Airflow system for buildings to provide pollution mitigation to building occupants and method of using the same

Abstract

Airflow systems for buildings are provided. [Solution] The airflow system includes at least one air purification system that provides purified air and receives recirculated air. At least one air supply assembly supplies purified air from the air purification system to at least one internal airflow space, including partitioned booths in an office, a conference room, and an auditorium. At least one air return assembly returns recirculated air from at least one internal airflow space to at least one air purification system. The (one or more) directional airflows formed between the air supply assembly and the air return assembly include (one or more) first directional airflows that form one or more air barriers between occupants to provide breathing isolation, and (one or more) second directional airflows that form airflow areas around each occupant.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This non-provisional patent application claims priority to pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 738,756, filed on December 24, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present specification.

[0002]

[0002] This non-provisional patent application also relates to co-filed U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 19 / 227,101, filed on June 3, 2025, having attorney docket number 23-1838-US-NP and entitled "Airflow System for Buildings and Method of Using Same for Providing Contamination Mitigation to Building Occupants", the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present specification. The recitation herein in this cross-reference to related applications section is not an admission that the application having Serial No. 19 / 227,101 and attorney docket number 23-1838-US-NP is prior art with respect to the present application having Serial No. 19 / 227,172 and attorney docket number 23-1839-US-NP.

[0003]

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to airflow systems and methods for buildings, and particularly relates to airflow systems and methods for internal airflow spaces in office buildings, such as office partition booths, conference rooms, and auditoriums, for providing contamination mitigation and respiratory isolation against biological agents and chemical agents for occupants of office buildings.

Background Art

[0004]

[0004] Pandemics, biological warfare using biological weapons, and chemical warfare using chemical weapons can be harmful or fatal to humans, and there is growing interest in systems and methods to prevent or mitigate such harm or death and to make buildings safe for human occupants. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in airflow systems such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in office and commercial buildings, raising concerns that the air inside these buildings may contain undetectable viruses.

[0005]

[0005] Known safety measures used by occupants of office and commercial buildings during and after the COVID-19 pandemic included wearing face masks, social distancing, and disinfecting work areas. However, cloth face masks have proven ineffective, and more effective face masks can be uncomfortable to wear. Furthermore, while effective face masks can block respiratory droplets carrying the coronavirus, they may not be able to block smaller aerosols or airborne particles. In addition, disinfecting work areas, such as frequently wiping surfaces, can be costly and time-consuming to implement and maintain, and such disinfection does not address the quality and purification of the air within the work area, nor does it solve the spread of the virus in the air.

[0006]

[0006] Another known safety measure used in office and commercial buildings during and after the COVID-19 pandemic has been the use of air filters designed to trap and kill the coronavirus with heat. The coronavirus dies at 158 ​​degrees Fahrenheit. Some air filters use a wire grid heated to 392 degrees Fahrenheit. However, such filters may have limited effectiveness against the coronavirus because the residence time the air is heated to 392 degrees Fahrenheit may not be sufficient to kill all viruses passing through it. It may also not have the ability to heat to higher temperatures, for example, above 392 degrees Fahrenheit, to kill other biological and chemical agents that can only be destroyed at higher temperatures. The combination of limited temperature and short residence time results in a system that does not reduce the risk to near zero.

[0007]

[0007] Another known safety measure used during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in office buildings and commercial spaces has been the use of unconventional ultraviolet (UV) lights within air duct systems to destroy airborne droplets of coronavirus and other viruses and surface microorganisms. However, the temperature range studied with such unconventional UV lights is narrow, for example, 74 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, such unconventional UV lights do not reduce the risk to near zero. In addition, while the use of germicidal ultraviolet (UV) lights may destroy viruses in the air, it can damage human skin and eyes and should be used in empty rooms without human occupancy. However, germicidal UV lights can be used inside air ducts.

[0008]

[0008] In addition, known high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters have been used to filter and capture airborne particles. Such HEPA filters can effectively remove up to 99.7% of airborne particulate matter, such as dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and airborne particles, down to a size of 0.3 μm (3 microns zero point). COVID-19 particles are estimated to be between 0.06 and 0.14 microns in size. Therefore, while HEPA filters can filter out some COVID-19 particles, they may not be able to filter out all sizes of COVID-19 particles. Furthermore, such HEPA filters require regular replacement and maintenance to function properly.

[0009]

[0009] Accordingly, in the art there is a need for improved airflow systems and methods for buildings such as office buildings and commercial buildings that provide effective respiratory isolation and prevention of cross-contamination between occupants in internal airflow spaces within a building, generate one or more air barriers and / or airflow areas of air around occupants in internal airflow spaces such as office partition booths, conference rooms and auditoriums where occupants remain stationary or substantially stationary for extended periods, provide contamination mitigation to building occupants against contamination by biological and chemical agents, and offer advantages over known systems and methods that do not require filter replacement or maintenance. [Overview of the project]

[0010]

[0010] Multiple exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide airflow systems for buildings and methods of using the same. As described in the detailed description below, airflow systems for buildings and methods of using the same may offer significant advantages over known systems and methods.

[0011]

[0011] One version of the present disclosure provides an airflow system for a building. The airflow system comprises at least one air purification system that provides purified air and receives recirculated air. The airflow system further comprises at least one air supply assembly that supplies purified air from at least one air purification system to at least one internal airflow space within the building. The at least one internal airflow space includes one or more of the following within the building: office partition booths, conference rooms, and auditoriums. One or more occupants are present in the at least one internal airflow space for an extended period of time ranging from one hour to ten hours, either in a stationary position or substantially stationary position.

[0012]

[0012] The airflow system further comprises at least one air return assembly that returns recirculated air from at least one internal airflow space to at least one air purification system. The recirculated air comprises internal air from at least one internal airflow space, and one or more air contaminated with one or more biological agents and one or more chemical agents, including one or more biological agents emitted by one or more contaminated occupants in at least one internal air space.

[0013]

[0013] The airflow system further comprises one or more directional airflows formed between at least one air supply assembly and at least one air return assembly within at least one internal airflow space. The one or more directional airflows include one or more of purified air, internal air, and contaminated air. The one or more directional airflows include at least one of the following: one or more first directional airflows that form one or more air barriers between each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space, in order to provide respiratory isolation with one or more air barriers to each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space; and one or more second directional airflows having an airflow velocity less than the airflow velocity of the one or more first directional airflows that form an airflow area around each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space.

[0014]

[0014] The airflow system further comprises at least one control system for controlling the airflow system. The airflow system provides contamination mitigation to each of the one or more occupants in at least one internal airflow space against contamination by one or more biological agents and one or more chemical agents, including one or more biological agents, emitted by one or more contaminated occupants in at least one internal airflow space.

[0015]

[0015] Another version of the present disclosure provides an airflow system for an office building. The airflow system comprises at least one air purification system that provides purified air and receives recirculated air. The airflow system further comprises at least one air supply duct assembly that supplies purified air from at least one air purification system to at least one internal airflow space within the office building. The at least one air supply duct assembly comprises one or more air supply ducts and one or more air supply vents. The at least one internal airflow space includes one or more of the following in the office building: partitioned booths, conference rooms, and auditoriums. One or more occupants are present in the at least one internal airflow space for an extended period of time ranging from one to ten hours, either in a stationary position or substantially stationary position.

[0016]

[0016] The airflow system further comprises at least one air return duct assembly that returns recirculated air from at least one internal airflow space to at least one air purification system. The at least one air return duct assembly comprises one or more air return ducts and one or more air return vents. The recirculated air comprises internal air from at least one internal airflow space, and one or more air contaminated with one or more biological agents and one or more chemical agents, including one or more biological agents emitted by one or more contaminated occupants in at least one internal air space.

[0017]

[0017] The airflow system further comprises one or more directional airflows formed between at least one air supply duct assembly and at least one air return duct assembly within at least one internal airflow space. The one or more directional airflows include one or more of purified air, internal air, and contaminated air. The one or more directional airflows include at least one of one or more first directional airflows that form one or more air barriers between each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space, in order to provide respiratory isolation with one or more air barriers to each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space, and one or more second directional airflows having an airflow velocity less than the airflow velocity of the one or more first directional airflows that form an airflow area around each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space.

[0018]

[0018] The airflow system further comprises one or more sensors located within at least one internal airflow space. The airflow system further comprises at least one control system for controlling the airflow system.

[0019]

[0019] The airflow system provides contamination mitigation to each of the one or more occupants in at least one internal airflow space in an office building against contamination by one or more biological agents and one or more chemical agents, including one or more biological agents, emitted by one or more contaminated occupants in at least one internal airflow space.

[0020]

[0020] Another version of the present disclosure provides a method for using an airflow system to provide pollution mitigation to one or more occupants in a building. The method includes installing the airflow system in a building.

[0021]

[0021] The airflow system comprises at least one air purification system that provides purified air and receives recirculated air. The airflow system further comprises at least one air supply assembly that supplies purified air from at least one air purification system to at least one internal airflow space within a building. The at least one internal airflow space includes one or more of the following within the building: office partition booths, conference rooms, and auditoriums. One or more occupants are present in the at least one internal airflow space for an extended period of time, ranging from one to ten hours, in either a stationary or substantially stationary position.

[0022]

[0022] The airflow system further comprises at least one air return assembly that returns recirculated air from at least one internal airflow space to at least one air purification system. The recirculated air comprises internal air from at least one internal airflow space, and one or more air contaminated with one or more biological agents and one or more chemical agents, including one or more biological agents emitted by one or more contaminated occupants in at least one internal air space.

[0023]

[0023] The airflow system further comprises one or more directional airflows formed between at least one air supply assembly and at least one air return assembly within at least one internal airflow space. The one or more directional airflows include one or more of purified air, internal air, and contaminated air. The one or more directional airflows include at least one of one or more first directional airflows that form one or more air barriers between each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space, in order to provide respiratory isolation with one or more air barriers to each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space, and one or more second directional airflows having an airflow velocity less than the airflow velocity of the one or more first directional airflows that form an airflow area around each of the one or more occupants, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants in the internal airflow space.

[0024]

[0024] The airflow system further comprises at least one control system for controlling the airflow system.

[0025]

[0025] The method further comprises supplying purified air from at least one air purification system to at least one internal airflow space within a building using at least one air supply assembly. The method further comprises directing one or more directional airflows between at least one air supply assembly and at least one air return assembly in the at least one internal airflow space to form one or more of one or more air barriers and an airflow region for each of one or more occupants in the at least one internal airflow space including one or more contaminated occupants.

[0026]

[0026] The method further comprises returning recirculated air from the at least one internal airflow space to the at least one air purification system using at least one air return assembly. The airflow system provides contamination mitigation for each of one or more occupants in the at least one internal airflow space against contamination by one or more of one or more biological agents, including one or more biological agents from one or more contaminated occupants in the at least one internal airflow space, and one or more chemical agents.

[0027]

[0027] The above-described features, functions and advantages can be achieved independently in various versions of the present disclosure, or may be combined in other versions, further details of which can be learned with reference to the following description and drawings.

[0028]

[0028] The present disclosure may be better understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred exemplary versions, but are not necessarily drawn to scale. The drawings are examples and are not intended to be limiting as to the description or the claims. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1]

[0029] It is a system block diagram of an exemplary version of the airflow system of the present disclosure for buildings. [Figure 2A]

[0030] It is a side view of an exemplary airflow system of the present disclosure for an office partition booth in a renovated building where contaminated air exists inside the office partition booth. [Figure 2B]

[0031] It is a side view of the airflow system of Fig. 2A for an office partition booth in a renovated building where contaminated air exists inside another office partition booth. [Figure 2C]

[0032] It is a side view of an exemplary airflow system of the present disclosure for an office partition booth in a newly constructed building where contaminated air exists in a passage adjacent to the office partition booth. [Figure 3A]

[0033] It is a side view of an exemplary airflow system of the present disclosure for a conference room where no contaminated air exists inside the conference room. [Figure 3B]

[0034] It is a side view of the airflow system of Fig. 3A for a conference room where contaminated air exists inside the conference room and one airflow hood is provided. [Figure 3C]

[0035] It is a side view of the airflow system of Fig. 3B for a conference room where contaminated air exists inside the conference room and an occupant in the contaminated conference room sneezes. [Figure 4A]

[0036] It is a top view of a version of a conference room table having a rectangular tabletop shape, showing the airflow flowing on the conference room table. [Figure 4B]

[0037] It is a side view of the conference room table of Fig. 4A in a conference room having an exemplary airflow system with an air supply cavity under the table. [Figure 4C]

[0038] This is a top view of another version of a conference room table with a wavy tabletop shape, showing the airflow around the conference room table. [Figure 4D]

[0039] Figure 4C is a side view of a conference room table in a conference room, showing an exemplary airflow system with an air supply cavity under the table. [Figure 5A]

[0040] This is a side view of an exemplary airflow system of the present disclosure for an auditorium in a renovated building where directional airflow exists inside the auditorium. [Figure 5B]

[0041] Figure 5A shows the directional airflow inside the auditorium, illustrating the airflow system within the seating area of ​​the auditorium with ducts, and is an enlarged side view of the auditorium occupants (5 people). [Figure 5C]

[0042] Figure 5B is an enlarged side view of the auditorium occupants inside the seating area of ​​the auditorium with ducts, showing the directional airflow inside the auditorium. [Figure 5D]

[0043] Figure 5A is an enlarged front view of the auditorium with ducts, showing the directional airflow inside the auditorium, with three occupants inside the seating area. [Figure 6]

[0044] This is a top view of six auditorium occupants, including one contaminated occupant in a seated area of ​​a ducted auditorium, showing the air barrier around the contaminated occupants. [Figure 7]

[0045] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary version of the method of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030]

[0046] The figures presented in this disclosure represent various aspects of the presented version, and only the differences will be described in detail.

[0031]

[0047] Next, the various versions disclosed will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings do not show all of the various embodiments of this disclosure. In fact, several different versions may be provided, and these should not be construed as limiting to the versions described herein. Rather, these versions are provided so that this disclosure is comprehensive and so that the scope of this disclosure is fully conveyed to those skilled in the art.

[0032]

[0048] This specification includes references to “one version” or “a version.” Examples of the expressions “one version” or “a version” do not necessarily refer to the same version. Certain functions, structures, or features may be combined in any appropriate manner consistent with this disclosure. All features disclosed herein, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, and all steps in any methods or processes disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except for combinations in which at least some of such features and / or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed herein, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by an alternative feature that serves the same, equivalent, or similar purpose, unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0033]

[0049] As used herein, “comprising” is an open-ended term, and as used in the claims, it does not exclude additional structures or steps.

[0034]

[0050] As used herein, “configured to” means that various parts or components may be described or claimed to be “configured to” perform one or more tasks. In such contexts, “configured to” is used to imply a structure by indicating that the parts or components include a structure that performs one or more of those tasks during operation. Thus, it can be said that a part or component is configured to perform its task even when a particular part or component is not currently operating (e.g., it is not powered on).

[0035]

[0051] When used herein, expressions such as “first,” “second,” etc., are used as indicators for the nouns that follow them and do not suggest any kind of order (e.g., spatial, temporal, logical, etc.).

[0036]

[0052] When used herein, a singular element or step following the word “a” or “an” should be understood not to necessarily exclude multiple such elements or steps. The expression “and / or” as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more items from the relatedly listed items. Also, when used herein, “combination of ~” includes a combination having at least one of the relatedly listed items. In this case, the combination may further include other items not listed.

[0037]

[0053] When used herein, the expression “at least one of the listed items” means that one or more different combinations of the listed items may be used, and only one of each listed item may be required. In other words, “at least one of the listed items” means that any combination and any number of items from the listed items may be used, and not all of the listed items are required. An item may be a specific object, thing, or category.

[0038]

[0054] Referring now to Figure 1, which is a system block diagram of an exemplary version of the Airflow System (AFS) 10 of this disclosure for a building 12. The various blocks in Figure 1 represent elements, and the lines connecting the different blocks do not imply any particular dependency relationship between the elements. Furthermore, while the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical connections between the different elements, it should be noted that other alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be shown in the versions disclosed herein. When implemented in the exemplary embodiment, one or more of these blocks may be combined, divided, or combined and divided into different blocks. Furthermore, the diagram of the Airflow System 10 in Figure 1 does not imply any physical or structural limitations on how the exemplary embodiment may be implemented. Other components may be used in addition to or instead of the components shown. Some components may be unnecessary.

[0039]

[0055] As shown in Figure 1, the airflow system 10 is preferably designed for a building (BLDG.) 12, such as an office building (BLDG.) 12a, a commercial building (BLDG.) 12b, or another suitable building. As further shown in Figure 1, in one version, building 12, such as an office building 12a or a commercial building 12b, may include a renovated building (BLDG.) 12c. The renovated building 12c is already existing and has been built, and the airflow system 10, such as an add-on airflow system (AFS) 10a, can be retrofitted by installing an add-on airflow system 10a within or in the renovated building 12c. As further shown in Figure 1, in another version, building 12, such as an office building 12a or a commercial building 12b, may include a newly constructed building (BLDG.) 12d. The newly constructed building 12d is either newly constructed or in the process of being constructed, and an airflow system 10, such as a newly constructed airflow system (AFS) 10b, is installed or incorporated into the newly constructed building 12d or in the newly constructed building 12d.

[0040]

[0056] As shown in Figure 1, a building 12, such as an office building 12a or a commercial building 12b, has one or more internal airflow spaces 14 within the building 12. As further shown in Figure 1, the internal airflow spaces 14 may include office partition booths 16 (see also Figure 2A), conference rooms 20 (see also Figure 3A), auditoriums 22 (see also Figure 5A), or theaters, offices 24, or another suitable internal airflow space 14 within the building 12.

[0041]

[0057] The airflow system 10 may optionally further include one or more sensors 25 located in or near at least one internal airflow space 14. The one or more sensors 25 may include one or more sound sensors 25a (see Figure 1) for detecting sound (e.g., a sneeze 26 (see Figure 3C) or another type of sound). The sensors 25 may further include motion sensors for detecting one or more occupants (OOCs) 28, such as one or more human occupants (OOCs) 28a within the internal airflow space 14 in the building 12. Sensor 25 may further include temperature sensors, capacitive sensors, resistance sensors, and thermal sensors, including semiconductor-based sensors, thermocouple sensors, resistance temperature detectors, and negative temperature coefficient thermistors; humidity sensors, contact sensors for indicating whether a duct or valve is open or closed; air quality sensors for monitoring toxins, dust, carbon dioxide, ozone, and other substances in the air 30 (see Figure 1); infrared (IR) sensors; sensors for detecting or detecting contaminants 32 (see Figure 1), including one or more biological (BIOL.) agents (BA) 34 (see Figure 1) and one or more chemical (CHEM.) agents (CA) 36 (see Figure 1); or other suitable sensors 25.

[0042]

[0058] The airflow system 10 is configured to supply air 30 (see Figure 1), such as purified air 30a (see Figure 1), to each internal airflow space 14, and to exhaust recirculated (RECIRC.) air 30b (see Figure 1) from each internal airflow space 14. The recirculated air 30b includes one or more of the following: internal air 30c (see Figure 1) in and from the internal airflow space 14, and air 30d (see Figure 1) contaminated by one or more contaminants 32 (see Figure 1), which include one or more biological agents 34 (see Figure 1) and one or more chemical agents 36 (see Figure 1), emitted by one or more occupants ((one or more) OCCs) 28b in the internal airflow space 14. The recirculated air 30b may further contain breathing air 30e (see Figure 1) breathed by one or more occupants 28 in the internal airflow space 14, including the contaminated occupants 28b.

[0043]

[0059] As shown in Figure 1, biological agents 34 and / or chemical agents 36 may be present in the air 30 as a result of a pandemic 38 (e.g., the COVID-19 (coronavirus infection 2019) pandemic). As further shown in Figure 1, biological agents 34 and / or chemical agents 36 may be further present in the air 30 as a result of a biological (BIOL.) weapons release 40, or a biological weapons (i.e., bioweapon) event, or a chemical (CHEM.) weapons release 42, or a chemical weapons event, or another release event. In that case, one or more biological agents 34 or biological weapons and / or one or more chemical agents 36 or chemical weapons may be released as a result of a terrorist event, war, attack, accidental or negligent release, or another type of release or event.

[0044]

[0060] As shown in Figure 1, one or more biological agents 34 may contain one or more airborne biological agents ((one or more)BA) 34a. One or more biological agents 34 may further comprise one or more airborne pathogens, respiratory pathogens, airborne viruses, airborne microorganisms, respiratory microorganisms, airborne coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019), and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), Ebola virus, Zika virus, West Nile virus, Marl virus, airborne influenza viruses, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, influenza C virus, influenza viruses including avian influenza and swine influenza, smallpox virus, monkeypox virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae which causes pneumonia, Mycobacterium tuberculosis which causes tuberculosis, Bacillus anthrax which causes anthrax, Aspergillus fumigatus which causes pulmonary aspergillosis, pneumonic plague, black mold airborne spores, ricin mist, ricin powder, or other types of biological agents 34.

[0045]

[0061] As shown in Figure 1, one or more chemical agents 36 may include one or more airborne chemical agents ((one or more)CA) 36a. One or more chemical agents 36 may further include one or more respiratory chemicals, chalking agents such as phenoxy herbicides (Agent Orange), chlorine, chloropicrin, diphosgene, and phosgene, which irritate the nose, throat, and lungs upon inhalation; blistering agents such as sulfur mustard, nitrogen mustard, lewisite, and phosgene oxime, which affect the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin; hematological agents such as hydrogen cyanide, chlorine cyanide, and arsine, which inhibit the ability of cells to utilize oxygen; and nerve agents such as tabun, sarin, soman, cyclosarin, and poisoning agent X, which inhibit the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme of the nervous system, which causes hyperstimulation of muscles, or another type of chemical agent 36.

