Curved-Inlet V-Bank Filter for Lower Pressure Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional V-Bank filters lack streamlined curved designs based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, leading to significant turbulent effects and increased operational costs due to sudden large velocity gradients around the filter media, resulting in inefficient airflow performance and higher energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A low flow resistance V-Bank compact filter with a streamlined curved design at the air intake side, featuring a specific arrangement and configuration of filter elements, optimized using CFD analysis to minimize velocity gradients and improve airflow efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional V-Bank filters are used with straight edges and right angles, then manufacturing is simple, but airflow performance deteriorates due to sudden large velocity gradients and turbulent effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing straight edges and right angles with curved surfaces at the filter inlet side. The side panels, end channels, and end caps all feature curved contours that guide airflow smoothly into the filter media, eliminating sudden velocity gradients and reducing turbulent effects while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized curved profiles.
2Reliability
If large amounts of filtration media are used in conventional filters, then filtration efficiency is improved, but pressure drop increases leading to higher energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The curved inlet design distributes airflow more uniformly across the filtration media surface, preventing localized high-velocity zones that would create excessive pressure drop. This allows the filter to maintain high filtration efficiency with optimized media usage, reducing the energy required to drive airflow through the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the local quality of airflow distribution by using curved surfaces to create gradual velocity transitions at the inlet. This local optimization prevents concentrated high-velocity regions, ensuring uniform airflow distribution across the entire filtration media surface and reducing overall pressure drop and energy consumption.
3Strength
If straight-edged filter housings are used, then structural rigidity is maintained, but airflow efficiency deteriorates due to turbulent effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces curvature to the inlet surfaces of side panels, end channels, and end caps to optimize airflow patterns. These curved surfaces maintain structural rigidity while eliminating sudden velocity gradients and reducing turbulent effects, thereby improving airflow efficiency without compromising the structural integrity of the filter housing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system, method and apparatus comprising a low flow resistance V-Bank filter having streamlined curved design at the filter inlet side is disclosed herein. The CFD-based streamlined curved design at the intake side of the V-Bank filter comprises of contoured surfaces which preclude sudden large localized acceleration of the flow at the air intake side. The design and orientation of the filter elements within the filter housing improve airflow patterns during use of the filter and includes specially arranged and oriented plurality of filter elements located within the filter housing. The system, method and apparatus disclosed herein use certain control equations to define the curvatures of the various contoured surfaces at the filter inlet side, wherein the control equation's coefficients are dependent on the angle of the lateral axis of a filter element at which the filter element is disposed relative to the airflow direction. The design and configuration is intended to reduce the maximum velocity of the airflow exiting the filter (or at the filter outlet side) and decrease turbulence during use of the V-Bank filter.