Blower

Abstract

A blower employing curved radial blades defining an arc chord of 60 degrees, which circulate the air entering the circulation section to tangentially force the same through an exhaust section

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field

[0002] This invention relates to blowers. More particularly it pertains to a blower which provides high flow characteristics while minimizing flow resistance. It is particularly suited for use in mineshaft and tunnel ventilation. It is very useful where space is limited and a high volume of air is required through a small duct.

[0003] 2. State of the Art

[0004] A number of blowers are known. Boone, U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,996 discloses a turbine engine and pump with a rotor with blades having tapering converging inlet channels and diverging outlet channels. Negishi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,926 discloses a flow generating apparatus with a plurality of flow generating plates, which move fluids by adhesion via a number of protrusions on their surface. Blanchard, U.S. Pat. No. 2,429,978 discloses a centripetal-centrifugal pump, which provides a rotary pump with two sets of oppositely organized helical vanes producing first a centripetal suctional flow into the pump casing, and then a centrifugal discharge flow with a rotor which includes these helical vanes and a separating place provided with an axial passage for the centripetal flow of the fluid. Oklejas et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,081 discloses a centrifugal pump with a plurality of arcuate vanes connected to the outer peripheral edge of the discs and extend from about ¼ to ¾ of the distance from the outer peripheral edge to the center aperture of the discs. Stiegelmeier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,200 discloses a heavy duty double suction type impeller with each vane mounted and secured onto a tubular member with an axially extending inlet and a radially extending annular outlet.

[0005] Yada et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,579 discloses a water turbine with a plurality of vanes made of a plurality of rolled steel plates made of a special alloy. Guida et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,050 discloses a ventilator fan device made of a male wheel, a female wheel, and a plurality of longitudinally straight arcuate blades therebetween surrounding an air inlet defined by the wheels. Glass, U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,584 discloses a turbine with a plurality of circular members having raised spiral fence baffles that define an expanding fluid channel towards the exhaust openings in the centers. Glass, U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,582 discloses a multi-stage turbine with an inflow disc pack that directs motivating fluid to an outflow disc pack on the same shaft. Pauly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,123 discloses a turbocharger compressor fan and housing for use with diesel engines, marine engines, combustion engines, and high altitude aircraft engines.

[0006] Of general interest is Wilkinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,183, which discloses a laminar flow fan for impelling a fluid medium by viscous interaction with the surface of a plurality of stacked discs. Fowell, U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,223 discloses a fluid mover through shear force cross flow fluid movement. Gurth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,385 discloses a rotary disc pump employing a plurality of discs each having a series of raised ribs or vanes of a height less that the distance between the discs. Belomestnov, U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,371 discloses a multiple disc fan with rotatable casing to ensure air exchange distributed over the whole room space. Zagar et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,344 discloses a multi-element centrifugal pump with impellers having a protective covering against corrosion and/or abrasion.

[0007] The invention described below provides a blower with an impeller employing a plurality of discs having equally spaced radial blades therebetween, which produce a higher vacuum and pressure than previous designs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The invention comprises a blower having a housing with a lateral central housing air intake in communication with an interior circulation chamber, a peripheral air collection chamber, and a tangential exhaust. A drive shaft is journal mounted to the housing to extend within the circulation chamber and aligned opposite the air intake.

[0009] At least two parallel spaced apart circular rotating discs are interconnected and attached to the drive shaft within the circulation chamber to form an impeller. At least one of the discs defines an air intake disc with a central air intake in its center. This central air intake disc has its air intake opening proximate and in communication with the housing air intake. On the opposite end of the impeller central air intake disc is an attachment disc structured to attach to a drive shaft.

