Patent Publication Number: US-2022221173-A1

Title: Device for Ventilating a Space and Corresponding Method

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/136,358, filed Jan. 12, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure relates to a device and a corresponding method for ventilating a space. 
     The US 2019/0024913 A1 reveals a ventilating unit for decentralised room ventilation systems, in which unit at least one reversible fan and a heat reservoir element are supplemented by an electrostatic-precipitator for air purification. The ventilation unit also comprises a filter assembly for a decentralised room ventilation system. The filter assembly provides a predetermined electrostatic-precipitator section of an air duct. The filter assembly also comprises at least one heat reservoir element impinged by the air stream. The electrostatic-precipitator and the heat reservoir element being spatially restricted relative to one another. 
     Typically, public enclosed spaces comprise an air and temperature control system. The air and temperature control system is in the following referred to as air conditioning system. The air conditioning systems usually employ a series of ducts which supply a mix of fresh air and recirculated air. 
     Air conditioning systems usually filter the recirculated air for dust and particulates. Furthermore, the air recirculated by means of the air conditioning system is heated or cooled according to the needed environment. 
     The circulated air is then pumped back into the space. Exemplary, but not exclusively, the space is a public space or room of a building. The air conditioning system provides a temperature controlled environment within the room. 
     Problem to be Solved 
     The at least one filter arranged within the air conditioning system is not subject to regular and frequent cleaning. This gives rise to ideal conditions for the culture of bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms. Thus, the bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms find their way into the air stream which gives rise to potential health issues. 
     It is the object of the invention to provide a device and a corresponding method for ventilating a room to prevent the drawbacks of air conditioning systems known in the state of the art, referred to above. 
     Solution 
     The invention relates to a device for ventilating a space, comprising an air conditioning system, conditioning recirculated and/or fresh air to be used for the ventilation of the space. 
     There is also at least one air treatment means, exposing the recirculated and/or the fresh air to one or more of UVC, ozone and/or atomized detergents. 
     The air treatment means is positioned, relative to an air stream, prior to the air conditioning system receiving the recirculated and/or fresh air. 
     Relative to the air stream the air treatment means is alternatively positioned prior to the air conditioning system releasing the air into the space. 
     The invention also relates to a method for ventilating a space, preferably a room of a building, by means of an air conditioning system. 
     The space or room, respectively, is enclosed by at least one wall, a ceiling and a floor. 
     The method comprises the following steps. 
     Extracting soiled air provided in the space by means of a first negative pressure acting on the soiled air. 
     The extraction of the soiled air from the space generates a second negative pressure within the space. The second negative pressure pulls recirculated and/or the fresh air into the space. 
     The recirculated and/or the fresh air is pulled into the space through at least one opening arranged preferably in the ceiling of the space, preferably the room. 
     When the recirculated and/or the fresh air has been pulled into the space by the second negative pressure, the recirculated and/or the fresh air forms a layer of recirculated and/or fresh air on top of a layer of soiled air provided in the space. 
     Thus, the layer of soiled air sinks down towards the floor of the space, preferably the room. Whereas the layer of recirculated and/or fresh air is pulled into the space through at least one opening in the ceiling of the room to form a layer of recirculated and/or the fresh air flowing on top the layer of soiled air. 
     The method further comprises feeding the extracted soiled air to at least one filter to be cleaned by means of the filter. 
     The filter is exposed to sterilization means to be sterilized after having cleaned the soiled air. 
     The method further comprises treating the air cleaned by the filter with the help of at least one air treatment means. 
     The air treatment means treats the air, relative to the air stream, prior to the air conditioning system receiving the air. 
     The air treatment means treats the air, relative to the air stream, after the air conditioning system has released the air but before the air has been fed back into the space or room, respectively. 
     In other words, after being cleaned within the filter, the cleaned air is treated by means of an air treatment means. The treatment of the air takes place before the air is fed into the air conditioning system for further conditioning. 
     Alternatively, the air which has been cleaned in the filter is treated with the help of the air treatment means after the cleaned air has exited the air conditioning system and before the air is supplied back into the space, preferably the room of the building. 
