U.S. patent application number 13/401701 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-23 for system and method for increasing air conditioner efficiency.
Invention is credited to Cary L. Cobb.
Application Number | 20120210739 13/401701 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46651434 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120210739 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cobb; Cary L. |
August 23, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INCREASING AIR CONDITIONER EFFICIENCY
Abstract
A screen of evaporative cooling media ("screen cooler") is
provided that may be adapted to partially surround the exterior
compressor unit of an air conditioner. In some embodiments, the
screen cooler may screen the AC unit from the sun and exposure to
other forces or events that could potentially harm the AC unit. In
some embodiments, the screen cooler is adapted to receive an input
of a liquid, such as, for example, water and periodically emit the
liquid onto the evaporative cooling media to keep the media moist
and cool the air being pulled through the condensing coil and
entering the compressor. By cooling the air prior to the air
entering the compressor, the efficiency of the AC unit may thereby
be increased.
Inventors: |
Cobb; Cary L.; (Plano,
TX) |
Family ID: |
46651434 |
Appl. No.: |
13/401701 |
Filed: |
February 21, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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61444971 |
Feb 21, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/121 ;
62/259.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 1/42 20130101; F25B
2339/041 20130101; F24F 1/50 20130101; F24F 1/58 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/121 ;
62/259.4 |
International
Class: |
F28D 5/00 20060101
F28D005/00; F25D 31/00 20060101 F25D031/00; F25D 23/00 20060101
F25D023/00 |
Claims
1. A stand-alone system for evaporatively cooling air entering an
air conditioning (AC) unit, the system comprising: a plurality of
cooling screen panels disposed near an AC unit, each cooling screen
panel comprising: a plurality of vertical posts having upper ends
and lower ends; a top rail secured between the upper ends of the
vertical posts; a bottom rail secured between the lower ends of the
vertical posts; a decorative lattice secured between the top and
bottom rails; and an evaporative cooling media secured between the
top and bottom rails and adjacent to the decorative lattice; a
first cooling screen panel of the plurality of cooling screen
panels disposed on a first side of the AC unit; second and third
cooling screen panels disposed at opposite ends of the first
cooling screen panel at an angle thereto to form a generally
U-shaped assembly to enclose less than all of the AC unit; and a
drip hose disposed along a top surface of the evaporative cooling
media of the plurality of cooling screen panels, the drip hose
having a plurality of holes disposed therealong, a connector on a
first end thereof for connecting to a source of cooling fluid and
an end cap at an opposite end thereof.
2. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising a
trough disposed below the evaporative cooling media for collecting
unevaporated cooling fluid.
3. The stand-alone system of claim 2 and further comprising a tube
connecting the trough to the drip hose for delivering the
unevaporated cooling fluid to the top surface of the evaporative
cooling media.
4. The stand-alone system of claim 3 and further comprising a fluid
pump for pumping the unevaporated cooling fluid from the trough to
the drip hose.
5. The stand-alone system of claim 3 and further comprising a
Venturi valve coupled to the tube for facilitating the delivery of
the unevaporated cooling fluid from the trough to the drip
hose.
6. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising an
airflow baffle extending from a top surface of the top rail for
decreasing the airflow around the evaporative cooling media.
7. The stand-alone system of claim 6, wherein the airflow baffle
extends from the top surface of the top rail to a top surface of
the AC unit.
8. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising an
airflow baffle extending from a bottom surface of the bottom rail
for decreasing the airflow around the evaporative cooling
media.
9. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising a
V-shaped channel disposed along a top surface of the evaporative
cooling media for facilitating dispersion of the cooling fluid.
10. The stand-alone system of claim 1 and further comprising: a
flange around the interior surfaces of each of the plurality of
cooling screen panels for securing the lattice thereagainst; and a
bracket securing the evaporative cooling media against the lattice,
the ends of the bracket being secured to the vertical posts.
