With Gas Forcing Or Directing Means Patents (Class 62/314)
  • Publication number: 20030221441
    Abstract: An operational structure of an impeller assembly for an air cooler is provided. The operational structure of an impeller assembly for an air cooler includes: a casing having a water collector provided on the bottom thereof; a moisture absorption pad provided in the casing, for absorbing water; an air blowing fan which is disposed in front of the moisture absorption pad and rotates; a water spreader provided in the upper portion of the casing, spraying water to the moisture absorption pad; a connection tube connecting the water spreader and the water collector with each other; and an impeller assembly supplying water contained in the water collector to the water spreader through the connection tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: PASECO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Soon Il Hong
  • Publication number: 20030209017
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventors: Valeriy Maisotsenko, Leland E. Gillan, Timothy L. Heaton, Alan D. Gillan
  • Publication number: 20030205055
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus for isolated interior spaces of structures includes a hollow tubular-shaped enclosure which has a longitudinally elongated box-like shape. The enclosure has a transversely disposed inlet opening, a transversely disposed outlet opening, and a fan for drawing air through the enclosure from the inlet side, the air being expelled from an outlet port in the outlet opening of the enclosure. The enclosure also includes an air filter, at least one evaporator connected to a refrigerant compressor and refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger/condenser, and an evaporative cooler assembly including a plurality of nozzles for converting water supplied under pressure to the nozzles to fine spray. Water supplied to and warmed by thermal contact with pressurized refrigerant in the water heat exchanger, as well as excess water spray which does not evaporate, is discharged to a location exterior to the enclosed space, such as a sewer drain, thus dumping heat energy to the exterior location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventor: Jamshid Jim Shahbaz
  • Patent number: 6640575
    Abstract: A closed circuit cooling tower for evaporative fluid cooler applications such as water-cooled residential and commercial air conditioning, geothermal cooling supplementation, and process cooling applications. Corrugated metal tubes are used for heat transfer to permit mechanical de-fouling, such as flexing the tubes. The cooling tower may operate at high dissolved solids, or gray water may be used in order to reduce water consumption. The cooling tower is lightweight and modular to permit retrofitting of existing rooftop air conditioning systems so that efficient evaporative cooling may be used to lower energy costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Inventor: Mac Word
  • Publication number: 20030177771
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Valeriy Maisotsenko, Leland E. Gillan, Timothy L. Heaton, Alan D. Gillan
  • Publication number: 20030172669
    Abstract: A spray cooling system for transverse thin-film evaporative spray cooling in a narrow gap which generally includes a framework, a cooling cavity, a plurality of atomizers oriented to transversely spray coolant across the electronic components to be cooled, and preferably a vapor recirculation system and a reduction in cross section from the inlet or spray side to the exit side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Tilton, Charles L. Tilton, Jeffery K. Weiler
  • Patent number: 6612125
    Abstract: An improved swamp cooler (10) in which a D.C. motor (43), a D.C. water pump (40), a storage battery (68), and solar panel (62) are utilized to operate apparatus (10) in a self-sustaining mode without the necessity of a separate electrical source to operate the D.C. motor (43), water pump (40). Solar panel (62) provides the energy source for D.C. motor (43) and water pump (40) by means of electronic circuitry (60). When solar energy is not available to solar panel (62), battery (68) in apparatus (10) provides such energy, it being recharged during utilization of solar panel (62), so that apparatus (10) continues to operate under clear skies or non-clear skies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Inventor: Yul Gevargis
  • Patent number: 6606869
