembly 2300 according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the outdoor unit assembly 2300 (hereinafter referred to as the outdoor unit 2300) may be implemented as a side or horizontal exhaust assembly, as opposed to the vertical exhaust assembly described above. The outdoor unit 2300 may be part of a split or mini-split HVAC or heat pump system with side exhaust, in some examples. It will be understood that the outdoor unit 2300 may be located or attached to the roof of a building, secured to a wall, or adjacent to a building, for example. The outdoor unit 2300 may be fluidly connected to the indoor unit 2302 via one or more refrigerant lines 2304 that transport liquid refrigerant in one direction and return vaporized refrigerant in the opposite direction.

[0072] The outdoor unit 2300 may include a condenser section 2306 having a fan assembly 2308 configured to draw cool ambient air through one or more condenser coils 2310. The outdoor unit 2300 further includes a compressor section 2312 configured to circulate a refrigerant between the condenser coil 2310 and a heat exchanger unit (not shown) of the indoor unit 2302. As will be appreciated, the compressor section 2312 also includes one or more controllers and connects to input power via power lines 2314. As shown, the compressor section 2312 is disposed beside the condenser section 2306 in a side-to-side discharge configuration, although in other implementations it may be oriented below or above the condenser section 2306 to achieve the most appropriate layout depending on the desired application. The components of the outdoor unit 2300 are enclosed in a housing 2316 which includes a front panel 2317, a back panel 2319, a top panel 2321, a bottom panel 2323, and two side panels 2325-1, 2325-2. Attached to the front panel 2317 is a guard grill 2318 to protect the rotating fan assembly 2308 and the outdoor unit 2300 within the housing 2316 from the hot elements.

[0073] In one embodiment, the outdoor unit 2300 includes a fluid flow augmentation device 2320 configured to augment the flow of fluid through and around the condenser coil 2310. The fluid flow augmentation device 2320 is disposed in fluid communication with the fan assembly 2308. For example, the fluid flow augmentation device 2320 may be disposed downstream and / or upstream of the fan assembly 2308, and although only one fluid flow augmentation device 2320 is shown and described, it may be understood that even in this embodiment, the outdoor unit 2300 may include multiple fluid flow augmentation devices disposed in parallel and / or series with one another.

[0074] The fan assembly 2308 includes one or more fans 2322 and one or more motors 2324 operatively coupled to drive the one or more fans 2322 via a fan shaft 2327. Rotation of the fans 2322 draws fan air through the condenser coil 2310. The fluid flow augmentation device 2320 may be positioned in front of the fan assembly 2308 within the housing 2316, oriented laterally between the front panel 2317 and the back panel 2319 such that the longitudinal axis of the device 2320 is parallel to the z-axis of the outdoor unit 2300, as shown. However, it may be understood that other orientations and positioning of the fluid flow augmentation device 2320 may be implemented to achieve similar results. Similar to the fluid flow augmentation devices described above, the fluid flow augmentation device 2320 in this embodiment also includes an outer cone 2326, an inner cone 2328, one or more ducts 2330, and one or more conduits 2331 (shown in FIG. 25) that cooperate to augment the fluid or airflow from the fan assembly 2308 in a similar manner as described above.

[0075] The fluid flow augmentation device 2320 (hereinafter referred to as device 2320) is disposed towards the back panel 2319 of the housing 2316 and includes a fan air inlet 2332 at one longitudinal end in fluid communication with the fan assembly 2308. In one embodiment, the fan air inlet 2332 is configured to surround the tips of the blades of the fan 2322 and support the outer cone 2326 of the device 2320. The device 2320 further includes an inlet edge 2334 through which the fan air, i.e., a first airflow (indicated by arrows 2336) having a first gas flow rate, drawn through the condenser coil 2310, enters the device 2320. Additionally, the device 2320 defines an air outlet 2337 at the other longitudinal end, disposed proximate to the front panel 2317 of the housing 2316 and in communication with a curved exhaust radius 2339 of the housing 2316 for exhaust air to exit. The fan air inlet 2332 is configured to transition into an outer cone 2326, the downstream wall of which may be contoured to taper away from the central axis of the device 2320 with a larger opening at the air outlet 2337, thereby forming a conical shape of the device 2320. It will be appreciated that in some other embodiments, the downstream wall of the outer cone 2326 may be contoured to a varying taper or may be parallel to match the layout of the housing 2316 to achieve similar results.

[0076] In operation, as shown in Figures 24 and 25, the conduit 2331 is configured to receive the fan airflow, i.e., first airflow 2336 having a first gas flow rate, and direct that air laterally around the device 2320 towards the exhaust radius 2339. The duct 2330 is configured to draw or direct additional ambient air having a second gas flow rate (i.e., a "second airflow" as indicated by arrows 2338) into the interior volume, i.e., inner cone 2328, of the device 2320 in a similar manner as previously described. This additional ambient air supplements the first airflow 2336 from the fan 2322 to generate a combined airflow exiting the device 2320 via air outlet 2337.

