Device and method for controlling a supply air flow at a comfort cassette
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing comfort cassettes with four-way air distribution face challenges in implementing VAV control without causing unwanted pressure drops, making it difficult to regulate supply air efficiently across all directions simultaneously, which limits energy optimization and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A comfort cassette design featuring a cover member that can change the configuration of outlets in all directions with a single movement, allowing for adjustable outlet geometry and flow control through a linear actuator, enabling cost-effective and energy-saving VAV control by regulating air flow in all directions simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a damper is placed in the supply air stream before the comfort cassette to implement VAV control, then air flow regulation is achieved, but unwanted pressure drops occur in addition to the outlet pressure drop
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the VAV control function from the traditional damper placement (before the comfort cassette) and relocates it directly to the outlets of the pressure box. This eliminates the need for an additional VAV-damper in the supply air stream, removing the extra pressure drop while maintaining air flow regulation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from controlling air flow in traditional chilled beams (two directions) to controlling air flow in multiple directions (four-way distribution) simultaneously through a single cover member movement, enabling VAV control across all outlet directions without additional pressure losses.
2Power
If traditional chilled beams are used to deliver high cooling capacity, then cooling power is sufficient, but the devices become relatively elongated and occupy large ceiling area
Solution Approach 1:
The comfort cassette utilizes four-way air distribution (adding dimensional spread from traditional two-directional chilled beams) to deliver the same cooling capacity from a more compact device, reducing the ceiling area occupied while maintaining sufficient cooling power.
3Area of stationary object
If comfort cassettes with four-way air distribution are used, then space efficiency is improved, but it becomes difficult to regulate supply air efficiently across all directions simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the air flow regulation control for all four outlet directions into a single cover member that moves in one direction. This single movement simultaneously adjusts all outlet configurations, making it as easy to operate as traditional two-directional chilled beams while maintaining the space efficiency of four-way distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member serves as a universal control element that simultaneously regulates air flow in all four directions, enabling a single component to perform multiple control functions that would traditionally require separate adjustment mechanisms for each direction.
4Ease of operation
If multiple VAV dampers are installed to control air flow in all directions, then air flow regulation is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple air flow control functions (regulating four different outlet directions) into a single cover member mechanism, reducing the number of control components from multiple VAV dampers to one integrated element, thereby simplifying device complexity and reducing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The single cover member acts as a universal control device that simultaneously manages air flow in all outlet directions, replacing what would traditionally require multiple specialized dampers, thus reducing overall system complexity and cost while maintaining full regulatory capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Comfort cassette (1 ) and method for its control, wherein the comfort cassette (1 ) comprises a pressure box (2) with an inlet (3) and a plurality of outlets (4) for through flow of a supply air flow (L1 ). Said outlets (4) are arranged at more than two of the pressure box edges (5a, 5b,..5n) whereby the outlets (4) forms a group (6a, 6b,..6n) of outlets per edge (5a, 5b,..5n). The invention is characterized by that the outlets (4) are arranged according to a configuration which is changeable by that at least one cover member (8) is displaceable arranged in relation to the outlets (4), and that the cover member (8) is arranged to change the configuration at all groups (6a, 6b,..6n) of outlets (4) simultaneously, by a movement of the cover member (8) in only one direction, wherein the supply air flow (L1 ) is changeable in more than two directions by only one movement of the cove member (8).