| GB171179A | 1921-11-11 | |||
| US2828761A | 1958-04-01 | |||
| AU4918085A | 1986-05-08 | |||
| US4192832A | 1980-03-11 | |||
| US4129140A | 1978-12-12 | |||
| US2856166A | 1958-10-14 | |||
| US2646061A | 1953-07-21 |
| 1. | CLAIMS CLAIM 1 Use is made of the siphon principle to pump out the liquid contents of evaporative air coolers for a purge cycle , and this particular application of a siphon is distinguished by its method of being primed as being via discharge of a high level storage of water , which storage is mounted within the air cooler in its upper portion . CLAIM 2 Automatic priming of the purge siphon of claim 1 into operation is initiated by the action of the electric water pump of the evaporative air cooler being switched off . The loss of pressure at the electric pump's outlet is utilized to cause a discharge of stored priming water for the purpose of claim 1 . Thus this sets the timing of a purge cycle to be automatically set generally after each use of the air cooler . CLAIM 3 This claim is for a method of releasing stored priming water as per claim 2 and is optional to the method outlined in claim 4 . The normal electric pump has an 'ante' chamber fitted or moulded to its main inlet . This chamber is open to the pump's inlet , has an opening with extension to allow for tube connection to the siphon inlet , and a valved opening or openings which allσw[s] only the directional flow of reservoir water into the antechamber . The pump outlet directly feeds via a tube into the lower level of the stored priming water vessel , and from a top outlet of that vessel, continues to the normal circuit . In this claim , when there is a loss of pressure at tbs pump's outlet [ claim 2 ] , the arrangement and pump ante chamber direct the consequent flow of priming water which gravitates from the upper vessel down to the siphon via the pump housing , pump antechamber , and the siphon inlet . CLAIM 4 This claim is for a method of releasing stored priming water as per claim 2 , and is optional to the method outlined in claim 3 . Use is made of the 'hydraulic valve* principle whereby the "switching' or pressure chamber of such a valve is connected via a tube to the outlet of the electric pump . It 'tees' off from the pump's main delivery which feeds water via a tube to a top inlet of the stored priming water vessel , and then continues via an outlet in the top of that vessel to the remainder of the normal water circuit . The higher pressure [ inlet ] side of the hydraulic SHEET 7 CLAIMS valve connects by a large bore tube to the lower level of the stored priming water vessel . The lower pressure [ outlet ] side of the hydraulic valve has a chamber fitted or moulded to it . This chamber is open to the hydraulic valve outlet , has an opening with extension to allow for tube connection to the siphon inlet , and a valved opening or openings which allow[s] only the directional flow of reservoir water into this chamber . In this claim , when there is a loss of pressure at the pump's outlet [ claim 2 ] , the hydraulic valve releases , and the arrangement directs the consequent flow of priming water which gravitates from the upper vessel down to the siphon via the hydraulic valve , the hydraulic valve outlet chamber , and the siphon inlet . CLAIM 5 The provision ol an enclosed vessel of nominally two litres capacity , applicable to all previous claims , with connections in and out for tubes in arrangements suitable to claims 3 and 4, and mounting facilities to enable fixture of vessel in the upper portion of the evaporative air cooler . Its basic function is to store and deliver a suitable head and volume of water for the priming of the siphon purge function of claim 1 . CLAIM 6 A siphon as employed in claim 1 , whose outlet below the reservoir of evaporative air coolers is nominally one third to one metre long in vertical drop to a point of free air , and whose internal diameter is nominally 23nm' of even bore . It can be flexible but it must present no constrictions to the bore nor any upward bends which will cause water traps . CLAIM 7 A siphon as employed in claims 1 and 6 which contains provision of an air tight tube or passage through it from crown to outlet , to conduct water from the trickle bleed facility to waste . Such a tube is made removeable for inspection or replacement purposes and its entry into the crown of the siphon is airtight, CLAIM 8 A siphon as employed in claims 1 , 6 , and 7 , wh ose extra function of being the reservoir overflow outlet , is enhanced by the shaping of the falling edge into a level rim , internally in the siphon crown . The diameter of the rim is made slightly larger than nominally 23πm in order to mimic its conventional counterpart . CLAIM 9 A siphon as employed in claims 1 , 6 , 7 , and 8 , which SHEET 8 CLAIMS has its priming inlet moulding formed into a smooth , almost 's1 bend pipe , from tle crown of the siphon to almost touching the reservoir bottom at whence it points laterally for tube connection to chamber of claim 3 or 4 . CLAIM 10 A siphon as employed in claims 1 , 6 , 7 , 8 , and 9, which has the almost necessary option of having a scavenger inlet added to the siphon . This extra inlet is moulded into