Damper to control fluid flow and associated methods

Abstract

A damper for controlling fluid flow may include a main body, a stator that includes a plurality of stator blades, and a rotor moveably connected to the stator and including a plurality of rotor blades. The damper may also include a rotation mechanism mounted to the main body to move the rotor between an opened position and a closed position. The shape of each of the plurality of stator blades and rotor blades may combine to form a shape such that the velocity of the fluid is increased thereby reducing or eliminating back pressure when the rotor is in the opened position.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A damper for controlling fluid flow comprising:
 a main body;   a stator carried by the main body and including a plurality of stator blades, each of the plurality of stator blades having a substantially flat bottom; and   a rotor moveably connected to the stator and carried by the main body, the rotor including a plurality of rotor blades, each of the plurality of rotor blades having a substantially flat bottom;   a rotation mechanism mounted to the main body and connected to a portion of the rotor to move the rotor between an opened position and a closed position;   wherein the shape of each of the plurality of stator blades and each of the plurality of rotor blades combine to form a converging-diverging nozzle when the rotor is in the opened position;   wherein the opened position is defined as the substantially flat bottom of each of the plurality of stator blades being aligned with the substantially flat bottom of each of the plurality of rotor blades to allow fluid to flow through the main body;   wherein the stator and the rotor are carried by the main body so that fluid flows through the main body substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat bottoms of each of plurality of rotor blades and each of the plurality of stator blades so that fluid flows through the converging-diverging nozzle formed by alignment of the substantially flat bottoms of each of the plurality of stator blades and each of the plurality of rotor blades when the rotor is in the opened position;   wherein the closed position is defined as each of the plurality of stator blades being offset from each of the plurality of rotor blades to restrict the flow of fluid through the main body.   
     
     
         2 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein the stator is integrally formed with the main body. 
     
     
         3 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein the main body has a substantially cylindrical shape; wherein the stator has a substantially cylindrical shape; and wherein each of the plurality of stator blades extends from a medial portion thereof to an inner peripheral portion of the main body. 
     
     
         4 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein the rotor has a substantially cylindrical shape and comprises a peripheral body portion; and wherein each of the plurality of rotor blades extends from a medial portion thereof to an inner portion of the peripheral body portion thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein the main body has a first side defined as an entrance side and a second side opposite the first side defined as an exit side; wherein the stator is positioned adjacent the entrance side and the rotor is positioned adjacent the exit side; and wherein fluid is directed into the entrance side of the main body, through the stator and rotor and out of the exit side of the main body. 
     
     
         6 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein the rotor is in communication with a controller and wherein the rotor is moveable between the opened position and the closed position responsive to a signal received by the controller. 
     
     
         7 . The damper according to  claim 6  wherein the signal received by the controller to control the position of the rotor is based on at least one of temperature in a room, fluid flow in a room, occupancy level of a room, and time of day. 
     
     
         8 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein some of the fluid passes through the main body when the rotor is in the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of rotor blades and each of the plurality of stator blades comprise a triangular shape; and wherein the triangular shape of each of the plurality of rotor blades and stator blades is defined by the substantially flat bottom that extends to a pointed top. 
     
     
         10 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of rotor blades and each of the plurality of stator blades have shape defined by a flat bottom that extends upwardly to a narrower top having an arcuate shape. 
     
     
         11 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein the rotor is spaced apart from the stator when the fluid flow travels through the main body to form a fluid bearing. 
     
     
         12 . The damper according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of stator blades and plurality of rotor blades are spaced between about 2 and 10 degrees apart. 
     
     
         13 . A method of using a damper to control a flow of fluid, the damper comprising a main body having a substantially cylindrical shape, a first side defined as an entrance side and a second side opposite the first side and defined as an exit side, a stator having a substantially cylindrical shape carried by the main body and integrally formed therewith, the stator including a plurality of stator blades, and a rotor having a substantially cylindrical shape that is moveably connected to the stator and carried by the main body, the rotor including a plurality of rotor blades, and a rotation mechanism mounted to the main body and connected to a portion of the rotor to move the rotor between an opened position and a closed position, the method comprising:
 moving the rotor from the opened position to the closed position responsive to a signal received by a controller in communication with the rotor to restrict fluid flow through the damper; and   moving the rotor from the closed position to the opened position responsive to a signal received by the controller to allow fluid flow through the damper;   wherein the opened position of the rotor is defined as a substantially flat bottom of each of the plurality of stator blades being aligned with a substantially flat bottom of each of the plurality of rotor blades to allow fluid to flow through the main body;   wherein the stator and the rotor are carried by the main body so that fluid flows through the main body substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat bottoms of each of plurality of rotor blades and each of the plurality of stator blades so that fluid flows through a channel formed by alignment of the substantially flat bottoms of each of the plurality of stator blades and each of the plurality of rotor blades when the rotor is in the opened position;   wherein the closed position is defined as each of the plurality of stator blades being offset from each of the plurality of rotor blades to restrict the flow of fluid through the main body.   wherein the plurality of rotor blades and the plurality of stator blades are spaced between about 2 and 10 degrees apart.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the stator is integrally formed with the main body. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the rotor is in communication with a controller; and further comprising moving the rotor between opened position and the closed position responsive to a signal received by the controller. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the signal received by the controller to control the position of the rotor is based on at least one of: temperature in a room, fluid flow in a room, occupancy level of a room and time of day. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein some of the fluid passes through the main body when the rotor is in the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein each of the plurality of rotor blades and each of the plurality of stator blades comprise a triangular shape; and wherein the triangular shape of each of the plurality of rotor blades and stator blades is defined by the substantially flat bottom that extends to a pointed top. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein each of the plurality of rotor blades and each of the plurality of stator blades have shape defined by a flat bottom that extends upwardly to a narrower top having an arcuate shape. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the rotor is spaced apart from the stator when fluid flow travels through the main body to form a fluid bearing.