Axial fan and housing assembly and methods of use thereof

Abstract

An axial fan assembly for use with an HVAC system, including an axial fan and a housing. The axial fan includes a hub and one or more blades extending a blade length out to a blade tip. The hub is configured to rotate the blade tip of each of the one or more blades along a rotational travel path. The housing includes an inner surface radially outwards of the rotational travel path of the blade tip of the one or more blades, the inner surface having an inner diameter, and a housing portion proximate the rotational travel path of the blade tip of the one or more blades, the inner surface within the housing portion having an extended inner diameter to accommodate the blade length of the one or more blades and reduce a flow of air bypassing the one or more blades.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An axial fan assembly for use with an HVAC system, the axial fan assembly comprising:
 an axial fan comprising a hub and one or more blades extending radially from a center point of the hub about which the axial fan rotates, each of the one or more blades including a blade tip, and   a housing comprising a first inner surface, a second inner surface and a third inner surface, the second inner surface extends from, and is positioned between, the first inner surface and the third inner surface, the housing also comprising a first outer surface, a second outer surface and a third outer surface, the second outer surface extends from, and is positioned between, the first outer surface and the third outer surface, the second inner surface and the second outer surface proximate and radially outwards of the blade tips of the one or more blades to accommodate a blade length of the one or more blades,   wherein the first inner surface is a first inner diameter from the center point of the hub, the second inner surface is a second inner diameter from the center point of the hub and the third inner surface is a third inner diameter from the center point of the hub, the second inner diameter is greater than the first inner diameter and the third inner diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade length of the one or more blades is greater than the first inner diameter and the third inner diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first outer surface is a first outer diameter from the center point of the hub, the second outer surface is a second outer diameter from the center point of the hub and the third outer diameter is a third outer diameter from the center point of the hub, the second outer diameter is greater than the first outer diameter and the third outer diameter. 
     
     
         4 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured such that the flow of air bypassing the one or more blades undergoes two directional air flow changes. 
     
     
         5 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the blades is configured to reduce a flow of air bypassing the one or more blades. 
     
     
         6 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade length of the one or more blades is less than the second inner diameter. 
     
     
         7 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a gap between the second inner surface of the housing and the blade tip of the one or more blades of the axial fan. 
     
     
         8 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the housing is configured such that the flow of air bypasses the one or more blades by flowing through the gap between the second inner surface of the housing and the blade tip of the one or more blades of the axial fan. 
     
     
         9 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more blades are fabricated by injection molding. 
     
     
         10 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system is an indoor HVAC system. 
     
     
         11 . The axial fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system is a residential HVAC system. 
     
     
         12 . A method of using an axial fan assembly with an HVAC system, the method comprising:
 providing an axial fan comprising a hub and one or more blades extending radially from a center point of the hub about which the axial fan rotates, each of the one or more blades including a blade tip, wherein the hub is configured to rotate the blade tip of each of the one or more blades along a rotational travel path;   enclosing the axial fan within a housing comprising a first inner surface, a second inner surface and a third inner surface, the second inner surface extends from, and is positioned between, the first inner surface and the third inner surface, the housing also comprising a first outer surface, a second outer surface and a third outer surface, the second outer surface extends from, and is positioned between, the first outer surface and the third outer surface, the second inner surface and the second outer surface proximate and radially outwards of the blade tips of the one or more blades to accommodate a blade length of the one or more blades, wherein the first inner surface is a first inner diameter from the center point of the hub, the second inner surface is a second inner diameter from the center point of the hub and the third inner surface is a third inner diameter from the center point of the hub, the second inner diameter is greater than the first inner diameter and the third inner diameter; and   rotating the axial fan within the housing, wherein the blade length of the one or more blades is accommodated by the second inner diameter within the housing.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein enclosing the axial fan within the housing comprises maintaining a gap between the second inner surface of the housing and the blade tip of the one or more blades. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein rotating the axial fan comprises directing the flow of air bypassing the one or more blades to flow through the gap between the second inner surface of the housing and the blade tip of the one or more blades. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the flow of air bypassing the one or more blades undergoes at least two directional air flow changes. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising reducing a power consumption amount consumed by the HVAC system to use the axial fan compared to an axial fan assembly without a second inner diameter of the second inner surface being greater than the first inner diameter of the first inner surface and the third inner diameter of the third inner surface and with the blades having a shorter blade length. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the HVAC system is at least one of an indoor HVAC system and a residential HVAC system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising fabricating the one or more blades by injection molding.