Cooling fan

Abstract

To provide a cool air fan capable of being used in compliance with requirements stipulated in the Fire Service Act while effectively suppressing overturning and enlargement of a device.SOLUTION: A cool air fan comprises: a cool air fan body 10 having a ventilation port 12 opened at a front face; a water absorption member 15; a liquid supply unit 20 that supplies liquid to the water absorption member 15; a ventilation unit 16 that sends a gas having passed through the water absorption member 15 to the outside; and a main tank 17 in which the liquid is stored. Electrical components installed inside and outside the cool air fan body 10 are installed at a height of 60 cm or more in a vertical direction from a bottom of the cool air fan body 10 or above the main tank 17. The liquid supply unit 20 has a water lifting pump 21, a self-priming tank 31 sealed on a suction side of the water lifting pump 21, and a supply nozzle 22 that supplies the liquid discharged from the water lifting pump 21 to the water absorption member 15. In a second water supply pipe 36 that connects the water lifting pump 21 and the supply nozzle 22, a U-trap 37 is disposed to prevent backflow of the liquid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a cold air fan.

Background Art

[0002] A cold air fan is known as a type of cooling device. The cold air fan is a device that allows a member (hereinafter referred to as "water-absorbing member") formed of a material having the property of absorbing a liquid such as paper to absorb a liquid such as water, and utilizes the heat of vaporization of water to obtain cold air. That is, the cold air fan is configured to cool a gas by passing a gas such as air through the above-described water-absorbing member, and send out the cooled gas to the outside of the device (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] The cold air fan that obtains cold air by utilizing the heat of vaporization of water as described above is provided with a tank for storing a liquid for cooling a gas below the water-absorbing member. Further, as a supply unit for supplying a liquid to the water-absorbing member, a pump for pumping water in the tank to the upper part of the water-absorbing member is also provided.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Cold air fans may be used industrially at work sites, etc. For example, in use at an oil handling facility, etc., it is necessary to use them in compliance with the requirements stipulated by the Fire Protection Law. For example, according to the Fire Protection Law, when using electrical equipment at an oil handling facility, etc., it is necessary to separate the electrical components by 60 cm or more from the ground. For this reason, conventionally, when using a cold air fan at an oil handling facility, etc., the cold air fan is used after being raised to a height of 60 cm or more.

[0006] However, when an evaporative cooler is raised to a height of 60 cm or more, the center of gravity of the cooler becomes higher, increasing the risk of tipping over. In addition, when an evaporative cooler is raised, the capacity of the liquid storage tank is limited, which can lead to shorter continuous operating times for the cooler or an increase in the size of the device.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art. This invention provides an evaporative cooler that can be used in accordance with the requirements stipulated in the Fire Service Act, while effectively suppressing tipping over and increasing the size of the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to the present invention, the following evaporative cooler is provided.

[0009] [1] A cooling fan body having an air outlet opening on the front, A water-absorbing member having breathability and liquid-absorbing properties, A liquid supply unit for supplying the liquid to the water-absorbing member, A blower unit that sends the gas that has passed through the water-absorbing member to the outside, A cooling fan comprising a main tank provided below the water-absorbing member for storing the liquid, The aforementioned evaporative cooler has electrical components located inside and outside the evaporative cooler body installed at a height of 60 cm or more vertically from the bottom of the evaporative cooler body or above the main tank, The liquid supply unit comprises a water pump installed at a height of 60 cm or more vertically from the bottom of the air cooler body or above the main tank, a self-priming tank sealed on the suction side of the water pump, and a supply nozzle for supplying the liquid discharged from the water pump to the water intake member. The air cooler is configured such that the liquid in the main tank is drawn up into the self-priming tank by the water pump drawing the liquid in the self-priming tank, and a trap is provided in the water supply pipe connecting the water pump and the supply nozzle to prevent backflow of liquid.

[0010] [2] The air cooler according to [1], wherein the water pump is a centrifugal pump.

