Evaporative cooling device and process for cooling large areas

• US 4,443,387 A
• Filed: 01/05/1982
• Issued: 04/17/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Korral Kool Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gordon R. Robert
• Inventors: Gordon, R. Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): MILES, TIM
• Application Number:
  US06/337,165
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 261/30, 261/79 A, 239/399, 55/230, 119/16, 119/21, 119/159
• US Class Current: 261/30
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0058 Construction of air inlets or outlets in roofs
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0082 Water misting or cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 6/14 using nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/70 in livestock or poultry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/76 using renewable energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/54 Free-cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/50 Livestock or poultry management

Abstract

A device for evaporative cooling of large masses of air suitable for cooling structures utilized to shelter commercial animals, such as cows and the like, includes a member having a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a hollow interior extending between the inlet and outlet. A fan and motor are associated with the inlet for moving air into the inlet creating an air stream within the interior of the member. A plurality of vanes are located within the interior of the member for introducing a torsional component into the air stream passing through the member such that the air stream moves through the member in a spiral pathway. As the air stream spirals through the member, a spray of water is introduced into the member. The spray becomes incorporated into the spirally moving air stream to reduce the temperature of the air stream. After exiting out of the outlet of the member, the air stream is directed toward the animals of commercial interest to cool both the animals and their immediate surroundings. The device is extremely effective in modifying the environment of dairy cows and the like in climates having elevated temperatures.

Claims

1. A process for cooling a mass of air which comprises:

locating a housing in conjunction with said mass of air, said housing of the type having an air inlet and an air outlet;

extracting an air stream from said mass of air and moving said air stream through said air inlet of said housing into said housing and discharging said air stream out of said air outlet of said housing;

increasing the residence time of said air stream in said housing by introducing a torsional motion into said air stream within said housing to cause said air stream to move in a spiral pathway within said housing;

injecting a spray of water into said air stream as it moves in said spiral pathway within said housing, at least a portion of said water spray evaporating into said air stream while said air stream resides in said housing;

said spray of water being ejected under a pressure and through a nozzle orifice of a size to create a droplet size less than 0.004 inches and greater than 0.002 inches, and directing said moist air stream downwardly from said air outlet in an expanding pattern and into contact with animals therebelow in order to cool said animals.

2. A process of lowering the ambient temperature of a structure which includes at least a roof which comprises:

locating a housing in said roof such that the top portion of said housing is exposed above said roof and the bottom portion of said housing is exposed below said roof;

locating a fan means in conjunction with said portion of said housing located above said roof;

locating a plurality of vanes within said housing, said vanes capable of modifying the direction of movement of an air stream contacting said vanes;

locating a nozzle within said housing, said nozzle capable of ejecting a spray of water into the interior of said housing;

operating said fan means to create an air stream moving through said housing and being discharged from said housing from the bottom portion of said housing exposed below said roof, operating said nozzle to discharge said spray of water into said air stream as it moves through said housing;

contacting said plurality of vanes with said air stream at said air stream moves through said housing to cause said air stream to move in a spiral pathway through said housing so as to increase the residence time of said air stream in said housing and to cause said air stream to be discharged from said housing in a pattern which enlarges as said air stream moves away from said housing.

3. A process for evaporative cooling of a mass of air which comprises:

locating a housing in conjunction with said mass of air, said housing of the type having an air inlet and an air outlet;

extracting an air stream from said mass of air and moving said air stream through said air inlet of said housing into said housing and discharging said air stream out of said air outlet of said housing;

increasing the residence time of said air stream in said housing by introducing a torsional motion into said air stream within said housing to cause said air stream to move in a spiral pathway within said housing;

injecting a spray of water into said air stream as it moves in said spiral pathway within said housing, at least a portion of said water spray evaporating into said air stream while said air stream resides in said housing;

said spray of water being ejected under a pressure and through a nozzle orifice of a size to create a droplet size less than 0.004 inches and greater than 0.002 inches;

wherein

said torsional motion is introduced into said air stream by contacting said air stream against a plurality of tiers of vanes located within the interior of said housing, each of said tiers of vanes including a plurality of vanes, said tiers of vanes spaced apart from one another between said air inlet and said air outlet, each of said vanes in each of said tiers of vanes oriented at an angle to an axis passing through said air inlet and said air outlet with the orientation of each of said tiers of vanes being greater than the orientation angle of the tier of vanes immediately preceding it in moving from said air inlet to said air outlet.

