Columnar air moving devices, systems and methods

Abstract

Air moving device includes a housing, an impeller in the housing for generating a downward air flow, and vanes in the housing in close proximity to and a selected distance below the impeller to straighten the air flow. The device produces an air flow that substantially remains in a column over a substantial distance. The method includes producing an air flow that substantially remains in a column over a substantial distance and directing the air flow from the ceiling towards the floor to provide temperature destratification of the air in an enclosed space. The method also includes directing warm air from the ceiling to the floor and storing heat in the floor, apparatus on the floor and ground under the floor. The stored heat is released when the ceiling is cooler than the floor.

1 . An air moving device comprising:
 a housing having an air inlet at a first end and an air outlet at a second end spaced from said first end with an air flow passage between said first and second ends,   a rotary fan mounted in said housing near said air inlet and having an impeller with a plurality of blades that produce an air flow with rotary and axial air flow components, and   a plurality of spaced, axially extending air guide vanes in said housing between said impeller and said air outlet for converting said rotary component of said air flow into combined laminar and axial air flow in said housing, said vanes being spaced from said impeller with a gap of having a selected size, said gap size being selected to be no greater than a selected maximum dimension to avoid generation of turbulence and reduce static back pressure in said air flow, whereby said air flow exits said air outlet in an axial stream extending beyond said air outlet in a columnar pattern with minimal lateral dispersion.   
   
   
       2 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said gap is selected to be no less than a selected minimum dimension to avoid noise. 
   
   
       3 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said impeller has a diameter and said size of said gap is less than one half said diameter of said impeller. 
   
   
       4 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said air flow passage has a cross sectional area that decreases from said air inlet to said air outlet to increase air flow velocity. 
   
   
       5 . The device as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said cross sectional area decreases by about 10% to 35%. 
   
   
       6 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said blades incline at a selected angle to an axis of rotation for said impeller, each said blade extending axially and radially outwardly toward said second end to produce said air flow in said housing, each said vane having a curved vane portion inclined at an angle opposite said incline of each blade that extends axially and radially inwardly toward said second end to assist in converting said rotary component of said air flow into said laminar and axial air flow. 
   
   
       7 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said vanes are straight. 
   
   
       8 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  including a stator in and separable from said housing, and
 wherein said vanes include an upstream portion in said stator and a downstream portion affixed to the inside of said housing downstream of said stator, said downstream portion operating in conjunction with said upstream portion to direct said air flow through said housing.   
   
   
       9 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  including a cowling having an outer end surface with a smooth radius at said first end that directs air flow at said air inlet to flow into said housing along a curve to minimize turbulence and noise. 
   
   
       10 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said housing has an inside surface that is substantially smooth and uninterrupted to minimize turbulence and energy loss, an inner housing hub in said housing having a downstream housing hub portion inward of and spaced from said vanes to reduce turbulence in said air flow along said vanes, said housing hub being torpedo shaped converging toward said second end to direct air flow to avoid turbulence. 
   
   
       11 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  including a hanger pivotally connected to said housing to mount said housing in a depending manner from a support, said hanger enabling said housing to move to selected angles, said hanger being lockable at said selected angle to direct air flow at said selected angle. 
   
   
       12 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  including means to fasten said housing to a can light recessed in a ceiling to suspend said housing from said can light, said means to fasten including an electric connector having an externally threaded male end connecting to a light bulb socket in the back of said light can, a mounting plate at said first end, a tube attached to the top of the mounting plate, said means to fasten including a compression spring in said tube, a shaft telescoping in said tube and axially slidable therein, and co-operating interfitting key and slot portions on the tube and shaft to prevent relative rotation between said tube and shaft, said male end being carried on the end of said shaft opposite said spring, said spring urging said male end into said socket. 
   
   
       13 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  including a electric connector having an externally threaded male end mounted to the top of the housing for connecting to a light bulb socket, a grill on said housing for permitting air to enter said inlet and an electric light bulb socket mounted inside said housing to illuminate the room in which the housing is mounted. 
   
   
       14 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  including a grill and support assembly mounted to a ceiling and said housing and said assembly having a spherical convexly curved exterior first bearing surface extending radially inwardly having a spherical concavely curved exterior second bearing surface mating with and frictionally engaging said first bearing surface to support said housing from said ceiling and enable said housing to be vertical and to tilt at selected angles to the vertical and be frictionally held at a selected position. 
   
   
       15 . The device as set forth in  claim 14  including a concavely curved grill having spaced grill fins and air openings extending between an outer ring fastened to said ceiling and an inner ring connected to said grill fins for providing said first bearing surface to enable air to flow upwardly through said grill along said housing into said inlet. 
   