[0011] [3] The air cooler according to [1] or [2], wherein the trap is a U-trap in which a part of the water supply pipe is bent in the vertical direction.

[0012] [4] The air cooler according to [1] or [2], wherein the air cooler body has a liquid inlet on the upper side for introducing priming water for the water pump into the self-priming tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The evaporative cooler of the present invention effectively suppresses the risk of the device tipping over and increasing its size, while still being usable in accordance with the requirements stipulated by the Fire Service Act. In particular, because the liquid supply unit of the evaporative cooler of the present invention has a water pump and a self-priming tank, even if the water pump is installed above the main tank, the liquid in the main tank can be effectively drawn up to the top of the evaporative cooler body. Furthermore, the main tank is located below the water intake member and can be installed, for example, on the lower side of the evaporative cooler body. This allows the center of gravity of the evaporative cooler to be kept low, significantly reducing the risk of tipping over. Moreover, by using a self-priming tank in conjunction with the water pump, it becomes possible to use a pump that does not have self-priming capabilities. For example, self-priming pumps are relatively expensive and produce loud operating noises, so using a pump that does not have self-priming capabilities makes it possible to reduce the cost and noise of the evaporative cooler.

[0014] Furthermore, the evaporative cooler of the present invention is equipped with a trap in the water supply pipe connecting the water pump and the supply nozzle to prevent backflow of liquid. As described above, the evaporative cooler of the present invention, by combining a water pump and a self-priming tank, can provide self-priming capability to the liquid supply section including the water pump, even if the water pump itself does not have self-priming capability, and the water pump can be placed a certain distance away from the installation surface of the evaporative cooler (for example, the floor). On the other hand, in an evaporative cooler configured in this way, if the water pump is stopped, the liquid in the water pump and the self-priming tank may backflow due to the free fall of the liquid in the water supply pipe that supplies the liquid. If the amount of liquid in the self-priming tank falls below a certain level due to such backflow, when restarting the water pump, there may not be enough priming water for the water pump, and sufficient self-priming capability may not be achieved. In such cases, the self-priming ability of the water pump can be restored by replenishing the self-priming tank with priming water. However, this requires replenishing the self-priming tank with priming water every time the water pump is stopped, resulting in a cumbersome procedure for restarting the water pump. Therefore, the evaporative cooler of the present invention is equipped with a trap to prevent backflow of liquid in the water supply pipe after the water pump, that is, in the water supply pipe connecting the water pump and the supply nozzle. This configuration prevents backflow of liquid in the water supply pipe when the water pump is stopped, and effectively suppresses the outflow of liquid from the water pump and self-priming tank located upstream of the water supply pipe. As a result, the evaporative cooler of the present invention does not require a cumbersome procedure for restarting the water pump, and can be used intermittently, for example, with temporary suspension of the water pump. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of the air cooler of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a rear view of the air cooler shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a side view of the air cooler shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the air cooler shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is a schematic flow diagram showing the liquid flow in the air cooler of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. That is, it should be understood that those obtained by appropriately changing, improving, etc. the following embodiments based on the ordinary knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention also belong to the scope of the present invention. In the following description, the air cooler uses water as the liquid to be absorbed by the water absorption member, and uses air as the gas to be cooled by utilizing the heat of vaporization from the water absorption member.

[0017] One embodiment of the air cooler of the present invention is an air cooler 1 including an air cooler main body 10, a water absorption member 15, a liquid supply unit 20, a blower unit 16, and a main tank 17, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. Here, FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing one embodiment of the air cooler of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the air cooler shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view of the air cooler shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the air cooler shown in FIG. 1. Further, FIG. 5 is a schematic flow diagram showing the flow of the liquid in the air cooler of the present invention.

[0018] The air cooler main body 10 is composed of, for example, a front panel 111, an upper panel 112, side panels 113, and side panels 114, and forms an outer shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped apparatus main body. The air cooler main body 10 configured in this way is the housing of the air cooler 1 in the present embodiment, and accommodates components such as the water absorption member 15, the liquid supply unit 20, the blower unit 16, and the main tank 17 described above. In the following description, the air cooler 1 has the surface where the front panel 111 is provided as the front.

