Cooling unit for generating cooled area
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioning and cooling for outdoor areas face challenges due to moving air currents, thermal transfer, and lack of containment, making it difficult to efficiently cool outdoor spaces.
Innovation Solution
Modular cooling units with a base, cooling tower, and air distribution system that employ water cooling to generate cooled air, featuring a blower, control components, and an air distribution system with cool and warm air dispensers, along with optional electronics packages for remote control and network connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If outdoor areas are cooled using conventional air conditioning methods, then cooling coverage is provided, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to moving air currents and heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple modular cooling units that can be independently deployed and positioned. Each unit creates its own localized cooled zone rather than attempting to cool the entire outdoor area uniformly, reducing energy consumption while providing targeted cooling coverage where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates localized cooled zones around each cooling unit rather than uniform cooling across the entire outdoor area. This allows cooling to be concentrated in specific areas where occupants are present, improving energy efficiency by avoiding unnecessary cooling of unoccupied spaces while maintaining effective cooling coverage in targeted zones.
2Temperature
If conventional air conditioning is used for outdoor areas, then cooling is provided, but cooling effectiveness worsens due to lack of containment and thermal transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The system preemptively counteracts harmful thermal transfer and air mixing by creating contained cooled zones using overhead panels and targeted air discharge. The cool air is directed downward and contained within defined spaces, preventing premature mixing with warm ambient air and maintaining cooling effectiveness despite outdoor environmental challenges.
Solution Approach 2:
The overhead panels and enclosure structures act as flexible boundaries that define and contain cooled zones. These panels create physical boundaries that prevent uncontrolled thermal transfer and air mixing with the surrounding environment, while still allowing the system to be deployed in various outdoor configurations.
3Use of energy by moving object
If modular cooling units are deployed to improve energy efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases due to multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
Each cooling unit is designed as a universal module that can be deployed independently or combined with other units. The standardized design with common components (compressor, condenser, evaporator, control system) reduces overall system complexity through standardization while maintaining energy efficiency benefits of modular deployment. The same basic unit configuration serves multiple functions whether used alone or in arrays.
4Productivity
If localized cooled zones are created to improve cooling effectiveness, then cooling efficiency is enhanced, but loss of cooling to surrounding areas increases
Solution Approach 1:
Overhead panels and enclosure structures create physical boundaries that contain cooled air within defined zones. These panels prevent excessive mixing and thermal transfer between cooled and ambient air, reducing cooling loss to surrounding areas while maintaining high cooling efficiency within the contained zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The system accepts that cooling is concentrated in localized zones rather than distributed uniformly. This localized approach actually reduces total cooling loss because the cooled air is contained and utilized more effectively in specific areas, rather than being dispersed and lost throughout a large open space. The cooling efficiency in targeted zones is enhanced while overall energy loss is minimized through proper containment.
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
Provide efficient and customizable cooling for outdoor areas, creating comfortable zones with modular and energy-efficient solutions that can be easily installed and reconfigured, while also offering integrated energy generation and air purification capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling tower attached to the base at a first end of the cooling tower, the cooling tower having an inner flow path and an exterior surface
Implementation Method 2
a cooling tower... configured to convey air through the base, the cooling tower, and the air distribution system
Implementation Method 3
The control components are configured to convey air through the base, the cooling tower, and the air distribution system
Implementation Method 4
a thermal insulating layer applied to the air distribution system
Data Source
AI summary
Cooling units are provided. The cooling units include abase having a housing with control components, a cooling tower attached to the base and having an inner flow path and an exterior surface. An air distribution system is attached to the cooling tower and includes an air distribution chamber defined between first and second enclosures, air dispensers are configured in the first enclosure, and a cover disposed on an exterior surface of the second enclosure. The control components are configured to convey air through the base, the cooling tower, and the air distribution system to dispense air through the cool air dispenser and the warm air dispenser and an electronics package installed on the cooling unit.