Patent Publication Number: US-2023151987-A1

Title: Chilled Beam with Ion Generator

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a chilled beam air diffuser with an ion generator. The chilled beam may include a ceiling mounted linear chilled beam or a floor mounted cabinet chilled beam. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Chilled beams, including for example floor mounted cabinet chilled beams and ceiling mounted linear chilled beams, are an alternate to traditional “all air” conditioning systems. Chilled beams use water to move energy through a building and service the building’s sensible (dry) cooling load, relying on the air-side simply to meet ventilation and latent (wet) load requirements. Chilled beams reduce primary air volumes supplied to an occupied space and lead to energy savings, improved comfort levels, and ability to effectively integrate a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS). 
     In order to provide uncontaminated or minimally contaminated supply air to an occupied space, the chilled beams may have filters in the return air path that remove dust and particulates from the supply air delivered to the occupied space. Such filters, however, generally lack the ability to remove certain small contaminants including viruses. Further, such filters can only collect contaminants in the return air that is induced into the chilled beam. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the need for removing contaminants from the supply air by ionizing the air as it passes through the chilled beam and distributing ions directly into the occupied space. Particularly, in the case of a ceiling chilled beam, a bipolar ion generator may be placed in the primary air inlet duct, in the plenum, in the return air inlet, or in the supply air outlets. In connection with the present invention, the bipolar ion generator is located in the plenum. 
     Likewise, in the case of a cabinet chilled beam, bipolar ion generators may be placed in the primary air inlet duct, in the plenum, in the return air inlet, or in the supply air outlets. Again, in connection with the present invention, the bipolar ion generator is located in the plenum. 
     Further objects, features and advantages will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a bottom room side perspective view of a ceiling chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic section elevation view of a first embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic elevation view of the first embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam with a side wall removed to expose internal detail in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective side view of the first embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam with the top wall removed to expose internal detail in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic section elevation view of a second embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic section perspective view of the second embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam with the top wall removed to expose internal detail in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic section view of a third embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic section perspective view of the third embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a schematic front elevation view of the third embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  10    is a schematic section elevation view of a fourth embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  11    is a schematic top perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam with the top wall removed to expose internal detail in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  12    is a schematic front elevation view of the fourth embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  13    is a schematic section elevation view of a fifth embodiment of the ceiling chilled beam with in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  14    is a room side perspective view of a cabinet two-way chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  15    is a schematic side elevation view of the cabinet two-way chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  16    is a schematic section elevation view of the cabinet two-way chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG.  17    is a schematic section elevation view of the cabinet one-way chilled beam in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS.  1 - 4    illustrate a first embodiment of a ceiling mounted chilled beam.  FIGS.  5 - 6    illustrate a second embodiment of a ceiling mounted chilled beam.  FIGS.  7 - 9    illustrate a third embodiment of a ceiling mounted chilled beam.  FIGS.  10 - 12    illustrate a fourth embodiment of a ceiling mounted chilled beam.  FIG.  13    illustrates a fifth embodiment of a ceiling mounted chilled beam. The embodiments, first through fifth, of the ceiling chilled beam differ from each other based on the location and orientation of a bipolar ion generator  12 . In the  FIGS.  1 - 13   , the same reference numerals will be used for the same parts throughout. 
       FIGS.  14 - 16    illustrate an embodiment of a cabinet two-way chilled beam.  FIG.  17    illustrates an embodiment of a cabinet one-way chilled beam. 
     With reference to  FIG.  1   , a ceiling chilled beam  10  has a primary air inlet duct  18 , a plenum  20 , induction nozzles  22 , a mixing chamber  34 , a heating/cooling coil  24 , a return air inlet  26 , and supply air outlets  28 . The plenum  20  is formed by a top wall  15 , a front wall  16 , a back wall  17 , and end walls  42 . The bottom wall of the plenum is formed by a partition  29  including a V segment  31  with nozzles  22 . A perforated plate  21  covers the V segment  31  in order to reduce noise and equalize pressure across the length of the V segment  31  of the ceiling chilled beam  10 . The partition  29  separates the plenum  20  from the mixing chamber  34 . 
