FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; Rule 13)
TITLE
“EFFECTIVE WATER DISTRIBUTION IN AIR COOLER”
APPLICANT
Symphony Limited,
Symphony House, FP 12, TP 50,
Off. S.G. Highway, Bodakdev,
Ahmedabad - 380 054,
Gujarat, India.
The following specification describes the invention
EFFECTIVE WATER DISTRIBUTION IN AIR COOLER
FIELD OF INVENTION:
The present invention generally relates to an evaporative air cooler wherein uniform water distribution over cooling pads is secured for uniform wetting by the use of a novel and specialized water distribution system, primarily towards achieving higher cooling efficiency, less salt deposit and higher useful life of the cooling pads. More particularly this invention relates to an evaporative air cooler in which the water distribution is uniformly achieved over the entire width of the pads. Furthermore, this invention relates to an evaporative air cooler wherein such uniform water distribution is achieved irrespective of the pumped water flow rate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
The principles of evaporative air cooling have been exploited for several decades by people of many countries to obtain relief from uncomfortably warm environments. Air coolers are more effective in dry, hot and tropical locations. Present day air coolers typically comprise of a body, a water tank, fibre pads (of different possible materials), air moving device (axial or centrifugal or cross flow fans) and water circulation system. A motorized air moving device mounted within the body of the air cooler — with fibre pads on at least one of the sides of the air cooler — blows the cool air from the air outlet (usually at front or top of the air cooler). The loosely woven fibres of the fibre pads are made of hay or cellulose. In case when fibre pads are made of hay, hay wool is filled in the cotton net of the fibre pad and in the case when fibre pads are made of cellulose, the fibre pad consist of paper and special adhesive with multiple layer of corrugated paper arranged in honeycomb manner. The fibres of the pads are kept wet, throughout the functioning of the evaporative air cooler, using a conventional water distribution system— usually a pipe or a channel with several holes to drip water.
Such water distribution pipe or channel is fed at one point (usually one of the end points of the channel or at mid-point of the channel) and then water flows down across the channel / pipe and drips over cooling pads at several hole-locations.
Problems associated with the prior art:
(i) As water passes through the water distributing pipe/channel, it drips on the cooling pads from the holes on its flow path. After every hole, the flow rate of water drops and hence, the water quantity dripping from every subsequent hole is marginally lesser than that from its previous hole. Least water drips from the farthest hole.
(ii) In order to achieve uniform wetting, one would need to reduce pitch distance between the adjacent holes. In above case of Para (i) also, the quantity of water gets divided amongst more number of holes, the holes size has to be made smaller to ensure same overall water flow to the cooling pad. Smaller the size of holes, greater is the chances of clogging due to salt and dust in water present inside the air-cooler body and its tank. Hence, MTBS (Mean Time Between Servicing of water distribution system) is reduced.
(iii) Even with all that care, the uniform wetting of the cooling pads is not achieved in the coolers of the prior art. As a result, the entire surface area of the pads does not participate in evaporative cooling and hence the overall evaporative cooling efficiency of the air cooler is reduced.
(iv) Because of non-uniform distribution of the water, some areas of the pads are fed with much higher quantities of water than required for evaporation. These areas are susceptible to faster salt deposits and clogging. Again, hence, the MTBS (Mean Time Between Servicing of pads) is reduced.
Objects of the invention:
The object of the present invention is to propose such a water distribution means in an evaporative air cooler that it substantially eliminates/ alleviates the disadvantages in the prior art air coolers as mentioned here in above.
The main object of the invention is to provide improved water distribution means, particularly a water distribution tray and cover system thereof, for an evaporative air cooler whereby water flow to the cooler pad assembly is vastly improved and water distribution can be uniformly achieved over all pads and over all areas of the pads.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement where all pads are uniformly wetted and thereby the clogging/ blockages in water distribution system is virtually eliminated and at the same time, the evaporative cooling efficiency of the air cooler improves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention generally discloses a water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler whereby water flow to the cooler pad assembly is vastly improved and the likelihood of blockages in water distribution system is virtually eliminated.
