GB2507059A

GB2507059A - An evaporative cooling device

Info

Publication number: GB2507059A
Application number: GB201218610A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Ross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-10-17
Filing date: 2012-10-17
Publication date: 2014-04-23
Also published as: GB201218610D0

Abstract

An evaporative cooling device 10 has an enclosure 20 defining a chamber. The enclosure has at least one permeable surface to allow exterior air to enter the chamber. The device further includes a reservoir 40 capable of holding a supply of water, and at least one conduit 50 fluidly connected to the reservoir and traversing along the permeable surface. In use, water is allowed to flow from the conduit to the permeable surface at a plurality of outlet locations 52. The outlets may be in the form of perforations, and the reservoir may be located above the enclosure. The permeable material may be a plastics material, and the enclosure may be formed as an assembly which can be assembled and dismantled. The device may be portable and further include a suspension arrangement such as a hook 60 and pivot 64, permitting the device to sway in a wind. The arrangement may be suitable for cooling water-holding containers placed within the enclosure, and used in hot locations.

Description

Evaporative Cooling Device The present invention relates to cooling devices. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to portable evaporative cooling devices which utilise evaporation to cool drinking water.

There is an ongoing problem with cooling water in hot locations such as in the desert. For instance, army servicemen in such locations usually have an abundant supply of water but, without means for cooling, the water can be very hot and unpleasant to drink and may even reach a scolding temperature.

Cooling means may not be available, particularly at temporary locations or when the soldiers are on the move.

The temperature of dry air can be reduced significantly through the phase transition of liquid water to water vapour (evaporation). This process can cool air using much less energy than refrigeration. Various evaporative coolers exist and utilise water's large enthalpy of vaporization. They are typically large units installed on the exterior of a building to cool air within the building. Evaporative cooling is especially well suited for climates where the air is hot and humidity is low.

Known evaporative coolers are powered. Typically, air is moved by a centrifugal fan driven by an electric motor. The fan draws ambient air through vents on the unit's sides and through damp cooling pads located at the sides, and heat in the air evaporates water from the pads. The pads are constantly re-dampened by pumping water using a water pump from a water reservoir provided at a base of the unit. The cool air is delivered by the fan to the building via an upper outlet of the device.

According to the present invention there is provided an evaporative cooling device comprising: an enclosure defining a chamber, the enclosure having at least one permeable surface to allow exterior air to enter the chamber; a reservoir capable of holding a supply of water; at least one conduit fluidly connected to the reservoir and traversing along the surface, wherein the conduit includes a plurality of outlets to allow water to flow from the conduit to the permeable surface at a plurality of locations.

The conduit may include a plurality of perforations or apertures to allow water to flow from the conduit to the permeable material.

The perforations may be equispaced along the length of the conduit. The perforations may have a predetermined size to provide a desired flow rate for a given water pressure.

The predetermined size may be constant. Alternatively, the size of the perforations may vary along the length of the conduit.

The conduit may traverse along the surface in a non-linear or convoluted configuration to cover a larger portion of the surface. The non-linear configuration may be serpentine. Alternatively, the non-linear configuration may be spiral or the like.

The reservoir may be located at an upper portion of the cooling device to generate a head of water pressure. The reservoir may be located above the enclosure.

The cooling device may include a plurality of conduits. The cooling device may include a conduit for each side wall of the enclosure.

The reservoir may include or be fluidly connected to a water manifold. The plurality of conduits may each be fluidly connected to the water manifold.

The enclosure may have two or more permeable surfaces to assist the flow of exterior air into and out of the chamber. The enclosure may be substantially cubic or cuboidal and have four permeable side walls.

The enclosure may include at least one side wall comprising a permeable material to provide the permeable surface.

The permeable material may comprise a fabric or webbing. The permeable material may comprise a plastic material. Alternatively, the permeable material may comprise a wood wool or melamine.

Alternatively, the at least one side wall may include a plurality of apertures to provide the permeable surface.

The cooling device may be adapted to be portable. The enclosure may be formed as an assembly which can be dismantled and reassembled.

The enclosure may include a frame and each permeable surface may be connected to the frame. The frame may include at least one releasable fastener for connecting two frame members to form a structure.

The cooling device may include means for suspending the device from a height.

The suspension means may be adapted to allow the device to sway in a wind.

The cooling device may be sized to contain between one and ten water bottles.

The enclosure may have an internal volume of 150,000 cubic centimetres or less.

The enclosure may have an internal volume of 2,000 cubic centimetres or less.

Alternatively, the cooling device may be sized to provide a habitat. The enclosure may be sized to accommodate between one and ten persons.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cooling device; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the enclosure of the cooling device of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side view of an alternative configuration of the conduit.

Figure 1 shows an evaporative cooling device 10 which can be used to cool drinking water in hot environments. The cooling device 10 includes an enclosure which defines a chamber 22 and items, such as water bottles 100 can be placed within the chamber 22 to cool.

As shown in Figure 2, the enclosure 20 is formed by a frame comprising frame members 26. Four frame members 26 are permanently connected to define each of the four side walls 24, the base 28 and the top surface 29. These surfaces can be connected together to form a cuboidal structure using connectors 30.