a smooth pipe bend , from the crown of the siphon to within nominally 5m of the bottom of the reservoir with its mouth pointing vertically downwards . This inlet can optionally be constructed so as to be manually swung up out of water on a glanded or pipe threaded join to provide a "disable siphon' facility , because such a position stops a siphon pump . This extra inlet reduces the total siphon inlet resistance to water flow , thus assisting reliable priming of the siphon into operation , and assists rapid purging of the reservoir . This scavenger inlet is displaced laterally from the priming inlet by an acute angle , from the crown of the siphon being the centre . This angle is nominally 40 degrees and its purpose is to divert most of the priming water flow away from the scavenger inlet , and thus enhances a reliable prime of the purge siphon . |
TECHNICAL FIELD : In particular applications of evaporative air coolers , provision is required , integral with each air cooler, that the salinity level of the water used therein be maintained at a low minimum . Because the pure water component of the water feed [ which is mains water generally ] is consumed by evaporation during normal operation of the air cooler , the undesireable buildup of the soluble impurities of the water , remaining in the water circulation system , would lead to deterioration and impairment of air cooling performance . The soluble salts crystalize into solids . Expulsion of reservoir water , as a continuous trickle, during air cooler operation , is one ccrnmon method of restricting the salinity level . Some models of evaporative air cooler also include the facility to 'dunp 1 or 'purge' the whole water reservoir contents , at the determination of the will of the operator/owner of the air cooler via manually operated electrical switches . PRIOR ART : Problems associated with a solenoid operated plunger valve method of achieving such a facility are that : a] Human memory is required for manual instigation of 'dumping' , and thus prone to misoperation and neglect . b] Present *duπp' valve used is prone to leak and to malfunction due to grit and crystalized salts fouling the valve face and movement , as well as poor valve seating due to design flaws. c] Difficulty in further procurement of parts for the present duηper assembly requires that rebuilding the design or innovating , be an urgent priority . d] Present valve requires its own unique drainage hole in the bottom of the water reservoir which complicates the external drainage pipework . The continuous water trickle bleed system , together with the reservoir overflow pipe , presently share a separate reservoir drainage hole . e] Present 'dump' valve requires an electronic apparatus to hold the valve's solenoid operated for a timed period , to ensure a complete reservoir flush when the dumping cycle has been instigated by the manual switch .
PR LEMS WITH PREVIOUS SIPHON TYPE METHODS :- Since most of these methods prime their siphons by virtually causing an enhanced reservoir overflow condition , this requires siphon
SHEET 2 DESCRIPTION construction to be sensitive to small changes in the liead of water surrounding the siphon . It is this requirement of sensitivity which limits their degree of reliability . a] Ball float valves cannot reliably maintain the critical water level in the reservoir . b] The bore of the s÷iphoπ outlet , being of necessity small , requires critical constriction of the inlet water supply line to ensure that the inflow rate is insufficient to hold a continuous siphon discharge at the end of a purge cycle , nor cause a false siphon purge if the ball float valve remains open due to malfunction , yet the inflow rate must at least equal the rate of evaporation of the air cooler's water. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION :- Ths siphon principle is utilized as the means of purging the reservoir water . This new invention is an arrangement of pipes , tubes , vessels , and valves which automatic ally cause priming water to be forced through the siphon as soon as power to the cooler's electric pump is switched off . ADVANTAGES :- a] A cheap method of achieving an automatic purge. b] Reliability assured through simplicity of design . Very few moving parts and these are not prone to water salts encrustation. c] The siphon method 'cannot' leak . A siphon is more truly a pump than a valve , and requires special priming for it to be able to pass water . d] The siphon can scavenge quite large sediment solids . e] Both the overflow and trickle bleed wastes can be discharged via the same siphon outlet , thus siirplifying the waste water pluribing . f] No expense of electricals at all is required for this method and the electric pump needs only the addition of a plastic rroulding, generally , to provide its extra function . g] Fast . Once primed , the large bore siphon virtually puηps the old water out to the point of sucking air at its inlets at which stage it rapidly reverts to its idle condition , and thus allowing replenishment of the reservoir by the normal means . h] The siphon bore is so large that full ball valve flow cannot alone instigate a 'prime' nor maintain a siphon discharge flow.
