GB2573510A

GB2573510A - Fluid flow regulator

Info

Publication number: GB2573510A
Application number: GB1806993.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Palmer David
Original assignee: Breathing Buildings Ltd; BREATHING BUILDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: Breathing Buildings Ltd; BREATHING BUILDINGS Ltd
Priority date: 2018-04-30
Filing date: 2018-04-30
Publication date: 2019-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 2038-04-30
Also published as: GB201806993D0; GB2573510B

Abstract

A fluid flow regulator 5 comprises a plurality of spaced flow directing members 11a-k each having a leading or upstream edge 15 and a trailing or downstream edge 17 in a flow direction F. The members are disposed in stepped relation, with adjacent members being displaced in the flow direction. The members may be blades and may be arranged in parallel. The upstream edge may be a single continuous edge, or may be a discontinuous edge which may be serrated. The members may have a first upstream section 21 terminating at the leading edge and a second downstream section 23 terminating at the trailing edge. The upstream section may be disposed substantially parallel to the flow direction and the downstream section may be inclined at a first angle α to the flow direction. The upstream edges may be located on a line inclined at a second angle ξ to a direction perpendicular to the flow direction or may be located on a curved line. The flow regulator may be an air flow discharge grille. A ventilation unit 3 comprising the regulator may be mounted to a ceiling (C, Fig.1), the regulator directing a discharged air flow towards the ceiling.

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid flow regulator, in particular a grille for air ventilation systems.

Various ventilation grilles exist for air ventilation systems. One such conventional ventilation grille 103 is illustrated in Figure 10, which comprises a plurality of vertically-stacked blades 104.

The present invention aims to provide an improved fluid flow regulator, in particular a griile for air ventilation systems.

The present invention provides a fluid flow regulator for regulating a flow of a fluid, the flow regulator comprising a plurality of members which are disposed in spaced relation, wherein each of the members has a leading or upstream edge and a trailing or downstream edge in a flow direction and the members are disposed in stepped relation, such that adjacent ones of the members are displaced in the flow direction.

In one embodiment the members comprise blades.

In one embodiment the members are disposed in spaced, parallel relation, optionally the members are equi-spaced with a spacing (d) therebetween, optionally the spacing (d) is from about 15 mm to about 30 mm, optionally from about 20 mm to about 25 mm.

In one embodiment the members have a length (/) in a flow direction of from about 30 mm to about 75 mm, optionally from about 50 mm to about 65 mm.

In one embodiment the upstream edge is a single, continuous edge, optionally lateral regions of the upstream edge extend rearwardly from a central region of the upstream edge in the flow direction.

< 2 ~

In one embodiment the downstream edge is a discontinuous edge, optionally serrated and including a plurality of serrations in spaced relation, optionally lateral regions of the downstream edge extend rearwardly from a central region of the downstream edge in the flow direction.

In one embodiment the members each have first and second sections, with the first, upstream section terminating at the leading edge and the second, downstream section terminating at the trailing edge.

In one embodiment the upstream section is substantially planar, optionally the upstream section is disposed insubstantialiy parallel relation to the flow direction.

In one embodiment the downstream section is substantially planar, optionally inclined in relation to the flow direction at a first angle (a) of from about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees, optionally from about 8 degrees to about 12 degrees.

In one embodiment the upstream edges of the members are located on a line which is inclined at a second angle (£) to a direction perpendicular to the flow direction.

In one embodiment the first angle (£) is substantially the same as the second angle (a).

In another embodiment the upstream edges of the members are located on a curved line.

In one embodiment the flow regulator is in the form of a grille, optionally a discharge grille, for an air flow.

The present invention also extends to a ventilation unit incorporating the above-described flow regulator, optionally the ventilation unit is mounted to a ceiling and the flow regulator is adapted to direct a discharged air flow towards the ceiling.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinbelow by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a ventilation unit which incorporates a fluid flow regulator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the infeed or upstream side of the flow regulator of Figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the outfeed or downstream side of the flow regulator of Figure 1;

Figure 4 illustrates an end view of the downstream side of the flow regulator of Figure 1;

Figure 5 illustrates a top view of the upstream side of the flow regulator of Figure 1;

Figure 6 illustrates a bottom view of the upstream side of the flow regulator of Figure 1;

Figure 7 illustrates a vertical sectional view (along section I-I in Figure 4) of the flow regulator of Figure 1;

Figures 8(a) illustrates a perspective view of one of the members of the flow regulator of Figure 2;

. 4 «

Figures 8(b) illustrates an end view of the downstream side of the member of Figure 8(a);

Figures 8(c) illustrates an end view of the upstream side of the member of Figure 8(a);

Figures 8(d) illustrates a plan view of the member of Figure 8(a);

Figures 8(e) illustrates a side view of the member of Figure 8(a);

Figure 9 illustrates plots of a pressure drop across the flow regulator of Figure 2 as compared to a pressure drop across a conventional ventilation grille; and

Figure 10 illustrates a conventional grille for an air ventilation system.

The ventilation unit 3 includes a fluid flow regulator 5 through which a fluid flow, in this embodiment an air flow, is discharged.

In this embodiment the ventilation unit 3 is mounted to a ceiling, and the flow regulator 5 is adapted to direct the discharged air flow towards the ceiling C.

The flow regulator 5 comprises a plurality of members lla-k, in this embodiment in the form of blades, which are disposed in spaced relation.