[0010] The discs are interconnected to one another via a plurality of radially evenly spaced apart blades held between the discs. These blades are structured to define an arc chord of 60 degrees beginning proximate the disc central air intake. The angled blades beginning proximate the disc air inlets prevent turbulence from building up as the intake air enters is drawn into the circulation chamber by the action of the turning blades. The blades extend to the periphery of the disc to form equal width open-ended flow channels between the blades defining inlets and outlets. Thus, the distance between the blades, their cross-sections, and inlets, and outlets are constant to prevent interference with the airflows therethrough. The channel inlets thus transmit intake air from the central air intake through the blade flow channels and out the exhaust outlets without constriction. These airflows are then discharged into the surrounding housing air collection chamber for discharge through the tangential exhaust.

[0011] A motor drives the drive shaft to turn the impeller and circulate the air through the blower. Thus configured with equidistant apart blades, the blower provides at least 20% greater efficiency than those where the blades are spaced apart wider at the outlet.

[0012] To ensure that the impeller is securely affixed to the drive shaft, generally a hub is attached to the attachment disc. This hub is of sufficient strength to maintain the alignment of the rotating discs within the blower housing. Also a collar may be included for this purpose and secured to the impeller disc central air intake, which extends into the housing air intake to journal mount the impeller assembly to rotate within the housing air intake.

[0013] In the simplest embodiment, there are only two parallel circular discs to form the impeller. This impeller has one central air intake disc with a central air inlet aligned with and in communication with the housing air inlet. Similar 60 degree arc chord constructed blades are then affixed between the central air intake disc and an attachment disc with or without a central intake to form the impeller. The attachment disc has a hub attached covering the central intake area to attach to the drive shaft of the motor. The motor then rotates the impeller in the direction of the bent blades within the housing to draw in intake air and expel the same out the tangential exhaust.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment the impeller is constructed of more than two parallel circular discs with central air inlets having similar shaped blades as the fixed embodiment affixed therebetween. These equidistant parallel discs are interconnected with 60 degree arc chord blades surrounding the aligned central air inlets. This impeller assembly is then journal mounted to rotate within the housing and attached to the drive shaft via an attachment disc. This attachment disc has a hub welded to cover its central air inlet and includes reinforcing gussets to maintain rotational alignment of the impeller assembly.

[0015] The motor then drives the impeller to circulate intake air into through and out the blower exhaust. A typical motor utilized for air circulation will turn at about 3000 rpm to provide a high volume of air through a small duct. This motor driven blower assembly is relatively small and useful where space is limited.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment for use in tunnels, mines, and lumber mills, the discs and blades are spaced sufficiently apart to prevent debris picked up in the intake air from obstructing the flow channels. This spacing is particularly important where very large blowers with high velocity airflows are employed. Preferably, the angle of curvature of the blades at the gas inlets is also selected to allow the air entering the impeller to be at approximately the same angle as the curve of the blades to minimize inlet losses. In addition, the flow channels have the same cross-section area throughout their length to prevent interference with the air flows passing through and out the blade air outlets.

[0017] The preferred impeller blade design has the blades of the impeller curved on a cord of sixty degrees. This allows for maintaining the distance between the blades at a constant distance from the center of the fan to the outside edge, thereby maintaining the pressure while reducing the turbulence of the air. One preferred layout for the curved impeller design has the blades of the impeller curved on an initial cord of sixty degrees, which allows for maintaining the distance between the blades at a constant distance from the center of the impeller to the outside edge, thereby maintaining the pressure while reducing the turbulence of the air. This is accomplished by dividing the circumference of the outer circular impeller blade drive base into 10 degree segments. Four equidistant concentric circles are then drawn with diminishing radii to serve as layout guides. The first blade circular shape is then drawn by connecting a series of intersection points of the 10 degree radii with the inner, outer and four equidistant intervening concentric circles with a French curve. The first point is the outer circle intersect at the 60 degree segment. The second point is the fourth inner concentric circle intersect with the 50 degree segment. The third point is the third inner concentric circle intersect with a 30 degree segment. The fourth point is the second inner concentric circle intersect with the 20 degree segment. The fifth point is the first inner concentric circle intersect with the 10 degree segment. The sixth point is the inner circle intersect at the 0 degree segment. These six points form the extended radial edge of the outside edge of the impeller blade proximate the air inlet, which gradually changes in curvature toward the outside edge of the impeller blade proximate the air outlet. The next circular blade is then drawn parallel to the first blade starting from the width of the inner blade opening between the adjacent blade, and ending 60 degrees from its extended radius of the edge of the next inner blade.

