Evaporative cooler assisted automotive air conditioning system

• US 7,654,307 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hollasch, Kurt Dale, Bhatti, Mohinder Singh, Reyzin, Ilya
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford; John K
• Application Number:
  US11/333,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20070163772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 165/202, 165/42, 165/43, 165/59, 165/60, 62/91, 62314-316, 622/88, 622/91, 62/92, 62/95, 62/96, 261/153, 261/154, 261/156
• US Class Current: 165/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3202 using evaporation, i.e. not including a compressor, e.g. involving fuel or water evaporation B60H1/3235 takes precedence; in general F25B19/00, F25D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3233 characterised by condensed liquid drainage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32331 comprising means for the use of condensed liquid, e.g. for humidification or for improving condenser performance
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/022 comprising a compressor cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0035 using evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 5/02 in which the evaporating medium flows in a continuous film or trickles freely over the conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/022 with multiple channels
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/126 consisting of zig-zag shaped fins F28F1/105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/54 Free-cooling systems

Abstract

An automotive air conditioning system is disclosed comprising an evaporative cooler in series with the conventional vapor compression system. The evaporative cooler comprises an array of dry channels and a contiguous array of wet channels. The primary air stream to be conditioned by the evaporator of the conventional air conditioning system is preconditioned by the evaporative cooler by lowering its dry bulb temperature without changing its absolute humidity. An evaporator core is supported downstream of the evaporative cooler for receiving the primary air from the dry channels and thereby produces liquid condensate. The system is distinguished by conducting the liquid condensate from the evaporator core to the wicking tank for use in the wet channels of the evaporative cooler.

Claims

1. A heating and ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:

housing,

an evaporative cooler supported in said housing and defining a plurality of horizontal dry channels for receiving primary air and a plurality of vertical wet channels extending transversely to said dry channels for receiving secondary air,

an evaporator core supported in said housing downstream of said evaporative cooler for receiving the primary air from said dry channels,

a wicking tank disposed under said bottom ends of said wet channels for containing liquid,

a wicking material disposed in said wet channels for drawing liquid from said wicking tank into said wet channels,

a reservoir supported by said housing for collecting liquid condensate from said evaporator core, and

a reservoir wick extending from said reservoir to said wicking tank for conducting liquid condensate from said reservoir to said wicking tank.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 including a sheath made of metal and surrounding said reservoir wick between said reservoir and said wicking tank.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 including a plurality of vertically extending boxes defining said wet channels and being spaced laterally from one another by said dry channels and each having a rectangular cross section open at top and bottom ends, and a plurality of spaced dividers defining said plurality of wet channels, and a plurality of panels disposed in a zig zag arrangement between adjacent boxes and extending transversely to said wet channels for defining said dry channels.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3 with said dividers being undulated between said open end for defining a tortuous flow path.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4 with said undulated dividers being constantly spaced along the undulations thereof to present a flow path of uniform cross section.

6. A system as set forth in claim 4 with said undulated dividers being unevenly spaced along the undulations thereof to present a flow path of varying cross section.

7. A heating and ventilating and air conditioning system comprising:

a housing presenting an outside air inlet for drawing in outside air and a re-circulated air inlet for drawing in recirculated air from the compartment of an automotive vehicle,

a blower supported in said housing for moving air through said housing,

an air inlet valve supported in said housing downstream of said air inlets for proportioning outside air and recirculated air into a mixture of primary air,

an evaporative cooler supported in said housing and defining a plurality of horizontal dry channels for receiving the primary air and a plurality of vertical wet channels extending transversely to said dry channels for receiving secondary air,

said wet channels defined by a plurality of vertically extending boxes spaced laterally from one another by said dry channels and each having a rectangular cross section open at top and bottom ends and a plurality of spaced dividers to define said plurality of wet channels,

a wicking tank disposed under said bottom ends of said wet channels for containing liquid,

a wicking material disposed in said wet channels for drawing liquid from said wicking tank into said wet channels,

a plurality of panels disposed in a zig zag arrangement between adjacent boxes and extending transversely to said wet channels for defining said dry channels,

said panels including louver-fins for enhancing heat transfer,

said boxes defining passages for conducting bleed air from said dry channels to said wet channels,

an evaporator core supported in said housing downstream of said evaporative cooler for receiving the primary air from said dry channels,

a heater core supported in said housing downstream of said evaporator for receiving and heating primary air from said evaporator core,

said housing having conditioned air outlets for proportioning primary air into the compartment of an automotive vehicle,

said housing defining a by-pass for conducting primary air flow from said evaporator core around said heater core to said conditioned air outlets,

a temperature valve supported by said housing for proportioning the primary air from said evaporator core between said heater core and said by-pass,

a reservoir supported by said housing for collecting liquid condensate from said evaporator core, and

a reservoir wick extending from said reservoir to said wicking tank for conducting liquid condensate from said reservoir to said wicking tank, and

a sheath made of metal and surrounding said reservoir wick between said reservoir and said wicking tank.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 with said dividers being undulated between said open end for defining a tortuous flow path.

9. A system as set forth in claim 8 with said undulated dividers being constantly spaced along the undulations thereof to present a flow path of uniform cross section.

10. A system as set forth in claim 8 with said undulated dividers being unevenly spaced along the undulations thereof to present a flow path of varying cross section.