Air handling unit with diagonal flow fan

Abstract

An air handling unit is disclosed, including a housing duct through which air is moved from an inlet to an outlet; a heat exchanger configured to facilitate a transfer of heat to and from the air moving through the housing duct; and a fan disposed inside the housing duct, configured for moving air within the housing duct. The fan includes a diagonal flow impeller having an axis of rotation arranged in-line with a direction of flow of air through the duct, wherein an air flow path through the impeller has a mean angle that is oriented along a direction divergent from the axis of rotation of the impeller. The fan further includes a set of axial outlet guide vanes disposed downstream of the impeller, configured to redirect a flow of air exiting the impeller to be substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the impeller.

1 . An air handling unit for use with an air conditioning system, the air handling unit comprising:
 a housing duct through which air is moved from an inlet to an outlet;   a heat exchanger configured to facilitate a transfer of heat to and from the air moving through the housing duct; and   a fan disposed inside the housing duct, configured for moving air within the housing duct, the fan comprising:
 a diagonal flow impeller having a plurality of blades extending therefrom, and an axis of rotation arranged in-line with a direction of flow of air through the housing duct, wherein an air flow path through the impeller has a mean angle that is oriented along a direction divergent from the axis of rotation of the impeller, and wherein the impeller is operable by a direct-drive motor; 
 a fan inlet casing disposed circumferentially around the fan shroud, defining a clearance between the fan inlet casing and the fan shroud, with upstream and downstream flow control clearances; and 
 a set of axial outlet guide vanes disposed downstream of the impeller, comprising a plurality of vanes extending radially from a stator hub towards a stator shroud, and configured to redirect a flow of air exiting the impeller such that the flow of air exiting the impeller is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the impeller. 
   
     
     
         2 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the fan further comprises a rotating shroud extending circumferentially around the impeller, and wherein the rotating shroud is secured to the plurality of blades. 
     
     
         3 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air handling unit comprises a ducted fan coil. 
     
     
         4 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air handling unit further comprises a supplemental heating device. 
     
     
         5 . The air handling unit of  claim 4 , wherein the supplemental heating device is located downstream of the fan with a radiation shield between the heating device and the fan. 
     
     
         6 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air handling unit further comprises a packaged rooftop indoor air management system. 
     
     
         7 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the fan is positioned downstream relative to the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the fan is positioned upstream relative to the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is substantially V-shaped relative to the direction of flow of air through the housing duct. 
     
     
         10 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is substantially A-shaped relative to the direction of flow of air through the housing duct. 
     
     
         11 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a single slab heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a primary heat exchanger and other heat transfer devices. 
     
     
         13 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool the air moving through the housing duct. 
     
     
         14 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to heat the air moving through the housing duct. 
     
     
         15 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein a rotor defines the air flow path through the impeller, and wherein the air flow path through the impeller has a mean angle oriented diagonally between about 30 degrees and about 80 degrees relative to the axis of rotation of the impeller. 
     
     
         16 . The air handling of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller blade camber is between about −10 degrees and about −40 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller blade lean is between about 25 degrees and about 50 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the number of impeller blades is between about 5 and about 11. 
     
     
         19 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the guide vanes have a circumferential sweep along at least a portion of the guide vane span. 
     
     
         20 . The air handling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the circumferential sweep of the guide vanes at a stator hub end wall is between about 10 degrees and about 30 degrees.