Modular Ceiling Air Outlet for Flexible Laboratory Ventilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air outlets in laboratories lack flexibility to adapt to changing room layouts and usage, often resulting in insufficient ventilation, negative pressure issues, and contamination risks, especially when converting between different work areas such as fume hoods and laboratory tables.
Innovation Solution
An air outlet system with a modular design that includes an additional air outlet opening for direct supply air delivery and a heat exchanger module receptacle, allowing for easy adjustment of flow profiles and direction, and the option to retrofit or remove heat exchanger modules as needed, along with a control device for decentralized regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air outlets are specially adapted to the room layout with fixed flow profiles, then ventilation performance for specific laboratory configurations is optimized, but flexibility to adapt to changing room layouts and usage is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The air outlet system incorporates adjustable flow profiles and directional control capabilities that allow the ventilation system to dynamically adapt to different laboratory configurations. The outlet can modify its air distribution characteristics based on changing room layouts and usage requirements, rather than being fixed for a single configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The air outlet is designed with multiple functional capabilities including different flow profiles, adjustable directions, and optional heat exchanger modules. This multi-functionality allows a single air outlet design to serve various laboratory configurations and usage scenarios, replacing the need for specially adapted fixed designs.
2Reliability
If air outlets are replaced to accommodate new layouts, then ventilation requirements for new configurations are met, but considerable effort and complexity is required
Solution Approach 1:
The air outlet incorporates adjustable components that allow modification of flow profiles and directions without requiring complete replacement of the air outlet unit. This dynamic adjustability simplifies adaptation to new layouts while maintaining ventilation requirements.
3Ease of operation
If ceiling outlets are used for laboratory ventilation, then space is saved and installation is simplified, but control of indoor air conditions and temperature regulation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The ceiling air outlet integrates multiple functions including variable flow profiles, adjustable directional control, and optional heat exchanger module capabilities. This multi-functionality enables temperature regulation and enhanced control of indoor air conditions while maintaining the space-saving and installation simplicity of ceiling-mounted outlets.
Solution Approach 2:
The air outlet system can be configured with optional heat exchanger modules that can be added or removed based on specific requirements. This modular segmentation allows the basic ceiling outlet to provide simple ventilation when needed, while enabling enhanced temperature control capabilities when required.
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
This solution provides increased flexibility in room ventilation, prevents negative pressure and contamination, and allows for efficient adaptation to changing heat loads and room layouts without the need for complete air outlet replacement, ensuring safe and effective air handling.
Implementation Method 1
at least one unequipped receptacle which is suitable for at least one heat exchanger module
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2a
AI summary
The present invention relates to an air outlet (1, 1', 1") for ventilating a room (10), in particular a ceiling outlet for ventilating a laboratory room, comprising a housing (5) formed by at least one bottom part (2), at least one ceiling part (3) and at least one side part (4, 4'), which together spatially define an interior space of the housing (5), wherein the housing (5) comprises at least one air inlet opening (7) and at least one air outlet opening (9), wherein supply air can be directed into the air outlet (1, 1', 1") by means of the air inlet opening (7) and air can be directed out of the air outlet (1, 1', 1") by means of the air outlet opening (9).wherein the interior of the housing (5) is divided by means of at least one partition (12) into at least one air inlet chamber (6) and at least one air outlet chamber (11), wherein the air inlet opening (7) is assigned to the air inlet chamber (6) and the air outlet opening (9) to the air outlet chamber (11), and the partition (12) has at least one opening (13) by means of which a flow-technical connection between the air inlet chamber (6) and the air outlet chamber (11) is created, wherein the air outlet (1, 1', 1") in its installed state, in which it is permanently installed in the space (10) to be ventilated, has at least one unused receptacle (19) suitable for receiving at least one heat exchanger module (21). In order to achieve increased flexibility with regard to repurposing the space to be ventilated, it is proposed according to the invention that the air outlet (1, 1', 1") has at least one second receptacle (19) Air outlet opening (8,37) which is arranged in the air inlet chamber (6) and creates a flow-technical connection between the air inlet chamber (6) and the space (10) to be ventilated, wherein - the second air outlet opening (8) is arranged in at least one side part (4, 4') of the housing (5), so that the supply air located in the air inlet chamber (6) - viewed in a vertical cross-section of the air outlet (1, 1') - can be directed laterally and preferably approximately horizontally out of the air outlet (1, 1'), and/or - the second air outlet opening (37) is arranged in the bottom part (2) of the air outlet (1"), so that the supply air located in the air inlet chamber (6) - viewed in the vertical cross-section of the air outlet (1") - can be directed out of the air outlet (1") on a bottom side of the air outlet (1"), preferably vertically downwards.