Abstract: The cooler apparatus includes evaporative elements which are liquid absorbent plates formed of compressed fibers defining capillary channels and pores, for drawing up water within the plates and evaporating the liquid from the surface of the plates, with a plurality of absorbent plates and contacting adjacent plates, the spacing between adjacent plates being thereby determined by the thickness of the spacer members. Another currently preferred aspect of the invention a mechanism for providing the evaporative liquid to at least an upper portion of the plurality of plates, so that this portion which typically dries out can remain uniformly wetted, to thereby prolong the life and efficiency of the absorbent plates.

Abstract: Cooling apparatus comprising an air humidifying element defining a plurality of liquid pathways and a plurality of parallel air pathways intersecting and communicating with the plurality of liquid pathways and apparatus for applying a pressure gradient across the plurality of parallel air pathways and, in another embodiment, air conditioning apparatus comprising a housing defining an inlet and an outlet, apparatus located within the housing for providing passage of air between the inlet and the outlet, apparatus located within the housing, upstream of the outlet, for cooling air passed between the inlet and the outlet and apparatus located within the housing for raising the relative humidity of the air passed between the inlet and the outlet, the apparatus for raising the relative humidity comprising an air humidifying element defining a plurality of liquid pathways and a plurality of parallel air pathways intersecting and communicating with the plurality of liquid pathways.