HVAC Evase Device with Rounded Corners to Reduce Reverse Flow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern air handler devices rely on outdated structural designs, leading to inefficiencies such as reverse fluid flow, increased fan horsepower, noise, and higher operating costs due to heat rejection system burdens.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an evase device with a housing that encompasses a channel, featuring a first opening for fluid intake from a fan and a second opening for discharge into a duct, with rounded corners at the second side to mitigate reverse flow, and an intermediate baffle to enhance flow efficiency and reduce noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional structural designs are used in air handler devices, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but reverse fluid flow occurs and system efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved surfaces and rounded corners throughout the evase device structure. The housing incorporates curved transitions instead of sharp angles, and the intermediate baffle uses curved geometries to guide fluid flow smoothly, eliminating reverse flow while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard forming processes.
2Power
If traditional evase designs are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but fan horsepower requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The evase device is segmented into distinct functional zones: an inlet section, an intermediate section with flow-directing baffles, and an outlet section. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize fluid flow independently, reducing overall resistance and fan horsepower requirements while maintaining a manageable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Intermediate baffles are introduced as mediator elements within the evase device. These baffles actively manage fluid flow transitions, directing flow smoothly from the inlet to the outlet and preventing reverse flow patterns that would increase pressure drop and fan power consumption.
3Loss of energy
If traditional corner designs are used at duct interfaces, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but reverse flow occurs at corners
Solution Approach 1:
All corner regions at duct interfaces are designed with rounded geometries rather than sharp angles. The housing incorporates curved corner transitions that guide fluid flow smoothly around corners, eliminating reverse flow patterns. These curved corners can be manufactured using standard forming processes, maintaining ease of manufacture while improving flow characteristics.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional intake devices are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but noise levels increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intake device incorporates curved surfaces and smooth transitions throughout its structure. The evase housing and intermediate baffles use curved geometries to guide fluid flow smoothly, minimizing turbulence and noise generation. This curved design approach reduces noise levels while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through standard manufacturing processes.
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 evase device design reduces reverse flow, decreases fan horsepower requirements, lowers noise levels, and decreases heat rejection loads, resulting in cost savings and improved HVAC system performance.
Implementation Method 1
The inner funnel can comprise an outer surface that spans the upper portion and the lower portion. The outer surface can be sloped, causing the flow of the fluid entering the intake duct in the radial direction to change to the direction along the longitudinal axis.
Implementation Method 2
At the second side, the housing can have a rounded corner determined to mitigate a reverse flow of the fluid at corners of the duct.
Implementation Method 3
a cross-sectional area of the flow channel can vary between the inlet opening and the discharge opening in a manner that is determined to cause the flow of the fluid through the flow channel to continuously accelerate from a first location of the channel to the discharge opening
Data Source
AI summary
Architectures and techniques are presented that can facilitate improved design and function of certain heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) devices. Architectures directed to an improved evase device can be designed with rounded corners that can facilitate, e.g., mitigation of reverse flow that traditionally grows back from corners of a transition from an axial fan to a rectangular duct. Architectures directed to an improved intake device can be designed to limit intake from certain flow directions and to smoothly change flow direction, which can facilitate, e.g., reduction in noise. Architectures directed to an improved fan intake device can be designed to reduce noise without significantly reducing total pressure. Architectures directed to an improved air handler device can be designed to concurrently heat and cool air and to reduce dimensions (e.g., size, weight) that can reduce costs and mitigate shipping and installation difficulties.