[0019] The air cooler main body 10 has a blower opening 12 that opens to the front and is constituted by the front panel 111. The blower opening 12 is constituted by a ventilation member such as a mesh or a punching metal for sending the cooled air to the outside of the apparatus. Further, the air cooler 1 includes an operation panel 13 on the side panel 113. The operation panel 13 is provided with switches for operating the air cooler 1.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the air cooler 1 includes, as components provided in the air cooler main body 10 as a housing, a base portion 14, a water absorption member 15, a blowing portion 16, a main tank 17, and a liquid supply portion 20. The main tank 17 may be provided with a lid 18 attached to the opening of the main tank 17 and a water receiving tray 19 for receiving water leaking from the water absorption member 15. In FIG. 3, the side panel 113 is removed to explain the configuration of the air cooler 1. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the air cooler 1, which shows a cross-section of the water absorption member 15, the main tank 17, the lid 18, and their surroundings of the air cooler 1.

[0021] The base portion 14 is a member that serves as a base for mounting components of the air cooler 1 such as the water absorption member 15, the blowing portion 16, and the main tank 17. The base portion 14 includes casters 141 that function as legs when the air cooler 1 is installed. The casters 141 are attached near the four corners of the bottom of the base portion 14. Since wheels are provided on the casters 141, the user can easily move the air cooler 1 by pushing it by hand. The legs of the air cooler 1 may not have wheels instead of the casters 141 with wheels.

[0022] In the air cooler 1, the electrical components provided inside and outside the air cooler main body 10 are installed at a height of 60 cm or more in the vertical direction from the bottom of the air cooler main body 10 (in other words, the installation surface 210 of the air cooler 1), or above the main tank 17. That is, in the air cooler 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the bottom of the air cooler main body 10 corresponds to the lowest point of the casters 141 of the base portion 14, and the electrical components in the air cooler 1 are installed at a height of 60 cm or more in the vertical direction from the lowest point of the casters 141, or above the main tank 17. By configuring in this way, the electrical components in the air cooler 1 can be separated from the installation surface (for example, the floor surface) of the air cooler 1 by a certain distance, and the air cooler 1 has excellent safety. In particular, by installing the electrical components at a height of 60 cm or more in the vertical direction from the bottom of the air cooler main body 10, it is possible to use the air cooler 1 in compliance with the requirements specified in the Fire Protection Act without raising the air cooler 1 itself to a predetermined height.

[0023] In this embodiment, the electrical components of the evaporative cooler 1 refer to parts and devices that operate using electricity. For example, electrical components include the air blower 16, the control panel 13, and the water pump 21 of the liquid supply unit 20.

[0024] The water-absorbing member 15 is made of a material that has both breathability and the ability to absorb liquids. Specifically, the water-absorbing member 15 has the property of absorbing water, which is an example of a liquid. Hereinafter, the liquid used in the evaporative cooler 1 may simply be referred to as "water." The water-absorbing member 15 is made using, for example, a paper material such as cardboard or thick paper. Such a water-absorbing member 15 is lightweight and easy to handle during replacement work. The water-absorbing member 15 is formed in a honeycomb shape by laminating multiple paper materials. In the evaporative cooler 1, outside air introduced from the back side passes through the water-absorbing member 15 which contains moisture. The evaporative cooler 1 obtains a cooling effect by utilizing the heat of vaporization from the water-absorbing member 15. That is, the water-absorbing member 15 functions as a cooling element in the evaporative cooler 1.

[0025] A filter 151 is provided on the back side of the water-absorbing member 15 to filter out dust and other particles contained in the air before it passes through the water-absorbing member 15.

