Air plenums for producing improved laminar entrainment airflow and methods of their use

Abstract

Air plenums that produce highly laminar airflow and methods of their use are disclosed. In certain embodiments, an air plenum produces substantially downward laminar airflow such that a vertical curtain of air extending down from the plenum is created (e.g., at least in part by entrainment). In certain embodiments, an average airflow velocity in an outer region of airflow is at least 1.5× higher than an average airflow velocity of an inner region surrounded by the outer region, for example, when measured at a certain height above the floor (e.g., at a height of a patient treatment table). In certain embodiments, outlets of an air plenum are arranged such that they are bounded by a circular cross section. As a circular cross section does not have any corners, turbulent regions at the perimeter of the downward airflow are eliminated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.