Abstract: A method and apparatus for conserving energy in the operation of a conventional air conditioning system in a large building employing a refrigerant evaporator, a water cooled refrigerant condenser, a refrigerant compressor, and a cooling tower, wherein the compressor is not energized, the condenser and evaporator are flooded with refrigerant from a reservoir, and the refrigerant from the reservoir is circulated between the condenser and the evaporator while the cooling tower is in operation.

Abstract: A counterflow evaporative heat exchanger comprises a vertical conduit in which a coil assembly is positioned. A fluid to be cooled or condensed passes through the coil assembly while water is sprayed downwardly over it and air is blown upwardly through it. The coil assembly comprises a plurality of tubes which at each level in the assembly are spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction by an amount greater than the diameter of the tubes. This has been found to improve heat transfer in comparison to counterflow evaporative heat exchangers using closely packed coil assemblies.

Abstract: An adiabatic process condensing unit is disclosed for incorporation in air conditioning systems operating in a non-conventional manner to achieve superior energy-saving results. The condensing coils wherein hot Freon gas from the compressor is cooled and condensed to provide liquid Freon for delivery to the evaporator is contained within a path for conducting cooling air therethrough. Prior to passing through the condensing coil, the cooling air is passed through an adiabatic pad wherein it is cooled to wet bulb temperature such that the condensing coil is cooled by wet bulb temperature air rather than ambient air. Additionally, the liquid Freon from the condensing coil is passed through a cooling coil submerged in wet bulb temperature water to provide additional cooling of the liquid Freon. In the preferred embodiment shown, the structure is designed to assure that all air passing through the condenser coil is at wet bulb temperature.

Abstract: The air-to-air split system or packaged heat pump system is used to heat and cool buildings. In the heating mode it extracts heat from the outside air for space heating. Heating and cooling with this type of heat pump is achieved by reversing the flow of refrigerant through the outdoor and indoor refrigerant coils. In the heating mode the outdoor coil acts as an evaporator and extracts heat from the air, the indoor coil acts as a condensor and gives off heat to the air handling system for the building. The reverse action takes place in the cooling mode. The operation of the reversing valve is controlled by a heating and cooling thermostat inside the building.This invention relates to the use of the described heat pump system in the heating mode in combination with the exhaust system for the building to extract heat from the building exhaust air, which is normally exhausted to the outside air without any heat removal.

Abstract: The basic structure is a solar radiation collector of the type having an enclosed cavity. A spray of water in this cavity is directed against a solar absorption sheet to heat the water. This structure may be used as a cooler by directing a flow of air through the cavity.

Abstract: Apparatus for attachment to an air conditioner condenser for applying a mist of water or other liquid to the coils and fins of the condenser to improve the heat transfer capability of the condenser. The apparatus includes a spray nozzle, support means for the spray nozzle, fluid conductors, a fluid valve member, temperature sensing means, and a valve control member. The temperature sensing means, through the valve control member, causes the spray to operate only when certain predetermined temperature conditions exist.

Abstract: An air conditioning system having an open condenser water circuit, a refrigeration unit, a closed heat exchange water circuit, and shunt circuits interconnecting the two water circuits to bypass the refrigeration unit, is provided with various side stream filtering arrangements for removing contaminants from the common water supply which have been picked up in passing through the cooling tower. One embodiment employs a centrifugal separator connected in shunt with the condenser water pump. Another embodiment employs a mechanical filter in shunt with a bypass line in the heat exchange water circuit with valving for selectively placing the filter in series with the condenser or the cooling coils. The second embodiment can be used in combination with the first embodiment.

Abstract: In a self-contained air conditioner unit of the reversible type having cooling and heating cycles, a no-drain heat pump is provided wherein in the cooling cycle condensate water collected on the indoor heat exchanger operating as an evaporator is transferred to the outdoor section of the unit where it is atomized and directed through the relatively warm outdoor heat exchanger operating as a condenser. In the heating cycle, water collected on the outdoor heat exchanger operating as an evaporator during heating is transferred to the indoor section. The condensate is directed into the air flow circulating through the indoor section where it atomizes and passes through the relatively warm indoor heat exchanger to humidify the air.

Abstract: An improved, flexible habitation cooling system combines an evaporative cooler having a cold water circuit communicating with heat exchange means for cooling the interior of the habitation and a compression refrigeration system. In one embodiment means are provided in a cold water circuit for circulating cooled water from the evaporative cooler into a heat exchanging coil in an air plenum and back to the cooler for re-use. The expansion coil of the refrigeration apparatus communicates with the cold water circuit in heat exchange relationship to further cool the cold water before it enters the coil in the air plenum. In an alternative embodiment wherein the expansion coil is disposed in the air plenum, the cold water circuit is also disposed in the air plenum upstream of the expansion coil.

Abstract: A compressor type air cooler is combined with a booster comprising an evaporative air precooler, a refrigerant vapor precooler and a refrigerant liquid cooler. This makes the compressor type cooler usable in localities where the ambient temperature is so high as to prohibit use of the compressor type cooler alone, and saves a notable amount of electrical power at any ambient temperature.

Abstract: Water condensed from the air drawn over the refrigeration unit of an air conditioning system is collected and directed into a first chamber of a dual chamber reservoir where it is pumped through heat exchanger coils. The heat exchanger coils are placed upstream from the condenser and can be in thermally conductive contact with a fibrous heat exchanging air filter placed across the air intake port of the air-cooled refrigerant condenser for the system. The chilled condensate lowers the air intake temperature and if placed in thermally conductive contact with the filter, cools the filter also. The condensate is then directed to the top of the filter where it is poured onto the filter and allowed to flow down the fibrous surface, thereby evaporating. The latent heat of vaporization in this process further cools the filter which in turn, further reduces the air intake temperature.

