Patent Publication Number: US-11638403-B2

Title: Salt aerosol removal and irrigation water cooling system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a U.S. National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/IB2019/053398, filed on Apr. 24, 2019, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/711,896, filed on Jul. 30, 2018, entitled “SALT AEROSOL REMOVAL SYSTEM AND IRRIGATION WATER COOLING FOR EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEMS UTILIZING SALT WATER,” the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein generally relate to removing salt aerosol, and more specifically, to a system that is configured to remove salt aerosol for an evaporative cooling system and to cool water for irrigating plants. 
     Discussion of the Background 
     Pad and fan evaporative cooling systems are commonly used to provide cooling and humidification of air for indoor horticulture and livestock growing environments, including in greenhouses, warehouses, barns, and vertical farming systems. (Lertsatitthanakorn et al., 2006; Malli et al., 2011) The pad and fan evaporative cooling systems range in size from small to large-scale industrial in nature. Of special interest is the controlled environment agriculture market, including for horticulture (plants) and livestock (fish, chickens, sheep, cattle, etc.). The same pad and fan evaporative cooling system may also be used to cool the irrigation water, to cool the roots of the plants, which is a technology used to improve harvest quality and quantity, and is by nature limited to plant production. (Fazlil Ilahi et al., 2017) 
     Various technologies exist on the market for cooling the air and/or water, but all these technologies uses a large amount of fresh water as the evaporative cooling is widely used with fresh water. However, the use of fresh water in the evaporative cooling process consumes significant amounts of fresh water, especially in the agriculture context, where as much as 80-90% of the total fresh water use of a greenhouse may be from the evaporative cooler (Lefers et al., 2016). This is especially concerning in dry, desertic areas where fresh water resources are already limited. Where available, fresh water in the evaporative cooler may be replaced by salt water (see respective websites for Seawater Greenhouse, Sundrop Farms and Sahara Forest Project as commercial examples). Replacing fresh water with salt water, especially sea water and brackish ground water, may save significant amounts of fresh water from being lost to the atmosphere as humidity. However, the use of salt water in the evaporative cooler leads to the development of salt aerosols. These aerosols are blown into the indoor environment, where they increase the risk of the metals parts rusting and also may injure plants as the salt aerosols condense onto their surfaces. 
     Thus, there is a need for a system and technology that allows the use of salt water in the evaporative cooling systems, but also removes the negative influence of the salt aerosols and cools irrigation water. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an embodiment, there is a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system for cooling roots of a plant, and the system includes a salt water module configured to cool a salt water and to remove salt aerosols from an air stream and a fresh water module configured to further remove salt aerosols from the air stream by using fresh water. The air stream exits the salt water module and enters the fresh water module, and the salt water has a higher content of salt than the fresh water. 
     According to another embodiment, there is an air cooling and salt aerosols removing system that includes an air cooling system configured to cool an incoming air stream AA and generate a cooled air stream AB, a water cooling and salt aerosols removing system configured to receive the cooled air stream AB, cool water stored by the water cooling and salt aerosols removing system and remove salt aerosols from the cooled air stream AB, and a piping system connected to the water cooling and salt aerosols removing system, and configured to discharge the cooled air stream AB into an enclosure and the cooled water to roots of a plant in the enclosure. 
     According to still another embodiment, there is a method for cooling water and removing salt aerosols and the method includes cooling an incoming air stream AA and generating a cooled air stream AB; cooling salt water and fresh water with the cooled air stream AB; removing salt aerosols generated by the salt water, and using the cooled fresh water to irrigate a plant. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments and, together with the description, explain these embodiments. In the drawings: 
         FIG.  1 A  illustrates an evaporative pad and  FIG.  1 B  shows an oversized evaporative pad; 
         FIG.  2 A  shows an evaporative cooling system and  FIG.  2 B  shows an evaporative cooling system with an oversized container for capturing falling salt aerosols; 
         FIG.  3 A  shows an evaporative cooling system and  FIG.  3 B  shows an evaporative cooling system with a screen for removing salt aerosols; 
         FIG.  4    shows a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system; 
         FIG.  5    shows a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system for directly cooling irrigation water; 
         FIG.  6    is a flowchart of a method for directly cooling irrigation water; 
         FIG.  7    shows a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system for indirectly cooling irrigation water; 
         FIG.  8    shows a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system having piping sets for indirectly cooling the roots of a plant; 
         FIG.  9    shows a cooling system that has an air cooling system and a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system; and 
         FIG.  10    is a flowchart of a method for cooling irrigation water with a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description of the embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The following embodiments are discussed, for simplicity, with regard to a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system. However, the system may be used not only to remove salt aerosols, but other aerosols too. 
     Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout the specification is not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. 
     According to an embodiment, there is a water cooling and salt aerosol removal system that combines low-fresh water and low-energy technologies to save even more fresh water, protect a cooled environment from salt aerosols, make maximum use of scarce resources, and save electric power. According to this embodiment, the water cooling and salt aerosols removal system is different from the existing technologies in that it removes salt aerosols from a salt water based (or brackish water or a brine that includes salt or other chemical element) evaporative cooling system and provides cooling of irrigation water, all in one system. The term salt aerosols is defined in this application to mean one or more salt molecules that are airborne, for example, due to a turbulence associated with an air stream passing through the salt water. However, other mechanisms in addition or instead of the turbulence may be responsible for the salt aerosols generation. 
     Before discussing such an integrated system, various salt aerosol removal modules are discussed.  FIG.  1 A  shows a pad system  100  that has a pad  102  made of a porous material. The pad  102  has many channels that promote the movement of an incoming air stream  104  through it. For example, the pad may include, but is not limited to, hollow fiber membranes, flat sheet membranes, packed media beds, etc. The pad has a given length L, width W, and height H. Salt aerosols are formed in a pad and fan cooling system that utilizes salt water for evaporative cooling, due to the turbulence in the evaporative pad. Thus, according to this embodiment, by reducing the air speed of the incoming air stream  104  through the pad is likely to reduce the turbulence in the pad, and thus, the amount of salt aerosols. To achieve this, as illustrated in  FIG.  1 B , the pad sizes are increased to L 1  and H 1  while the air flow Q is maintained constant, which results in the air flow  104 &#39;s reduced velocity. In this regard, note that the air flow Q 1  for the pad  102  is equal to the area A 1  which is crossed by the air flow, times the speed v 1  of the air flow, while for the pad  108 , the air flow Q 2  is equal to the increased area A 2  times the speed v 2  of the air flow. Because the air flow is the same in both cases, i.e., Q 1 =Q 2 , and because A 2 &gt;A 1 , it follows that v 1 &gt;v 2 , i.e., the speed of the air flow for the pad  108  is smaller. A smaller speed results in less turbulence, and thus, less salt aerosols. 
     Therefore, with the pad system  100 ′ of  FIG.  1 B , there is less risk of salts being transferred to the cooled environment downstream the pad. This increased pad may be used by itself or in combination with other salt aerosol removal modules described herein. 
     Another salt aerosol removal module is shown in  FIGS.  2 A and  2 B  and uses gravity to remove the salt aerosols. System  200  includes a pad  202 , similar to pad  102  discussed in the previous embodiment, which is partially placed inside a container  206 . An air stream  204  passes through the pad  202  and due to the various factors responsible for the turbulence, salt aerosols  208  are formed after the air stream passes the pad. Note that container  206  holds salt water  210 , which is provided to the top of the pad for cooling down the incoming air stream  204 . However, the system  200  has the container  206  sized (having a length L behind the pad  202 ) to mainly fit the pad  202 , and thus, the salt aerosols  208  are allowed to move freely through the system, which is damaging for the environment controlled by the evaporative cooling system. 
