Airflow mix manifold
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorNicholas Alexander Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An airflow mix manifold includes a can and a tower extending from the can. The can includes an interior sidewall that defines a main mixing chamber. The can defines at least one inlet aperture through the interior sidewall to receive airflow into the main mixing chamber. The can includes a moisture collection gutter that is open to the main mixing chamber and is configured to collect moisture from the airflow that coalesces onto the interior sidewall. The moisture collection gutter extends circumferentially along the can. The tower defines secondary mixing chamber and includes one or more outlets. The secondary mixing chamber is configured to receive the airflow downstream of the can and to direct the airflow to the one or more outlets.
Claims20
An airflow mix manifold comprising:
- a can including an interior sidewall that defines a main mixing chamber, wherein the can defines at least one inlet aperture through the interior sidewall to receive airflow into the main mixing chamber, wherein the can includes a moisture collection gutter that is open to the main mixing chamber and is configured to collect moisture from the airflow that coalesces onto the interior sidewall, and wherein the moisture collection gutter extends circumferentially along the can;
- and
- a tower extending from the can, wherein the tower defines a secondary mixing chamber and includes one or more outlets, wherein the secondary mixing chamber is configured to receive the airflow downstream of the can and to direct the airflow to the one or more outlets.
A method for conditioning airflow, the method comprising:
- mixing a first airflow with a second airflow within a mixing supply branch of an airflow mix manifold to form a mixed airflow, wherein the mixing supply branch is coupled to a can of the airflow mix manifold;
- supplying the mixed airflow into a main mixing chamber of the can;
- collecting moisture from the mixed airflow that coalesces on an interior sidewall of the can within a moisture collection gutter of the can, wherein the moisture collection gutter extends circumferentially along the can;
- and
- directing the mixed airflow downstream of the main mixing chamber and the moisture collection gutter toward one or more outlets of the airflow mix manifold for distribution to one or more climate-controlled spaces.
An airflow mix manifold comprising:
- a can including an interior sidewall that defines a main mixing chamber, wherein the can defines an inlet aperture through the interior sidewall to receive airflow into the main mixing chamber, wherein the can includes a moisture collection gutter that is open to the main mixing chamber and is configured to collect moisture from the airflow that coalesces onto the interior sidewall, and wherein the moisture collection gutter extends circumferentially along the can;
- and
- a mixing supply branch coupled to the inlet aperture and configured to supply the airflow into the main mixing chamber, wherein the mixing supply branch includes a first intake conduit that conveys a first airflow stream, a second intake conduit that conveys a second airflow stream, and a merged segment that defines a branch mixing chamber, and wherein the branch mixing chamber is configured to permit the first airflow stream to mix with the second airflow stream to form the airflow prior to the airflow entering the can.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.