[0077] In one embodiment, the duct 2330 can have a perimeter and edge as shown toward the duct lower end 2344 and can be angled downstream relative to a central axis of the device 2320 to enable a rotational or swirling flow of air downstream of the device 2320. In an exemplary embodiment, the duct 2330 can be angled at an angle ranging from about 10° to 80° relative to the axis of the device 2320. In some implementations, the duct 2330 can be positioned perpendicular to the central axis of the fan airflow or can be defined at an axial angle between 10° and 180° based on the desired application and airflow efficiency.

[0078] Further, in some embodiments, the ducts 2330 may be disposed at equal angular distances from one another, with the duct lower ends 2344 of each duct 2330 disposed at approximately equal linear distances from the fan 2322. In some alternative embodiments, the ducts 2330 may be disposed at unequal angular distances from one another, with the duct lower ends 2344 of each of the ducts 2330 disposed at approximately equal linear distances from the fan 2322. In still other embodiments, the duct lower ends 2344 of at least some of the ducts 2330 may be disposed at unequal distances from the fan 2322. The ducts 2330 may be in the form of an airfoil, a Coanda surface, a Venturi, a suction nozzle, an ejector, an injector, an eductor, or the like.

[0079] In some embodiments, one or more orifices and / or passages (not shown) may be provided in the inner cone 2328 and / or duct 2330 to add a directed second airflow to the high velocity first airflow from the fan 2322 and motivate the directed second airflow towards the curved exhaust radius 2339 of the housing 2316 to exit the exhaust. These orifices and passages may also be used to assemble one or more fluid flow augmentation devices 2320 in series or parallel downstream of the first fluid flow augmentation device 2320. The orifices may be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically, with varying lengths and angles from the central axis of the device 2320.

[0080] Additionally, annular spaces defined between the device 2320 and the housing 2316, such as the space between the device 2320 and the top panel 2321, the space between the device 2320 and the side panel 2325, and the space between the device 2320 and the bottom panel 2323, may be configured such that a "third airflow" (indicated by arrow 2340) having a third gas flow rate is drawn around the device 2320 and through the condenser coil 2310 and combined with the first and second airflows. As previously described, in some embodiments, the third airflow may be configured not to pass through the interior volume of the device 2320 to supplement the first and second airflows. The one airflow combines to generate a total combined airflow (indicated by arrow 2342) that is drawn through the device 2320 and the condenser coil 2310 to cool the refrigerant in the coil. In some embodiments, the three air streams may be combined downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device 2320, while in some alternative or additional embodiments, the three air streams may be combined within the interior volume of the device 2320.

[0081] It may be understood that the fluid flow augmentation device 2320 may be configured to modify the first airflow 2336 to generate the combined airflow 2342 via one or more of non-vortex turbulent motion, non-vortex laminar motion, or vortex. Furthermore, the fluid flow augmentation device 2320 may be designed to generate either the second airflow and / or the third airflow in any desired ratio such that they combine into the total flow of the device 2320. In some additional or alternative embodiments, the fluid flow augmentation device 1202 may be designed to utilize only the ambient third airflow to be combined with the first airflow from the fan 2322. Furthermore, it may be understood that when multiple fluid flow augmentation devices are employed, each device may create their respective combined airflow in a similar manner.

[0082] 26 and 27 show an alternative embodiment of the fluid flow augmentation device 2602 provided in the outdoor unit assembly 2600 implemented as a side or horizontal discharge assembly. In this embodiment, the fluid flow augmentation device 2602 is implemented in a mixed lobe design. The outdoor unit 2600 includes a housing 2604 having a top panel 2606, a bottom panel 2608, a front panel 2610, a back panel 2612, and a side panel 2614. The outdoor unit 2600 can include a condenser section having a fan assembly 2616 configured to draw cool ambient air through one or more condenser coils 2618. The outdoor unit 2600 further includes a compressor section (not shown) configured to circulate a refrigerant between the condenser coils 2618 and a heat exchanger unit (not shown) of the indoor unit.

[0083] The fan assembly 2616 includes one or more fans 2620 and one or more motors 2622 operatively coupled to drive the one or more fans 2620 via a fan shaft 2624. Rotation of the fan(s) 2620 draws fan air through a condenser coil 2618. The fluid flow augmentation device 2602 may be positioned in front of the fan assembly 2616 within the housing 2604, oriented laterally between the front panel 2610 and the back panel 2612 as shown. In other embodiments, when a fluid flow augmentation device having a mixed lobe design is included in the vertical exhaust assembly, it may be understood that the fluid flow augmentation device may be positioned vertically above the fan assembly in a stacked configuration, as described in the previous embodiment above.