     Contrary to this, the system  200 ′ shown in  FIG.  2 B  has the container  206 ′ oversized, to extend behind the pad  202  with a certain length L′, larger than the length L, so that the salt aerosols  208  formed behind the pad  202  fall into the container  206 ′ due to the gravity. In this regard, depending on the speed v of the incoming air stream  204 , and the weight of the salt aerosols, it is possible to calculate the length L′ to capture most of, if not all, the formed salt aerosols. In this way, the salt aerosols are not only prevented from being transferred into a sensitive indoor environment, but can also be recycled as part of the liquid in the evaporative cooler system. As for the previous module, the present module may be used with other modules for removing the salt aerosols. 
     Still another salt aerosol removal module is discussed with regard to  FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  and this module uses the phenomena of impaction for removing the salt aerosols.  FIG.  3 A  shows a system  300  in which a pad  302  is placed in a container  306  that may hold salt water  310 . An incoming air stream  304  passes through the pad  302 , which cools the air forming a cooled outgoing air stream  312 , but also generates the salt aerosols  308 . 
     The system  300 ′ shown in  FIG.  3 B  has a closed chamber  314  that is defined by the pad  302 , the container  306 , the surface of the salt water  310 , and a wall  316  connected to the pad  302  and the container  306 . The wall  316  has at least a portion  318  that is a screen or filter placed at a non-zero angle relative to the vertical, such that the aerosols  308 ′ will fall back into the container  306 , due to the gravity, after impacting the filter  318 . Note that the outgoing air stream  312  passes the screen  318  without being affected, as the size of the openings in the screen  318  are selected to be larger than the air particles, but smaller than the size of the salt aerosols. Adding a corrosion resistant mesh or screen  318  removes large or medium size aerosols that do not fall down into the container  306  due to gravity. In other words, some of the salt aerosols  308  fall naturally, due entirely to the gravity, back to container  306 , as discussed above with regard to the embodiment shown in  FIG.  2 B , while other salt aerosols  308 ′ would firstly interact with the screen  318  and then fall into the container  306 . Likely screen materials for the screen  318  may include, but are not limited to, plastic, nylon, or similarly non-corrosive materials. 
     A fourth salt aerosol removal module is discussed with regard to  FIG.  4    and this module uses a scrubbing process to further remove the salt aerosols from the incoming air stream. More specifically, a water cooling and salt aerosols removing system  400  includes a salt water module  401  and a fresh water module  403 . The salt water module  401  includes a first container  306  that holds a pad  302 , similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG.  3 B . The incoming air stream  304  passes through the pad  302  and some salt aerosols  308  fall due to the gravity directly into the pool of salt water  310  hold by the first container. Another part of the salt aerosols  308 ′ impact the screen  318  and then fall into the first container  306 . However, still another part of the salt aerosols  308 ″ pass unaffected by the screen  318 . These salt aerosols  308 ″ enter the fresh water module  403 , and they are scrubbed from the air stream  312 , with a second pad  402 , which is placed in a second container  406 . Thus, the outgoing air stream  412  has almost no salt aerosols left. 
     Although  FIG.  4    shows the first and second containers  306  and  406  being formed as a single structure, it is possible that the two containers are implemented independent from each other, i.e., as independent containers. Also note that the various air streams are directed through the system  400  within a housing  405 , which has an inlet  462  and an outlet  407 . The evaporative pads and the containers are placed in the housing  405  and the air streams are forced to move through the first and second evaporative pads as there is no other path for the air once it enters at the inlet  462 . A control system and associate sensors that are used to control the system  400  are discussed later with regard to  FIG.  5   . 
     The smallest salt aerosols  308 ″ are scrubbed in this embodiment with a second evaporative pad  402 . Note that a pump P 1  in the salt water module  401  circulates the salt water  310  to the top of the first evaporative pad  302  while a pump P 2  in the fresh water module  403  circulates the fresh water  410  to the top of the second evaporative pad  402 . By forcing the air stream with any remaining salt aerosols through the second evaporative cooling pad  402  operating with fresh water  410 , the removal of salt water aerosols is achieved. Although the second evaporative cooling pad  402  uses fresh water  410 , it is estimated that the total water consumption of this second evaporative pad will only be a fraction of the first pad, ˜10-20%, with the total fraction depending upon the evaporative cooling efficiency of the salt water cooling pad. As the salt content naturally increases in this second system due to salt aerosol removal, at some point, the water  410  will have to be removed to keep the system classified as “fresh water” and to eliminate any potential for additional salt aerosol generation at the second pad  402 , rather than fresh water aerosols, which are expected. 