11. A method of evaporatively cooling air entering an air
conditioning (AC) unit, the method comprising: providing a
plurality of cooling screen panels, each cooling screen panel
comprising: a plurality of vertical posts having upper ends and
lower ends; a top rail secured between the upper ends of the
vertical posts; a bottom rail secured between the lower ends of the
vertical posts; a decorative lattice secured between the top and
bottom rails; and an evaporative cooling media secured between the
top and bottom rails and adjacent to the decorative lattice;
securing a first cooling screen panel of the plurality of cooling
screen panels approximately 2-4 inches from an AC unit; securing
second and third cooling screen panels of the plurality of cooling
screen panels to opposite ends of the first cooling screen panel at
an angle thereto to form a generally U-shaped assembly to enclose
less than all of the AC unit; disposing a drip hose along a top
surface of the evaporative cooling media of the plurality of
cooling screen panels, the drip hose having a plurality of holes
disposed therealong; and connecting the drip hose to a water source
for intermittently providing a flow of water to moisten the
evaporative cooling media to cool air flowing thereacross.
12. The method of claim 11 and further comprising adjusting the
flow of water to the evaporative cooling media by changing a length
of time water is provided to the evaporative cooling media,
changing a frequency of providing water to the evaporative cooling
media, and changing a pressure of the water being provided to the
evaporative cooling media.
13. The method of claim 11 and further comprising providing a
trough below the evaporative cooling media for collecting
unevaporated water.
14. The method of claim 13 and further comprising connecting the
trough to the drip hose with a tube.
15. The method of claim 14 and further comprising recirculating the
unevaporated water from the trough to the drip hose via the
tube.
16. The method of claim 11 and further comprising providing an
airflow baffle extending from a top surface of the top rail for
decreasing the airflow around the evaporative cooling media.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the airflow baffle extends from
the top surface of the top rail to a top surface of the AC
unit.
18. The method of claim 11 and further comprising providing an
airflow baffle extending from a bottom surface of the bottom rail
for decreasing the airflow around the evaporative cooling
media.
19. The method of claim 11 and further comprising providing a
V-shaped channel disposed along a top surface of the evaporative
cooling media for facilitating dispersion of the cooling fluid.
20. The method of claim 11 and further comprising: providing a
flange around the interior surfaces of each of the plurality of
cooling screen panels for securing the lattice thereagainst; and
providing a bracket to secure the evaporative cooling media against
the lattice, the ends of the bracket being secured to the vertical
posts.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] This invention relates in general to the field of air
conditioners, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation
to increasing the efficiency of an air conditioning unit.
[0003] 2. Background
[0004] One of the most important products to become available in a
very long time is the air conditioner. An air conditioner (often
referred to as "AC") is an appliance, system, or mechanism designed
to extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple
refrigeration cycle. Its purpose, in a building or an automobile,
is to provide comfort during hot weather. In the refrigeration
cycle, a heat pump transfers heat from a lower-temperature heat
source into a higher-temperature heat sink. Heat would naturally
flow in the opposite direction. This is the most common type of air
conditioning. This cycle takes advantage of the way phase changes
work, where latent heat is released at a constant temperature
during a liquid/gas phase change, and where varying the pressure of
a pure substance also varies its condensation/boiling point.
[0005] The most common refrigeration cycle uses an electric motor
to drive a compressor. In a building, an electric motor is used for
air circulation. Since evaporation occurs when heat is absorbed,
and condensation occurs when heat is released, air conditioners use
a compressor to cause pressure changes between two compartments,
and actively condense and pump a refrigerant around. A refrigerant
is pumped into the evaporator coil, located in the compartment to
be cooled, where the low pressure causes the refrigerant to
evaporate into a vapor, taking heat with it. At the opposite side
of the cycle is the condenser, which is located outside of the
cooled compartment, where the refrigerant vapor is compressed and
forced through another heat exchange coil, condensing the
refrigerant into a liquid, thus rejecting the heat previously
absorbed from the cooled space. An outdoor cooling fan pulls the
outside air through the condensing coil to cool it and thereby help
it condense the high temperature refrigerant gas back in to a
liquid. With a typical split system, the condenser and compressor
are located in an outdoor unit; the evaporator is mounted in the
air handler unit. With a package system, all components are located
in a single outdoor unit that may be located on the ground, in a
window, or on a roof.
[0006] One way to increase the efficiency of an AC unit is to lower
the temperature of the air entering the compressor unit.
Evaporation is a cheap and easy way to cool the intake air being
pulled into the compressor unit. In the past, a fluid, such as
water, was applied directly to the condenser coils of the AC unit
to lower the temperature via evaporation. However, applying fluid
directly to the coils can cause corrosion of the coils and a
buildup of deposits, such as minerals, when the fluid evaporates.