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator comprises an ultraviolet discharging lamp, for irradiating ultraviolet rays to an air duct inside the refrigerator, and irradiating a visible light to a cold storage compartment of the refrigerator; a light catalyst filter, installed in the air duct and activated by the ultraviolet rays; a fan for forming an air curtain when a door of the cold storage compartment of the refrigerator is opened; and a controlling device for lighting the ultraviolet discharging lamp when the door of the cold storage compartment of the refrigerator is opened. In addition, the refrigerator can further comprise an operating device for setting or disabling an antimicrobial mode of the refrigerator; and a controlling device for lighting the ultraviolet discharging lamp for a preset interval, and turning off the ultraviolet discharging lamp when a door of the refrigerator is opened, when the antimicrobial mode is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Takahashi, Kiyotaka Nagao, Toshihide Hasegawa, Masahiko Asami, Motoharu Kobayashi, Masashi Toyoshima
  • Publication number: 20030145619
    Abstract: A closed circuit cooling tower for evaporative fluid cooler applications such as water-cooled residential and commercial air conditioning, geothermal cooling supplementation, and process cooling applications. Corrugated metal tubes are used for heat transfer to permit mechanical de-fouling, such as flexing the tubes. The cooling tower may operate at high dissolved solids, or gray water may be used in order to reduce water consumption. The cooling tower is lightweight and modular to permit retrofitting of existing rooftop air conditioning systems so that efficient evaporative cooling may be used to lower energy costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Inventor: Mac Word
  • Patent number: 6598414
    Abstract: The invention relates to an evaporative cooling device including a stand-alone housing that is not connected to any structure. The housing has at least one vertical side with an opening and an evaporative pad is placed inside the opening. An electric centrifugal blower is placed inside the housing to draw air through the evaporative pad and to discharge the same in a vertical direction through an opening in a top cover. The top cover has a directional spout placed over the opening to direct the air in multi-adjusted directions. The cooling device is intended to be used on wide open playing or sport fields or in open sided warehouses or work stations. A smaller size is intended to be used in semi-confined areas such as verandas, patios, lanais, porches etc. A flexible air duct can be attached to the spout so as to temporarily deliver cooled air to confined spaces such attics in a house. The spout may be adapted to oscillate back and forth to deliver air evenly across a room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: WayCool Acquisition, LLC
    Inventor: Ernest E. Cline
  • Patent number: 6595011
    Abstract: An air conditioner having a compressor, refrigerant condenser coil and accumulator submerged in water in a water tank, wherein the water is cooled by evaporative cooling when air is drawn through water sprayed into an air inlet duct communicating with the water tank. The compressor is cooled by the water in the water tank which is cooled by evaporative cooling. The water level in the water tank is maintained by a float valve connected to a water line to replenish evaporating water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Inventor: Charles L. Forgy
  • Patent number: 6595020
    Abstract: An alternative powered evaporative cooler has a squirrel cage fan. A low voltage DC motor is provided to power the squirrel cage fan. A pulley system is coupled to the squirrel cage fan and the low voltage DC motor for transferring energy from the low voltage DC motor to rotate the squirrel cage fan. A low voltage DC power source is provided to power the low voltage DC motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Inventor: David I. Sanford
  • Patent number: 6581400
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for convectively and evaporatively cooling a patient's head. The apparatus includes an upper sheet and a base sheet that are attached at a plurality of locations to form a convective device adaptable to the patient's head. The base sheet includes a plurality of apertures that direct an inflating medium from the convective device toward the patient's head. The base sheet also supports an evaporative cooling element that distributes and delivers a cooling fluid to the patient's head. The fluid is evaporated from the patient's head by the inflating medium exhausted from the convective device. The evaporative cooling element may be constructed in a variety of configurations and may circulate a variety of fluids, which may be pressurized or unpressurized. In operation, an air blower, that may also include a compressor for selectively delivering room temperature or cooled air to the apparatus, is connected to the convective device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Arizant Healthcare Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Augustine, Paul Anthony Iaizzo