     In operation and with reference to  FIG.  2   , conditioned primary air from an HVAC system is delivered through an HVAC duct  11  and through primary air inlet duct  18  into plenum  20  as indicated by the air flow direction arrow  30 . The plenum  20  is pressurized by the primary air delivered from the HVAC system. The primary air exits the plenum  20  through nozzles  22  into mixing chamber  34  as shown by air flow direction arrows  32 . The increased velocity of the primary air exiting through the nozzles  22  induces return air through return air inlet  26 , past heating/cooling coil  24 , and into mixing chamber  34  as indicated by air flow direction arrows  36 . The primary air and the return air mix in mixing chamber  34  to create supply air that exits the chilled beam  10  through supply air outlets  28  as indicated by air flow direction arrows  38 . 
     In order to remove contaminants from the air passing through the ceiling chilled beam  10 , the air is ionized by bipolar ion generator  12 . The bipolar ion generator  12  includes a power cord  19 , a negative electrode  14  and a positive electrode  13 . The electrodes are implemented by brushes, needle electrodes, or other electrodes known in the art. .A suitable ionizer has carbon fiber brush electrodes, an ion output of greater than 350 million ions per cubic centimeter, and an air flow capacity of 0 to 3200 cubic feet per minute. 
       FIGS.  2 - 4    illustrate a first embodiment for the ceiling chilled beam  10 . In the configuration of the first embodiment, the bipolar ion generator  12  is attached to the top wall  15  adjacent the back wall  17  of the plenum  20  opposite the primary air inlet duct  18  as best shown in  FIG.  3   . An access panel  92  in the top wall  15  allows access to the electrodes  13  and  14  in order to clean the electrodes  13  and  14 . The electrodes  13  and  14  are oriented so that an alignment line  9  ( FIG.  4   ) passing through the electrodes  13  and  14  is parallel to the back wall  17  and perpendicular to the air flow direction  30 . 
       FIGS.  5 - 6    illustrate a second embodiment for the ceiling chilled beam  10 . In the configuration of the second embodiment, the bipolar ion generator  12  is attached to the front wall  16  adjacent the primary air inlet duct  18  and therefore, directly in the path of the conditioned air flowing into the plenum  20  in the air flow direction  30 . Access panel  92  in the top wall  15  allows access to the electrodes  13  and  14  in order to clean the electrodes  13  and  14 . As shown in both  FIGS.  5  and  6   , the alignment line  9  ( FIG.  6   ) passes through the electrodes  13  and  14  of the bipolar ion generator  12 , is parallel to the top wall  15 , and is perpendicular to the front wall  16  of the plenum  20 . Consequently, the air entering the plenum  20  through the primary air inlet duct  18  flows in the air flow direction  30  that is parallel to the alignment line  9  passing through the electrodes  13  and  14 . 
       FIGS.  7 - 9    illustrate a third embodiment for the ceiling chilled beam  10 . In the configuration of the third embodiment, the bipolar ion generator  12  is attached to the top wall  15  adjacent the primary air inlet duct  18  and therefore, directly in the path of the conditioned air flowing into the plenum  20  in the air flow direction  30  ( FIGS.  7  and  9   ). Access panel  92  in the top wall  15  allows access to the electrodes  13  and  14  in order to clean the electrodes  13  and  14 . As shown in  FIGS.  7 - 9   , the alignment line  9  passing through the electrodes  13  and  14  of the bipolar ion generator  12  is parallel to the top wall  15  and perpendicular to the front wall  16  of the plenum  20 . Consequently, the air entering the plenum  20  through the primary air inlet duct  18  flows in the air flow direction  30  that is parallel to the alignment line  9  passing through the electrodes  13  and  14 . 
       FIGS.  10 - 12    illustrate a fourth embodiment for the ceiling chilled beam  10 . In the configuration of the fourth embodiment, the bipolar ion generator  12  is attached to the top wall  15  adjacent the primary air inlet duct  18  and therefore, directly in the path of the conditioned air flowing into the plenum  20  ( FIG.  12   ). Access panel  92  in the top wall  15  allows access to the electrodes  13  and  14  in order to clean the electrodes  13  and  14 . As shown in  FIGS.  10  and  11   , the alignment line  9  passing through the electrodes  13  and  14  of the bipolar ion generator  12  is parallel to the top wall  15 , at an angle of approximately 45° to the front wall  16  of the plenum  20 , and at an angle of approximately 45° to the air flow direction  30 . The angle between the alignment line  9  and the front wall includes angles from 0° to 90°. Consequently, the air (air flow direction  30 ) entering the plenum  20  through the primary air inlet duct  18  flows in a direction that intersects the alignment line  9  passing through the electrodes  13  and  14  at angles from 0° (parallel to the air flow  30 ) to 90° (perpendicular to air flow  30 ). 
       FIG.  13    shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention with the ion generator  12  attached to the perforated plate  29 . The electrodes of the ion generator  12  are oriented perpendicular to the air flow direction  30 . The orientation of the electrodes of the ion generator  12  may be set at an angle from 0° to 90° with respect to the direction  30  of the air flow. 
     During testing of the chilled beam  10  shown in  FIGS.  10 - 12   , the angled between the air flow direction  30  and the alignment line  9  was varied from 0° (parallel to the air flow direction  30 ) and 90° (perpendicular to the air flow direction  30 ). When the ionization of the air was measured at both side supply air outlets  28 , the chilled beam  10  produced the following ionization results shown in Table 1. 
     