4. A process of mixing a volume of a liquid into a large volume of gas which comprises:

locating a housing in conjunction with said volume of gas, said housing of the type having a gas inlet and a gas outlet;

extracting a gas stream from said volume of gas and moving said gas stream through said gas inlet, through said housing and discharging said gas stream out of said gas outlet;

introducing a torsional motion into said gas stream within said housing to cause said gas stream to move in a spiral pathway within said housing;

said torsional motion introduced into said air stream by contacting said air stream against a plurality of tiers of vanes located within the interior of said housing, each of said tiers of vanes including a plurality of vanes, said tiers of vanes spaced apart one from another between said air inlet and said air outlet, each of said vanes in each of said tiers of vanes oriented at an angle to an axis passing through said air inlet and said air outlet with the orientation angle of each of said tiers of vanes being greater than the orientation angle of the tier of vanes immediately preceding it in moving from said air inlet to said air outlet;

injecting a spray of said liquid into said gas stream as said gas stream moves in said spiral pathway within said housing.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein:

each of said tiers of vanes are oriented with respect to said axis at an angle of from about 5 degrees to 10 degrees greater than the tier of vanes located immediately preceding it.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein:

said angle is from about 5 degrees to about 7 degrees greater.

7. The process of claim 4 including:

ejecting said spray of said liquid under a pressure and through a nozzle orifice of a size to create a droplet size less than 0.004 inches.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein:

said droplet size is greater than 0.002 inches.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein:

each of said tiers of vanes are oriented with respect to said axis at an angle of from about 5 degrees to about 10 degrees greater than the tier of vanes located immediately preceding it.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein:

said angle is from about 5 degrees to about 7 degrees greater.

11. A device for evaporative cooling of a mass of air which comprises:

a member having at least one gas inlet, a gas outlet and a hollow interior extending between said gas inlet and said gas outlet, said member having a longitudinal axis extending from said gas inlet through said interior to said gas outlet;

a fan rotatably mounted on said member in association with said gas inlet, said fan including a plurality of vanes each of which is oriented at an angle to said longitudinal axis, said fan moving an air stream through said air inlet and through said interior of said member with a force sufficient to discharge said air stream out of said air outlet of said member;

a plurality of tiers of vanes located within the interior of said member, each of said tiers of vanes including a plurality of vanes located in an array within said tier, said tiers of vanes spaced apart one from another between said fan and said gas outlet of said member, each of said vanes in each of said tiers of vanes oriented at an angle to said longitudinal axis with the angle of said vanes of the tier of vanes closest to said fan being greater than the angle of said fan vanes and in moving from said fan towards said gas outlet the angle of the vanes of each of the further tiers of vanes greater than the angle of the vanes of the tier of vanes immediately preceding it;

said fan vanes and said tiers of said vanes introducing a torsional component into said air stream as said air stream moves between said air inlet and said air outlet with said torsional component moving said air stream in a spiral pathway through said interior of said member;

an introduction means associated with said member and capable of introducing a quantity of water into said air stream as it moves in said spiral pathway through the interior of said member such that at least a portion of said quantity of water will evaporate within said air stream reducing the temperature of said air stream.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein:

each of said tiers of vanes are oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis at an angle of from about 5 degrees to 10 degrees greater than the tiers of vanes located immediately preceding it.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein:

said angle is from about 5 degrees to about 7 degrees greater.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein:

said introduction means includes a nozzle means located in the interior of said member and capable of introducing said quantity of water as a spray into said air stream as it moves in said spiral pathway in the interior of said member.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein:

said member includes a first chamber which is cylindrical at least along a portion of its length, at least a portion of said plurality of vanes located on the inside surface of said first chamber, said first chamber having a first end and a second end, said second end comprising said gas outlet, said first end oriented toward said fan.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein:

said vanes located in said first chamber are located in a symmetrical array in said chamber and are shaped to project from the inside wall of said first chamber toward the longitudinal axis of said first chamber;

said nozzle means being positioned with respect to said first chamber such that said spray does not strike said vanes located within said first chamber when said air stream is moving through said first chamber.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein:

said member includes a second chamber, said second chamber being cylindrical in shape having open first and second ends and having an outside dimension less that the inside dimension of said first chamber;

at least a portion of said second chamber extending into said first chamber.