[0084] The fluid flow augmentation device 2602 is disposed in fluid communication with the fan assembly 2616 and configured to augment fluid flow through and around the condenser coil 2618. In this embodiment, the fluid flow augmentation device 2602 includes a fan air inlet 2626 that partially covers the fan assembly 2616 and is configured to receive a first airflow (indicated by arrow 2628) having a first gas flow rate that is drawn through the condenser coil 2618 and into an interior volume of the device 2602. Additionally, the device 2602 defines an air outlet 2627 that is disposed proximate the front panel 2610 of the housing 2604 and in communication with a curved exhaust radius 2629 of the housing 2604 to allow the exhaust air to exit.

[0085] In one embodiment, the fan air inlet 2626 can transition into an outer wall 2630 of the device 2602, which includes multiple alternating lobes 2632 that extend around the device 2602. Each lobe 2632 defines a peak (e.g., peak 2633) and a valley (e.g., valley 2635), such that the outer surface between the two peaks forms an exterior air channel 2634 and the inner surface between the two valleys forms an interior air channel 2636 that cooperates with other interior and exterior air channels to increase fluid or airflow from the fan assembly 2616 in a manner similar to that described above. In an exemplary embodiment, the exterior wall 2630 can be contoured to taper away from the central axis of the device 2602, with a larger circumference toward the air outlet 2627. However, it can be understood that the exterior wall 2630 can be contoured to various tapers to match the layout of the housing 2604, or can be parallel, to achieve similar results.

[0086] The internal air channel 2636 may be configured to receive the fan airflow, i.e., the first airflow 2628 having a first gas flow rate, and direct the air around the device 2602 toward the exhaust radius 2629. Additionally, the external air channel 2634 may be configured to allow an additional airflow (indicated by arrow 2638) having a different gas flow rate to be entrained around the device 2602, drawn through the condenser coil 2618, and combined with the first airflow to generate a combined airflow (indicated by arrow 2640) that exits the device 2602. Similar to the third airflow described in the other embodiments, the additional airflow in this embodiment may also be configured not to pass through the internal volume of the device 2602, but to combine with the first airflow 2628 downstream of the device 2602 and subsequently exit via the air outlet 2627.

[0087] In some embodiments, design features such as mixing lobes, scallops, ellipses, and chevrons can extend the length of the interface along the outlet 2627 of the fluid flow augmentation device 2602, thereby promoting turbulent mixing with the entrained and induced airflow as well as the fan airflow. The generation of vortices by these features can further improve performance.

[0088] 28 and 29 show yet another embodiment of a fluid flow augmentation device 2802 provided in an outdoor unit assembly 2800. In the illustrated embodiment, the fluid flow augmentation device 2802 is implemented in an eductor nozzle design. The outdoor unit 2802 includes a housing 2804 having a top panel 2806, a bottom panel 2808, a front panel 2810, a back panel 2812, and side panels 2814-1 and 2814-2 (collectively referred to as side panels 2814). The outdoor unit 2800 can include a condenser section having a fan assembly 2816 configured to draw cool ambient air through one or more condenser coils 2818. The outdoor unit 2800 further includes a compressor section (not shown) configured to circulate a refrigerant between the condenser coils 2818 and a heat exchanger unit (not shown) of the indoor unit.

[0089] The fan assembly 2816 is mounted within a fan inlet nozzle 2820 of the apparatus 2802 and includes one or more fans 2821 and one or more motors 2822 operatively coupled to drive the one or more fans 2821 via a fan shaft 2824. Rotation of the fan(s) 2821 draws fan air through a condenser coil 2818. In an exemplary embodiment, the fan inlet nozzle 2820 may be implemented as a stand-alone fluid flow augmentation device that is fluidly coupled to receive the fan air from the fan 2821, i.e., a first airflow (indicated by arrows 2825), and induce additional air that is drawn into a convergence 2826 that transitions to an air outlet of the outdoor unit 2800. However, in some other implementations, the fan inlet nozzle 2820 may be implemented as an add-on device in addition to one or more of the fluid flow augmentation devices according to any of the embodiments described above. In such an embodiment, the fan inlet nozzle 2820 may be implemented as a fan air inlet or may be fluidly coupled to a fan air inlet of the fluid flow augmentation device.

[0090] The fan inlet nozzle 2820 includes an air inlet edge 2830 having an inlet radius to simulate the bellmouth radius described above. Additionally, the fan inlet nozzle 2820 includes an exit face 2832 where exhaust air exits the fan inlet nozzle 2820 and, in this example, the outdoor unit 2800. In some embodiments, the exit face 2832 of the fan inlet nozzle 2820 and the corresponding surface of the converging section 2826 may be suitably designed to promote entrainment of ambient air through the implementation of mixing lobes, chevron patterns, scallops, fluting, vortex generators, and the like.

