Evaporative Pre-cooler Residential Air Conditioning Condenser Coil

Abstract

An evaporative pre-cooling system for increasing the efficiency of a residential air conditioner condensing unit utilizing a wet medium in contact with low velocity moving air allowing evaporation to occur across the wet medium thereby reducing the associated dry bulb air temperature of the air moving across the wet pad as the air absorbs moisture. In the present invention, the embodiment of the pre-cooling apparatus encapsulates the condensing unit with a wet cellulose media, water not absorbed during the evaporation cycle is recycled, and water generated by the evaporator coil is discharged into the sump to further reduce tap water consumption. In the embodiment of the present invention, the wet pre-cool mode is thermostatically in parallel with the electrical circuit energizing the pre-cooler system in tandem with the air conditioning compressor motor. The embodiment of the pre-cooling apparatus is constructed of cellulose evaporative pads, plastic top, plastic upper distribution channels, plastic lower water recovery channels, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) piping and fittings for water distribution, plastic frame, PVC for water drains, plastic sump reservoir, and plastic close-off panels providing total recyclability of the embodiment of the complete evaporative pre-cooler enclosure apparatus.

1 . An apparatus for pre-cooling the ambient air entering the condenser coils of an air conditioning system comprised of an evaporator, blower, compressor, condenser, and fan, said apparatus having four sides of an evaporative cellulose pad media arranged as to provide moisture absorption by low volume air as it is pulled through and across the evaporative cellulose pad by the air conditioning system condenser fan, said apparatus having a top, interior frame, lower bottom and rear close-off panels, said apparatus having a sump pump pumping a mixture of tap water and condensation water from the air conditioner system evaporator coil up from a sump reservoir and through a Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe directing a low velocity flow of water directly onto the top of the evaporative cellulose pad, with excess water not absorbed by the evaporative cellulose pad and water not evaporated across the evaporative cellulose pad collecting in the lower channel and draining back into the sump reservoir, said apparatus having a mechanical float level maintaining a fixed water level in the sump reservoir, said apparatus having the feed water from the tap water source, said apparatus having an electrical solenoid controlling the sump reservoir water dump, said apparatus  2 . having a remote electrical control panel with a thermostat monitoring the ambient dry bulb air temperature, energizing and de-energizing the sump pump, electrical relays, and electrical solenoid valves, said apparatus increasing the energy efficiency of the air conditioning system by lowering the saturated condensing temperature of the air conditioning system by pre-cooling the ambient dry bulb air temp prior to the air flowing across and through the condensing unit condenser coil. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein is constructed of cellulose evaporative pads, plastic top, plastic upper distribution channels, plastic lower water recovery channels, PVC piping and fittings for water distribution, plastic frame, PVC for water drains, plastic sump reservoir, plastic lower front and rear side close off panels providing total recyclability of the complete evaporative pre-cooler enclosure apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein utilizes low velocity air flow and low velocity water distribution maximizing the moisture absorption across and through the evaporative cellulose pad without directly exposing the air conditioner condenser coil to excess water protecting the condenser coil from abnormal scaling and/or corrosion.