Venting Apparatus and Methods

Abstract

A building has an interior space, a first wall surface, and a vent. A vortex guide baffle is positioned at least partially separating a vortex chamber from a remainder of the interior space. The vent is along the vortex chamber. The vortex chamber has an inlet opening from the remainder at the wall.

1 . A building ( 20 ) comprising:
 an interior space ( 22 );   a wall ( 28 ) surface ( 44 );   a vent ( 54 A,  54 B); and   a vortex guide baffle ( 70 ), at least partially separating a vortex chamber ( 72 ) from a remainder of the interior space ( 22 ), the vent being along the vortex chamber and the vortex chamber having an inlet opening ( 74 ) at the wall ( 28 ).   
   
   
       2 . The building of  claim 1  wherein:
 one or more windows ( 24 ,  26 ) are positioned to admit sunlight ( 42 ) to the interior space ( 22 ) to heat the wall ( 28 ) to induce an upward airflow ( 46 ) along the wall; and   the vortex guide baffle ( 70 ) is positioned to redirect the upward flow to form a vortex ( 62 A,  62 B), the vortex conveying the air to exit the vent ( 54 A,  54 B).   
   
   
       3 . The building of  claim 1  wherein:
 the vortex guide baffle is positioned to redirect an upward flow to form first ( 62 A) and second ( 62 B) vortices of opposite longitudinal direction and common circumferential direction.   
   
   
       4 . The building of  claim 1  wherein:
 the vent comprises first ( 54 A) and second ( 54 B) lateral vents proximate first and second ends of the wall; and   the vortex guide baffle is positioned to redirect an upward flow to form first ( 62 A) and second ( 62 B) vortices respectively conveying the air to exit the first and second lateral vents.   
   
   
       5 . The building of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an actuator ( 90 ) coupled to at least a first member ( 76 ) of the baffle to shift the first member from a condition associated with a first mode to a condition associated with a second mode:
 in the first mode the first member ( 76 ) is positioned to redirect a thermal airflow to form a vortex, the vortex conveying the air to exit the vent; and 
 in the second mode the baffle passing the thermal airflow around the baffle to a ceiling. 
   
   
   
       6 . The building of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a controller ( 100 ) coupled to the actuator to control the actuator and configured to shift the first member from the second condition to the first condition responsive to an excess sensed temperature.   
   
   
       7 . A building ( 20 ) comprising:
 an interior space ( 22 );   a wall ( 28 ) subject to heating;   at least one vent ( 54 A,  54 B); and   trapped vortex means ( 50 ) for directing a flow of air, the flow heated by the wall, to exit the at least one vent in at least a first mode.   
   
   
       8 . The building of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a fan ( 104 A,  104 B) positioned downstream of the vent.   
   
   
       9 . The building of  claim 7  wherein:
 the means includes an actuator ( 90 ) coupled to at least a first member to shift the first member from a condition associated with the first mode to a condition associated with a second mode, in the second mode the means passing the flow of air to a ceiling.   
   
   
       10 . The building of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a controller coupled to the actuator to control the actuator and configured to shift the first member from the second condition to the first condition responsive to an excess sensed temperature.   
   
   
       11 . A method for manufacturing the building of  claim 7  comprising retrofitting an existing building to add the vent and the means. 
   
   
       12 . A method for climate control of a building interior space comprising:
 in at least a first mode:   passing an airflow along a wall of the space to heat the airflow;   passing the airflow through a trapped vortex; and   passing the airflow through a vent to exit the space.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 in at least a second mode:
 passing said airflow along a wall of the space to heat the airflow; 
 passing said airflow across a ceiling; and 
 passing said airflow down along a second wall. 
   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 shifting from the first mode to the second mode by:
 shifting a member from a first condition to a second condition:
 in the first condition the member redirecting the airflow to form the trapped vortex; and 
 in the second condition the member allowing the airflow to proceed to the ceiling. 
 
   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 shifting from the second mode to the first mode by:
 shifting a member from a second condition to a first condition:
 in the first condition the member redirecting the airflow to form the trapped vortex; and 
 in the second condition the member allowing the airflow to proceed to the ceiling. 
 
   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein:
 the trapped vortex is unforced.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein:
 a fan ( 104 A,  104 B) positioned downstream of the vent draws the airflow.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein:
 there are first and second trapped vortices of essentially the same circulation direction but opposite longitudinal direction.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein:
 there are first and second trapped vortices of essentially the same circulation direction but divergently opposite longitudinal direction.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein:
 there are first and second trapped vortices of essentially the same circulation direction but opposite longitudinal direction.