[0046]

[0062] As shown in Figure 1, the occupants 28 may include one or more contaminated occupants 28b, one or more occupants of office partition booths ((one or more) OCCs) 28c, one or more occupants of conference rooms 28d, one or more occupants of auditoriums 28f, one or more animal occupants 28h (dogs and / or cats or other kinds of animals), or other kinds of occupants 28 within the building 12. Preferably, one or more occupants 28 within the internal airflow space 14 are in a stationary position (POS.) (SP) 44 (see Figure 1) or substantially stationary position (SP) 44a (see Figure 1). This is a state of no movement or substantial movement, such as sitting or not walking, for a period of time 45 (see Figure 1), such as a long period 45a (see Figure 1). The period 45, such as a long period 45a, is preferably in the range of one (1) to ten (10) hours, and particularly preferably in the range of one (1) to eight (8) hours.

[0047]

[0063] Each internal airflow space 14 is designed for a direct-path-to-return airflow 46. The direct-path-to-return airflow 46 is designed and realized as follows: an occupant 28 such as a human occupant 28a in the building 12 breathes air 30 such as contaminated air 30d that has already been breathed by another occupant 28 such as another human occupant 28a, including a nearby contaminated occupant 28b in the internal airflow space 14, and any other occupant 28 such as any other human occupant 28a, including a contaminated occupant 28b in the building 12, in any other internal airflow space 14, is very unlikely to be present.

[0048]

[0064] The airflow system 10 provides contamination reduction 48 (see Figure 1) to occupants 28 (see Figure 1), including human occupants 28a and / or animal occupants 28h, including contaminated occupants 28b within the building 12, in the event of contamination by one or more of one or more biological agents 34 and one or more chemical agents 36.

[0049]

[0065] As shown in Figure 1, the airflow system 10 comprises at least one air purification system 50 that provides purified air 30a and receives recirculated air 30b. In one version, the air purification system 50 comprises a compressor assembly (ASSY.) (CA) 52 (see Figure 1). The compressor assembly 52 takes in external air 30f (see Figure 1) from outside the environment and also takes in recirculated air 30b from the internal airflow space 14. As further shown in Figure 1, the compressor assembly 52 may include a reciprocating compressor assembly (CA) 52a, a multi-cylinder compressor assembly (CA) 52b, a multi-nozzle turbine compressor assembly (CA) 52c, a generator turbine compressor assembly (CA) 52d, or another suitable compressor assembly 52.

[0050]

[0066] The compressor assembly 52 may have at least one compressor 54 (see Figure 1) for compressing and thereby heating external air 30f and recirculated air 30b to obtain compressed air 30g (see Figure 1), such as compressed air 30g contaminated with one or more of one or more biological agents 34 and one or more chemical agents 36. The compressor 54 compresses one or more of the external air 30f and recirculated air 30b to an effective temperature (EFF.TEMP.) 55 (see Figure 1) and at the effective temperature, thereby heating them. The effective temperature 55 is, for example, a risen temperature or high temperature, within the temperature range of 140°F (60°C) to 1500°F (816°C), and more preferably within the temperature range of 158°F (70°C) to 600°F (316°C). The compressor 54 compresses one or more of the external air 30f and recirculated air 30b up to the effective pressure (EFF.PRESS.) 56 (see Figure 1) and at the effective pressure, thereby heating them. The effective pressure 56 is, for example, a risen pressure or high pressure.

[0051]

[0067] Compressed air 30g can be purified in a plenum 58 (see Figure 1) to obtain purified air 30a. The compressed air 30g is preferably maintained at an effective temperature 55. The effective temperature 55 is an elevated or high temperature over an effective (EFF.) residence time 59, for example, ranging from 0.5 seconds to 30 minutes. More preferably, the compressed air 30g is heated at an effective temperature 55 over an effective residence time 59, ranging from 1 second to 5 minutes.

[0052]

[0068] As shown in Figure 1, in one version, the compressor assembly 52 comprises at least one decompressor 60 coupled to at least one plenum 58. The decompressor 60 reduces the pressure of the purified air 30a to a cooled temperature, preferably in the range of 25°F (-3.9°C) to 80°F (26°C), and more preferably in the range of 65°F (18°C) to 74°F (24°C), in order to obtain reduced-pressure air 30h, thereby cooling it. The cooled temperature is below or below the effective temperature 55, such as the elevated temperature or high temperature.

[0053]

[0069] The compressor assembly 52 may be coupled to one or more air outlets to guide purified air 30a from the compressor assembly 52 to the air management system 62 (see Figure 1), and the compressor assembly 52 provides the air management system 62 with a purified air supply or clean air supply. The exhaust air 30i (see Figure 1) may include some of the purified air 30a that is exhausted from one of the air outlets of the compressor assembly 52 and released into the atmosphere outside the building 12.

[0054]

[0070] The purified air 30a includes a purified air supply or clean air supply supplied or flowed from the compressor assembly 52 into the air management system 62. The air management system 62 is part of the airflow system 10. The air management system 62 is coupled to the air purification system 50 and comprises a duct network 64 (see Figures 1, 2A, 3A, and 5A) consisting of a plurality of ducts 66 (see Figures 1, 2A, 3A, and 5A) which may have one or more duct valves 68 (see Figures 1, 2A, 3A, and 5A). As shown in Figure 1, the air management system 62 of the airflow system 10 comprises at least one air supply (AS) assembly (ASSY.) 70. The air supply assembly 70 is, for example, at least one air supply duct (ASD) assembly (ASSY.) 72. At least one air supply duct assembly 72 supplies purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 to at least one internal airflow space 14 within the building 12.

[0055]

[0071] An air supply assembly 70, such as an air supply duct assembly 72, includes one or more air supply ducts (ASDs) 78 (see Figures 1, 2A, 3A, and 5A). Each air supply duct 78 of an air supply assembly 70, such as an air supply duct assembly 72, has one or more first supply ends 74 (see Figures 2A, 3A, and 5A) connected to at least one air supply system 50 in a building 12, such as an office building 12a or a commercial building 12b, and one or more second supply ends 76 (see Figures 2A, 3A, and 5A) connected to at least one internal airflow space 14.

[0056]

[0072] As shown in Figure 1, in one version, one or more air supply ducts 78 may include one or more first air supply ducts (ASDs) 78a, one or more second air supply ducts (ASDs) 78b, and / or one or more third air supply ducts (ASDs) 78c. Each of the one or more air supply ducts 78 has an internal air pressure (AP) 80 (see Figure 1) of one or more. Preferably, in one version, each of the one or more first air supply ducts 78a may supply an airflow 31 with a low air pressure (AP) 80a (see Figure 1) and / or an airflow 31 with a moderate air pressure (AP) 80b (see Figure 1). In this case, the airflow 31 with low air pressure 80a preferably has a low air pressure 80a (see Figure 1) in the range of 0.000000119 psf (pounds per square foot) to 0.0000119 psf, and the airflow 31 with medium air pressure 80b preferably has a medium air pressure 80b (see Figure 1) in the range of 0.0000119 psf to 0.001190083 psf. When used herein, pounds per square foot (psf) is a unit of pressure such as the dynamic pressure of an airflow. In this case, a force of 1 pound (lbf) is equal to 1 square foot (ft 2 This is applied to the area of ​​). In other versions, the low air pressure 80a may be less than 0.000000119 psf or greater than 0.0000119 psf. In other versions, a moderate air pressure of 80b may be less than 0.0000119 psf or greater than 0.001190083 psf.

[0057]

[0073] Preferably, in one version, each of one or more second air supply ducts 78b may supply an airflow 31 with high air pressure (AP) 80c (see Figure 1) and / or an airflow 31 with ultra-high air pressure (AP) 80d (see Figure 1). In this case, the airflow 31 with high air pressure 80c preferably has an air pressure 80c (see Figure 1) in the range of 0.019041322 psf to 0.119008264 psf, and the airflow 31 with ultra-high air pressure 80d preferably has an ultra-high air pressure 80d in the range of 0.267768595 psf to 26.7768595 psf. In other versions, the air pressure 80c may be less than 0.019041322 psf or greater than 0.119008264 psf. In several other versions, the ultra-high air pressure 80d can be less than 0.267768595 psf or greater than 26.7768595 psf.

[0058]

[0074] Preferably, in one version, each of the third air supply ducts 78c may be provided with a port 79 (see Figure 3C) to compressed air 30g (see Figure 3C) which can be supplied at an ultra-high air pressure 80d, which can be activated, for example, when an occupant 28 in the internal airflow space 14 sneezes.

[0059]

[0075] The one or more air supply ducts 78 described in more detail below may include one or more of the following: one or more side wall air supply ducts 78d (see Figure 2A), one or more floor air supply ducts 78e (see Figure 2C), one or more ceiling air supply ducts 78f (see Figure 2A), one or more heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) air supply ducts 78g (see Figure 2A), one or more table air supply ducts 78h (see Figure 3A), one or more seat air supply ducts 78i (see Figure 5D), or other suitable air supply ducts 78. One or more seat air supply ducts 78i may include one or more of the following: one or more seat air supply side wall ducts 78j (see Figure 5D), and one or more seat air supply rear ducts 78k (see Figure 5D).

[0060]

[0076] An air supply assembly 70, such as an air supply duct assembly 72, further comprises one or more air supply vents 82 configured to open and close to control the airflow (AF) 31 (see Figure 1) of purified air 30a into at least one internal airflow space 14. The one or more air supply vents 82 described in more detail below may include one or more side wall air supply vents 82a (see Figure 2A), one or more floor air supply vents 82b (see Figure 2C), one or more ceiling air supply vents 82c (see Figure 2A), one or more table air supply vents 82d (see Figure 3A), one or more seat air supply vents 82e (see Figure 5D), or other suitable air supply vents 82.

[0061]

[0077] In one version, as shown in Figure 4A and described in detail below with respect to Figure 4A, one or more table supply vents 82d preferably include one or more central nozzle vents 84a, one or more side nozzle vents 84b, and one or more diagonal nozzle vents 84c, as shown in Figure 4A. One or more table air supply vents 82d may also include other suitable types of table air supply vents 82d.

[0062]

[0078] In one version, as shown in Figure 5D and described in further detail below with respect to Figure 5D, one or more seat air supply vents 82e preferably include one or more of the following: one or more seat air supply side wall vents 82f and one or more seat air supply rear vents 82g.

[0063]

[0079] In one version, one or more floor air supply vents 82b may include one or more grid floor vents 86 (see Figure 1) within a grid floor 88 (see Figure 1) in at least one internal airflow space 14.

[0064]

[0080] As shown in Figure 1, the air management system 62 of the airflow system 10 further comprises at least one air return (AR) assembly (ASSY.) 90. The at least one air return assembly 90 is, for example, at least one air return duct (ARD) assembly (ASSY.) 92. The at least one air return duct assembly 92 returns air 30b that has been recirculated from at least one internal airflow space 14 to at least one air purification system 50. The recirculated air 30b includes internal air 30c (see Figure 1) from at least one internal airflow space 14, and one or more air 30d (see Figure 1) contaminated by one or more biological agents 34 (see Figure 1) and chemical agents 36 (see Figure 1), including one or more biological agents 34 emitted by one or more contaminated occupants 28b in at least one internal air space.

[0065]

[0081] An air return assembly 90, such as an air return duct assembly 92, includes one or more air return ducts (ARDs) 94 (see Figures 1, 2A, 3A, and 5A). Each air return duct 94 of an air return assembly 90, such as an air return duct assembly 92, has one or more return first ends 96 (see Figures 2A, 3A, and 5A) connected to at least one internal airflow space 14 within a building 12, such as an office building 12a or a commercial building 12b, and each air return duct 94 has one or more return second ends 98 (see Figures 2A, 3A, and 5A) connected to at least one air purification system 50.

[0066]

[0082] As shown in Figure 1, in one version, one or more air return ducts 94 may include one or more first air return ducts (ARDs) 94a, one or more second air return ducts (ARDs) 94b, and / or one or more third air return ducts (ARDs) 94c. Each of the one or more air return ducts 94 has an air pressure (AP) 80 (see Figure 1) inside each air return duct 94. Preferably, in one version, each of the one or more first air return ducts 94a may supply an airflow 31 with a low air pressure (AP) 80a (see Figure 1) and / or an airflow 31 with a moderate air pressure (AP) 80b (see Figure 1). In that case, the low-pressure airflow 31 80a preferably has a low pressure 80a (see Figure 1) in the range of 0.000000119 psf (pounds per square foot) to 0.0000119 psf, and the medium-pressure airflow 31 80b preferably has a medium pressure 80b (see Figure 1) in the range of 0.0000119 psf to 0.001190083 psf. In other versions, the low pressure 80a may be less than 0.000000119 psf or greater than 0.0000119 psf. In several other versions, the medium pressure 80b may be less than 0.0000119 psf or greater than 0.001190083 psf.

[0067]

[0083] Preferably, in one version, each of one or more second air return ducts 94b may supply a high-pressure (AP) 80c (see Figure 1) airflow 31 and / or an ultra-high-pressure (AP) 80d (see Figure 1) airflow 31. In this case, the high-pressure 80c airflow 31 preferably has a high-pressure 80c (see Figure 1) in the range of 0.019041322 psf (pounds per square foot) to 0.119008264 psf, and the ultra-high-pressure 80d airflow 31 preferably has an ultra-high-pressure 80d in the range of 0.267768595 psf to 26.7768595 psf. In several other versions, high air pressure 80c may be less than 0.019041322 psf or greater than 0.119008264 psf. In other versions, extra-high air pressure 80d may be less than 0.267768595 psf or greater than 26.7768595 psf.

[0068]

[0084] Preferably, in one version, each of the third air return ducts 94c has a vacuum system or vacuum port 95 (see Figure 3C) that returns 30g of compressed air (see Figure 3C) at an ultra-high air pressure 80d, which can be activated, for example, when an occupant 28 in the internal airflow space 14 sneezes.

[0069]

[0085] One or more of the air return ducts 94 may contain one or more ultraviolet (UV) lights (see Figures 1, 2A, and 3A) inside one or more of the air return ducts 94 (see Figures 2A and 3A). The one or more UV lights 100 may be used and placed inside the air return duct 94 to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more of the biological agents 34 and / or chemical agents 36, optionally. In place of, or in addition to, the UV lights 100, the air return duct 94 may have one or more grids with heated wires inside the air return duct 94, or another suitable device or assembly to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more of the biological agents 34.

[0070]

[0086] One or more air return ducts 94 may include, and comprise, one or more ceiling air return ducts (ARDs) 94d (see Figures 1 and 2A), one or more HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return ducts (ARDs) 94e (see Figures 1 and 2A), or other suitable air return ducts 94.

[0071]

[0087] As shown in Figure 1, an air return assembly 90, such as an air return duct assembly 92, includes an air return vent 104. One or more air return vents 104 may include one or more ceiling air return vents 104a (see Figures 1 and 2A), one or more heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) air return vents 104b (see Figures 1 and 2A), or other suitable air return vents 104.

[0072]

[0088] One or more of the air supply vents 82 and one or more of the air return vents 104 may each have one or more louvers 102 (see Figure 1). The louvers 102 are a series of slats that can be used to control the airflow 31 (see Figure 1) passing through the air supply vents 82 and the air return vents 104. The louvers 102 may be fixed or stationary or adjustable. The louvers 102 allow the airflow 31 to enter the internal airflow space 14, the air return vents 104 and the air return ducts 94. The louvers 102 direct the airflow 31 to the desired location based on how much air pressure is applied to the louvers 102. The louvers 102 are preferably made of a metal such as aluminum or steel, or another suitable metal, or wood, or another suitable material.

[0073]

[0089] As shown in Figure 1, the airflow system 10 and the air management system 62 of the airflow system 10 include one or more airflows 105, such as one or more directional airflows 106 formed between at least one air supply assembly 70 and at least one air return assembly 90 within at least one internal airflow space 14. The one or more directional airflows 106 preferably include an upward-flowing airflow 107a (Figures 2A, 3A, and 5A). The one or more directional airflows 106 may also include downward-flowing airflows, such as a downward-flowing airflow 107b (see Figure 3A) that flows downward first and then upward, or laterally-flowing airflows, such as a laterally-flowing airflow 107c (see Figure 3A) that flows laterally first and then upward.

[0074]

[0090] One or more airflows 105, such as one or more directional airflows 106, include one or more of purified air 30a, internal air 30c, and contaminated air 30d. One or more airflows 105, such as one or more directional airflows 106, include at least one of one or more first directional airflows 106a (see Figures 2C, 3A, and 5D) and one or more second directional airflows 106b (see Figures 2C, 3A, and 5D). One or more directional airflows 106 may also include one or more third directional airflows 106c (see Figures 3A to 3C) and / or one or more fourth directional airflows 106d (see Figure 3C).

[0075]

[0091] One or more first directional airflows 106a are used to provide respiratory isolation 112 (see Figure 1) by forming one or more air barriers 115 between each of the one or more occupants 28, each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b in the internal airflow space 14 (see Figures 1, 2C, 3A-3C, 5A, 5D, and 6). Preferably, the airflow velocity (AV) 114 (see Figure 1) of the one or more first directional airflows 106a is a high airflow velocity (AV) 114c (see Figure 1), ranging from four feet per second to ten feet per second.

[0076]

[0092] One or more second directional airflows 106b form airflow regions 117 (see Figures 1, 2A-2C, 3A-3C, 5B, and 5D) around each of the one or more occupants 28, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b within the internal airflow space 14. Preferably, the airflow velocity (AV) 114 (see Figure 1) of the one or more second directional airflows 106b is a moderate airflow velocity (AV) 114b (see Figure 1) in the range of 0.1 feet per second to 1 foot per second. One or more second directional airflows 106b have an airflow velocity 114 lower than the airflow velocity 114 of one or more first directional airflows 106a. One or more first directional airflows 106a have an airflow velocity 114 higher than the airflow velocity 114 of one or more second directional airflows 106b.

[0077]

[0093] One or more airflows 105, such as one or more directional airflows 106, generate a boundary space 108 (see Figure 1) of a separated airflow (AF) for each of the one or more occupants 28 in at least one internal airflow space 14 that includes or comprises one or more contaminated occupants 28b, in order to provide prevention of cross-contamination (CONTAM.) 110 (see Figure 1) between each separated airflow boundary space 108, or to provide respiratory isolation 112 (see Figure 1) for each of the one or more occupants 28, including one or more contaminated occupants 28b.

[0078]

[0094] Each airflow 105, such as each directional airflow 106, has an airflow velocity 114 (see Figure 1) or flow rate of airflow 31. As shown in Figure 1, the airflow velocity (AV) 114 includes low airflow velocity (AV) 114a, medium airflow velocity (AV) 114b, high airflow velocity (AV) 114c, and very high airflow velocity (AV) 114d. Preferably, the airflow velocity 114 for low airflow velocity 114a is in the range of 0.01 feet per second to 0.1 feet per second. Preferably, the airflow velocity 114 for medium airflow velocity 114b is in the range of 0.1 feet per second to 1 foot per second. Preferably, the airflow velocity 114 for high airflow velocity 114c is in the range of 4 feet per second to 10 feet per second. Preferably, the airflow velocity 114 of the ultra-high airflow velocity 114d is in the range of 15 feet per second to 150 feet per second.

[0079]

[0095] When the airflow 105 (one or more directional airflows 106, e.g., one or more first directional airflows 106a) has a high airflow velocity 114c, the airflow 105 forms one or more air barriers 115 (see Figure 1), such as one or more protective virus barriers 116 (see Figure 1), around each of the one or more occupants 28 in the internal airflow space 14, to isolate each of the one or more occupants 28, including or comprising one or more contaminated occupants 28b, from contamination by another occupant 28, including the contaminated occupant 28b. When there is a high-speed airflow 31d (see Figure 1) moving at a high airflow velocity 114c between, around, periphery, in front of, and / or behind each of the one or more occupants 28 in the internal airflow space 14, the one or more occupants 28, including any contaminated occupant 28b, have respiratory isolation 112 from one another. An air barrier 115 (see Figure 1) of an airflow 31 having a high airflow velocity 114c isolates the breathing air 30e (see Figure 1) within the internal airflow space 14, and the breathing of each of one or more occupants 28, from the breathing air 30e and the breathing of each of the other one or more occupants 28. The air barrier 115 can also be shared, for example, between seats in a ducted auditorium (see Figure 6).

[0080]

[0096] When the airflow 105 (one or more directional airflows 105, e.g., one or more second directional airflows 106b) has a moderate airflow velocity 114b, the airflow 105 flows through each of the one or more occupants 28, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b, in a constant flow state 118 (see Figure 1) for a long period of time and for the residence time of each of the one or more occupants 28, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b, that are in the internal airflow space 14 for a long period of time 45 (see Figure 1), such as a long period of time 45a (see Figure 1). The moderate airflow velocity 114b draws in contaminated air 30d either directly into the air return duct 94 or into the air barrier 115 of the one or more first directional airflows 106a. When there is an airflow region 117 (Figures 1, 2A-2C, 3A-3C, 5B, 5D) of a slow-moving airflow 31b (see Figure 1), such as an airflow 31 which is normally an airflow 31c (see Figure 1), moving at a moderately low speed with a moderate airflow velocity 114b (see Figure 1), around, around, in front of, and / or behind each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b in the internal airflow space 14, preferably, There is no flow of cold air to one or more occupants 28 that includes or have one or more contaminated occupants 28b. In that case, there is a slow-moving airflow 31b, such as a moderately slow-moving airflow 31 with a moderate airflow velocity 114b. Airflow 31 must be a slow-moving airflow 31b, such as a moderately slow-moving airflow 31. Therefore, one or more occupants 28 that include one or more contaminated occupants 28b do not experience cooling from the flow of cold air.