This is achieved by providing a specially calculated, analysed and designed water distribution tray and cover system thereof, which can be readily produced and accurately mounted at a particular position inside the body of the evaporative air cooler. The provision of such distribution tray and cover system in the evaporative air cooler also simplifies the assembly procedure involved therein and the assembly costs too.
The invention relates to an improved evaporative air cooler comprising a housing (body) including top panel, side panels, back panel, front panel, bottom panel, a cooler pad assembly adjacent to at least one of the side panels, a fan (axial or centrifugal or cross-flow) which in use – draws air through said cooler pad assembly, and a motor to operate said fan and said water pump.
The improvements as proposed in the instant invention include water distribution means comprising a tray-like water distribution member supported with respect to the said air cooler body, and having walls defining a plurality of outwardly extending water flow channels, and, a covered zone defining water inlet area, and, water flow channels radiating outwardly from the said water receiving area. Water flows from water inlet area to the water flow channels and then slides down the channels onto the cooling pads.
Preferably, the water distribution tray is provided with circumferentially spaced bosses that are arranged to align and engage in complementary shaped bosses in the one of
the body parts (top panel or side panel or back panel or front panel, or, control panel, or, some lid, or a combination thereof.) This facilitates the fitting of the water distribution tray during the assembly of the air cooler.
The air cooler of the present invention is designed to be used for the convenient cooling of any room or similarly enclosed or open space such as in a house, office, shop, warehouse, manufacturing location, process industry, assembly hall, restaurant etc.
The dimension of the water distribution tray and its various structural components may be increased/reduced and optimized depending upon certain factors, namely:
• the optimum water flow required towards wetting the evaporative pads;
• size of the evaporative air cooler and the total surface area of side panels mounted with the evaporative pads;
• the surface area of the top surface of the evaporative air cooler below which said water distribution tray is mounted; and
• the capacity of the water pump being used in the evaporative air cooler and the power consumption required for the said pump.
This invention offers the following advantages:
i. Separate water distributor channels
ii. Uniform water flow to each area of pads
iii. No clogging of water distribution channels
iv. Improved evaporative cooling efficiency of cooling pads
v. Less clogging (salt deposit) on cooling pads
vi. Uniform water distribution under any circumstances, irrespective of the water flow quantities provided by the pump.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein the same numerals are used to denote the same parts. However, it is made
clear that the description and the drawings only illustrate the invention and in no way limit the same.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the air cooler in its assembled form;
Figure 2 is an exploded schematic view of the evaporative air cooler, illustrating main structural and functional components thereof;
Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of the water distribution tray;
Figure 4 is an isometric view of the water distribution tray, as shown in figure 3; and
Figure 5 is an underneath perspective view of the top panel of the evaporative air cooler.
In the most preferred embodiment of the evaporative air cooler 10 proposed herein and illustrated with the help of accompanying drawings, that is from Figure 1 to Figure 5, it comprises an evaporative air-cooler body 11 which itself comprises four side panel, namely front panel 12, back side panel 13, left side panel 14 and right side panel 15. The cooler body 11 comprises a top panel 16 and base tank 17. Front side panel 12 is provisioned for mounting air outlets towards supply of cool air and rest of the side panels 13, 14 and 15 are provisioned for mounting of evaporation pads. Adjacent to the back side panel 13, there is located a pad assembly 18 comprising an evaporative pad 19 containing a fibrous absorbent material which is arranged to provide a large surface area for evaporation of the water, running downwardly there through. The fan 20 (axial or centrifugal or cross flow fans) which includes optional mms 21 and fan motor 22. There is assembly of the water pump 23 for pumping water from the base tank 17 to a certain height near the top panel 16 so that the water flows onto all the areas of evaporative pads 19 under gravity. The basic schematic assembly plan for an evaporative air cooler 10 is depicted in FIG. 2.
