US1848202A - Air conditioning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 8, 1932. Q E, SCOTT 1,848,202

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l lll llfl.. .www w z .lf r a MWMIMMMWIIHIHIMWVI.. L/ ITAM f March 8, 1932. c. E. sco'rT AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 8, 1932 I 'UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE 'CLIFFDRD E. SCOTT, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR T0 UTN'IJYIEID STATES BLOWER AND HEATER l\COIRHDBATION, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ACOBPORATIONOF DELAWARE AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Application ledrSepte'mber 24, 1930. Serial No. 484,013.

This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus of the type where a forced circulaing the use of manifolds, distribution pipes and a battery of spray nozzles such as are commonly employed in air Washers and cooling systems extensively utilized at this time.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described which may bemanufactured at relatively low cost, making the device available for use in homes, oiiices and shops and wherein the air is conditioned with moisture by rotary moisture distributing' members partially immersed in a tank and which pick up, subdivide and centrifugally distribute particles ofmoisture, lling the cross sectional area of theair conditioning chamber.

Another pbject is to provide in a device of the class described, two oppositely disposed series of moisture distributing elements so rei lated and positioned as .to cause larticles of water to be'projected and centri ugally distributed from opposite sides ofthe chamber, the two opposing currents ofmoisture strikf ing, disintegrating and causing the resultant production of a finely divided mist illingfsub.

stantially the -cross sectionalgareaof` the Y chamber.

Aothembe'ct is t0 Provide an improvesand highly eiiicient .moisture distributing'ele-- ment especially..adaptedgierlzse in airgn= ditioning apparatusand'-adapted to 'ontinui `ously pick up and subdivide Water or liquid and to centrifugallyl precipitate small par.-` ticles of moisture outwardly andupwardly.

Still a further object is to provide airconditioning-apparatus wherein al series of cooperating rotary moisture dstributing elements disposed Within an air conditiouiplg chamber and.l partially limmersed in a ta containing liquid are so associated with a blower or fan as to produce a very thorough admixture of iinely divided particles of mois ture throughout the cross sectional area of the air conditioning chamber.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the* following description made in connection `with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer.V to similar parts throughout thesev'eral views, and in which:-

Fig. l is a plan View of auembodiment of the invention, many of the parts within theV casing being shown in' dotted'lines, some portions of the casing being broken away to show vthe rotary moisture distributing elements;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; j Fig. 3 'is a diagrammatical view showing the air conditioning chamber of the apparatus in cross sectioii toillustrate the cooperation and function of the moisture distributing elements; v, l

Fig. 4 is a detail cross section through one of the rotary shafts showing a preferred embodiment of moisture distributing element mounted thereon;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line of Fig. 4; Y

' Fig. 6- isa plan view showing a sheet of netting anda manner in which it may be cut to enableit to be readily'attached to thedisk of preferred moisture distributing'.element'; 1 Y

Fig.7 is a'planzviw of a modified form of moisture distributing element, and Fig, 8 is a fragmentary eros section taken on the'line 8-8 of Fig. 7. 1Inthe,embodiment of the invention illustrated lin Figsgl to-inclusive, the several elementsof my apparatus are housed within an elongated rectangular casing C which has an enlarged air intake passage 8 irione .end

thereof and a discharge passage 9 in 'one of. 95, the side walls and adjacentthe opposite'end-l of kthe casin The interior of the casing adjacent the air intake 8 constitutesanair conditioning chamber X, this chamber, as shown Compl-.irsmg approximately one-thrdlrofthe 100 volume of the casing. 4`Lhe bottom of the casing in chamber X may be shaped to provide a liquid tank 10, or ii desired an independent tank may be mounted in the bottom of air conditioning chamber X.l The level of the water or other liquid within tank. 10 may be maintained at substantially a predeter-mined height by suitable means, such as a float valve 11 and as shown, an overlow pipe 12 is provided in tlie bottom of the tank.

