A device for generating air curtains, in particular for a railway vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air curtain devices for railway vehicles are inefficient in managing passenger flow and thermal comfort, particularly in confined spaces, as they do not effectively direct air flow to optimize entry and exit while maintaining thermal insulation.
Innovation Solution
A device that generates an air curtain with adjustable diffusion directions and temperatures, using nozzles to direct air flow inward and outward, promoting passenger movement and adjusting based on meteorological conditions and passenger presence, while maintaining thermal comfort by optimizing air conditioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the door is kept closed to minimize heat exchange, then thermal comfort is improved, but passenger flow is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
An air curtain is introduced as an intermediary element between the interior and exterior zones. This laminar airflow acts as a virtual barrier that maintains thermal insulation without requiring the door to be closed, thus enabling passenger passage while preserving thermal comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a stream of air (pneumatic element) to create the separating barrier. The air curtain generation means produce a controlled laminar flow that functions as a dynamic partition, allowing optical and thermal isolation while permitting physical passage.
2Productivity
If the door is kept open to improve passenger flow, then passenger flow is improved, but heat exchange between zones is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The air curtain serves as a mediating element that allows the door to remain open for passenger flow while preventing direct thermal contact between interior and exterior zones. The laminar airflow barrier maintains thermal separation despite the open door configuration.
3Temperature
If a fixed-direction air curtain is used, then thermal insulation is improved, but passenger flow facilitation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The air curtain generation system is made dynamic by enabling rotation of the diffusion means. This allows the air curtain direction to be adjusted in real-time to facilitate passenger flow while maintaining thermal insulation, adapting to different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The air curtain system is designed to perform multiple functions: maintaining thermal insulation and facilitating passenger flow. By making the diffusion direction adjustable, a single system achieves both thermal protection and flow facilitation that would otherwise require separate systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device enhances passenger flow by encouraging movement through openings and maintains thermal comfort by minimizing heat exchange, reducing air conditioning consumption and improving passenger experience.
Implementation Method 1
The air curtain is a laminar flow of air, uniformly covering the entire height and/or width of the opening. This air curtain forms an air barrier that effectively separates the interior from the exterior, preventing, in particular, the exchange of air and heat between the interior and exterior zones
Implementation Method 2
The first and second air curtains together generate, by Venturi effect, a resultant airflow diffusing in a resultant direction
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The device (20) comprises means (22, 28) for generating an air curtain, comprising means (24, 32) for diffusing an air curtain, capable of diffusing at least one air curtain (26, 30) along a plane (P), in at least first and second distinct diffusion directions. The device (20) for generating an air curtain comprises a control unit (34) suitable for controlling the distribution of the at least one air curtain (26, 30) in one and/or the other first and second diffusion directions.