       
         
          TABLE 1
           
               
               
             
               
                 Ion Generator 
               
               
                 Electrode Alignment to Air flow 
                 Ion Output Difference Compared To Perpendicular Orientation 
               
             
            
               
                 Perpendicular to air flow (Baseline) 
                 Baseline 100% 
               
               
                 Parallel to air flow 
                 6% 
               
               
                 45 degree from air flow 
                 11% 
               
               
                 60 degree from air flow 
                 7% 
               
               
                 30 degree from air flow 
                 8% 
               
            
           
         
       
     
     While the data in Table 1 above shows that perpendicular alignment of the electrodes with respect to the direction  30  of air flow produces the greatest concentration of ions in the occupied space, the other orientations in the Table 1 provide effective ion concentration in the occupied space. 
       FIGS.  14 - 16    illustrate a floor mounted cabinet two-way chilled beam  40 . The cabinet two-way chilled beam  40  has a primary air inlet duct  48 , a plenum  50 , heating induction nozzles  52 , cooling induction nozzles  62 , a heating coil  54 , a cooling coil  64 , a heating return air inlet  56 , a cooling return air inlet  66 , a heating supply air outlet  58 , and a cooling supply air outlet  68 . In order to ionize the air received from an HVAC system through primary inlet duct  48  and delivered to an occupied space through supply air outlets  58  and  68 , the air is ionized by one or more bipolar ion generators, such as bipolar ion generator  12 , located in the plenum  50 . The bipolar ion generator  12  has a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The electrodes are implemented by brushes, needle electrodes, or other electrodes known in the art. The two-way chilled beam  140  employs the ion generator  12  described above. 
     In the heating mode, conditioned primary air from the HVAC system is delivered through primary air inlet duct  48  into plenum  50  as shown by air flow direction arrow  78 . The plenum  50  is pressurized by the primary air delivered from the HVAC system. The primary air exits the plenum  50  through heating induction nozzles  52  into mixing chamber  60  as shown by air flow direction arrow  82 . The increased velocity of the primary air exiting through the heating induction nozzles  52  induces return air through return air inlet  56 , past heating coil  54 , and into mixing chamber  60  as shown by air flow direction arrow  80 . The primary air and the return air mix in mixing chamber  60  to create heated supply air that exits the chilled beam  40  through supply air outlet  58  as shown by air flow direction arrow  86 . 
     In the cooling mode, conditioned primary air from the HVAC system is delivered through primary air inlet duct  48  into plenum  50  as shown by air flow direction arrow  78 . The plenum  50  is pressurized by the primary air delivered from the HVAC system. The primary air exits the plenum  50  through cooling induction nozzles  62  into mixing chamber  74  as shown by air flow direction arrow  84 . The increased velocity of the primary air exiting through the cooling induction nozzles  62  induces return air through return air inlet  66 , past cooling coil  64 , and into mixing chamber  74  as shown by air flow direction arrow  90 . The primary air and the return air mix in mixing chamber  74  to create cooled supply air that exits the chilled beam  40  through supply air outlet  68  as shown by air flow direction arrow  88 . 
     In order to remove contaminants from the air passing through the cabinet chilled beam  40 , the bipolar ion generator  12  is attached to the wall of the plenum  50 . A line passing through the electrodes is oriented with respect to the direction of the air flow  78  at an angle from greater than 0° to less than 90°. 
       FIG.  is   17    illustrates a floor mounted cabinet one-way chilled beam  140 . The cabinet one-way chilled beam  140  has a primary air inlet duct  148 , a plenum  150 , cooling induction nozzles  162 , a cooling coil  164 , a cooling return air inlet  166 , and a cooling supply air outlet  168 . In order to ionize the air received from an HVAC system through primary inlet duct  148  and delivered to an occupied space through supply air outlet  168 , the air is ionized by one or more bipolar ion generators, such as bipolar ion generator  12  located in the plenum  150 . The bipolar ion generator  12  has a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The electrodes are implemented by brushes, needle electrodes, or other electrodes known in the art. The one-way chilled beam  140  employees the ion generator  12  described above. 
     Generally, the one-way chilled beam  140  operates in the cooling mode. In the cooling mode, conditioned primary air from the HVAC system is delivered through primary air inlet duct  148  into plenum  150  as shown by air flow direction arrow  178 . The plenum  150  is pressurized by the primary air delivered from the HVAC system. The primary air exits the plenum  50  through cooling induction nozzles  162  into mixing chamber  174  as shown by air flow direction arrow  184 . The increased velocity of the primary air exiting through the cooling induction nozzles  162  induces return air  190  through return air inlet  166 , past cooling coil  164 , and into mixing chamber  174  as shown by air flow direction arrow  190 . The primary air and the return air mix in mixing chamber  174  to create cooled supply air that exits the chilled beam  140  through supply air outlet  168  as shown by air flow direction arrow  188 . 
     In order to remove contaminants from the air passing through the cabinet one-way chilled beam  140 , the bipolar ion generator  12  is attached to the wall of the plenum  150 . A line passing through the electrodes is oriented with respect to the direction of the air flow  178  at an angle from greater than 0° to less than 90° 
     While this invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be affected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein and as described in the appended claims.