Thus, applying a fluid directly to the coils is not a viable
option. Another way of pre-cooling the air entering the compressor
unit is to first pass the air across moistened evaporative pads. In
that way, the benefits of evaporation can be utilized without
fluids being applied directly to the coils of the compressor unit.
However, the systems for doing this are generally expensive,
complicated, and bulky assemblies that enclose the entire
compressor unit. Such systems are generally not aesthetically
pleasing and by enclosing the entire compressor unit, restrict
airflow thereto causing a loss of efficiency. Thus, what is needed
is a simple, cost-effective, and aesthetically pleasing system and
method for increasing the efficiency of an AC unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In accordance with the present invention, a system and
method for increasing the efficiency of an air conditioner is
provided.
[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
screen of evaporative cooling media ("screen cooler") is provided
that may be adapted to partially surround the exterior compressor
unit of an air conditioner. In some embodiments, the screen cooler
may screen the AC unit from the sun and exposure to other forces or
events that could potentially harm the AC unit. In some
embodiments, the screen cooler is adapted to receive an input of a
liquid, such as, for example, water and periodically emit the
liquid onto the evaporative cooling media to keep the media moist
and cool the air being pulled through the condensing coil and
entering the compressor. By cooling the air prior to the air
entering the compressor, the efficiency of the AC unit may thereby
be increased.
[0009] The above summary of the invention is not intended to
represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present invention.
Particular embodiments may include one, some, or none of the listed
advantages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of
the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following
Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying Drawings wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of one embodiment of a
screen cooler;
[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a side perspective view of the screen
cooler of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a hose connection of the screen cooler of
FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates an inside (compressor side) perspective
view of the screen cooler of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a screen
cooler having a hood;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method of increasing the
efficiency of an AC unit according to one embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a diagram of an embodiment of a screen cooler;
and
[0018] FIG. 8 is a diagram of an embodiment of a screen cooler.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, a front view of an embodiment of a
screen cooler 100 is shown in accordance with various aspects of
the present invention. The screen cooler 100 may be designed to
increase the efficiency of air conditioning systems, especially
those disposed in warmer climates. As will be described in more
detail below, the screen cooler 100 may increase the efficiency of
a typical air conditioning system by effectively lowering the
temperature of much of the air that the system is taking in. During
the hottest times of the day, lowering the intake air temperature
by a few degrees can result in energy savings and prolong the life
of the air conditioning system. In some embodiments, the screen
cooler 100 may be primarily made with sustainable materials
resulting in both an environmental and economic benefit. In various
embodiments, the screen cooler 100 may be easy to assemble and may
be customized depending on the needs of a user. In some
embodiments, the screen cooler 100 may plug in to a standard
electrical outlet, may be battery operated, or may not need any
electricity in order to run.
[0020] Still referring to FIG. 1, the screen cooler 100 can
typically be seen having a decorative lattice 104 over an
evaporative cooling media 116 partially surrounding two AC units
108. In some embodiments, the screen cooler 100 may partially
surround a single AC unit or a plurality of AC units. By partially
surrounding the exterior of the AC units 108, the screen cooler 100
may improve the aesthetic appeal of the AC units 108. In addition,
the screen cooler 100 may screen the AC unit 108 from the sun and
exposure to other forces or events that could potentially harm the
AC unit 108. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the screen cooler 100 is
adapted to receive an input of a liquid, such as tap water from a
standard garden hose 106. As will be described in more detail
below, the liquid may be periodically emitted through, for example,
a soaker or other hose designed to emit liquid, onto a top of the
evaporative cooling media 116, thereby keeping the evaporative
cooling media 116 moist and effectively able to cool air entering
the compressor portion of the AC unit 108. By cooling the air
entering the AC unit 108, the efficiency of the AC unit 108 may
thereby be increased.
