Humidity Controlled Evaporative Cooler for Cooling of Automotive Cabin 2024-01-2580
The discussed invention is centered on the evaporative cooling of a vehicle cabin, introducing a novel concept of humidity control. Unlike conventional Air Conditioning (AC) systems that operate on the Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle (VCRC), which tend to be costly and contribute to higher fuel consumption due to the engine-driven compressor in automobiles, there is currently no other Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) fitted cabin cooling option available to address this issue. This paper introduces the idea of a humidity-controlled evaporative cooler. The objective of humidity control is achieved through a controller unit that receives feedback from a humidity sensor, subsequently regulating the operation of the water pump. The ambient air is passed through a humidified honeycomb pad, cooling through the principle of evaporation. To prevent any leftover water droplets from entering the cabin, a polyester nonwoven filter has been integrated into the system. This invention not only makes the system robust, easy to install, and simple to maintain but also effectively controls the cabin's humidity level, providing comfort to the occupant. The prototype of the proposed concept is currently undergoing testing on a vehicle, and preliminary results show a temperature drop of 7.5°C concerning the ambient temperature without the use of any refrigerant that could harm the environment. In conclusion, it can be deduced that the proposed invention is more efficient in terms of cost, power consumption, space utilization, and provides superior cooling capabilities.