TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a portable air fan, or air cooler, measurement tool that measures air flow and air temperature.

BACKGROUND

Air fans, or air coolers, are generally utilized in production facilities to keep air moving, remove hot air, and reduce perceived temperature therein. There are usually a large number of air fans installed in large production facilities, and each air fan is larger than standard fans and designed for moving high volumes of hot air more effectively. These air fans may be installed at various locations, e.g., on the ceiling above the production facility, or under a factory floor below the production facility, to remove heat.

According to industry standards, it is required to routinely measure the air fans' performance by reading the air flow and air temperature close to the air fan. The current approach of the air fan measurement is to manually extend a thermo-anemometer to a location that is above or below the air fan. The measurement on each location may take up to 30 seconds and needs to be repeated for 2-3 times for an averaged reading. In addition, an operator needs to move the thermo-anemometer to various measurement locations per fan quadrant to repeat the measurement as required. This measurement is also requested to be taken at specific locations that are within concentric circles about a center of the air fan, therefore the accuracy of the measurement results is dependent on the skill and endurance of the operator. Further, considering the periods of time needed for each measurement, the repetition of measurements at each location, the various measurement locations on each air fan, and the number of air fans in each production facility, holding the measurement instrument stationary may be challenging for the operator and lead to risk of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Moreover, the operator may need to stand on uneven surfaces to approach the air fans that are hard to reach, leading to the operator being directly exposed to hot air streams in some cases. Thus, expediting the measurement process can be beneficial to the operator and data integrity in multiple ways.

Therefore, a portable air fan measurement tool that helps measure air flow and air temperature at various locations close to the air fan and that is configured to deliver repeatable and accurate measurement results is desirable.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates generally to measuring air flow and air temperature using a portable air fan measurement tool. In an example embodiment, a portable air fan measurement tool includes a base comprising a magnet, the magnet being configured to attach the base to an air fan ring of an air fan, wherein blades of the air fan rotate in an air fan plane. Further, the portable air fan measurement tool includes a vertical support having a first end configured to engage the base, wherein the vertical support is disposed adjacent to the air fan ring when the base is attached to the air fan ring. The portable air fan measurement tool also includes an angular support having a first end configured to engage the vertical support and a horizontal support having a first end configured to engage a second end of the angular support. Moreover, the portable air fan measurement tool includes a boom having a first end that is configured to engage a second end of the vertical support and a second end of the horizontal support, the boom having a major length with a longitudinal axis passing along the major length, wherein the longitudinal axis extends across the air fan plane when the base is attached to the air fan ring. Lastly, the portable air fan measurement tool includes a plurality of air fan measurement devices that are disposed on the boom, each of the plurality of air fan measurement devices including an anemometer configured to measure an air flow generated by the air fan and a thermometer configured to measure a temperature of the air flow, wherein the plurality of air fan measurement devices are adjusted to be parallel to the air fan plane.

In another example embodiment, a method of operating an air fan measurement tool includes assembling a boom by connecting a plurality of segments and attaching a plurality of air fan measurement devices to the boom. The method also includes attaching a base to an air fan ring of an air fan, wherein blades of the air fan rotate in an air fan plane, and attaching a vertical support to the base, attaching an angular support and a horizontal support to the vertical support, and connecting the angular support and the horizontal support, respectively. Further, the method includes installing the boom by attaching the boom to the vertical support and the horizontal support, the boom having a major length with a longitudinal axis passing along the major length. Moreover, the method includes adjusting the horizontal support and the angular support to orient the boom such that the longitudinal axis extends across the air fan plane and adjusting the plurality of the air fan measurement devices to be parallel to the air fan plane. Lastly, the method includes powering on the plurality of air fan measurement devices to measure air flows generated by the air fan and temperatures of the air flows.

These and other aspects, objects, features, and embodiments will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

