Refrigeration – Material cooling means including gas-liquid contactor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-24
2001-12-25
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Material cooling means including gas-liquid contactor
C062S314000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332332
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an evaporative air conditioner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
The present invention relates particularly to an evaporative air conditioner that conforms to the roof-line of a house.
Conventional domestic air conditioners comprise:
(i) a housing defined by side walls, a base, and a top wall, with one or more of the side walls comprising water absorbent porous panels;
(ii) a water distribution system to supply water to the panels;
(iii) a fan for drawing air into the housing via the panels such that the air is cooled via heat exchange with water in the panels; and
(iv) an outlet for discharging cooled air from the housing into ductwork for distributing the cooled air.
Conventional domestic air conditioners are usually roof-mounted, with the housing being supported well above the roof-line by means of a hollow dropper tube which also defines part of the ductwork for supplying cooled air to a house. The positioning of the housing wall above the roof-line makes the conventional domestic air conditioners a prominent feature of houses that, in many instances, detracts from the overall appearance of houses and is an adverse factor on marketing of conventional air conditioners.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a roof-mounted evaporative air conditioner which is not as prominent as conventional domestic roof-mounted air conditioners.
According to the present invention there is provided a roof-mounted evaporative air conditioner which includes:
(a) a housing defined by:
(i) a base which conforms to the pitch of the roof and includes an outlet for air to flow from the housing into ductwork;
(ii) a plurality of vertical side walls, with at least one side wall including a water absorbent panel that defines an inlet for air to flow into the housing; and
(iii) a top wall;
(b) a water distribution system for supplying water to the panel(s); and
(c) a fan assembly for drawing air into the housing via the panel(s) so that the air is cooled by evaporating water in the panel(s).
The present invention is based on the realisation that forming an evaporative air conditioner having a housing with a base that conforms generally to the pitch of a roof and side walls that extend vertically when the air conditioner is mounted to the roof makes the air conditioner compatible with and not a prominent feature of the roof. In particular, the present invention makes it possible to minimize the spacing of the top wall of the housing above the roof.
It is preferred that the base be located on or a short distance only above the roof-line of the roof.
It is preferred that the top wall of the housing be generally horizontal.
It is preferred that the base include a generally wave-like configuration when viewed in side elevation, with a convex lower section, a concave middle section, and a convex upper section. The applicant has found that the wave-like configuration enables the base to match closely a range of different roof pitches.
It is preferred that the air conditioner includes a collar which is connected to the roof and defines a support for the housing and other components of the air conditioner and a transition between the outlet of the housing and the ductwork.
It is preferred particularly that the collar be mounted to the roof frame.
It is preferred particularly that the collar be at least substantially located below the roof-line.
It is preferred that the air conditioner includes a suspension system for suspending the housing and other components of the air conditioner in position above the roof-line.
It is preferred particularly that the suspension system be mounted to the collar.
It is preferred that the suspension system includes:
(i) a support arm extending upwardly from the collar to each upper corner section of the housing; and
(ii) a suspension member extending downwardly from the upper section of each corner and connected to the base.
It is preferred that the air conditioner further includes a brace element extending between the collar and the lower end of each suspension arm.
The applicant has found that positioning support members, suspension arms, and brace members to form a plurality of triangular assemblies results in a particularly effective support structure.
It is preferred that the water distribution system includes a water trough formed in a lower section of the base.
It is preferred that the water distribution system includes a water distribution tray positioned in an upper section of the housing and arranged to distribute water to the panel(s).
It is preferred that the water distribution system further include a means for pumping water from the water trough to the water distribution tray.
It is preferred that the water distribution system be adapted to supply different flow rates of water to each panel. This is an important feature in a situation where the air conditioner comprises panels in the upper and lower side walls of the housing so as to enable the water supply to the panels to be adjusted to take into account the different sizes of the panels.
According to the present invention there is also provided an evaporative air conditioner for mounting to a roof of a house, which air conditioner is characterised by a housing having a base which is adapted to conform to the pitch of the roof and a plurality of side walls adapted to extend vertically when the air conditioner is positioned on the roof, with at least one side wall including a water absorbent porous panel that defines an inlet for air to flow into the housing.
It is preferred that the housing further includes a top wall that is adapted to extend horizontally when the air conditioner is positioned on the roof.
It is preferred that the base includes a generally wave-like configuration when viewed in side elevation, with a convex lower section, a concave middle section, and a convex upper section.
It is preferred that the air conditioner further includes a water distribution system.
It is preferred particularly that the water distribution system includes:
(i) a water trough formed in a lower section of the base;
(ii) a water distribution tray positioned in a upper section of the housing for supplying water onto an upper edge of the panel(s); and
(iii) a means for pumping water from the water trough to the water distribution tray.
It is preferred that the base include an outlet for air to flow from the housing into ductwork.
It is preferred that the air conditioner further includes a collar for supporting the housing and other components of the air conditioner which is adapted to be connected to the roof frame of the house and to define a transition between the outlet in the base and the ductwork.
It is preferred that the air conditioner further includes a fan for drawing into the housing via the side wall panel(s) and for discharging air from the housing via the outlet.
It is preferred that the fan be mounted to the collar.
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“Essick Evaporative Air Cooling Handbook,” Austalia, 1967.
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Brochure, New? Jul-Air Round Fibreglass Evaporative Cooler (Essick Air Products Inc.), Austrilia, Jun. 1982.
Dr. John R. Watt, “Evaporative Air Conditioning Handbook,” 3ndEd., Australia, 1986.
Brochure,“Coolbreeze Natural Airconditioning,” Australia, 1992.
Brochure, “On Hot Balmy Summer Days and Nights, C
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis
Doerrler William
Jiang Chen-Wen
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