A tray-like water-distributing member 24 is located above the optional mms 21 and in this embodiment, the member 24, which includes a partly curved peripheral edge 28. The tray-like member 24 basically comprises two portions, Water receiving inlet aperture 25 centrally located thereon, and a series of open-ended radially outwardly extending water flow channels 26. The channels 26 are defined by upper surface
portions of the base wall 27 of the tray-like member 24 and the side walls of spaced upstanding ribs 28 integrally formed with the base wall 27 and which extend from the area of water receiving area 25 to the peripheral edge 28 of the tray-like member 24. In this embodiment portion 29 of the central water receiving area is flat whilst portion 30 slopes slightly downwards away from the water receiving area 25 and merges smoothly into the bottoms of the water flow channels 26 which are also thus designed to slop slightly downwardly away from said water receiving area 25.Preferably, each of the water flow channel 26, at the peripheral edge 28 of the tray like member 24 is provided with sufficient opening or slit for water discharge onto the evaporative pads 19.
The spacing between adjacent ribs 31 at their radially inner ends should be sufficiently wide such that foreign matter entrained in the water can pass there through without causing blockage. In this embodiment, to further assist in minimising blockage, alternate ribs 31 terminate at their radially inner ends a slight distance shorter with respect to the adjacent ribs and have their ends sloped to form ramp surfaces.
The water which is circulated through the cooler unit 10 by means of the pump 23 is pumped up from the water tank 17 located at the base of the cooler body 11 through the pump outlet 32 into a conduit 33 which is connected to an inlet nipple 34 located on the underside of the tray like member 24 and approximately centrally of the water receiving area 25. Water is thus introduced at approximately the centre of the water receiving area 25 from where it flows equally into the water flow channels 26 which in this embodiment are positioned around the circumference of the water receiving area 25 through an angle of approximately 250°. The remaining circumferential portion of the water receiving area 25 is bordered by the upstanding flange 35. At the radially outer end of each water flow channel 26, there are provided a pair of spaced elongate protrusions 36 which constitute deflector elements so arranged that water which flows outwardly along the channels will be distributed into the fibrous absorbent material in a uniform manner.
As the fan 20 (axial or centrifugal or cross flow fans) draws more air at the rear of the body 11 than at the sides thereof, the need for a larger volume supply of water at the rear is greater than at the sides. Thus, more water runs down through the pad 19 in
the centre region thereof (where air intake is greater) than through the side regions of the pad 19.
The water distribution tray 24 is readily fitted in position by engaging bosses 38, which are integrally formed on the upper surface 39 of the tray 24 within bosses 40 formed on the under surface of the top panel 16 of the cooler body 11. This enables the water distribution tray to be also accurately located.
So that water pumped up through the conduit 33 into the water receiving area 25 and hit water distribution cap 37 flows uniformly into the mouths of the channels 26, in this embodiment a circular water distribution cap 37 is centrally formed on the tray 24, the size of the water distribution cap 37 having a diameter/ any shape which is approximately lesser to the diameter/ any shape of the water receiving area 25 on the water distribution tray 24. When assembled, the depending water distribution cap 37 on the top surface of tray 24 neatly fits over and surrounds the area 25 of the water tray 24. In use, water is pumped up from the tank 17 at the base of the cooler body 11, passes into the chamber defined by the upper surface of the receiving area 25 and the inner surface of the water distribution cap 37 and impinges against the water distribution cap 37 upper end formed by the under surface of the water distribution cap 37 and in turn flows into the water flow channels 26.
In this embodiment, the water distribution tray is injection moulded from plastics material; however, any other suitable noncorrosive material would be suitable.
A brief consideration of the above embodiment will indicate that the invention is simple but provides improved means for distributing the water into the fibrous absorbent material of the evaporative pad, with minimum likelihood of blockage. Furthermore, with this invention, the likelihood of unevaporated water being entrained in the air stream and blown through the fan (axial or centrifugal or cross flow fans) out through the louvered front panel into the room interior is greatly minimised — a problem which is common to many prior art evaporative air coolers. The invention provides an evaporative aircooler the efficiency of which is much higher than that of prior art units.
In addition to the above mentioned embodiments, it is to be understood that various modifications and alterations with regard to the types of the materials used, their
method of joining together, and the attachments, and, the shape of the air cooler, the structure of the air cooler, the shapes / dimensions / orientations of the components as describes, the absence of certain optional components as described, and/or function may be made to the disclosed embodiments by one skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined by the claims. Accordingly, the above disclosure is not to be considered as limiting and the appended claims are to be interpreted as encompassing the entire spirit and scope of the invention.