     Ventilating a Space 
     Ventilating a space, preferably the room of a building, refers to the act of supplying recirculated and/or fresh air into the space and extracting and/or getting rid of soiled air. 
     Also ventilating a space refers to causing recirculated and/or fresh air to enter the space and/or to move around a closed space. 
     Space 
     The word space, referred to by the invention, means an empty area, usually bound between at least one wall, a ceiling and a floor. 
     The space can be a room of a building. It can also be a space within a vehicle. 
     Air Conditioning System 
     The air conditioning system, often referred to as AC or as A/C, is a system for removing heat and/or moisture from the interior of an occupied space, preferably a room of a building. 
     The air conditioning system serves to improve the comfort of occupants. 
     It goes without saying that the air conditioning system comprises means to control the amount of air moving within the air conditioning system. 
     The air conditioning system may also comprise means to control the air temperature within the system. 
     Soiled Air 
     The soiled air shows the presence of substances in the air that are harmful to the health of the human being or other living beings. 
     Soiled air can also be harmful to the climate or to other materials. 
     The soiled air comprises different types of air pollutants. The air pollutant may be one of the following gases, particulates and/or biological molecules. 
     Negative Pressure 
     Both the terms first and second negative pressure refer to a space, preferably a room of a building devoid of all matter. 
     According to the invention, the negative pressure refers to a room having a gaseous pressure, much less than the atmosphere pressure. 
     Both terms first and second negative pressure refer to the same physical system. In either case (first and second negative pressure) the system works by creating a difference in air pressure within the space or room relative to the surrounding atmosphere. 
     The suction, acting on the soiled air, to be extracted through at least one port in the floor of the room is created by the first negative pressure. The first negative pressure can be initiated through a duct draining the soiled air. 
     With the extraction of the soiled air through the port in the floor of the space and/or of the room a second negative pressure is generated within the room to pull recirculated and/or fresh air into the space. 
     The recirculated and/or fresh air is pulled into the space or room through the at least one opening, preferably arranged in the ceiling of the room. 
     It goes without saying, that the first negative pressure and/or the second negative pressure can be generated by means of an air pump or a motor. 
     According to the invention, the first negative pressure acting on the port in the floor of the room sucks the soiled air out of the space or the room respectively. 
     The extraction of the soiled air generates a second negative pressure acting on the at least one opening, preferably arranged in the ceiling of a space and/or the room. 
     Thus, according to the invention, a laminar flow system is created within the space, with a first negative pressure acting on the soiled air, to extract the soiled air from the port in the bottom of the space. 
     The extraction of the soiled air from the space and/or from the room generates a second negative pressure pulling fresh and/or conditioned air through at least one opening in the ceiling into the room. 
     In other words, the soiled air is sucked out from the space or room through the at least one port in the floor of the room by the first negative pressure acting on the port. 
     The first negative pressure is created by at least one pump, preferably an air pump. 
     Recirculated and/or fresh air is referred to as a natural clean air from outside, as opposed to the stuffy soiled air inside the space and/or inside the room of the building. 
     When the recirculated and/or fresh air is supplied into the space or room, preferably through at least one opening in the ceiling of the space and/or of the room, the recirculated and/or fresh air creates a layer of fresh air. 
     Within the space the layer of recirculated and/or fresh air flows on top of a layer of soiled air being arranged close to the bottom of the space and/or of the room to be extracted through at least one port in the floor of the space and/or of the room. 
     Thus, according to the invention, the laminar flow system comprises two layers of air, namely a layer of recirculated and/or fresh air flowing on top of a layer of soiled air. 
     Filter 
     The invention refers to the term filter as a device for removing dust and/or particulates and/or fluids from the soiled air with the help of filtering means. 
     Thus, the filter separates a suspended, dissolved or a particulate matter from the soiled air. 
     The invention refers to filters of varying mash sizes. With the mash size of the filter going down from a maximum of three microns. 
     Sterilization Means 
     Sterilization means refer to any means which remove, kill or deactivate all forms of life from the filter heaving cleaned the soiled air. 
     The sterilization means remove microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spores, unicellular or other organisms from the surface of the filter. 
     The air conditioning system provides a number of filters arranged in series or parallel to each other. 