[0091] In the illustrated embodiment, the first airflow 2825 may be configured to enter the interior volume of the fan inlet nozzle 2820, and additional air having a second gas flow rate, i.e., second airflow (indicated by arrow 2827), may be drawn around the fan inlet nozzle 2820 through the condenser coil 2818. For example, the fan air or first airflow 2825 exiting the nozzle 2820 may be configured to motivate or draw in additional air and be guided around. The guided airflow is further drawn into a convergence 2826 that transitions to exhaust exhaust air from the outlet of the outdoor unit 2800. The exhaust air (indicated by arrow 2828) is a combination of the first airflow 2825 from the fan 2821 and the additional air (or second airflow 2827) drawn around the nozzle 2820. In some implementations, one or more ducts may be used to draw air into the center of the device 2802. In some other implementations, instead of utilizing an eductor, a venturi, suction nozzle, injector, or ejector may also be employed. Additionally, a Coanda surface may be installed downstream of the nozzle 2820 to induce or draw more air into the convergence 2826. In this design of the device 2802, the fan inlet nozzle 2820 or equivalent component may be extended as a conduit to increase the flow rate of the additional airflow 2827 as well as to create a layout of the fluid flow augmentation device 2802 that corresponds to various geometric requirements of the application. In some alternative embodiments, the fluid flow augmentation device 2802 may be applied upstream of the condenser coil 2818, and guide vanes, or swirling or straight vanes, are additionally used to improve airflow efficiency. Each of these components may be located upstream or downstream, may be located in parallel, or may be integrated into the fluid flow augmentation device 136. Additionally, linear or curved inclined surfaces may be included in the assembly to guide efficient airflow.

[0092] 30 and 31, an example of a fluid flow augmentation device 3002 implemented with a swirl structure, such as swirl vanes, is illustrated. In some embodiments, the fluid flow augmentation device 3002 may be structurally similar to the fluid flow augmentation device 136. However, the structural configuration of the fluid flow augmentation device 3002 may be implemented according to any other embodiment described above. As illustrated, the fan air inlet 3004 may transition to an outer cone 3006 to define a fan transition area 3008 of the fluid flow augmentation device 3002. The outer cone 3006 may be angled away from the transition cone base 3010 toward an outer wall 3012 that extends upward from a transition point 3014 around the outlet 3016 of the device 3002. In one embodiment, the device 3002 includes one or more ducts 3018 that allow additional airflow to be induced through the center of the device 3002 and are surrounded by an outer cone 3006, and an outer wall 3012. The device 3002 may further include one or more interior dividers 3020 (similar to interior divider 802 described above) to prevent the induced airflow from passing through the device 3002 and instead redirect the induced airflow at the outlet 3016.

[0093] In the illustrated embodiment, one or more rotating vanes are provided to further enhance the fluid flow efficiency of the fluid flow augmentation device 3002. In the illustrated embodiment, a first or upper set of rotating vanes 3022 and a second or lower set of rotating vanes 3024 are integrated on the outside of the device (e.g., outside the device 3002 and inside the housing of a heat exchanger or condenser assembly in which the device 3002 is implemented). The first or upper set of rotating vanes 3022 may be stacked on top of the second or lower set of rotating vanes 3024. However, this configuration is one aspect of the present disclosure and other configurations of rotating vanes may be implemented to achieve similar results. The rotating vanes may be suitably angled to redirect entrained airflow around the sides of the device 3002. In one embodiment, the rotor blades of each of the first and second sets 3022, 3024 may be angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the device 3002 to redirect the entrained airflow around the device 3002 and into alignment with the outlet 3016. Alternatively, additional rotor blades may be provided that are angled, for example horizontally, to direct the airflow into the duct 3018 of the device 3002.

[0094] 31, the fan air inlet 3004 may be supported on and aligned with a support member 3026 (such as a table similar to table 306 described above), which also supports a second or lower set of rotating vanes 3024 and a fan transition region 3008. As shown, the entrained horizontal airflow (indicated by arrows 3028) from around the device 3002 is spun by the first set of rotating vanes 3022 and the second set of rotating vanes 3024 into a vertical airflow (as shown by arrows 3030) that is aligned with the augmented airflow exiting the outlet 3016 of the fluid flow augmentation device 3002. The swirl vanes thus further increase the overall fluid flow efficiency of the device 3002 and the fluid circulation system in which the device 3002 is implemented.