Above the level o'f the liquid within tank 10 and extendin longitudinally of the casing and the air inta e passage l provide preferably at least a pair of rotary shafts i8 each journaled in suitable bearings 14 and 15 respectively, provided at the ends of the tank 10. It will be noted that the bearings for the shafts as well as the shafts are disposed above the level of water or' liquid in the tank. The shafts 13 are preferably disposed horizontally and extend parallel and are suitably connected together at their outer ends for driving in unison and in opposite directions. As shown, shafts 13 are each provided with belt pulleys 13a over which a V-type endless belt V is trained, said belt being crossed to reverse the drivingof'the two shafts. One of the shafts 13 has fixed to the outer extremity thereof a second belt pulley 13b which is suitably connected for driving, such: as byan endless belt 16 with an electric motor M. Motor M may be conveniently lmount-'ed on the horizontal shoulder of an olf-set portion at the air iBntake end of the casing, as clearly shown in series 'of highly efiicient moisture distributing elements D are lixed to each of the rotary shafts 13 and in the preferred form of the invention, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, each moisture distributing element comprises a relatively thin' disk 17 which may be constructed of some non-corrosive metal, such as alpminum, having an axial hub 18 which, if desired, may be integrally constructed therewith. Fine mesh netting, suchlas metal screen is secured to the two faces of each disk' 17 arranged circumferentially and extending from the ripheral edge for some distancefinwar'dly. prefer to wrap thanetting or screen about the edge of the disk, doubling thesame in the manner illustrated vin Figs. 4 andi: Preferably,`the.netting "or tscreen at eachsile or face of the disk is slit `r form'edof separate sections', the edges nuinlappedv 4, v .A1 convenient ymanner ofconstructing and th'eredf being lsue'cesfsivel'y@over` attaching the netting to the disks is partially illustrated in'Fig. 6.= An elongated rectangular'sheet 19 of screen is provided of somewhat i greater than twice the width of the desired radius of the netting surface and this sheet is slit along each of its longitudinal edges on a series of parallel lines Z which extend perpendicular to said longitudinal edges and terminato short of the longitudinal center line of the sheet. The sheet so slit may then be t wrapped around the periphery of disk 17 and the slit portions or tongues bent inwardly against the surfaces of the disk, successive tongues being overlapped to leave the edges 19a. These edges assist in picking up and forcibly distributing liquid, and may, if desired, extend radially with respect to the disk,-

the inner and free edges of the turned nanges l or tongues 19. The rings 20 may be clamped together by clamping bolts 21 which may pass l through the screen desired. i

Directly behind the air conditioning chamber X of my apparatusa suitable moisture eliminator is mounted extending substantiaL ly the full height of casing C. ,This eliminator may comprise the conventional `zigzag plates 22 extending vertically within casing C i and while eliminator plates having six bends are illustrated; with my device, because of the very thorough treatment of the air with moisture, it has been found that a four bend eliminator plate is all that is required and that the apparatus will have practically as highacapacity with such a plate and with as well as the disk 17 if the blower slowed down somewhat from the usual speed.

Within the end of the casing C opposite from the air conditioning chamber X a relatively large blower is mounted having a blower casing 23 which is disposed transversely of casing() and yhas its intake 23a disposed rearwardly of the delivery end of the moisture eliminator and which has its discharge communicating with the discharge passage 9 through. a tubular flexible skirt 23h which may be constructed of canvas or other flexible material.

The iinpeller 24 of the blower is fixed toy a substantially horizontal shaft 25 mounted in suitable bearin swithin casing C and extendinglongitu inally of said casing. Amol tor 26 1s provided within the-casing for drivingthe impeller. n 25 is provided with a largev pulley 25a having yfa' variable speed connectionwithshaft 25.

This variable speed connection may be, if' desired, at-hydraulic clutch mechanism designated as. an entirety by the numeral 28 for .varying the slippage of lpulley 25a"relatively to the shaft 25 thereby varying the speed of the impeller. Pulley 25a, as shown, is connected for driving with the vpulley of the motor by means of a pair of V belts 27. i

- A rectangular casing or hood 30 iscormect-y As shown, impeller shaft ed with the discharge passage 9 of casing C and as illustrated, a radiator or refrigeration coil R is mounted therein and outwardly of said radiator two series of crossed defiectors 23 are pivotally mounted by means of which discharged air may be distributed as desired.

Operation In operation the moisture distributing elements and the blower willbe driven by themotors M and 26 respectively When look-y ing at the moisture distributing elements from v the intake end of the casing, the right hand elements will be revolved in clock-wise direction and the left hand series of elements incounter clock-wise direction. ,Theelements, it will be noticed, are immersed in the water or other liquid in tank l0 for some distance, but usually, however, 'for a depth less than the width of the netting 19. Each moisture distributing element in its rotation picks up small particles of liquid between the meshes of the netting or screen, the meshes of said screen sub'dividing the liquid as it is picked up and capillary attraction and surface tension tending to retain the liquid within the meshes and between the outer surface of tlie screen and the adjacent face of the disk until centrifugal force is adequate to throw off or' precipitate the moisture from the disk.

Fig. 3 illustrates the 'manner in which the moisture is distributed within the air treating chamber. f It will be seen vthat particles ofY moistureare thrown.. off from the two cooperating series of disks in the direction of the 4center of the ai'r conditioning chamber and also upwardly.