     Specially graded filters capture different types of particulates including viruses and/or bacteria. 
     The filter is sterilized being exposed to UVC, ozone and/or atomized detergents to kill bacteria and viruses. 
     Prior to entering the air conditioning system, the soiled air, cleaned by a filter, is exposed to an air treatment means. 
     The cleaned air can also be exposed to the air treatment means after exciting the air conditioning system but before entering the space and/or the room. 
     By way of example, the air treatment means comprise exposure of the air to one or more of the following UVC, ozone and/or atomized detergents. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of a room, preferably a room of building, ventilated according to the method of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a room  1 , comprising walls  2 . 
     These walls  2  are arranged between the ceiling  3  and a floor  4  of the building  7 . 
     In the side view, the building  7  comprises an entrance  5  to the room  1  within the building  7 . 
     In the rear of room  1  the building  7  includes a service room  8 . 
     In the  FIG. 1  the room  1  comprises a recessed ceiling  9  having numerous openings  10  to supply recirculated and/or fresh air  11  into the room  1 . 
     In the service room  8  one can see an air conditioning system  12  comprising an air pump  13 . 
     The openings  10  arranged in the recessed ceiling  9  of the room  1  are connected with the air conditioning system  12  via supply ducts  14 . 
     The supply ducts  14  supply recirculated and/or fresh air  11  to the openings  10  in the recessed ceiling  9  to be supplied into the room  1 . 
     The fresh air  11  supplied into the room  1  through the opening  10  of the recessed ceiling  9  form a layer  15  of recirculated and/or fresh air  11 . 
     The layer  15  of recirculated and/or fresh air  11  floats on top of a layer of soiled air  16 . 
     A negative pressure  17  acting on ports  18  in the floor  4  leads to an extraction  19  of soiled air  16  through the ports  18  arranged in the floor  4  of the room  1 . 
     The extraction  19  of the layer of soiled air  16  through the ports  18  generates a second negative pressure  20  pulling recirculated and/or fresh air  11  from the openings  10  into the room  1  to form the layer  15  of the recirculated and/or fresh air  11 . 
     Within the room  1  of the building  7  there is a laminar flow system with a first negative pressure  17  acting on the layer of soiled air  16  and extracting the soiled air  16  through the ports  18  arranged in the floor  4 . 
     On top of the layer  16  of soiled air of the laminar flow system there is the layer  15  of recirculated and/or fresh air  11 . 
     The extraction of layer  16  of soiled air through the ports  18  generates a second negative pressure  20  arranged between the layer  15  of recirculated and/or fresh air  11  and the recessed ceiling  9 . 
     The first negative pressure  17  acts on the layer  16  of soiled air and the second negative pressure  20  acts on the openings  10 , providing recirculated and/or fresh air  11  into the room  1 , forming a layer  15  of recirculated and/or fresh air  11 . 
     The more soiled air  16  is extracted from the room  1  through the ports  18  of the floor  4 , the more recirculated and/or fresh air  11  is resupplied into the room  1  through openings  10 . 
     Extraction ducts  22  are arranged to feed soiled air of the layer of soiled air  16 , extracted through the ports  18  to a filter  21  which comprise filtering means. A filter  21   a  may be provided in the wall separating the room  1  from the service room  8 . 
     The filtering means of the filter  21  are exposed to sterilization (not shown) means, after the filter has cleaned the soiled air. 
     A treatment means  23  is also arranged in the service room  8  for treating the air cleaned in or by the filter  21 . 
     A sterilization means  24  is also arranged in the service room  8  for sterilizing the filter  21 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE 
     
         
           1  room 
           2  wall 
           3  ceiling 
           4  floor 
           5  store room window 
           6  entrance 
           7  building 
           8  service room 
           9  recessed ceiling 
           10  opening 
           11  fresh air 
           12  air conditioning system 
           13  air pump 
           14  supply duct 
           15  layer of fresh air 
           16  layer of soiled air 
           17  first negative pressure 
           18  port 
           19  extraction of soiled air 
           20  second negative pressure 
           21  filter 
           22  extraction duct 
           23  air treatment means 
           24  sterilization means