[0095] 32, yet another embodiment of a fluid flow augmentation device 3202 having rotating vanes is illustrated. In one exemplary embodiment, the fluid flow augmentation device 3202 can include one or more ducts 3204 extending through the device 3202 and connecting to an exterior wall 3206 on each side. As will be appreciated, the ducts 3204 can increase or decrease in volume to appropriately modify the induced airflow from around the device 3202. The device 3202 can further include one or more interior partitions 3208 (similar to partition 802 described above) disposed centrally in the interior volume of the device 3202, which divide the interior volume above the fan transition region 3210 into two sections 3212-1, 3212-2 (collectively referred to as 3212). The two sections 3212 define a conduit (hereinafter referred to as conduit 3212) for receiving a first airflow from a fan assembly (not shown) in a manner similar to that described above for the conduit 512. In some implementations, the volume of the duct 3204 can be altered to replace the function of the inner partition 3208 and achieve similar results.

[0096] As further shown, a first or upper set of rotating vanes 3214 and a second or lower set of rotating vanes 3216 may be provided on the exterior of the device 3202 (such as between the device 3202 and the housing of a heat exchanger or condenser assembly) to redirect the airflow to align with the exhaust air exiting the outlet of the device 3202. As shown, the first set of rotating vanes 3214 and the second set of rotating vanes 3216 are seen surrounding the exterior wall 3206 of the device 3202. The rotating vanes 3214 and 3216 are angled to redirect the horizontal airflow from around the device 3202 and align (in this case vertically) with the increasing airflow exiting through the outlet of the device 3202. Alternatively, the rotating vanes 3214 and 3216 may be angled to direct the airflow into the duct 3204 instead of oriented to align with the outlet of the device 3202.

[0097] 33, a fluid flow augmentation device 3302 according to yet another embodiment is illustrated. In this embodiment, the fluid flow augmentation device 3302 is implemented with two fans to further enhance the augmented airflow circulating through and output from the device 3302. In the illustrated example, the fluid flow augmentation device 3302 is fluidly connected to an exhaust assembly 3304 having an exhaust stack 3306 and a velocity reduction section 3308 (implemented in a similar manner as described for the previous embodiment above). As illustrated, the device 3302 is fluidly connected to a fan assembly 3310 that operates to draw a first airflow into an interior volume of the device 3302. In the exemplary embodiment, the fan assembly 3310 includes a first fan 3312 and a motor 3314 operably connected to drive the first fan 3312. The fan assembly 3310 further includes a shaft 3316 (seen with a duct 3317) connected at one end to the first fan 3312 and the motor 3314 and at the other end to a second fan 3318. As shown, the first fan 3312 is located upstream of the device 3302 and the second fan 3318 is located downstream of the device 3302. However, such a configuration is according to one embodiment and may be varied to achieve similar results. For example, in some implementations, both fans 3312, 3318 may be located upstream of the device 3302, while in other implementations the second fan 3318 may be located inside the device 3302. Additionally, although the fans 3312, 3318 are shown and described as being actuated via a shaft 3316, in some other implementations, the fans 3312, 3318 may alternatively be driven by a drive system incorporating a belt and sheave arrangement, or a gear box, or via a coupling that transmits torque from the motor 3314.

[0098] As the motor 3314 and first fan 3312 rotate, the second fan 3318 is also driven to rotate via shaft 3316, increasing the airflow through the device 3302 and the exhaust air exiting via the exhaust assembly 3304, i.e., via the exhaust stack 3306 and velocity reduction section 3309. The additional airflow achieved by the second fan 3318 further enhances the heat exchange capacity of the heat exchanger in which the fluid flow augmentation device 3302 and fan assembly 3310 are implemented.

[0099] The structural features of various embodiments of the fluid flow augmentation device are described in one or more aspects herein, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that they may be formed in any suitable configuration and dimensions to suit a variety of applications without departing from the scope of the subject matter claimed herein. Furthermore, the steps or operations in the figures described herein are merely exemplary. There may be many variations in these steps or operations without departing from the principles described above. For example, steps may be performed in a different order, or steps may be added, deleted, or modified.

[0100] Although the above description includes references to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Any examples provided herein are included for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting in any manner. Any drawings provided herein are for the purpose of illustrating various aspects of the present specification only and are not intended to be drawn to scale or to be limiting in any manner. The scope of the present specification should not be limited by the preferred embodiments described herein, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the entire specification as understood by those skilled in the art. The disclosures of all prior art described herein are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

[0101] [Example] Wind tunnel test results for an example of a fluid flow augmentation device installed in an HVAC condenser: Three HVAC condenser assemblies were tested in a wind tunnel to measure airflow and power. The three assemblies were labeled: 1.OEM-This layout is a typical HVAC condenser with the fan mounted on top of the unit: 2.MOD - This layout uses the same fan as the OEM layout, but the fan is placed at the bottom of the unit along with a device to increase fluid flow. The exhaust stack is also attached to the HVAC condenser: 3.MODBOX- This layout is the same assembly as described in the MOD layout, but with an extension added to the HVAC condenser coil air inlet to induce more airflow into the system during cross winds.

