Filtered Air Recirculation for Low-Exchange Laboratory Ventilation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laboratory and other building spaces requiring high air exchange rates to mitigate noxious substances incur significant energy losses due to the need for frequent conditioning of outside air, and there is a need for effective air quality monitoring and alert systems in such environments.

Innovation Solution

A novel air treatment device with a housing, air inlet, outlet, passageway, circulation fan, and filter that recirculates and purifies air, reducing the air exchange rate from high to low while removing hazardous chemicals, and includes sensors for monitoring air quality and alerting personnel to potential issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If high air exchange rates are used in laboratory spaces to remove noxious substances, then air quality and safety are improved, but energy consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair qualityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system recovers and recirculates conditioned air that has been contaminated by noxious substances after filtering out the contaminants. Instead of discarding all used air and replacing it with new outside air, the system recovers the thermal energy and quality air portion, reducing the need for continuous conditioning of fresh air and thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining air quality safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and removes noxious substances from the air stream through filtration before recirculating the cleaned air. By taking out only the harmful components and retaining the beneficial conditioned air, the system maintains safety requirements while reducing overall air exchange rates and associated energy losses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If high air exchange rates are implemented in laboratory spaces, then removal of noxious substances is improved, but operating costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremoval of noxious substancesVSAvoidoperating costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous air treatment and recirculation, ensuring that air quality standards are met while reducing the overall air exchange rate. The continuous operation of the filtration and recirculation system provides sustained removal of noxious substances at lower operating costs compared to high-rate air exchange systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 device reduces energy losses by allowing lower air exchange rates while ensuring safety, provides higher quality air by actively purging noxious substances, and offers real-time monitoring and alerting for maintaining air quality standards.

Implementation Method 1

a circulation fan disposed in said passageway so as to draw the air of the higher air exchange rate space into said air inlet, through said passageway, and return that air to the higher air exchange rate space through said at least one air outlet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

a filter disposed in said passageway for purging noxious substances from the air passing through said passageway

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical Filtration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS8986427B2Method and apparatus for monitoring and ensuring air quality in a building

Publication Date: 2015.03.24 FIPAK RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO

AI summary

Apparatus for transforming the air exchange load of a higher air exchange rate space into the air exchange load of a lower air exchange rate space, including: a housing; an air inlet and at least one air outlet formed in the housing; a passageway extending through the housing and connecting the air inlet to the at least one air outlet; a circulation fan disposed in the passageway so as to draw the air of the higher air exchange rate space into the air inlet, through the passageway, and return that air to the higher air exchange rate space through the at least one air outlet; and a filter disposed in the passageway for purging noxious substances from the air passing through the passageway, whereby to transform the air exchange load of a higher air exchange rate space into the air exchange load of a lower air exchange rate space.