Abstract: A cooling and ventilation device comprises a product inlet, a product outlet, a waste inlet, a waste outlet, a waste channel connecting the waste inlet to the waste outlet, an evaporative heat exchanger having a primary channel connected between the product inlet and the product outlet and a secondary channel connected between an outlet from the primary channel and the waste channel, a flaw control element effective to control flow from the secondary channel to the waste channel and a controller selectively controlling the flow control element to thereby control flow from the secondary channel to the waste channel. The product inlet may be connected to a suitable source of outside air and the product outlet supplied to a habitable space such as the interior of a building or vehicle. The waste inlet may receive expelled air from the habitable space, which is subsequently exhausted to the environment via the waste outlet.

Abstract: An evaporative cooler is disclosed comprising an amount of water, an anti microbial catalyst, and a source of ultraviolet radiation. A preferred anti-microbial catalyst material is titanium dioxide. The ultraviolet source may by natural sunlight, or it may be driven by electricity. In a preferred embodiment the ultraviolet source is an electric one, powered by a solar panel. A preferred evaporative cooler is a dew-point cooler.

Abstract: A vehicle cooler is described for providing low energy cooling to the interior of a vehicle without the use of refrigerant or a compressor. The cooler uses the evaporation of liquid from a secondary surface of a heat exchange element to cool air passing over a primary surface of the heat exchanger. The primary air is distributed to the interior of the vehicle via an air distribution mechanism, which may be adjusted from within the vehicle. The device is particularly useful for recreational vehicles.

Abstract: An enthalpy exchanger is disclosed having a heat conducting wall along both sides of which two respective media can flow in mutual enthalpy-exchanging contact. The wall is provided on at least one side with a hydrophilic cover layer having little or no hygroscopic action. The cover layer may serve to absorb and retain a limited amount of moisture for evaporation into the media.