Abstract: Apparatus for distilling a fluid such as water includes a vessel and heat transfer plates within the vessel structures to form at least one each cooling channel, evaporative channel, and condensing channel. Air enters the vessel and passes through the cooling channel, where it is cooled due to evaporation taking place in an adjacent evaporative channel. In the evaporative channel, input fluid is supplied to the walls of the heat transfer plates facing into the evaporative channel and evaporation forms vapor. The vapor is condensed in a condensing channel. In some embodiments, an evaporation channel forms a vacuum chamber and a condensing channel forms a compression chamber.

Abstract: Heat exchanger plates for indirect evaporative coolers, of the type having a dry side having low permeability to an evaporative liquid and formed to allow a product fluid to flow over a heat transfer area of its surface, a wet side designed to have its surface wet by an evaporative liquid, and formed to allow a working gas to flow over its surface to evaporate the evaporative liquid, are formed such that the wet side comprises a hydrophobic fiber sheet and the dry side comprises a non-permeable sealing layer on the sheet. Heat seal strips are formed at the inlet and outlet of the plates and air flow perforations are formed through the plates.

Abstract: Heat exchanger plates for indirect evaporative coolers, of the type having a dry side having low permeability to an evaporative liquid and formed to allow a product fluid to flow over a heat transfer area of its surface, a wet side designed to have its surface wet by an evaporative liquid, and formed to allow a working gas to flow over its surface to evaporate the evaporative liquid, further include edge extensions formed beyond the heat exchange area of the plates to facilitate removal of excess evaporative liquid. The edge extensions may slant or curve away from the wet side of the plates to assist in liquid removal. The plates may be used in a variety of configurations.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for indirect evaporative cooling of a fluid stream to substantially its dew point temperature. Plate heat exchanger has perforations 11 and channels 3, 4 and 5 for gas or a low temperature for liquids on a dry side and wet side. Fluid streams 1 flow across the dry side 9, transferring heat to the plate. Gas stream 2 flows across the dry side and through perforations to channels 5 on wet side 10, which it then cools by evaporative cooling as well as conductive and radiative transfer of heat from plate. A wicking material provides wetting of wet side. In other embodiments, a desiccant wheel may be used to dehumidify the gas, air streams may be recirculated, feeder wicks 13 and a pump may be used to bring water from a water reservoir, and fans may be used to either force or induce a draft. The wicking material may be cellulose, organic fibers, organic based fibers, polyester, polypropylene, carbon-based fibers, silicon based fibers, fiberglass, or combinations of them.

Abstract: A power system includes a device for extracting energy from a hot gas stream to power a driveshaft. An evaporative duplex counterheat exchanger is disposed in flow communication with the energy extracting device. The duplex exchanger includes a first heat exchanger having a first main flow channel, and a counterheat channel joined in flow communication therewith. A second heat exchanger includes a second main flow channel adjacent the counterheat channel. And, an evaporative fluid is injected into the counterheat channel to evaporatively cool the flow through both main flow channels.

Abstract: A duplex exchanger includes first and second heat exchangers each including a main flow channel and a cooperating counterheat channel. The first counterheat channel is joined to the first main flow channel for receiving a cooled primary stream therefrom. The second counterheat channel is also joined to the first main channel splitting the primary stream therefrom. An evaporative coolant is injected into the first counterheat channel, and an evaporative saturant is injected into the second counterheat channel. Heat from the initially hot primary stream in the first exchanger evaporates the coolant in the first counterheat channel for self-cooling the primary stream in the first main channel. Heat from a hot secondary stream channeled through the second main channel evaporates the saturant in the second counterheat channel for adding mass to the primary stream channeled therethrough.

Abstract: A fuel cell using fuel and oxidant resulting in the production of water and heat in addition to electrical power. The fuel cell employs an evaporative cooler and has methods to adjust the moisture and temperature for the fuel and oxidant flows to improve the fuel cell efficiency. The water produced by the fuel cell is used to provide the water for wet channels of the evaporative cooler. The evaporative cooler has separate product channels and dry working channels that are cooled by heat transfer across a heat exchanger plate. The heat exchanger plate forms part of each wet working channel on the wet side of the heat exchanger plate and part of the product channel and the dry working channel on the dry side. The fuel passes first through the dry working channel then the wet working channel becoming humidified by the evaporation therein and cooling the heat exchanger plate before going to the anode of the fuel cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing enhanced indirect evaporative cooling of air, water, fuel, or other fluids while controlling the humidity. The design makes cooling down to the dew point possible without energy input other than the energy to produce the fluid flow needed. The design makes use of stacked composite plates (7) with channels (1, 2) for fluid flow between adjacent plates. On opposing surface areas of these plates, there are wet areas (4) or dry areas (3). The wet areas (4) provide cooling by conventional evaporation which is in turn used to cool the fluids in contact with the dry areas (3). The benefit is controlled heat transfer, which allows selected cooling of fluid flow such that the temperature as low as dew point are reachable.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for indirect evaporative cooling of a fluid stream to substantially its dew point temperature. Plate heat exchanger has perforations (11) and channels (3, 4 and 5) for gas on a dry side and wet side. There is a trough formed in a portion of the plate that temporarily holds evaporative fluid which is in contact with the wick material on the wet side surface of the plate. The evaporative fluid flows through the trough by way of liquid perforations into the next trough. The trough of a plate with a wet side up, the liquid perforations are on the side creating a reservoir to wet the opposing wick materials. As streams flow across the dry side (9), transferring heat to the plate. Working gas stream (2) flows across the dry side and through perforations to channels (5) on wet side (10), which it then cools by evaporative cooling as well as conductive and radiative transfer of heat from plate.

Abstract: By construction of heat pipes with two phase heat carrying fluid, an efficient heat transfer system is available. The heating section is used to create, within the heat pipe, build up of vapor pressure which causes the heat carrying fluid to move which then allows for dissipations of the heat into the cooling section. Additions to the system allow for storage of kinetic energy to enhance or regulate the flow, and by introduction of heating elements or porous surfaces, the mechanic can be improved or regulated.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for indirect evaporative cooling of a fluid stream to substantially its dew point temperature. Plate heat exchanger has perforations 11 and channels 3, 4 and 5 for gas or a low temperature for liquids on a dry side and wet side. Fluid streams 1 flow across the dry side 9, transferring heat to the plate. Gas stream 2 flows across the dry side and through perforations to channels 5 on wet side 10, which it then cools by evaporative cooling as well as conductive and radiative transfer of heat from plate. A wicking material provides wetting of wet side. In other embodiments, a desiccant wheel may be used to dehumidify the gas, air streams may be recirculated, feeder wicks 13 and a pump may be used to bring water from a water reservoir, and fans may be used to either force or induce a draft. The wicking material may be cellulose, organic fibers, organic based fibers, polyester, polypropylene, carbon-based fibers, silicon based fibers, fiberglass, or combinations of them.

Abstract: The within invention improves on the indirect evaporative cooling method and apparatus by making use of a working fluid that is pre-cooled with and without desiccants before it is passed through a Wet Channel where evaporative fluid is on the walls to take heat and store it in the working fluid as increased latent heat. The heat transfer across the membrane between the Dry Channel and the Wet Channel may have dry, solid desiccant or liquid desiccant and may have perforations, pores or capillary pathways. The evaporative fluid may be water, fuel, or any substance that has the capacity to take heat as latent heat. The Wet Channel or excess cooled fluid is in heat transfer contact with a Product Channel where Product Fluid is cooled without adding any humidity. An alternative embodiment for heat transfer between adjacent channels is with heat pipes.