Sport field cooling system and method

Abstract

A system and associated method is disclosed for manipulation and control of air temperature in sport field and associated environments, wherein geothermally and/or mechanically cooled source air is distributed, via one or more air handling unit or air handling component, to the requisite environment through one or more pipes and a plurality of associated, uniquely configured, supply air nozzles. Such system and associated method of use and application solves, or dramatically reduces, the problem of elevated playing surface and/or elevated player envelope environmental temperatures.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A cooling system for control of air temperature in association with a sport field comprising:
 an air intake;   a cooling source;   an air handling unit;   a plurality of supply air nozzles;   means for directing air from said air intake, through said cooling source, through said air handling unit, and into said plurality of supply air nozzles;   whereby cooled air is dispersed from said supply air nozzles to said sport field.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said cooling source comprises a subsurface geothermal cooling source. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said cooling source comprises a mechanical cooling source. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said air handling unit comprises a fan. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said air handling unit comprises an air handling chamber, a plenum chamber, a plenum wall, and a fan, said fan passing air from said air handling chamber to said plenum chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein air is drawn by said air handling unit, through said air intake, through said cooling source, and into said air handling unit. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 6  wherein air is blown from said air handling unit into distribution means feeding cooled air to said plurality of supply air nozzles. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of supply air nozzles are in spaced-apart relationship across the surface of a sport field. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said field further comprises an associated, ancillary, or auxilliary area. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling system of  claim 1  further comprising a condensate drainage means. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said means for directing air comprises a pipe or tubular member. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said supply air nozzles comprise a latex outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said supply air nozzles pass from tubular, subsurface distribution means, through a ground layer, and through a turf layer of the sports field. 
     
     
         14 . An air cooled sports field comprising:
 an air intake;   a cooling source;   an air handling unit;   a plurality of supply air nozzles distributed across the sports field;   tubular means fluidly connected with said air intake, said cooling source, said air handling unit, and said plurality of supply air nozzles, said tubular means for directing air from said air intake to said nozzles.   
     
     
         15 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein said cooling source comprises a subsurface geothermal cooling source. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein said cooling source comprises a mechanical cooling source. 
     
     
         17 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein said air handling unit comprises a fan. 
     
     
         18 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein said air handling unit comprises an air handling chamber, a plenum chamber, a plenum wall, and a fan, said fan passing air from said air handling chamber to said plenum chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein air is drawn by said air handling unit, through said air intake, through said cooling source, and into said air handling unit. 
     
     
         20 . The cooling system of  claim 19  wherein air is blown from said air handling unit into distribution means feeding cooled air to said plurality of supply air nozzles. 
     
     
         21 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein said field further comprises an associated, ancillary, or auxilliary area. 
     
     
         22 . The cooling system of  claim 14  further comprising a condensate drainage means. 
     
     
         23 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein said supply air nozzles comprise a latex outlet. 
     
     
         24 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein said supply air nozzles pass from tubular, subsurface distribution means, through a ground layer, and through a turf layer of the sports field. 
     
     
         25 . A nozzle for a sport field cooling system comprising, at a first end thereof, retaining ears or barb-like members to retain said nozzle within a subsurface tubular air distribution member, and, at a second end thereof, a soft tubular air outlet tube. 
     
     
         26 . A method for cooling a sports field, and/or associated, ancillary, or auxilliary areas, the method comprising the steps of:
 drawing intake air from the ambient environment and into one or more subsurface intake pipes;   cooling the intake air by geothermal means;   directing the cooled air to a sports field, and/or to associated, ancillary, or auxilliary areas.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of filtering the supply air. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of cooling the intake air by mechanical means. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of passing intake air through fan means from a source side to a plenum side of an air handling unit. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising the step of directing cooled air from said plenum side into a tubular distribution means interconnected with a plurality of spaced-apart nozzles for directing the cooled air to the sports field, and/or to associated, ancillary, or auxilliary areas.