US 12492829 B1Patent grantUnited States

Four-Sided Evaporative Outdoor Cooling

Official patent title

Indirect evaporative cooling and four sides sub-wet bulb cell (4SSBC) for outdoor evaporative cooling structures

Arabic title: التبريد التبخيري غير المباشر وخلية رباعية الجوانب بدرجة حرارة أدنى من البصيلة الرطبة (4SSBC) لمنشآت التبريد التبخيري الخارجية

Invention

Problem

Outdoor recreational spaces in hot, dry climates need lower-energy cooling, while direct evaporative systems add humidity and conventional two-sided indirect systems can face limited heat transfer and water-use constraints.

Why it matters

A dry-supply-air configuration for outdoor comfort could reduce reliance on high-powered cooling, but cooling capacity, sub-wet-bulb performance, water use, fan energy, hygiene, durability, noise, and climate-specific operation require independent verification.

Approach

The 4SSBC surrounds each dry primary-air channel with a wet working-air passage on four sides, separating cooled supply air from the humid exhaust stream through layered heat-exchange walls.

Who may benefit

Potential beneficiaries include outdoor-amenity designers, parks and campus planners, cooling-equipment manufacturers, architects, hospitality operators, and building-services researchers in hot, dry regions.

Potential value

The disclosure offers a modular four-sided indirect evaporative cell intended to enlarge wet-to-dry heat-exchange contact while keeping moisture in a separate exhaust stream.

Background

Rising outdoor temperatures can restrict use of recreational areas, especially in hot and dry regions. Shade and vegetation provide passive relief, while conventional air conditioning can require substantial energy for open spaces. Direct evaporative cooling passes hot air through wetted media, but it raises humidity and cannot generally cool below the wet-bulb temperature. Indirect systems separate a dry product-air stream from a wet working stream, yet conventional two-sided arrangements may limit heat-transfer area and still face challenges in water consumption, structural durability, and outdoor integration.

Technology overview

The claimed system arranges parallel primary, secondary, and wet working-air channels around heat-exchange walls. Each primary channel is surrounded by the working-air passage through 360 degrees, while the wet passage surrounds it by more than 350 degrees. A metal conductive layer faces the dry channel and a porous cellulose, polymer, or ceramic layer supports evaporation on the wet side. Fans, valves, water supply, condensation collection, and modular removable walls are included in dependent configurations.

Potential applications

Potential nighttime cooling for outdoor recreational areas.
Integration into decorative cooling structures for parks and campuses.
Conditioning of semi-outdoor hospitality and gathering spaces.
Indirect supply-air cooling between outdoor and indoor spaces.

Evidence-supported advantages

Separates dry cooled air from moisture-bearing working air.
Surrounds the primary channel on four sides to enlarge exchange contact.
Accommodates porous ceramic, cellulose, or polymer evaporation layers.
Includes options for water supply, condensation collection, and removable cells.

Development stage

Patent publication; development stage not independently verified.

Commercial opportunity

The cell architecture could support modular outdoor coolers, architectural cooling installations, or licensed heat-exchanger components for hot, dry climates. Commercialization requires climate-chamber and field testing of temperature reduction, humidity, water and electrical use, scaling, fouling, sanitation, maintenance, acoustics, weather resistance, and lifecycle cost.

Patent classifications

WIPO IPC

F24F1/0358Air-conditioning; air-humidification; ventilation; use of air currents for screening
F24F1/028Air-conditioning; air-humidification; ventilation; use of air currents for screening

CPC

F24F1/0358Air-conditioning; air-humidification; ventilation; use of air currents for screening
F24F1/0007Air-conditioning; air-humidification; ventilation; use of air currents for screening
F24F1/028Air-conditioning; air-humidification; ventilation; use of air currents for screening
F24F5/0035Air-conditioning; air-humidification; ventilation; use of air currents for screening
F24F12/006Air-conditioning; air-humidification; ventilation; use of air currents for screening

Inventors

First inventorAissa Rezzoug
InventorRashid Khan
InventorNashmi Alrasheedi
InventorOmar Eid Almutairi

Keywords

indirect evaporative cooling
4SSBC
outdoor cooling
four-sided heat exchange
wet channel
dry air
porous ceramic
water recovery

Patent document and drawings

The patent publication is mapped to this record. Patent drawings remain within that publication; no separately cleared public media package has been supplied.