[0026] The air blower 16 sends the air that has passed through the water absorption member 15 to the outside of the evaporative cooler 1 through the air outlet 12. The air blower 16 is, for example, an electric fan with rotating blades. The air blower 16 comprises a motor 161, a propeller 162, a shroud 163, and a louver section 164. The air blower 16 rotates the propeller 162 with the motor 161 to send the air that has passed through the water absorption member 15 to the outside of the evaporative cooler 1.

[0027] The louver section 164 is provided between the propeller 162 and the air outlet 12. The louver section 164 has a plurality of fins that swing up and down and left and right in the direction of the evaporative cooler 1. The louver section 164 can change the direction of airflow in the up and down and left and right directions using these fins. The louver section 164 is equipped with a motor for driving the fins. The louver section 164 can automatically change the direction of airflow using this motor. However, the louver section 164 may also be equipped with no motor and the direction of airflow can be changed manually.

[0028] The main tank 17 is located below the water intake member 15. The main tank 17 is a bathtub-shaped container with an open top. The main tank 17 stores water to be supplied to the water intake member 15. The main tank 17 can be installed, for example, on the lower side of the evaporative cooler body 10. By configuring it in this way, the center of gravity of the evaporative cooler 1 can be kept low, and the risk of the evaporative cooler 1 tipping over can be greatly reduced. Below the main tank 17, there is a first water supply pipe 35 that connects the main tank 17 to a self-priming tank 31, which will be described later.

[0029] Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, the electrical components of the evaporative cooler 1 are installed at a height of 60 cm or more vertically from the bottom of the evaporative cooler body 10. Therefore, the area less than 60 cm where no electrical components are installed can be effectively utilized as the installation space for the main tank 17. As a result, the size of the evaporative cooler 1 can be made compact.

[0030] The lid 18 is tray-shaped. The lid 18 is shaped to fit into the opening of the main tank 17. When the lid 18 is attached to the opening of the main tank 17, it closes off the inside of the main tank 17. The lid 18 has an opening on its top surface, connecting the outside and inside of the main tank 17. A water filter 23 is provided in the opening of the lid 18. The water filter 23 is made of a mesh formed in the shape of a bag to remove dust and other particles contained in the water. Note that the lid 18 is not an essential component of the evaporative cooler 1, but is an optional component. The positions of the openings of the main tank 17 and the lid 18 are not limited to the illustrated configuration and can be changed as appropriate.

[0031] The water receiving tray 19 is provided between the water absorption member 15 and the main tank 17 in the vertical direction. The water receiving tray 19 is a tray-shaped component. The top surface of the water receiving tray 19 has a gentle slope from the edges (outer circumference) towards the apex near the center of the top surface. The water receiving tray 19 also has an opening at the apex of the sloped surface that connects the top surface and the back surface. By providing such a water receiving tray 19, water leaking from the water absorption member 15 can be received, and the water received on the top surface of the water receiving tray 19 can be guided to the opening of the water receiving tray 19. It should be noted that the water receiving tray 19, like the lid 18, is not an essential component of the evaporative cooler 1, but is an optional component that can be provided as needed.

[0032] The water receiving tray 19 receives water leaking from the water absorbing member 15. The water receiving tray 19 has an inclined surface that slopes from the outer circumference of the top surface toward the opening, which guides water to the opening of the water receiving tray 19 when there is water on the top surface. The opening of the water receiving tray 19 directs the water leaking from the water absorbing member 15 to the lid 18. In other words, the water receiving tray 19 functions like a funnel that directs the water leaking from the water absorbing member 15 to the lid 18.

[0033] The liquid supply unit 20 for supplying liquid to the water intake member 15 includes a water pump 21, a self-priming tank 31 sealed on the suction side of the water pump 21, and a supply nozzle 22 for supplying liquid to the water intake member 15. The water pump 21 is a component equivalent to an electrical component in the evaporative cooler 1, and as described above, it is installed at a height of 60 cm or more vertically from the bottom of the evaporative cooler body 10 or above the main tank 17.

