EVAPORATIVE COOLER

Abstract

An evaporative cooler includes an external bar frame forming an outer body, a plurality of partition plates repeatedly arranged at intervals in a width direction of the external bar frame and separating a dry channel and a wet channel, and embossed portions protruding in a direction facing each other from the facing partition plates forming the wet channel among the plurality of partition plates.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2023-0188316 filed on Dec. 21, 2023 and 10-2023-0194831 filed on Dec. 28, 2023 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to an evaporative cooler.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, an air-conditioner may perform functions, such as cooling, heating, dehumidification, and purification, to maintain a comfortable environment. The evaporative cooling technology of air-conditioners lower the temperature of the air by using an evaporative cooling effect of water, and since a refrigerant other than water is not used, the problems of existing air-conditioners may be solved and a cooling load may be sufficiently reduced.

Patent Document 1 discloses an air-conditioner including a dehumidifying rotor and an evaporative cooler. In Patent Document 1, the evaporative cooler includes a dry channel and a wet channel, and air that has passed through the dehumidifying rotor is supplied to the dry channel, and water is sprayed into the wet channel by a water spraying device, so that the air and water exchange heat.

In the evaporative cooler, extraction air passes through the wet channel and is extracted according to the operation of the product. Supply air of the dry channel indirectly exchanges heat with the low-temperature extraction air of the wet channel, is cooled and then discharged.

The evaporative cooler has the dry channel and the wet channel separated by a thin aluminum plate on the inside of the outermost channel frame. When a dehumidifying blower operates to introduce air that has passed through a dehumidifying rotor into the dry channel, positive pressure is applied to the dry channel, and when an extraction blower operates to introduce extraction air into the wet channel, negative pressure is applied to the wet channel.

When the positive pressure is applied to the dry channel and the negative pressure is applied to the wet channel, the thin aluminum plate partition, which is vulnerable to pressure, is affected. Specifically, shrinkage occurs in the wet channel flow path and a channel flow path is blocked, which causes an obstruction in the flow of evaporated water and air, resulting in a degradation in the overall cooling performance.

• • (Patent Document 1) KR 10-2287900 B

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an evaporative cooler capable of preventing shrinkage in a wet channel flow path, even when positive pressure is applied to a dry channel and negative pressure is applied to a wet channel.

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an evaporative cooler capable of preventing shrinkage of a wall surface of a wet channel flow path to allow evaporated water and air to flow smoothly, thereby preventing a degradation in cooling performance.

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an evaporative cooler capable of stably supporting a water spraying device and preventing water sprayed from the water spraying device from leaking out of the evaporative cooler.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an evaporative cooler includes: an external bar frame forming an outer body; a plurality of partition plates repeatedly arranged at intervals in a width direction of the external bar frame and separating a dry channel and a wet channel; and embossed portions protruding in a direction facing each other from the facing partition plates forming the wet channel among the plurality of partition plates.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an evaporative cooler includes: a first external bar frame and a second external bar frame alternately arranged to form an outer body having a pentagonal shape in which both sides of a triangle are formed at a bottom; a plurality of partition plates arranged in a width direction between the first external bar frame and the second external bar frame to form a dry channel and a wet channel; a heat exchanger including a heat exchange fin portion disposed in a flow path of at least one of the dry channel or the wet channel; a first blower supplying first air to a first air inlet formed in a first side among both sides of the first external bar frame and causing the heat-exchanged first air to be discharged through a first air outlet formed in a first sidewall; a second blower causing second air to be introduced into the wet channel through a second air inlet formed in an upper surface of the second external bar frame in a height direction and causing the heat-exchanged second air to be discharged through a second air outlet; a water spraying device spraying water to be injected into the wet channel through the second air inlet; and embossed portions protruding in a direction facing each other from partition plates forming the wet channel among the plurality of partition plates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating an evaporative cooler according to an example of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an evaporative cooler according to an example of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view schematically illustrating flow of air in the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a portion of the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view viewed from the top of the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2 in direction A;

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line B-B′ of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a schematic enlarged view of portion C of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic enlarged perspective view of portion D of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an evaporative cooler of FIG. 8 viewed in direction E.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments of the present inventive concept may be modified into other forms and are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. In the drawings, the shapes and dimensions of elements may be exaggerated for clarity, and like reference numerals denote like elements.

