US2929223A

US2929223A - Air conditioning unit

Info

Publication number: US2929223A
Application number: US650949A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Joseph W Joachim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-04-05
Filing date: 1957-04-05
Publication date: 1960-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 1977-03-22

Description

March 22, 1960 J. w. JOACHIM, JR 2,929,223

I AIR CONDITIONING UNIT Filed April 5, 1957 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Iosawu \N- 'oAcHum 2H2- m (0 ATTORNEYE March 22, 1960 J. w. JOACHIM, JR 2,919,223

AIR CONDITIONING UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5. 1957 iii??? INVENTOR. crosewu w. TQACHIM :52.

ATTORN EYS March 22, 1960 J. w. JOACHIM, JR 2, 2

AIR CONDITIONING UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 5, 1957 iii - iii INVENTOR. cH\M 3R.

1" zossbu w-a'eA AFTO RNEYS March 22, 1960 w, M, JR 2,929,223

AIR CONDITIONING UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 5, 1957 United States Patent AIR (ZONDITIONING UNIT Joseph W. Joachim, Jr., New Orleans, La.

Application April 5, 1957, Serial No. 650,949

12 Claims. (Cl. 62-171) This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus, and more particularly to an air conditioning plant which may employ ice or mechanical refrigeration and which maybe operated either as a portable unit or as a stationary unit installed temporarily or permanently to control the temperature and humidity of a building or other location.

A' main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved air conditioning plant which is simple in construction, which may be readily adapted for use as a portable unit, and which may be employed either as a temporary emergency installation, where its use is intermittent, or as a permanent installation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved air conditioning plant which is inexpensive to fabricate, which is relatively compact in size, which is economical in operation, and which is easy to maintain in operating condition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved air conditioning plant which is adapted to be employed as a portable unit so that it may be readily moved to a location where its use is required, which may employ either ice or mechanical refrigeration as its cooling means, which is reliable in operation, and which is provided with means to regulate the proportion of fresh air admitted into the location to be serviced as well as with means automatically regulating same in accordance with the temperature of the air to be cooled.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved air conditioning plant constructed in accordance with the present invention and arranged as a portable unit.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 44.of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view similar to Figure 3 but showing the apparatus arranged for cooling by mechanical refrigeration.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view similar to Figure 4 but showing the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 wherein mechanical refrigeration is employed as the cooling means.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4, 11 generally designates a portable air conditioning plant constructed in accordance with the present invention. The air conditioning plant 11 comprises a housing 12 mounted on a wheeled frame 13, said frame being provided at its forward end with a drawbar 14, whereby the frame may be connected to a suitable tractor vehicle. Mounted on the forward end of the frame 13 is a prime mover 15 which may comprise an internal combustion engine, or alternatively, may comprise an electric motor, where electric power is available. The output shaft of the prime mover 15 is provided with a drive pulley 16 which is coupled by a belt 17 to a driven pulley 18 mounted on a countershaft 19 rotatably supported on suitablebearing means provided on the frame 13.

The housing 12 is provided at its forward end, as viewed in Figure 1, with a reduced portion 20 in which is mounted an air blower 21 whose outlet is connected to a conditioned air discharge duct 22 extending upwardly and through the top wall of housing 12. Air duct- 22 is adapted to be connected to a conditioned air supply duct,

shown in dotted view at 23 in Figure 4, for supplying conditioned air to a building or other structure to be serviced.

The blower 21 is provided with a drive pulley 24 which is coupled by a belt 25 to a driving pulley 26 mounted on the counter-shaft 19.