[0034] The self-priming tank 31 is installed in a position such that the liquid level inside the self-priming tank 31 is at the same height as or higher than the installation position of the water pump 21. The self-priming tank 31 and the main tank 17 are connected by a first water supply pipe 35. The self-priming tank 31 is sealed on the suction side of the water pump 21, and the airtightness of the liquid supply system is maintained in the section from the self-priming tank 31 connected to the suction side of the water pump 21 to the main tank 17 via the first water supply pipe 35. There are no particular restrictions on the connection position between the self-priming tank 31 and the first water supply pipe 35; the first water supply pipe 35 may be connected to the upper side of the self-priming tank 31, or to the lower side of the self-priming tank 31 (for example, the bottom side of the self-priming tank 31). For example, by connecting the first water supply pipe 35 to the upper side of the self-priming tank 31, backflow of liquid from the self-priming tank 31 can be effectively prevented. There are no particular restrictions on the capacity of the self-priming tank 31, but its capacity can be set appropriately according to, for example, the capacity of the second water supply pipe 36 that connects the water pump 21 and the supply nozzle 22.

[0035] A valve 41 for controlling the flow of liquid may be provided in the first water supply pipe 35 that connects the self-priming tank 31 and the main tank 17. For example, when removing the main tank 17 from the evaporative cooler unit 10 and replenishing or replacing the liquid in the main tank 17, closing the valve 41 provided in the first water supply pipe 35 can prevent liquid from flowing out of the main tank 17. A flow switch 47 may also be provided in the first water supply pipe 35. By providing such a flow switch 47 in the first water supply pipe 35, the flow of liquid in the first water supply pipe 35 can be monitored, and for example, a shortage of water in the main tank 17 can be detected.

[0036] In this embodiment, the water pump 21 in the evaporative cooler 1 is installed at a certain height above the bottom of the evaporative cooler body 10, and is therefore often installed above the liquid level of the liquid stored in the main tank 17 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "the liquid level of the main tank 17"). If the water pump 21 is installed above the liquid level of the main tank 17, it becomes difficult to pump water from the main tank 17 if the water pump 21 does not have self-priming capabilities. In this embodiment, the evaporative cooler 1 is further provided with a sealed self-priming tank 31 on the suction side of the water pump 21, so that water can be pumped by the water pump 21 installed above the liquid level of the main tank 17 regardless of whether the water pump 21 has self-priming capabilities or not. That is, by sucking the liquid in the self-priming tank 31 with the water pump 21, a negative pressure is created inside the self-priming tank 31, and the liquid in the main tank 17 is drawn up into the self-priming tank 31 via the first water supply pipe 35. In this way, the liquid that is continuously drawn into the self-priming tank 31 is sucked up by the water pump 21 and supplied to the supply nozzle 22.

[0037] As mentioned above, the water pump 21 does not need to be self-priming, so there are no particular restrictions on the type or model of pump used. For example, a centrifugal pump can be used as the water pump 21. Centrifugal pumps are relatively inexpensive, which can help reduce the cost of the evaporative cooler 1. In addition, centrifugal pumps have relatively low operating noise, which can also help to make the evaporative cooler 1 quieter.

[0038] The self-priming tank 31 is an auxiliary tank sealed on the suction side of the water pump 21, and the liquid in the self-priming tank 31 serves as priming for the water pump 21. If liquid is already stored in the self-priming tank 31, driving the water pump 21 will draw the liquid from the self-priming tank 31, and the resulting negative pressure will draw the liquid from the main tank 17 into the self-priming tank 31.

[0039] The water pump 21 and the self-priming tank 31 are preferably installed on the upper side of the evaporative cooler body 10. The upper side of the evaporative cooler body 10 may also have a liquid inlet 32 ​​for introducing liquid (i.e., priming water for the water pump 21) into the self-priming tank 31. This configuration allows for easy replenishment of liquid in the self-priming tank 31 during initial startup of the evaporative cooler 1 or when the liquid in the self-priming tank 31 is lost due to prolonged downtime. The liquid inlet 32 ​​is preferably provided with a lid to ensure airtightness of the self-priming tank 31.