  • Patent number: 6574980
    Abstract: The final segment in one-half or one-third circuit tube assemblies are arranged in a concurrent manner with the air flow in a closed-circuit cooling tower to more fully utilize spray-water cooling that occurs in the region below the tube assembly but above the sump water surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank T. Morrison
  • Patent number: 6568202
    Abstract: A portable air conditioner which has a container for holding an air cooling medium, a lid for the container and a plurality of outlets in the lid which permit flexible conduits to connected to the output from the lid. In addition, a cart is disclosed for transporting the air conditioner which will keep the top and bottom of the container parallel in order to keep any liquid from melting ice from spilling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Inventor: Sam Hodges
  • Patent number: 6546743
    Abstract: A mobile cooling apparatus is provided that may be quickly deployed to cool an area. The apparatus is preferably self-contained or substantially self-contained. The apparatus can be either a dedicated trailer with a conventional draft vehicle or a vehicle itself. The apparatus creates an evaporatively cooled volume of air with fine entrained water droplets suspended therein. The apparatus transfers the cooling suspension to an area to be cooled proximate the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Inventors: Marcus Ray Sullivan, Gary Alan Hogue
  • Patent number: 6539730
    Abstract: A method and a device for use in the air conditioning of an interior of a motor vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system. In particular, the condensation water, produced when operating the air conditioning system while driving, is collected when the vehicle is standing still, and the intake air supplied to the interior or the outgoing air removed from the interior is humidified with the collected water so that the vehicle is cooled by evaporative cooling when it is standing still. While driving, the outside air intake may be pre-cooled by the cooled outgoing air by using a heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ullrich Hesse, Dietmar Steiner, Armin Marko
  • Publication number: 20030051498
    Abstract: An alternative powered evaporative cooler has a squirrel cage fan. A low voltage DC motor is provided to power the squirrel cage fan. A pulley system is coupled to the squirrel cage fan and the low voltage DC motor for transferring energy from the low voltage DC motor to rotate the squirrel cage fan. A low voltage DC power source is provided to power the low voltage DC motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventor: David I. Sanford
  • Patent number: 6519964
    Abstract: Cooling devices are provided to reduce a person's temperature by evaporative, convective, and/or conductive cooling. One such device maximizes evaporative cooling by aiding the flow of air to the person and the removal of vapor-laden air from the person. An upper sheet and a base sheet are adhered to define numerous elongated, parallel, inflatable cooling chambers separated by flat connecting membranes. Ventilating cross-members interconnect the cooling chambers. Air enters the chambers through an inlet, exits the chambers toward the person through air permeable regions of the base sheet. Air heated by the person's body exits the device upward through evaporation openings in the connecting membranes. The foregoing device, or different variations thereof, may be modified for use in conductive cooling by adding an absorbent sheet beneath the base sheet, or substituting the absorbent sheet for the base sheet itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Augustine Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Thomas Bieberich
  • Patent number: 6502414
    Abstract: A cooler housing capable of encasing, protecting, and supporting cooler components, particularly components necessary for use as a portable evaporative cooler. Though the housing described herein may be used in cooling devices ranging from simple conventional fans to complex heat exchanger devices, the preferred embodiment of this invention is preferably used in conjunction with a portable evaporative cooler employing this housing and further comprising a motor that drives a pump connected to a sump tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: General Shelters of Texas, S.B., Ltd.