[0018] The number of concentric circles for a layout is dependent upon the diameter of the impeller. More concentric circles and intersection points are needed as the diameter increases in size larger than shown for the above example. The exact layout may be connected by hand so that the intersecting points form the blade curves. Alternatively, a computer auto cad program may be employed, which uniformly spaces the distances between the blades and insures that they intersect a 60 degree chord segment between an extended radii of the inner blade edge and the point of contact with the outer blade edge.

[0019] The impeller may be made from welded or spot construction. The choice employed would be determined by the thickness of the material used and the purpose of the blower. For example, a blower used for ventilation could have the blades spaced closer together if air carried debris is not a factor. If debris is a factor, and it may be necessary to get in between the blades for clean out. Pop rivets may be employed for this purpose to easily separate and re-assemble the components. In other embodiments, the components may be preformed as single pieces assembled by injection molding. Where weight is a factor, a titanium or aluminum type of slug with a center inlet air opening and slots for the cover machined to specification. A computerized milling machine is then programmed to cut a cord of 60 degrees between each blade to form one piece construction with the back of the impeller laid flat on the milling machine. The impeller cover is then assembled around the impeller.

[0020] Preferably, the tangential exhaust is structured for coupling with a hose or conduit to transmit the blower air flows. In larger embodiments, the tangential exhaust couples directly with large ducting to deliver the air flows.

[0021] The blower invention thus provides a new highly efficient blower configuration, which directs high volumes of air into a given space.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a side view of the outside collar.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a top view of an impeller with four discs.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a side view of an intake disc.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a side view of the impeller blade construction.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a side view of an attachment disc.

[0028] FIG. 7 is a top view of the attachment disc shown in FIG. 6.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a side view of the blade layout for a high volume air blower.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the blower invention 10. The blower 10 has a frame housing 12 with a lateral central air intake 14 leading into an interior circulation chamber 16. Journal mounted to the housing 12 opposite the air intake 14 is a drive shaft 18 shown in FIG. 3 journal mounted to the housing to extend within the circulation chamber 16 opposite the air intake 14. An outside collar 20 is fitted within the air intake 14 to rotatably mate to an inside collar 22 associated with the impeller 22. An impeller 24 is attached to the drive shaft 18 to rotate within the circulation chamber 16, and is made up of a plurality of parallel spaced apart circular rotating discs 26. One of the rotating discs forms an attachment disc 28, which attaches to the drive shaft 18. The other discs 26 form intake discs 30 with central disc air intakes 32 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in alignment and communication with the housing air intake 14.

[0031] Mounted between the discs 26 are a plurality of radially evenly spaced apart blades 34 held between the discs 26 and structured to define an arc chord of 60 degrees, such that each blade begins proximate the disc air intake 32 and extends to the periphery of the discs 26 to form equal width flow channels 36 shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 between the blades 34. The blades 34 form inlets 38 in communication with the intakes 14, 32 to transmit air from the disc air intake 32 between flow channels created by the blades 34 and propel them through exhaust ports 40 near the disc periphery to discharge into the housing air collection chamber 42 for discharge through the tangential exhaust opening 44.

[0032] A motor (not shown) drives the drive shaft 18 to turn the impeller 24. The impeller 24 components for a more complex impeller having more than two discs 26 are shown assembled in FIG. 3. The impeller 24 components for a simple two disc blower 10 are shown separated in FIGS. 4 through 6. The intake disc 30 defining a disc air intake 32 is shown in FIG. 4, which forms the upper plate of the impeller 24. A plurality of equally spaced blades 34 are then welded to the upper plate of the impeller around the disc air intake 32 to form inlets 38. Between the blades 34 are equidistant flow channels 36 as shown in FIG. 5 leading to exhaust ports 40 near the periphery of the intake disc 30. To cover the blades 34 and cap the flow channels 36 is an attachment disc 28 welded to the blades 34 as shown in FIG. 6. The attachment disc 28 has no air intake and has a hub 46 which attaches to the drive shaft 18. To minimize wobble, the hub 46 and attachment disc 28 are further secured with gussets 48, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0033] In operation, the impeller 24 turns within the air circulation chamber 16 and forces inlet air into the peripheral air collection chamber 42 and out a tangential exhaust 44.