[0081]

[0097] When an airflow 105 (one or more directional airflows 106, e.g., one or more fourth directional airflows 106d (see Figure 3C)) has an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (e.g., a surge airflow 31e (see Figure 1)), the airflow 105 can be activated by an occupant 28, such as a contaminated occupant 28b sneezing. A sound sensor 25a (see Figures 1 and 3C) detects the situation and immediately and quickly increases the airflow velocity 114 (see Figure 1) from high airflow velocity 114c to ultra-high airflow velocity 114d. The ultra-high airflow velocity 114d is fast enough to prevent any sneeze droplets from crossing the air barrier 115 between and / or around the occupants 28. After a few seconds, the ultra-high airflow velocity 114d may decrease again to high airflow velocity 114c. This is because those sneeze droplets are consumed by the air return duct 94.

[0082]

[0098] The primary objective of the airflow system 10 disclosed herein is to provide, preferably, respiratory isolation 112 (see Figure 1) between one or more occupants 28, including one or more contaminated occupants 28b in the internal airflow space 14, by providing one or both of the following: an airflow region 117 (see Figures 1, 2A-2C, 3A-3C, 5B, 5D) of a slow-moving airflow 31b (see Figure 1), such as an airflow 31 that moves at a moderately slow speed around each of the one or more occupants 28, including one or more contaminated occupants 28b in the internal airflow space 14; and / or one or more air barriers 115 (see Figures 1, 2C, 3A-3C, 5A, 5D, 6) or a protective virus barrier 116 (see Figure 1) of a fast-moving airflow 31d.

[0083]

[0099] One or more of the airflows 105, such as one or more of the one or more directional airflows 106, are in a constant flow state 118 (see Figure 1) around one or more occupants 28 in at least one internal airflow space 14. The flow arrangement (ARRANGE.) 120 (see Figure 1) of the one or more directional airflows 106 in the internal airflow space 14 prevents one or more occupants 28 in the internal airflow space 14, including one or more contaminated occupants 28b, from contaminating each other. The airflow system 10 provides contamination mitigation 48 (see Figure 1) to each of the one or more occupants 28 in at least one internal airflow space 14 against contamination by one or more of the one or more biological agents 34 (see Figure 1) and one or more chemical agents 36 (see Figure 1) emitted by one or more contaminated occupants 28b in at least one internal airflow space 14.

[0084]

[0100] The airflow system 10 disclosed herein is designed for one or more occupants 28 in a stationary position 44 (see Figure 1) or a substantially stationary position 44a (see Figure 1) within the internal airflow space 14. The one or more occupants 28 are preferably in a stationary position 44 (see Figure 1) or a substantially stationary position 44a (see Figure 1) within the internal airflow space 14 for a period of time 45 (see Figure 1), such as a long time 45a (see Figure 1). The period 45, such as a long time 45a, is preferably in the range of one (1) to ten (10) hours, and particularly preferably in the range of one (1) to eight (8) hours. A long period 45a may be continuous, for example, occupant 28 meeting in conference room 20 for one (1) hour, or a long period 45a may be discontinuous, for example, occupant 28 working primarily in their office partition booth or office 24 for an 8-hour workday, but taking lunch breaks, restroom breaks, coffee breaks, or other short breaks from the office partition booth 16 or office 24, or from conference room 20 or auditorium 22.

[0085]

[0101] One or more internal airflow spaces 14 are designed for direct-path-to-return airflow 46 (see Figure 1). The direct-path-to-return airflow 46 is designed and implemented as follows: an occupant 28 such as a human occupant 28a in a building 12 breathes air 30 such as contaminated air 30d that has already been breathed by another occupant 28 such as another human occupant 28a, including a nearby contaminated occupant 28b in the internal airflow space 14, and any other occupant 28 such as any other human occupant 28a, including a contaminated occupant 28b in a building 12, in turn, is very unlikely to be present in any other internal airflow space 14.

[0086]

[0102] Air supply assemblies 70, such as air supply duct assembly 72, and air return assemblies 90, such as air return duct assembly 92, can generate a controlled airflow pattern 122 (see Figure 1) within one or more internal airflow spaces 14 in an intermittent manner 124 (see Figure 1) to mitigate the inhalation of air 30d contaminated with one or more of the biological agents 34 and one or more chemical agents 36 by one or more occupants 28 within the building 12. The intermittent manner 124 means that purified air 30a is introduced into or flows into the internal airflow space 14 only when one or more occupants 28, such as one or more human occupants 28a, are present within the internal airflow space 14.

[0087]

[0103] As shown in Figure 1, the airflow system 10 further comprises at least one control system 126 that controls the airflow system 10. In one version, the control system 126 may comprise a sensor control network 128 having one or more controllers 130, one or more power supplies 132 for supplying power to the control system 126, one or more software programs 134, and one or more computers 136 configured to run the one or more software programs 134. As shown in Figure 1, in one version, the control system 126 is a central control system 126a coupled to a compressor assembly 52, an air supply assembly 70 such as an air supply duct assembly 72, and an air return assembly 90 such as an air return duct assembly 92 via a connector element 138, such as a wired connector element 138a (see Figure 2A) or a wireless connector element 138b (see Figure 3A). In another version, the control system 126 comprises a distributed control system 126b. In the distributed control system 126b, a sensor control network 128, a controller 130, a power supply 132, and a computer 136 having a software program 134 are distributed to each internal airflow space 14 or several internal airflow spaces 14 on the same floor or adjacent floors of the building 12.

[0088]

[0104] The air purification system 50 and air management system 62 of the airflow system 10 are preferably, for example, 10 -9 It supplies purified air 30a with significantly increased reliability, such as reliability. This reliability is that it is not contaminated by one or more of the one or more biological agents 34 and one or more chemical agents 36 released by one or more contaminated occupants 28 (see Figures 1, 2A, 3A, 5A), such as human occupants 28a (see Figures 1, 2A, 3A, 5A), into the outside air 30f (see Figure 1), which becomes contaminated air 30d outside one or more buildings 12, and / or by one or more contaminated occupants 28b (see Figure 1), which are located inside buildings 12, such as inside the internal airflow space 14 inside buildings 12.

[0089]

[0105] In another version, an airflow system 10 (see Figure 1) for an office building 12a (see Figure 1) is provided. The airflow system 10 comprises at least one air purification system 50 (see Figure 1) that provides purified air 30a (see Figure 1) and receives recirculated air 30b (see Figure 1). The airflow system 10 further comprises at least one air supply duct assembly 72 (see Figure 1) that supplies the purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 to at least one internal airflow space 14 within the office building 12a. The at least one air supply duct assembly 72 comprises one or more air supply ducts 78 (see Figure 1) and one or more air supply vents 82 (see Figure 1). At least one internal airflow space 14 includes one or more of the following: office partition booths 16 (see Figures 1 and 2A), conference rooms 20 (see Figures 1 and 3A), and auditoriums 22 (see Figures 1 and 5A) within the office building 12a. At least one internal airflow space 14 may also include an office 24 (see Figure 2C). One or more occupants 28 are present in at least one internal airflow space 14 for a period of time 45 (see Figure 1), such as a long period 45a (see Figure 1), within a time range of one to ten hours, in either a stationary position 44 (see Figures 1 and 2A) or a substantially stationary position 44a (see Figures 1 and 2A).

[0090]

[0106] The airflow system 10 further comprises at least one air return duct assembly 92 (see Figure 1) that returns recirculated air from at least one internal airflow space 14 to at least one air purification system 50. The at least one air supply duct assembly 92 comprises one or more air return ducts 94 (see Figure 1) and one or more air return vents 104 (see Figure 1). The recirculated air 30b comprises internal air 30c (see Figure 1) from at least one internal airflow space 14, and one or more of any contaminated air 30d (see Figure 1) contaminated by one or more biological agents 34 (see Figure 1) and one or more chemical agents 36 (see Figure 1) emitted by one or more contaminated occupants 28b in at least one internal air space.

[0091]

[0107] The airflow system 10 further comprises one or more directional airflows 106 (see Figure 1) formed between at least one air supply duct assembly 72 and at least one air return duct assembly 92 within at least one internal airflow space 14. The one or more directional airflows 106 include one or more of purified air 30a, internal air 30c, and contaminated air 30d.

[0092]

[0108] One or more directional airflows 106 include at least one of one or more first directional airflows 106a (see Figures 2C, 3A, and 5D) and one or more second directional airflows 106b (see Figures 2C, 3A, and 5D). One or more first directional airflows 106a form one or more air barriers 115 (see Figures 1, 2C, 3A, 5D, and 6) between each of the one or more occupants 28, which include or comprise each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b in the internal airflow space 14, in order to provide respiratory isolation 112 (see Figure 1) using one or more air barriers 115. One or more second directional airflows 106b form airflow regions 117 (Figures 1, 2A, 3A, 5A, and 5D) around each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b within the internal airflow space 14. In this case, the one or more second directional airflows 106b have an airflow velocity 114 lower than the airflow velocity 114 of the one or more first directional airflows 106a.

[0093]

[0109] The airflow system 10 may optionally further include one or more sensors 25 (see Figure 1) located within at least one internal airflow space 14. The airflow system 10 further includes at least one control system 126 (see Figure 1) that controls the airflow system 10. The airflow system 10 provides contamination mitigation 48 (see Figure 1) to each of the one or more occupants 28 in at least one internal airflow space 14 within the office building 12a against contamination by one or more biological agents 34, including one or more biological agents, and one or more chemical agents 36, emitted by one or more contaminated occupants 28b in at least one internal airflow space 14.

[0094]

[0110] Next, referring to Figures 2A to 2C, Figures 2A to 2C illustrate an exemplary airflow system 10 of the present disclosure for an internal airflow space 14, including office partition booths 16 within a building 12 such as an office building 12a. Figures 2A to 2C further illustrate passages 18 between an office partition booth 16 and an adjacent office partition booth 16a (see Figures 2A to 2B) or between an office partition booth 16 and an office 24 (see Figure 2C). The airflow system 10 shown in Figures 2A to 2C has a dedicated air supply 70a and a dedicated air return assembly 90a for each office partition booth 16, and this version of the airflow system 10 prevents occupants 28c of one or more office partition booths from contaminating each other.

[0095]

[0111] Figure 2A is a side view of an exemplary airflow system 10 of the present disclosure for an internal airflow space 14 including an office partition booth 16 and an adjacent office partition booth 16a within a building 12 such as an office building 12a. In one version, the building 12 such as an office building 12a includes a renovated building 12c, as shown in Figure 2A. In that case, contaminated air 30d is present inside 140 of the office partition booth 16. Figure 2A represents contaminated conditions 141, including the conditions 141a of the contaminated office partition booth.

[0096]

[0112] Figure 2B is a side view of the airflow system 10 of Figure 2A for an office partition booth 16 in a building 12, such as an office building 12a. In this case, the building 12 is a renovated building 12c, and contaminated air 30d is present inside 140a of an adjacent office partition booth 16a opposite the office partition booth 16. Figure 2B represents a contaminated condition 141, including the contaminated adjacent partition booth condition 141b.

[0097]

[0113] Figure 2C is a side view of the airflow system 10 of this disclosure for office partition booths 16 in a building 12, such as an office building 12a. In this case, building 12 is a newly constructed building 12d. Contaminated air 30d is present in corridors 18 adjacent to and next to the office partition booths 16 and adjacent to and next to offices 24. Figure 2C represents contaminated conditions 141, including the contaminated corridor conditions 141c.

[0098]

[0114] Figures 2A to 2C show occupants 28, such as a human occupant 28a, an office partition booth occupant 28c

[0099]

[0115] As shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the office partition booth 16 has an office partition booth floor 146, an office partition booth ceiling 148, and an office partition booth side wall 150. At least one of the office partition booth side walls 150 has an office partition booth door (not shown) or entrance (not shown), and the office partition booth side wall 150 surrounds the office partition booth 16.

[0100]

[0116] As shown in Figures 2A to 2C, in one version, one or more of the side walls 150 of the office partition booth may have the uppermost side wall portion 150a of the side wall 150 of the office partition booth having a transparent panel 152. In one version, as shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the transparent panel 152 or sheet may include a transparent fireproof panel 152a or sheet.

[0101]

[0117] As further shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the airflow system 10 for the internal airflow space 14, including the partition booth 16 of the office, has or comprises an air supply duct assembly 70, such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a (e.g., an air supply duct assembly 72 having an air supply duct 78), which supplies air 30, such as purified air 30a, from the air purification system 50 to the internal airflow space 14. Figure 2A shows the first supply end 74 of the air supply duct 78 coupled to the air purification system 50 and the second supply end 76 coupled to the partition booth 16 of the office.

[0102]

[0118] As further shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the airflow system 10 for the internal airflow space 14, including the partition booth 16 of the office, has or comprises an air return assembly 90, such as a dedicated air return assembly 90a (e.g., an air return duct assembly 92 having an air return duct 94), which returns air 30, such as air 30b, that has been recirculated from the internal airflow space 14 to the air purification system 50. Figure 2A shows a first return end 96 coupled to the partition booth 16 of the office and a second return end 98 coupled to the air purification system 50.

[0103]

[0119] As further shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the sensor 25 is optionally coupled to the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth 16, to the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth 16a (see Figures 2A to 2B) or the office partition booth 24 (see Figure 2C), and to the ceiling 164 of the corridor 18. The sensor 25 can be used to identify which internal airflow space 14 is occupied by an occupant 28, such as a human occupant 28a or an animal occupant 28h (see Figure 1). In addition, in the event of a fire, fire extinguishing agents can be supplied to areas or regions within the building 12 where there are no occupants 28, such as a human occupant 28a or an animal occupant 28h.

[0104]

[0120] One or more sensors 25 may include one or more sound sensors 25a (see Figure 1) for detecting sound (e.g., a sneeze 26 (see Figure 3C) or another type of sound). Sensors 25 may further include one or more motion sensors for detecting one or more occupants 28 (see Figures 1, 2A to 2C), such as one or more human occupants 28a (one or more OOCs) 28a (see Figures 1, 2A to 2C) in the internal airflow space 14 within the building 12. Sensor 25 may further include temperature sensors, capacitive sensors, resistance sensors, and thermal sensors, including semiconductor-based sensors, thermocouple sensors, resistance temperature detectors, and negative temperature coefficient thermistors; humidity sensors, contact sensors for indicating whether a duct or valve is open or closed; air quality sensors for monitoring toxins, dust, carbon dioxide, ozone, and other substances in the air 30 (see Figure 1); infrared sensors; sensors for detecting or detecting contaminants 32 (see Figure 1), including one or more of one or more biological agents 34 (see Figures 1 and 2A) and one or more chemical agents 36 (see Figure 1); or other suitable sensors 25.

[0105]

[0121] As further shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the airflow system 10 further comprises a control system 126 that controls the airflow system 10. The control system 126 is located between the air management system 62 and the air purification system 50, which are coupled to the internal airflow space 14 via a connector element 138, such as a wired connector element 138a (see Figures 2A to 2C) or a wireless connector element 138b (see Figure 3A). As shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the control system 126 is also coupled to one or more sensors 25 in the internal airflow space 14. The one or more sensors 25 may be optional. As shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the control system 126 may comprise a sensor control network 128 for controlling the sensors 25, a controller 130, a power supply 132 for supplying power to the control system 126, and a computer 136 having a software program 134. As shown in Figures 2A to 2C, in one version, the control system 126 includes a central control system 126a coupled between the management system 62 and the air purification system 50 via a connector element 138, such as a wired connector element 138a or a wireless connector element 138b. In another version, the control system 126 comprises a distributed control system 126b (see Figure 1). In the distributed control system 126b, a computer 136 having a sensor control network 128, a controller 130, a power supply 132, and a software program 134 is distributed among each internal airflow space 14 or several internal airflow spaces 14 on the same floor or adjacent floors of the building 12.

[0106]

[0122] In one version having a remodeled building 12c, as shown in Figures 2A-2B, the air supply ducts 78 for the office partition booths 16 include side wall air supply ducts 78d and ceiling air supply ducts 78f. The ceiling air supply ducts 78f include one or more HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air supply ducts 78g (see Figures 2A-2B). As shown in Figures 2A-2B, one or more of the side walls 150 of the office partition booths have wall cavities 154 or openings that house one or more side wall air supply ducts 78d or are hollow to function as one or more side wall air supply ducts 78d. As further shown in Figures 2A-2B, the air supply ducts 78 for the passageways 18 include ceiling air supply ducts 78f such as HVAC air supply ducts 78g. The passageway 18 also receives air 30, such as purified air 30a, from the side wall air supply duct 78d within the side wall 150 of the office partition booth. As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the passageway 18 is located between the side wall air supply duct 78d of the side wall 150 of the office partition booth 16 and the side wall air supply duct 78d of the side wall 150 of the adjacent office partition booth 16a.

[0107]

[0123] The side wall 150 of the office partition booth having a wall cavity 154 (see Figures 2A-2B) may be equipped with a side wall for supplying higher pressure air, and in one version, it may be transparent. In another version, the side wall 150 of the office partition booth having a wall cavity 154 (see Figures 2A-2B) may be equipped with a side wall for supplying higher pressure air, which can be adjusted by the occupant 28c of the office partition booth, for example, the side wall may be opaque.

[0108]

[0124] As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, an air supply vent 82 for the office partition booth 16, such as an air supply vent 82a on the side wall, is located on the lowest side wall portion 150b of the side wall 150 of the office partition booth 16 to flow purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 (such as from the plenum 58 (see Figure 1)) into the lowest part of the office partition booth 16. As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the purified air 30a flows upward towards the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth 16 as an airflow 105 (e.g., an upward-flowing airflow 107a) such as a directional airflow 106. In addition, internal air 30c (see Figures 2A and 2B) flows upward towards the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth.

[0109]

[0125] As further shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the directional airflow 106 includes a second directional airflow 106b that forms an airflow region 117 around an occupant 28, such as a contaminated occupant 28b in an office partition booth 16. The second directional airflow 106b forming the airflow region 117 flows upward from the side wall air supply vent 82a into the air return vent 104, into the ceiling air return duct 94d, and into the air purification system 50.

[0110]

[0126] As further shown in Figures 2A and 2B, air supply vents 82, such as side wall air supply vents 82a, are located in the lowest side wall portion 150c of the side wall 150 of the office partition booth to direct purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 into the lowest passage portion 158 of the passage 18 near the passage floor 160. In this case, the purified air 30a flows upward through the interior 162 of the passage 18 toward the passage ceiling 164 as an airflow 105, such as a directional airflow 106. In addition, the interior air 30c within the passage 18 (see Figures 2A and 2B) flows upward toward the passage ceiling 164.

[0111]

[0127] The air supply vent 82 may include a louver 102 (see Figure 1) that, in one version, can be stationary, or in another version, can be adjustable, allowing for manual or automatic adjustment of the airflow 31 of purified air 30a into, for example, the interior 140 of an office partition booth 16 or the interior 162 of a passageway 18.

[0112]

[0128] As further shown in Figures 2A-2B, which show the renovated building 12c, the air return ducts 94 for the office partition booths 16 include one or more ceiling air return ducts 94d, such as one or more HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return ducts 94e. The air return ducts 94 may include further air return ducts 94 within the renovated building 12c.

[0113]

[0129] As further shown in Figures 2A-2B, which show the renovated building 12c, the air return vent 104 for the office partition booth 16 includes an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return vent 104b for returning purified air 30a and internal air 30c, including contaminated air 30d (see Figure 2A), from the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16 into the ceiling air return duct 94d, for example, as recirculated air 30b. As shown in Figures 2A-2B, the contaminated air 30d contains one or more biological agents 34. As shown in Figures 2A-2B, the air return vent 104 is located in the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth. As a result, one or more directional airflows 106 generate an airflow boundary space 108 separated around the office partition booth occupant 28c, which includes or comprises a contaminated occupant 28b (see Figure 2A), in order to prevent any office partition booth occupant 28c in one or more adjacent office partition booths 16a from breathing any contaminated air 30d from the contaminated occupant 28b.

[0114]

[0130] As further shown in Figures 2A-2B, which show the renovated building 12c, the air return duct 94 for the passage 18 includes one or more ceiling air return ducts 94d, such as one or more HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return ducts 94e, and the air return vent 104 for the passage 18 includes a ceiling air return vent 104a, for example, an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return vent 104b for returning purified air 30a and internal air 30c from the interior 162 of the passage 18 into the ceiling air return duct 94d as recirculated air 30b.

[0115]

[0131] Figures 2A and 2B further show an ultraviolet light 100 positioned and installed inside the air return duct 94. The ultraviolet light 100 may be used and positioned inside the air return duct 94 to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more biological agents 34 and / or one or more chemical agents 36 at a location close to the source. Instead of, or in addition to, the ultraviolet light 100, the air return duct 94 may have one or more grids with heated wires inside the air return duct 94, or another suitable device or assembly to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more biological agents 34 and / or one or more chemical agents 36.

[0116]

[0132] As shown in Figure 2A, a contaminated occupant 28b breathing contaminated air 30d is inside an office partition booth 16 140 within the renovated building 12c. The office partition booth 16 is enclosed to prevent the contaminated air 30d from flowing into a passage 18 (see Figure 2A) and into an adjacent office partition booth 16a (see Figure 2A). The rest of building 12, such as the renovated building 12c, is not affected by the contaminated air 30d inside the office partition booth 16 140 (see Figure 2A). As shown in Figure 2A, the contaminated air 30d exits into the air return duct 94 through an air return vent 104 or outlet as recirculated air 30b. The resulting patterns of airflow 31, such as the directional airflow 106 that creates a separated airflow boundary space 108, protect multiple others within the building 12 from breathing contaminated air 30d from the occupant 28c of the partitioned office booth, such as the contaminated occupant 28b. As shown in Figure 2A, the internal air 30c and purified air 30a, as recirculated air 30b, exit the passage 18 through the air return vent 104 or outlet and enter the air return duct 94. The recirculated air 30b, including the contaminated air 30d, then moves directly from the air return duct 94 to the compressor assembly 52. ​​In the compressor assembly 52, the air becomes purified air 30a or uncontaminated air.

