An air conditioning assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing environmental chambers face challenges in achieving uniformity of temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels throughout the chamber due to cluttered equipment and localized climatic pockets, which hinders effective scientific measurements and athlete training.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning assembly is introduced, featuring a suspended ceiling creating a plenum space with fans and air conditioning means, including an altitude simulator, to generate laminar airflow and condition the air uniformly across the chamber, while keeping equipment concealed and clutter-free.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If numerous climate controlling devices are mounted inside the environmental chamber, then the chamber can achieve required environmental conditions, but the equipment creates clutter and localised climatic pockets that reduce uniformity throughout the chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the climate controlling devices from the chamber interior and relocates them to the plenum space above the suspended ceiling. This removes the clutter and localised climatic pockets from the chamber while maintaining the ability to deliver controlled environmental conditions through the laminar airflow system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the equipment from the three-dimensional chamber space to the two-dimensional plenum space above the ceiling. This dimensional transition allows equipment placement without interfering with chamber uniformity, as the plenum acts as a separate air distribution layer.
2Ease of operation
If climate controlling devices are housed outside the chamber with ductwork connection, then clutter is removed from the chamber, but localised conditions are created at ductwork entrance and exit points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air distribution system into multiple perimeter outlets along the suspended ceiling rather than using single central ductwork entrances/exits. This segmentation distributes the airflow across the entire chamber perimeter, eliminating localised climatic pockets while maintaining a clutter-free chamber interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates uniform airflow characteristics across all perimeter locations by positioning outlets at regular intervals around the chamber. Each location receives consistent laminar airflow with identical velocity and temperature profiles, ensuring uniformity throughout the chamber despite external equipment housing.
3Ease of operation
If traditional air handling units are used with centralized air flow, then equipment can be concealed, but uniform laminar air flow throughout the chamber is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the air handling function into multiple distributed outlets along the perimeter rather than using a single centralized air handling unit. Each outlet acts as an independent laminar flow source, and their collective arrangement creates uniform airflow across the entire chamber while keeping equipment concealed in the plenum.
Solution Approach 2:
The suspended ceiling plenum acts as an intermediary air distribution layer between the concealed equipment and the chamber space. This intermediate space allows equipment to remain hidden while providing a controlled environment for generating uniform laminar airflow that is delivered consistently throughout the chamber.
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
This solution ensures consistent environmental conditions throughout the chamber, enhancing the effectiveness of scientific testing and athlete training by providing uniform temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels, and improving the aesthetic and spatial efficiency of the chamber.
Implementation Method 1
the first perimeter gap and the second perimeter gap are configured such that, in use, the air conditioning assembly is configured to create substantially laminar air flow throughout the environmental chamber
Implementation Method 2
at least one air conditioning means in fluid communication with the at least one fan, configured to condition the air flow passing through said at least one fan
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioning assembly for an environmental chamber, the air conditioning assembly comprising: a suspended ceiling for suspending below a structural ceiling of the environmental chamber to create a plenum space therebetween, said suspended ceiling being configured to cover a substantially horizontal plane of the environmental chamber whilst leaving a first perimeter gap adjacent to a wall of the environmental chamber, and a second perimeter gap adjacent to an opposing wall of the environmental chamber; a substantially vertical wall for covering a vertical plane of the plenum space; at least one fan within the plenum space, said at least one fan being configured to draw air from one side of the substantially vertical wall to the other side, and therefore configured to draw air from the environmental chamber and into the plenum space through the first perimeter gap, and to blow air from the plenum space and into the environmental chamber through the second perimeter gap; and, at least one air conditioning means in fluid communication with the at least one fan, configured to condition the air flow passing through said at least one fan; whereby, in use, the air conditioning assembly is configured to create substantially laminar air flow throughout the environmental chamber. A method of installing the air conditioning assembly in a room to form an environmental chamber, comprising the steps of: installing a suspended ceiling below a structural ceiling of the room to create a plenum space therebetween, said suspended ceiling being configured to cover a substantially horizontal plane of the environmental chamber whilst leaving a first perimeter gap adjacent to a wall of the environmental chamber, and a second perimeter gap adjacent to an opposing wall of the environmental chamber; installing a substantially vertical wall to cover a vertical plane of the plenum space; installing at least one fan within the plenum space, said at least one fan being configured to draw air from one side of the substantially vertical wall to the other side, and therefore configured to draw air from the environmental chamber and into the plenum space through the first perimeter gap, and to blow air from the plenum space and into the environmental chamber through the second perimeter gap; and, installing at least one air conditioning means in fluid communication with the at least one fan, configured to condition the air flow passing through said at least one fan; whereby, in use, the air conditioning assembly is configured to create substantially laminar air flow throughout the environmental chamber.