Also mounted on the counter-shaft 19 is a driving pulley 27 which is coupled by a belt 28 to the drive pulley 29 of a centrifugal water pump 30 mounted on the frame 13;

Housing 12 is provided at its rear end, namely at its left end, as viewed in Figures 1 and 4, with a return air inlet duct 31 adapted to be connected to a suitable,

return air conduit, not shown, for returning depleted air or air to be conditioned from the structure being serviced. Mounted in the duct 31 is a conventional air filter 32 for removing dust or other similar undesirable materialbe manually operated to regulate the angular positions of the damper members 34, the lever 36 being provided with an arcuate locking sector 37 secured to the side wall 38 of housing 12, the handle 39 of lever 36 being provided with conventional yieldable detent means engaging the serrated arcuate edge of the locking sector 37 whereby the shaft 35 may be releasably locked in a desired ad-' justed position thereof.

As shown in Figure 3, the housing 12 comprises an inner housing 39 which is spaced inwardly relative to the

respective side walls

38 and 40 of the main housing 12 to define a pair of fresh

air intake ducts

41 and 42 which are substantially coextensive in area with the side walls of the inner housing 39. The intake ends of the

ducts

41 and 42 are provided with suitable air filters 43 and 44 and are further provided with

damper vanes

45 and 46 mounted on a transversely extending shaft 47 having an external control lever 48 similar to the lever 36 and lockingly cooperating With a serrated arcuate locking member 49 secured to the side Wall 38, whereby the shaft 47 may be adjustably secured in the same manner as the shaft 35.

It will be understood that the

vanes

45 and 46 comprise a series of vertically spaced damper plates which are linked together for simultaneous rotation so as to regulate the air flow through the respective

fresh air ducts

41 and 42, the vanes being controlled by the common transverse shaft 47 having the external operating handle 48.

Mounted in the forward portion of the inner housing 39 is a transversely extending cooling coil unit 49, and mounted between the cooling coil unit 49 and the blower 21 is an air cleansing unit 50 comprising a series of vertical, parallel bafile plates 51 which are of sinuous horizontal cross section, as is clearly shown in Figure 3,

the bafiie plates 51 defining sinuous air passages there- Patented Mar. 22, 196.0

between the plates is deposited thereon.

The floor of the inner housing 39 comprises a foraminous member 52 of suitable apertured material, such as expanded metal or the like, whereby water is allowed to drain freely through the floor. The inner housing 39 is adapted to contain a plurality of blocks of ice 54'which comprise the cooling means employed in this embodiment of the invention.

As shown in Figure 3, the

fresh air ducts

41 and 42 are provided with respective hinged

closures

55 and 56 located in the side walls of the inner housing 39, said closures being swingable to open positions directed outwardly and rearwardly, as shown'in Figure 3, so as to allow fresh air to enter the forward portion of the inner housing 39. The

closure members

55 and 56 are mounted on hinged shafts which are interconnected by respective top and bottom linkages 59 and58, the top linkage 59 being provided with a bell crank 61 adjacent the side wall 38 of the main housing 12. A depending operating handle 62 is rigidly secured to one of the arms of the bell crank 61, whereby the linkages 53 and 59 may be actuated by means of the depending handle 62 to thereby control the degree of opening of the

closure members

55 and 56.

Secured to the roof 60 of the main housing 12 inside the inner housing 39 is a longitudinally extending header 63 to which are connected the longitudinally spaced laterally extending branch conduits 64. Connected to the ends of the branch conduits 64 are respective sprinkler nozzles 65 which are thus distributed through the inner housing 39. As shown in Figure 3, relatively long branch conduits '64project from the header 63 and alternate with relatively short branch conduits 66 also having sprinkler nozzles 65 connected to their ends, so that the sprinkler nozzles 65 are staggered in position longitudinally through the inner housing 39.

A water supply conduit 67 is connected to the header 63 through an electro-magnetic valve 68 which is thermostatically controlled, as by a temperature sensing element 69 mounted in the intake end of inner housing 39. Electro-magnetic valve 68 is suitably energized from a source of'current, such as a battery or the like, not shown, and its energization is controlled by the thermostatic element 69 in a conventional manner, whereby the valve 68 opens to a degree in accordance with the temperature of the intake air, as detected by the sensing element 69, provid ing a larger degree of opening with higher intake air temperature.

