Evaporative Cooler Predictive Humidity Control Under Changing Air Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional evaporative coolers suffer from inefficiencies, slow response times, and inability to effectively adjust to changing atmospheric conditions, leading to discomfort and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of systems and methods for evaporative cooling control, which involve receiving humidity and/or temperature setpoints, measuring atmospheric conditions, generating performance predictions of the evaporative cooler, and controlling the flow of fluid over the evaporative media to prevent setpoints from being exceeded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional evaporative coolers operate on a closed feedback loop, then they can maintain basic cooling function, but they suffer from slow response times and are unable to adjust effectively to changing outside conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of predicted psychrometric properties and anticipated humidity levels before actually delivering cooled air. By predicting future conditions based on current atmospheric data and evaporative media state, the system proactively adjusts water flow rates to prevent humidity setpoints from being exceeded, rather than reacting after the problem occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a predictive feedback control mechanism that continuously monitors atmospheric conditions, tracks evaporative media wetness levels, and calculates anticipated performance. This feedback loop uses predicted psychrometric properties to dynamically adjust water flow rates in real-time, enabling the system to respond rapidly to changing conditions while maintaining precise humidity control.
2Power
If conventional evaporative coolers increase water flow to meet cooling demand, then cooling capacity increases, but humidity control precision deteriorates and setpoints are frequently exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts water flow rates based on real-time predictions of evaporative cooler performance and anticipated humidity levels. Rather than using fixed or simple on/off control, the system continuously modifies flow rates to match the precise cooling demand while maintaining humidity control precision, adapting to changing atmospheric conditions and evaporative media state.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the water flow rate parameter dynamically based on predicted psychrometric properties and anticipated humidity levels. By calculating the optimal flow rate that achieves the desired cooling capacity while preventing humidity setpoint exceedance, the system optimizes both cooling power and humidity control precision simultaneously.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional evaporative coolers shut down when humidity exceeds setpoint, then humidity control is attempted, but the slow response time causes the system to continue outputting humid air for up to an hour
Solution Approach 1:
The system takes preliminary action by predicting anticipated humidity levels before they are actually exceeded. By calculating future humidity trajectories based on current water flow rates and atmospheric conditions, the system proactively reduces water flow to prevent humidity setpoint exceedance, avoiding the need for shutdown and the associated long delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The predictive feedback mechanism continuously monitors and predicts humidity levels, enabling the system to respond immediately when humidity approaches setpoints. This real-time predictive control eliminates the hour-long delay associated with conventional shutdown approaches by making continuous fine adjustments to water flow rates based on anticipated humidity trajectories.
4Manufacturing precision
If mechanical cooling is used to supplement the evaporative cooler and remove excess moisture, then humidity control is achieved, but resource waste increases including water and energy
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporative cooler serves itself by using predicted psychrometric properties to autonomously adjust water flow rates and maintain humidity control. This self-regulating predictive control eliminates the need for supplemental mechanical cooling and moisture removal systems, achieving humidity precision control while minimizing energy and water consumption through optimized evaporative cooling operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables fine control of temperature and humidity, rapid response to changing conditions, resource conservation, and optimized occupant comfort by preventing temperature and humidity setpoints from being exceeded.
Implementation Method 1
water is spread across evaporative media, which adds humidity and cools incoming air through evaporation
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for evaporative cooling control. In one implementation, a humidity setpoint is received for a designated space, and at least one atmospheric condition of ambient air is received. The at least one atmospheric condition is measured using one or more ambient air sensors. A performance prediction of an evaporative cooler is generated by calculating a set of one or more predicted psychrometric properties of supply air leaving the evaporative cooler based on the at least one atmospheric condition. The humidity setpoint is compared to the set of one or more predicted psychrometric properties of the performance prediction in a setpoint comparison. A flow of fluid is controlled over evaporative media using one or more pumps of the evaporative cooler. The flow of the fluid is controlled based on the setpoint comparison such that the humidity setpoint is prevented from being exceeded.