[0040] The supply nozzle 22 is located on the upper part of the water-absorbing member 15. The supply nozzle 22 supplies liquid to the water-absorbing member 15. The supply nozzle 22 has multiple water-discharging nozzles arranged in the width direction of the water-absorbing member 15. With these multiple nozzles, the supply nozzle 22 can distribute water uniformly throughout the entire water-absorbing member 15. As described above, the water pump 21, the self-priming tank 31, and the supply nozzle 22 function as a liquid supply unit 20.

[0041] The water pump 21 and the supply nozzle 22 are connected by a second water supply pipe 36, and the liquid discharged from the water pump 21 is supplied to the supply nozzle 22 via the second water supply pipe 36.

[0042] In this embodiment, the evaporative cooler 1 is equipped with a trap to prevent backflow of liquid in the water supply pipe after the water pump 21, that is, in the second water supply pipe 36 connecting the water pump 21 and the supply nozzle 22. For example, as shown in Figure 4, a part of the second water supply pipe 36 is bent vertically in a U-shape, a so-called U-trap 37. By configuring it in this way, when the water pump 21 is temporarily stopped, backflow of liquid in the water pump 21 and the self-priming tank 31 due to the free fall of liquid in the first water supply pipe 35 can be effectively prevented. For example, if there is no U-trap 37 as described above, backflow of liquid in the self-priming tank 31 may occur, and when restarting the water pump 21, there may be insufficient priming water for the water pump 21, resulting in insufficient self-priming performance. In such cases, the self-priming performance of the water pump can be restored by replenishing the self-priming tank with priming water, but this would require replenishing the self-priming tank with priming water every time the water pump is stopped, resulting in a complicated procedure for restarting the water pump. In this embodiment, the evaporative cooler 1 has a U-trap 37 installed in the second water supply pipe 36, which effectively suppresses the outflow of liquid from the water pump 21 and the self-priming tank 31 when the water pump 21 is stopped. As a result, restarting the water pump 21 does not require complicated procedures, and intermittent use, such as temporarily stopping the water pump 21, is possible, enabling quick starting even during intermittent operation of the evaporative cooler 1.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, the U-trap 37 installed in the second water supply pipe 36 utilizes the gravity of the liquid inside the U-trap 37 to prevent backflow of liquid upstream of the U-trap 37 (i.e., on the side of the water pump 21 and the self-priming tank 31). This effectively suppresses the downflow of liquid from the self-priming tank 31 that has been pumped up by the water pump 21. It is preferable to install the U-trap 37 so that the head is as high as possible. The trap installed in the second water supply pipe 36 does not need to completely prevent backflow of liquid when the water pump 21 is stopped; it is sufficient to prevent backflow to the extent that it does not hinder the restart of the water pump 21. For example, due to its operating principle, the U-trap 37 shown in Figure 4 may cause some backflow when the water pump 21 is stopped, but it is sufficient that the amount of liquid necessary to restart the water pump 21 is secured in the self-priming tank 31 at that time.

[0044] Furthermore, the trap installed in the water supply pipe after the water pump 21 may be, for example, a check valve, which prevents backflow by the back pressure of the fluid (liquid). However, the backflow prevention function of traps such as check valves may be reduced if foreign objects such as debris get stuck in them. Also, for traps such as check valves that involve mechanical operation, it is necessary to consider the lifespan due to deterioration of the valve body, rubber seal, etc. For this reason, a U-trap 37 with high durability, as shown in Figure 4, is more preferable as a trap installed in the water supply pipe after the water pump 21.

[0045] Furthermore, if a U-trap 37 is provided in the second water supply pipe 36 connecting the water pump 21 and the supply nozzle 22, a drainage mechanism for draining water (for example, a drain plug or drain valve) may be provided at the bottom of the U-trap 37, although this is not shown in the diagram. With this configuration, when the evaporative cooler 1 is not used for a long period of time, the liquid accumulated in the U-trap 37 can be forcibly discharged via the drainage mechanism. This effectively suppresses the deterioration of the liquid remaining in the U-trap 37.

