Low-Profile Inflatable Air Ducts for Even, Condensation-Free Airflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sheet metal ducts in HVAC systems pose issues in industrial settings by causing air-borne contamination, condensation, mold formation, and uncomfortable drafts, particularly in areas with low ceiling clearance like warehouses and food-processing facilities.

Innovation Solution

Inflatable air ducts with a wide, low height-to-width ratio and a pliable fabric wall, featuring internal restraints, external hangers, and an overhead support system that maximize vertical clearance, inhibit condensation and evenly distribute airflow to prevent contamination and drafts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If sheet metal ducts are installed underneath ceilings in industrial settings, then installation convenience and cost are improved, but condensation and air-borne contamination problems worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation convenienceVSAvoidcondensation and contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid sheet metal ducts with flexible fabric ducts that have porous walls. The fabric material inherently reduces condensation formation and the porous structure allows for distributed airflow, eliminating the harmful effects while maintaining installation convenience underneath ceilings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The fabric duct walls are designed with porosity to allow airflow distribution. This porous structure prevents condensation buildup and enables even air dispersion into the conditioned space, resolving the contamination and condensation issues associated with metal ducts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Device complexity

If conventional sheet metal ducts with localized discharge registers are used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but uncomfortable drafts and unbalanced heating/cooling worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcomfortability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The fabric duct walls incorporate distributed porosity throughout their surface rather than localized discharge registers. This creates uniform airflow quality across the entire duct surface, providing comfortable even distribution of conditioned air without drafts while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Temperature

If inflatable fabric ducts are used to prevent condensation, then thermal conductivity is reduced, but structural support requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecondensation preventionVSAvoidstructural support

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The fabric duct is inflated with pressurized air to maintain its structural shape and provide rigidity. This pneumatic support system allows the low thermal conductivity fabric material to prevent condensation while the internal air pressure provides the necessary structural strength and shape maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 inflatable ducts effectively prevent condensation and mold formation, maintain a thin profile for low ceiling installations, and provide even airflow distribution, enhancing ventilation and reducing the risk of contamination and discomfort.

Implementation Method 1

Fabric ducts seem to inhibit the formation of condensation on its exterior wall, possibly due to the fabric having a lower thermal conductivity than that of metal ducts

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conductivity: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

Fabric porosity and/or additional holes distributed along the length of the fabric duct broadly and evenly disperse the air into the room being conditioned or ventilated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPorosity: Porosity

Data Source

PatentUS9303892B2Inflatable air ducts with low height-to-width ratios

Publication Date: 2016.04.05 RITE HITE HLDG CORP

AI summary

Inflatable air ducts with low height-to-width ratios are disclosed. An example air duct system includes a top sheet, a bottom sheet, a first side sheet, and a second side sheet spaced apart from the first side sheet and extending between the top sheet and the bottom sheet. The top, bottom, first side, and second side sheets provide an inflatable air duct having an inflated state and a deflated state. The inflatable air duct has an inflated length greater than an inflated width. The inflated width is more than twice as great as an inflated height. The interior of the inflatable air duct defining an air passageway having a first airway, a second airway, and an intermediate airway. The intermediate airway is adjacent the first airway at a first transition area. The example air duct system also includes a second transition area between the intermediate airway and the second airway.