In the example embodiments, the terms “side region,” “side surface,” and the like, may be used to refer to a surface formed taken in right/left directions, the terms “lower side,” “lower portion,” “lower surface,” and the like, may be used to refer to directions facing downwardly with reference to a cross-section in the diagrams for ease of description, and the terms “upper side,” “upper portion,” “upper surfaces,” and the like, may be used to refer to directions opposing the directions. The notion that an element is disposed on a side region, an upper side, an upper region, or a lower resin may include the configuration in which the element is directly in contact with an element configured as a reference in respective directions, and the configuration in which the element is not directly in contact with the reference element. The terms may be defined as above for ease of description, and the scope of right of the example embodiments is not particularly limited to the terms.

In the present inventive concept, the meaning of a “connection” of a component to another component includes an indirect connection through another element as well as a direct connection between two components. In addition, in some cases, the meaning of “connection” includes all “electrical connections.”

It may be understood that when an element is referred to with “first” and “second,” the element is not limited thereby. They may be used only for a purpose of distinguishing the element from the other elements, and may not limit the sequence or importance of the elements. In some cases, a first element may be referred to as a second element without departing from the scope of the claims set forth herein. Similarly, a second element may also be referred to as a first element.

In the example embodiments, the term “example embodiment” may not refer to one same example embodiment, but may be provided to describe and emphasize different unique features of each example embodiment. The suggested example embodiments may be implemented do not exclude the possibilities of combination with features of other example embodiments. For example, even though the features described in one example embodiment are not described in the other example embodiment, the description may be understood as relevant to the other example embodiment unless otherwise indicated.

The term “substantially the same” as used in the present disclosure does not mean the exact same, but means the same, including process errors or positional deviations occurring in a manufacturing process, and errors in measurement.

The terms used in the present inventive concept are used to simply describe an example and are not intended to limit the present inventive concept. A singular term includes a plural form unless otherwise indicated.

Hereinafter the present disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the shapes and dimensions of elements may be exaggerated or reduced for clarity.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating an evaporative cooler according to an example of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an evaporative cooler according to an example of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a schematic view schematically illustrating flow of air in the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a portion of the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a schematic view viewed from the top of the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2 in direction A;

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating an evaporative cooler according to an example of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an evaporative cooler according to an example of the present disclosure. In addition, FIG. 3 is a schematic view schematically illustrating the flow of air in the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a portion of the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the evaporative cooler of FIG. 2 as viewed from the top in the direction A.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, an evaporative cooler 1 according to an example of the present disclosure includes an external bar frame 10, a plurality of partition plates 20, and an embossed portion 25.

The external bar frame 10 forms an outer body and may have a pentagonal shape with a rectangular upper portion and triangular lower portions 102 and 104.

Here, for the convenience of description, a height direction from the top to bottom of the evaporative cooler 1 in the drawing is defined as a Z-direction, a length direction of the evaporator cooler 1 is defined as an X-direction, and a width direction in which the external bar frame 10 is stacked to form the thickness is defined as a Y-direction.

The external bar frame 10 includes a first external bar frame 13 and a second external bar frame 15 alternately arranged to form a pentagonal outer body with both sides 102 and 104 of the triangle formed at the bottom.

A plurality of partition plates 20 are arranged in the width direction (the Y-direction) between the first external bar frame 13 and the second external bar frame 15 to form a dry channel F1 and a wet channel F2.

The embossed portion 25 is formed on the partition plate 20 to prevent shrinkage of the facing partition plates 22 and 24 forming the wet channel F2 due to negative pressure.

In addition, the evaporative cooler 1 according to an example of the present disclosure further includes a heat exchanger 50, a first blower 40, a second blower 60, and a water spraying device 80.

The heat exchanger 50 may include a heat exchange fin portion 52 disposed in at least one of the dry channel F1 or the wet channel F2.

The first blower 40 supplies first air to a first air inlet 132 formed in a first side 102 among both sides 102 and 104 of the first external bar frame 13 and causes heat-exchanged first air to be discharged through a first air outlet 134 formed in a first sidewall 106.

Here, the first blower 40 is a dehumidifying blower, the first air is high-temperature air of about 45° C. to 50° C. that has passed through a dehumidifying mode, is introduced into the first air inlet 132, heat-exchanged while passing through the dry channel F1, and then discharged through the first air outlet 134 formed in the upper first sidewall 106.

The second blower 60 causes second air to be introduced into the wet channel F2 through the second air inlet 152 formed on the upper surface of the second external bar frame 15 in the height direction (the Z-direction) and heat-exchanged second air to be discharged through a second air outlet 158.

