IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0356283
(2006-02-16)
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등록번호 |
US-7802615
(2010-10-21)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Martinus, Ferdy
- Rockwood, William B.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
10 |
초록
▼
A sound-abating flow disruptor quiets a PTAC refrigerant system by disturbing the airflow between an energized electric heater and an adjacent fan wheel. In some embodiments, the flow disruptor is a perforated metal plate that attenuates a whistle, which appears to be caused by vortex shedding in th
A sound-abating flow disruptor quiets a PTAC refrigerant system by disturbing the airflow between an energized electric heater and an adjacent fan wheel. In some embodiments, the flow disruptor is a perforated metal plate that attenuates a whistle, which appears to be caused by vortex shedding in the confined area between the energized heater and the fan. In some cases, the heater comprises selectively energizable heating elements of various wattage. The heating elements closest to the fan wheel are the lower wattage ones to minimize the heat near the fan.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. A refrigerant system, comprising: a housing; a refrigerant heat exchanger disposed within the housing; a fan wheel rotating about an axis, thereby forcing air through the housing; an electric heater upstream of the fan wheel and downstream of the refrigerant heat exchan
The invention claimed is: 1. A refrigerant system, comprising: a housing; a refrigerant heat exchanger disposed within the housing; a fan wheel rotating about an axis, thereby forcing air through the housing; an electric heater upstream of the fan wheel and downstream of the refrigerant heat exchanger, wherein the electric heater can be selectively energized and de-energized; and a sound at a certain peak frequency between 500 and 1,500 hertz emanating from the refrigerant system, wherein the sound at one meter from the axis is no more than 5 decibels louder when the electric heater is energized than when the electric heater is de-energized. 2. The refrigerant system of claim 1, further comprising a noise-abating flow disruptor interposed between the fan wheel and the electric heater, wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor defines a plurality of fixed openings through which the air can flow. 3. The refrigerant system of claim 2, further comprising a noise-abating flow disruptor interposed between the fan wheel and the electric heater, the electric heater comprises a plurality of heating elements, and the noise-abating flow disruptor provides a greater airflow obstruction at some of the plurality of heating elements than others. 4. The refrigerant system of claim 3, wherein the electric heater comprises a plurality of selectively energizable heating elements including a higher-wattage element and a lower-wattage element, and the fan wheel is closer to the lower-wattage element than the higher-wattage element. 5. The refrigerant system of claim 1, further comprising a noise-abating flow disruptor interposed between the fan wheel and the electric heater, the electric heater comprises a plurality of heating elements, and the noise-abating flow disruptor provides a greater airflow obstruction at some of the plurality of heating elements than others. 6. The refrigerant system of claim 1, wherein the electric heater comprises a plurality of selectively energizable heating elements including a higher-wattage element and a lower-wattage element, and the fan wheel is closer to the lower-wattage element than the higher-wattage element. 7. The refrigerant system of claim 6, further comprising a noise-abating flow disruptor interposed between the fan wheel and the electric heater, wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor provides more of an airflow obstruction at the lower-wattage element than at the higher wattage element. 8. The refrigerant system of claim 1, wherein: the fan wheel has an outer diameter; the electric heater comprises a plurality of heating elements including an upper heating element spaced a first distance from the fan wheel and a lower heating element spaced a second distance from the fan wheel; the first distance is less than the outer diameter; and the second distance is greater than half the outer diameter. 9. The refrigerant system of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant heat exchanger is taller than the electric heater. 10. A refrigerant system, comprising: a housing defining an inlet and an outlet; a fan wheel disposed within the housing and being rotatable about an axis to force air through the housing; a refrigerant heat exchanger disposed within the housing; an electric heater disposed within the housing, wherein the electric heater is downstream of the refrigerant heat exchanger and upstream of the fan wheel; a noise-abating flow disruptor located downstream of the electric heater and upstream of the fan wheel, the noise-abating flow disruptor comprising an outer periphery surrounding an area having a plurality of openings through which air can flow, the air passes sequentially through the electric heater, through the noise-abating flow disruptor and across the fan wheel, and a sound emanating from the refrigerant system, the sound at one meter from the axis is no more than 5 decibels louder when the electric heater is energized than when the electric heater is de-energized. 11. The refrigerant system of claim 10, wherein the electric heater comprises a plurality of heating elements, and the noise-abating flow disruptor provides more of an obstruction at some of the plurality of heating elements than others. 12. The refrigerant system of claim 10, wherein the electric heater comprises a plurality of selectively energizable heating elements including a higher-wattage element and a lower-wattage element; and wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor provides more of an airflow obstruction at the lower-wattage element than at the higher wattage element. 13. The refrigerant system of claim 10, wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor has an outer periphery surrounding an area that is mostly open to allow the air to pass. 14. The refrigerant system of claim 10, wherein the electric heater comprises a plurality of heating elements, and the noise-abating flow disruptor provides more of an obstruction at some of the plurality of heating elements than others. 15. The refrigerant system of claim 10, wherein the electric heater comprises a plurality of selectively energizable heating elements including a higher-wattage element and a lower-wattage element. 16. The refrigerant system of claim 15, wherein the fan wheel is closer to the lower-wattage element than the higher-wattage element. 17. The refrigerant system of claim 15, wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor provides more of an airflow obstruction at the lower-wattage element than at the higher wattage element. 18. The refrigerant system of claim 10, wherein: the fan wheel has an outer diameter; the electric heater comprises a plurality of heating elements including a first heating element spaced a first distance from the fan wheel and a second heating element spaced a second distance from the fan wheel; the first distance is less than the outer diameter; and the second distance is greater than half the outer diameter. 19. The refrigerant system of claim 10, wherein the refrigerant heat exchanger is taller than the electric heater. 20. A refrigerant system, comprising: a housing; a refrigerant heat exchanger disposed within the housing; an electric heater disposed within the housing; and a fan wheel disposed within the housing for forcing air across the refrigerant heat exchanger and the electric heater; wherein the electric heater comprises a plurality of selectively energizable beating elements including a higher-wattage element and a lower-wattage element, and the fan wheel is closer to lower-wattage element than the higher-wattage element. 21. The refrigerant system of claim 20, wherein the lower-wattage element is above the higher-wattage element. 22. The refrigerant system of claim 20, further comprising a noise-abating flow disruptor interposed between the fan wheel and the electric heater, wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor defines a plurality of fixed openings through which the air can flow. 23. The refrigerant system of claim 20, further comprising a noise-abating flow disruptor upstream of the fan wheel and downstream of the electric heater, wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor has an outer periphery surrounding an area that is mostly open to allow the air to pass. 24. The refrigerant system of claim 20, further comprising a noise-abating flow disruptor upstream of the fan wheel and downstream of the electric heater, wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor is closer to the lower-wattage element than the higher- wattage element 25. The refrigerant system of claim 20, further comprising a noise-abating flow disruptor upstream of the fan wheel and downstream of the electric heater, wherein the noise-abating flow disruptor provides more of an airflow obstruction at the lower- wattage element than at the higher wattage element. 26. The refrigerant system of claim 25, wherein: the fan wheel is rotatable about an axis: the fan wheel has an outer diameter; the lower-wattage element is spaced a first distance from the fan wheel; the higher-wattage element spaced a second distance from the fan wheel; the first distance is less than the outer diameter; and the second distance is greater than half the outer diameter.
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