The currents formed .by the precipitated particles from the opposing series of disks strike with violence, causing the particles to be further broken up and subdivided and resulting in the formation of a dense cloud of finely divided mist above the level of tank 10. -By far the greater portion lof the liquid picked up by the rotary distributing elements is. thrown o' before it has moved through a quarter of a revolution, as-

4 clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. However, veryA 'small amounts of moisture remain in the netting or .interstices and cells of the same and mintue particles arefth'rown oil' at'the top and outer edges'of the elements D and in the direction of the side Walls ofthe casing C, setting up a finely-divided mist adjacent said walls, as indicated in Fig; 3. This auxiliary moisture distribution cooperating with the substantial distribution" and precipitation of moisture at thecenter of thev casing permeates and substantially fills the entire cross sectional area ofthe air treating chamber above tank 10.

The influence and cooperation of the hlo`w er is important in that as the inist forms, because of its communication with the airv treating chamber throughjthe eliminating unit at a height above' the tankv 10, the inist of moisture striking each other and subdi viding the particles,but obtaining the additional or increased effect of more thoroughly llingfthe air conditioning chamber with a ine spray and atomized liquid.

lathe rotation of the several moisture distributing elements the lapping edges 19a of the screen or netting which extend substantially radially with respect to the disks 17 of the several elements pick up and remove portions of liquid, most of the said removed liquid during the rapid rotation oit the ldisks lodging in the interstiees or minute chambers of the netting and being rapidly precipitated by centrifugal force.

In Figs. 7 and 8 a modified and somewhat diii'erent form of moisture distributing element is illustrated comprising an integral disk 30 constructed of thin material, such as sheet metal provided with a multiplicity of small, closely spaced, apertures 30a therethrough whichtake the place of the small chambers or cells in the mesh of the netting in the preferred form of the moisture distributing elements. The disk 30 is also provided on each of its faces with a series of ribs 30?) which are directed almost radially, l

extending `from the circumference of'a circle which is Vspaced from the hub of the disk, to the peripheral edge of the disk. The said ribs, in the operation of the modied form, function in the manner ofthe edges 19a formed by the overlapping portions of the tongues or flanges ofthe screen in the pre` thamoisture distributing elements vin combination with theass'oeiation ottwo opposed series, very' iinely divided particles of mois-A ture are projected, filling the cross sectional area of the air treating chamber.V Attention is further called to the opposing currents of m'oisture particles .centrifugally distributed by the two-series of elements which strike ed and its temperature ma'y be quickly reduced and the iinevaporat'ed particles re-v moved from the air by passage of the air through the eliminator unit 22. The air is ofcourse drawn through the blower casing and discharged through the hood wherein the radiator and deiiectors are mounted. It Will, of course, be seen that the air can be'tempered or chilled by Contact with the tradiator R.

It wilhcf course, be understood that various changes'may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed n and defined in theappended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In air conditioning apparatus, a rotary moisture distributing elementv comprising a substantially imperforate disk having at least one face thereof partially covered with a netting adapted to divide and pick up small y and having lapping edges.

particles of liquid and means for driving said element for centrifiigally distributing land subdividing said particles. i

2. In air conditioning apparatus, a rotary moisture distributing element comprising a disk having 'at least one face thereof provided witli--a multiplicity of closely spaced intersti'ces or cells wherein liquid is adapted to-lodge andA be divided, said face also having a series of projecting edges extending i from the central portion of the disk outwardly to points adj acentthe periphery.

3. In air conditioning apparatus, a rotary moisture distributing element comprising a y substantially imperforate disk having at least one face thereof partially covered with flaps of` finely divided netting, said flaps be'- ing substantially circumerentially arranged 4. In air conditioning apparatus, a chamber, means for setting up a circulation of air through said chamber, a receptacle for containing liquid mounted in said chamber, a rotary moisture distributing element 'mounted in said chamber and-having a portion of vided nettingon atleast one face thereof,

,saidnetting in kcombination with said disk deninga multiplicity of closely spaced inter'stices or A'cells wherein liquid is adapted to `in said chamber and having the lower portion'ofjitsperiphery immersed in the liquid within said receptacle, said moisture distributing element comprising a substantially imperforate disk or plate and a covering of finely divided netting secured'to at least one face of said disk or plate, said netting comprising flaps which are circumferentially arranged and have lapping edges adapted to assist in the precipitation and picking up of moisturer1 and means for rotating said element at comparatively high speed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLIFFORD E. SCOTT.

its lower periphery immersed in the liquid within said receptacle, said moisture distributing element comprising a substantially iinperforate disk and a covering of finely d1-

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