Here, the second blower 60 is an extraction blower, and when the extraction blower is operated, low-temperature extraction air defined as the second air is introduced into the second air inlet 152, heat-exchanged while passing through the wet channel F2, and discharged through the second air outlet 158 formed in the first side 102 of the second external bar frame 15.

The water spraying device 80 is a device spraying water to be injected into the wet channel F2, and the water sprayed from the water spraying device 80 is introduced into the wet channel F2 through the second air inlet 152 continuously formed at an upper end of the second external bar frame 15 in the height direction. In the wet channel F2, the extraction air is directly evaporated and cooled, and the supply air of the dry channel F1 is indirectly heat-exchanged with the cooled extraction air to be cooled and discharged.

Since the partition plate 20 is formed of a thin aluminum plate material, when the first blower 40 and the second blower 60 operate, positive pressure may be applied to the dry channel F1 and negative pressure may be applied to the wet channel F2.

When positive pressure is applied to the dry channel F1, the aluminum partition plate 20 forming the dry channel F1 may be separated, and when negative pressure is applied to the wet channel F2, the aluminum partition plate 20 forming the wet channel F2 may shrink and be attached.

If this phenomenon occurs, the wet channel F2 may be blocked, which degrades heat exchange performance and causes noise.

The embossed portion 25 provides the opposite rigidity that causes the partition plate 20 to shrink and deform, thereby blocking the wet channel F2. Embossed portions 25 are formed to protrude in a direction facing each other on the facing partition plates 22 and 24 forming the wet channel F2 among the plurality of partition plates 20.

The evaporative cooler 1 may be divided into a first portion 12, a second portion 14, and a third portion 16 in the height direction (the Z-direction), and the second portion 14 is provided with the heat exchange fin portion 52 to support the partition plates 22 and 24 on both sides forming the wet channel F2, and thus, no shrinkage phenomenon occurs.

The embossed portions 25 are formed in the first portion 12, which is an upper portion of the heat exchanger 50, and the third portion 16, which is a lower portion of the heat exchanger 50, in which the heat exchange fin portion 52 is not provided, to cope with the shrinkage phenomenon that may occur due to negative pressure in the wet channel F2.

Hereinafter, the embossed portion 25 is described in detail.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line B-B′ of FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 is a schematic enlarged view of portion C of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the embossed portion 25 may include a plurality of first embossed portions 252 formed at equal intervals in the length direction (the X-direction) at the upper portion 12 of the heat exchanger 50 in the height direction (the Z-direction) of the outer body of the evaporator cooler 1 and a second embossed portion 254 formed at the lower portion 16 of the heat exchanger 50.

In the present embodiment, two t embossed portions 252 are formed at the center (c, d1=d2) of the upper portion 12 of the heat exchanger 50 in the height direction (the Z-direction). The first embossed portions 252 may be formed at equal intervals in the length direction (the X-direction). In addition, the second embossed portion 254 may be formed at the lower portion 16 of the heat exchanger 50. The second embossed portion 254 of the present embodiment is formed in the center of the lower portion 16 of the heat exchanger 50 in the height direction (the Z-direction). The second embossed portion 254 may be disposed in the center in the length direction (the X-direction).

The number and installation location of the embossed portion 25 may be determined in consideration of the entire area, symmetry, and center of the plate to be appropriate for negative pressure response.

The embossed portions 25 are formed to protrude in a direction facing each other from the partition plates 22 and 24 forming the wet channel F2.

The embossed portion 25 includes a center tip 255 as the center and a conical body 256 whose radius decreases in the height direction of the center tip 255 from a bottom surface of the partition plate 20.

At this time, a gap d is formed between the facing center tips 255.

In a case in which the center tips 255 that face each other are in contact with each other without the gap d, when the thin aluminum partition plate 20 is brazed and coupled to the external bar frame 10, a phenomenon in which the partition plates 20 expand to be separated from each other may be prevented. For this reason, the gap d is formed between the center tips 255 to prevent the embossed portions 25 from exerting force on each other during brazing.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 to 4, the evaporative cooler 1 according to an example of the present disclosure includes the external bar frame 10, a plurality of partition plates 20, a guide portion 150, and a cover portion 100.

The cover portion 100 covers the outer body of the evaporative cooler 1, and the water spraying device 80 may be connected to an upper portion in the height direction (the Z-direction).