Therefore, when the surfaces are separate, the enclosure 20 is in a flat pack form and is highly portable. Some of the connectors 30 may permanently connect two surfaces but allow one surface to pivot relative to the other to allow the surfaces to be packed flat. However, at least one connector 30 joining two surfaces is releasable to provide a door 32 for opening and closing the enclosure 20.

Spanning each set of four frame members 26 which define the side walls 24, the base 28 and the top surface 29 is a permeable material formed from a fabric of plastic fibres. The permeable material allows exterior air to enter the chamber 22. The material can also be formed to be reflective of heat energy.

A reservoir or container 40 which is capable of holding water is provided above the enclosure 20. The container 40 fits into a manifold 42 attached to the top surface 29.

Fluidly connected to the manifold 42 are four conduits or flexible tubes 50. Each tube 50 extends to a side wall 24 and then snakes laterally and downwards to a lower portion of the side wall 24 where it terminates.

The tubes 50 include a number of perforations 52 to allow water to flow from the tubes 50 to the permeable surface. Due to the convoluted configuration of the tubes 50, this causes water to substantially dampen the entire surface of each side wall 24.

The perforations 52 are of a relatively small size and the height of the container 40 provides a low flow rate so that the side walls are only slowly moistened. The end of each tube 50 (opposite to the manifold end) can be plugged or, if sufficiently small, can serve as another perforation.

Other non-linear or convoluted configurations of the tubes 50 may be used as long as they provide sufficient dampening of the surface of each side wall 24. For instance, Figure 3 shows a spiral configuration (not in the curved mathematical sense of the term "spiral", although this is also a possible configuration).

The cooling device 10 includes means for suspending the device 10 from a height. This means comprises a hook 60 and a tension wire 62 connecting the hook 60 to the enclosure 20. The tension wire 62 can be connected to a pivot member 64 to assist the device 10 to sway in a wind. This promotes the circulation of air to aid evaporative cooling.

In use, a user assembles the device 10, places some water bottles 100 in the enclosure 20, fills the container 40 with water and suspends the device 10 from a height. The water from the container 40 slowly flows by gravity to the side walls 24 via the perforations 52. As hot air flows through the side walls 24, this water evaporates and the air entering the cooling device 10 is cooled, which in turn cools the water in the water bottles 100. The user need only replenish the container 40 as required.

Relative to known evaporative coolers, the cooling device 10 is small. For instance, the enclosure 20 may have an internal volume of 2,000 cubic centimetres or less. It is therefore highly mobile, particularly as the enclosure 20 can be dismantled.

The cooling device 10 requires no power. The cooled air does not need to be delivered (such as by a fan) to another location (such as a building). Rather, the cool air in the enclosure 20 is used directly. Also, no pump is required as gravity is used to create the flow of water. The reservoir of water can be located above the enclosure 20 (rather than at the base as with known coolers), again because the air is not being delivered to another location.

In alternative embodiments (not shown), the cooling device 10 may be of a greater size and may provide a habitat or larger storage unit. The device need only be scaled accordingly with no further modifications.

Whilst specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it will be appreciated that departures from the described embodiments may still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims 1. An evaporative cooling device comprising: an enclosure defining a chamber, the enclosure having at least one permeable surface to allow exterior air to enter the chamber; a reservoir capable of holding a supply of water; at least one conduit fluidly connected to the reservoir and traversing along the surface, wherein the conduit includes a plurality of outlets to allow water to flow from the conduit to the permeable surface at a plurality of locations.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conduit includes a plurality of perforations or apertures to allow water to flow from the conduit to the permeable material.
3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the perforations are equispaced along the length of the conduit.
4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the perforations have a predetermined size to provide a desired flow rate for a given water pressure.
5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the size of the perforations varies along the length of the conduit.
6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the conduit traverses along the surface in a non-linear or convoluted configuration to cover a larger portion of the surface.
7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the non-linear configuration is serpentine.
8. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the non-linear configuration is spiral.
9. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the reservoir is located at an upper portion of the cooling device to generate a head of water pressure.
10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the reservoir is located above the enclosure.
11. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, including a plurality of conduits.
12. A device as claimed in claim 11, including a conduit for each side wall of the enclosure.
13. A device as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the reservoir includes or is fluidly connected to a water manifold, and wherein the plurality of conduits are each fluidly connected to the water manifold.
14. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has two or more permeable surfaces to assist the flow of exterior air into and out of the chamber.
15. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the enclosure is substantially cubic or cuboidal and has four permeable side walls.
16. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure includes at least one side wall comprising a permeable material to provide the permeable surface.
17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the permeable material comprises a fabric or webbing.
18. A device as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the permeable material comprises a plastic material.
19. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one side wall includes a plurality of apertures to provide the permeable surface.
20. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the device is adaptedto be portable.
21. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure is formed as an assembly which can be dismantled and reassembled.
22. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure includes a frame and each permeable surface is connected to the frame.
23. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the frame includes at least one releasable fastener for connecting two frame members to form a structure.
24. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, including means for suspending the device from a height.
25. A device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the suspension means is adapted to allow the device to sway in a wind.
26. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the device is sized to contain between one and ten water bottles.
27. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has an internal volume of 150,000 cubic centimetres or less.
28. A device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the enclosure has an internal volume of 2,000 cubic centimetres or less.
29. A device as claimed in any of claims ito 25, wherein the device is sized to provide a habitat.
30. A device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the enclosure is sized to accommodate between one and ten persons.