[0117]

[0133] As shown in Figure 2B, the occupant 28c of the office partition booth is inside the office partition booth 16 in the renovated building 12c, and contaminated air 30d is present in the adjacent office partition booth 16a. Neither the office partition booth 16 nor the occupant 28c of the office partition booth are in the path of the airflow 31 (see Figure 1) from the adjacent office partition booth 16a, which has contaminated air 30c. The office partition booth 16a, which has internal air 30c and purified air 30a, is isolated from the adjacent office partition booth 16a, which has contaminated air 30d, and is not contaminated by the adjacent office partition booth 16a. In addition, the passage 18 next to the adjacent office partition booth 16a is not in the path of the airflow 31 from the adjacent office partition booth 16a and is not contaminated by the contaminated air 30d inside the adjacent office partition booth 16a.

[0118]

[0134] Therefore, as shown in Figures 2A to 2B, the air 30, such as purified air 30a, enters the wall cavity 154 from the plenum 58 (see Figure 1) of the air purification system 50. As shown in Figures 2A to 2B, the air 30, such as purified air 30a, exits the wall cavity 154 at a low height, such as the lowest part of the office partition booth 156, and flows upward as a directional airflow 106 into the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16, towards the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth, and through the ceiling air return vent 104a or outlet, into the ceiling air return duct 94d. As further shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the purified air 30a and other air 30 exit the wall cavity 154 at a low height such as the lowest passage portion 158 of the passage 18, flow upward as a directional airflow 106, enter the interior 162 of the passage 18, head toward the ceiling 164 of the passage, pass through the ceiling air return vent 104a or outlet, and enter the ceiling air return duct 94d.

[0119]

[0135] In another version having a newly constructed building 12d, as shown in Figure 2C, the air supply ducts 78 for the office partition booths 16 include one or more floor air supply ducts 78e and one or more ceiling air supply ducts 78f, such as an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air supply duct 78g, and further include one or more air supply vents 82, such as one or more ceiling air supply vents 82c. As shown in Figure 2C, the floors 146 and passage floors 160 of the office partition booths have floor cavities 166 or openings that house one or more air supply ducts 78, such as one or more floor air supply ducts 78e, or are hollow to function as one or more air supply ducts 78.

[0120]

[0136] As shown in Figure 2C, an air supply vent 82, such as a floor air supply vent 82b, is positioned in floor portion 146a of the floor 146 of the office partition booth 16 to supply purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 (such as a plenum 58 (see Figure 1)) into a portion 168 of the office partition booth floor of the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16. As further shown in Figure 2C, an air supply vent 82, such as a floor air supply vent 82b, is positioned in floor portion 160a of the floor 160 of the passage floor 18 to supply purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 (such as a plenum 58 (see Figure 1)) into a portion 170 of the passage floor 18.

[0121]

[0137] As shown in Figure 2C, which has a newly constructed building 12d, the air return duct 94 for the office partition booth 16 includes one or more ceiling air return ducts 94d, such as one or more HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return ducts 94e, and the air return vent 104 for the office partition booth 16 includes a ceiling air return vent 104a, for example, an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return vent 104b for returning purified air 30a and internal air 30c from the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16 into the ceiling air return duct 94d as recirculated air 30b. As shown in Figure 2C, the air return vent 104 is located in the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth. As a result, one or more directional airflows 106 create an air boundary space 108 separated around the occupant 28c of the office partition booth, preventing the occupant 28c from breathing the contaminated air 30d in the passageway 18.

[0122]

[0138] As further shown in Figure 2C, which has a newly constructed building 12d, the air return duct 94 for passage 18 includes a ceiling return duct 94d such as an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return duct 94e, in order to return purified air 30a alone, or purified air 30a mixed with internal air 30c and / or contaminated air 30d, from the interior 162 of passage 18 into the ceiling air return duct 94d as recirculated air 30b, and the air return vent 104 for passage 18 includes a ceiling air return vent 104a, for example, an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return vent 104b. As shown in Figure 2C, the contaminated air 30d along with the internal air 30c inside passage 162 of passage 18 is recirculated as air 30b and exits passage 18 through air return vents 104 or outlets, such as ceiling air return vent 104a in the ceiling 164 of passage, and exhausted into the air return duct 94. Thereafter, the pattern of airflow 31, such as directional airflow 106, protects multiple others within building 12 from breathing the contaminated air 30d inside passage 18.

[0123]

[0139] Therefore, as shown in Figure 2C, the air 30, such as purified air 30a, enters the floor cavity 166 from the plenum 58 (see Figure 1) of the air purification system 50. As shown in Figure 2C, the air 30, such as purified air 30a, exits the floor cavity 166 at a low height, such as the floor section 168 of the office partition booth, and flows upward into the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16 towards the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth. As further shown in Figure 2C, the air 30, such as purified air 30a, exits the floor cavity 166 at a low height, such as the lowest section 158 of the passage 18, flows upward into the interior 162 of the passage 18, and flows towards the ceiling 164 of the passage, passing through the ceiling air return vent 104a or outlet to enter the ceiling air return duct 94d.

[0124]

[0140] As further shown in Figure 2C, in one version, the desk 144 includes a table air supply duct 78h formed within the desk 144. In this case, one end of the table air supply duct 78h is coupled to or attached to another floor air supply vent 82b, which is coupled to a floor air supply duct 78e for purified air 30a. The table air supply vent 78h further has a table air supply vent 82d to allow purified air 30a to flow at a high airflow velocity 114c (see Figure 1) ranging from four feet per second to ten feet per second, in order to provide an air barrier 115.

[0125]

[0141] As further shown in Figure 2C, the directional airflow 106 includes a first directional airflow 106a that flows upward from the table air supply vent 82d and table air supply duct 78h formed within the desk 144 to the air return vent 104 and ceiling air return duct 94d, and to the air purification system 50, forming an air barrier 115 such as a protective virtual barrier 116. The air barrier 115 provides respiratory isolation 112 between the occupant 28c of the office partition booth and another occupant 28, such as a contaminated occupant 28b entering the office partition booth 16 of the occupant 28c of the office partition booth. Although no other occupant 28 is shown opposite occupant 28c of office partition booth 16, Figure 2C shows an air barrier 115 formed when occupant 28 enters office partition booth 16, or when occupant 28c of office partition booth activates it and seeks further respiratory isolation 112 protection over a certain period of time. This is even if no other occupant 28 is inside office partition booth 16, for example, having respiratory isolation 112 from the contaminated air 30d inside the corridor 18 (see Figure 2C) or inside an adjacent office partition booth 16a (see Figure 2B).

[0126]

[0142] As shown in Figure 2C, the directional airflow 106 further includes a second directional airflow 106b that forms an airflow region 117 around an occupant 28, such as an occupant 28c in an office partition booth 16. The second directional airflow 106b forming the airflow region 117 flows upward from the floor air supply vent 82b into the air return vent 104, into the ceiling air return duct 94d, and into the air purification system 50. The second directional airflow 106b has a moderate airflow velocity 114b (see Figure 1) in the range of 0.1 (zero-point-one) feet per second to 1 (one) feet per second. The second directional airflow 106b has a lower airflow velocity 114 than the airflow velocity 114 of the first directional airflow 106a.

[0127]

[0143] Figure 2C further shows an ultraviolet light 100 positioned and installed inside the air return duct 94. The ultraviolet light 100 may be used and positioned inside the air return duct 94 to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more biological agents 34 and / or one or more chemical agents 36 at a location close to the source. In lieu of, or in addition to, the ultraviolet light 100, the air return duct 94 may have one or more grids with heated wires inside the air return duct 94, or another suitable device or assembly to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more biological agents 34.

[0128]

[0144] As shown in Figure 2C, the occupant 28c of the office partition booth is inside 140 of the office partition booth 16 within the newly constructed building 12d. Contaminated air 30d is inside 162 of the corridor 18. The office partition booth 16 is enclosed to prevent the contaminated air 30d from entering the office partition booth 16 from the corridor 18. As shown in Figure 2C, the office partition booth 16 and the occupant 28c of the office partition booth are not in the path of the airflow (see Figure 1) from the corridor 18 (i.e., the contaminated corridor) having the contaminated air 30d. The office partition booth 16, with its internal air 30c and purified air 30a, is isolated from the corridor 18 having the contaminated air 30d and is not contaminated by the corridor 18 having the contaminated air 30d. Figure 2C also shows office 24, which is next to the corridor 18 and adjacent to the office partition booth 16. Office 24 is also enclosed to prevent contaminated air 30d from entering Office 24 from corridor 18. Office 24 is not in the path of the airflow 31 from corridor 18 and is not contaminated by the contaminated air 30d inside corridor 18.

[0129]

[0145] The rest of building 12, such as the newly constructed building 12d, is not affected by the contaminated air 30d inside passage 18 (see Figure 2C). The purified air 30a coming from the floor airflow duct 78e can reduce the risk of contamination in passage 18. The airflow 31 (see Figure 1) of the purified air 30a, such as the airflow 105 (see Figure 2C), e.g., the directional airflow 106 (see Figure 2C), is upward, so there is a short path from occupants 28 standing or walking in passage 18 to the ceiling air return vent 104a in the ceiling 164 of passage. The airflow 31 of the purified air 30a, such as the airflow 105, e.g., the directional airflow 106, can be greater inside passage 18 compared to inside the office partition booths 16. The airflow system 10 in Figure 2C can be actively controlled using the control system 126.

[0130]

[0146] In the airflow system 10 used with the internal airflow space 14, including the partitioned office booths 16 and adjacent office partitioned booths 16a shown in Figures 2A-2C, the volume of airflow 31 (see Figure 1), such as purified air 30a, per office partitioned booth 16 and adjacent office partitioned booths 16a can be adjusted according to various conditions. For example, when a pandemic 38 (see Figure 1), a biological weapons release 40 (see Figure 1), a chemical weapons release 42 (see Figure 1), or another threat event increases, the volume of airflow 31 of air 30, such as purified air 30a, for the entire building 12 and the airflow velocity 114 can be increased. The airflow system 10 may also be useful in situations less serious than a pandemic 38, a biological weapons release 40, a chemical weapons release 42, or another threat event. For example, the airflow system 10 can be used to prevent the spread of a common cold.

[0131]

[0147] In addition, when another occupant 28 is visiting occupant 28c of an office partition booth 16 within his or her office partition booth, the volume and airflow velocity 114 of the air 30, such as purified air 30a, may be increased. In addition, older occupants 28, such as older employees who may pose a higher risk, may choose to increase the volume of the airflow 31 of the air 30, such as purified air 30a. The volume and airflow velocity 114 of the air 30, such as purified air 30a, may be selected by the occupants 28 depending on their circumstances or conditions.

[0132]

[0148] In addition, the airflow system 10 may have two or more supplies of air 30, such as purified air 30a having different temperatures (e.g., high-temperature air, low-temperature air). In an internal airflow space such as an office partition booth 16, the supply of air 30, such as high-temperature purified air 30a, may be mixed with the supply of air 30, such as low-temperature purified air 30a. For example, the occupant 28c of the office partition booth may have the ability to adjust the ratio of high-temperature air to low-temperature air. Thereafter, the occupant 28c of the office partition booth may be at a comfortable air temperature of their choice.

[0133]

[0149] Next, referring to Figures 3A to 3C, Figures 3A to 3C illustrate an exemplary airflow system 10 of the present disclosure for an internal airflow space 14 including a conference room 20 within a building 12, such as an office building 12a. The building 12 having the conference room 20 may include a renovated building 12c (see Figure 1) or a newly constructed building 12d (see Figure 1). Figure 3A is a side view of an exemplary airflow system 10 of the present disclosure for an internal airflow space 14 including a conference room 20 representing nominal conditions 172. In this case, there is no contaminated air 30d (see Figure 3B) inside 174 of the conference room 20 with two occupants 28. Figure 3B is a side view of the airflow system 10 of Figure 3A for an internal airflow space 14 including a conference room 20. In this case, Figure 3B represents a contaminated condition 141 including a contaminated conference room condition 141d with contaminated occupants 28b breathing the contaminated air 30d inside 174 of the conference room 20. Figure 3C shows a side view of the airflow system 10 of Figure 3B for an internal airflow space 14, including a conference room 20. In this case, Figure 3C represents a contaminated condition 141, which includes a contaminated conference room with a sneezing condition 141e, having a contaminated occupant 28b breathing contaminated air 30d inside 174 of the conference room 20 and exhaling a sneeze 26.

[0134]

[0150] Figure 3A shows two occupants 28, such as two human occupants 28a, for example, conference room occupants 28d. Each of them is seated at a conference room table 175 inside conference room 20, such as conference room chairs 142b. As shown in Figure 3A, each of the conference room occupants 28d is seated at a conference room chair 142b at the conference room table 175, in a stationary position 44, such as a substantially stationary position 44a. That is, the conference room occupants 28d are not walking around. Figures 3B-3C show contaminated occupants 28b.

[0135]

[0151] As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the conference room 20 has a conference room floor 176, a conference room ceiling 178, and a conference room side wall 180. At least one of the conference room side walls 180 has a conference room door (not shown) or entrance (not shown), and the conference room side wall 180 surrounds the conference room 20.

[0136]

[0152] As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the airflow system 10 for the internal airflow space 14, including the conference room 20, has or comprises an air supply assembly 70, such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a, an air supply duct assembly 72 having an air supply duct 78 such as a side wall air supply duct 78d that supplies air 30 such as purified air 30a from the air purification system 50 to the internal airflow space 14, including the conference room 20, for example. Figure 3A shows a first supply end 74 of the air supply duct 78 coupled to the air purification system 50, and a second supply end 76 coupled to the conference room 20.

[0137]

[0153] As shown in Figures 3A to 3B, the side walls 180 of the conference room have wall cavities 154a or openings that house or are hollow to serve as one or more side wall air supply ducts 78d. As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the air supply ducts 78 may also comprise one or more table air supply ducts 78h formed through the central portion 175a of the conference room table. Figure 3A shows a first return end 96 coupled to the conference room 20 and a second return end 98 coupled to the air purification system 50.

[0138]

[0154] As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, in order to supply purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 (such as from a plenum 58 (see Figure 1)) into the interior 174 of the conference room 20, the air supply vents 82 for the conference room 20 include side wall air supply vents 82a located in a first side wall section 182, such as the lower side wall section, and a second side wall section 184, such as the upper side wall section. As further shown in Figures 3A to 3B, the air supply vents 82 for the conference room 20 further include floor air supply vents 82b and table air supply vents 82d.

[0139]

[0155] The air supply vent 82 may include a louver 102 (see Figure 1) which, in one version, can be stationary, or in another version, can be adjustable, for example, to manually or automatically adjust the airflow 31 of purified air 30a into the interior 174 of the conference room 20.

[0140]

[0156] As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, inside the conference room 20, purified air 30a flows upward as airflow 105 (directional airflow 106, etc.) with different airflow velocities 114 (see Figure 1) or airflow rates toward air return vents 104 such as the ceiling 178 and ceiling air return vents 104a. In addition, internal air 30c (see Figures 3A to 3B) flows upward toward the ceiling 178 of the conference room. The flow arrangement 120 (see Figure 1) of directional airflows 106 with different airflow velocities 114 (see Figure 1) flowing upward within the conference room 20 prevents the occupants 28d of the conference room from contaminating each other.

[0141]

[0157] As shown in Figures 3A and 3C, the directional airflow 106 includes a first directional airflow 106a containing purified air 30a flowing from the air supply assembly 70 (e.g., dedicated air supply assembly 70a) through the floor air supply vent 82b and through the table air supply vent 82d. The first directional airflow 106a flows at a high airflow velocity 114c (see Figure 1) in the range of four feet per second to ten feet per second, and includes a high-velocity airflow 105a (see Figures 3A and 3C). In one version as shown in Figures 3A and 3C, the first directional airflow 106a, including the high-velocity airflow 105a, flows into the airflow hood 185 (e.g., first airflow hood 186 or inner airflow hood 186a) and into the air return assembly 90 (e.g., dedicated air return assembly 90a). In another version, as shown in Figure 3B, a first directional airflow 106a (such as a high-speed airflow 105a) flows into an airflow hood 185 (such as a second airflow hood 188) and into an air return assembly 90 (such as a dedicated air return assembly 90a). The first directional airflow 106a forms or generates one or more air barriers 115 between the conference room occupants 28d at the conference room tables 175. As shown in Figures 3A and 3C, the first airflow hood 186 or inner airflow hood 186a is coupled to the conference room ceiling 178 and positioned above the air supply ducts 78h for one or more tables. As shown in Figure 3B, the inner airflow hood 186a is absent.

[0142]

[0158] A high-velocity airflow 105a flows upward from the central portion 175a of the conference room table 175 into the first airflow hood 186, such as the inner airflow hood 186a, creating an air barrier 115, such as a protective virtual barrier 116 (see Figures 3A-3C), between the occupants 28d of the conference room. The high-velocity airflow 105a flows into the conference room 20, passing through the table's air supply vent 82d and the table's air supply duct 78h. The table's air supply duct 78h is a narrow opening in the central portion 175a of the conference room table 175. The high-velocity airflow 105a exits through the first airflow hood 186 or the inner airflow hood 186a near the center of the conference room ceiling 178.

[0143]

[0159] As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the directional airflow 106 further includes one or more second directional airflows 106b, which include purified air 30a flowing from an air supply assembly 70, such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a, through one or more sidewall air supply vents 82a located in one or more first sidewall portions 182 of the sidewall 180 of the conference room. The one or more second directional airflows 106b further include breathing air 30e (see Figure 1) from the conference room occupants 28d, which includes internal air 30c (see Figures 3A to 3C) within the conference room 20, and any contaminated air 30d (see Figures 3B to 3C) flowing from one or more contaminated occupants 28b within the conference room 20.

[0144]

[0160] As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the second directional airflow 106b forms or generates an airflow region 117 around each of the occupants 28, such as each of the occupants 28d of the conference room 20. The second directional airflow 106b forming the airflow region 117 flows upward from the first side wall portion 182 of the side wall air supply vent 82a into the air return vent 104, into the ceiling air return duct 94d, and into the air purification system 50.

[0145]

[0161] The second directional airflow 106b flows at a moderate airflow velocity 114b ranging from 0.1 (zero-point-one) feet per second to 1 (one) foot per second, and includes a moderate-velocity airflow 105b (see Figures 3A-3C). As shown in Figures 3A-3C, the second directional airflow 106b, such as the moderate-velocity airflow 105b, flows from the interior 174 of the conference room 20 into an airflow hood 185, such as a second airflow hood 188 or an outer airflow hood 188a, and into an air return assembly 90, such as a dedicated air return assembly 90a. The second airflow hood 188 or outer airflow hood 188a is coupled to the ceiling 178 of the conference room and is located above the air supply ducts 78h for one or more tables. As shown in Figure 3B, there is only one airflow hood 185, which is in the form of a second airflow hood 188 or an outer airflow hood 188a. As shown in Figures 3A and 3C, the second airflow hood 188 or outer airflow hood 188a surrounds a portion 186b of the first airflow hood 186 or inner airflow hood 186a, the second airflow hood 188 or outer airflow hood 188a has a larger outer opening than the outer opening of the first airflow hood 186 or inner airflow hood 186a, and the second airflow hood 188 or outer airflow hood 188a has a larger inner opening than the first airflow hood 186 or inner airflow hood 186a. The air pressure 80 of the airflow 105 can be continuously present for both the air barrier 115 and the directional airflow 106.

[0146]

[0162] A moderate-velocity airflow 105b directs air 30, such as purified air 30a, upward from the first sidewall portion 182 of the sidewall air supply duct 78d into a second airflow hood 188, such as the outer airflow hood 188a. As shown in Figures 3B-3C, one or more biological agents 34, such as viruses from one contaminated occupant 28d, are carried by the moderate-velocity airflow 105b into the second airflow hood 188, such as the outer airflow hood 188a. The contaminated air 30d may also be treated by ultraviolet (UV) light 100 in the air return duct 94. A moderate-velocity airflow 105b enters the conference room 20 from the first side wall portion 182 of the side wall air supply duct 78d and side wall air supply vent 82a near the conference room floor 176 on the outer perimeter of the conference room 20, flows upward, and exits into a second airflow hood 188, such as the outer airflow hood 188a in the conference room ceiling 178.

[0147]

[0163] As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the directional airflow 106 further includes one or more third directional airflows 106c containing purified air 30a flowing from an air supply assembly 70, such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a, through one or more sidewall air supply vents 82a located in one or more second sidewall portions 184 of the sidewall 180 of the conference room. The one or more third directional airflows 106c flow at a low airflow velocity 114a (see Figure 1) ranging from 0.01 feet per second to 0.1 feet per second, and include low-velocity airflows 105c (see Figures 3A to 3C). As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the third directional airflows 106c, such as the low-velocity airflows 105c, flow from the interior 174 of the conference room 20 into the second airflow hood 188 and into the air return assembly 90, such as a dedicated air return assembly 90a.

[0148]

[0164] As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, in order to prevent the accumulation of one or more of the biological agents 34 and one or more chemical agents 36 within the conference room 20, the directional airflow 106 further includes one or more third directional airflows 106c containing purified air 30a flowing from an air supply assembly 70, such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a, through one or more floor supply vents 82b, into the area 190 under the conference room table 175. The one or more third directional airflows 106c flowing within the area 190 under the conference room table 175 flow at a low airflow velocity 114a ranging from 0.01 feet per second to 0.1 feet per second, and include a low-velocity airflow 105c (see Figures 3A to 3C). The low-velocity airflows 105c prevent a dead zone where the biological agent 34 or chemical agent 36 could accumulate under the conference room table 175.