     System  400  may also include a salt water source  330  of salt water for supplying the salt water to the first container and a fresh water source  430  of fresh water for supplying the fresh water to the second container. The salt water source may be ocean water, sea water, or waste water from a water purifying plant while the fresh water source may be a river, a well, or a city water supply system. Appropriate pumps and valves may be provided with these sources for pumping the salt/fresh water to the corresponding container. In one application, the incoming air stream  304  is first cooled with an air cooling system  460 , which is located upstream the system  400 . Thus, an air stream AA, for example, ambient air from outside the controlled enclosure, is first cooled with the air cooling system  460  and then this cooled air  304  is scrubbed of aerosols. The air cooling system  460  may be an evaporative system that may use fresh or salt water for the cooling process. In one application, the air cooling system  460  is placed at an inlet  462  of a housing that house both system  460  and system  400 , as discussed later. 
     Therefore, the system  400  in this embodiment recycles the fresh water  410  from the second evaporative pad  402  in one of two ways: by recycling the fresh water  410  from the second pad  402  into the first container  306  of the first pad  302  when it is too salty to be considered as fresh water, and/or by using the water  410  for irrigation of the plants. This scrubbing system may also be used to cool the fresh water that is planned for use in an irrigation system, as described next. 
     In addition to removing the salt aerosols from the evaporative cooling system, the various embodiments discussed above may also provide water cooling for the irrigation water and/or root zone of the plants with which the system is associated. The plants experience relatively stable root temperatures in the soil, while air temperatures generally increase during the day and decrease at night. The embodiments to be discussed next propose to provide cooling for the irrigation water and therefore the root zone via one of the two following processes: (1) direct cooling for irrigation water, (2) indirect cooling for irrigation water, and/or (3) indirect cooling of the root zone. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  5   , a direct cooling irrigation water and salt aerosols removal system  500  includes a salt aerosol removal module  400  (it is also possible to use one of the modules  100 ′,  200 ′,  300 ′ or a combination of them) that is fluidly connected to a first storage tank S 1  and a second storage tank S 2 . The first and second storage tanks S 1  and S 2  are fluidly connected to a water tank T, which supplies water to a plant P, which may be located in a controlled medium enclosure  510 , for example, a greenhouse, or in open air. The first container  306  can exchange salt water  310  with the first storage tank S 1  while the second container  406  can exchange fresh water  410  with the second storage tank S 2 . Appropriate water pumps P 1  and P 2  may be mounted in the first and second containers  306  and  406 , for transferring the water as needed. A controller system  520  may interact in a wired or wireless manner with these pumps for starting and stopping them. The control system  520  may be also connected to water level sensors  522 , and/or temperature sensors  524 , salinity sensors  526  for determining the level of water and salinity in each of the containers  306  and  406 , and also for determining an ambient temperature of the plant P. 
     Water associated with the first evaporative pad  302  and the second evaporative pad  402  is naturally cooled to the wet bulb temperature of the incoming air stream  304  entering the module  400  because of the evaporation of water from the module. In this regard, note that it is possible that an air cooling system  460  is located upstream the salt water module  401 , so that an incoming air stream AA, which may be ambient air, is first cooled by the air cooling system  460  to generate the air stream  304 . In this way, the air stream  304  may have a temperature lower than a temperature of the salt water in the salt water module  401  and the fresh water in the fresh water module  403 . The cooled water  410  can be used for irrigation of plants P in the indoor system  510 , providing both water and a cool temperature for the roots of the plants P. Because the second evaporative pad  402  will also be collecting a small amount of remaining salt aerosols, as discussed in the embodiment of  FIG.  4   , it is likely that the salt content of this water  410  will increase over time. Depending upon the crops being irrigated and the rate of irrigation of these crops, the salt content of the cooled water  410  may increase above the tolerance limit of certain crops. However, the added salt may be a benefit for other crops, including halophytes (salt loving plants) and crops specifically managed for quality with salt water, including some types of tomatoes. Note that for especially salt tolerant halophytes, cool salt water  310  from the first evaporative pad  302  may also be used for irrigation. 