[0102] The performance of three air conditioning condensers was measured in zero cross wind, 4m / s (meters per second) ambient cross wind and 8m / s ambient cross wind conditions. The results were: 1. Units fitted with Fluid Flow Augmentation Devices (i.e. MODs) had increased airflow compared to the OEM units: 2. Units with fluid flow augmentation devices required less power to run the fan motor: 3.Airflow through the exhaust stack attached to the MOD unit increased as the outside air crosswind speed increased: 4. The fluid flow enhancer with air inlet extension on the MODBOX unit further improves performance.

[0103] The measured values ​​are shown in Table 1.

[0104] [Table 1]

[0105] In performance evaluation, Fan's law (also known as the affinity law) can be used to calculate potential energy savings.

[0106] [Fan Law] Fan Law 1 states that the change in air flow rate of a fan is proportional to the change in propeller speed. If the propeller speed increases by 10%, the air flow rate also increases by 10%. This can be expressed as follows:

[0107]

number

[0108] Q1=OEM Fan Airflow in CFM: Q2 = Increased flow in OEM fan to accommodate fluid flow augmentation device CFM: N1=OEM fan speed (rpm): N2 = Increased OEM fan speed to match Fluid Flow Augmenter CFM flow rate:

[0109] The efficiency of the fluid augmentation device allows the fan speed to be slowed down to provide the same airflow as the OEM fan.

[0110] [Example 1] 100% OEM fan airflow / 134.17% Fluid Flow Auger Efficiency = 74.53% of the original airflow required for the MOD fan.

[0111] Since propeller speed and airflow are proportional, if the fluid flow augmentation device requires 74.53% of the fan airflow, the motor RPM can be reduced to 74.53% or OEM RPM. The Fan Law 1 equation is used as the input for the OEM fan speed increase in Table 2 below.

[0112] [Fan Law 3] Fan Law 3 states that the change in horsepower required by a fan to turn a propeller increases as the cube of the change in the fan's propeller speed. Fan Law 3 is expressed as:

[0113]

number

[0114] P1=Power in the initial operating state: P2 = Power of the second condition: Q1=Initial flow rate (cfm): Q2=Final flow rate (cfm):

[0115] Increasing the propeller speed by 10% increases the horsepower required to turn the propeller by 33.1%, while decreasing the propeller speed by 10% reduces the horsepower required to turn the fan propeller by 27.1%, resulting in 72.9% of the original power required.

[0116] Fan's Law 3 was used to calculate the increase in OEM fan power required to produce an equivalent flow to an assembly with a device that increases fluid flow: P1 is the power required by the OEM fan motor in a conventional layout: P2 is the power required to speed up the OEM fan motor to match the flow of the fluid flow augmenter: Q1 is the original fan gas flow rate of the OEM fan layout: Q2 is the flow rate of the fluid flow augmenter where the OEM fan speed is increased to match the flow.

[0117] [Table 2]

[0118] As shown in Table 2: 1. The increase in airflow resistance through the condenser coil is not taken into account when calculating the OEM fan power increase to match the performance of the fluid flow augmentation device: 2. Assume the thermal performance of the OEM system and the fluid augmentation system are equivalent: 3. In the crosswind test, the power requirement of the fluid flow augmentation device was reduced.

[0119] [Test results with higher fan speed] The performance of the Fluid Flow Augmenter prototype was tested with a high volume 16.5 inch (419 mm) fan mounted on a conventional air conditioner condenser and exhaust stack. The condenser coil area was 17.4 square feet. The condenser with the fan, fluid flow augmenter and exhaust stack produced 169% more airflow than a fan alone mounted directly on top of the condenser in the conventional manner. The assembly with the fluid augmenter and exhaust stack required less than a 1% increase in power compared to a fan alone mounted on top of the condenser. See test results below.

[0120] [Table 3]

[0121] The increase in power required for the fan alone to match the equivalent flow of the fan and fluid flow augmentation device through the exhaust stack can be shown as follows: 1.69 3 =4.83 In other words, to increase the fan fluid flow and match the fan, the fluid flow augmentation device, and the exhaust stack assembly, 483% more energy is required from the fan motor.

[0122] [Test results of small-scale fluid reinforcement device] Measured performance of a prototype Fluid Flow Augmenter with a 3 inch (80 mm) fan air inlet and exhaust stack achieved 148% of the airflow of the fan alone. See test results below.