Abstract: A bed of beads is placed in the path of the air flowing to the tubing of the condenser. Water is sprayed on the bed so that it will be evaporated and so cool the air below the dry bulb temperature.

Abstract: Apparatus mounted in a motor vehicle for cooling by evaporation the condenser of an air conditioning system in the vehicle. The apparatus includes a coolant tank in the vehicle having a pump to pump coolant to a manifold upon demand from which it is sprayed onto the condenser. A float in the tank activates a switch to stop the pump motor when the coolant level in the tank reaches a predetermined level.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to the cooling of a condenser coil in the outdoor compressor unit of a central air conditioning system by injecting an atomized mist of minute water particles into the upstream side of a stream of air passing through the coil for fogging the coil with the mist for more effective and complete evaporation thereof, cooling the coil more efficiently while reducing the amount of residual runoff water.

Abstract: This application illustrates staging of injector type evaporative heat exchangers in such a way that the water to have heat extracted from it flows through the stages in series but comes into contact with a new volume of air at each stage. Dramatic reductions in size of unit required to deal with high loads is achieved without increase in horsepower requirements.

Abstract: Air conditioning systems particularly suitable for large buildings located where water is not available for evaporative cooling to provide a heat sink. The condensate from the conditioned air is collected at the cooling and dehumidifying coils and is used as make-up water for one or more evaporative cooling towers which act as the heat sink. One of the cooling towers provides cooling solely by conduction with outside air. Air is exhausted from the conditioned space through one of the cooling towers so as to utilize the evaporation of the condensate in the low temperature and low relative humidity air. The invention also provides for improved operation and efficiency in systems without regard to utilizing condensate for evaporative cooling.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for controlling the air temperature in buildings, particularly large multi-room buildings, which eliminates the use of conventional refrigeration units during substantial portions of the year, providing a significant reduction in energy consumption. A liquid stream is cooled in an air cooling tower outside the building by contact with the ambient or outside air, is filtered to remove contaminants, and is circulated in a cyclical flow directly between the heat exchangers or induction unit coils in the building and the cooling tower outside the building, which preferably cools the liquid substantially to the outside ambient wet bulb air temperature. The system is used when the wet bulb temperature of the outside air is low enough to provide liquid at an effective cooling temperature, preferably at or below the desired temperature of the room air, and more preferably at a predetermined liquid temperature desired at the induction units for cooling.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for treating air for use as a coolant for machinery. The treatment includes cooling the air with water without injecting water droplets into the air stream which droplets can visibly be seen to come to rest on the machinery. The principal elements of this water treatment apparatus comprises: low water resistance evaporation means for cooling air passing therethrough; and water dispensing means for uniformly adding water to the water evaporaton means by having water exude from the water dispensing means over an area of mutual contact with the water evaporation means. Improved embodiments employ a temperature sensing mechanism for activating the air treating mechanism dependent upon the temperature of the ambient air. A further embodiment includes a water pressure regulator means for maintaining the required effluence from the water dispensing means to obtain the optimum wetting of the evaporation means.

Abstract: A preassembled unit for subcooling the refrigerant in existing air conditioning and refrigeration systems to a temperature less than its saturated vaporization temperature. The unit is installable in existing refrigeration systems and has the capability to increase the efficiency of such systems. A coaxial tube heat exchanger includes a refrigerant tube to be connected between the system condenser and expansion valve, and a cooling medium tube through which a flow of cooling water is provided. A thermostatically-operated control valve is utilized to adjust the flow of water in response to the refrigerant outlet temperature. The control valve ensures that only the minimum quantity of water necessary to reduce the refrigerant temperature to a selected value is used. The heat exchanger and control valve are completely enclosed in a block of plastic foam to prevent a high ambient temperature from affecting these elements.

Abstract: A heat exchanger is composed of vertical tubes of cuspate, symmetrical aerofoil section. The chords are parallel to the air flow. The tubes are in parallel rows that interpenetrate so that each tube forms parallel-sided passages with two tubes leading it. The ratio of width to length of these passages if between 0.3 and 1.0. The tubes are spaced apart at various levels by means of inclined spacers. At the top of the tubes water is fed around them from a launder via a system of spacers. The spacers lower down serve to redistribute the water running down the flanks of the tubes. At the base there is an inclined platform on which the water is collected and fed to a launder. This water may be recirculated with additions to replace water lost by evaporation.

Abstract: To reduce the pressure drop of intercoolers and final coolers in a single or multi-stage gas compression, the compressed gas is cooled in direct heat exchange with a liquid cooling medium in a spray tower, for example, instead of by indirect contact in tube-type exchangers. The process is especially amenable to the multi-stage compression of cracking gas wherein a gasoline faction is condensed out in each cooling stage and is used to supplement water as the cooling medium.

Abstract: A water to air heat pump employing an energy and condensate conservation system in which a heat exchange fluid is circulated between two heat exchangers with one normally operating as a condenser and the other normally operating as an evaporator. The condensate from the air passing over the evaporator coil is collected and is passed to the condenser for circulating over the condenser coil. The heat pump is adapted to operate in a reverse mode in which the functions of the heat exchangers are reversed and in which the circulation of the collected condensate to the condenser is terminated.