Patent Application
20120273171
The present invention relates to heat exchangers and, more particularly, to an evaporative heat exchanger with earthen material for cooling ambient air.
Conventional air conditioners require considerable energy due to the use of compressor technology. A compressor is typically used to compress a gas (such as Freon, or some other fluorinated hydrocarbon, for example) into a liquid. This liquid is allowed to encounter a reduced pressure area, such as a heat exchanger coil, where the liquid becomes a cold gas. The gas passes back to the compressor to repeat the cycle. This continual compression uses a substantial amount of energy.
As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus and method for cooling air that may use a minimal amount of energy.
In one aspect of the present invention, a heat exchanger comprises an earthen heat exchanger element; a reservoir in fluid connection with at least a portion of the earthen heat exchanger element; and a plurality of holes in the earthen heat exchanger element, the holes adapted to allow air to pass through the heat exchanger.
In another aspect of the present invention, a heat exchanger comprises an earthen heat exchanger element; a reservoir in fluid connection with at least a portion of the earthen heat exchanger element; at least one water conduit formed in the earthen heat exchanger element, the water conduit in fluid communication with the reservoir and a plurality of holes in the earthen heat exchanger element, the holes adapted to allow air to pass through the heat exchanger.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a heat exchanger with earthen material for cooling ambient air. The heat exchanger may serve as an energy efficient alternative to air conditioning. The heat exchanger may take in ambient air and cool the air through evaporative heat exchange, which may be very useful during summer months in areas where the day temperatures can be very high. In some embodiments, a fan may be used to provide airflow through an evaporating heat exchanger, which results in an airflow that is much cooler than the ambient temperature. The heat exchanger may be made from an earthen material, such as fired clay, for example, with a large surface area coming into contact with the airflow. One or more cavities may be present in the heat exchanger to hold water and allow the water to percolate through the porous earthen material.
Referring to
As the air is pushed through the holes 16, the air may evaporate water that has percolated through the earthen heat exchanger element 14. This evaporation may cool the air. As the water from the reservoir 12 evaporates in the heat exchanger 10, water may be replenished. In some embodiments, a water level measurement device (not shown) may be disposed to automatically refill the reservoir 12 as needed.
The style of the heat exchanger 10 may vary. For example, as shown in
The heat exchangers 10, 11 of
Referring now to
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