[0046] Here, the liquid flow when using the evaporative cooler 1 will be explained in more detail with reference to the schematic flow diagram shown in Figure 5. When using the evaporative cooler 1, the water pump 21 is started first. When the water pump 21 is started, the liquid in the self-priming tank 31 is drawn in by the water pump 21. The liquid in the self-priming tank 31 acts as priming water for starting the water pump 21. Also, if the amount of liquid in the self-priming tank 31 is insufficient when starting the water pump 21, it is preferable to replenish the liquid (priming water) in the self-priming tank 31 as needed. By drawing the liquid in the self-priming tank 31 with the water pump 21, a negative pressure is created inside the self-priming tank 31, and the liquid in the main tank 17 is drawn up into the self-priming tank 31. Meanwhile, the liquid drawn out by the water pump 21 is sent to the supply nozzle 22. The supply nozzle 22 is equipped with multiple water discharge nozzles, etc., and supplies the liquid sent from the water pump 21 to the water intake member 15. The water-absorbing member 15 functions as a cooling element. When external air (not shown) introduced from the rear side passes through it, a portion of the liquid in the water-absorbing member 15 vaporizes, and the air passing through the water-absorbing member 15 is cooled by evaporative cooling. The liquid continuously supplied from the supply nozzle 22 to the water-absorbing member 15 is collected in the main tank 17 located below the water-absorbing member 15, and the liquid flow described above is repeated cyclically. In addition, a U-trap 37 is provided in the water supply pipe connecting the water pump 21 and the supply nozzle 22 to prevent backflow of liquid. Therefore, when the water pump 21 is temporarily stopped, backflow of liquid in the water pump 21 and the self-priming tank 31 can be effectively prevented, and intermittent use, such as temporary stopping of the water pump 21, is possible. [Industrial applicability]

[0047] The evaporative cooler of the present invention can be used as a cooling device that delivers cooled air using the heat of vaporization of a liquid. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 1:Cold fan 10: Cooling fan body 12: Air outlet 13:Operation panel 14: Base section 15: Water-absorbing material 16: Blower unit 17: Main Tank 18: Lid 19: Water receiving tray 20:Liquid supply section 21: Water pump 22: Supply nozzle 23: Water filter 31: Self-priming tank 32:Liquid inlet 35:First water supply pipe 36:Second water supply pipe 37: U-trap 41: Valve 47: Flow switch 111: Front Panel 112: Top panel 113: Side panel 114: Side panel 141: Caster 151: Filter 161: Motor 162: Propeller 163: Shroud 164: Louver section 210: Installation surface (the surface on which the evaporative cooler is installed)

Claims

1. A cooling fan body having an air outlet opening on the front, A water-absorbing member having breathability and liquid-absorbing properties, A liquid supply unit for supplying the liquid to the water-absorbing member, A blower unit that sends the gas that has passed through the water-absorbing member to the outside, A cooling fan comprising a main tank provided below the water-absorbing member for storing the liquid, The aforementioned evaporative cooler has electrical components located inside and outside the evaporative cooler body installed at a height of 60 cm or more vertically from the bottom of the evaporative cooler body or above the main tank, The liquid supply unit comprises a water pump installed at a height of 60 cm or more vertically from the bottom of the air cooler body or above the main tank, a self-priming tank sealed on the suction side of the water pump, and a supply nozzle for supplying the liquid discharged from the water pump to the water intake member. The air cooler is configured such that the liquid in the main tank is drawn up into the self-priming tank by the water pump sucking the liquid in the self-priming tank, and a trap is provided in the water supply pipe connecting the water pump and the supply nozzle to prevent backflow of liquid.

2. The air cooler according to claim 1, wherein the water pump is a centrifugal pump.

3. The air cooler according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the trap is a U-trap in which a part of the water supply pipe is bent in the vertical direction.

4. The air cooler according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper side of the air cooler body has a liquid inlet for introducing priming water for the water pump into the self-priming tank.

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