18. The device of claim 14 wherein:

said introduction means further includes means for ejecting said spray of water under a pressure and through a nozzle orifice of a size to create a droplet size less than 0.004 inches.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein:

said droplet size is greater than 0.002 inches.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein:

each of said tiers of vanes are oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis at an angle of from about 5 degrees to about 10 degrees greater than the tier of vanes located immediately preceding it.

21. A device for evaporative cooling of a mass of air which comprises:

a member having at least one gas inlet, a gas outlet and a hollow interior extending between said gas inlet and said gas outlet;

a first means associated with said member, said first means capable of moving air in an air stream from said gas inlet through said interior of said member and discharging said air stream out of said gas outlet, said first means moving said air stream through the interior of said member in a spiral pathway;

a second means associated with said member and capable of introducing a quantity of water into said air stream as it moves in said spiral pathway through the interior of said member such that at least a portion of said quantity of water will evaporate within said air stream reducing the temperature of said air stream;

said second means includes a nozzle means located in the interior of said member and capable of introducing said quantity of water as a spray into said air stream as it moves in said spiral pathway in the interior of said member;

said first means includes an air moving means associated with said air inlet of said member, said air moving means moving said air stream through said air inlet and through the interior of said member with a force sufficient to discharge said air stream out of said air outlet of said member;

said first means further includes a plurality of air stream direction modifying means, said modifying means capable of introducing a torsional component into the movement of said air stream as said air stream moves between said air inlet and said air outlet, said torsional component contributing to the movement of said air in said spiral pathway through he interior of said member;

said air stream directional modifying means comprises a plurality of vanes located in an array within the interior of said member;

said air moving means comprises a fan rotatably mounted on said member and a means associated with said fan to rotate said fan;

said member includes a first chamber which is cylindrical at least along a portion of its length, at least a portion of said plurality of vanes located on the inside surface of said first chamber, said nozzle means located within the interior of said first chamber, said first chamber having a first end and a second end, said second end comprising said gas outlet, said first end oriented toward said fan;

said vanes located in said first chamber are located in a symmetrical array in said chamber and are shaped to project from the inside wall of said first chamber toward the longitudinal axis of said first chamber;

said nozzle means being positioned within the interior of said first chamber such that said spray does not strike said vanes located within said first chamber when said air stream in moving through said first chamber;

said member includes a venturi component having an opening located therein, said opening comprising a venturi tube;

said fan rotatably mounted in association with said opening in said venturi component such that air contacted by said fan moves in an air stream through said venturi component;

said venturi component located in association with said first end of said chamber, said venturi component sized such that its outside dimension is less than the inside dimension of said first chamber, at least a portion of said venturi component located in association with the first end of said chamber forming at least a first open annulus between the outside portion of said venturi component and the inside of said first chamber, said first open annulus comprising a second gas inlet to said member such that said air stream exiting through said opening in said venturi component creates a reduced pressure area at said second inlet and air from the ambient environment is drawn into said reduced pressure area through said second inlet and into said air stream;

said member includes a second chamber, said second chamber being cylindrical in shape having open first and second ends and having an outside dimension less that the inside dimension of said first chamber;

at least a portion of said second chamber including said second end of said second chamber extending into said first end of said first chamber forming a second open annulus between the outside of said second chamber and the inside of said first chamber, said second annulus comprising a third gas inlet into the interior of sad member;

said opening in said venturi component located in association with said first end of said second chamber, said opening sized such that its diameter is less than the inside dimension of said second chamber such that said first annulus is located between said opening and the inside of said second chamber.

22. The device of claim 21 including:

at least a portion of said plurality of said vanes located in said second chamber.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein:

said member is vertically oriented such that the longitudinal axis of said first chamber, said second chamber and said venturi component are vertically oriented and pass through the center of rotation of said fan;

said vanes located in said second chamber being located in a position elevated with respect to all of said vanes located in said first chamber;

said vanes located in said first chamber being located in tiers one above the other along the inside surface of said first chamber.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein:

said fan includes a plurality of fan vanes each of which is oriented at an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis passing through the center of rotation of said fan;

said vanes located in said second chamber being oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis at a greater angle than the angle of said fan vanes;

said uppermost tiers of vanes located in said first chamber being oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis at a greater angle than the angle of said vanes located in said second chamber, each of the remaining plurality of tiers of said vanes in said first chamber being oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis at a greater angle than the tier of vanes located immediately above it.

25. The device of claim 23 wherein:

each of said tiers of vanes are oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis at an angle of from about 5°

to 10°

greater than the tier of vanes located immediately above it.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein:

said angle is from about 5°

to about 7°

greater.