    Inventor: Phillip D. Calvert
  • Publication number: 20030000227
    Abstract: A method for cooling components of installations charged with flowable media, in particular molding units for glass melts, and for direct cooling of molded glass parts. A stable cooling range between 60° C. and 280° C., such as is required in glass production, can be governed with the cooling medium, which is of a mixture of compressed and/or blower air and a water aerosol fog.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Christian Schenk, Siegbert Schell
  • Publication number: 20020194859
    Abstract: An evaporative cooling system that can be easily transported and set up quickly in indoor or outdoor environments to provide effective cooling to a sizable area in a short time period. The system can be operated from standard AC household electrical power, or from a 12-volt DC power source, such as a car or marine battery. The system water tank can be filled with water, or connected to a water source for continual refilling. The system can also be used with a light-weight water source, holding approximately 2 liters of water for temporary cooling, or without water to move large volumes of air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventor: Ross Johnson
  • Patent number: 6497107
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Idalex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Valeriy Maisotsenko, Leland E. Gillan, Timothy L. Heaton, Alan D. Gillan
  • Patent number: 6487871
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for convectively and evaporatively cooling a patient. The apparatus comprises an upper sheet and a base sheet that are attached at a plurality of locations to form a convective device. The base sheet includes a plurality of apertures that direct an inflating medium from the convective device toward the patient. The base sheet also supports a fluid delivery apparatus that distributes and delivers a cooling fluid to the patient. The fluid is evaporated from the patient's skin by the inflating medium exhausted from the convective device. The fluid delivery apparatus may be constructed in a variety of configurations and may circulate a variety of fluids, which may be pressurized or unpressurized. In operation, an air blower, that may also include a compressor for selectively delivering room temperature or cooled air to the appatatus, is connected to the convective device. The blower delivers air, under pressure, to an inlet opening in the convective device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Augustine Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Augustine, Paul Anthony Iaizzo
  • Publication number: 20020170309
    Abstract: A waist-mounted evaporative personal cooling device designed to cool the back of a user, comprises a blower (25), a liquid reservoir (29), a means to deliver liquid from the reservoir a mist of droplets into blower-forced air (33) or directly onto the skin area to which the forced air will be directed (45), and a duct (27) to guide forced air under the user's shirt or blouse and directly onto or across the skin of the user's back. The device improves on prior art coolers by delivering a powerful evaporative cooling effect directly to a user's back, while being compact, comfortably wearable, and requiring the user to do little or nothing to get its benefit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventor: Ted Strauss
  • Patent number: 6481233
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a high performance molded, substantially non-metallic fan capable of producing at least about 20 cubic feet per minute (“CFM”) per input watt at a static pressure of about 0.00 inches of water. In one embodiment, the fan combines a substantially non-metallic housing, an airfoil cross-sectional fan blade, and a non-metallic hub. The fan blades may be detachable from the hub and rotationally indexable to a variety of pitch angles. Further, the hub and fan blades may include alignment indicia, so that the fan blades can be adjusted to a commensurate pitch relative of other fan blades around the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: General Shelters of Texas, S.B., Ltd.
    Inventor: Phillip D. Calvert
  • Patent number: 6449975
    Abstract: A self tapping spray nozzle for use in a vehicle ventilation system is preferably made of stainless steel. The spray nozzle has a neck with an internal channel and threads cut into its outside surface. A wedge at a thirty degree angle, having sharpened edges is at the top of the neck. At least one port extends from the channel to the outside surface of the neck. A collar with a plurality of sides encompasses the circumference of the neck at its bottom. One side of the collar is aligned with the port to help align the port in a desired direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Inventor: Ramiro G. Moreno
  • Patent number: 6438986
    Abstract: An evaporative cooler in which a series of evaporative pads are positioned in a spaced apart relationship. Water from a reservoir is deposited onto the pads to moisten them. As the water on the pads evaporates, the surrounding air is cooled; thereby becoming denser and settling through the outlet at the bottom of the housing and into the area to be cooled. The falling cool air draws in warm air at the top of the housing, which in turn is then cooled by the pads to continue the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: Rheinhardt John Beverly
  • Patent number: 6434963
    Abstract: An air cooler has a casing containing two air flow paths through one of which cooled fresh air is supplied to a house, while the other receives stale air from the house. An efficient heat exchanger pre-cools the fresh air with the heat extracted from the stale air, Further cooling is achieved by evaporative cooling of water from two honeycomb structures respectively spanning the two air flow paths. A pump circulates cooled water to the upper end of one of the structures from the lower end of the other structure which receives, at its upper end, the water which has percolated down through the upper structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: John Francis Urch
  • Patent number: 6422030
    Abstract: The present invention provides a portable evaporative cooler that is capable of being carried from location to location and readily used even in remote areas. The portable evaporative cooler contains one or more relatively small fans mounted in a case and having a water reservoir disposed below the fans. The cooling pad is mounted behind the fans and water is pumped across the cooling pads. One or more fans cause an air flow to pass the cooling pads and exit the evaporative cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: General Shelters of Texas, S.B., Ltd.
