Rotating plate misting fan

Abstract

A rotating plate misting fan (RPMF) is capable of delivering cooling to industrial environments including loading bays for docked trailers. The RPMF includes a rotating plate assembly configured to eliminate or minimize water collection in the environment area.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A rotating plate misting fan, comprising: a water supply; at least one rotating plate and a housing receiving the plate; each said plate having a front misting surface and a rear surface facing a spinning hub; said hub being mounted on a shaft having a longitudinal axis, said hub having exterior surfaces including a rear and lateral sides;
 wherein water is supplied from the water supply to the spinning hub and to the rear surface of the rotating plate, and   wherein the rotating plate is provided with a contour composed of concentrically arranged planar surfaces, each said planar surface being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, a plurality of said planar surfaces being at different positions on the longitudinal axis, wherein   the concentrically arranged planes are arranged so that when the rotating plate is placed stationary on a flat horizontal surface and water is poured on the front misting surface, water does not pool in concentric rings on the plate.   
     
     
         3 . The misting fan according to  claim 2 , wherein the rotating plate has a central hole accommodating the hub and a ratio of a diameter of the central hole to a diameter of the plate is higher than 15%. 
     
     
         4 . The misting fan according to  claim 2 , wherein the plate is sufficiently flexible that the plate self-balances as a result of centrifugal forces. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The misting fan according to  claim 2 , wherein at least 60% of the rotating plate's surface is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft within ∓10 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A rotating plate misting fan, comprising: a water supply; at least one rotating plate and a housing receiving the plate; each said plate having a front misting surface and a rear surface facing a spinning hub; said hub being mounted on a shaft having a longitudinal axis, and comprising a flat surface positioned behind the rotating plate, extending beyond the peripheral edge of the rotating plate in a radial direction. 
     
     
         12 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , wherein the flat surface is parallel to the plate within +/−20 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , wherein the flat surface is made of with hydrophilic materials and/or is provided with a textured surface adapted to reduce droplet contact angle with the surface to below 30 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , wherein said flat surface has an arcuate shape adapted to be attached to the housing proximate the periphery of the plate, wherein the flat surface is further provided with protuberant teeth extending from the flat surface at intervals between an edge of the housing and the rotating plate. 
     
     
         15 . The misting fan according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the protuberant teeth has a longitudinal axis which forms an angle of at least 5 degrees with a radial line from a center of the tooth to a center of the rotating plate. 
     
     
         16 . The misting fan according to  claim 14 , further comprising trenches in the housing 
     
     
         17 . The misting fan according to  claim 15 , further comprising holes in said trenches to return water in the channels back to the housing 
     
     
         18 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing and a drain operatively connected to the housing are provided with hydrophilic surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , wherein a drain is located within the housing and behind a front edge of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , comprising a drain wrapping around a peripheral portion of the rotating plate section, said peripheral portion comprising an arc of 110 degrees or less, measured from the center of the plate. 
     
     
         21 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , comprising trenches on the drain adapted to direct droplets of water by capillary action. 
     
     
         22 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , wherein the drain is provided with a secondary shroud adapted to collect water dripping from an outside surface of the drain comprising a pump that contains a water level measurement system in order to determine when to pump the water to a separate water tank and avoid flooding. 
     
     
         23 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , wherein the drain is integral with the housing and located behind the rotating plate and behind a forward edge of the housing. 
     
     
         24 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , comprising a fan mounted behind the housing and the rotating plate and wherein the drain system is shielded from air produced by the fan by a windshield. 
     
     
         25 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , comprising a guard forward of the rotating plate adapted to prevent user contact with the plate, and formed of a plurality of guides forming a chevron pattern. 
     
     
         26 . The misting fan according to  claim 11 , further comprising a range sensor and a controller adapted to automatically adjust vapor rates and/or fan speed, based on an assessment of productivity, safety, presence, distance, and type of objects in front of the misting fan and/or psychrometric parameters. 
     
     
         27 . The misting fan according to  claim 23 , wherein the controller is configured to dynamically modify an operating range ceiling and floor allowed by a user interface control unit based on sensor feedback.