SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INCREASING AIR CONDITIONER EFFICIENCY
A screen of evaporative cooling media (“screen cooler”) is provided that may be adapted to partially surround the exterior compressor unit of an air conditioner. In some embodiments, the screen cooler may screen the AC unit from the sun and exposure to other forces or events that could potentially harm the AC unit. In some embodiments, the screen cooler is adapted to receive an input of a liquid, such as, for example, water and periodically emit the liquid onto the evaporative cooling media to keep the media moist and cool the air being pulled through the condensing coil and entering the compressor. By cooling the air prior to the air entering the compressor, the efficiency of the AC unit may thereby be increased.
1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to the field of air conditioners, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation to increasing the efficiency of an air conditioning unit.
2. Background
One of the most important products to become available in a very long time is the air conditioner. An air conditioner (often referred to as “AC”) is an appliance, system, or mechanism designed to extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle. Its purpose, in a building or an automobile, is to provide comfort during hot weather. In the refrigeration cycle, a heat pump transfers heat from a lower-temperature heat source into a higher-temperature heat sink. Heat would naturally flow in the opposite direction. This is the most common type of air conditioning. This cycle takes advantage of the way phase changes work, where latent heat is released at a constant temperature during a liquid/gas phase change, and where varying the pressure of a pure substance also varies its condensation/boiling point.
The most common refrigeration cycle uses an electric motor to drive a compressor. In a building, an electric motor is used for air circulation. Since evaporation occurs when heat is absorbed, and condensation occurs when heat is released, air conditioners use a compressor to cause pressure changes between two compartments, and actively condense and pump a refrigerant around. A refrigerant is pumped into the evaporator coil, located in the compartment to be cooled, where the low pressure causes the refrigerant to evaporate into a vapor, taking heat with it. At the opposite side of the cycle is the condenser, which is located outside of the cooled compartment, where the refrigerant vapor is compressed and forced through another heat exchange coil, condensing the refrigerant into a liquid, thus rejecting the heat previously absorbed from the cooled space. An outdoor cooling fan pulls the outside air through the condensing coil to cool it and thereby help it condense the high temperature refrigerant gas back in to a liquid. With a typical split system, the condenser and compressor are located in an outdoor unit; the evaporator is mounted in the air handler unit. With a package system, all components are located in a single outdoor unit that may be located on the ground, in a window, or on a roof.
One way to increase the efficiency of an AC unit is to lower the temperature of the air entering the compressor unit. Evaporation is a cheap and easy way to cool the intake air being pulled into the compressor unit. In the past, a fluid, such as water, was applied directly to the condenser coils of the AC unit to lower the temperature via evaporation. However, applying fluid directly to the coils can cause corrosion of the coils and a buildup of deposits, such as minerals, when the fluid evaporates. Thus, applying a fluid directly to the coils is not a viable option. Another way of pre-cooling the air entering the compressor unit is to first pass the air across moistened evaporative pads. In that way, the benefits of evaporation can be utilized without fluids being applied directly to the coils of the compressor unit. However, the systems for doing this are generally expensive, complicated, and bulky assemblies that enclose the entire compressor unit. Such systems are generally not aesthetically pleasing and by enclosing the entire compressor unit, restrict airflow thereto causing a loss of efficiency. Thus, what is needed is a simple, cost-effective, and aesthetically pleasing system and method for increasing the efficiency of an AC unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with the present invention, a system and method for increasing the efficiency of an air conditioner is provided.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a screen of evaporative cooling media (“screen cooler”) is provided that may be adapted to partially surround the exterior compressor unit of an air conditioner. In some embodiments, the screen cooler may screen the AC unit from the sun and exposure to other forces or events that could potentially harm the AC unit. In some embodiments, the screen cooler is adapted to receive an input of a liquid, such as, for example, water and periodically emit the liquid onto the evaporative cooling media to keep the media moist and cool the air being pulled through the condensing coil and entering the compressor. By cooling the air prior to the air entering the compressor, the efficiency of the AC unit may thereby be increased.
The above summary of the invention is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present invention. Particular embodiments may include one, some, or none of the listed advantages.