     In order to control which water goes to the irrigation tank T, a valve V 1  is placed along the pipe connecting the first container  306  to the first storage tank S 1  and another valve V 2  is placed along the pipe connecting the second container  406  to the second storage tank S 2 . The control system  520  controls these two valves V 1  and V 2 , and based on the salinity measurements received from salinity sensors  526 , and the type of plants P that are irrigated with the water from the tank T, determines when to open or closed the first and second storage tanks S 1  and S 2 . In one embodiment, it is possible to place a salinity sensor  526  in the irrigation tank T. Based on its readings, the control system  520  can also decide when to allow water  310  or water  410  or both to enter the irrigation tank T. 
     A method for cooling irrigation water to be applied to crops is now discussed with regard to  FIG.  6   . In step  600 , an incoming air stream  304  is moved through a first evaporative cooling pad  302 . In step  602 , a pump P 1  forces the salt water  310  from a first container  306 , in which a bottom end of the first evaporative cooling pad  302  may be placed (note that the pads may be placed to be in direct or indirect contact with the liquid), to a top end of the first evaporative cooling pad  302 , to cool down the air stream  304 . A cooled air stream  312 , together with salt aerosols formed during this process, are then moving through a closed chamber  314 . In step  604 , the cooled air stream  312  and the salt aerosols pass a screen  316  of the chamber  314 , which scrubs off the salt aerosols, thus forming a cooled and reduced salt aerosols air stream  312 . Note that in step  602 , part of the salt aerosols either fall due to the gravity into the first container  306 , or are getting impacted on the screen  318 . 
     The cooled and reduced salt aerosols air stream  312  enters in step  606  through a second evaporative cooling pad  402 , for further scrubbing the salt aerosols. Fresh water  410  is pumped with a pump P 2  in step  608 , from a second container  406 , to a top end of the second evaporative cooling pad  402 . Note that the bottom end of the second evaporative cooling pad  402  is placed in the fresh water  410 . The resulting air stream  412  is very low in salt aerosols and has a lower temperature than the incoming air stream  304 . Also, the water in the first and second containers  306  and  406  is cooled during these processes. The control system  520  opens the valves V 1  and V 2  in step  610  to store the cooled water in respective storage tanks S 1  and S 2 . In step  612 , the control system  520  controls pumps P 3  and P 4  and valves V 3  and V 4  to allow only the cooled salt water  310 , or only the cooled fresh water  410 , or both of them to enter the irrigation tank T. An optional pump P 5  may be used in step  614  to pump the water from the irrigation tank T to the enclosure  510  to irrigate the plants P. 
     The control system  520  may be configured to start the irrigation only when a temperature of the water in the irrigation tank T is below a certain temperature. In one application, it is possible that the control system  520  mixes the salt water  310  with the fresh water  410  in a certain ratio so that the amount of salt in the irrigation tank T is not higher than a certain limit that is acceptable for the plants P. In yet another application, the salt water  310  and the fresh water  410  in the first and second containers, respectively, may be refreshed from a corresponding source, not shown, for example, from the sea or ocean for the salt water and from a river, a well or the city supply for the fresh water. 