The cover portion 100 allows water sprayed from the water spraying device 80 to move stably to the wet channel F2.

The guide portions 150 are formed on both upper end portions of the external bar frame 10 forming the outer body combined with the cover portion 100 in the length direction (the X-direction).

Hereinafter, the cover portion 100 and the guide portion 150 for eliminating a leakage phenomenon between the cover portion 100 and the outer body of the evaporator cooler 1 will be described in detail.

FIG. 8 is a schematic enlarged perspective view of portion D of FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an evaporative cooler of FIG. 8 viewed in the direction E.

The guide portions 150 are formed at both upper ends of the outer body of the evaporator cooler 1 in the length direction (the X-direction) and bent upward and protrude.

The cover portion 100 is combined with the outer body of the evaporative cooler 1 and has a combined structure forming a micro gap d with the guide portion 150.

The guide portion 150 is formed so that the upper surface 151 of at least one of the first external bar frame 13 or the second external bar frame 15 has a slope s in the direction of an upper edge 157.

The guide portion 150 having the slope s may be a first defense line preventing water flowing along the cover portion 100 from flowing to the side of the outer body of the evaporative cooler 1.

In addition, the guide portion 150 having the slope s may be pressed by pressing so that the upper edge 157 protrudes, and a cut portion 155 is provided to reduce deformation in the pressing.

The cut portion 155 may be formed by cutting at least one of the first external bar frame 13 or the second external bar frame 15 at a bending point 156 of the upper surface 151 and an upper outer portion 154 in a direction of the upper edge 157 from a lower edge 153.

The cover portion 100 has a side shoulder portion 110 extending in the length direction (the X-direction) of the evaporative cooler 1, and the side shoulder portion 110 has a lower surface 125 formed such that the micro gap d between the cover portion 100 and the guide portion 150 has the slope s in the direction of the upper edge 157.

The side shoulder portion 110 includes a first vertical extension 120 contacting and supporting the upper surface 151 of the outer body to form the height of the micro gap d and a second vertical extension 140 extending to cover the upper outer portion 154 of at least one of the first external bar frame 13 or the second external bar frame 15.

The second vertical extension 140 forms a micro gap d with the upper outer portion 154 of at least one of the first external bar frame 13 or the second external bar frame 15.

The micro gap d between the upper surface 151 of the outer body of the evaporative cooler 1 and the lower surface 125 of the side shoulder portion 110 and the micro gap d between the upper outer portion 154 of the outer body and the second vertical extension 140 may be a secondary defense line to prevent moisture from escaping to the outside due to capillary action.

According to the evaporative cooler of an example of the present disclosure, shrinkage in the wet channel flow path may be prevented even when positive pressure is applied to the dry channel and negative pressure is applied to the wet channel to allow smooth flow of evaporated water and air, thereby preventing a degradation in cooling performance and noise.

According to the evaporative cooler of an example of the present disclosure, while the water spraying device is stably supported, the phenomenon that sprayed water leaks to the side of the evaporative cooler due to capillary action at the upper surface of the evaporative cooler and the lower surface of the cover portion may be reduced.

While example embodiments have been shown and described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations could be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An evaporative cooler comprising: an external bar frame forming an outer body;a plurality of partition plates repeatedly arranged at intervals in a width direction of the external bar frame and separating a dry channel and a wet channel; andembossed portions protruding in a direction facing each other from the facing partition plates forming the wet channel among the plurality of partition plates.

2. The evaporative cooler of claim 1, wherein the external body is divided into a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion in a height direction, and a heat exchange fin portion is disposed in a flow path of at least one of the dry channel or the wet channel in the second portion.

3. The evaporative cooler of claim 2, wherein the embossed portion includes a plurality of first embossed portions formed at equal intervals in a length direction in the first portion, and a second embossed portion formed in the third portion.

4. The evaporative cooler of claim 3, wherein two first embossed portion is included in a center of the first portion in the height direction.

5. The evaporative cooler of claim 1, wherein the embossed portion includes a center tip as a center and a conical body whose radius decreases in the height direction of the center tip from a bottom surface of the partition plate, and a gap is formed between the opposing center tips.