A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein:
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Although various embodiments of the method and apparatus of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A stand-alone system for evaporatively cooling air entering an air conditioning (AC) unit, the system comprising:
- a plurality of cooling screen panels disposed near an AC unit, each cooling screen panel comprising: a plurality of vertical posts having upper ends and lower ends; a top rail secured between the upper ends of the vertical posts; a bottom rail secured between the lower ends of the vertical posts; a decorative lattice secured between the top and bottom rails; and an evaporative cooling media secured between the top and bottom rails and adjacent to the decorative lattice;
- a first cooling screen panel of the plurality of cooling screen panels disposed on a first side of the AC unit;
- second and third cooling screen panels disposed at opposite ends of the first cooling screen panel at an angle thereto to form a generally U-shaped assembly to enclose less than all of the AC unit; and
- a drip hose disposed along a top surface of the evaporative cooling media of the plurality of cooling screen panels, the drip hose having a plurality of holes disposed therealong, a connector on a first end thereof for connecting to a source of cooling fluid and an end cap at an opposite end thereof.
2. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising a trough disposed below the evaporative cooling media for collecting unevaporated cooling fluid.
3. The stand-alone system of claim 2 and further comprising a tube connecting the trough to the drip hose for delivering the unevaporated cooling fluid to the top surface of the evaporative cooling media.
4. The stand-alone system of claim 3 and further comprising a fluid pump for pumping the unevaporated cooling fluid from the trough to the drip hose.
5. The stand-alone system of claim 3 and further comprising a Venturi valve coupled to the tube for facilitating the delivery of the unevaporated cooling fluid from the trough to the drip hose.
6. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising an airflow baffle extending from a top surface of the top rail for decreasing the airflow around the evaporative cooling media.
7. The stand-alone system of claim 6, wherein the airflow baffle extends from the top surface of the top rail to a top surface of the AC unit.
8. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising an airflow baffle extending from a bottom surface of the bottom rail for decreasing the airflow around the evaporative cooling media.
9. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising a V-shaped channel disposed along a top surface of the evaporative cooling media for facilitating dispersion of the cooling fluid.
10. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising:
- a flange around the interior surfaces of each of the plurality of cooling screen panels for securing the lattice thereagainst; and
- a bracket securing the evaporative cooling media against the lattice, the ends of the bracket being secured to the vertical posts.
11. A method of evaporatively cooling air entering an air conditioning (AC) unit, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of cooling screen panels, each cooling screen panel comprising: a plurality of vertical posts having upper ends and lower ends; a top rail secured between the upper ends of the vertical posts; a bottom rail secured between the lower ends of the vertical posts; a decorative lattice secured between the top and bottom rails; and an evaporative cooling media secured between the top and bottom rails and adjacent to the decorative lattice;
- securing a first cooling screen panel of the plurality of cooling screen panels approximately 2-4 inches from an AC unit;
- securing second and third cooling screen panels of the plurality of cooling screen panels to opposite ends of the first cooling screen panel at an angle thereto to form a generally U-shaped assembly to enclose less than all of the AC unit;
- disposing a drip hose along a top surface of the evaporative cooling media of the plurality of cooling screen panels, the drip hose having a plurality of holes disposed therealong; and
- connecting the drip hose to a water source for intermittently providing a flow of water to moisten the evaporative cooling media to cool air flowing thereacross.
12. The method of claim 11 and further comprising adjusting the flow of water to the evaporative cooling media by changing a length of time water is provided to the evaporative cooling media, changing a frequency of providing water to the evaporative cooling media, and changing a pressure of the water being provided to the evaporative cooling media.
13. The method of claim 11 and further comprising providing a trough below the evaporative cooling media for collecting unevaporated water.
14. The method of claim 13 and further comprising connecting the trough to the drip hose with a tube.
15. The method of claim 14 and further comprising recirculating the unevaporated water from the trough to the drip hose via the tube.
16. The method of claim 11 and further comprising providing an airflow baffle extending from a top surface of the top rail for decreasing the airflow around the evaporative cooling media.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the airflow baffle extends from the top surface of the top rail to a top surface of the AC unit.
18. The method of claim 11 and further comprising providing an airflow baffle extending from a bottom surface of the bottom rail for decreasing the airflow around the evaporative cooling media.
19. The method of claim 11 and further comprising providing a V-shaped channel disposed along a top surface of the evaporative cooling media for facilitating dispersion of the cooling fluid.
20. The method of claim 11 and further comprising:
- providing a flange around the interior surfaces of each of the plurality of cooling screen panels for securing the lattice thereagainst; and
- providing a bracket to secure the evaporative cooling media against the lattice, the ends of the bracket being secured to the vertical posts.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 21, 2012
Publication Date: Aug 23, 2012
Inventor: Cary L. Cobb (Plano, TX)
Application Number: 13/401,701
International Classification: F28D 5/00 (20060101); F25D 31/00 (20060101); F25D 23/00 (20060101);