System for ventilation of clean rooms

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing clean room ventilation systems are costly due to expensive air ducts and complex maintenance of air handling devices, which require time-consuming access and servicing, especially when failures occur.

Innovation Solution

A ventilation system for clean rooms with a closed, accessible plenum above the rooms, eliminating the need for special air ducts, allowing maintenance and repair of supply and exhaust air devices from within the plenum without requiring access to the clean rooms, featuring modular devices and sensors for control and monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If air ducts are used for air supply and removal, then air exchange function is achieved, but installation and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair exchange functionVSAvoidinstallation and maintenance cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the air handling devices from the traditional air duct system and relocates them to the plenum space above the clean rooms. This allows the devices to be accessed, maintained, and repaired from the plenum without requiring access to the clean rooms themselves, thereby reducing maintenance costs and avoiding contamination risks while maintaining effective air exchange.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning air handling devices in the plenum space above the clean rooms rather than within the horizontal plane of the clean rooms. This dimensional shift enables maintenance access from above through the plenum, eliminating the need for costly air duct installations and facilitating easier servicing without disrupting clean room operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If air handling devices are installed in clean rooms, then air supply and exhaust functions are achieved, but access for maintenance becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair supply and exhaust functionVSAvoidaccess for maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The air handling devices are extracted from the clean room environment and relocated to the plenum space above. This extraction enables maintenance personnel to access, service, and repair the devices from the plenum without entering the clean rooms, thereby improving ease of repair while maintaining the air supply and exhaust functions through the ceiling recesses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If traditional air duct systems are implemented, then ventilation is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation functionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the complex network of air ducts by extracting the air handling function directly into the plenum space. The devices are positioned to work through recesses in the ceiling, removing the need for extensive ductwork installation and simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining effective ventilation across multiple clean rooms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The plenum space serves multiple functions: it houses the air handling devices, provides maintenance access, and facilitates air distribution to multiple clean rooms. This multi-functionality reduces system complexity by consolidating what would otherwise require separate components and installation systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2820356B1System for ventilation of clean rooms
Publication Date: 2019.11.13 ABN
  • EP2820356B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2820356B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The system for ventilation of clean rooms (22, 23, 24) has at least two clean rooms (22, 23) and a plenum (20) above these clean rooms (22, 23, 24) and separated by a supporting ceiling (26). The plenum (20) is a closed room that has a lockable door (28) for personnel and equipment which is accessible for personnel and which has an inlet opening (30) for fresh air and an outlet opening (32) for outgoing air. In the ceiling (26) above each clean room (22, 23, 24), there is a recess (50) into each of which an air supply device (52) is installed from the plenum (20), wherein the air supply device (52) has an inflow opening (54) and an outflow opening (56); the inflow opening (54) communicates with the plenum (20) and the outflow opening (56) is located at the top of the clean room (22, 23, 24). In the ceiling (26) above each clean room (22, 23, 24), there is a recess (70) into which an air discharge device (72) is installed in each case from the plenum (20), wherein the air discharge device (72) has an intake opening (74) and an outflow opening (76); the intake opening (74) communicates with the clean room (22, 23, 24) and the outlet opening (76) communicates with the plenum (20). The air supply device (52) and the air discharge device (72) each have access points for maintenance work, which are located solely in the plenum (20).