    Inventor: Phillip D. Calvert
  • Publication number: 20020078704
    Abstract: A two-phase versatile evaporative cooling heat exchange apparatus 2 for use to produce cool air for homes, factories or for use in vehicles both stationary and moving. The vessel 4 contains the components needed so ambient air 6 is drawn or forced into the evaporative pad 32 to begin the cooling process. The evaporative pad 32 is wetted by thermal liquid 26 being distributed by pump 20 for the first phase cooling 8. The evaporation process uses a portion of the thermal liquid 26 with the remaining, now cooled, excess thermal liquid 36 being returned to the base of vessel 8. The cooled thermal liquid 26 is pumped through the heat exchanger 40 for the second phase cooling 10. The cooled air 12 is delivered into the occupant space 18.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventor: John L. Stich
  • Publication number: 20020073718
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Valeriy Maisotsenko, Leland E. Gillan, Timothy L. Heaton, Alan D. Gillan
  • Patent number: 6394174
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a system and a method for reclaiming process water in a manufacturing plant and more particularly, relates to a system and a method for reclaiming process water from a cooling tower exhaust gas which contains at least 80% relative humidity by utilizing a heat exchanger equipped with cooling elements that are cooled by a flow of exhaust gas formed by a general exhaust and a scrubber exhaust from a semiconductor fabrication facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd
    Inventor: Yi-Jang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6385987
    Abstract: Novel heat exchangers and methods of constructing the heat exchangers for use in indirect evaporative cooling applications. The evaporative apparatus for cooling comprises both a multi-stage indirect evaporative cooling heat exchanger; and a multi-stage sump where each sump stage, in a one-to-one relationship. Other multistage heat exchangers with their associated multistage sumps can be combined, with the cooled air of a first multistage evaporative assembly feeding into the intake end of a second multistage evaporative assembly, and so on. These heat exchangers can be used for comfort and industrial applications cooling. The invention can be an entire assembly for the pre-cooling and cleaning of the air going to a gas turbine or any other air breathing device, with an air washer stage in which air is directly cooled by evaporation and where simultaneously the air is also cleaned of dust, dirt and other impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Inventors: Leslie Schlom, Andrew J. Becwar
  • Patent number: 6378322
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a high performance molded, substantially non-metallic fan capable of producing at least about 20 cubic feet per minute (“CFM”) per input watt at a static pressure of about 0.00 inches of water. In one embodiment, the fan combines a substantially non-metallic housing, an airfoil cross-sectional fan blade, and a non-metallic hub. The fan blades may be detachable from the hub and rotationally indexable to a variety of pitch angles. Further, the hub and fan blades may include alignment indicia, so that the fan blades can be adjusted to a commensurate pitch relative of other fan blades around the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: General Shelters of Texas S.B., Ltd.
