Patent US4854129A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4854129A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Cooling process and apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1988-06-06
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Granted: 1989-08-08
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Expires: 2008-06-06
Abstract
Abstract A method of cooling air and a cooling apparatus is disclosed wherein primary air is passed through at least one primary chamber to provide secondary air at an outlet of the primary chamber. Secondary air is passed in a counterflow direction through at least one secondary chamber which is in heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber. An evaporative fluid is applied to the secondary air and optionally to a downstream portion of the primary air in the primary chamber. This causes cooling of the downstream portion of the primary air and of the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid and simultaneously causes cooling of the primary air in the primary chamber by reason of the heat exchange relationship between the primary and secondary chambers. A turbulent boundary layer can be created in the secondary air by introducing a portion of the primary air directly into the secondary chamber from the primary chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Pieter J. A. Hickley
- 👤 Cornelius J. Claassen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:55
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F5/00; F24F5/0007; F24F5/0035; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B30/00; Y02B30/54; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of cooling air which includes: passing primary air through at least one primary chamber to provide secondary air at an outlet of the primary chamber, passing the secondary air in a counterflow direction through at least one secondary chamber which is in direct heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber via a common wall, applying an evaporative fluid to all of a downstream portion of the primary air in the primary chamber and to the secondary air in the secondary chamber to cause cooling of the downstream portion of the primary air and of the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid and thereby simultaneously to cause cooling of the primary air in the primary chamber by reason of the heat exchange relationship between the primary and secondary chambers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of cooling air which includes: passing primary air through at least one primary chamber to provide secondary air at an outlet of the primary chamber, passing the secondary air in a counterflow direction through at least one secondary chamber which is in direct heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber via a common wall, applying an evaporative fluid to all of a downstream portion of the primary air in the primary chamber and to the secondary air in the secondary chamber to cause cooling of the downstream portion of the primary air and of the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid and thereby simultaneously to cause cooling of the primary air in the primary chamber by reason of the heat exchange relationship between the primary and secondary chambers.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of cooling air which includes: passing primary air through at least one primary chamber to provide secondary air at an outlet of the primary chamber, passing the secondary air in a counterflow direction through at least one secondary chamber which is in heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber, applying an evaporative fluid to the secondary air in the secondary chamber to cause cooling of the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid and thereby simultaneously to cause cooling of the primary air in the primary chamber by reason of the heat exchange relationship between-the primary and secondary chambers, and creating a turbulent boundary layer in the secondary air by introducing a portion of the primary air directly into the secondary chamber from the primary chamber.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of cooling air which includes: passing primary air through at least one primary chamber to provide secondary air at an outlet of the primary chamber, passing the secondary air in a counterflow direction through at least one secondary chamber which is in heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber, applying an evaporative fluid to the secondary air in the secondary chamber to cause cooling of the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid and thereby simultaneously to cause cooling of the primary air in the primary chamber by reason of the heat exchange relationship between-the primary and secondary chambers, and creating a turbulent boundary layer in the secondary air by introducing a portion of the primary air directly into the secondary chamber from the primary chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, which includes collecting the evaporative fluid and passing the collected fluid through a coil arranged in the path of the primary air.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, which includes controlling the relationship between the secondary air introduced into the secondary chamber and working air released from the primary chamber for cooling purposes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
A cooling apparatus which includes: at least one primary chamber having an inlet for receiving primary air and an outlet for delivering secondary air, at least one secondary chamber in heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber via a common wall, the secondary chamber having an inlet at a downstream end of the primary chamber for receiving secondary air delivered from the primary chamber and being arranged to convey the secondary air in a counterflow direction to the primary air, discharge means operable to discharge an evaporative fluid into all of a downstream portion of the primary chamber and into the secondary chamber thereby to cause cooling of all of the downstream portion of the primary air and the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid by means of evaporative cooling and simultaneously to cause cooling of the primary air by reason of the heat exchange relationship between the primary and secondary chambers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
A cooling apparatus which includes: at least one primary chamber having an inlet for receiving primary air and an outlet for delivering secondary air, at least one secondary chamber in heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber via a common wall, the secondary chamber having an inlet at a downstream end of the primary chamber for receiving secondary air delivered from the primary chamber and being arranged to convey the secondary air in a counterflow direction to the primary air, discharge means operable to discharge an evaporative fluid into all of a downstream portion of the primary chamber and into the secondary chamber thereby to cause cooling of all of the downstream portion of the primary air and the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid by means of evaporative cooling and simultaneously to cause cooling of the primary air by reason of the heat exchange relationship between the primary and secondary chambers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
181 words
A cooling apparatus which includes: at least one primary chamber having an inlet for receiving primary air and an outlet for delivering secondary air, at least one secondary chamber in heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber via a common wall, the secondary chamber having an inlet at a downstream end of the primary chamber for receiving secondary air delivered from the primary chamber and being arranged to convey the secondary air in a counterflow direction to the primary air, discharge means operable to discharge an evaporative fluid into the secondary chamber thereby to cause cooling of the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid by means of evaporative cooling and simultaneously to cause cooling of the primary air by reason of the heat exchange relationship between the primary and secondary chambers, the common wall forming a heat exchange interface between the primary and secondary chambers having a plurality of apertures therein arranged to introduce a portion of the primary air directly into the secondary air from the primary chamber thereby to cause a turbulent boundary layer in the secondary air.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
181 words
A cooling apparatus which includes: at least one primary chamber having an inlet for receiving primary air and an outlet for delivering secondary air, at least one secondary chamber in heat exchange relationship with the primary chamber via a common wall, the secondary chamber having an inlet at a downstream end of the primary chamber for receiving secondary air delivered from the primary chamber and being arranged to convey the secondary air in a counterflow direction to the primary air, discharge means operable to discharge an evaporative fluid into the secondary chamber thereby to cause cooling of the secondary air and of the evaporative fluid by means of evaporative cooling and simultaneously to cause cooling of the primary air by reason of the heat exchange relationship between the primary and secondary chambers, the common wall forming a heat exchange interface between the primary and secondary chambers having a plurality of apertures therein arranged to introduce a portion of the primary air directly into the secondary air from the primary chamber thereby to cause a turbulent boundary layer in the secondary air.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the discharge means includes a plurality of nozzles arranged to eject the evaporative fluid into the air.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, which further includes a sump for collecting the evaporative fluid and a pump for pumping the evaporative fluid collected in the sump through a coil arranged in the path of the primary air.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, which includes a baffle arranged in the path of the primary air and operable to control the relationship between the degree of primary air passed to the secondary chamber as secondary air and that exhausted as working air for cooling purposes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the common wall forming a heat exchange interface between the primary and secondary chambers is corrugated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, which includes a plurality of primary and secondary chambers arranged alternately in parallel relationship.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-08-07 | 1993-02-06 | 1993-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-08-07 | 1997-02-06 | 1997-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-08-07 | 2001-02-06 | 2001-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |