Modular dry-air evaporative cooler

Abstract

Air conditioning apparatus for the sensible cooling of useable air by the evaporative process at a cost of operation substantially lower than that of mechanical refrigeration of the same capabilities, and advantageously comprised of modular evaporator and blower units and multiple stages thereof with the use of substantially permanent inexpensive plastic materials conducive to the efficient absorption of heat between separate columns of air, one column subject to the evaporative cooling process with no energy change, and the other column subject to the sensible cooling process with a subtraction of energy from the useable air.

.Iadd.What is claimed is:.Iaddend. 
     
       1. A .Iadd.rectangular .Iaddend.dry-air evaporative cooler .[.including.]. .Iadd.module consisting essentially of: .Iaddend.a pair .Iadd.only .Iaddend.of .[.spaced.]. .Iadd.imperforate planar .Iaddend.side members .[.and a.]. .Iadd.spaced by ep core means .Iadd.with a pair of opposite open sides thereof extending coextensively between said side members for angularly related movement of two separate columns of air, and with opposed end headers mounted to said side members perpendicular thereto, the core means .Iaddend.having opposite interfaces separating the spaces between said .Iadd.side ep members into two angularly related air passages with wetting means at one interface engaging a primary evaporative column of air and with the other interface engaging a secondary sensible cooled column of air with heat transfer between said opposite interfaces, .[.the remaining two pairs of opposite sides between said members being open therebetween for said angularly related movement of said separate columns of air, and both said separate columns of air being movable through said two angularly related passages coextensively between the spaced side members.]. .Iadd.wherein the core means is comprised of a multiplicity of spaced parallel rigid and self-supporting tubes of plastic material mounted at their respective ends in said end headers and defining one of said angularly related air passages through the tubes and through the opposite end headers, said end headers extending coextensively between and spacing the side members at one pair of opposite sides of the core means, said end headers and side members defining the other one of said angularly related air passages over the tubes, said cooler module comprising means including said spaced, parallel, and self-supporting tubes of plastic material for obtaining substantially the same temperature decrease as a dry-air evaporative cooler module that is other wise the same in size, shape and operation as said rectangular dry-air evaporative cooler module and including metal tubes having substantially the same length, rigidity, spacing between them, air flow through them, air flow over them, and water flow over them, as said rectangular dry-air evaporative cooler module..Iaddend. 
     
     
       2. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pair of spaced side members are of square configuration and spaced dimensionally equal to said squareness. .[.3. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1 wherein the core means is comprised of a multiplicity of spaced parallel tubes extending between opposite end 
     
     
        headers coextensively between said pair of spaced side members..]. 4. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1 .[.wherein the core means is comprised of a multiplicity of spaced parallel tubes extending between opposite end headers coextensively between said spaced members and.].wherein the wetting means is at .[.the.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.exterior 
     
     
        interface of said tubes. 5. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1 wherein the core means is comprised of spaced opposite end headers of resiliently .[.deformible.]. .Iadd.deformable .Iaddend.material extending coextensively between said spaced members in and between which 
     
     
        spaced parallel tubes are supported in friction fit openings. 6. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1 wherein the core means is comprised of spaced opposite end headers of .Iadd.resiliently deformable .Iaddend.elastomeric material extending coextensively between said spaced members in and between which spaced parallel tubes are supported in friction fit openings. .[.7. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1 wherein the core means is comprised of a multiplicity of spaced parallel tubes of plastic material extending between opposite end headers coextensively between said spaced members..]. .[.8. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1, wherein the core means is comprised of a multiplicity of spaced parallel tubes of plastic material extending between opposite end headers coextensively between said spaced members, and wherein the wetting means is gauze 
     
     
        wrapping at the exterior interfaces of said tubes..]. 9. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1, wherein the core means is comprised of opposite end headers of .Iadd.resiliently deformable .Iaddend.elastomeric material extending coextensively between said spaced members in and between which spaced parallel tubes of plastic material are supported in friction fit openings, and wherein the wetting means is gauze 
     
     
        wrapping at the exterior interfaces of said plastic tubes. 10. A dry-air evaporative cooler including: .[.an.]. .Iadd.dry-air .Iaddend.evaporator module comprised of .Iadd.two .Iaddend.spaced members and a core means having opposite interfaces separating the space between said members into two angularly related air passages with wetting means at one interface engaging a primary evaporative column of air and with the other interface engaging a secondary sensible cooled column of air with heat transfer between said opposite interfaces, .Iadd.said core means comprising a multiplicity of spaced, parallel, rigid and self-supporting tubes of plastic material mounted at their ends in end headers mounted to said spaced members perpendicular thereto, said end headers defining one of said angularly related air passages through the tubes and through the opposite end headers, said cooler module comprising means including said spaced, parallel, rigid and self-supporting tubes of plastic material for producing substantially the same temperature decrease as a cooler module that is substantially the same in size, shape and operation as said dry-air evaporator modules, but including metal tubes having substantially the same length, rigidity, dimensions, spacing between them, air flow through them and over them, and water flow over them, as said dry-air evaporator module, .Iaddend.both said separate columns of air being .[.moveable.]. .Iadd.movable .Iaddend.through said two angularly related passages coextensively between the said spaced members, and a pair of like blower modules and each comprising means drawing air through one of said 
     
     
        angularly related air passages coextensively between said members. 11. The dry-air evaporative cooler combined of modules as set forth in claim 10, wherein the members are of rectangular configuration, and wherein the remaining two pairs of opposite sides between said members are open therebetween for said angularly related movement of said separate columns 
     
     
        of air through said pair of like blower modules respectively. 12. The dry-air evaporative cooler combined of modules as set forth in claim 10, wherein the members are of square configuration and spaced dimensionally equal to said squareness, and wherein the remaining two pairs of opposite sides between said members are open therebetween for said angularly related movement of said separate columns of air through said pair of like blower modules respectively. .[.13. The dry-air evaporative cooler combined of modules as set forth in claim 10, wherein the core means is comprised of a multiplicty of spaced parallel tubes extending between opposite end headers coextensively between said spaced members, wherein the members are of rectangular configuration, and wherein the remaining two pairs of opposite sides between said members are open therebetween for said angularly related movement of said separate columns of air through 
     
     
        said pair of like blower modules respectively..]. 14. The dry-air evaporative cooler combined of modules as set forth in claim 10, wherein the core means is comprised of a multiplicity of spaced parallel tubes extending between opposite end headers coextensively between said spaced members, wherein the members are of squared configuration and spaced dimensionally equal to said squareness, and wherein the remaining two pairs of opposite sides between said members are open therebetween for said angularly related movement of said separate columns of air through 
     
     
        said pair of like blower modules respectively. 15. A compound dry-air evaporative cooler including: a pair of .Iadd.dry-air evaporator modules and each comprised of .Iadd.two spaced members and .Iaddend.a core means having opposite interfaces .Iadd.separating the space between said two spaced members into, and .Iaddend.establishing two air passages with wetting means at one interface engaging a primary evaporative column of air and with the other interface engaging a secondary sensible cooled column of air with heat transfer between said opposite interfaces, both said separate columns of air being .[.moveable.]. .Iadd.movable .Iaddend.by blower means through said two angularly related passages, .Iadd.said core means comprising a multiplicity of spaced, parallel, rigid and self-supporting tubes of plastic material mounted at their ends in end headers mounted to said spaced members perpendicular thereto, said end headers defining one of said angularly related air passages through the tubes and through the opposite end headers, said cooler module comprising means including said spaced, parallel, rigid and self-supporting tubes of plastic material for producing substantially the same temperature decrease as a cooler module that is substantially the same in size, shape and operation as said dry-air evaporator modules, but including metal tubes having substantially the same length, rigidity, dimensions, spacing between them, air flow through them and over them, and water flow over them, as said dry-air evaporator module, .Iaddend.and a diffuser means dividing the secondary sensible cooled column of air from one evaporator module and delivering separate primary and secondary columns of air through the respectively complementary passages therefor of the other evaporator module, thereby effecting a second stage of sensible cooling 
     
     
        with cooled dry evaporative air. 16. The compound dry-air evaporator cooler as set forth in claim 15 wherein separate blower means moves the separate primary evaporative columns of air through each of the pair of 
     
     
        evaporator modules respectively. 17. The compound dry-air evaporator cooler as set forth in claim 15, wherein separate blower means moves the secondary sensible cooled column of air through the pair of evaporator 
     
     
        modules. 18. The compound of dry-air evaporator cooler as set forth in claim 15, wherein separate blower means moves the secondary sensible cooled column of air through the pair of evaporator modules, and wherein separate blower means moves the separate primary evaporative columns of 
     
     
        air through each of the pair of evaporator modules respectively. 19. The compound dry-air evaporator cooler as set forth in claim 15 wherein the diffuser means comprises a full flow intake from said one evaporator module and a restrictive outlet into at least one passage of said other 
     
     
        evaporator module. 20. A dry-air evaporator pre-cooler for mechanical refrigeration means, and including; a core means having opposite interfaces establishing two air passages with wetting means at one interface engaging a primary evaporative column of air and with the other interface engaging a secondary sensible cooled column of air with heat transfer between said opposite interfaces, blower means moving the primary evaporative column of air through said passage therefor, and the mechanical refrigeration means having a condenser and an air blower means with an intake drawing the secondary sensible cooled column of air through said condenser from the pasage therefor, whereby said mechanical refrigeration condensor operates with sensible cooled air at a 
     
     
        substantially reduced intake temperature. 21. The dry-air evaporative pre-cooler as set forth in claim 20 wherein the intake drawing of the secondary sensible cooled column of air through the pre-cooler passage therefor is directed through heat absorption means of said mechanical 
     
     
        refrigeration means. 22. The dry-air evaporative pre-cooler as set forth in claim 20 wherein the intake drawing of the secondary sensible cooled column of air through the pre-cooler passage therefor is directed through 
     
     
        sensible cooling means of said mechanical refrigeration means. 23. The dry-air evaporative pre-cooler as set forth in claim 20 wherein the intake drawing of the secondary sensible cooled column of air through the pre-cooler passage therefor is directed through both the sensible cooling means and said heat absorption means of said mechanical refrigeration means. .Iadd.24. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1, wherein the wetting means is gauze wrapping at the exterior inrterfaces of said tubes..Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1 in which said tubes have on the order of 1/16 inch all thickness. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The dry-air evaporative cooler of claim 1 in which said tubes extend between rectangular frame members which are entirely open to said primary evaporative column of air on opposite sides of said tubes in a direction normal to said tubes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The dry-air evaporative cooler of claim 10 in which said tubes extend between rectangular frame members which are entirely open to said primary evaporative column of air on opposite sides of said tubes in a direction normal to said tubes, whereby said modules are adapted to be placed side-by-side for form multi-unit height. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The dry-air evaporative cooler of claim 20 in which each of said core means is comprised of a multiplicity of spaced parallel tubes extending between opposite end headers, coextensively between said pair of spaced side members, the exterior of said tubes forming said one interface and the interior of said tubes forming said other interface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The dry-air evaporative cooler of claim 28 in which said tubes are self-supporting plastic pipes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 1 further comprising means for passing said primary evaporative column of air over said wetting means, and means for passing said secondary sensible cooled column of air through said tubes of plastic material. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The dry-air evaporative cooler as set forth in claim 33 further comprising means for passing sensibly cooled air from said dry-air evaporative cooler over tubes of plastic material in at least one additional dry-air evaporative cooler. .Iaddend.