Method for cooling a room
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature control elements for cooling rooms are ineffective in regions with high temperatures and high humidity, as they quickly fall below the dew point, leading to condensation and mold formation, and require high energy consumption for conventional air conditioning systems.
Innovation Solution
A method using a hygroscopic base plate with capillary tubes and a clay plaster layer that absorbs condensate below the dew point and releases it back into the environment when cooling is not needed, allowing for passive cooling and reducing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional air conditioning systems are used to achieve high cooling performance in high-temperature and high-humidity regions, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases enormously
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the natural phase change of water (evaporation) to provide cooling without mechanical compression. The hygroscopic base plate automatically absorbs and releases moisture, creating a passive cooling effect that eliminates the need for high-energy air conditioning compressors and fans
Solution Approach 2:
The invention exploits the phase transition of water between liquid and vapor states. When the base plate releases absorbed moisture into the air, evaporation occurs, which is an endothermic process that absorbs heat from the surroundings, providing natural cooling without mechanical intervention
2Temperature
If temperature control elements cool rooms by falling below the dew point, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but condensate forms and drips from ceilings or runs down walls
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful condensate that would normally drip from cold surfaces into a beneficial resource. The hygroscopic base plate absorbs the condensate formed during cooling, and this stored moisture is then released during warmer periods to provide evaporative cooling, turning a problem into a solution
Solution Approach 2:
The hygroscopic base plate acts as an intermediary between the capillary tubes and the room air. It absorbs excess moisture from the air (preventing condensation problems) and releases it when needed for cooling, mediating the interaction between the cooling system and the indoor environment
3Temperature
If temperature control elements operate below the dew point in high-humidity regions, then cooling requirement is met, but mold forms quickly due to condensate accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful excess moisture that would lead to mold growth into a useful cooling resource. By using hygroscopic materials to capture and release moisture through controlled evaporation, the system prevents the stagnant moisture conditions that cause mold while maintaining effective cooling
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
The system effectively manages condensate in high-humidity regions, providing a pleasant climate with reduced energy use and preventing mold formation, enabling the use of temperature control elements as a sustainable alternative to conventional air conditioning.
Implementation Method 1
the base plate being made of a hygroscopic material... the resulting condensate is absorbed by the covering layer and the base plate
Implementation Method 2
the base plate forms a relatively large reservoir for the condensed water that occurs
Implementation Method 3
When the cooling is switched off, the condensate or moisture is released back into the room
Implementation Method 4
fixed capillary tubes on its surface facing the room, through which a temperature control medium can be conducted
Implementation Method 5
the cooling temperature (in the area of the surface of the temperature control element) falling below the dew point (of the room air or supply air) and with this resulting condensate
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a temperature-control element (1, 1', 1'') for ceilings or walls of a room which is to be temperature-controlled, with a thermally insulating baseplate (2, 2', 2'') which has capillary tubes (3, 3'') which are fixed on the surface (7, 7') thereof facing the room and through which a temperature-control medium can be guided, and with a layer (4) which covers the surface (7, 7') of the baseplate (2, 2', 2'') with the capillary tubes (3, 3''). The invention is characterized in that the baseplate (2, 2', 2'') is formed from a hygroscopic material, for example calcium silicate or aerated concrete.