The bottom of the inner housing 39 is provided with a water reservoir 70 which extends for the entire length and width of the floor of the inner housing, said reservoir being connected at its folward end .to a conduit member 7 1 leading to the intake of the water pump 30. The outlet of the water pump 30 is connected to a conduit 72 leading to the inlet of the air cooling coil unit 49, the outlet of said air cooling coil unit being connected to the conduit 67. It is to be noted that the conduit member 7 1, water pump 30, conduit 72, cooling coil unit 49, conduit 67, and nozzle 65 constitute means connecting the reservoir 70 to the spray nozzles 65.

The floor of the reservoir 70 is formed at the forward portion of the inner housing 39 with 21 depending sump chamber 73 extending a substantial distance below the remainder of the floor of reservoir 70. Mounted transversely in the reservoir and extending into said sump chamber 73 are the

vertical partitionplates

75, 75 which extend from the foraminous floor -52 to the-lower portion of the sump chamber 73, terminating a short distance from the bottom of said sump chamber, whereby the sump chamber isin communication with the reservoir70 but whereby an enclosure 76 is defined between the

plates

75, 75, said enclosure extending across the entire transverse width of thewater reservoir 70. An overflow pipe 77 is connected to the reservoir 70 in the enclosure '76 4 and at its upper portion, as shown in Figure 4, establishing the maximum water level in the reservoir 70.

Mounted in the enclosure 76 is a cylindrical shield tube 78 which surrounds a vertical float member 79 and which serves as a vertical guide means to allow said float member 79-to move vertically responsive to changes in the Water level in reservoir 70 and to protect said float member against excessive swaying .or deviation from its vertical position.

Designated at 80 is a bypass conduit which is connected to the water supply conduit 67 and which extends vertically downwardly into the upper portion of the enclosure 76, as shown in Figure 4, the conduit 80'being connected to the conduit 67 ahead of the valve 68, as by a T-fitting 81. It is to be noted that the by-pass conduit 80 which is connected to the spray nozzle 65 through the conduit 67 and has the lower end extending into the upper portion of the enclosure 76 constitutes means connecting the upper portion of the enclosure 76 to the spray nozzle" 65. The'conduit 80 includes a valve means or rotary valve 82 which is linked 'by an arm 83 and rod 84 to the float 79, whereby the valve 82 is controlled by the position of the float 79,, namely, by the water level in the reservoir 70. Float member 79 opens valve 82 when the water level in the reservoir 70 drops below a predetermined height, thus admitting relatively warm water to the reservoir through the bypass conduit 80 to maintain a substantially constant water level in the reservoir -70.

The thermostatic valve 68 regulates the amount of water supplied to the nozzles 65 in accordance with the temperature of the return air entering housing 39 through the intake duct 31, more water being supplied to the nozzles 65 when the return air is at a high temperature. The water from the nozzles 65 'is sprayed on the ice blocks 54, causing melting of the ice, the melted ice and water draining into the reservoir 70. The bafiie plates 75, keep the cooler water in the lower portion of the sump 73, allowing only the warmer water to escape through the overflow conduit 77. i

-In operation, return air enters the inner housing 39 through the space between the louvers or dampers 34 and passes through the inner housing over the ice blocks 54 and throughthe water sprays from the nozzles 65. Fresh air enters the

conduit passages

41 and 42 between the spaces defined by the spaced

damper members

45 and 46 and enters the forward portion of the inner housing 39 through the openings adjacent the

closure members

55 and 56.

The filters 43 and 44 serve to cleanse the fresh air entering the

passages

41 and 42. Obviously, said filters may be omitted where only a small amount of fresh air is introduced into the system. 7 i

The air in inner housing 39 passes through the cooling coil 49 and through the cleansing unit 50 wherein theair is relievedvof moisture, as above described. The air then passes into the housing portion 20 and into the blower 21, which forces the air upwardly through the duct 22 into the conditioned air supply duct 23, where it is delivered to the building or other structure to be serviced. The ratio of fresh air to return air is regulated by the relative adjustment of respective sets of dampers 34 45, 46.

