Patent Publication Number: US-2009223803-A1

Title: Evaporative cooler assisted desalinater

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The subject invention relates to desalinating water, and more specifically to desalinating water using the principles of evaporative cooling. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Water desalination refers generally to a process of removing soluble salts from water to render it suitable for drinking, irrigation, or industrial uses. Since much of the Earth&#39;s water is salt laden, desalination processes are important in providing fresh water to areas that have insufficient supply. One of the most common methods for desalinating water is known as distillation, where salt water is headed to evaporate the water into vapor, leaving the salt behind. The vapor is then condensed in a separate container. The problem is that the heat for evaporation requires high energy. 
     U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11,523,416 filed on Sep. 19, 2006 discloses a water desalinater having an evaporative cooler defining a plurality of dry channels and a plurality of wet channels interleaved with and extending transversely to the dry channels. U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,060 discloses a condenser and an air humidification chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,022 discloses an apparatus for desalinating water, specifically with a means for transferring air from an evaporative cooler to a condenser. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES 
     The invention provides an assembly for desalinating water comprising a cold air duct open to the dry channels of the evaporative cooler and extending around a humidification chamber disposed between the evaporative cooler and the condenser. The invention provides for a film valve including a flexible sheet intersecting the cold air duct for controlling air flow along the cold air duct to the condenser. The film valve allows for a fraction, or all of the cool air in the cold air duct to be utilized for comfort cooling. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention, 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the desalinater, 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the flexible sheet with the openings of the flexible sheet open to the cold air duct, 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the flexible sheet with the openings of the flexible sheet partially open to the cold air duct and partially to a conditioned space, and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the flexible sheet with the openings of the flexible sheet open to the conditioned space. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, an assembly for desalinating water is shown generally in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The assembly includes an evaporative cooler  20 , generally indicated, having a cooler front  22  and a cooler back  24  and a first cooler side  26  and a second cooler side  28 . The evaporative cooler  20  defines a plurality of dry channels  30  extending from the cooler front  22  to the cooler back  24 . The evaporative cooler  20  also defines a plurality of wet channels  32  interleaved with and extending transversely to the dry channels  30  and extending from the first cooler side  26  to the second cooler side  28 . 
     A fan  34  is disposed on the cooler front  22  for propelling ambient air into the dry channels  30  and out of the cooler back  24 . A sea-water feeding tank  36  is disposed on the first cooler side  26  for flushing the wet channels  32  with the water to produce water vapor exiting the second cooler side  28 . A condenser  38 , generally indicated, is disposed along side and spaced form the evaporative cooler  20  and includes a condenser front  40  and a condenser back  42  and a first condenser side  44  and a second condenser side  46 . 
     A cold air duct  48 , generally indicated, is open to the dry channels  30  at the cooler back  24  and includes a first duct end  50  aligning with the first cooler side  26  and a second duct end  52  aligning with the second condenser side  46  and a duct back  54  extends parallel to and spaced from the cooler backs  24  and interconnecting the duct ends. The cold air duct  48  includes an intermediate panel  56  in alignment with the cooler back  24  and the condenser back  42  and disposed between the second cooler side  28  and the first condenser side  44  for defining an air humidification chamber  58 . The air humidification chamber  58  accepts the water vapor from the wet channels  32  of the evaporative cooler  20 . 
     The condenser  38  has a plurality of first passages  60  parallel to and aligned with the wet channels  32  of the cooler  20  for accepting the water vapor from the cooler  20 . The condenser  38  also has a plurality of second passages  62  extending from the condenser back  42  to the condenser front  40  and open to the cold air duct  48  for accepting cool air from the cold air duct  48 . 
     An excess water tank  64  is disposed at the bottom of the air humidification chamber  58  for receiving excess water from the evaporative cooler  20 . A heating element  66  is disposed in the excess water tank  64  to boil the excess water into vapor for introduction into the air humidification chamber  58  and the condenser  38 . A potable water tank  68  is positioned beneath the condenser  38  for receiving condensate of desalinated water from the first passages  60  of the condenser  38 . A plurality of level sensors  70  are disposed in the water tanks  64 ,  68  for sensing the water level. At least one excess drain valve  72  is disposed on the excess water tank  64  for draining excess water from the air humidification chamber  58  in response to the level sensors  70  being activated by rising water levels. At least one potable drain valve  74  is disposed on the potable water tank  68  for draining excess water from the condenser  38  in response to the level sensors  70  being activated by rising water levels. 
     The assembly includes a film valve  76 , generally indicated in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 . The film valve  76  includes a flexible sheet  78  extending along the duct back  54  and between the duct back  54  and the intermediate panel  56  in alignment with the second cooler side  28  for controlling air flow along the cold air duct  48 . The flexible sheet  78  defines a plurality of openings  80  for controlling the air flow from the cooler  20  through the cold air duct  48  to the condenser  38 . 
     A first winder  82  is disposed at the intersection of the duct back  54  and the first duct end  50  for winding and unwinding one end of the film valve  76 . A second winder  84  is disposed at the intersection of the panel  56  at the second cooler side  28  and the cooler back  24  for winding and unwinding the other end of the film valve  76 . A valve guide  86  is disposed on the duct back  54  opposite to the second winder  84  for guiding the sheet  78  between the winders  82 ,  84 . A torsion spring  88  biases the second winder  84 , keeping tension in the sheet  78 . An actuator  90  winds and unwinds the first winder  82 , controlling the movement of the sheet  78 . 
     When the openings  80  of the flexible sheet  78  are open to the air duct, all the cool air from the evaporative cooler  20  flows to the condenser  38 . When the openings  80  are partially open to the air duct, part of the cool air from the evaporative cooler  20  flows to the condenser  38  and part flows out the duct back  54  to a conditioned space, providing comfort cooling. When the openings  80  are not open to the cold air duct  48  and only open to the duct back  54 , all of the cool air from the evaporative cooler  20  flows to the conditioned space, providing comfort cooling. 
     Accordingly, the invention includes a method of desalinating water. First, warm air is moved through the wet channels  32  into the humidification chamber  58  and through the first passages  60 . Cool air is moved through the dry channels  30 , running transverse to and interleaved with the wet channels  32 . The cool air is ducted separate from and around the air humidification chamber  58  and through the second passages  62 , running transverse to and interleaved with the first passages  60 . 
     Sea water is added to the warm air in the wet channels  32  to add humidification to the warm air. The warm air of the humidification chamber  58  is heated prior to entering the first passages  60 . The ducting of cool air around the humidification chamber  58  and into the second passages  62  is regulated by intersecting the cool air with a film valve  76  having openings  80  therein. The warm air of the first passages  60  is transferred to the cool air of the second passages  62 . The moisture form the warm air in the first passages  60  is condensed. The potable water resulting from the condensing of the moisture is then collected. 
     Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of the appended claims. The use of the word “said” in the apparatus claims refers to an antecedent that is a positive recitation meant to be included in the coverage of the claims whereas the word “the” precedes a word not meant to be included in the coverage of the claims. In addition, the reference numerals in the claims are merely for convenience and are not to be read in any way as limiting.