US 4,823,680 A · Wide laminar fluid doors

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing the amount of an external fluid which travels through an opening into an enclosed area. Also, a method and apparatus for protecting a surface area or plane from contact with or intermixing with an external fluid. The method, in general, comprises causing a fluid to flow, in laminar form, in proximity to or directly across an opening, a surface or an area plane to be protected. The depth or thickness of the flowing laminar fluid layer at its source of origin is at least about 0.05 times the distance across the opening, surface area or plane to be protected, in the principal direction of flow of the fluid at its source of origin. The width of fluid flow at its source of origin and transverse the direction of fluid flow is at least about as great as the maximum width of the opening, surface or area plane to be protected, transverse the direction of fluid flow. The Force Number of the fluid must range between about 0.05 and about 50; the preferred range for the Force Number is from about 0.1 to about 10.

Claims46

Dependent claims

A method of protecting at least a portion of a contained space from the incursion of external fluids through at least one opening to said contained space, said method comprising:

causing at least one chosen fluid to flow, in laminar form, in proximity to or directly across at least a portion of at least one opening to said contained space, wherein the thickness or depth of said at least one chosen fluid layer at the source of origin of said fluid layer is at least about 0.05 times the distance across said opening in the principal direction of flow of said fluid layer at the source of origin of said fluid layer, wherein the width, transverse the direction of fluid flow of said laminar fluid flow at its source of origin is at least about as great as the maximum width, transverse the direction of fluid flow, of said potion of said opening, and wherein said at least one chosen fluid flow has a Force Number ranging from about 0.05 to about 50.0.

An installation for protecting at least a portion of a contained space from the incursion of external fluids using at least one fluid flow layer, wherein the fluid flow is in laminar form, wherein the thickness of the at least one fluid layer at its source of origin is at least about 0.05 times the distance across the opening to the contained space which is to be protected by the at least one fluid flow layer, wherein the lengthwise dimension of the at least one fluid layer at its source of origin is at least about equal to lengthwise dimension the width of the opening which the fluid layer is to protect, and wherein the at least one fluid flow has a Force Number ranging from about 0.05 to about 50.0, said installation comprising:

(a) at least one device from which laminar fluid flow emanates, whereby at least one chosen fluid is caused to flow in proximity to or directly across at least at portion of said at least one opening;
(b) means for supplying said chosen fluid to said at least one device;
(c) means for controlling the flow of said chosen fluid from said device so that said fluid flow is laminar;
(d) means for controlling the flow dimensions of said chosen fluid from said at least one device so that the depth or thickness of each fluid flow layer flowing from each of said at least one device is at least about 0.05 times the distance in the principal direction of flow from said each device across said at least a portion of said at least one opening in the principal direction of flow from said each device;
(e) means for controlling the momentum force, Fm, of each said fluid flow layer so that a Force Number, Fr, is generated for said each fluid flow layer which ranges between about 0.05 and 50.0;
and,
(f) means for mounting said at least one device in proximity to said at least one opening so that a summation of component flows from said at least one device extends in proximity to or directly across at least one area having dimensions as large as said at least a portion of said at least one opening to be protected.

4 more elements

An installation for protecting at least one surface or area plane from contact by or intermixing with an external fluid using at least one fluid flow layer, wherein the the fluid flow is in laminar form, wherein the thickness of the at least one fluid layer at its source of origin is at least about 0.05 times the distance across the surface or area plane to be protected by the at least one fluid flow layer, wherein the lengthwise dimension of the at least one fluid layer at its source of origin is at least about equal to the lengthwise dimension of the surface or area plane which the fluid layer is to protect, and wherein the at least one fluid flow has a Force Number ranging from about 0.05 to about 50.0, said installation comprising:

(a) at least one device from which laminar fluid flow emanates, in proximity to or directly across said at least a portion of said at least one surface or area plane;
(b) means for supplying a chosen fluid to said at least one device;
(c) means for controlling the flow rate of said chosen fluid from said at least one device so that said fluid flow is laminar;
(d) means for controlling the flow dimensions of said chosen fluid from said at least one device so that the depth or thickness of each fluid flow layer flowing from each said at least one device is about 0.05 times the distance in the principal direction of flow from said each device across said at least a portion of said at least one surface or area plane;
(e) means for controlling the momentum force, Fm, of each said fluid flow layer so that a Force Number, Fr, is generated for said each fluid flow layer which ranges between about 0.05 and 50.0;
and,
(f) means for mounting said at least one device in proximity to said at least a portion of said at least one surface, or area plane so that a summation of component flows from said at least one device extends in proximity to or directly across at least one area having dimensions at least about as large as said at least a portion of said at least one surface, or area plane to be protected.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wide laminar fluid doors

Life of this patent

Wide laminar fluid doors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims46