Patent ID: 9551356
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: F04D

Claim:
1. A fan shroud encircling a circular fan having a plurality of fan blades, each fan blade having a blade depth along an axial direction, the axial direction being parallel to an axis of rotation of the circular fan, the circular fan having a fan diameter along a radial direction, the radial direction being perpendicular to the axial direction, the fan shroud comprising: an inlet configured to receive a flow of air and including an inlet surface defining an inlet flow path therethrough, the inlet surface extending upstream of the circular fan along a flow direction through the circular fan, a cross section of the inlet surface lying in a plane defined by the axial direction and the radial direction having an inlet radius, a center of the inlet radius being disposed on a side of the inlet surface opposite the inlet flow path; and an outlet coupled to the inlet and configured to discharge the flow of air, the outlet including an outlet surface defining an outlet flow path therethrough, the outlet surface extending downstream of the circular fan along the flow direction through the circular fan, a cross section of the outlet surface lying in the plane defined by the axial direction and the radial direction having an outlet radius ranging from 7% to 10% of the fan diameter.