Rotatable Air Diffuser for Adjustable Swirl Airflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air diffusers in raised access floor systems do not provide sufficient airflow pattern and rate adjustment, leading to limited user comfort and increased energy consumption in air conditioning.
Innovation Solution
An air diffuser with a hand-manipulable discharge element that allows adjustment of airflow rate, pattern, and direction, featuring rotatable components and a collecting basket with dampers to optimize airflow distribution, and optional electrical actuation for enhanced control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed air diffuser design is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the airflow pattern adjustment capability and user comfort are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by incorporating a rotatable discharge element that allows the airflow pattern to be dynamically adjusted between radial swirl and axial swirl modes. This mechanical movement enables the diffuser to adapt to different ventilation requirements without requiring multiple fixed designs, thereby improving versatility while maintaining reasonable device complexity through a single adjustable mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If airflow rate is increased to improve cooling effect, then user comfort is enhanced, but energy consumption in air conditioning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by enabling users to adjust the airflow pattern (radial vs axial swirl) and airflow rate through the rotatable discharge element. This allows optimization of the airflow characteristics to achieve effective cooling with reduced energy consumption by selecting the appropriate pattern for the specific thermal comfort requirements, rather than continuously operating at maximum airflow rates.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the discharge element is made rotatable to enable adjustment, then airflow pattern control is improved, but the ease of operation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable discharge element provides dynamic control capability, allowing users to switch between radial and axial swirl patterns by simple rotation. This mechanical adjustment mechanism maintains ease of operation through intuitive manual control while achieving improved airflow pattern control versatility.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple discharge patterns are provided to maximize user comfort, then adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multiple discharge patterns (radial swirl and axial swirl) through a single rotatable discharge element mechanism. This dynamic design allows the diffuser to switch between patterns rather than requiring multiple separate fixed-pattern diffusers, thereby achieving airflow pattern variety while minimizing device complexity through component integration.
Data Source
AI summary
An air diffuser comprising at least one discharge that is hand manipulable to vary at least two of the airflow rate, the airflow pattern and the airflow direction, wherein the airflow pattern produced by the discharge element may be at least one of a substantially perpendicular axial swirl pattern relative to the discharge element surface or a substantially inclined swirl pattern relative to the perpendicular axis of the discharge element surface.