Patent ID: 8365530

Claim:
A system for conditioning an airstream entering an air-breathing machine, the system comprising: an airstream filter disposed in an air filter housing for removing foreign objects and debris from the airstream; and an air conditioning system (ACS) disposed downstream of the airstream filter and configured for adjusting a physical property of the airstream entering the air-breathing machine, wherein the air conditioning system comprises a module, and wherein the module comprises: a non-media conditioning system located downstream of an inlet filter house and configured for adjusting a physical property of the airstream; wherein the non-media conditioning system comprises nozzles adapted for spraying a fluid onto the airstream to precondition the airstream that has previously been filtered by the airstream filter at an upstream location of the non-media conditioning system; a media conditioning system configured for adjusting a physical property of the airstream to provide additional output of the air-breathing machine, the airstream preconditioned by the non-media conditioning system for providing relatively uniform temperature distribution of the airstream throughout a direct exchange medium; wherein the media conditioning system comprises: the direct exchange medium, and a fluid distribution manifold; and a fluid distribution pad located above the direct exchange medium, the fluid distribution manifold located above the fluid distribution pad; wherein if a temperature of the fluid supplied to the non-media conditioning system and to the media conditioning system is approximately greater than a dew point temperature of the airstream, then the ACS operates in a direct evaporative mode; and wherein if the temperature of the fluid supplied to the non-media conditioning system and to the media conditioning system is approximately less than the dew point temperature of the airstream, then the ACS operates in a direct chilling mode.