Columnar Airflow Nozzle for Ceiling De-Stratification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air moving devices, such as ceiling fans and fans connected to vertical tubes, are ineffective in de-stratifying air temperatures in high-ceiling rooms due to dispersion and aesthetic or space-use issues, and struggle to direct air effectively around obstacles like support beams.
Innovation Solution
A columnar air moving device with a low vertical profile, designed to fit within a ceiling grid structure, featuring a rotary fan assembly and adjustable nozzle to direct a column of air with minimal lateral dispersion, allowing for easy installation and directional control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a ceiling fan is used to move air, then air circulation is improved, but the air flow disperses or diffuses well above the floor and fails to maintain a columnar pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The air moving device is divided into distinct functional components: an air moving element (fan) and a columnar flow maintenance element (nozzle or diffuser). This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the fan generates air movement while the nozzle maintains the columnar pattern, resolving the contradiction between air circulation and flow pattern stability.
Solution Approach 2:
A nozzle or diffuser structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the fan and the surrounding space. This intermediary component shapes and confines the air flow, preventing lateral dispersion and maintaining the columnar pattern from ceiling to floor, thus enabling both effective air circulation and stable flow pattern.
2Productivity
If a fan connected to a vertical tube is used to push air, then air de-stratification is improved, but the device interferes with floor space use and is not aesthetically pleasing
Solution Approach 1:
The physical tube structure is extracted or eliminated from the design. Instead of using a visible vertical tube extending to the floor, the invention uses a compact air moving device with integrated nozzle that fits within the ceiling structure. This extraction removes the aesthetic and space-utilization problems while maintaining the air de-stratification function through the concealed columnar air flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The air moving device transitions from a vertical floor-to-ceiling configuration to a horizontal ceiling-mounted configuration. By changing the dimensional orientation and using a low-profile design that fits within the ceiling grid, the device achieves air de-stratification without occupying floor space or compromising aesthetic appearance.
3Ease of operation
If a fan connected to a vertical tube is confined to wall locations, then floor space is preserved, but the device may not effectively circulate air near the center of the open space
Solution Approach 1:
The ceiling-mounted air moving device is designed to be universally applicable in various ceiling grid configurations and locations. It can be installed in standard ceiling grid cells away from walls, providing flexible positioning that enables effective air circulation in the center of open spaces while preserving floor space availability.
Solution Approach 2:
By relocating the air moving device from wall-based vertical tubes to ceiling-mounted horizontal units, the invention enables installation in previously inaccessible ceiling grid locations. This dimensional change allows placement in the center of rooms, maximizing air circulation coverage while maintaining floor space availability.
4Ease of manufacture
If a columnar air moving device is designed with low vertical profile to fit in ceiling structure, then installation ease is improved, but the device complexity increases to achieve minimal lateral dispersion
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into a single integrated device: air movement (fan), flow shaping (nozzle), and structural support (mounting brackets). This merging reduces the need for separate components and simplifies installation within the ceiling grid, while the nozzle design inherently provides the necessary flow control without adding excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates adjustable or rotatable components that allow dynamic positioning and directional control of the air flow. This dynamic capability enables the device to adapt to different installation scenarios and overcome obstacles like support beams, providing versatility without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
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
Effectively de-stratifies air temperatures by maintaining a columnar air flow from ceiling to floor with minimal dispersion, fitting within ceiling structures and allowing for directional adjustment to overcome obstacles, thus improving heating and cooling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
maximizing axial air flow quantity and velocity, thereby providing a column of air that flows from a high ceiling to a floor in a columnar pattern with minimal lateral dispersion
Implementation Method 2
a nozzle communicating with and extending downwardly from the rotary fan assembly, the nozzle comprising a structure for further directing the volume of air out of the air moving device
Implementation Method 3
The housing member can include a plurality of anti-swirl members spaced circumferentially around the interior space and extending into the interior space, wherein the anti-swirl members can be configured to reduce a rotational component of the volume of air
Implementation Method 4
the housing member comprising a plurality of air vents for directing a volume of air into the interior space of the air moving device
Data Source
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AI summary
An air moving system includes an air moving device including a housing member, a rotary fan assembly, and a nozzle, the housing including a plurality of air intake vents. The nozzle is configured to move relative to a longitudinal axis of the air moving device. The air moving system includes a ceiling grid structure. The air moving device is configured to rest within a grid within the ceiling grid structure or within an opening in the ceiling.