Evaporative cooler

• US 4,440,000 A
• Filed: 03/04/1982
• Issued: 04/03/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RTI, Inc. (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Richard E. Bacchus, Rockney D. Bacchus, Ronald A. Bacchus
• Inventors: Bacchus, Rockney D., Bacchus, Richard E., Bacchus, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Favors, Edward G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BENNETT, HENRY A
• Application Number:
  US06/354,607
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 62/304, 62/309, 62/310, 261/29, 261/103, 261/DIG. 15, 261/151, 55/510, 55/498, 55/507, 55/509
• US Class Current: 62/310
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 6/04 using stationary unheated wet elements
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 5/00 Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, using the cooling effect of natural or forced evaporation

Abstract

An evaporative cooler according to the invention comprises a one-piece, three-layer pad wrapped around an open-sided cylindrical barrel-like structure. Water is sprayed uniformly over the interior surface of the pad while a centrifugal blower draws air in through the pad from the outside. A novel base design renders it possible to replace the standard square base coolers with the cooler of the present invention. The cooler can be used either with downward or side delivery systems and can easily be adapted to being mounted in a window. The top, base, and barrel are separately fabricated of a non-heat conducting material and are so shaped that they can be nested or stacked for economy of space in storage or shipping.

Claims

1. In an evaporative cooler including horizontal, dish-like, generally circular base and cover members;

a vertical evaporative pad substantially enclosing, with said cover members, an interior volume of the cooler;

air inlet and outlet openings communicating with the interior of the cooler;

a blower means, including a drive motor, within the cooler for circulating air through the inlet and outlet openings; and

means for continuously supplying water to the upper end of the evaporative pad during cooler operation;

the improvement comprising;

a rigid self-supportive, generally cylindrically curved evaporative pad and cover member having air flow openings therethrough, said pad and cover support member extending between said base and cover members, and comprising the sole means for structurally supporting the cover member above the base member;

said airflow openings being separated by narrow, elongated rod-like elements;

a flexible elongated, fibrous, saturable evaporative pad wrapped around the outer periphery of said pad and cover support member and in engagement with the pad and the cover support member;

an elongated, continuous flexible foraminous pad retainer having free ends wrapped around the evaporative pad and the pad and cover support member, said free ends being secured under tension by means of a releasable connector means;

said pad and cover support member comprising the sole means for structurally supporting the cover member above the base member, and comprising a one-piece, curved, semi-rigid element formed of an open mesh network of narrow, rod-like elements;

said base member including said air outlet opening which extends downwardly therethrough;

an inwardly and upwardly tapered flange surrounding said outlet opening;

an upstanding rim defining the periphery of said base member;

said flange terminating above the upper edge of said rim;

said blower and blower motor secured to said flange and extending upwardly therefrom;

said base member adapted to retain a layer of water between said rim and said flange;

said blower having an air discharge opening in communication with said air outlet opening and an air intake opening communicating with the interior of the cooler;

said blower comprising a centrifugal blower including a cylindrical, cage-like rotatable impeller having an imperforate central baffle extending radially across the interior of the impeller to divide the blower into two opposed sections.

2. Appartus according to claim 1, said rim being outwardly flared away from the pad retainer.

3. Appatus according to claim 2, said base member including, between said rim and said flange, a continuous inner bottom surface that includes a central, lowermost, water receiving, horizontal area disposed beneath said rim, and an upwardly sloping surface connecting the edge of said central area and the bottom of said rim, said pad and cover support member engaging said base member adjacent and within said rim.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, said base member having an outer central bottom surface that is octagonally configured, including generally veritcal octagonal facets extending between a central lowermost horizontal surface and a radially outer, upwardly inclined outer surface that extends between said facets and said rim.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, at least said base and cover members, pad and cover support member, and pad retainer being entirely constructed from non-metallic material, e.g., fiber reinforced plastic, that is a poor heat conductor.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, said pad and cover support member comprising annular end members joined by spaced vertical and diagonal strut members, said pad and cover support member being formed from fiber reinforced synthetic resin material.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, said water supplying means comprising an annular water conduit disposed above said evaporative pad, said conduit having apertures directed towards the upper edge of the pad, and a supply pipe for supplying water to diametrically opposed areas of said annular conduit.

5. In an evaporative cooler including horizontal, dish-like, generally circular base and cover members;

a vertical evaporative pad substantially enclosing, with said cover members, an interior volume of the cooler;

air inlet and outlet openings communicating with the interior of the cooler;

a blower means, including a drive motor, within the cooler for circulating air through the inlet and outlet openings; and

means for continuously supplying water to the upper end of the evaporative pad during cooler operation;

the improvement comprising;

a rigid self-supportive, generally cylindrically curved evaporative pad and cover support member having air flow openings therethrough, said pad and cover support member extending between said base and cover members, and comprising the sole means for structurally supporting the cover member above the base member;

said airflow openings being separated by narrow, elongated rod-like elements;

a flexible elongated, fibrous, saturable evaporative pad wrapped around the outer periphery of said pad and cover support member and in engagement with the pad and the cover support member;

an elongated, continuous flexible foraminous pad retainer having free ends wrapped around the evaporative pad and the pad and cover support member, said free ends being secured under tension by means of a releasable connector means;

said pad and cover support member comprising the sole means for structurally supporting the cover member above the base member, and comprising a one-piece, curved, semi-rigid element formed of an open mesh network of narrow, rod-like elements;

said air outlet opening comprising a side opening in said pad and cover support element;

said base member including a peripheral upstanding rim sloped outwardly and a lowermost, water retaining bottom area disposed beneath said rim;

a box-like upwardly extending and inwardly tapered flange projecting from the lower most bottom area, said flange terminating above said rim;

said blower mounted on said flange;

said blower having an air discharge opening in communication with the interior of the cooler;

said blower comprising a centrifugal blower including a cylindrical, cage-like rotary impeller having an imperforate central baffle extending radially across the interior of the impeller to divide the blower into two opposed sections.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, including an upwardly sloping surface connecting the edge of said central lowermost bottom area and the bottom of said rim, said pad and cover support member engaging said base member adjacent and within said rim;

said base member having an outer bottom surface that is octagonally configured, including generally vertical octagonal facets extending between a lowermost horizontal surface and a radially outer, upwardly inclined outer surface that extends between said facets and said rim.