[0021] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 collectively, a screen frame
102 of the screen cooler 100 can be seen. In some embodiments, the
screen frame 102 may be a rigid exterior wood, fiberglass, metal or
composite material. In some embodiments, the screen frame 102 may
include four (or more) vertical posts 102b for providing
stand-alone support for the screen frame 102 around a single or
multiple AC units 108. In some embodiments, the screen cooler 100
may include screen frame anchors, such as concrete or staking in
the form of, for example, heavy tent or screw stakes connected to
the vertical posts 102b to anchor the screen cooler 100 in a fixed
position. The vertical posts 102b may be connected by a top rail
102a and a bottom rail 102c. In some embodiments, the bottom rail
102c may be positioned roughly six inches off the ground and the
top rail 102a may be roughly even with the top of the AC units 108.
The vertical posts 102b, the top rail 102a, and the bottom rail
102c may have an interior flange in order to hold the decorative
lattice 104 and the evaporative cooling media 116 in place. In some
embodiments, the decorative lattice 104 may be made of, for
example, exterior wood, composite material, stamped plastic, or
other surface adapted to cover the areas between the vertical posts
102b and the top and bottom rails 102a and 102c. The decorative
lattice 104 may be seated in the flanges on the interior part of
the screen frame 102 to hold the evaporative cooling media 116 in
place while also providing a decorative cover that allows adequate
airflow through the evaporative cooling media 116. In some
embodiments, the hose 106 of the screen cooler 100 may be connected
to a water source 114, such as a standard tap, and may include a
watering timer 112 adapted to control the application of moisture
to the evaporative cooling media 116. In some embodiments, no timer
may be included, the timer may be adapted to plug into an external
source of electricity, may be battery operated, or may be
mechanical. The watering timer 112 may be adapted to include a
valve that opens at preset times, temperatures, or intervals, and
may be adapted to provide adjustable water pressures. Controlling
the frequency and length of the watering intervals and the flow
rate of the water provided during the watering intervals provides a
user with control over the amount of water provided to the
evaporative cooling media 116. In some embodiments, such control
may allow a sufficient amount of water to be delivered to keep the
evaporative cooling media 116 moist in order to obtain the benefits
of evaporative cooling while at the same time limiting the amount
of water provided in order to reduce excess water from being
applied resulting in unevaporated water collecting underneath the
evaporative cooling media 116.
[0022] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the screen cooler 100 has
three panels disposed around the AC units 108 and spaced apart
therefrom by, for example, 2 to 4 inches to provide clearance
between the inside surface of the evaporative media 116 and the AC
unit 108. In the embodiment shown, the screen cooler 100 also
includes an evaporative screen divider 110 disposed between the AC
units 108 to provide additional cooling surface capacity. To
moisten the evaporative screen divider 110, a portion of the drip
hose 118 (shown in FIG. 3) may be disposed across the top of the
evaporative screen divider 110. In some embodiments, the portion of
the drip hose 118 disposed across the top of the evaporative screen
divider 110 may be a branch of the main drip hose 118, such as, for
example, in a T-shaped configuration, or may be the main drip hose
118, such as, for example, in a loop thereof. In the embodiment
shown in FIG. 2, the screen cooler 100 does not include an
evaporative screen divider 110.
[0023] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, an embodiment of the screen
cooler 100 is shown having evaporative cooling media 116 disposed
on an interior surface thereof. In some embodiments the evaporative
cooling media 116 may be a rigid kraft-paper-type media that may be
designed in rigid plates or blocks in depths of, for example, 2''
to 4'', with preformed alternating angle air channels adapted and
designed to absorb moisture. In other embodiments, other absorbent
media may be utilized. In some embodiments, the evaporative cooling
media 116 may be secured to the decorative lattice 104 (not shown)
and/or the screen frame 102 using evaporative cooling media straps
120, clips, or other means of securing the evaporative cooling
media 116 in place. In some embodiments, the evaporative cooling
media strap 120 may be a rubber or all-weather strap and may be
tensioned across the evaporative cooling media 116 to hold it in
place against the decorative lattice 104. In other embodiments,
various other clips or tensioning devices may be used. In some
embodiments, the liquid input may be, for example, a coupling
adapted to connect to a standard garden hose 106. The screen cooler
100 may include a soaker or drip hose 118 or other hose or tubing
having openings therealong and an end cap 118a on one end thereof,
adapted to disperse water across the top of the evaporative cooling
media 116. In some embodiments, the top surface of the evaporative
cooling media 116a may include a "V" shaped channel adapted to
direct water from the drip hose 118 toward a center of the
evaporative cooling media 116. In various embodiments, a trough or
other water capturing means may be disposed at the bottom of the
evaporative cooling media 116 and utilized to capture the water and
recirculate the water to the top of the evaporative cooling media
116. In such embodiments, a tube or hose may be disposed between
the trough and the top of the evaporative cooling media 116 to
facilitate the recirculation. For example, the tube may be coupled
to the hose 106 or the soaker hose 118 and may include a water pump
or simply utilize the Venturi effect to suck the water to the top
of the evaporative cooling media 116.