   
       16 . The device as set forth in  claim 15  including a can having a bottom flange and an open bottom extending around said housing connected to said ceiling to enclose the upper portion of said housing and at least one fin in a channel in an upper portion of said can to prevent swirling of the air before entering said inlet. 
   
   
       17 . The device as set forth in  claim 15  including a clamping member having a main body portion and a flange portion at one end of said main body portion, said flange portion being disposed in an opening in said can at said open bottom, a fastener extending through a bottom flange in said can, said ceiling connecting to said main body portion to clamp said can to said ceiling. 
   
   
       18 . The device as set forth in  claim 17  wherein there is a plurality of said clamping members at circumferentially spaced positions on said can. 
   
   
       19 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  including a water line in said housing with a nozzle at one end to form a mist in the air discharging from said second end to reduce air temperature. 
   
   
       20 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the number of said blades is different from the number of said vanes to minimize noise. 
   
   
       21 . The device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein there are three said blades and four said vanes. 
   
   
       22 . An air moving device comprising:
 a housing having an a first section, a second section downstream of said first section with a smaller diameter than said first section, and an inner shelf extending radially inwardly from said first section to said second section,   a stator nested in said first section and resting on said shelf,   a rotary fan mounted in said housing near said air inlet upstream of said housing hub having an impeller with an impeller hub having an outer surface and a plurality of blades extending radially out from said impeller hub, said inner and outer surfaces defining an air flow passage through said housing between said first and second ends, said blades produce an air flow through said air flow passage with a rotary and axial air flow component, and nesting in said housing upstream of said stator and having an impeller with a plurality of blades that produce an air flow with a rotary and axial air flow components, and   a cowling mounted on said housing upstream of said fan and extending radially inwardly into said housing along a curve to minimize turbulence, and   a plurality of spaced, axially extending air guide vanes in said housing between said impeller and said air outlet for converting said rotary component of said air flow into combined laminar and axial air flow in said housing, said vanes including an upstream portion in said stator and a downstream portion affixed to the inside of said housing, said vanes being spaced from said impeller with a gap of having a selected size, said gap size being selected to be no greater than a selected maximum dimension to avoid generation of turbulence and reduce static back pressure in said air flow, whereby said air flow exits said air outlet in an axial stream extending beyond said air outlet in a columnar pattern with minimal lateral dispersion.   
   
   
       23 . An air moving system comprising:
 an air moving upper device having an air inlet at a first end and an air outlet at a second end opposite said first end, said device producing an air flow that exits said air outlet in an axial stream extending substantially beyond said air outlet in a columnar pattern with minimal lateral dispersion,   an air moving lower device having an air inlet at a first end and an air outlet at a second end opposite said first end, said device producing an air flow that exits said air outlet in an axial stream extending substantially beyond said air outlet in a columnar pattern with minimal lateral dispersion, and   a tube coupled between said air outlet of said upper device and said inlet of said lower device to convey air flow from said upper device to said lower device, said lower device being connected to said upper device via said tube.   
   
   
       24 . The system as set forth in  claim 23  wherein said tube is flexible and fire resistant. 
   
   
       25 . The system as set forth in  claim 23  wherein said upper device has a higher flow rate than said lower device. 
   
   
       26 . The system as set forth in  claim 23  wherein said upper device has a flow rate of about 800 cfm and said lower device has a flow rate of about 550 cfm. 
   
   
       27 . A method of moving air comprising the steps of:
 producing an air flow through an elongated housing from an air inlet at a first end to an air outlet at a second end, spaced from said first end, and   directing said air flow through said housing in a laminar and axial flow and out said air outlet so as to produce an axial stream extending beyond said air outlet in a columnar pattern with minimal lateral dispersion.   
   
   
       28 . The method as set forth in  claim 27  wherein said air flow is directed horizontally and at selected angles to the horizontal to penetrate an air space and cause air flow circulation in said air space. 
   
   
       29 . The method as set forth in  claim 27  wherein said air flow is directed vertically and at selected angles to the vertical to penetrate the air space, cause destratification of the air space and air flow circulation. 
   
   
       30 . A method of reducing heating requirements for a room having side walls, a ceiling and a floor, comprising the steps of:
 providing a ductless air moving device that produces an air flow with an axial stream extending beyond said device in a columnar pattern with minimal lateral dispersion,   mounting said device at said ceiling, and directing warm air from near said ceiling to said floor with said device,   whereby heat from said warm air is transferred into said floor and stored in said floor, and   moves along the inside of said side walls and back up to said ceiling and back to said device to be re-circulated in said room.   
   
   
       31 . The method as set forth in  claim 30  wherein said heat stored in said floor is released when said ceiling is cooler than said floor to heat the inside of said room. 
   
   
       32 . A method as set forth in  claim 30  wherein said room is a tent having a top and downwardly diverging side walls with openings between the sides walls and a floor and said device is below said top.