Integrated evaporative cooler and flat plate air to air heat exchanger

Abstract

This invention is an integrated system comprised of a flat plate, air-to-air heat exchanger, ducting and controls, and an AZFlow™ direct evaporative cooler in configurations where the system is able to provide air that has been cooled well below the ambient wet-bulb to temperatures approaching the dew point. These include: A) a two stage cooler where one evaporative cooler performs the stage one cooling by direct evaporative cooling, of the ambient air. This air is directed to the secondary side of the air to air heat exchanger where it indirectly and sensibly cools primary air which is then cooled by a second evaporative cooler which is able to produce the desired cool air approaching the dew point; B) an energy recovery cooling system where building exhaust is collected and directed to the secondary side of the air to air heat exchanger where it indirectly and sensibly cools primary air which is then cooled by an evaporative cooler which is able to produce the desired cool air approaching the dew point; C) an indirect evaporative cooler where an evaporative cooler performs direct evaporative cooling of the ambient air. This air is directed to the secondary side of the air to air heat exchanger where it indirectly and sensibly cools primary air. This sensibly cooled primary air can be used as input to a broad number of applications including but not limited to: inlet air to cooling towers producing water chilled to temperatures approaching the dew point which itself has a broad range of uses, and building makeup air in areas other than the most humid where cooling the air below ambient conditions reduces the energy required to maintain the building environment.

1 . A multi-stage evaporative cooling system where multiple evaporative coolers are linked in series using an efficient flat plate air-to-air heat exchanger to thermally link the coolers to reduce the wet-bulb temperature at the evaporative cooler inlet and achieve cooler outlet dry-bulb temperatures for more effective cooling. 
     
     
         2 . A facility evaporative cooling system that uses an efficient flat plate air-to-air heat exchanger to recapture and apply the cooling energy in the building exhaust to lower the wet-bulb temperature at the evaporative cooler inlet and achieve cooler outlet dry-bulb temperatures for more effective building cooling particularly in higher humidity conditions. 
     
     
         3 . An indirect evaporative cooler stage that uses an efficient flat plate air-to-air heat exchanger with an evaporative cooler to create a system capable of sensibly cooling an air stream (cooling without adding moisture) to lower its dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures. 
     
     
         4 . A hybrid thin plate air-to-air heat exchange apparatus formed by assembling flat plate aluminum sheets using separator strips with interlocking connectors where the strips form a combination cross and counter flow channel boundary between the plates. 
     
     
         5 . The hybrid thin plate air-to-air heat exchange apparatus in  claim 4  where the separator strips form a rounded edge air stream entry at the edges of the heat exchanger to limit the parasitic pressure loss and associated increase in fan power. 
     
     
         6 . The air-to-air heat exchanger of  claim 4  where the interlocking connectors are located at approximately 12″ increments on the periphery and on inside channel boundary positions, said interlocking connectors forming a structurally stable heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The interlocking connector of  claim 6  where high tensile strength low elasticity spectra line is used to secure the heat exchanger plates together by running the line through a hole through the center of the connector such that the connector protects the line from chaffing and maintains the separation distance between the plates. 
     
     
         8 . A control system for systems of  claim 1  where a sensor and damper are used to control the volume of air flowing through the stage  1  side of the hybrid heat exchanger to control the wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperature exiting the second stage of the system. 
     
     
         9 . A control system for systems of  claim 2  where a sensor and damper are used to control the volume of air flowing through the stage  1  side of the hybrid heat exchanger to control the wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperature exiting the second stage of the system. 
     
     
         10 . A control system for systems of  claim 3  where a sensor and damper are used to control the volume of air flowing through the stage  1  side of the hybrid heat exchanger to control the wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperature exiting the second stage of the system.