[0149]

[0165] As shown in Figure 3C, when a contaminated occupant 28b exhales a sneeze 26 inside 174 of the conference room 20, the high-velocity airflow 105a increases or rises to an ultra-high-velocity airflow 105d having an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (see Figure 1) of 15 feet per second to 150 feet per second. As shown in Figure 3C, the directional airflow 106 includes a fourth directional airflow 106d, which flows at the ultra-high airflow velocity 114d into the first airflow hood 186 and into the air return assembly 90, such as a dedicated air return assembly 90a, and contains purified air 30a returning to the air purification system 50. The ultra-high-velocity airflow 105d is sufficient to prevent any biological agent 34, such as a virus, from crossing the air barrier 115, which forms a protective virtual barrier 116 between the conference room occupants 28d. In addition, sensors 25, such as the sound sensor 25a, can detect the sound of a sneeze 26 and increase or raise the high-speed airflow 105a to an ultra-high-speed airflow 105d.

[0150]

[0166] A high-velocity airflow 105d having an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d, such as compressed air 30g, is supplied by a third air supply duct 78c (see Figure 1), which preferably takes the form of a port 79 (see Figure 3C) to compressed air 30g (see Figure 3C) that can be supplied at an ultra-high air pressure 80d. This can be activated, for example, when an occupant 28 in the internal airflow space 14 sneezes. The high-velocity airflow 105d having an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d, such as compressed air 30g, is returned by a third air return duct 94c (see Figure 1), which preferably takes the form of a vacuum system or vacuum port 95 (see Figure 3C) for returning compressed air 30g (see Figure 3C) at an ultra-high air pressure 80d. This can be activated, for example, when an occupant 28 in the internal airflow space 14 sneezes.

[0151]

[0167] The first airflow hood 186 or inner airflow hood 186a, and the second airflow hood 188 or outer airflow hood 188a, advantageously manage the airflow 105 of the air 30 inside the conference room 20 to mitigate the risk of a pandemic 38 (see Figure 1), a biological weapons release 40 (see Figure 1), a chemical weapons release 42 (see Figure 1), or another threat event. Furthermore, a narrow funnel of air 30, such as purified air 30a taking the form of a high-velocity airflow 105a and / or an ultra-high-velocity airflow 105d, generates an air barrier 115 and a protective virtual barrier 116 between conference room occupants 28d, such as occupants 28e (see Figure 4A) of adjacent conference rooms.

[0152]

[0168] As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the airflow system 10 for the internal airflow space 14, including the conference room 20, has or comprises a dedicated air return assembly 90a (e.g., air return duct assembly 92) having an air return duct 94, such as a ceiling air return duct 94d, which returns air 30, such as air 30b, that has been recirculated from the internal airflow space 14, including the conference room 20, to the air purification system 50. As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the ceiling air return duct 94d includes an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return duct 94e.

[0153]

[0169] As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the air return vent 104 for conference room 20 includes an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return vent 104b for returning purified air 30a and internal air 30c, including contaminated air 30d (see Figure 2A), from the interior 174 of conference room 20 into the ceiling air return duct 94d, for example, as recirculated air 30b. As shown in Figures 3B to 3C, the contaminated air 30d contains one or more biological agents 34. As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the air return vent 104 is located in conference room 178 and is coupled to the top of a first airflow hood 186, such as an inner airflow hood 186a, and also to the top of a second airflow hood 188, such as an outer airflow hood 188a. As a result, one or more directional airflows 106 create an airflow boundary space 108 separated around the conference room occupant 28d, including the contaminated occupant 28b (see Figures 3B-3C), to prevent any occupant 28c of any office partition booth 16a within one or more adjacent office partition booths from breathing any contaminated air 30d from the contaminated occupant 28b.

[0154]

[0170] Figures 3A to 3C further show an ultraviolet light 100 positioned and installed inside the air return duct 94. The ultraviolet light 100 may be used and positioned inside the air return duct 94 to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more biological agents 34 and / or one or more chemical agents 36 at a location close to the source. Instead of, or in addition to, the ultraviolet light 100, the air return duct 94 may have one or more grids with heated wires inside the air return duct 94, or another suitable device or assembly to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more biological agents 34 and / or one or more chemical agents 36.

[0155]

[0171] As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, in one version, sensors 25, such as sound sensor 25a, are coupled to the conference room table 175. In several other versions, sensors 25, such as sound sensor 25a, may be placed in other suitable locations within the conference room 20. Sensors 25, such as sound sensor 25a, can be used to detect a sneeze 26 (see Figure 3C) from a conference room occupant 28d, such as a contaminated occupant 28b, or to detect several other sounds. When a sensor 25, such as sound sensor 25a, detects a sound such as a sneeze 26, or when a sneeze 26 is detected by one or more sound sensors 25a, one or more fourth directional airflows 106d are activated. One or more fourth directional airflows 106d have an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (see Figure 1) ranging from 15 feet per second to 150 feet per second. In one version, in order to form a fourth directional airflow 106d (see Figure 3C), the first directional airflow 106a (see Figure 3C) may be activated to increase the airflow velocity 114 from a high airflow velocity 114c (see Figure 1) in the range of 5 feet per second to 10 feet per second to an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (see Figure 1) in the range of 15 feet per second to 150 feet per second.

[0156]

[0172] The conference room 20 may further include several other types of sensors 25, such as motion sensors, to detect one or more occupants 28 (see Figures 1, 3A to 3C), such as one or more human occupants 28a (see Figures 1, 3A to 3C) in the internal airflow space 14 within the building 12. The sensors 25 in the conference room 20 may further include temperature sensors, including semiconductor-based sensors, thermocouple sensors, resistance temperature detectors, and negative temperature coefficient thermistors; humidity sensors, including capacitive sensors, resistance sensors, and thermal sensors; contact sensors for indicating whether a duct or valve is open or closed; air quality sensors (see Figure 1) for monitoring toxins, dust, carbon dioxide, ozone, and other substances in the air 30; infrared sensors; sensors for detecting or detecting pollutants 32 (see Figure 1), including one or more of one or more biological agents 34 (see Figures 1, 2A) and one or more chemical agents 36 (see Figure 1); or other suitable sensors 25.

[0157]

[0173] As further shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the airflow system 10 further comprises a control system 126 that controls the airflow system 10. As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the control system 126 is located between the air management system 62 and the air purification system 50, which are coupled to the internal airflow space 14, via connector elements 138, such as wired connector element 138 (see Figures 3A to 3C) and wireless connector element 138b (see Figures 3A to 3C). As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the control system 126 is also coupled to one or more sensors 25, such as a sound sensor 25a, within the internal airflow space 14, including the conference room 20. As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the control system 126 may comprise a sensor control network 128 for controlling the sensors 25, a controller 130, a power supply 132 for supplying power to the control system 126, and a computer 136 having a software program 134.

[0158]

[0174] As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, in one version, the control system 126 includes a central control system 126a coupled between the management system 62 and the sensor 25 via a connector element 138. In another version, the control system 126 includes a distributed control system 126b (see Figure 1). In the distributed control system 126b, a sensor control network 128, a controller 130, a power supply 132, and a computer 136 having a software program 134 are distributed among the internal airflow spaces 14 or several internal airflow spaces 14 on the same or adjacent floors of the building 12.

[0159]

[0175] In the airflow system 10 shown in Figures 3A-3C, the rest of the building 12, such as an office building 12a, is not affected by the contaminated air 30d (see Figures 3B-3C) inside the conference room 20 (see Figures 3B-3C). The purified air 30a coming from the air supply duct 78 can reduce the risk of contamination inside the conference room 20. The airflow of the purified air 30a (see Figure 1), such as airflow 105 (see Figures 3A-3C) (e.g., directional airflow 106 (see Figures 3A-3C)), is upward, so there is a short path from the conference room occupants 28d sitting inside the conference room 20 to the ceiling air return vent 104a in the conference room ceiling 178. The airflow system 10 in Figures 3A-3C can be actively controlled using a control system 126.

[0160]

[0176] In the airflow system 10 used with the internal airflow space 14, including the conference room 20 shown in Figures 3A-3C, the volume of the airflow 31 (see Figure 1) of air 30, such as purified air 30a, per conference room 20 can be adjusted according to various conditions. For example, when there is an increase in a pandemic 38 (see Figure 1), a biological weapons release 40 (see Figure 1), a chemical weapons release 42 (see Figure 1), or another threat event, the volume and airflow velocity 114 of the airflow 31 of air 30, such as purified air 30a, for the entire building 12, including the conference room 20, can be increased. In addition, the volume and airflow velocity 114 of the airflow 31 of air 30, such as purified air 30a, can be increased at the start and end of meetings when the occupants 28d of the conference room enter, leave, and / or walk around the conference room 20. In addition, the volume and airflow velocity 114 of the airflow 31 of purified air 30a or similar air 30 into the first airflow hood 186, such as the inner airflow hood 186a, and / or into the second airflow hood 188, such as the outer airflow hood 188a, can be adjusted according to the conditions. During long periods between meetings in the conference room 20 when the conference room 20 is not in use, the volume and airflow velocity 114 of the airflow 31 of purified air 30a or similar air 30 can be significantly reduced.

[0161]

[0177] In one version, it may be possible to adjust the airflow velocity 114 of the air 30, such as purified air 30a, to be equal in both the first airflow hood 186 and the second airflow hood 188. In addition, the conference room 20 may be maintained under positive pressure. This prevents air 30 from one or more adjacent passages 18 (see Figure 3A) from flowing into the conference room 20.

[0162]

[0178] The airflow system 10 may also be useful in situations less serious than a pandemic 38, a biological weapons release 40, a chemical weapons release 42, or another threat event. For example, the airflow system 10 can be used to prevent the spread of a common cold. The airflow velocity 114 in the conference room 20 can be adjusted so as not to be uncomfortable for the occupants 28d of the conference room. In addition, if the airflow velocity 114 for the building 12 is increased, the temperature of the airflow 31 can be increased. Thereafter, the increased airflow velocity 114 is not as uncomfortable as if the airflow 31 were colder.

[0163]

[0179] Next, referring to Figures 4A to 4D, Figures 4A to 4D show various versions of a conference room table 175 having an exemplary airflow system 10 of this disclosure for an internal airflow space 14 including a conference room 20 within a building 12 such as an office building 12a. The building 12 having the conference room 20 may include a renovated building 12c (see Figure 1) or a newly constructed building 12d (see Figure 1). Figures 4A to 4D show contaminated conditions 141, such as contaminated conference room condition 141d, which has a single contaminated occupant 28b sitting together with an occupant 28e in an adjacent conference room.

[0164]

[0180] Figure 4A is a top view of a version of the conference room table 175, such as a rectangular conference room table 175b, which has a tabletop shape 192 that takes the form of a rectangular tabletop shape 192a having multiple table air supply vents 82d, and shows the airflow 105 flowing on the conference room table 175.

[0165]

[0181] Figure 4B is a side view of a conference room table 175, such as the rectangular conference room table 175d in Figure 4A, in a conference room 20, which has an exemplary airflow system 10 and an under-table air supply cavity 194, such as the under-table air supply cavity 194a, and shows airflow 105, such as directional airflow 106.

[0166]

[0182] Figure 4C is a top view of another version of the conference room table 175, such as a corrugated conference room table 175c having a tabletop shape 192, such as a corrugated tabletop shape 192b having multiple table air supply vents 82d, and shows the airflow 105 flowing through the conference room table 175. As shown in Figure 4C, the corrugated conference room table 175c has corrugated portions 196 or concave portions formed on the outer periphery 198 of the corrugated conference room table 175c.

[0167]

[0183] Figure 4D is a side view of a conference room table 175, such as the corrugated conference room table 175c in Figure 4C, which has an exemplary airflow system 10 having an under-table air supply cavity 194, such as the under-table air supply cavity 194b of the corrugated table, and shows airflow 105, such as directional airflow 106.

[0168]

[0184] In several other versions, the conference room table 175 may have a different suitable tabletop shape, such as an oval tabletop shape, a round tabletop shape, or another suitable tabletop shape.

[0169]

[0185] As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, the table air supply vent 82d is formed by penetrating the top surface 200 of the conference room table 175. Figures 4A and 4C show the table air supply vent 82d as discontinuous. However, in another version, the table air supply vent 82d may be a single joined vent.

[0170]

[0186] The table's air supply vent 82d has one or more central nozzle vents 84a, and in one version, as shown in Figures 4A and 4C, there is one central nozzle vent 84a that extends along the center 202 of the conference room table 175 over the substantial length of the conference room table 175. In other versions, there may be two or more central nozzle vents 84a. As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, the central nozzle vent 84a has a first end 204a, a second end 204b, and a slot-shaped body 205 formed between the first end 204a and the second end 204b.

[0171]

[0187] The table's air supply vent 82d comprises one or more side nozzle vents 84b, and in one version, as shown in Figures 4A and 4C, further comprising four (4) side nozzle vents 84b spaced apart from and extending perpendicularly to the central nozzle vent 84a. In this case, two (2) side nozzle vents 84b are located on each side of the conference room table 175. In several other versions, there may be four (4) side nozzle vents, or five (5) or more side nozzle vents 84b. As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, each side nozzle vent 84b has a first end 206a near the central nozzle vent 84a and a second end 206b near the outer perimeter 198 of the conference room table 175.

[0172]

[0188] The table's air supply vent 82d comprises one or more diagonal nozzle vents 84c, and in one version, as shown in Figures 4A and 4C, further comprising four (4) diagonal nozzle vents 84c spaced apart from the central nozzle vent 84a and extending diagonally from the central nozzle vent 84a. In this case, two (2) diagonal nozzle vents 84c extend diagonally on both sides from the first end 204a of the central nozzle vent 84a, and two (2) diagonal nozzle vents 84c extend diagonally on both sides from the second end 204b of the central nozzle vent 84a. As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, each diagonal nozzle vent 84c has a first end 208a near the central nozzle vent 84a and a second end 208b near the outer perimeter 198 of the conference room table 175.

[0173]

[0189] Figures 4A and 4C further show conference room occupants 28d with one contaminated occupant 28b, all seated in conference room chairs 142b around a conference room table 175. As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, each conference room occupant 28d is separated from adjacent conference room occupants 28e by table air supply vents 82d, and a central nozzle vent 84a also separates conference room occupants 28d facing each other. The table air supply vents 82d prevent contaminated air 30d breathed by the contaminated occupant 28b from moving laterally to adjacent conference room occupants 28e. As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, the table air supply vents 82d with airflow 105 create an air barrier 115 and a protective virtual barrier 116 between the conference room occupants 28d. In particular, the corrugated conference room table 175c having a corrugated tabletop shape 192b increases the length of the air barrier 115 and protective virtual barrier 116 between adjacent conference room occupants 28e. This increases the degree of protection for conference room occupants 28d, such as adjacent conference room occupants 28e.

[0174]

[0190] As further shown in Figures 4A and 4C, the airflows 105, such as a medium-velocity airflow 105b and a low-velocity airflow 105c, include an airflow 31 of air 30, such as purified air 30a, flowing toward the conference room table 175 in all directions. Preferably, a central nozzle vent 84a, a side nozzle vent 84b, and a diagonal nozzle vent 84c provide a high-velocity airflow 105a (see Figures B and 4D) flowing upward from an air supply cavity 194 (see Figures 4B and 4D) beneath the table to provide further protection to the occupants 28d of the conference room and to form an air barrier 115.

[0175]

[0191] As shown in Figure 4B, a rectangular conference room table 175b in an internal airflow space 14, including a conference room 20 within a building 12 such as an office building 12a, has under-table air supply cavities 194a, such as an under-table air supply cavity 194a, which supply a moderate-velocity airflow 105b of air 30 such as purified air 30a. As further shown in Figure 4B, a high-velocity airflow 105a of air such as purified air 30a is supplied through the conference room table 175 from the table's air supply duct 78h, through a central nozzle vent 84a, a side nozzle vent 84b, and a diagonal nozzle vent 84c. As shown in Figure 4B, the high-velocity airflow 105a generates an air barrier 115 and a protective virtual barrier 116 between a contaminated occupant 28b and conference room occupants 28d, such as an adjacent conference room occupant 28e facing the rectangular conference room table 175b.

[0176]

[0192] As shown in Figure 4D, a corrugated conference room table 175c in an internal airflow space 14, including a conference room 20 within a building 12 such as an office building 12a, has under-table air supply cavities 194, such as under-table air supply cavities 194b, which supply a moderate-velocity airflow 105b of air 30 such as purified air 30a. As further shown in Figure 4D, a high-velocity airflow 105a of air such as purified air 30a is supplied through the conference room table 175 from the table's air supply duct 78h, through a central nozzle vent 84a, a side nozzle vent 84b, and a diagonal nozzle vent 84c. As shown in Figure 4D, the high-velocity airflow 105a generates an air barrier 115 and a protective virtual barrier 116 between a contaminated occupant 28b and conference room occupants 28d, such as an adjacent conference room occupant 28e facing the rectangular conference room table 175b. As further shown in Figures 4B and 4D, the high-velocity airflow 105a flows upward, exits the conference room 20, and enters the first airflow hood 186, such as the inner airflow hood 186a.

[0177]

[0193] As shown in Figures 4B and 4D, a low-velocity airflow 105c enters the conference room 20 from an air supply cavity 194 under the table and from an air supply duct 78d in the side wall near the ceiling 178 of the conference room. As further shown in Figures 4B and 4D, the low-velocity airflow 105c flows upward and exits the conference room 20 into a second airflow hood 188, such as an outer airflow hood 188a. As shown in Figures 4B and 4D, contaminated air 30d containing a biological agent 34 such as a virus is carried upward from the contaminated occupant 28b by a medium-velocity airflow 105b and exits the conference room 20 into a second airflow hood 188, such as an outer airflow hood 188a.

[0178]

[0194] Figures 4B and 4D further illustrate the air supply assembly 70, such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a, which includes an air supply duct 72 having an air supply duct 78, such as a side wall air supply duct 78d, that supplies air 30, such as purified air 30a, from the air purification system 50 to the internal airflow space 14, including the conference room 20. Figures 4B and 4D further illustrate the air return assembly 90a, which includes an air return duct assembly 92 having an air return duct 94 that returns air 30, such as recirculated air 30b, from the internal airflow space 14, including the conference room 20, to the air purification system 50.

[0179]

[0195] As further shown in Figures 4B and 4D, the second directional airflow 106b forms an airflow region 117 around the occupants 28, such as conference room occupants 28d, within the conference room 20. The second directional airflow 106b forming the airflow region 117 flows upward from the first side wall portion 182 of the side wall air supply vent 82a into the air return duct 94 and into the air purification system 50.

[0180]

[0196] Figures 4B and 4D further show the internal air 30c within the conference room 20, the conference room floor 176, the conference room ceiling 178, and the conference room side walls 180. Figures 4B and 4D further show a control system 126, such as a central control system 126a that controls the airflow system 10. As shown in Figures 4B and 4D, the control system 126 is located between the internal airflow space 14 and the air purification system 50 via connector elements 138, such as one or more wired connector elements 138a and / or one or more wireless connector elements 138b. As shown in Figures 4B and 4D, the control system 126 comprises a sensor control network 128, a controller 130, a power supply 132 for supplying power to the control system 126, and a computer 136 having a software program 134.

[0181]

[0197] Next, referring to Figures 5A to 5D, Figures 5A to 5D show exemplary airflow systems 10 of the present disclosure (such as an add-on airflow system 10a) for an internal airflow space 14, including an auditorium 22 or theater, within a building (e.g., a renovated building 12c) 12, such as an office building 12a. Alternatively, building 12 may include a newly constructed building 12d (see Figure 1). Figure 5A is a side view of exemplary airflow systems 10 of the present disclosure for an internal airflow space 14, including an auditorium 22, within a renovated building 12c. In this case, there is an airflow 105, such as a directional airflow 106, inside the auditorium 22 210. Figure 5B is an enlarged side view of the airflow system 10 inside the ducted auditorium seating 212 of auditorium 22 in Figure 5A and five auditorium occupants 28f, showing the airflow 105, such as a directional airflow 106, inside the auditorium 22 210. Figure 5C is an enlarged side view of the auditorium occupants 28f inside the seat 212 of the ducted auditorium in Figure 5B, showing the airflow 105, including the directional airflow 106 inside the auditorium 22 210. Figure 5D is an enlarged side view of the auditorium occupants 28f inside the seat 212 of the ducted auditorium in Figure 5A, showing the airflow 105, including the directional airflow 106 inside the auditorium 22 210.

[0182]

[0198] Figures 5A to 5D show occupants 28, such as human occupants 28a, for example, auditorium occupant 28f, each seated in a ducted auditorium seat 212 inside auditorium 22. Figure 5D shows an adjacent auditorium occupant 28g. Figures 5A to 5D further show a single contaminated occupant 28b. As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, auditorium occupants 28f are in stationary positions 44, such as a substantially stationary position 44a, each seated in a ducted auditorium seat 212; that is, auditorium occupants 28f are not walking around.

[0183]

[0199] As further shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the airflow system 10 for the internal airflow space 14, including the auditorium 22 or theater, has or comprises an air supply assembly 70, such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a (e.g., an air supply duct assembly 72 having an air supply duct 78), which supplies air 30, such as purified air 30a, from the air purification system 50 to the internal airflow space 14, including the auditorium 22. Figure 5A shows a first supply end 74 of the air supply duct 78 coupled to the air purification system 50 and a second supply end 76 coupled to the auditorium 22.