    Inventor: Phillip D. Calvert
  • Patent number: 6370906
    Abstract: A wind inlet and outlet case for a blower of an air conditioning system is connected to an inner machine, including a body and a faceplate. The body is separated into a wind inlet room and a wind outlet room with a lengthwise vertical wall, and the wind inlet room and the wind outlet room are respectively connected with the inner machine with a separate guide pipe. The faceplate is combined with the body, having a wind outlet provided with a movable leaf unit to change direction of wind blown out, and with a wind inlet provided with a filter. Thus plural sets of the wind inlet and outlet cases may be connected to the inner machine, wind blown out and wind sucked back are guided separately by guide pipes to keep good quality of air, lowering cost, and facilitating maintenance and repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Inventor: Chin-Sheng Kuo
  • Patent number: 6371388
    Abstract: The fan propelled misting apparatus for cooling an extended area by evaporative cooling includes a blower with a hollow, cylindrical mist discharge tube, and a fan for propelling air flow through the mist discharge tube; and a misting device connected to the blower for delivering a fine spray of water to the cylindrical mist discharge tube. The misting device includes a pressurizable fluid tank, such as a piston type pump, with a water supply tube connected between the pressurizable fluid tank and the mist discharge tube for delivering the fine spray of water to the cylindrical mist discharge tube. The water supply tube has a nozzle at a distal end of the water supply tube disposed in the mist discharge tube so as to deliver the fine spray of water in the air flow provided by the blower. A valve is provided for controlling flow of water through the water supply tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Misty Mate, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Utter, Geri Utter
  • Patent number: 6367278
    Abstract: A portable evaporative cooling system includes a fan for generating a path of air, a water pump for dispersing water in the path of air generated by the fan, and a water cooler for storing the water. The water cooler has an opening to permit the water pump to draw water therefrom. Support structure supports the fan and water pump and is sized and dimensioned to cooperatively engage the water cooler. The pump pumps the liquid from the cooler in a substantially non-pulsating manner, thereby providing a substantially continuous misting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Inventors: Christopher J. Strussion, Thomas Strussion
  • Publication number: 20020038552
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: April 4, 2002
    Inventors: Valeriy Maisotsenko, Leland E. Gillan, Timothy L. Heaton, Alan D. Gillan
  • Patent number: 6354099
    Abstract: Cooling devices are provided to reduce a person's temperature by evaporative, convective, and/or conductive cooling. One such device maximizes evaporative cooling by aiding the flow of air to the person and the removal of vapor-laden air from the person. An upper sheet and a base sheet are adhered to define numerous elongated, parallel, inflatable cooling chambers separated by flat connecting membranes. Ventilating cross-members interconnect the cooling chambers. Air enters the chambers through an inlet, exits the chambers toward the person through air permeable regions of the base sheet. Air heated by the person's body exits the device upward through evaporation openings in the connecting membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Augustine Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Thomas Bieberich
  • Patent number: 6338258
    Abstract: A regenerative evaporative cooler, designed to improve the cooling efficiency of its regenerative evaporative cooling unit, is disclosed. In the cooler of this invention, the cooling unit consists of a dry channel and a wet channel arranged to closely come into contact with each other. The dry channel allows primary air to pass through, while the wet channel extracts a part of the primary air from the outlet end of the dry channel so as to form extracted air flowing in the wet channel in a direction opposite to the flowing direction of the primary air. A plurality of cooling fins are arranged in the dry and wet channels to allow the extracted air to come into direct contact with water so as to improve the water vaporization efficiency and the water vaporization area in the wet channel. A first blower fan sucks the primary air into the dry channel, while a second blower fan sucks a part of the primary air of the dry channel into the wet channel so as to form the extracted air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Dae Young Lee, Byung Ha Kang, Chun Sik Lee
  • Patent number: 6332332
    Abstract: A roof-mounted evaporative air conditioner is disclosed. The air conditioner includes a housing defined by a base which conforms to the pitch of the roof and includes an outlet for air to flow from the housing into ductwork; a plurality of vertical side walls having water absorbent panels that define an inlet for air to flow into the housing; and a top wall. The air conditioner further includes a water distribution system for supplying water to the panel(s) and a fan assembly for drawing air into the housing via the panel(s) so that the air is cooled by evaporating water in the panel(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Inventor: Timothy Frank O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20010032477
