Evaporative cooler apparatus and method

Abstract

A water cooler kit is provided for use with an evaporative cooler of a type comprising at least one cooling pad, a water reservoir, a water inlet to supply water to the reservoir from a water supply at least one conduit for distributing water onto said at least one cooling pad, a fan for moving air through said cooling pad, and a pump for transferring water from said reservoir to said conduit. The water cooler kit comprises a cooling plate disposed in the reservoir, a heat dissipating structure disposed outside of the evaporative cooler, and a heat transferring thermal conductor between the cooling plate and the heat dissipating structure to transfer heat from the cooling plate to the heat dissipating structure so that heat is extracted from water in the reservoir and dissipated outside the evaporative cooler.

1 . A water cooler kit for use with an evaporative cooler comprising a frame holding at least one cooling pad, a water reservoir, at least one conduit for distributing water onto said at least one cooling pad, a fan for moving air through said cooling pad, and a pump for transferring water from said reservoir to said conduit, said water cooler kit comprising:
 a refrigerated cooling plate disposed in said reservoir to cool water in said reservoir below the temperature of ambient air outside said evaporative cooler;   a heat dissipating structure disposed outside of said evaporative cooler; and   a heat transferring thermal conductor between said refrigerated cooling plate and said heat dissipating structure to transfer heat from said refrigerated cooling plate to said heat dissipating structure so that heat is extracted from said reservoir and dissipated outside said evaporative cooler.   
     
     
         2 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said refrigerated cooling plate comprises an evaporator.   
     
     
         3 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said refrigerated cooling plate comprises a thermoelectric cooling structure.   
     
     
         4 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said refrigerated cooling plate comprises a plurality of protrusions.   
     
     
         5 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein:
 said refrigerated cooling plate comprises an evaporator.   
     
     
         6 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein:
 said refrigerated cooling plate comprises a thermoelectric cooling structure.   
     
     
         7 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said evaporative cooler comprises a water inlet for supplying water from a water supply to said reservoir and said kit comprises:   a cooled conduit connectable between said water supply and said water reservoir to cool water supplied to said reservoir.   
     
     
         8 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein:
 said cooled conduit is carried by said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         9 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein:
 said cooled conduit comprises a serpentine flow passage carried by said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         10 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein:
 said refrigerated cooling plate comprises an evaporator.   
     
     
         11 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said refrigerated cooling plate comprises a thermoelectric cooling structure.   
     
     
         12 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein:
 said serpentine flow passage is carried on a surface of said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         13 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein:
 said serpentine flow passage is carried within said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         14 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising:
 a thermostat to control operation of said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         15 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising:
 a thermostatic element carried by said cooling plate to control operation of said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         16 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising:
 adjustable supports carried by said refrigerated cooling plate for adjusting the position of said cooling plate in said reservoir.   
     
     
         17 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said heat transferring thermal conductor comprises a heat pipe.   
     
     
         18 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said heat dissipating structure comprises a refrigerated plate in thermal communication with said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         19 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 18 , comprising:
 a heat pipe thermally coupling said refrigerated plate and said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         20 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said heat dissipating structure comprises a thermoelectric cooling device in thermal communication with said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         21 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 20 , comprising:
 a heat pipe thermally coupling said thermoelectric cooling device and said refrigerated cooling plate.   
     
     
         22 . An evaporative cooler comprising:
 an evaporative cooling medium;   a water reservoir;   at least one conduit for distributing water onto said evaporative cooling medium;   a fan for moving air through said cooling medium;   a pump for transferring water from said reservoir to said conduit;
 a water cooler comprising:
 a refrigerated cooling plate disposed in said reservoir to cool water in said reservoir to a temperature below the temperature of said air; 
 a heat dissipating structure disposed outside of said evaporative cooler; and 
 a heat transferring thermal conductor between said refrigerated cooling plate and said heat dissipating structure such that heat is transferred from said cooling plate to said heat dissipating structure so that heat is extracted from said reservoir and dissipated outside said evaporative cooler. 
 
   
     
     
         23 . An evaporative cooler in accordance with  claim 22 , comprising:
 control apparatus operable to provide sequenced operation of said water cooler, said pump and said fan.   
     