As will be readily apparent, water from the sprinkler nozzles 65 and from the melting ice blocks 54 drains through the apertured floor 52 into the reservoir 70, the maximum level of the water in the reservoir being determined by the overflow pipe 77. The water from the reservoir 70 is forced into the conduit 72 by the pump 30 and passes through the cooling coil unit 49, where it gains heat from the passage of the air therethrough under the suction provided by the blower 21. The water leaves the cooling coil unit 49 at its maximum temperature and at-its upper ends, passing into the conduit 67. The water passes through the T connection 81 and through the thermostatically controlled valve 68 to the header 63 and:

76, in'accordance with the level of the water in the reser-.

voir 70, which acts on the float member 79. As will be readily apparent, the water escaping through the overflow pipe 77 is relatively warm, since the water in the upper part of enclosure 76 is derived mainly from the bypass conduit 80, which receives water at its maximum temperature from the conduit 67. Thus, the colder water, for example, the water derived from the melting of the ice blocks 54, flows only through the lower portion of the sump chamber 73 and thence passes to the forward portion of reservoir 70 and is circulated through pump 30 and through the cooling coil unit 49 to the conduit 67 before it can reach the overflow pipe 77. Thus, it will be readily apparent that the provision of the

partition members

75, 75, defining the sump enclosure 76, and the location of the overflow opening in the upper portion of said enclosure, as shown in Figure 4, prevents the premature loss of the colder water and insures that only the relatively warm water is discarded as the water level in the reservoir 70 reaches its limiting height.

The sensing unit'69 maybe arranged adjacent the return-air intake conduit 31, as illustrated in the drawings, when the primary objective is temperature control. When humidity control is the primary objective, the sensing unit 69 may be located between the blower 21 and the cooling coil unit 49.

. One side wall of the inner housing 39 may be provided with a suitable hinged door 86, and the side wall 40 of the main housing may be provided with a similar hinged door 87 registering with the hinged door 86, whereby the doors 86 and 87 may be opened to provide access to the interior of the inner housing 39, for example, to insert ice blocks 54 therein. Since the ice blocks are located in the actual air cooling space inside the inner housing 39, there is no necessity for an ice pit or sep arate ice tank. This reduces the cost of the apparatus, as well as provides a saving in space.

As will be further apparent, a constant flow of air and water is obtained by the flow of chilled water, through i the cooling coil 49 and then through the spray nozzles 65 while the air passes from the spray chamber to the coil section. This provides a high efliciency of heat transfer from the air to the water. Furthermore, the water to the spray nozzles 65 is warmer than it would be if no cooling coil units 49 were employed, whereby the ice is melted more rapidly, increasing the capacity of a given size of apparatus.

As above pointed out, there is no flow of water to the overflow pipe 77 while the apparatus is in operation, except that of warm water from the upper part of the sump enclosure 76. Cold water can only enter the sump chamber 73 under the bafile plates 75, and since the cold water is heavier than the Warm Water, it will not tend to rise inside the enclosure 76, but will instead flow toward the pump inlet pipe 71. Only the warmer water in the upper portion of the sump enclosure 76 will be discarded, even when the valve 82 is closed.

It will be further apparent that the amount of insulation required in the apparatus is considerably reduced by allowing the fresh air to circulate in the

passages

41 and 42 between the side walls of the inner housing 39 and the outer housing of the unit. While the fresh air loses heat to the inner housing 39, the temperature difierence between the fresh air and the ambient temperature is always less than that between the side walls of the inner housing 39 and the ambient temperature. Therefore, less thickness of insulating material is required because .of the insulating action of the

fresh air passages

41 and 42; i

When the sensing element 6,9 is positioned as shown in the drawings, namely, adjacent the return air intake conduit 31, the quantity of water admitted to the spray nozzles 65 is regulated so as to maintain a predetermined return air temperature. When the cooling load is relatively light, less water will flow, but the spray chamber temperature will not vary appreciably. The temperature may be set low enough to condense a greater quantity of volatile gases from the return air when the equipment is used for air conditioning locations containing such volatile gases, or in other hazardous locations.