[0123] [Table 4]

[0124] The increase in power required for the fan alone to match the equivalent flow of the fan and fluid flow augmentation device through the exhaust stack can be shown as follows: 1.48 3 =3.24 In other words, to match the fan with the fluid flow augmentation device and exhaust stack assembly, 324% more energy is required from the fan motor to increase the fan flow.

Claims

1. 1. A fluid flow augmentation device for a fluid circulation system, comprising: an annular body extending along a longitudinal axis of the fluid flow augmentation device and defining an interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device; The annular body is a fluid inlet at one longitudinal end along the longitudinal axis and a fluid outlet at the other longitudinal end; a first fluid guide structure adapted to receive a first fluid flow having a first fluid flow rate from a fluid source via the fluid inlet and to guide the received first fluid flow into the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device; a second fluid guide structure adapted to guide a second fluid flow having a second fluid flow rate from around the fluid flow augmentation device to combine with the first fluid flow to produce an augmented fluid flow having an augmented fluid flow rate that is exhausted through the fluid outlet, the augmented fluid flow rate being greater than each of the first fluid flow rate and the second fluid flow rate; the second fluid guide structure includes one or more ducts disposed in the annulus; each of the one or more ducts is fluidly decoupled from the fluid inlet and adapted to entrain the second fluid flow from around the fluid flow augmentation device into the interior volume of the annulus to produce the augmented fluid flow that is exhausted through the fluid outlet.

2. the annular body includes one or more outer walls extending between the longitudinal ends and adapted to define a periphery of the fluid flow augmentation device; the first fluid guide structure includes one or more conduits defined by respective one or more outer walls; the conduit is positioned about the periphery and in fluid communication with the fluid inlet to receive the first fluid flow; Preferably, each of the one or more conduits includes a hollow cross-sectional shape having one or more fluid contacting surfaces adapted to direct the first fluid flow toward the respective conduit, the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device, and the fluid outlet; or 2. The fluid flow augmentation device of claim 1, wherein the one or more conduits are spaced apart and angled relative to one another to define the second fluid guide structure therebetween.

3. Each of the one or more ducts has a closed end adjacent to the fluid inlet and an open end adjacent to the fluid outlet; each of the one or more ducts has an axis of symmetry angled downstream relative to the longitudinal axis of the fluid flow augmentation device; Preferably, the axis of symmetry of the one or more ducts is inclined downstream at an angle in the range of 10° to 80° relative to the longitudinal axis of the fluid flow augmentation device; More preferably, a) each of the one or more ducts has the closed ends positioned at equal angular distances from one another and equal linear distances from the fluid source; b) each of the one or more ducts has its closed ends positioned at unequal angular distances from one another and at equal linear distances from the fluid source; 3. A fluid flow augmentation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein c) each of said one or more ducts has said closed end located at unequal linear distances from said fluid source.

4. The annular body includes one or more outer walls adapted to define an annular space relative to a housing of the fluid circulation system; 4. The fluid flow augmentation device of claim 1, wherein the annular space is adapted to entrain a third fluid flow having a third fluid flow rate around the fluid flow augmentation device to combine with the increased fluid flow before being exhausted through the fluid outlet.

5. A fluid flow augmentation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second fluid guide structure is operably connected to one or more flow conversion structures arranged around the fluid flow augmentation device and redirects the second fluid flow to align with the fluid outlet.

6. The annular body is a cylinder with the fluid outlet opening larger than the fluid inlet opening, thereby defining a conical form factor of the fluid flow augmentation device; or 6. A fluid flow augmentation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the annular body has a form factor, preferably the form factor comprises a circular, square, oval, triangular, lobed or screw shape.

7. A fluid flow augmentation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fluid outlet defines an exhaust edge for exhausting the increased fluid flow therefrom, and the exhaust edge includes one or more of a mixing lobe, a scalloped edge, an elliptical pattern, a partial ellipse, and one or more chevrons having a scalloped pattern.

8. A fluid flow augmentation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein one or more of the fluid inlet, the fluid outlet, the first fluid guide structure, and the second fluid guide structure include a periphery to provide smooth fluid flow therethrough.

9. A fluid flow augmentation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first fluid guiding structure and the second fluid guiding structure are adapted to generate one or more of non-vortex turbulent motion, non-vortex laminar motion, or vortex motion for combining the first fluid flow and the second fluid flow, and preferably the second fluid guiding structure is in the form of an airfoil, a Coanda surface, a venturi, a suction nozzle, an ejector, an injector, or an eductor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

7. The fluid flow augmentation device of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more interior partitions is angled to define an aerodynamic profile adapted to complement and align with the profile of the second fluid guide structure.

11. The annular body includes a plurality of alternating lobes, each lobe defining a respective peak and valley; the annulus defines a plurality of exterior fluid flow passages, each defined between two peaks, and a plurality of interior fluid flow passages, each defined between two valleys; 8. The fluid flow augmentation device of claim 1, wherein the first fluid guide structure includes the plurality of internal fluid flow channels and the second fluid guide structure includes the plurality of external fluid flow channels.