[0024] Referring now to FIG. 5, an optional configuration of a
screen cooler is shown. As shown in FIG. 5, in some embodiments, an
airflow baffle 122, such as a hood or awning may be provided to
further screen the AC unit(s) from the sun and provide enhanced
aesthetics and additional protection to the unit(s). In some
embodiments, the airflow baffle 122 may extend from a top surface
of the rail towards a top surface of the AC unit and/or from a
bottom surface of the bottom rail towards the ground to further
increase the effectiveness of the screen cooler to increase the
amount of pre-cooled air taken through the evaporative media by
reducing and/or sealing off the clearance space at the upper and/or
lower ends of the screen frame.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 6, a flow chart showing an embodiment
of a method 600 for increasing air conditioning efficiency is
shown. At step 602, a screen cooler is disposed near an AC unit. At
step 604, a source of water or other evaporative cooling liquid is
supplied to the screen cooler. At step 606, the evaporative cooling
media is moistened. For embodiments that have a watering timer, the
watering timer valve opens up at a preset time to allow water to
flow from, for example, a standard residential exterior water
faucet through a standard hose to the soaker hose that is
positioned above the evaporative cooling media. The water moistens
the evaporative cooling media and, at step 608, air is pulled
across the moistened media, for example, when the AC unit
compressor turns on and starts pulling air through its condensing
coil. At 610, the air pulled across the moistened media is cooled
prior to entering the AC unit. Because the screen may include a
clearance of, for example, 2'' to 4'' from the actual AC unit, the
AC unit benefits from the air being precooled while at the same
time not being subject to the deleterious effects caused by water
being directly applied to the AC unit or by a restriction of
airflow into the AC unit. At step 612, for embodiments having a
trough at the bottom of the evaporative cooling media, water may be
recirculated to the top of the evaporative cooling media. At 614,
the process repeats, as needed to moisten or re-moisten the
evaporative cooling media. The amount of moisture may be adjusted
through timing and/or water pressure to cause the evaporative
cooling media to remain predominantly moist at preset times
throughout the day without excessive moisture collection below the
screen frame. The typical schedule in warmer climates can vary, but
will generally be just a few minutes or less per hour during the
hours of, for example, 10:00 am and 7:00 pm.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 7, a diagram is shown of an embodiment
of a screen cooler system 700 having a trough 724 disposed below
the evaporative cooling media 716 for capturing any unevaporated
cooling media. In the diagram, it can be seen that the cooing
media, for example, water, matriculates from the soaker hose 718
through the evaporative cooling media 716 and into the trough 724.
In the embodiment shown, a tube may be connected to the trough 724
for transferring the cooling medium from the bottom of the
evaporative cooling media 716 back to the top. The tube may be
coupled to transfer device 726 to facilitate the transfer, where
the transfer device 726 may be a water pump or a Venturi valve. The
transfer device 726 may be coupled to the hose 706 and/or may be
coupled to the soaker hose 718.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 8, a diagram is shown of an embodiment
of a screen cooler system 800 from a top view. As can be seen,
three panels of evaporative cooling media 816 have been disposed
generally around an AC unit 808. In the embodiment shown, the AC
unit 808 is a circular unit and the evaporative cooling media 816
has been disposed around approximately 270 degrees of the AC unit
808. In embodiments where the AC unit is rectangular, the
evaporative cooling media 816 may be disposed outwardly of three of
the four sides of the unit. In this way, the air flow to the AC
unit 808 will not be restricted in the event that the evaporative
cooling media 816 becomes clogged or airflow therethrough is
otherwise obstructed.
[0028] Although various embodiments of the method and apparatus of
the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it
will be understood that the invention is not limited to the
embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements,
modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention.
* * * * *