When the sensing element 69 is located at the downstream side of the cooling coil, it will regulate the temperature of the saturated air admitted to the conditioned area, and humidity may be effectively controlled thereby.

Obviously, the apparatus may be employed either as a temporary or permanent unit, and when it is employed as a stationary unit, the wheeled frame 13 may be replaced by any suitable stationary support.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, mechanical refrigeration is employed in place of the ice blocks of Figures 1 to 4, and therefore an evaporating coil unit is provided in the reservoir 70 to cool the water therein. Refrigerant is furnished in the Well known manner to the evaporating coil unit 90 by a refrigeration compressor 91 mounted on the frame 13 and driven from the prime mover 15, which may be either an electric motor, or an internal combustion engine, as above mentioned, the compressor shaft being directly coupled to the counter shaft 19. The evaporator unit 90 is provided with the usual expansion valve 92 controlled by a temperature sensing bulb 93 in a conventional manner.

As in the previously described form of the invention, the colder water tends to circulate past the bottom edges of the baflle members 75 to the pump 30 and thence through the cooling coil unit 49 to conduit 67. The warmer water is maintained in the upper portion of the sump enclosure 76 and overflow of only the warmer water can take place, since the overflow pipe 77 communicates only with the upper portion of the sump enclosure 76, as in the previously described form of the invention. A suitable water supply source, not shown, may be connected to the reservoir 70, to furnish replacement water to the system if replenishment by condensation is insufficient.

The same advantages apply to the form of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6, as pointed out above in connection with the form of the invention of Figures 1 to 4. Thus, with an elevated spray water temperature, a greater mean effective temperature diiference between the water and the refrigerating medium in the submerged evaporating coil unit 90 is maintained.

=While certain specific embodiments of an improved air conditioning apparatus have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an air conditioning plant, a housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, an air discharge blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge conditioned air from said other end of the housing, a water reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the Water, a spray nozzle mounted in the upper portion of the housing, conduit means connecting said reservoir to said spray nozzle, a pump in said conduit means, a depending sump chamber in the floor of said reservoir, partition means in said sump chamber defining an enclosure therein communicating with the .reservoir only at-the lower portion of thesump chamber, said reservoir being foimdwith an overflow aperture in the upper portion of said enclosure, 'and a bypass conduit connected between said conduit means and the upper portion of said enclosure.

2. In an air conditioning plant, a housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, an air discharge blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge conditioned air trom said other end of the housing, a water reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a spray nozzle mounted in the upper portion of the housing, conduit means connecting said reservoir to said spray nozzle, a pump in said conduit means, a dependingsump chamber in the floor of said reservoir, means in the sump chamber defining an enclosure therein communicating with the reservoir only at the lower portion of the sump chamber, and a bypass conduit connected between said conduit means and the upper portion of said enclosure.

3. In an air conditioning plant, a housing, return air ins let means at one end of the housing, an air dischargeblowor connected to the other end of thehousing and being formed and arranged to discharge conditioned air from said other end of the housing, a water reservoirin the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a spray nozzle mounted in the upper portion of the housing, conduit means connecting said reservoir to said spray nozzle, a pump in said conduit means, a depending sump chamber in the floor of said reservoir, means in said sump chamber defining an enclosure therein communicating with the reservoir only at the lower portion of the sump chamber, a bypass conduit connected between said conduit means and the upper portion of said enclosure, and means defining fresh air intake ducts coextensive with and located at the opposite sides of said housing, said ducts communicating with the interior of the housing ahead of said blower.

