US 11,884,128 B2
Fan stator construction to minimize axial depth
Richie C. Stauter, Fayetteville, NY (US)
Assigned to CARRIER CORPORATION, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
Filed by Carrier Corporation, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
Filed on Nov. 27, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/201,463.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/599,859, filed on Dec. 18, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0184785 A1, Jun. 20, 2019
Int. Cl. B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60H 1/32 (2006.01); F04D 29/54 (2006.01); F04D 19/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60H 1/00464 (2013.01) [B60H 1/3226 (2013.01); B60H 1/3229 (2013.01); B60H 1/3232 (2013.01); F04D 19/002 (2013.01); F04D 29/542 (2013.01); F04D 29/547 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transport refrigeration unit for use with a transport trailer comprising:
a structural framework mountable to a wall of the transport trailer;
a condenser heat exchanger unit mounted to the structural framework;
an evaporator housing separated from the condenser heat exchanger by a distance; and
at least one condenser fan assembly positioned aft of the condenser heat exchanger unit and forward of the evaporator housing, the at least one condenser fan assembly including:
a fan rotor defining an inlet end of the at least one condenser fan assembly, the fan rotor being rotatable about a fan axis;
a casing extending downstream from the fan rotor relative to an airflow and defining an outlet end of the at least one condenser fan assembly, wherein a flow path of the airflow between the inlet end and the outlet end is arranged parallel to the fan axis, the casing having a central opening and the fan rotor being arranged within the central opening, wherein the casing is radially offset from the fan rotor, the casing including:
a cylindrical shroud frame having an upstream surface and a downstream surface opposite the upstream surface, the upstream surface being positioned closer to the inlet end than the outlet end;
a plurality of circumferentially spaced pylons extending perpendicularly from the downstream surface of the shroud frame, the plurality of pylons being integrally formed at a first end with the downstream surface of the cylindrical shroud frame, wherein a width of the plurality of pylons measured in a plane oriented perpendicular to the fan axis varies over an axial length of the plurality of pylons measured parallel to the fan axis; and
a plurality of openings defined between adjacent pylons of the plurality of pylons, wherein a portion of the airflow moving through the at least one condenser fan assembly is expelled from the fan rotor radially via the plurality of openings; and
a plurality of guide vanes arranged downstream from the fan rotor and the plurality of pylons with respect to the airflow, each of the plurality of guide vanes having a first end connected to a distal end of a respective pylon of the plurality of pylons such that the first end of the plurality of guide vanes is axially offset from the downstream surface of the cylindrical shroud frame, wherein the guide vanes are configured to straighten the airflow.