     
         24 . An evaporative cooler in accordance with  claim 22 , comprising:
 control apparatus operable to provide for remote control of said evaporative cooler.   
     
     
         25 . A method of operating an evaporative cooler comprising a water reservoir, a pump, a fan, and an evaporative cooling medium, said method comprising:
 cooling water in said water reservoir with a refrigerated cooling plate to a temperature below the temperature of ambient air outside said evaporative cooler;   dissipating beat extracted from said water by said refrigerated cooling plate with a heat dissipating structure located outside the evaporative cooler; and   wetting said evaporative cooling medium with the cooled water.   
     
     
         26 . A method in accordance with  claim 25 , comprising:
 energizing said fan to generate an air stream flowing through the wetted evaporative cooling medium; and   performing said cooling water step prior to said energizing step.   
     
     
         27 . A method in accordance with  claim 25 , comprising:
 pumping water from the reservoir to said evaporative cooling medium to wet said evaporative cooling medium; and   performing said pumping step subsequent to cooling said water.   
     
     
         28 . A method in accordance with  claim 25 , comprising:
 controlling operation of said evaporative cooler remotely.   
     
     
         29 . Apparatus for controlling an evaporative cooler comprising a water reservoir, a pump, an evaporative cooling medium, a fan for drawing an air steam into engagement with said evaporative cooling medium, and a water cooler for cooling water in said reservoir, said apparatus comprising:
 sequence control apparatus, said sequence control apparatus comprising:
 a first output to control energizing and de-energizing said fan; 
 a second output to control energizing and de-energizing said pump; and 
 a third output to control energizing and de-energizing said water cooler; 
   said sequence control apparatus operable to control the sequence of operation of said water cooler, said pump and said fan.   
     
     
         30 . Apparatus in accordance with  claim 29 , comprising:
 control apparatus coupled to said sequence control apparatus to initiate operational sequences by said sequence control apparatus.   
     
     
         31 . Apparatus in accordance with  claim 30 , wherein:
 said control apparatus comprises one or more interfaces to receive commands from remote locations, said commands utilized by said control apparatus to initiate said operational sequences.   
     
     
         32 . Apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein:
 said one or more interfaces provide coupling to one or more of a wide area network, a local area network, a wireless receiver, a telephone connection.   
     
     
         33 . A water cooler kit for use with an evaporative cooler comprising a frame holding at least one cooling pad, a water reservoir, at least one conduit for distributing water onto said at least one cooling pad, a fan for moving air through said cooling pad, and a pump for transferring water from said reservoir to said conduit, said water cooler kit comprising:
 a refrigerated cooling plate disposed in said evaporative cooler to cool water in said reservoir below the temperature of ambient air outside said evaporative cooler, said refrigerated cooling plate comprising one of a thermoelectric device, an evaporator plate, a cooling plate thermally coupled to a cooling portion of a thermoelectric device, and a cooling plate thermally coupled to an evaporator;   a heat dissipating structure disposed outside of said evaporative cooler; and   a heat transferring thermal conductor between said refrigerated cooling plate and said heat dissipating structure to transfer heat from said refrigerated cooling plate to said heat dissipating structure to extract heat from said reservoir and dissipated outside said evaporative cooler.   
     
     
         34 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 33 , comprising:
 said heat dissipating structure comprises one of heat dissipating fins; heat dissipating fins with a fan; a thermoelectric device, a refrigeration condenser, and an evaporator and condenser.   
     
     
         35 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 34 , wherein:
 said evaporative cooler comprises a water inlet for supplying water from a water supply to said reservoir and said kit comprises:   a refrigerated conduit connectable between said water supply and said water reservoir to cool water supplied to said reservoir.   
     
     
         36 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 35 , comprising:
 said refrigerated conduit is thermally coupled to one of a thermoelectric device, an evaporator plate, a cooling plate thermally coupled to a cooling portion of a thermoelectric device, and a cooling plate thermally coupled to an evaporator.   
     
     
         37 . A water cooler kit in accordance with  claim 35 , wherein:
 said refrigerated conduit comprises a serpentine passage for water to flow to said reservoir.