Systems and Methods for a Conditioned Air Vestibule

Abstract

A conditioned air vestibule can be positioned between a first zone and a second zone. The conditioned air vestibule can include a frame having first and second lateral side walls, a header positioned at the top of the frame, a blower, and an air flow assembly. The air flow assembly can include an exhaust panel having a plurality of exhaust ports. The plurality of exhaust ports can be in fluid communication with an interior of the frame and can provide a variable flow capacity that increases along a height of the exhaust panel from a top of the frame toward a bottom of the frame.

1 . A conditioned air vestibule configured to be positioned between a first zone and a second zone, the vestibule comprising:
 a frame having first and second lateral side walls;   a header positioned at a top of the frame and extending between the first and second lateral side walls;   a blower having a blower outlet;   an airflow assembly having an exhaust panel with a plurality of exhaust ports, the plurality of exhaust ports in fluid communication with an interior of the frame and increasing in flow capacity along a length of the exhaust panel from proximate the top of the frame toward a bottom of the frame; and   an air passage in fluid communication with the blower outlet and the airflow assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of exhaust ports are arranged within a tapered periphery, the tapered periphery defining a narrowed end adjacent to the top of the frame and a wide end adjacent to the bottom of the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow assembly is a first airflow assembly, and the conditioned air vestibule further comprises a second airflow assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 3 , wherein the second airflow assembly includes a plurality of exhaust ports arranged in a different geometry than the first airflow assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow assembly forms at least one of the first and second lateral side walls. 
     
     
         6 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 1 , wherein the blower is housed within the header and configured to provide heated forced air flow through the exhaust ports. 
     
     
         7 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 6 , wherein the header includes an air intake in fluid communication with the blower. 
     
     
         8 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 7 , wherein the air intake is in fluid communication with an interior of the vestibule. 
     
     
         9 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 1 , wherein the air passage is in fluid communication with the header. 
     
     
         10 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 1 , wherein the flow capacity of the exhaust ports increases linearly. 
     
     
         11 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of exhaust ports define geometries that vary along the length of the exhaust panel. 
     
     
         12 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 11 , wherein certain exhaust ports of the plurality of exhaust ports nearer to the bottom of the frame are conical. 
     
     
         13 . The conditioned air vestibule of  claim 1 , wherein a density of the plurality of exhaust ports increases in discrete zones defined between the top and the bottom of the frame. 
     
     
         14 . An airflow assembly for a conditioned air vestibule, the airflow assembly comprising:
 an exterior frame member;   a bottom plate;   an exhaust panel configured to be secured relative to the exterior frame member; and   an air passage formed between the exterior frame member, the bottom plate, and the exhaust panel,   the exhaust panel including an exhaust port structured to provide increasing fluid communication along the exhaust panel between the air passage and an interior of the conditioned air vestibule.   
     
     
         15 . The airflow assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a top bracket opposite the exterior frame member from the bottom plate and configured to be secured to a header of the airflow assembly, the top bracket defining an opening in fluid communication with the air passage. 
     
     
         16 . The airflow assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the exhaust port comprises a plurality of exhaust ports arranged in a progressive ventilation pattern to provide an airflow gradient along the exhaust panel. 
     
     
         17 . The airflow assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a blower in fluid communication with the air passage and configured to provide forced air through the air passage, and
 wherein the blower is in fluid communication with an air intake disposed at a top of the conditioned air vestibule.   
     
     
         18 . The airflow assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the exhaust port comprises a plurality of exhaust ports disposed within a tapered periphery, the tapered periphery defining a narrowed end adjacent to a top of the of the conditioned air vestibule and a wide end adjacent to a bottom of the conditioned air vestibule. 
     
     
         19 . A method of conditioning air in a vestibule positioned between first and second zones capable of different ambient conditions, the method comprising:
 intaking air from an interior of the vestibule into a header of the vestibule;   conditioning the air;   forcing the conditioned air through an air passageway; and   exhausting the conditioned air through an exhaust port formed in an exhaust panel and in fluid communication with the air passageway, the exhaust port defines an increasing air flow capacity from an upper end toward a lower end.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the exhaust port comprises multiple exhaust ports arranged in a progressive ventilation pattern to provide an air flow gradient to the interior of the vestibule so that a higher volume of air is exhausted through the multiple exhaust ports closer to a bottom of the vestibule than a top of the vestibule.