[0184]

[0200] As further shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the airflow system 10 for the internal airflow space 14, including the auditorium 22 or theater, has or comprises an air return assembly 90, such as a dedicated air return assembly 90a (e.g., an air return duct assembly 92 having an air return duct 94), which returns air 30, such as air 30b, that has been recirculated from the internal airflow space 14 to the air purification system 50. Figure 5A shows a first return end 96 coupled to the auditorium 22 and a second return end 98 coupled to the air purification system 50.

[0185]

[0201] As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the auditorium 22 has an auditorium floor 214a, such as a temporary auditorium floor 214a having a floor cavity 166a.

[0186]

[0202] As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the auditorium 22 further has a structural auditorium floor 215 beneath the auditorium floor 214, such as the temporary auditorium floor 214a, and beneath the floor cavity 166a.

[0187]

[0203] The floor cavity 166a of the temporary floor 214a of the auditorium supplies air 30, such as purified air 30a, from an air purification system 50, such as a plenum 58 (see Figure 1), into the ducted auditorium seating 212 and into the auditorium 22. As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the auditorium floor 214 has one or more floor air supply ducts 78e within the floor cavity 166a beneath the auditorium floor 214. The floor cavity 166a or opening is hollow to accommodate one or more air supply ducts 78, such as one or more floor air supply ducts 78e, or to function as one or more air supply ducts 78.

[0188]

[0204] As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the auditorium floor 214, such as the temporary floor 214a of the auditorium, further has one or more air supply vents 82, such as one or more floor air supply vents 82b, to circulate purified air 30a from the air purification system 50, such as the plenum 58, into the floor air supply ducts 78e, and into each of the multiple ducted auditorium seats 212. As shown in Figures 5A to 5C, the air supply vents 82b, such as the floor air supply vents 82b, are located in the auditorium floor portion 214b of the auditorium floor 214 to circulate purified air 30a from the air purification system 50 (such as the plenum 58 (see Figure 1)), into the ducted auditorium seats 212, and into the auditorium 22. The seats 212 of the auditorium, each equipped with multiple ducts, are coupled to the upper part of the auditorium floor 214, such as the auditorium temporary floor 214a, and to an air supply assembly 70, such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a.

[0189]

[0205] The air supply vent 82 may include louvers 102 (see Figure 1) that, in one version, can be stationary, or in another version, can be adjustable, for example, to manually or automatically adjust the airflow 31 (see Figure 1) of purified air 30a into the interior 210 of the auditorium 22. In addition, the auditorium floor 214 within each row of seats 212 in the ducted auditorium may be a grid floor 88 (see Figure 1) with grid floor vents (see Figure 1). Thereafter, airflow 31 having a low airflow velocity 114a (see Figure 1) or a moderate airflow velocity 114b (see Figure 1) may flow upward from the auditorium floor 214 within each row.

[0190]

[0206] As further shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the auditorium 22 has an auditorium ceiling 216. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the auditorium ceiling 216 houses air return ducts 94, including one or more ceiling air return ducts 94d, such as one or more HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return ducts 94e. As further shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the auditorium ceiling 216 has one or more air return vents 104, including one or more ceiling air return vents 104a, such as one or more HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air return vents 104b, for returning purified air 30a and internal air 30c from the interior 210 of the auditorium 22 into the ceiling air return ducts 94d as recirculated air 30b. As shown in Figure 5A, the air return vents 104 are located in the auditorium ceiling 216. As a result, the airflow 105, such as the directional airflow 106, for example, the upward-flowing airflow 107a flowing from the auditorium floor 214, generates separate airflow boundary spaces 108 around each auditorium occupant 28f. As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the directional airflow 106 includes a first directional airflow 106a that forms an air barrier 115 and a protective virtual barrier 116 between and around each auditorium occupant 28f to prevent contamination from contaminated occupants 28b within the auditorium 22. As further shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the directional airflow 106 includes a second directional airflow 106b that forms an airflow region 117 around each auditorium occupant 28f.

[0191]

[0207] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the contaminated air 30d, along with the internal air 30c inside the auditorium 22 210, is recirculated as air 30b and exits the auditorium 22 through air return vents 104 or outlets, such as ceiling air return vent 104a in the auditorium ceiling 216, and exhausted into the air return duct 94. This airflow pattern 31, such as directional airflow 106, protects multiple others within the building 12 from breathing the contaminated air 30d inside the auditorium 22. Figure 5A further shows a first airflow path 232a flowing from the contaminated occupant 28b to the air return duct 94, and a second airflow path 232b flowing from the occupant 28 sitting in front of the contaminated occupant 28b to the air return duct 94. Figure 5A shows that the first airflow path 232a and the second airflow path 232b are separate and do not intersect with each other.

[0192]

[0208] As shown in Figure 5B, the air return duct has an ultraviolet light 100 positioned and installed inside the air return duct 94. The ultraviolet light 100 may optionally be used and positioned inside the air return duct 94 to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more of one or more biological agents 34 and / or one or more of the chemical agents 36 at a location close to the source. In lieu of, or in addition to, the ultraviolet light 100, the air return duct 94 may have one or more grids with heated wires inside the air return duct 94, or another suitable device or assembly to assist in inactivating or destroying one or more of the one or more biological agents 34.

[0193]

[0209] As further shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the auditorium 22 has auditorium walls 218. At least one auditorium wall 218 has an auditorium door (not shown) or an auditorium entrance (not shown), and the auditorium walls 218 surround the auditorium 22. As further shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the auditorium 22 has an auditorium stage 220. Figure 5A shows a podium 222 and a speaker occupant 28i on the podium 222. A directional airflow 106 is shown on the auditorium stage 220 in front of the speaker 28i. The directional airflow 106 is separated from the directional airflow 106 flowing from the ducted auditorium seat 212 and is used to provide protection from contamination to or from the speaker occupant 28i. The directional airflow 106 flowing from the auditorium stage 220 may include a second directional airflow 106b (see Figure 5A) or a first directional airflow 106a (see Figure 5A).

[0194]

[0210] As further shown in Figure 5A, the airflow system 10 includes a control system 126 that controls the airflow system 10. The control system 126 is located between the air management system 62 and the air purification system 50, which are coupled to the internal airflow space 14, including the auditorium 22, via connector elements 138 such as wired connector element 138a. Alternatively, a wireless connector element 138b (see Figure 3A) may be used. As shown in Figure 5A, the control system 126 is also coupled to one or more sensors 25 within the internal airflow space 14, including the auditorium 22. In one version, as shown in Figure 5A, the sensor 25 is coupled to the ceiling 216 of the auditorium. In several other versions, one or more sensors 25 may be coupled to several other locations within the auditorium 22. As shown in Figure 5A, the control system 126 includes a sensor control network 128 for controlling the sensor 25, a controller 130, a power supply 132 for supplying power to the control system 126, and a computer 136 having a software program 134. As shown in Figure 5A, in one version, the control system 126 includes a central control system 126a coupled between the air management system 62 and the air purification system 50 via connector elements 138, such as wired connector element 138a. In another version, the control system 126 includes a distributed control system 126b (see Figure 1). In the distributed control system 126b, a computer 136 having a sensor control network 128, a controller 130, a power supply 132, and a software program 134 is distributed among each internal airflow space 14 or several internal airflow spaces 14 on the same or adjacent floors of the building 12.

[0195]

[0211] As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, each seat 212 in the ducted auditorium is provided with a side wall 224, and as shown in Figure 5D, there are two (2) seat side walls 224. Each seat side wall 224 has one or more seat air supply ducts 78i (see Figures 5A to 5D), including a seat air supply side wall duct 78j (see Figures 5A to 5D), and each seat side wall 224 has one or more seat air supply vents 82e (see Figure 5D), including a seat air supply side wall vent 82f (see Figure 5D).

[0196]

[0212] As further shown in Figures 5A to 5D, each seat 212 in the ducted auditorium has a seat back 226 having one or more seat air supply ducts 78i, including a seat air supply rear duct 78k, and one or more seat air supply vents 82e (see Figure 5D), including a seat air supply rear vent 82g (see Figure 5D).

[0197]

[0213] One or more directional airflows 106 (see Figures 5A-5D) flowing upward from the seat air supply side wall vents 82f and seat air supply rear vents 82g of each seat 212 in each ducted auditorium to the ceiling air return vent 104a, create a separate airflow boundary space 108 (see Figure 5D) for each auditorium occupant 28f within each seat 212 of each ducted auditorium. This prevents breathing air 30e containing contaminated air 30d from one contaminated occupant 28b in one seat 212 of a ducted auditorium from flowing to an adjacent auditorium occupant 28g (see Figure 5D) seated in an adjacent ducted auditorium seat 212a.

[0198]

[0214] Figures 5C and 5D show the side wall airflow 31f flowing from the side wall 224 of the seat 212 in the ducted auditorium, and the backrest airflow 31g flowing from the backrest 226 of the seat 212 in the ducted auditorium.

[0199]

[0215] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the contaminated conditions 141 include the contaminated auditorium conditions 141f. Air 30, such as purified air 30a, is supplied to the auditorium seats 212 with ducts in the floor cavity 166a beneath the auditorium's temporary floor 214a. The seat air supply ducts 78i and seat air supply vents 82e direct the airflows 105, such as the directional airflow 106 of the purified air 30a, upward to the air return ducts 94 in the auditorium ceiling 216, so as to keep the airflows 105, such as the directional airflow 106 of the purified air 30a, away from the auditorium occupants 28f. As shown in Figure 5A, the airflows 105, such as the directional airflow 106 of the purified air 30a, carry any contaminated air 30d upward and slightly forward. Any contaminated air 30d exits through the air return ducts 94.

[0200]

[0216] Figure 5D shows a contaminated occupant 28b breathing contaminated air 30d while seated between two adjacent auditorium occupants 28g. Figure 5D shows a seat side wall 224 having a seat air supply duct 78i, including a seat air supply duct 78j, and each seat side wall 224 has one or more seat air supply vents 82e. Figure 5D further shows a seat back 226 having a seat air supply duct 78i, including a seat air supply rear duct 78k, and a seat air supply vent 82e, including a seat air supply rear vent 82g. Air 30, such as purified air 30a from an air supply duct 78, such as a floor air supply duct 78e in a floor cavity 166a, flows into the seats 212 of the ducted auditorium, exits the seats 212 of the ducted auditorium, and moves upward toward the auditorium ceiling 216 (see Figure 5A), which has an air return assembly 90. The vertical airflow 31 from the seat backs 226 of the front ducted auditorium seats 212 and from the rear air supply duct 78k of the seats prevents air 30 such as purified air 30a from flowing from the rear ducted auditorium seats 212 to the rear ducted auditorium seats 212.

[0201]

[0217] The airflow system 10 for auditorium 22 prevents auditorium occupants 28f from contaminating each other. Air 30, such as purified air 30a, enters each ducted auditorium seat 212 from the air supply within the floor 214 of auditorium 22 or the auditorium of the theater. Each ducted auditorium seat 212 is equipped with seat air supply vents 82e (see Figures 5A to 5D), including seat air supply side wall vents 82f and seat air supply rear vents 82g, which are upward-facing vents on each side and inside the back of the ducted auditorium seat 212. The resulting vertical airflow creates an air barrier 115 and a protective virtual barrier 116 between each auditorium occupant 28f in auditorium 22 or the theater and between occupants 28f in other auditoriums. All of the air 30, including the purified air 30a from the seats 212 of the ducted auditorium, flows upward into the air return vent 104 or the exhaust vent and air return duct 94 (located within the ceiling 216 of the auditorium 22 or the auditorium of the theater).

[0202]

[0218] Referring next to Figure 6, Figure 6 is a top view of six auditorium occupants 28f, including one contaminated occupant 28b in seat 212 of a ducted auditorium, showing an air barrier 115 around the contaminated occupant 28b. Figure 6 shows three auditorium occupants 28f, including three in the first row 234a or front row, and three contaminated occupants 28b in the second row 234b or back row behind the first row 234a. Figure 6 shows an exemplary airflow system 10 of the present disclosure for an internal airflow space 14, including an auditorium 22 or theater, within a building 12 such as an office building 12a. In one version, Figure 6 shows the office building 12a as a newly constructed building 12d. In another version, the office building 12a may include a renovated building 12c.

[0203]

[0219] Figure 6 shows seat air supply ducts 78i, such as the seat air supply side wall duct 78j and the seat air supply rear duct 78k, within the interior 210 of the internal airflow space 14 of the auditorium 22 or theater. Figure 6 shows contaminated air 30d coming from a contaminated occupant 28b inside the auditorium 22 or theater, an air barrier 115 between the contaminated occupant 28b and two adjacent auditorium occupants 28g, and an air barrier 115 between the contaminated occupant 28b and the auditorium occupant 28f immediately in front of the contaminated occupant 28b.

[0204]

[0220] Figure 6 further illustrates the air 30, such as purified air 30a in a seat air supply duct 78i. Figure 6 further illustrates the seat side walls 224 and seat backs 226 of the seat 212 in the ducted auditorium. Figure 6 further illustrates the auditorium floor 214, such as the auditorium temporary floor 214a. Figure 6 further illustrates a contaminated occupant 28b breathing contaminated air 30d containing a biological agent 34 such as a virus. Vertical airflows 31 (see Figure 5D), such as the side wall airflow 31f (see Figure 5D) from the seat side wall 224 and the seat back airflow 31g (see Figure 5D) from the seat back 226, create a first boundary 228 (see Figure 6) between adjacent ducted auditorium seats 212a, including an air barrier 115. Air 30 from a seat 212 in one ducted auditorium cannot flow to a seat 212 in another ducted auditorium. In addition, vertical airflow 31 from the seat airflow side wall vent 82f and the seat air supply rear vent 82g of the seat 212 in the immediately preceding ducted auditorium prevents air 30 from flowing from the seat 212 in the ducted auditorium behind it to the seat 212 in that ducted auditorium. Figure 6 further illustrates a second boundary 230 between the contaminated occupant 28b and the seat 212 in the ducted auditorium having the occupant 28f in the auditorium immediately preceding the contaminated occupant 28b. The air barrier 115 in the row in front of the contaminated occupant 28b provides a second boundary 230 for the contaminated occupant 28b.

[0205]

[0221] Referring now to Figure 7, which is a flowchart of an exemplary version of Method 300 of the present disclosure. Another version of the present disclosure provides Method 300 of using an airflow system 10 in a building 12 (see Figure 1), such as an office building 12a (see Figure 1) or a commercial building 12b (see Figure 1), to provide pollution mitigation 48 (see Figure 1) to one or more occupants 28 (see Figure 1), such as one or more human occupants 28a (see Figure 1) in the building 12. The various blocks in Figure 7 represent processes and / or parts thereof, or elements, and the lines connecting the various blocks do not suggest any particular order or dependency of the processes and / or parts thereof, or elements. The disclosure of the steps of Method 300 as expressed herein should not necessarily be interpreted as determining the sequence in which the steps are performed. Rather, it should be understood that even if one exemplary order is shown, the order of those steps may be modified as appropriate. Thus, certain steps may be performed in different orders or simultaneously.

[0206]

[0222] As shown in Figure 7, Method 300 includes step 302 of installing an airflow system 10 within a building 12. As described in detail above with respect to Figure 1, the airflow system 10 comprises at least one air purification system 50 that provides purified air 30a and receives recirculated air 30b.

[0207]

[0223] As shown in Figure 1, the airflow system 10 further comprises at least one air supply assembly 70 that supplies purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 to at least one internal airflow space 14 within the building 12. The at least one internal airflow space 14 includes one or more of the following within the building 12: office partition booths 16 (see Figures 1, 2A-2C), conference rooms 20 (see Figures 1, 3A-3C, 4A-4D), and auditoriums 22 (see Figures 1, 5A-5D, 6). The at least one internal airflow space 14 may further include offices (see Figures 1, 2C). One or more occupants 28 (see Figures 1, 2A, 3A, and 5A) are present in at least one internal airflow space 14 in either a stationary position 44 (see Figures 1 and 2A) or a substantially stationary position 44a (see Figures 1 and 2A) for a period of time 45 (see Figure 1), such as a long period 45a (see Figure 1) in a time range of one hour to ten hours, and more preferably, one hour to eight hours.

[0208]

[0224] As shown in Figure 1, the airflow system 10 further comprises at least one air return assembly 90 that returns air 30b recirculated from at least one internal airflow space 14 to at least one air purification system 50. The recirculated air 30b includes internal air 30c (see Figure 1) from at least one internal airflow space 14, as well as one or more air 30d (see Figure 1) contaminated by one or more biological agents 34 (see Figure 1) and one or more chemical agents 36 (see Figure 1), including one or more biological agents 34 emitted by one or more contaminated occupants 28b (see Figure 1) in at least one internal air space.

[0209]

[0225] As shown in Figure 1, the airflow system 10 further includes one or more airflows 105, such as one or more directional airflows 106 formed between at least one air supply assembly 70 and at least one air return assembly 90 within at least one internal airflow space 14. The one or more directional airflows 106 include one or more of purified air 30a, internal air 30c, and contaminated air 30d.

[0210]

[0226] One or more directional airflows 106 include at least one of one or more first directional airflows 106a (see Figures 2C, 3A-3C, 5A, 5D) and one or more second directional airflows 106b (see Figures 2A-2C, 3A-3C, 5A, 5D). One or more first directional airflows 106a form one or more air barriers 115 (Figures 1, 2C, 3A-3C, 5A, 5D) between each of the one or more occupants 28, each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b in the internal airflow space 14, in order to provide respiratory isolation 112 (see Figure 1) by using and employing one or more air barriers 115 for each of the one or more occupants 28, each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b in the internal airflow space 14.

[0211]

[0227] One or more second directional airflows 106b form airflow regions 117 (see Figures 1, 2A-2C, 3A-3C, 5A, and 5D) around each of the one or more occupants 28, including each of the one or more contaminated occupants 28b within the internal airflow space 14. One or more second directional airflows 106b have an airflow velocity 114 smaller than the airflow velocity 114 (see Figure 1) of the one or more first directional airflows 106a.

[0212]

[0228] As shown in Figure 1, the airflow system 10 further comprises at least one control system 126 that controls the airflow system 10. Installing the airflow system 10 within a building 12 optionally further includes installing the airflow system 10 with one or more sensors 25 (see Figure 1) located within at least one internal airflow space 14.

[0213]

[0229] As shown in Figure 7, method 300 further includes step 304 of supplying purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 to at least one internal airflow space 14 within the building 12 using at least one air supply assembly 70.

[0214]

[0230] As shown in Figure 7, the method 300 further includes step 306 of introducing one or more airflows 105, such as one or more directional airflows 106, between at least one air supply assembly 70 and at least one air return assembly 90 in at least one internal airflow space 14, in order to form one or more of the following air barriers 115 and airflow areas 117 for each of the one or more occupants 28 in at least one internal airflow space 14, which contains one or more contaminated occupants 28b.

[0215]

[0231] As shown in Figure 7, method 300 further includes step 308 of returning recirculated air 30b from at least one internal airflow space 14 to at least one air purification system 50 using at least one air return assembly 90.

[0216]

[0232] The airflow system 10 provides contamination mitigation 48 (see Figure 1) to each of the one or more occupants 28 in at least one internal airflow space 14 against contamination by one or more biological agents 34, including one or more biological agents, and one or more chemical agents 36, emitted by one or more contaminated occupants 28b in at least one internal airflow space 14.

[0217]

[0233] Step 302 of installing the airflow system 10 inside building 12 may further include installing and retrofitting an airflow system 10a (see Figure 1) which is retrofitted inside the remodeled building 12c (see Figure 1).

[0218]

[0234] Step 302 of installing the airflow system 10 inside building 12 may further include installing the airflow system 10 inside building 12, which further includes installing the newly constructed airflow system 10b (see Figure 1) inside the newly built building 12d (see Figure 1).

[0219]

[0235] Step 302 of installing the airflow system 10 within the building 12 further includes installing the airflow system 10, wherein at least one air supply assembly 70 includes an air supply duct assembly 72 which includes one or more air supply ducts 78. The one or more air supply ducts 78 include one or more side wall air supply ducts 78d, one or more floor air supply ducts 78e, one or more ceiling air supply ducts 78f, one or more table air supply ducts 78h, one or more seat air supply ducts 78i, or another suitable air supply duct 78.

[0220]

[0236] At least one air supply assembly 70 comprises one or more air supply vents 82 configured to open and close in order to control the airflow 31 of purified air 30a into at least one internal airflow space 14. The one or more air supply vents 82 include one or more side wall air supply vents 82a, one or more floor air supply vents 82b, one or more ceiling air supply vents 82c, one or more table air supply vents 82d, one or more seat air supply vents 82e, or another suitable air supply vent.

[0221]

[0237] Step 302 of installing the airflow system 10 in the building 12 may further include installing the airflow system 10 in the building 12, wherein at least one air return assembly 90 includes one or more air return ducts 94 (see Figure 1), including one or more ceiling air return ducts 94d, and one or more air return vents 104, including one or more ceiling air return vents 104a.

[0222]

[0238] Step 302, which involves installing an airflow system 10 inside building 12, includes one or more biological agents 34, one or more airborne biological agents 34a (see Figure 1), airborne pathogens, respiratory pathogens, airborne viruses, airborne microorganisms, respiratory microorganisms, airborne coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019), and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), Ebola virus, Zika virus, West Nile virus, Marl virus, airborne influenza virus, influenza The airflow system 10 may further include installing the airflow system 10 inside a building 12, which may further include installing the airflow system 10 inside a building 12, which includes influenza viruses including influenza A virus, influenza B virus, influenza C virus, avian influenza, and swine influenza, smallpox virus, monkeypox virus, pneumococcus that causes pneumonia, Mycobacterium tuberculosis that causes tuberculosis, Bacillus anthrax that causes anthrax, Aspergillus fumigatus that causes pulmonary aspergillosis, pneumonic plague, black mold airborne spores, ricin mist, and ricin powder.