4. In an air conditioning plant, a housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, an air discharge blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge conditioned air from said other end of the housing, a water reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing aquantity of water, means to cool the water, a spray nozzle mounted in the upper portion of the housing, conduit means connecting said reservoir to said spray nozzle, a pump in said conduit means, a depending sump chamber in the floor of said reservoir, means in said sump chamber defining an enclosure therein communicating with the reservoir only at the lower portion of the sump chamher, said reservoir being formed with an overflow aperture in the upper portion of said enclosure, means dofining fresh air intake ducts-coextensive with and located at the opposite sides of said'housing, said ducts communicating with the interior of the housing ahead of said blower, a bypass conduit connected between said conduit means and the upper portion of said enclosure, and means regulating the flow of water through saidbypass conduit in accordance with the depth of water in said reservorr.

5. In an air conditioning plant, a housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, an air discharge blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge conditioned air from said other end of the housing, a water reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a spray nozzle mounted in the upper portion of the housing, conduit means connecting said reservoir to said spray nozzle, a pump in said conduit means, a depending sump chamber'in the floor of said reservoir, means in said sump chamber defining an enclosure therein communicating with the reservoir only at the lower portion of the sump chamber, said reservoir being formed with an overflow tapertureiinthe and meansoperating said valve means in accordance with the temperature of the air entering said return a ir iul et means. 7

' 6. In an air conditioning plant, a housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, an air discharge blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge conditioned from said other end of the housing, a water reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a spray nozzle mounted in the upper portion of the housing, conduit means co n nectiug said reservoir to said spray nozzle, a pumpin said conduit means, a cooling coil mounted in the housing between said discharge blower and said spray nozzle and connected in said conduit means, a plurality of spaced parallel, vertical bafile plates sinuous in horizontal cross section mounted in the housing between said cooling coil and .said discharge blower, a depending sump chamber in the floor of the said rservoir, transverse, longitudinally spaced partition means in said sump chamber defining an enclosure therein communicating with the reservoir only at the lower portion of the sump chamber, said reservoir being formed with an overflow aperture in the upper portion of said enclosure, and a bypass conduit connected between said conduit means and the upper portion of said enclosure. I w

7. In an air conditioning plant, a housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, an 'air discharge blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge conditioned air from said other end of the housing, awater reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a spray nozzlemounted in the upper portion of the housing, conduit means connecting said reservoir to said spray nozzle, a pump in said conduit means, a cooling coil mounted in the housing between said discharge blower and said spray nozzle and connected in said conduit means, a pluarality of spaced parallel, vertical, baifle plates sinuous in horizontal cross section, mounted in the housing between said cooling coil and said discharge blower, a depending sump chamber in the floor of said reservoir, transverse, longitudinally spaced partition means in said sump chamber defining an enclosure therein communicating with the reservoir only at the lower portion of the sump chamber, said reservoir being formed with an overflow aperturein the upper portion of said enclosure, means defining fresh-air intake ducts coextensive with and located at the opposite sides of said housing, said ducts communicating with the interior of the housing ahead of said blower, abypass conduit connected between said conduit means and the upper portion of said enclosure, means regulating the flow of water through said bypass conduit in accordance with the depth of water in said reservoir, valve means in said conduit means, and means operating said valve means in accordance with the temperature of the air entering said return air inlet means.

8. A portable air conditioning plant comprising a wheeled housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, a blower connected to the other end of the housing and being "formed and arranged to discharge the conditioned air therefrom after it has traveled through the housing, a reservoirin the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a plurality of spray nozzles mounted in the upper portion of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, means connecting said reservoir to said spray nozzles, a sump chamber in the bottom of said reservoir, means in the sump chamber defining an enclosure therein communicating with the reservoir only at the lower portion of the sump chamber, means connecting the upper :portion of said enclosure tosaid spraynozzles.

