Dual-Fan Ventilation Module for Tornado Air Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ventilation fans are inefficient in capturing contaminants due to rapid decrease in air velocity with distance from the exhaust vent, leading to low discharge power and high power consumption, which results in increased noise.
Innovation Solution
A ventilator module with a dual structure of swirler and suction fans, where the swirler fan with plural fins on an annular disk creates a donut-like low pressure zone, and the suction fan enhances air velocity and discharge power, accompanied by a bell-mouth design to enlarge the capture region and reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a conventional exhaust fan is used to discharge contaminants, then the discharge function is provided, but the air velocity rapidly decreases with distance from the exhaust vent, resulting in low discharge power and high power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust fan is segmented into two functional parts: a swirler fan that generates rotational airflow and a suction fan that provides axial suction. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function, with the swirler creating a tornado-like flow pattern that extends the capture region and the suction fan providing focused discharge power, thereby improving overall discharge efficiency while reducing power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The swirler fan dynamically generates a tornado-like airflow pattern with rotational motion, creating a low-pressure core region that actively draws contaminants toward the exhaust vent. This dynamic flow pattern maintains higher air velocities over longer distances compared to conventional static exhaust patterns, extending the effective capture region without requiring increased power consumption
2Area of stationary object
If the exhaust fan is positioned away from the contaminant source to improve air circulation, then the discharge coverage is improved, but the air velocity at the exhaust inlet decreases, resulting in extremely low discharge power
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the functions of flow generation and suction into two distinct fans positioned at different locations. The swirler fan can be positioned away from the contaminant source to create a wide capture region with rotational flow, while the suction fan is positioned to provide focused discharge power at the exhaust inlet, thus resolving the trade-off between capture region area and discharge power
Solution Approach 2:
The swirler fan generates a tornado-like airflow pattern with a low-pressure core region that actively draws contaminants toward the exhaust vent over an extended area. This pneumatic flow pattern maintains pressure gradients that sustain air velocity over longer distances, allowing the exhaust system to effectively cover a larger area without sacrificing discharge power
3Power
If the air velocity at the exhaust inlet is increased to improve discharge power, then the discharge power is improved, but the power consumption increases significantly, resulting in increased noise
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-fan configuration divides the workload between the swirler fan and suction fan. The swirler fan generates rotational flow that extends the capture region and maintains air velocity over distance, while the suction fan provides focused axial suction at the exhaust inlet. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high discharge power without requiring one fan to operate at excessively high speeds, thereby reducing noise generation
Solution Approach 2:
The swirler fan creates a dynamic tornado-like flow pattern that maintains air velocity over extended distances through rotational motion and low-pressure core formation. This dynamic flow pattern reduces the need for high-speed operation of the suction fan, thereby reducing noise while maintaining effective discharge power
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
The dual-fan system generates a strong tornado air current for effective pollutant and odor removal over a wider area with reduced power consumption and noise, compared to conventional fans.
Implementation Method 1
the swirler fan formed with plural fins on an annular disk with the opening at the center portion is disposed at the front side and the suction fan is disposed at the rear side of the swirler fan so as to form a donut-like low pressure zone around an inlet by a swirl formed by the drive of the swirler fan so that the air at the lower part, which forms a relatively high pressure zone, ascends at a high velocity
Implementation Method 2
A ventilation fan is based on the assumption that a fan generates the negative pressures and makes airflow movements toward an exhaust inlet, then contaminants in the space will be carried out with the air exhausted
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure aims to provide a ventilator module with improved efficiency. The ventilator module employs the dual structure of fans includes a swirler fan and a suction fan, in which the swirler fan is disposed at the front side and the suction fan is disposed at the rear side of the swirler fan so that a swirl formed by the drive of the swirler fan forms a donut-like low pressure zone around an inlet, and a tornado is formed by rotating the donut-like low pressure zone by the drive of the suction fan thereby cause the air below swirler fan to ascend at high velocity so as to be suctioned and discharged.