Refrigeration – Material cooling means including gas-liquid contactor – Fluid recirculating means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-05
2001-01-30
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Material cooling means including gas-liquid contactor
Fluid recirculating means
C062S315000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178767
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the cooling of hot dry air by indirect or direct means, or a combination thereof, employing a compact apparatus which efficiently utilizes the capacity of dry air to evaporate water.
Evaporative coolers have been employed for many years to cool air in homes, farm buildings, commercial buildings, industrial buildings and to provide spot cooling. For example, spot evaporative coolers are sold commercially to cool air in workshops, garages, greenhouses, etc. The technology and apparatuses now available are described in Chapter 19 of ASHRAE's 1996 HVAC Systems and Equipment book and in Chapter 47 of ASHRAE's 1995 HVAC Applications book. A study of these references discloses that indirect cooling devices always are separated from direct cooling devices and these devices may be interconnected by air ducting to achieve desired synergistic cooling effects.
The process of evaporative cooling exchanges the latent heat of water for the sensible heat of air and, consequently, is environmentally benign. The mechanical energy that must be provided for this exchange is a small fraction of the energy required in the more conventional vapor compression devices for an equivalent amount of cooling. Evaporative cooling, however, is only effective as a stand-alone device in approximately one-half the land area of the world, wherein the dry bulb temperatures are 95° F. or higher and the concomitant wet bulb temperatures are 70° F. or lower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The compact rotary evaporative cooler of this invention includes a hollow case mounting a rotor having a partition which divides the case longitudinally into a wetted-heat transfer surface chamber and a nonwetted-heat transfer surface chamber. An annular array of Perkins tubes is mounted longitudinally on the rotor for rotation therewith, and each tube extends through the partition with the evaporation section extending into the nonwetted chamber and the condensing end section extending into the wetted chamber. Each Perkins tube conductively mounts a plurality of longitudinally spaced, circumferential, heat conductive fins. A first inlet port introduces hot, dry outside air into the wetted chamber of the case and a first outlet port vents cooled but humidified air from the wetted chamber. A second inlet port introduces room or other compartment space or outside air into the nonwetted chamber and a second outlet port vents cooled air from the nonwetted chamber for controlled mixing with the vented air from the first outlet port for delivery to the space to be conditioned. A water reservoir and pump supplies water mist into the wetted chamber of the case for wetting the finned heat transfer surfaces in the wetted chamber.
It is the principal objective of this invention to provide a compact rotary evaporative cooler which can be easily integrated into applications where space and energy are at a premium.
Another objective of this invention is the provision of a compact rotary evaporative cooler of the class described having the ability to control the humidity of the cooled air to accommodate the varying preferences of occupants in conditioned spaces.
Still another objective of this invention is to provide a compact rotary evaporative cooler that is capable of providing cooling at a minimum expenditure of mechanical energy and, thereby, reduce the carbon dioxide burden in the atmosphere.
A further objective of this invention is the provision of a compact rotary evaporative cooler that functions without environmentally hazardous refrigerants and associated compression equipment.
A still further objective of this invention is to provide a compact rotary evaporative cooler of the class described that is of simplified construction for economical manufacture, maintenance and repair.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4000778 (1977-01-01), Laing
patent: 4020898 (1977-05-01), Grover
patent: 4381817 (1983-05-01), Brigida et al.
patent: 4405013 (1983-09-01), Okamoto
patent: 4640347 (1987-02-01), Grover et al.
patent: 5722251 (1998-03-01), Nabiulin et al.
Doerrler William
Jones Melvin
Olson and Olson
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