9. A portable air conditioning plant comprising a wheeled housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, a blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge the conditioned air therefrom after it has traveled through the housing, a reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a plurality of spray nozzles mounted in the upper portion of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, means connecting said reservoir to said spray nozzles, a sump chamber in the bottom of said reservoir, means in the sump chamber defining an enclosure therein cornmunicating with the reservoir only at the lower portion of the sump chamber, means connecting the upper portion of said enclosure to said spray nozzles, valve means in said enclosure connecting means, and means operating said valve means in accordance with the water level in the enclosure.

10. A portable air conditioning plant comprising a wheeled housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, a blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge the conditioned air therefrom after it has traveled through the housing, a reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a sump chamber of substantial depth in the floor of said first-named reservoir, vertical baffle means mounted in said sump chamber and extending from the top of said first-named reservoir to a level adjacent to but spaced from the bottom of the sump chamber, said baflie means defining a water enclosure extending for the entire transverse width of the first-named reservoir, an overflow outlet in the upper portion of said water enclosure, a plurality of spray nozzles mounted in the upper portion of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, means formed and arranged to circulate the water from said reservoir to said spray nozzles, and bypass conduit means formed and arranged to direct a portion of the water from said circulating means to said water enclosure before the water reaches the spray nozzles.

11. A portable air conditioning plant comprising a wheeled housing, return air inlet means at one end of the housing, a blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge the conditioned air therefrom after it has traveled through the housing, a reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a sump chamber of substantial depth in the floor of said first-named reservoir, vertical baflie means mounted in said sump chamber and extending from the top of said first-named reservoir to a level adjacent to but spaced from the bottom of the sump chamber, said baffle means defining a water enclosure extending for the entire transverse width of the first-named reservoir, an overflow outlet in the upper portion of said water enclosure, a float member in said water enclosure, a plurality of spray nozzles mounted in the upper portion of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, means formed and arranged to circulate thewater from said reservoir to said spray nozzles, bypass conduit means formed and arranged to direct Water from said circulating means to said water enclosure before the water reaches the spray nozzles, and a valve in said bypass conduit means coupled to said float member and being formed and arrangedto control the amount of water diverted through said bypass conduit means in accordance with the water levei in said firstnamed reservoir.

12. A portable air conditioning plant comprising a wheeled ltousingreturn air inlet means at one end of the housing, a blower connected to the other end of the housing and being formed and arranged to discharge the conditioned air therefrom after it has traveled through the housing, a reservoir in the bottom of the housing containing a quantity of water, means to cool the water, a sump chamber of substantial depth in the floor of said first-named reservoir, vertical bafile means mounted in said sump chamber and extending from the top of said first-named reservoir to a level adjacent to but spaced from the bottom of the sump chamber, said baffle means defining a water enclosure extending for the entire transverse width of the first-named reservoir, an overflow outlet in the upper portion of said water enclosure, a plurality of spray nozzles mounted in the upper portion of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, a transversely arranged, vertically mounted cooling coil in the housing adjacent said floor, means formed and arranged to circulate the water from said reservoir to said spray nozzles through said cooling coil, a plurality of vertical, relatively closely spaced parallel bafile plates mounted in the housing between the cooling coil and the blower, said battle plates being sinuous in horizontal cross section and defining sinuous passages therebetween adapted to reduce the moisture content of air passing therethrough, auxiliary fresh air intake means extending along and being substantially co-extensive with the opposite side walls of the housing and leading to the intake of said blower, respective adjustable damper means in said air inlet means and in said auxiliary fresh air intake means for adjusting the relative proportions of retum air and fresh air reaching the blower intake, at float member in said water enclosure, bypass conduit means formed and arranged to divert Water from said circulating means to said water enclosure before the water reaches the spray nozzles, and a valve in said bypass conduit means coupled to said float member and being formed and arranged to control the amount of water diverted through said bypass conduit means in accordance with the water level in said firstnamed reservoir.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Crouch Dec. 15, 1942