Squirrel Cage Evaporator With Alternating Coils for Humid Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Swamp coolers, or evaporative coolers, are ineffective in humid climates due to reduced evaporation and cooling capacity, necessitating pre-cooling of water before use, which is inefficient and impractical.
Innovation Solution
A squirrel cage evaporator with alternating refrigerant cooling coils and a reversing valve that cycles refrigerant flow between coils to enhance cooling and dehumidification, allowing the evaporator to partially freeze and defrost, thereby maintaining efficiency in humid conditions without pre-cooling water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standard swamp cooler is used in humid conditions, then the device structure remains simple, but cooling effectiveness deteriorates due to reduced evaporation
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is segmented into multiple cooling coils (first cooling coil, second cooling coil, third cooling coil) with alternating refrigerant flow directions. This segmentation allows different zones to operate at different temperatures, enabling effective cooling in humid conditions while managing ice accumulation through selective defrosting of specific coil segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically alternates refrigerant flow between different cooling coils using a reversing valve. This dynamic switching allows the evaporator to adapt to humid conditions by cycling between cooling and defrosting modes, maintaining cooling effectiveness without requiring complex pre-cooling infrastructure.
2Reliability
If water is pre-cooled before use in a swamp cooler, then cooling effectiveness in humid conditions improves, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of refrigerant (between liquid and vapor states) to achieve cooling. The refrigerant absorbs heat during evaporation and releases heat during condensation, providing efficient cooling without requiring pre-cooled water or additional energy-intensive pre-cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The reversing valve periodically switches refrigerant flow between different cooling coils, creating alternating cooling and defrosting cycles. This periodic action maintains cooling effectiveness in humid conditions while preventing ice accumulation, eliminating the need for continuous energy-consuming pre-cooling operations.
3Productivity
If refrigerant flow is alternated between coils, then ice accumulation is prevented and cooling efficiency is maintained, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into multiple independent cooling coil segments that can be selectively activated. This segmentation allows the reversing valve to control refrigerant flow to specific coils, preventing ice accumulation in humid conditions while maintaining overall cooling efficiency through simple on/off control of each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The reversing valve dynamically alternates refrigerant flow between different cooling coil segments based on operational needs. This dynamic control prevents ice accumulation by periodically defrosting specific coils while maintaining cooling in others, achieving high productivity with relatively simple binary control logic.
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 solution significantly improves cooling and dehumidification capabilities in humid environments by alternating refrigerant flow between coils, preventing ice accumulation and maintaining performance without the need for pre-cooling water, thus enhancing the usability of swamp coolers in high humidity conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A squirrel cage evaporator with alternating refrigerant cooling coils and a reversing valve that cycles refrigerant flow between coils to enhance cooling and dehumidification
Implementation Method 2
allowing the evaporator to partially freeze and defrost, thereby maintaining efficiency in humid conditions
Implementation Method 3
A squirrel cage evaporator with alternating refrigerant cooling coils and a reversing valve that cycles refrigerant flow between coils
Data Source
AI summary
A fan driven evaporator is one component for use in refrigeration applications such as an evaporative cooler which employs refrigeration. In one embodiment, a frosting evaporative cooler utilizes an evaporator in the shape of a squirrel cage blower that utilizes alternating and opposing flows of refrigerant in refrigerant tubing to allow for the dehumidifying and cooling of humid air without freezing over and losing air flow. A fan for use in coolers in humid conditions comprises a motor driving a centrifugal blower. At least two cooling coils that are parallel have cooling fins separating all the coils. The coils surround the blower wheel thereby matching the shape of the outside of the blower housing.