Dynamic air supply system in a clean room and a method for providing dynamic air flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air flow systems in clean rooms, such as operating rooms, fail to effectively manage air flow patterns to prevent wound contamination from operational personnel and ensure thermal comfort for patients while safeguarding nursing staff, often compromising between patient comfort and staff safety.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic air supply system with a radiant panel and dual air supply diffusers, controlled by a controller, adjusts air supply volume and temperature to switch between nursing and normal modes based on sensor inputs, ensuring uniform cleanness and thermal comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high air supply volume is used to prevent contamination and ensure staff safety, then contaminant removal effectiveness is improved, but patient thermal comfort deteriorates due to powerful air flows
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply system dynamically adjusts the air supply volume between two modes: nursing mode (higher air volume for contaminant removal when staff are present) and normal mode (lower air volume for patient comfort when no staff are present). This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by matching air supply to actual contamination risk levels rather than maintaining constant high flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the air supply volume parameter between 10-65% range depending on operational needs. By varying this key parameter based on whether nursing staff are present, the system achieves both high contaminant removal effectiveness when needed and patient comfort when staff are absent.
2Reliability
If high air supply volume is used to protect nursing staff from exhaled air contaminants, then staff safety is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system periodically switches between high air supply (nursing mode) and low air supply (normal mode) based on the presence of nursing staff. This periodic action ensures staff safety when present while minimizing energy consumption during periods when no staff are in the clean area, resolving the contradiction between protection and energy use.
3Device complexity
If simplified zoning principle is used for air distribution, then system complexity is reduced, but air flow pattern effectiveness deteriorates in critical environments
Solution Approach 1:
The ceiling is segmented into multiple zones with different air supply characteristics: a first air supply diffuser, a radiant panel in the middle, and a second air supply diffuser. This segmentation allows different air flows to be directed to different areas (along the radiant panel and towards the clean area), improving flow pattern effectiveness while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
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 system provides adjustable air flows to manage contaminants and thermal comfort by increasing or decreasing air supply volume and temperature, enhancing safety and comfort for both patients and nursing staff in clean rooms.
Implementation Method 1
a radiant panel arranged within a ceiling above the clean area
Implementation Method 2
The first air supply diffuser and the second air supply diffuser are arranged to diffuse air flows along the radiant panel and towards clean area
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic air supply system for controlling ventilation in a clean room, wherein the clean room comprises a clean area subject to contamination, comprising a radiant panel arranged within a ceiling above the clean area, a first air supply diffuser and a second air supply diffuser arranged within the ceiling, a controller coupled with the air supply diffusers for controlling the air supply. The first air supply diffuser and the second air supply diffuser are arranged on opposite sides of the radiant panel. The first air supply diffuser and the second air supply diffuser are arranged to diffuse air flows along the radiant panel and towards clean area. The controller is configured to change the air supply diffusers between nursing mode and normal mode, wherein the supply air volume in normal mode is 10%-65% of the supply air volume in nursing mode.