SHEET 3 DESCRIPTION i] There is no demand for critical setting of the ball float valve nor any need to constrict its maximum delivery . j] The purge facility can be provided in small fixed installation air coolers whose small amount of suspended circulation water prevents the application of other certain methods . BASIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES a] The siphon form of outlet is chosen for its superior performance and reliability as against the check valve method of purge outlet. b] The characteristic which distinguishes this particular application of the siphon method is that the priming of the siphon into operation is achieved by passing gravity forced water through it frcm a specially stored head of water . The head storage vessel is replenished via the water circulation system of the evaporative air cooler during normal operation . c] Another basic principle establishes such priming automatically by using the fact that the pressure at the outlet of the electric pump drops to zero when it has been switched off . Thus the siphon is primed to purge the reservoir automatically each time that the evaporative air cooler is turned off . d] Due to the particular design of siphon used , the siphon has the inherent ability to turn itself off rapidly when the reservoir has been drained to the point of sucking air at a siphon inlet. e] The invention's MODE A is suited to new manufacture of evaporative air coolers wherein mouldings of the pump and possibly reservoir are especially formed to embrace this invention in this its simplest form [ MODE A ] . f] The invention's MODE B is a little more complex , but allows cheaper conversion of evaporative air coolers which didn't have a purge facility or whose original facility requires replacement. g] MODE B is the invention's only option which allows the automatic purge to function in models whose circulation pump has such a small bore or delivery that MODE A operation would be impractical or unreliable . OPERATIONAL DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
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ELECTRIC PUMP IS SWITCHED ON - The pump draws in reservoir water via flap valve 5 [ MODE A ] , or directly [ MODE B ] , and forces the water out through its outlet 4 to the head storage vessel 1.
SHEET 4 DESCRIPTION Having filled the vessel , it then forces out at the deliveries 9 of the cooler's pad[s] . A small portion of water is drawn off from the pump's output circuit via various methods , and is discharged to waste via the 'trickle bleed' outlet 10 . In MODE B , pressure frαn pump outlet 4 also forces the 'hydraulic valve' 7 to be tightly shut . ELECTRIC PIMP IS SWITCHED OFF -
MODE A — Loss of pressure at pump outlet 4 allows water in head storage vessel 1 to return by gravity down through pump 2 . The reverse flow forces valve 5 to shut , allowing this priming water to be solely directed into the siphon inlet 6 .
MODE B — Loss of pressure at pump outlet 4 is extended to the hydraulic valve 7 , and so allows gravity of water in haad storage vessel 1 to force hydraulic valve 7 open . The priming water then flows solely directed into the siphon inlet 6 . This flow also keeps flap valve 8 closed .
SIPHONING — in both modes , commences as priming water expells air from the siphon 11 . The weight of the column of water in the siphon portion below the reservoir becomes the strength of this gravity powered type of pump . This siphon pump is then sucking water in at both siphon inlets 6 and 12 . Inlet 12 is the 'scavenging' inlet because it can be utilized by strategic positioning to scavenge large solids settling in the reservoir . Inlet 6 also begins to suck water and will take water from the reservoir via flap valve
5 [ MODE A ] or flap valve 8 [ MODE B ] as soon as the flow of priming
• water from the head storage vessel 1 diministes .
The siphon continues to pump water out of the reservoir until air drawn into it at either inlet 6 or 12 breaks up the column of water in the siphon 11 . Very rapidly the siphon tube 11 empties and its pumping action ceases . The reservoir then replenishes itself with fresh water by the normal means which is usually a ball float valve water mains feed .
OVERELCW OF RESERVOIR — The excess water , perhaps due to a faulty ball float valve , passes __≡__mlessly down the siphon outlet when the water level reaches point 13 . Overflow alone cannot misoperate the siphon because the designed minimun flow of priming water is greater than what the normal ball float valves can supply .
SHEET 5 DESCRIPTION Although siphon inlets 6 and 12 are depicted in modes A and B as being 180 degrees to each other , the third diagram shows that they are actually on an acute angle to each other . this is designed so as to divert most of the priming water via inlet 6 down into the siphon tube 11 and away from the inlet 12 . Siphon outlet 11 must be free of water traps , constrictions , and ideally be one third to one metre long to a point of free air . Siphon inlet 12 need not be provided , but it enhances strong reliable siphon operation, will scavenge large solids from the reservoir , and can be made to pivot above water as shown in the third diagrεm to provide a quick 'Disable Siphon' facility for servicemen . The siphon's overflow facility requires special shaping of the lip at 13 to assist excess water to escape . Although not indicated on the drawings , the electric pump assembly and the hydraulic valve [ MODE B ] must be placed in filter baskets to prevent severe fouling of valves , and waterways by solid impurities in the water .