WE CLAIM
1) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler 10; wherein said water distribution means comprises a tray like water distribution member 24 and a cover system thereof, mounted under the top surface 16 of said cooler 10; wherein said water distribution means is characterized in effective and uniform water flow to the evaporative pads 19 mounted on all three side panels 13, 14 and 15 of the said cooler 10.
2) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tray like water distribution member 24 comprises a covered central zone defining water receiving area 25, with the circular water distribution cap 37, and plurality of water flow channels 26 radiating outwardly from the said water receiving area 25upto the peripheral edge 28 of said tray like member 24; wherein said water receiving area 25is centrally located on the said tray 24 with the water inlet nipple 34 therein and receives water coming from the pump 23, connected vide conduit 33.
3) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the channels 26 are defined by upper surface portions of the base wall 27 of the tray-like member 24 and, vertical ribs 31, and the side walls of spaced upstanding ribs 28, integrally formed with the base wall 27 and which extend from said water receiving area 25 to the peripheral edge 28 of the tray-like member 24.
4) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tray 24 comprises the water distribution cap 37 formed and locating over said water receiving area 25 so as to form there with a chamber into which water pumped upwardly through said water inlet, flows before entering said water flow channels 26, said water receiving area 25 and said water distribution cap 37 being circular/semi circular in shape and the dimensions of each of which being approximately the same or lesser than water receiving area.
5) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein in one preferred embodiment of said water distribution means, the central water receiving area 25 is provisioned with a flat region 29, and wherein portion 30 slopes slightly downwards away from the water receiving area 25
and merges smoothly into the bottoms of the water flow channels 26 which are also thus designed to slop slightly downwardly away from said water receiving area 25.
6) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein in one preferred embodiment of said water distribution means, the spacing between adjacent ribs 31, at their radially inner ends, is sufficiently wide such that foreign matter entrained in the water can pass there through without causing blockage; and herein in this preferred embodiment towards minimising the possibility of blockage at the openings of water flow channels 26, alternate ribs 31 terminate at their radially inner ends, a slight distance shorter with respect to the adjacent ribs and having their ends sloped to form ramp surfaces.
7) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein in one preferred embodiment of said water distribution means circular water distribution cap 37 is centrally formed on the tray 24, the size of the water distribution cap 37 having a diameter/ any shape which is approximately lesser to the diameter/ any shape of the water receiving area 25 on the water distribution tray 24.
8) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water distribution tray 24 is provisioned for readily fitted in position by engaging bosses 38, which are integrally formed on the upper surface 39 of the tray 24 within bosses 40 formed on the under surface of the top panel 16 of the cooler body 11, enabling the water distribution tray 24 to be accurately located therein.
9) An evaporative air cooler 10 comprising of a housing 11 having a water storage chamber 17 connected to the said housing, an evaporative cooling media (13, 14, 15), a pump 23 to circulate water from said water storage chamber to the said evaporative cooling media, means to blow out air from within the said housing characterized in that the said air cooler comprises a housing having a water storage chamber 17, a pump 23 to circulate water using water distribution system 24 to, on and over the evaporative cooling media.
10) An evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 9, wherein the water feeding to the evaporative pads 19 is done through the tray-like water distribution member 24 so as to uniformly wet the pad surface; wherein said water feeding to the evaporative pads 19 is characterized in a tray 24 comprising of water inlet
section and water distribution and guide channels/walls running radially out from a water inlet section of the tray.
11) An evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 9, wherein in one preferred embodiment of said water distribution means said tray-like water distributing member 24 has circumferentially spaced bosses 38 in complementary shaped bosses integrally formed on the underside of other parts of the housing (like either top panel, or side panel, or front panel, or back panel or control panel, or various combinations thereof).
12) Water distribution means for an evaporative air cooler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the tray-like water distribution member 24 for an evaporative air cooler 10is moulded of plastics material or is produced using other suitable non-corrosive material and process.