    Abstract: Novel heat exchangers and methods of constructing the heat exchangers for use in indirect evaporative cooling applications. The evaporative apparatus for cooling comprises both a multi-stage indirect evaporative cooling heat exchanger; and a multi-stage sump where each sump stage, in a one-to-one relationship. Other multistage heat exchangers with their associated multistage sumps can be combined, with the cooled air of a first multistage evaporative assembly feeding into the intake end of a second multistage evaporative assembly, and so on. These heat exchangers can be used for comfort and industrial applications cooling. The invention can be an entire assembly for the pre-cooling and cleaning of the air going to a gas turbine or any other air breathing device, with an air washer stage in which air is directly cooled by evaporation and where simultaneously the air is also cleaned of dust, dirt and other impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Leslie Schlom, Andrew J. Becwar
  • Patent number: 6293121
    Abstract: What had been created are various new processes with the corresponding newly created devices that support or to handle the new processes in order to attained the desired outcome of the new processes. One desired outcome is to produce a low technology cooling system that can be easily made by the ordinary man for himself and this is answered by the creation of a misting tube having a plurality of water misting nozzles and a blower blows wind thru the water mist towards a place or into a house or into an office. An alternative of this is a blower that blows wind thru the water mist created by an atomizer and into a house, a building, a work shop, a play area, or into a green house or plantation. An improvement of this is misting tube being place infront of a blower by attaching the misting tube to the frame/shell of the blower so that the misting tube goes freely with the left and right oscillation of the blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Inventor: Gaudencio A. Labrador
  • Patent number: 6286330
    Abstract: An air filter system for refrigerators includes an economically and easily manufactured housing having a replaceable air filter supported within the housing, and a releasable connector associated with the housing permits the housing of the air filter system to be readily and easily removed from the refrigerator, to permit the easy replacement of the air filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Amana Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Bruce A. Kopf
  • Patent number: 6282915
    Abstract: An evaporative cooler including a cross-flow plate heat exchanger formed by a plurality of stacked, fluted plates. The evaporative cooler may be operated in an indirect evaporative cooling process, or in a combined direct and indirect mode. The heat exchanger operates as a cross between a cross-flow exchanger and a counter-flow exchanger because the primary and secondary air streams are not perpendicular or parallel to one another, but rather, are oriented at an oblique angle. In a preferred embodiment formed by stacked hexagonal plates, the shape of the exchanger lends itself to the application of water on a primary side to achieve two-stage (indirect plus direct) evaporative cooling. In the two-stage operation mode, all six sides of the heat exchanger have water flowing through the corrugated flutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: IndireX
    Inventor: Karl Egbert
  • Patent number: 6272874
    Abstract: A passenger cooling device for use on a watercraft in a body of water, the passenger cooling device comprising a fan member and a mist assembly associated with the fan member. The mist assembly includes a nozzle, a pump for pumping water from the body of water through the mist assembly to form a vapor mist, and a filter member for filtering solids from the water. The nozzle and fan member are aligned, such that the vapor mist is directed toward passengers on the watercraft. An intake conduit extends from the pump into the body of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Inventor: Bart Keeney
  • Patent number: 6266975
    Abstract: The invention provides a heat pump/engine system having a water/brine flash evaporator in fluid communication with a first air/brine heat exchanger, a brine condenser in fluid communication with a second air/brine heat exchanger, and a vapor compressor/turbine connected on a fluid conduit leading from the flash evaporator to the brine condenser. Heat/pump methods are also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Agam Energy Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Gad Assaf
  • Patent number: 6247327
    Abstract: The effectiveness of an evaporative cooler is increased in a construction having a housing (10) provided with an air entrance (18) and an air exit (20) together with a substantially closed air flow path (32) extending between the entrance (18) and the exit (20). A body (34) of evaporative cooling media is within the housing (10) and extends across the air path (32). The body has an upper end (39) and upstream and downstream sides (46), (38). A water distribution plate (54) is located above the body (34) and has an elongated edge (60) which contacts the body (34) along the entire length of the edge (60) at a location at or closely adjacent the upstream side (46). A spring (78) biases the edge (60) against the body (34) and a water distribution header (64) overlies the water distribution plate (54) and directs water onto the plate (54) as a plurality of merging streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Jae S. An, Robert L. Linstroth
  • Patent number: 6223548
    Abstract: A cooler housing capable of encasing, protecting, and supporting cooler components, particularly components necessary for use as a portable evaporative cooler. Though the housing described herein may be used in cooling devices ranging from simple conventional fans to complex heat exchanger devices, the preferred embodiment of this invention is preferably used in conjunction with a portable evaporative cooler employing this housing and further comprising a motor that drives a pump connected to a sump tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: General Shelters of Texas, S.B., Inc.
    Inventor: Phillip D. Calvert