Karl L Egbert

US Patent:

62829157, Sep 4, 2001

Filed:

Jan 24, 2000

Appl. No.:

9/489776

Inventors:

Karl Egbert - Bailey CO

Assignee:

IndireX - Bailey CO

International Classification:

F28D 500

US Classification:

62314

Abstract:

An evaporative cooler including a cross-flow plate heat exchanger formed by a plurality of stacked, fluted plates. The evaporative cooler may be operated in an indirect evaporative cooling process, or in a combined direct and indirect mode. The heat exchanger operates as a cross between a cross-flow exchanger and a counter-flow exchanger because the primary and secondary air streams are not perpendicular or parallel to one another, but rather, are oriented at an oblique angle. In a preferred embodiment formed by stacked hexagonal plates, the shape of the exchanger lends itself to the application of water on a primary side to achieve two-stage (indirect plus direct) evaporative cooling. In the two-stage operation mode, all six sides of the heat exchanger have water flowing through the corrugated flutes. The heat exchanger provides a single, compact design that utilizes all six sides for air inlet and outlets, providing a higher efficiency exchanger as compared to traditional compact indirect evaporative cross-flow plate heat exchangers.

US Patent:

47583851, Jul 19, 1988

Filed:

Jun 22, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/065054

Inventors:

Robert M. Acker - Englewood CO
Karl L. Egbert - Arvada CO

Assignee:

Norsaire Systems - Denver CO

International Classification:

B01F 304

US Classification:

261153

Abstract:

A plate for an evaporative heat exchanger is stamped from a laminate material comprising a thin sheet of light-weight, heat conductive, formable metal such as aluminum superimposed on and attached to a thin sheet of wicking material. Stamping the laminate material simultaneously cuts the plate into a substantially square, pre-determined size, forms a series of ribs and corresponding recesses into the plate and blanks square notches into each corner of the plate to define four edges. The ribs are spaced apart in a substantially parallel manner, appear substantially semicircular in configuration and extend longitudinally and substantially across the plate. A method to fabricate said plate is also described. A plurality of said plates is stacked in a serial relationship and attached along corresponding edges at opposite ends to form alternating air conditioning channels and evaporative cooling channels defined by metal surfaces and wicking material surfaces respectively whereby the conditioned air flows perpendicularly to the secondary air and water.