6. An evaporative cooler comprising: a first external bar frame and a second external bar frame alternately arranged to form an outer body having a pentagonal shape in which both sides of a triangle are formed at a bottom;a plurality of partition plates arranged in a width direction between the first external bar frame and the second external bar frame to form a dry channel and a wet channel;a heat exchanger including a heat exchange fin portion disposed in a flow path of at least one of the dry channel or the wet channel;a first blower supplying first air to a first air inlet formed in a first side among both sides of the first external bar frame and causing the heat-exchanged first air to be discharged through a first air outlet formed in a first sidewall;a second blower causing second air to be introduced into the wet channel through a second air inlet formed in an upper surface of the second external bar frame in a height direction and causing the heat-exchanged second air to be discharged through a second air outlet;a water spraying device spraying water to be injected into the wet channel through the second air inlet; andembossed portions protruding in a direction facing each other from partition plates forming the wet channel among the plurality of partition plates.

7. The evaporative cooler of claim 6, wherein the embossed portions include a plurality of first embossed portions formed at equal intervals in a length direction above the heat exchanger in the height direction of the outer body and a second embossed portion formed below the heat exchanger.

8. The evaporative cooler of claim 7, wherein two first embossed portion are included in a center of an upper portion of the heat exchanger in the height direction.

9. The evaporative cooler of claim 6, wherein the embossed portion includes a center tip as a center and a conical body whose radius decreases in the height direction of the center tip from a bottom surface of the partition plate, and a gap is formed between the opposing center tips.

10. The evaporative cooler of claim 6, further comprising: a guide portion bent and protruding upwardly from both ends of an upper portion of the outer body in the length direction; anda cover portion combined to form a micro gap with the guide portion.

11. The evaporative cooler of claim 10, wherein the external bar frame includes a first external bar frame and a second external bar frame, andthe guide portion is formed such that an upper surface of at least one of the first external bar frame or the second external bar frame has a slope in an upper edge direction.

12. The evaporative cooler of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first external bar frame or the second external bar frame has a cut portion formed in a direction from a lower edge to an upper edge at a bending point of an upper surface and a side surface.

13. The evaporative cooler of claim 11, wherein the cover portion has a side shoulder portion extending in a length direction of the evaporative cooler, and the side shoulder portion has a lower surface formed with a micro gap between the cover portion and the guide portion having a slope in the upper edge direction.

14. The evaporative cooler of claim 13, wherein the side shoulder portion includes:a first vertical extension contacting and supporting an upper surface of the outer body to form a height of the micro gap; anda second vertical extension extending to cover an upper outer portion of at least one of the first external bar frame or the second external bar frame.

15. The evaporative cooler of claim 14, wherein the second vertical extension has a micro gap formed between the upper outer portion of at least one of the first external bar frame or the second external bar frame.

16. An evaporative cooler comprising: a first external bar frame and a second external bar frame alternately arranged to form an outer body having a pentagonal shape in which both sides of a triangle are formed at a bottom;a plurality of partition plates arranged in a width direction between the first external bar frame and the second external bar frame to form a dry channel and a wet channel;a heat exchanger including a heat exchange fin portion disposed in at least one of the dry channel or the wet channel;a first blower supplying first air to a first air inlet formed in a first side among both sides of the first external bar frame and causing the heat-exchanged first air to be discharged through a first air outlet formed in a first sidewall;a second blower causing second air to be introduced into the dry channel through a second air inlet formed in an upper surface of the second external bar frame in a height direction and causing the heat-exchanged second air to be discharged through a second air outlet;a water spraying device spraying water to be injected into the wet channel through the second air inlet;a guide portion bent and protrudes upwardly from both ends of an upper portion of the outer body in a length direction;embossed portions protruding in a direction facing each other from partition plates forming the wet channel among the plurality of partition plates; anda cover portion on which the water spraying device is installed and which is coupled to form a micro-gap with the guide portion.

17. The evaporative cooler of claim 16, wherein the guide portion is formed such that an upper surface of at least one of the first external bar frame or the second external bar frame has a slope in an upper edge direction.

18. The evaporative cooler of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first external bar frame or the second external bar frame has a cut portion formed in a direction from a lower edge to an upper edge at a bending point of an upper surface and a side surface.

19. The evaporative cooler of claim 17, wherein the cover portion has a side shoulder portion extending in a length direction of the evaporative cooler, and the side shoulder portion has a lower surface formed with a micro gap between the cover portion and the guide portion having a slope in the upper edge direction.

20. The evaporative cooler of claim 19, wherein the side shoulder portion includes:a first vertical extension contacting and supporting an upper surface of the outer body to form a height of the micro gap; anda second vertical extension extending to cover an upper outer portion of at least one of the first external bar frame or the second external bar frame.