Airfoil batts for air intake of a compressor housing

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a housing for an air compressor system. A vent region is associated with the housing to permit cooling air flow to enter and attenuate noise output from the housing. A batt carrier is positioned proximate the vent region. A plurality of airfoil shaped batts are positioned within the batt carrier to reduce airflow turbulence and provide sound suppression capability.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A housing for a compressor comprising:
 a top wall;   a bottom wall;   one or more side walls extending between the top wall and the bottom wall;   a vent region formed in one of the top, bottom or side walls;   a batt carrier associated with the vent region; and   a plurality of airfoil batts positioned within the batt carrier.   
     
     
         2 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein the airfoil batts are positioned in a column with a space between each adjacent pair of airfoil batts. 
     
     
         3 . The housing of  claim 2 , wherein the airfoil batts are positioned in two or more columns within the batt carrier. 
     
     
         4 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein the airfoil batts are formed from a sound suppression material. 
     
     
         5 . The housing of  claim 4 , wherein the sound suppression material includes a fiberglass core and an outer fabric wrap. 
     
     
         6 . The housing of  claim 2 , wherein a location of airfoil batts are movable and the space between adjacent airfoils is variable. 
     
     
         7 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein a pitch angle of the airfoil batts is variable. 
     
     
         8 . The housing of  claim 1  further comprising a rod connected to a column of airfoil batts. 
     
     
         9 . The housing of  claim 1  further comprising one of a fan or a blower in fluid communication with the vent region of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein an area of a top surface of the airfoil batts is different from an area of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         11 . An inlet for a compressor housing comprising:
 a batt carrier having a top wall, bottom wall and opposing side walls;   opposing batt receiving slots extending from each of the side walls of the batt carrier; and   an airfoil shaped batt corrected with the opposing receiving slots of the carrier.   
     
     
         12 . The inlet of  claim 11 , wherein the batt carrier includes a plurality of receiving slots extending along each of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         13 . The inlet of  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of airfoil shaped batts positioned in a column within the plurality of receiving slots on the carrier. 
     
     
         14 . The inlet of  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of airfoil shaped batts positioned in two or more columns within the plurality of receiving slots on the carrier. 
     
     
         15 . The inlet of  claim 11 , wherein each airfoil shaped batt is formed from a noise suppression material. 
     
     
         16 . The inlet of  claim 11  further comprising a fan or blower in fluid communication with inlet of the compressor housing. 
     
     
         17 . The inlet of  claim 11 , wherein the pitch angle of the airfoil shaped batt is variable relative to the inlet. 
     
     
         18 . The inlet of  claim 11 , wherein the space between adjacent airfoil shaped batts is variable. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 positioning a batt carrier having a plurality of airfoil batts within an inlet region of a housing;   flowing airflow through openings between adjacent airfoil batts;   cooling internal portions of the housing with the airflow; and   suppressing noise emitted through the inlet region with the airfoil batts.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the airfoil batts are formed with sound suppression material.