[0223]

[0239] Step 302 of installing an airflow system 10 inside building 12 may further include installing an airflow system 10 containing one or more chemical agents 36a (see Figure 1), respiratory chemicals, phenoxy herbicides, chalk agents containing one or more airborne chemical agents 36a (see Figure 1), chloropicrin, diphosgene, and phosgene, blister agents containing sulfur mustard, nitrogen mustard, lewisite, and phosgene oxime, blood agents containing hydrogen cyanide, chlorine cyanide, and arsine, and nerve agents containing tabun, sarin, soman, cyclosarin, and poisoning agent X.

[0224]

[0240] Step 302 of installing the airflow system 10 within the building 12 may further include installing the airflow system 10 within the building 12, wherein at least one internal airflow space 14 includes an office partition booth 16 (see Figures 1 and 2A). In one version, as shown in Figure 2A, the office partition booth 16 has an air supply assembly 70 such as a dedicated air supply assembly 70a, an air return assembly 90 such as a dedicated air return assembly 90a, an office partition booth floor 146, an office partition booth ceiling 148, and an office partition booth side wall 150.

[0225]

[0241] As shown in Figure 2A, the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth includes one or more ceiling air return ducts 94d and one or more air return vents 104 that return purified air 30a and internal air 30c, including any contaminated air 30d, from the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16 as recirculated air 30b. The one or more air return vents 104 are located in the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth. As a result, one or more directional airflows 106 (see Figure 2A) and other airflows 105 (see Figure 2A) create a separated airflow boundary space 108 (see Figure 2A) around the office partition booth occupant 28c (see Figures 1 and 2A), including the contaminated occupant 28b, in order to prevent the office partition booth occupant 28c in the adjacent office partition booth 16a (see Figures 2A and 2B) from breathing any contaminated air 30d (see Figure 2A) from the contaminated occupant 28b in the office partition booth 16.

[0226]

[0242] The side walls 150 of the office partition booth include the side walls 150 of the office partition booth having doors or side walls. The side walls 150 of the office partition booth surround the office partition booth 16. In one version, as shown in Figure 2A for a remodeled building 12c, one or more of the side walls 150 of the office partition booth have wall cavities 154 having one or more side air supply ducts 78d and one or more side air supply vents 82a located in each of the lowest side wall portions 150b of the one or more side walls 150 of the office partition booth.

[0227]

[0243] The side walls 150 and one or more directional airflows 106 of the office partition booth prevent one or more of the one or more biological agents 34 and one or more chemical agents 36 from escaping into one or more adjacent internal airflow spaces 14a. Preferably, one or more of the side walls 150 of the office partition booth have the highest side wall portion 150a (see Figure 2A) which includes a transparent panel 152 (see Figure 2A) or sheet, such as a transparent fireproof panel 152a (see Figure 2A) or sheet.

[0228]

[0244] As shown in Figure 2C, in another version for the newly constructed building 12d, the floor 146 of the office partition booth has a floor cavity 166. The floor cavity 166 has one or more floor air supply ducts 78e and one or more floor air supply vents 82b to circulate purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 into the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16 (see Figure 2A), as well as into one or more of the table air supply ducts 78h (see Figure 2C) in the desk 144 (see Figure 2C) and the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16 (see Figure 2C).

[0229]

[0245] In addition, as shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth has or comprises one or more air return ducts 94, such as one or more ceiling air return ducts 94d, and one or more air return vents 104, such as one or more ceiling air return vents 104a, which return purified air 30a and internal air 30c, including any contaminated air 30d, from the interior 140 of the office partition booth 16 as recirculated air 30b. One or more air return vents 104 are located in the ceiling 148 of the office partition booth. As a result, one or more directional airflows 106 create a separated airflow boundary space 108 around the occupant 28c of the office partition booth, including the contaminated occupant 28b, in order to prevent the occupant 28c of the office partition booth in the adjacent office partition booth 16a or adjacent office 24 (see Figure 2C) or adjacent corridor 18 (see Figures 2A to 2C) from breathing any contaminated air 30d from the contaminated occupant 28b in the office partition booth 16.

[0230]

[0246] Step 302 of installing the airflow system 10 within the building 12 may further include installing the airflow system 10 within the building 12, wherein at least one internal airflow space 14 includes a conference room 20. The conference room 20 has a dedicated air supply assembly 70a, a dedicated air return assembly 90a, a conference room floor 176, a conference room ceiling 178, and a conference room side wall 180. In this case, one conference room side wall 180 has a conference room door (not shown) or entrance (not shown), a conference room table 175, a first airflow hood 186 such as an internal airflow hood 186a, and a second airflow hood 188 such as an external airflow hood 188a.

[0231]

[0247] The conference room table 175 has one or more table air supply ducts 78h and one or more air supply vents 82d coupled to the one or more table air supply ducts 78h. As shown in Figure 4A, in one version, the one or more table air supply vents 82d include one or more of the following: one or more central nozzle vents 84a, one or more side nozzle vents 84b, and one or more diagonal nozzle vents 84c. The one or more table air supply vents 82d prevent contaminated air 30d breathed by a contaminated occupant 28b in conference room 20 from moving laterally to an occupant 28e in an adjacent conference room.

[0232]

[0248] As shown in Figure 4A, in one version, the conference room table 175 has a tabletop shape 192 that includes a rectangular tabletop shape 192a. As shown in Figure 4C, in another version, the conference room table 175 may have a tabletop shape 192 that includes a corrugated tabletop shape 192b. In several other versions, the conference room table 175 may have a different tabletop shape 192, such as an oval tabletop shape, a round tabletop shape, or another suitable tabletop shape.

[0233]

[0249] As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the conference room table 175 may optionally further include one or more sensors 25, such as one or more sound sensors 25a, coupled to the conference room table 175. One or more sound sensors 25a may detect sounds such as a sneeze 26 (see Figure 3C) from a conference room occupant 28d, such as a contaminated occupant 28b. When a sneeze 26 is detected by one or more sound sensors 25a, one or more fourth directional airflows 106d are activated. One or more fourth directional airflows 106d have an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (see Figure 1) in the range of 15 to 150 feet per second. In one version, the first directional airflow 106a (see Figure 3C) can be activated to increase the airflow velocity 114 from a high airflow velocity 114c (see Figure 1) in the range of 5 feet per second to 10 feet per second to an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (see Figure 1) in the range of 15 feet per second to 150 feet per second.

[0234]

[0250] Conference room 20 may include one or more airflow hoods 185 (see Figures 3A-3C). A first airflow hood 186 (see Figures 3A, 3C), such as an inner airflow hood 186a (see Figures 3A, 3C), is connected to the ceiling 178 of the conference room and positioned above one or more table air supply ducts 78h. A second airflow hood 188 (see Figures 3A-3C), such as an outer airflow hood 188a (see Figures 3A-3C), is connected to the ceiling 178 of the conference room and positioned above one or more table air supply ducts 78h. A second airflow 188, such as an outer airflow hood 188a, surrounds a portion 186b (see Figure 3A) of the first airflow hood 186, such as an inner airflow hood 186a. The second airflow 188, such as an outer airflow hood 188a, has an outer opening larger than the outer opening of the first airflow hood 186, such as an inner airflow hood 186a. The second airflow 188, such as an outer airflow hood 188a, has an inner opening larger than the inner opening of the first airflow hood 186, such as an inner airflow hood 186a.

[0235]

[0251] Step 302 of installing an airflow system 10 within a building 12 may further include installing an airflow system 10 within a building 12, wherein at least one internal airflow space 14 includes a conference room 20 having one or more directional airflows 106.

[0236]

[0252] One or more directional airflows 106 include purified air 30a flowing from a dedicated air supply assembly 70a through a floor air supply vent 82b and a table air supply vent 82d into a first airflow hood 186, or, if the first airflow hood 186 is not present, into a second airflow hood 188 and into a dedicated air return assembly 90a, and one or more first directional airflows 106a that form or generate one or more air barriers 115 (Figure 3A) between the conference room occupant 28d and the conference room table 175. One or more first directional airflows 106a flow at a high airflow velocity 114c ranging from 4 feet per second to 10 feet per second.

[0237]

[0253] One or more directional airflows 106 further include one or more second directional airflows 106b, each containing purified air 30a flowing from a dedicated air supply assembly 70a through one or more sidewall air supply vents 82a located in one or more first sidewall portions 182 (see Figure 3A) of the sidewall 180 of the conference room. One or more second directional airflows 106b further include internal air 30c and breathing air 30e flowing from the conference room occupants 28d, each containing any contaminated air 30d flowing from one or more contaminated occupants 28b within the conference room 20. One or more second directional airflows 106b flow from the interior 174 of the conference room 20 into the second airflow hood 188 into the dedicated air return assembly 90a, forming or generating airflow areas 117 (see Figures 3A-3C) around each of the conference room occupants 28d. One or more second directional airflows 106b flow at a moderate airflow velocity 114b ranging from 0.1 feet per second to 1 foot per second.

[0238]

[0254] One or more directional airflows 106 further include one or more third directional airflows 106c (see Figures 3A-3C) containing purified air 30a flowing from a dedicated air supply assembly 70a through one or more floor air supply vents 82b to the area 190 (see Figure 3A) under the conference room table 175, in order to prevent the accumulation of one or more of the one or more biological agents 34 (see Figure 1) and one or more chemical agents 36 (see Figure 1) within the conference room 20. One or more third directional airflows 106c flow at a low airflow velocity 114a ranging from 0.01 feet per second to 0.1 feet per second. The flow arrangement 120 (see Figure 1) of the one or more directional airflows 106 within the conference room 20 prevents the occupants 28d of the conference room from contaminating one another.

[0239]

[0255] One or more directional airflows 106 may further include one or more fourth directional airflows 106d (see Figures 1 and 3C), which include compressed air 30g or purified air 30a flowing from a dedicated air supply assembly 70a through one or more floor air supply vents 82b at an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (see Figure 1) in the range of 15 feet per second to 150 feet per second. An ultra-high velocity airflow 105d having an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d, such as compressed air 30g, is supplied by a third air supply duct 78c (see Figure 1), which preferably takes the form of a port 79 (see Figure 3C) to compressed air 30g (see Figure 3C) that can be supplied at an ultra-high air pressure 80d. This can be activated, for example, when an occupant 28 in the internal airflow space 14 sneezes. A super-high-velocity airflow 105d having a super-high airflow velocity 114d, such as compressed air 30g, is returned by a third air return duct 94c (see Figure 1), which preferably takes the form of a vacuum system or vacuum port 95 (see Figure 3C) for returning compressed air 30g (see Figure 3C) at a super-high air pressure 80d. This can be activated, for example, when an occupant 28 in the internal airflow space 14 sneezes. A sensor 25, such as a sound sensor 25a, may detect the sound of the sneeze 26 (see Figure 3C) and increase or raise the high-velocity airflow 105a to a super-high-velocity airflow 105d.

[0240]

[0256] When the sound sensor 25a detects a sneeze 26 (see Figure 3C), one or more fourth directional airflows 106d are activated. One or more fourth directional airflows 106d have an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (see Figure 1) in the range of 15 feet per second to 150 feet per second. In one version, in order to form the fourth directional airflow 106d (see Figure 3C), the first directional airflow 106a (see Figure 3C) may be activated to increase the airflow velocity 114 from a high airflow velocity 114c (see Figure 1) in the range of 5 feet per second to 10 feet per second to an ultra-high airflow velocity 114d (see Figure 1) in the range of 15 feet per second to 150 feet per second.

[0241]

[0257] Step 302 of installing the airflow system 10 within the building 12 may further include installing the airflow system 10 within the building 12, further including installing the airflow system 10 in at least one internal airflow space 14, including an auditorium 22 or theater. The auditorium 22 or theater may have an auditorium floor 214 (see Figure 5A), such as an auditorium temporary floor 214a having a dedicated air supply assembly 70a, a dedicated air return assembly 90a, one or more floor air supply ducts 78e in a floor cavity 166a (see Figure 5A) beneath the auditorium floor 214, and one or more floor air supply vents 82b for flowing purified air 30a from at least one air purification system 50 into each of the multiple ducted auditorium seats 212. The auditorium 22 further has a structural auditorium floor 215 (see Figure 5A) beneath the auditorium temporary floor 214a. As shown in Figure 5A, the auditorium 22 further comprises auditorium seats 212 with multiple ducts connected to the auditorium ceiling 216, auditorium walls 218, auditorium stage 220, and auditorium temporary floor 214a, and connected to a dedicated air supply assembly 70a.

[0242]

[0258] The seats 212 of the auditorium with multiple ducts are provided with two side walls 224 of seats. Each side wall 224 of a seat has one or more seat air supply ducts 78i, including a seat air supply side wall duct 78j, and one or more seat air supply vents 82e, including a seat air supply side wall vent 82f. The seats 212 of the auditorium with multiple ducts further include a seat backrest 226, which has one or more seat air supply ducts 78i, including a seat air supply rear duct 78k, and one or more seat air supply vents 82e, including a seat air supply rear vent 82g. One or more directional airflows 106 flowing upward from the seat air supply side wall vents 82f and seat air supply rear vents 82g of each seat 212 in each ducted auditorium to the ceiling air return vent 104a create separate airflow boundary spaces 108 for each auditorium occupant 28f within each seat 212 of each ducted auditorium. This prevents breathing air 30e containing contaminated air 30d from one contaminated occupant 28b in one seat 212 of a ducted auditorium from flowing to an adjacent auditorium occupant 28g seated in an adjacent ducted auditorium seat 212a.

[0243]

[0259] As shown in Figure 5A, the air return vent 104 is located in the ceiling 216 of the auditorium. Thereafter, airflow 105 flowing from the auditorium floor 214, such as directional airflow 106, generates a separated airflow boundary space 108 around each auditorium occupant 28f to prevent contamination from contaminated occupants 28b within the auditorium 22, and generates an air barrier 115 and a protective virtual barrier 116 around each auditorium occupant 28f.

[0244]

[0260] As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the directional airflow 106 includes a first directional airflow 106a that forms an air barrier 115 and a protective virtual barrier 116 between and around each auditorium occupant 28f to prevent contamination from contaminated occupants 28b in the auditorium 22. As further shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the directional airflow 106 includes a second directional airflow 106b that forms an airflow region 117 around each auditorium occupant 28f.

[0245]

[0261] Multiple disclosed versions of the airflow system 10 (see Figure 1) and method 300 (see Figure 7) provide improved airflow systems 10 and method 300 for buildings 12 such as office buildings 12a (see Figure 1) and commercial buildings 12b (see Figure 1), and can be used in conjunction with renovated buildings 12c (see Figure 1) or newly constructed buildings 12d (see Figure 1). In particular, the airflow system 10 and method 300 can be used in conjunction with internal airflow spaces 14, including office partition booths 16 (see Figure 2A), conference rooms 20 (see Figure 3A), and auditoriums 22 (see Figure 5A), or possibly offices 24 (see Figure 1). In that case, one or more occupants 28 in the internal airflow space 14 are preferably in a stationary position 44 (see Figure 1) or a substantially stationary position 44a in the internal airflow space 14 for a long period of time 45a (see Figure 1) (see Figure 1), preferably within a time range of one (1) to ten (10) hours, and more preferably within a time range of one (1) to eight (8) hours.

[0246]

[0262] The airflow system 10 and method 300 provide the volume and airflow velocity 114 (see Figure 1) of the airflow 31 (see Figure 1) of air 30 (see Figure 1), such as purified air 30a (see Figure 1), from the air purification system 50 (see Figure 1) to the internal airflow space 14 (see Figure 1), and adjust the volume and airflow velocity 114 of the airflow 31 by the occupant 28 according to various conditions. For example, the volume and airflow velocity 114 of the airflow 31 of air 30, such as purified air 30a, for the entire building 12 can be increased when there is an increase in a pandemic 38 (see Figure 1), a biological weapons release 40 (see Figure 1), a chemical weapons release 42 (see Figure 1), or another threat event. The airflow system 10 may also be useful in situations less serious than a pandemic 38, a biological weapons release 40, a chemical weapons release 42, or another threat event. For example, the airflow system 10 can be used to prevent the spread of a common cold.

[0247]

[0263] In addition, the airflow system 10 provides either or both of the following: an airflow region 117 (Figures 1, 2A-2C, 3A-3C, 5B, 5D) of a slow-moving airflow 31b (see Figure 1), such as an airflow 31 that moves at a moderately low speed around each of the one or more occupants 28, including one or more contaminated occupants 28b in the internal airflow space 14; and / or one or more air barriers 115 (see Figures 1, 2C, 3A-3C, 5A, 5D, 6) or a protective virus barrier 116 (see Figure 1) of a fast-moving airflow 31d.

[0248]

[0264] Furthermore, if two or more airflow systems 10 are provided, the airflow systems 10 may supply air 30 such as purified air 30a. The air 30 may have different temperatures, for example, one high temperature and one low temperature, and the air supplies may be mixed to obtain a comfortable airflow 31 for the occupant 28.

[0249]

[0265] Many variations and several other versions of this disclosure will be recalled by those skilled in the art relating to this disclosure who have an interest in the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings. The versions described herein are illustrative and are not intended to be limiting or exhaustive. Certain terms are used herein, but these are used in a general and descriptive sense only and are not intended to be limiting. In addition to the methods and apparatus described herein, functionally equivalent methods and apparatus included in the scope of this disclosure are also achievable from the foregoing description. Such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims. This disclosure is limited only by the entire scope of the appended claims and the equivalents to which such claims are granted.

Claims

1. An airflow system (10) for a building (12), At least one air purification system (50) that provides purified air (30a) and receives recirculated air (30b), At least one air supply assembly (70) that supplies the purified air (30a) from at least one air purification system (50) to at least one internal airflow space (14) within the building (12), wherein the at least one internal airflow space (14) includes one or more of the office partition booths (16), conference rooms (20), and auditoriums (22) within the building (12), and at least one occupant (28) is in the at least one internal airflow space (14) for an extended period (45a) between one and ten hours, either in a stationary position (44) or a substantially stationary position (44a), at least one air supply assembly (70), At least one air return assembly (90) that returns the recirculated air (30b) from the at least one airflow space (14) to the at least one air purification system (50), wherein the recirculated air (30b) includes one or more of the following: internal air (30c) from the at least one internal airflow space (14), and air (30d) contaminated with one or more of the following: one or more biological agents (34) and one or more chemical agents (36) emitted by one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the at least one internal airflow space (14). One or more directional airflows (106) formed between the at least one air supply assembly (70) and the at least one air return assembly (90) within the at least one internal airflow space (14), wherein the one or more directional airflows (106) include one or more of the purified air (30a), the internal air (30c), and the contaminated air (30d), and the one or more directional airflows (106) To provide respiratory isolation (112) to each of the one or more occupants (28) including each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14) using one or more air barriers (115), one or more first directional airflows (106a) that form the one or more air barriers (115) between each of the one or more occupants (28) including each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14), and One or more directional airflows (106), including one or more second directional airflows (106b) that form an airflow region (117) around each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14), and which have an airflow velocity (114) lower than the airflow velocity (114) of the one or more first directional airflows (106a), and The system includes at least one control system (126) for controlling the airflow system (10), The airflow system (10) provides contamination reduction (48) to each of the one or more occupants (28) in the at least one internal airflow space (14) with respect to contamination by one or more of the one or more biological agents (34) and one or more chemical agents (36) emitted by each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the at least one internal airflow space (14).

2. The aforementioned airflow system (10) is The airflow system (10) according to claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors (25) disposed within the at least one internal airflow space (14).

3. The aforementioned airflow system (10) is An airflow system (10a) retrofitted within the building (12), including the renovated building (12a), or The airflow system (10) according to claim 1, comprising one of the following: a newly constructed airflow system (10b) installed within the building (12), including a newly constructed building (12d).

4. The internal airflow space (14) includes the partition booth (16) of the office, and the partition booth (16) of the office is The at least one air supply assembly (70) including a dedicated air supply assembly (70a), The at least one air return assembly (90) including a dedicated air return assembly (90a), Floor of the partition booth in the office (146), The ceiling of the partition booth in the office (148), and The office has a side wall (150) for the partition booth. The airflow system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the side wall (150) of the partition booth of the office and the one or more directional airflows (106) prevent one or more of the one or more biological agents (34) and the one or more chemical agents (36) from escaping into one or more adjacent internal airflow spaces (14a).

5. The partition booth (16) in the aforementioned office is To allow the purified air (30a) to flow from the at least one air purification system (50) into the lowest part (156) of the office partition booth (16), one or more side walls (150) of the office partition booth (150) have wall cavities (154) having one or more side wall air supply ducts (78d) and one or more side wall air supply vents (82a), or The floor (146) of the office partition booth has a floor cavity (166) having one or more floor air supply ducts (78e) and one or more floor air supply vents (82b) in order to circulate the purified air (30a) from at least one air purification system (50) into the interior (140) of the office partition booth (16), and into one or more of the air supply ducts (78h) in the tables within the desks (144) and the interior (140) of the office partition booth (16), further comprising: The ceiling (148) of the partitioned booth in the office is provided with one or more ceiling air return ducts (94d) and one or more air return vents (104) that return the recirculated air (30b) from the interior (140) of the partitioned booth (16) of the office, which consists of the purified air (30a), the interior air (30c), and the contaminated air (30d). The one or more air return vents (104) are located on the ceiling (148) of the partitioned booth in the office, and adjacent The airflow system (10) according to claim 4, wherein the one or more directional airflows (106) generate separate airflow boundary spaces (108) around each of the office partition booth occupant (28c) and the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in order to prevent the occupant (28c) of an office partition booth (16a) in an adjacent office partition booth from breathing any contaminated air (30d) from each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b).