     An indirect irrigation water cooling and salt aerosols removal system  700  is now discussed with regard to  FIG.  7   , and it may include the salt aerosol removal module  400 , an irrigation tank T, a first heat exchange unit HE 1 , and a second heat exchange unit HE 2 . The components and operation of the salt aerosol removal module  400  have been discussed above and they are not repeated herein. The first heat exchanger HE 1  is thermally connected to the first container  306  and it uses the salt water  310  to cool the water  512  from the irrigation tank T. The second heat exchanger HE 2  is thermally connected to the second container  406  and it uses the fresh water  410  to further cool the water  512  from the irrigation tank T. This means that the fresh water  512  from the irrigation tank T flows into each of the first and second heat exchangers HE 1  and HE 2 , exchanges heat with the salt water  310  and the fresh water  410 , but does not directly contact either of these two water sources. The cooled water  512  is then moved back to the irrigation tank T, and from there it may be pumped by pump P 5  to the plants P. The salt aerosol removal module  400  may incorporated any of the four different mechanisms discussed with regard to  FIGS.  1 A to  4   , or a combination of these mechanisms. In one application, it is possible that the salt aerosol removal module  400  includes all four technologies discussed above. 
     Thus, according to this embodiment, water from the first and second evaporative cooling pads, which will be cooled naturally to the wet bulb temperature of the incoming air  304 , may also be used to cool the irrigation water via indirect cooling through a corresponding heat exchanger. In such a heat exchanger, the fresh or salt water from the evaporative coolers cools the irrigation water to be used in the indoor environment via indirect contact in the heat exchanger, i.e., it is not directly mixed into the irrigation water. This type of irrigation water cooling system is desirable when the crops that are grown are very salt sensitive or require a specific recipe of dissolved ions in the irrigation water for crop growth. 
     In another embodiment illustrated in  FIG.  8   , water from the first and second evaporative cooling pads, which is cooled naturally to the wet bulb temperature of the incoming air  304 , may also be used to cool the root zone of the plant P via indirect cooling through a heat exchanger (typically a pipe or similar device in the root zone). In such a heat exchanger, the fresh or salt water from the evaporative coolers cools the root zone via indirect contact in a heat exchanger, but is does not directly contact the root zone. 
     In other words, as illustrated in  FIG.  8   , the salt aerosol removal module  400  is used to provide cooled water  310  and/or  410 . This water is directly routed through piping  311  and  411 , respectively, to the roots of the plant P, but at no time the water from these pipes is allowed to directly interact with the roots of the plant P or the soil in which the roots are located. Only a heat exchange takes place between the piping  311  and/or  411  and the roots of the plants or the soil in which the roots are located. For this reason this system is called an indirect root cooling system. The control system  520  controls the pumps PP 1  and PP 2 , and associated valves V 1  and V 2 , for achieving this heat exchange. The control system  520  opens and closes the valves V 1  and V 2  based on the readings from the temperature sensors  524  from each of the containers  306  and  406 , and also based on a reading from a temperature sensor  524  that may be placed next to the roots of the plant P. 
     The systems  500 ,  700 , and  800  discussed above may be integrated into a larger cooling system  900 , as now discussed with regard to  FIG.  9   . Cooling system  900  includes at least a water cooling and salt aerosol removal system  901  (which can be any of the systems  400 ,  500 ,  700 , or  800 ), which is located next to a closed enclosure  902  (e.g., a greenhouse in this embodiment, but the system works for any enclosure). In this regard, note that the water cooling and salt aerosol removal system  901  can include any and all elements shown in  FIGS.  5 ,  7 , and  8   , even if  FIG.  9    only generically shows system  901 . This means, that system  901  may be implemented in  FIG.  9    to have the storage tanks S 1  and S 2 , and the irrigation tank T of  FIG.  5   , or to have the heat exchangers HE 1  and HE 2  and the irrigation tank T of  FIG.  7   , or the piping sets  311  and  411  of  FIG.  8   . However, because these components have been discussed in detail in those figures, these elements are not shown again in  FIG.  9   . 
     The cooling system  900  also includes an air cooling system  910  (which may be an evaporative cooler, a mechanical vapor compression cooler, liquid desiccant evaporative cooler system, or other cooling system), an optional liquid desiccant humidity recovery (LDHR) system  920 , a storage system  930 , a piping system  940  that connects the air cooling system  910 , the LDHR system  920 , and the storage system  930 , and a control system  950 , which controls each component of the system  900 . 