12. A heat transfer system, such as an air conditioning condenser in heating or cooling mode, a coiled heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, a heat pump in heating or cooling mode, an exhaust, a radiator, a computer cooling system, a vehicle air handling system in heating or cooling mode, and a vehicle air conditioning system; a fan assembly for circulating a fluid through the heat transfer system; an exhaust assembly; A fluid circulation system comprising a fluid flow augmentation device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A fluid circulation system as described in claim 12, wherein the heat transfer system is positioned upstream of the fan assembly or downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device.

14. The heat transfer system includes a first heat transfer section and a second heat transfer section; the fan assembly is adapted to draw fluid through the first heat transfer section; the fluid flow augmentation device is adapted to direct the second fluid flow rate through the second heat transfer section and direct the augmented fluid flow to impinge on the heat transfer system via the fluid outlet; Preferably, the heat transfer system includes a support member adapted to form a partition between the first heat transfer section and the second heat transfer section; the fan assembly and the fluid flow augmentation device are supported on the support member; More preferably, the heat transfer system further includes a bellmouth radius disposed between the support member and the fluid inlet of the fluid flow augmentation device; the bellmouth radius adapted to guide the fluid flow from the fan assembly into the first fluid guide structure and the interior volume of the fluid flow augmentation device; and / or the heat transfer system further includes a plurality of partition walls extending longitudinally downward from the support member and adapted to form partitions within the first heat transfer section; 14. The fluid circulation system of claim 12 or 13, wherein each of the plurality of partition walls are spaced apart from one another to form vanes for directing the fluid flow to the fluid inlet of the fluid flow augmentation device.

15. A fluid circulation system as described in any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising one or more flow conversion structures arranged around the fluid flow augmentation device and adapted to redirect the second fluid flow aligned with the fluid outlet.

16. The fan assembly, a) one or more fans positioned upstream of the fluid flow augmentation device; b) one or more fans disposed downstream of said fluid flow augmentation device; c) one or more fans disposed upstream of the fluid flow augmentation device and one or more other fans disposed inside the fluid flow augmentation device; and d) one or more fans disposed upstream of the fluid flow augmentation device and one or more other fans disposed downstream of the fluid flow augmentation device; 16. A fluid circulation system according to any one of claims 12 to 15, comprising one or more fans arranged in one of the following configurations:

17. The fan assembly, one or more fans and one or more motors operably coupled to drive each of the one or more fans; The fan and the motor are each motor including a motor shaft adapted to support said respective fan thereon; a fan and a motor each including a fan shaft and a motor shaft, each including a plurality of sheaves and a belt contacting both sheaves to transmit torque from the motor to the respective fan; or a motor, a gearbox, and a coupling between the motor and the gearbox adapted to transmit the torque to each of the one or more fans; 17. A fluid circulation system according to any one of claims 12 to 16, comprising one or more of the following configurations:

18. The exhaust assembly includes a first exhaust stack section fluidly coupled to the fluid outlet of the fluid flow augmentation device, and a second exhaust stack section fluidly coupled to the first stack section; the second exhaust stack section defines a clearance angle relative to the first exhaust stack section and defines a velocity reduction section adapted to impart a velocity reduction to the exhaust fluid received from the fluid flow augmentation device and exiting through the exhaust outlet; the exhaust assembly includes an exhaust stack fluidly connected to the fluid outlet of the fluid flow augmentation device, a wind band attached to the exhaust assembly, and a fluidic diode disposed inside the exhaust stack; the wind band is adapted to guide the exhaust flow when a crosswind strikes the exhaust assembly; the fluid diode is adapted to redirect a fluid flow to align with the exhaust flow in a downwind condition; the exhaust assembly includes an exhaust nozzle that exhausts the augmented fluid flow from the fluid flow augmentation device; 18. A fluid circulation system according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the exhaust assembly includes an acoustic emission reducing material applied to at least a portion thereof.

19. The fan assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fluid flow augmentation devices arranged in a series or parallel configuration relative to the fan assembly; 19. The fluid circulation system of claim 12, wherein the augmented fluid flow from each of the plurality of fluid flow augmentation devices is combined to form a final augmented fluid flow having a final combined fluid flow rate.

20. One or more sensors, such as an ambient air velocity sensor, an ambient air pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a refrigerant temperature sensor, each adapted to monitor one or more parameters of the fluid flowing through the fluid circulation system; 20. The fluid circulation system of claim 12, further comprising: a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors, the fan assembly, and the fluid flow augmentation device, the controller configured to adjust a fan speed of the fan assembly based on the monitored one or more parameters.

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