Ventilation – Having inlet airway – Including structure for mixing plural air streams together
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2001-06-05
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3744)
Ventilation
Having inlet airway
Including structure for mixing plural air streams together
C454S267000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241601
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mixer for mixing separate fluid streams entering the mixer. This invention relates to a high efficiency air mixer for mixing fresh air, i.e. outside air, and recirculated air (sometimes referred to herein as return air) in an air handling system designed for installation in a large building or other structure.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Mixers for fluids, e.g. gases, are known. Air mixers with air flow controlling means are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,758 to Walker et al., which issued Oct. 15, 1968, discloses mixing fresh air and recirculating air in a mixing chamber. The two air flows are controlled by two dampers, which operate such that when one damper opens the other damper closes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,321 to Fukui et al. which issued Oct. 5, 1982, discloses an automobile air conditioning system in which outside air and recirculated air may be directed into the automobile by moving a simple gate across openings from side by side outside and recirculating air ducts. PCT application FI88/00151 to C. Palander, published on Apr. 6, 1989 under WO89/03006, discloses an air conditioning apparatus with a mixing chamber for cold and warm air. It has a gate for adjusting the relative amounts of cold air or warm air passing through the air inlets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,521 to R. P. Koenig, which issued Nov. 29, 1994 discloses a fluid distributor for stratified mixing of air streams. None of these mixers are particularly efficient at mixing the two air streams. The present invention is directed to overcoming the deficiencies of prior systems.
The terms “comprising/comprises” when used in this specification are taken to specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a mixer for first and second fluids comprises a plurality of first outlets for the first fluid and a plurality of second outlets for the second fluid with the first outlets alternating with the second outlets and each first outlet being contiguous with a respective one of the second outlets. The mixer has a first flap for each of the first outlets, each first flap being pivotable from one position wherein its respective first outlet is closed, through intermediate positions, to another position wherein its respective first outlet is open. There is also a second flap for each of the second outlets, each second flap being pivotable from an initial position wherein its respective second outlet is closed, through intermediate positions, to a further position wherein its respective second outlet is open. Each first flap is paired with one of the second flaps and is rigidly connected thereto so that each pair of first and second flaps moves in unison and in the same direction of rotation. During use of the mixer, all of the first and second flaps are pivotable in unison from the another position of the first flaps and the initial position of the second flaps to the one position of the first flaps and the further position of the second flaps. The first and second flaps of each pair are so arranged relative to one another that in the intermediate positions, the first and second fluids, upon exiting from the respective outlets, are diverted towards one another by the first and second flaps.
In another embodiment, the first fluid outlet has a substantially smaller cross-sectional area than that of the second fluid outlet.
In yet another embodiment, the first and second fluid outlets are rectangular in cross-section.
In a further embodiment, the first and second fluid outlets are rectangular in cross-section having heights and widths, and have heights H
1
and H
2
respectively, the ratio of H
1
to H
2
being from 1:4 to 3:4, said heights being smaller than said widths.
In yet a further embodiment, the mixer is for use with gases, and the first fluid is fresh air and the second fluid is return air.
In another embodiment, the first flap of a first pair of outlets consisting of a first outlet and a second outlet, and the second flap of a contiguous second pair of outlets consisting of a first outlet and a second outlet, are fixedly joined to one another and are rotatable about a common axis at the juncture of adjacent first and second outlets.
In yet another embodiment, each joined first and second flaps are substantially at right angles to one another and are pivotable about an axis which is adjacent to a juncture of adjacent first and second of outlets.
In a further embodiment, the mixer has a fresh air inlet connected to the first outlet and a return air inlet connected to the second outlet.
In another embodiment, the fresh air inlet is at a back of the mixer, the return air outlet is at a side of the mixer and the first and second outlets are at a front of the mixer.
In yet another embodiment, there is at least one perforated diffuser in a passageway from the return air inlet and the second outlet for distributing the return air across the width of the second outlet.
In another embodiment, the percentage of the area of perforations within a unit area of the second outlet varies across the width of the second outlet.
In yet another embodiment, the percentage of the area of perforations within a unit area of the second outlet gradually increases across the width of the second outlet.
In another embodiment, the mixer is part of an apparatus selected from the group consisting of heating, cooling, ventilating and purifying apparatus or combinations thereof, for treating air in a building.
In a further embodiment, the mixer comprises:
a plurality of first passageways for the first fluid, alternating with a plurality of second passageways for the second fluid, each of said first passageways having an outlet for the first fluid and each of said second passageways having an outlet for the second fluid, each of outlets for the first fluid being contiguous with an outlet for the second fluid;
a plurality of first flaps and second flaps attached to elongate support members, these members permitting the first flaps to pivot from positions wherein the outlets for the first fluid are closed, through intermediate positions, to positions wherein the outlets for the first fluid are open the support members permitting the second flaps to pivot from positions wherein the second fluid outlets are closed, through intermediate positions, to positions wherein the second fluid outlets are open;
said first and second flaps being pivotable simultaneously and in the same direction from positions wherein the first fluid outlets are open and the second fluid outlets are closed to positions wherein the first fluid outlets are closed and the second fluid outlets are open, said first and second flaps being so arranged that in the intermediate positions the first and second fluids, upon exiting from the respective outlets, are diverted towards one another by the first and second flaps.
The invention also provides a process for mixing first and second fluids by passing the first fluid through a first fluid outlet and passing the second fluid through a second fluid outlet, which is contiguous with the first fluid outlet, and mixing the first and second fluids by means of positioning flaps at the first and second fluid outlets so that a stream of first fluid intermingles with a stream of second fluid as the fluids pass the flaps.
In one embodiment, the relative amounts of first and second fluids being mixed is controlled by setting of a first flap which is able to move from a position wherein the first fluid outlet is closed, through intermediate positions, to a position wherein the first fluid outlet is open, a second flap which is able to move from a position wherein the second fluid outlet is closed, through intermediate positions, to a position wherein the second fluid outlet is open, said first and second flaps being connected to move in unison from a position wherein the first fluid ou
Han Ming Hui
Richarz Werner
Baker & Daniels
Joyce Harold
M & I Heat Transfer Products Ltd.
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