     Ambient air AA is drawn from outside of the enclosure  902  into the cooling and salt aerosol system  901 , where the salt aerosols are removed from the air stream, thus resulting into an air stream AB that has almost no salt aerosols. In the process, as previously discussed with regard to  FIG.  4   , the salt water in the first container  306  and the second container  406  of the system  901  is cooled and this may be used to cool, directly or indirectly, through piping  905 , the irrigation water to be used for irrigating the plant P (any of the plant in the enclosure may benefit from this system) or the soil/air around the roots of the plant P. 
     The air stream AB, which is stripped of the salt aerosols based on one or more of the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS.  1 A to  4   , is now provided to the air cooling system  910  and cooled inside the air cooling system  910  and then released inside the enclosure  902  as air stream AC, for lowering the temperature of the enclosure during the day, when the solar waves (energy)  904  entering the enclosure is at maximum. Because of the salt aerosol removal system  901 , almost no salt aerosol is now entering inside the enclosure  902 , which helps in preventing the rusting of the structure of the enclosure. 
     In one application, the air stream AC is released through a discharge mechanism  960  over a large area of the enclosure  902 . In one application, the discharge mechanism  960  may include various piping having corresponding holes and the piping is distributed under the bed  907  of plants  906 , for releasing the air stream AC uniformly over the entire floor of the enclosure  902 . Various plants  906  present inside the enclosure  902  interact with the air stream AC and release part of their humidity, which results in a high-humidity, warm air stream AD. The high-humidity, warm air stream AD is absorbed into the LDHR system  920 . For this purpose, it is possible to use one or more fans  908  to move the various air streams in, out and through the enclosure  902 . 
     Although  FIG.  9    shows and the above paragraphs describe that the outside air stream AA enters first the water cooling and salt aerosol removal system  901  and then the air cooling system  910 , it is possible that the air stream AA enters first the air cooling system  910  for cooling it, and then the cooled air stream AB is supplied to the water cooling and salt aerosol removal system  901  for removing the salt aerosols. In this way, the cooled air stream from the air cooling system  910  is used to cool down the salt water  310  and the fresh water  410  from the salt water module  401  and the fresh water module  403 . 
     The LDHR system  920  removes the humidity from the high-humidity, warm air stream AD and transforms it into a low-humidity air stream AE, which may be discharged outside the enclosure  902  as air stream AF. The desiccant used in both the air cooling system  910  and the LDHR system  920  is exchanged with the storage system  930  when the vapor pressure of the desiccant is smaller or larger than the vapor pressure of the corresponding air stream so that the low- or high-humidity desiccant is used by each system. The storage system  930  is preferable located underground, i.e., below the Earth&#39;s surface  903 . However, it is possible to locate the storage system  930  above ground. In one application, the storage system  930  is located underneath the enclosure  902  for reducing the length of the piping system  940  and also for reducing the footprint of the system. 
     A method for cooling water and removing salt aerosols using the system  900  is now discussed with regard to  FIG.  10   .  FIG.  10    is a flowchart that includes a step  1000  of cooling an incoming air stream AA and generating a cooled air stream AB, a step  1002  of cooling salt water  310  and fresh water  410  with the cooled air stream AB, a step  1004  of removing salt aerosols generated by the salt water, and a step  1006  of using the cooled fresh water  410  to irrigate a plant. The method may also include a step of directing the cooled air stream through a screen to remove a first part of the salt aerosols and through an evaporative pad that is maintained wet with the fresh water to remove a second part of the salt aerosols. 
     The disclosed embodiments provide a water cooling and salt aerosols removal system. It should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention. On the contrary, the exemplary embodiments are intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which are included in the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Further, in the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the claimed invention. However, one skilled in the art would understand that various embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. 
     Although the features and elements of the present embodiments are described in the embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone without the other features and elements of the embodiments or in various combinations with or without other features and elements disclosed herein. 
     This written description uses examples of the subject matter disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the same, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims. 
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