6. The aforementioned internal airflow space (14) includes the conference room (20), and the conference room (20) is The at least one air supply assembly (70) including a dedicated air supply assembly (70a), The at least one air return assembly (90) including a dedicated air return assembly (90a), Conference room floor (176), Conference room ceiling (178), Side wall of the conference room (180), A conference room table (175) having one or more table air supply ducts (78h), and The airflow system (10) according to claim 1, comprising one or more airflow hoods (185) connected to the ceiling (178) of the conference room and positioned above the air supply ducts (78h) of the one or more tables.

7. The conference room table (175) includes either a rectangular tabletop shape (192a) or a corrugated tabletop shape (192b). The airflow system (10) according to claim 6, having a tabletop shape (192).

8. The one or more directional airflows (106) flowing between the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) and the dedicated air return assembly (90a) inside the conference room (20) (174) are, One or more first directional airflows (106a) containing the purified air (30a) flow from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through the floor air supply vent (82b), through the table air supply vent (82d), into the first airflow hood (186) or the second airflow hood (188), and into the dedicated air return assembly (90a), forming one or more air barriers (115) between the occupants (28d) of the conference room seated at the conference room table (175), the one or more first directional airflows (106a) flowing at a high airflow velocity (114c) in the range of 4 feet per second to 10 feet per second, One or more second directional airflows (106b) containing the purified air (30a) flow from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through one or more side wall air supply vents (82a) located in one or more first side wall portions (182) of the side wall (180) of the conference room, and which include the internal air (30c) and the breathing air (30e) flowing from the occupants (28d) of the conference room, as well as the breathing air (30e) from each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the conference room (20). The contaminated air (30d) flowing from the interior (174) of the conference room (20) into the second airflow hood (188) and into the dedicated air return assembly (90a), forming the airflow area (117) around each of the occupants (28d) of the conference room, each of the one or more second directional airflows (106b) flowing at a moderate airflow velocity (114b) ranging from 0.1 feet per second to 1 foot per second, and One or more third directional airflows (106c) containing the purified air (30a) flowing from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through one or more side wall air supply vents (82a) located in one or more second side wall portions (184) of the side wall (180) of the conference room, including one or more third directional airflows (106c) flowing from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through one or more floor air supply vents (82b) into the area (190) under the conference room table (175) and flowing at a low airflow velocity (114a) in the range of 0.01 feet per second to 0.1 feet per second, in order to prevent the accumulation of one or more of the one or more biological agents (34) and the one or more chemical agents (36) in the conference room (20), The airflow system (10) according to claim 6, wherein the flow arrangement (120) of the one or more directional airflows (106) within the conference room (20) prevents the occupants (28d) of the conference room from contaminating each other.

9. The aforementioned internal airflow space (14) includes the auditorium (22), and the auditorium (22) is The at least one air supply assembly (70) including a dedicated air supply assembly (70a), The at least one air return assembly (90) including a dedicated air return assembly (90a), Temporary flooring for the auditorium (214a), Structural auditorium floor (215), The ceiling of the auditorium (216), Auditorium wall (218), The auditorium stage (220), and The airflow system (10) according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of auditorium seats (212) with ducts connected to the temporary floor (214a) of the auditorium and connected to the dedicated air supply assembly (70a).

10. Each of the seats (212) in the aforementioned auditorium with multiple ducts is, Two seat side walls (224), each seat side wall (224) having one or more seat air supply ducts (78i) including a seat air supply side wall duct (78j), and one or more seat air supply vents (82e) including a seat air supply side wall vent (82f), and A seat back (226) is provided, having one or more seat air supply ducts (78i) including a rear seat air supply duct (78k), and having one or more seat air supply vents (82e) including a rear seat air supply vent (82g), The airflow system (10) according to claim 9, wherein the one or more directional airflows (106) flowing upward from the air supply side wall vents (82f) and the air supply rear vents (82g) of each seat (212) of the ducted auditorium to the ceiling air return vents (104a) create separate airflow boundary spaces (108) for each auditorium occupant (28f) within each seat (212) of the ducted auditorium, preventing either the breathing air (30e) or the contaminated air (30d) from one auditorium occupant (28f) within one seat (212) of the ducted auditorium from flowing to an adjacent auditorium occupant (28g) seated in an adjacent seat (212a).

11. An airflow system (10) for an office building (12a), At least one air purification system (50) that provides purified air (30a) and receives recirculated air (30b), At least one air supply duct assembly (72) that supplies the purified air (30a) from the at least one air purification system (50) to at least one internal airflow space (14) within the office building (12a), wherein the at least one air supply duct assembly (72) comprises one or more air supply ducts (78) and one or more air supply vents (82), the at least one internal airflow space (14) includes one or more of the office partition booths (16), conference rooms (20), and auditoriums (22) within the office building (12a), and at least one occupant (28) is in the at least one internal airflow space (14) for an extended period (45a) between one and ten hours, either in a stationary position (44) or a substantially stationary position (44a), At least one air return duct assembly (92) that returns the recirculated air (30b) from the at least one internal airflow space (14) to the at least one air purification system (50), wherein the at least one air return duct assembly (92) comprises one or more air return ducts (94) and one or more air return vents (104), and the recirculated air (30b) comprises one or more internal air (30c) from the at least one internal airflow space (14) and one or more air (30d) contaminated with one or more biological agents (34) and one or more chemical agents (36) emitted by one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the at least one internal airflow space (14), One or more directional airflows (106) formed between the at least one air supply duct assembly (72) and the at least one air return duct assembly (92) within the at least one internal airflow space (14), comprising one or more of the purified air (30a), the internal air (30c), and the contaminated air (30d), wherein the one or more directional airflows (106) To provide respiratory isolation (112) to each of the one or more occupants (28) including each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14) using one or more air barriers (115), one or more first directional airflows (106a) that form the one or more air barriers (115) between each of the one or more occupants (28) including each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14), and One or more directional airflows (106), each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14), forming an airflow region (117) around each of the one or more occupants (28), and including at least one of the one or more second directional airflows (106b) having an airflow velocity (114) lower than the airflow velocity (114) of the one or more first directional airflows (106a), One or more sensors (25) are disposed within the at least one internal airflow space (14), and The system includes at least one control system (126) for controlling the airflow system (10), The airflow system (10) provides contamination reduction (48) to each of the one or more occupants (28) in the at least one internal airflow space (14) in the office building (12a) with respect to contamination by one or more of the one or more biological agents (34) and one or more chemical agents (36) emitted by each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the at least one internal airflow space (14).

12. The partition booth (16) in the aforementioned office is Dedicated air supply assembly (70a), Dedicated air return assembly (90a), Floor of the partition booth in the office (146), The ceiling (148) of the office partition booth (16) is provided with one or more ceiling air return ducts (94d) and one or more air return vents (104) that return any of the purified air (30a), the internal air (30c), and the contaminated air (30d) from the inside (140) of the office partition booth (16) as the recirculated air (30b), wherein the one or more air return vents (104) are located on the ceiling (148) of the office partition booth, and the 1 The above directional airflow (106) generates separate airflow boundary spaces (108) around each of the office partition booth occupant (28c) and the one or more contaminated occupants (28b), in order to prevent the occupant (28c) of an office partition booth (16a) in an adjacent office partition booth from breathing any of the contaminated air (30d) from each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b), as well as the ceiling (148) of the office partition booth, and A side wall (150) of an office partition booth, wherein one or more of the side walls (150) of the office partition booth have a wall cavity (154) having one or more side wall air supply ducts (78d) and one or more side wall air supply vents (82a) located in the lowest side wall portion (150b) of each of the one or more side walls (150) of the office partition booth, in order to circulate the purified air (30a) from the at least one air purification system (50) into one or more of the interior (140) of the office partition booth (16), and the air supply duct (78h) of the table in the desk (144) and the interior (140) of the office partition booth (16), or The floor (146) of the office partition booth has one or more floor air supply ducts (78e) and one or more floor air supply vents (82b) in a floor cavity (166) for flowing the purified air (30a) from at least one air purification system (50) into a portion (168) of the floor of the office partition booth (16). The airflow system (10) according to claim 11, wherein the side wall (150) of the partition booth of the office and the one or more directional airflows (106) prevent one or more of the one or more biological agents (34) and the one or more chemical agents (36) from escaping into one or more adjacent internal airflow spaces (14a).

13. The aforementioned conference room (20) is Dedicated air supply assembly (70a), Dedicated air return assembly (90a), Conference room floor (176), Conference room ceiling (178), Side wall of the conference room (180), A conference room table (175) having one or more table air supply ducts (78h) and one or more table air supply vents (82d) connected to the one or more table air supply ducts (78h), wherein the one or more table air supply vents (82d) include one or more of the following: one or more central nozzle vents (84a), one or more side nozzle vents (84b), and one or more diagonal nozzle vents (84c), and the one or more table air supply vents (82d) prevent the contaminated air (30d) breathed by each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the conference room (20) from moving laterally to occupants (28e) in adjacent conference rooms, and The airflow system (10) according to claim 11, comprising one or more airflow hoods (185) connected to the ceiling (178) of the conference room and positioned above the air supply ducts (78h) of the one or more tables.

14. The one or more directional airflows (106) flowing between the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) and the dedicated air return assembly (90a) inside the conference room (20) (174) are, One or more first directional airflows (106a) containing the purified air (30a) flow from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through the floor air supply vent (82b), through the table air supply vent (82d), into the first airflow hood (186) or the second airflow hood (188), and into the dedicated air return assembly (90a), forming one or more air barriers (115) between the occupants (28d) of the conference room seated at the conference room table (175), the one or more first directional airflows (106a) flowing at a high airflow velocity (114c) in the range of 4 feet per second to 10 feet per second, One or more second directional airflows (106b) containing the purified air (30a) flow from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through one or more side wall air supply vents (82a) located in one or more first side wall portions (182) of the side wall (180) of the conference room, and which include the internal air (30c), the breathing air (30e) flowing from the occupants (28d) of the conference room, and the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the conference room (20) The contaminated air (30d) flowing from the interior (174) of the conference room (20) into the second airflow hood (188) and into the dedicated air return assembly (90a), forming the airflow area (117) around each of the occupants (28d) of the conference room, each of the one or more second directional airflows (106b) flowing at a moderate airflow velocity (114b) ranging from 0.1 feet per second to 1 foot per second, and One or more third directional airflows (106c) containing the purified air (30a) flowing from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through one or more side wall air supply vents (82a) located in one or more second side wall portions (184) of the side wall (180) of the conference room, and including one or more third directional airflows (106c) flowing from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through one or more floor air supply vents (82b) into the area (190) under the conference room table (175) and flowing at a low airflow velocity (114a) in the range of 0.01 feet per second to 0.1 feet per second, in order to prevent the accumulation of one or more of the one or more biological agents (34) and the one or more chemical agents (36) in the conference room (20), The airflow system (10) according to claim 13, wherein the flow arrangement (120) of the one or more directional airflows (106) within the conference room (20) prevents the occupants (28d) of the conference room from contaminating each other.

15. The aforementioned auditorium (22) is Dedicated air supply assembly (70a), Dedicated air return assembly (90a), To circulate the purified air (30a) from at least one air purification system (50) into each of the multiple ducted seats (212) of the auditorium, the temporary floor (214a) of the auditorium has one or more floor air supply ducts (78e) and one or more floor air supply vents (82b) in the floor cavity (166a) beneath the temporary floor (214a) of the auditorium, Structural auditorium floor (215), The ceiling of the auditorium (216), Auditorium wall (218), The auditorium stage (220), and The auditorium seats (212) with multiple ducts are connected to the temporary floor (214a) of the auditorium and to the dedicated air supply assembly (70a), Two seat side walls (224), each seat side wall (224) having one or more seat air supply ducts (78i) including a seat air supply side wall duct (78j), and one or more seat air supply vents (82e) including a seat air supply side wall vent (82f), and The auditorium seats (212) of the plurality of ducts are provided, each having a seat back (226) that includes one or more seat air supply ducts (78i) including a seat rear air supply duct (78k), and one or more seat air supply vents (82e) including a seat rear air supply vent (82g), The airflow system (10) according to claim 11, wherein the one or more directional airflows (106) flowing upward from the air supply side wall vents (82f) and the air supply rear vents (82g) of each seat (212) of the ducted auditorium to the ceiling air return vents (104a) create separate airflow boundary spaces (108) for each auditorium occupant (28f) within each seat (212) of the ducted auditorium, preventing any of the breathing air (30e) and contaminated air (30d) from each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) within a single seat (212) of the ducted auditorium from flowing to an adjacent auditorium occupant (28g) seated in an adjacent seat (212a) of the ducted auditorium.

16. A method (300) of using an airflow system (10) within a building (12) in order to provide pollution reduction (48) to one or more occupants (28) within the building (12), Installing the airflow system (10) inside the building (12) (302), wherein the airflow system (10) is At least one air purification system (50) that provides purified air (30a) and receives recirculated air (30b), At least one air supply assembly (70) that supplies the purified air (30a) from at least one air purification system (50) to at least one internal airflow space (14) within the building (12), wherein the at least one internal airflow space (14) includes one or more of the office partition booths (16), conference rooms (20), and auditoriums (22) within the building (12), and at least one occupant (28) is in the at least one internal airflow space (14) for an extended period (45a) between one and ten hours, either in a stationary position (44) or a substantially stationary position (44a), at least one air supply assembly (70), At least one air return assembly (90) that returns the recirculated air (30b) from the at least one internal airflow space (14) to the at least one air purification system (50), wherein the recirculated air (30b) includes one or more internal air (30c) from the at least one internal airflow space (14) and one or more air (30d) contaminated with one or more biological agents (34) and one or more chemical agents (36) emitted by one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the at least one internal airflow space (14), One or more directional airflows (106) formed between the at least one air supply assembly (70) and the at least one air return assembly (90) within the at least one internal airflow space (14), wherein the one or more directional airflows (106) include one or more of the purified air (30a), the internal air (30c), and the contaminated air (30d), and the one or more directional airflows (106) To provide respiratory isolation (112) to each of the one or more occupants (28) including each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14) using one or more air barriers (115), one or more first directional airflows (106a) that form the one or more air barriers (115) between each of the one or more occupants (28) including each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14), and One or more directional airflows (106), including one or more second directional airflows (106b) that form an airflow region (117) around each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the internal airflow space (14), and which include at least one of the one or more second directional airflows (106b) having an airflow velocity (114) lower than the airflow velocity (114) of the one or more first directional airflows (106a), and Installing the airflow system (10) (302), which includes at least one control system (126) for controlling the airflow system (10), Using the at least one air supply assembly (70), the purified air (30a) is supplied from the at least one air purification system (50) to the one or more internal airflow spaces (14) within the building (12) (304). For each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28) in the at least one internal airflow space (14), including the one or more contaminated occupants (28b), one or more of the one or more air barriers (115) and the airflow areas (117) are flowed (306) between the at least one air supply assembly (70) and the at least one air return assembly (90) in the at least one internal airflow space (14), and This includes returning the recirculated air (30b) from the at least one internal airflow space (14) to the at least one air purification system (50) using the at least one air return assembly (90), Method (300) the airflow system (10) provides contamination reduction (48) to each of the one or more occupants (28) in the at least one internal airflow space (14) with respect to contamination by one or more of the one or more biological agents (34) and one or more chemical agents (36) emitted by each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) in the at least one internal airflow space (14).

17. Installing the airflow system (10) within the building (12) (302) further includes installing the airflow system (10) in at least one internal airflow space (14) which includes the office partition booth (16), Dedicated air supply assembly (70a), Dedicated air return assembly (90a), Floor of the partition booth in the office (146), The ceiling (148) of the office partition booth (16) is provided with one or more ceiling air return ducts (94d) and one or more air return vents (104) that return any of the purified air (30a), the internal air (30c), and the contaminated air (30d) from the inside (140) of the office partition booth (16) as the recirculated air (30b), wherein the one or more air return vents (104) are located on the ceiling (148) of the office partition booth. The one or more directional airflows (106) generate separate airflow boundary spaces (108) around each of the office partition booth occupants (28c) and the one or more contaminated occupants (28b), in order to prevent the occupants (28c) of the office partition booths (16a) in the adjacent office partition booths (148), and the ceiling (148) of the office partition booths, and A side wall (150) of an office partition booth, wherein one or more of the side walls (150) of the office partition booth have a wall cavity (154) having one or more side wall air supply ducts (78d) and one or more side wall air supply vents (82a) located in the lowest side wall portion (150b) of each of the one or more side walls (150) of the office partition booth, in order to flow the purified air (30a) from the at least one air purification system (50) into the lowest part (156) of the office partition booth (16), or The floor (146) of the office partition booth has one or more floor air supply ducts (78e) and one or more floor air supply vents (82b) to circulate the purified air (30a) from at least one air purification system (50) into the interior (140) of the office partition booth (16), and into one or more of the air supply ducts (78h) of the tables in the desks (144) and the interior (140) of the office partition booth (16), The method according to claim 16 (300), wherein the side wall (150) of the partition booth of the office and the one or more directional airflows (106) prevent one or more of the one or more biological agents (34) and the one or more chemical agents (36) from escaping into one or more adjacent internal airflow spaces (14a).

18. Installing the airflow system (10) within the building (12) (302) further includes installing the airflow system (10) in at least one internal airflow space (14) including the conference room (20), the conference room (20) Dedicated air supply assembly (70a), Dedicated air return assembly (90a), Conference room floor (176), Conference room ceiling (178), Side wall of the conference room (180), A conference room table (175) having one or more table air supply ducts (78h) and one or more table air supply vents (82d) connected to the one or more table air supply ducts (78h), wherein the one or more table air supply vents (82d) include one or more of the following: one or more central nozzle vents (84a), one or more side nozzle vents (84b), and one or more diagonal nozzle vents (84c), and the one or more table air supply vents (82d) prevent contaminated air (30d) breathed by each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) from moving laterally to occupants (28e) of adjacent conference rooms, and The method according to claim 16 (300), comprising one or more airflow hoods (185) connected to the ceiling (178) of the conference room and positioned above the air supply ducts (78h) of the one or more tables.

19. Installing the airflow system (10) within the building (12) (302) further includes installing the airflow system (10) such that at least one internal airflow space (14) includes the conference room (20) having one or more directional airflows (106), the one or more directional airflows (106) are One or more first directional airflows (106a) containing the purified air (30a) flow from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through the floor air supply vent (82b), through the table air supply vent (82d), into the first airflow hood (186) or the second airflow hood (188), and into the dedicated air return assembly (90a), forming one or more air barriers (115) between the occupants (28d) of the conference room seated at the conference room table (175), the one or more first directional airflows (106a) flowing at a high airflow velocity (114c) in the range of 4 feet per second to 10 feet per second, One or more second directional airflows (106b) including the purified air (30a) flowing from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through one or more side wall air supply vents (82a) located in one or more first side wall portions (182) of the side wall (180) of the conference room, comprising the internal air (30c) and breathing air (30e) flowing from the occupants (28d) of the conference room, and the air flowing from one or more contaminated occupants (28b) within the conference room (20). The contaminated air (30d) further comprises one or more second directional airflows (106b) that flow from the interior (174) of the conference room (20) into the second airflow hood (188) and into the dedicated air return assembly (90a), forming the airflow area (117) around each of the occupants (28d) of the conference room, each flowing at a moderate airflow velocity (114b) ranging from 0.1 feet per second to 1 foot per second, and One or more third directional airflows (106c) containing the purified air (30a) flowing from the dedicated air return assembly (70a) through one or more side wall air supply vents (82a) located in one or more second side wall portions (184) of the side wall (180) of the conference room, including one or more third directional airflows (106c) flowing from the dedicated air supply assembly (70a) through one or more floor air supply vents (82b) into the area (190) under the conference room table (175) and flowing at a low airflow velocity (114a) in the range of 0.01 feet per second to 0.1 feet per second, in order to prevent one or more accumulations of the one or more biological agents (34) and the one or more chemical agents (36) in the conference room (20), The flow arrangement (120) of the one or more directional airflows (106) within the conference room (20) prevents the occupants (28d) of the conference room from contaminating each other, according to the method (300) of claim 18.

20. Installing the airflow system (10) within the building (12) (302) further includes installing the airflow system (10) in at least one internal airflow space (14) which includes the auditorium (22), and the auditorium (22) Dedicated air supply assembly (70a), Dedicated air return assembly (90a), To circulate the purified air (30a) from at least one air purification system (50) into each of the multiple ducted seats (212) of the auditorium, the temporary floor (214a) of the auditorium has one or more floor air supply ducts (78e) and one or more floor air supply vents (82b) in the floor cavity (166a) beneath the temporary floor (214a) of the auditorium, Structural auditorium floor (215), The ceiling of the auditorium (216), Auditorium wall (218), The auditorium stage (220), and The auditorium seats (212) with multiple ducts are connected to the temporary floor (214a) of the auditorium and to the dedicated air supply assembly (70a), Two seat side walls (224), each seat side wall (224) having one or more seat air supply ducts (78i) including a seat air supply side wall duct (78j), and one or more seat air supply vents (82e) including a seat air supply side wall vent (82f), and The auditorium seats (212) of the plurality of ducts are provided, each having a seat back (226) that includes one or more seat air supply ducts (78i) including a seat rear air supply duct (78k), and one or more seat air supply vents (82e) including a seat rear air supply vent (82g), The method (300) according to claim 16, wherein the one or more directional airflows (106) flowing upward from the seat air supply side wall vents (82f) and the seat air supply rear vents (78k) of each seat (212) of the ducted auditorium to the ceiling air return vents (104a) create a separate airflow boundary space (108) for each auditorium occupant (28f) within each seat (212) of the ducted auditorium, preventing any of the breathing air (30e) and contaminated air (30d) from each of the one or more contaminated occupants (28b) within one seat (212) of the ducted auditorium from flowing to an adjacent auditorium occupant (28g) seated in an adjacent seat (212a) of the ducted auditorium.

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