In this embodiment the members lla-k are disposed in spaced, parallel relation.

In this embodiment the members lla-k are equi-spaced with a spacing d therebetween.

In one embodiment the spacing d is from about 15 mm to about 30 mm, optionally from about 20 mm to about 25 mm.

In this embodiment the members lla-k have a length / in a flow direction F of from about 30 mm to about 75 mm, optionally from about 50 mm to about 65 mm.

In this embodiment the members lla-k each have a leading or upstream edge 15 and a trailing or downstream edge 17 is the flow direction F.

In this embodiment the upstream edge 15 is a single, continuous edge.

In this embodiment lateral regions 15', 15' of the upstream edge 15 extend rearwardly from a central region 15 of the upstream edge 15 in the flow direction F.

In this embodiment the downstream edge 17 is a discontinuous edge, here serrated and including a plurality of serrations 19 in spaced relation.

In this embodiment lateral regions 17', 17' of the downstream edge 17 extend rearwardly from a central region 17 of the downstream edge 17 in the flow direction F.

In this embodiment the members lla-k each have first and second sections 21, 23, with the first, upstream section 21 terminating at the leading edge 15 and the second, downstream section 23 terminating at the trailing edge

17.

In this embodiment the upstream section 21 is substantially planar.

In this embodiment the upstream section 21 is disposed insubstantialiy parallel relation to the flow direction F.

In this embodiment the downstream section 23 is substantially planar.

- 6 In this embodiment the downstream section 23 is indined in relation to the flow direction, in this embodiment at an angle a of 10 degrees. With this configuration, the air flow which is discharged through the flow regulator 5 is deflected and has a flow direction f which is directed to the surface on which the ventilating unit 3 is mounted, in this embodiment the ceiling C.

In one embodiment the angle a is from about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees, optionaily from about 8 degrees to about 12 degrees.

In this embodiment the members lla-k are disposed in stepped relation, such that adjacent ones of the members lla-k are displaced in the flow direction F.

The present inventors have recognized that this stepped configuration provides for a flow regulator which has a greater physical free area, and hence a significantly-reduced flow resistance, as compared to the vertically-stacked arrangement of the conventional grille 103, as represented in Figure 10, with the average difference in pressure drop being 0.87 Pa and the maximum difference in pressure drop being 1 Pa at 127 Ls^_1. This reduced pressure drop for any given flow rate also reduces noise.

In this embodiment the upstream edges 15 of the members lla-k are located on a line which is inclined at an angle ε to a direction perpendicular to the flow direction F.

In this embodiment the angle ε is substantially the same as the angle a.

In an alternative embodiment the upstream edges 15 of the members lla-k could be located on a curved line.

Finally, it will be understood that the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiments and can be modified in many different ways ~

without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

For example, although the present invention has been described in relation to the regulation of an airflow, the present invention has equal application to other fluids, including liquids.

In addition, although the present invention has been described in relation to a discharge grille, the present invention has application to an infeed grille, and, indeed, flow regulating elements within a flow channel.

Claims

1. A fluid flow regulator for regulating a flow of a fluid, the flow regulator comprising a plurality of members which are disposed in spaced relation, wherein each of the members has a leading or upstream edge and a trailing or downstream edge in a flow direction and the members are disposed in stepped relation, such that adjacent ones of the members are displaced in the flow direction.

2. The flow regulator of claim 1, wherein the members comprise blades.

3. The flow regulator of claim 1 or 2, wherein the members are disposed in spaced, parallel relation, optionally the members are equi-spaced with a spacing (d) therebetween, optionally the spacing (cf) is from about 15 mm to about 30 mm, optionally from about 20 mm to about 25 mm.

4. The flow regulator of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the members have a length (/) in a flow direction of from about 30 mm to about 75 mm, optionally from about 50 mm to about 65 mm.

5. The flow regulator of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upstream edge is a single, continuous edge, optionally lateral regions of the upstream edge extend rearwardly from a central region of the upstream edge in the flow direction.

6» The flow regulator of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the downstream edge is a discontinuous edge, optionally serrated and including a plurality of serrations in spaced relation, optionally lateral regions of the downstream edge extend rearwardly from a central region of the downstream edge in the flow direction.

~ 9 »

7. The flow regulator of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the members each have first and second sections, with the first, upstream section terminating at the leading edge and the second, downstream section terminating at the trailing edge.

8. The flow regulator of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the upstream section is substantially planar, optionally the upstream section is disposed insubstantiaily parallel relation to the flow direction.

9. The flow regulator of any of ciaims 1 to 8, wherein the downstream section is substantially planar, optionally inclined in relation to the flow direction at a first angle (a) of from about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees, optionally from about 8 degrees to about 12 degrees.

10. The flow regulator of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the upstream edges of the members are located on a line which is inclined at a second angie (£) to a direction perpendicular to the flow direction.

11. The flow regulator of claim 10 when appendant upon claim 9, wherein the first angle (£) is substantially the same as the second angle (a).

12. The flow regulator of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the upstream edges of the members are located on a curved line.

13. The flow regulator of any of claims 1 to 12, in the form of a grille, optionaily a discharge grille, for an air flow.

14. A ventilation unit incorporating the flow regulator of claim 13, optionally the ventilation unit is mounted to a ceiling and the flow regulator is adapted to direct a discharged air flow towards the ceiling.