[0034] FIG. 8 illustrates the preferred blade 34 embodiment for use in tunnels, mines, and lumber mills where the intake air may include particles and debris. The blades 34 and discs 26 are spaced sufficiently apart to prevent debris picked up in the intake air from obstructing the flow channels 40 as shown. The angle of curvature of the blades 34 at the air inlets 38 is selected to allow the air entering the impeller to be at approximately the same 60 degree angle as the curve of the blades 34 to minimize inlet losses. In addition, the flow channels 40 have the same cross-section area throughout their length to prevent interference with the air flows passing through and out the blade air outlets.

[0035] Thus constructed, the blower 10 provides high flow characteristics while minimizing flow resistance.

[0036] Although this specification has referred to the illustrated embodiments, it is not intended to restrict the scope of the claims. The claims themselves contain those features deemed essential to the invention.

Claims

1. A blower comprising:

a. a housing defining a tangential exhaust, and an air intake, which leads into and is in communication with an interior circulation chamber, and an intake air collection chamber associated with the tangential exhaust,

b. a drive shaft journal mounted to the housing and extending into the air collection chamber,

c. an impeller attached to the drive shaft having

i. a plurality of parallel rotating discs, each defining a central disc air intake in communication with the housing air intake, and

ii. a plurality of radial evenly spaced apart blades structured to define an arch chord of 60 degrees mounted between the discs such that each blade begins proximate the disc air intake and extends to the periphery of the disc to form equal width open ended flow channels between the blades to transmit air from the disc air intake through the flow channel and out an exhaust opening,

iii. an attachment disc with structure to cover the disc air inlet and attach the impeller to the drive shaft, and

d. a motor operably associated with the drive shaft to turn the impeller in the direction of the angled blades to draw in air from the housing intake, through the disc air intakes and flow channels into the collection chamber and out the tangential exhaust.

2. A blower according to claim 1, including a hub attached to the attachment disc to secure the attachment disc to the drive shaft.

3. A blower according to claim 1, wherein the blades and discs are spaced sufficiently apart to prevent any debris contained in the air flow from obstructing the flow channels.

4. A blower according to claim 1, wherein the angle of curvature of the blades at the gas inlets is selected to allow the air entering the impeller to be at approximately the same angle as the curve of the blades to minimize inlet losses

5. A blower according to claim 1, wherein the flow channels have the same cross-section area throughout their length to prevent interference with the gas flows therethrough and out the blade air outlets.

6. A blower comprising:

a. a housing defining a tangential exhaust, and an air intake, which leads into and is in communication with an interior circulation chamber, and an intake air collection chamber associated with the tangential exhaust,

b. a drive shaft journal mounted to the housing and extending into the air collection chamber,

c. an impeller attached to the drive shaft having

i. a plurality of parallel rotating discs, each defining a central disc air intake in communication with the housing air intake, and

ii. a plurality of radial evenly spaced apart blades structured to define an arch chord of 60 degrees mounted between the discs such that each blade begins proximate the disc air intake and extends to the periphery of the disc to form equal width open ended flow channels between the blades to transmit air from the disc air intake through the flow channels and out disc exhaust openings, said flow channels having the same cross-sectional area throughout their length and of sufficient width to prevent being clogged by debris picked up by the intake air,

iii. an attachment disc with a hub with one end covering the disc air inlet and the other structured to attach the impeller to the drive shaft, and

d. a motor operably associated with the drive shaft to turn the impeller in the direction of the angled blades to draw in air from the housing intake, through the disc air intakes and flow channels into the collection chamber and out the tangential exhaust.