Air pre-cooling

Abstract

A system includes at least one radiative cooling material, and at least one air intake. The at least one radiative cooling material is arranged upstream of the at least one air intake. Air moves from the radiative cooling material to the at least one air intake, such that the air is cooled using the radiative cooling material prior to entering the least one air intake. The radiative cooling material and the air intake may be arranged on a roof of a building, and the air intake may provide the cooled air to inside the building. The air intake may include any one or more of an air vent, an air condition, or an air cooled condenser. The radiative cooling material may include openings through which the air flows before entering the at least one air intake, where the air flow through the openings causes the air to be precooled.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 at least one radiative cooling material; and   at least one air intake, wherein:
 the at least one radiative cooling material is arranged upstream of the at least one air intake, and air moves from the at least one radiative cooling material to the at least one air intake, such that the air is cooled using the at least one radiative cooling material prior to entering the at least one air intake. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one radiative cooling material and the at least one air intake are arranged on a roof of a building; and   the at least one air intake provides the cooled air to inside the building.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one air intake comprises at least one of an air vent, air conditioner, or air cooled condenser. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one air intake comprises an outer surface and a vent, the outer surface being arranged upstream of the vent,   the at least one radiative cooling material is arranged on the outer surface, and   the air being cooled air using the at least one radiative cooling material prior to entering the at least one air intake comprises the air being cooled by the outer surface prior to entering the vent.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an air cavity arranged upstream of the at least one air intake, wherein:
 the at least one radiative cooling material is arranged on at least one surface enclosing the air cavity, and   the cooled air entering the at least one air intake is provided by the air cavity.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the air cavity is formed by a volume enclosed on a first side by a roof, enclosed on a second side by the at least one air intake, and enclosed on at least one other side by the at least one surface on which the at least one radiative cooling material is arranged. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one air intake is coupled to an intake plenum, wherein the intake plenum forms a seal between the air cavity and the at least one air intake. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one air intake is on a roof, and the at least one radiative cooling material is arranged above the roof, such that there is an air gap between the roof and the at least one radiative cooling material. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a wind screen arranged over the at least one radiative cooling material, wherein the wind screen reduces convective heating of the at least one radiative cooling material. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a support structure, wherein:
 the at least one radiative cooling material is applied to the support structure; and   the support structure directs the cooled air to enter the at least one air intake.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the support structure comprises corrugations configured to prevent liquid or solid matter from accumulating on the at least one radiative cooling material. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiative cooling material comprises a plurality of openings through which the air flows before entering the at least one air intake, wherein the air flow through the plurality of openings causes the air to be cooled. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal mass that is thermally coupled to the at least one radiative cooling material. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a moisture collector configured to collect moisture that accumulates on the at least one radiative cooling material. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 arranging at least one radiative cooling material upstream of at least one air intake; and   cooling air that moves from the at least one radiative cooling material to the at least one air intake using the at least one radiative cooling material, such that the air is cooled prior to entering the at least one air intake.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the at least one radiative cooling material and the at least one air intake are arranged on a roof of a building; and   the at least one air intake provides the cooled air to inside the building.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the at least one air intake comprises an outer surface and a vent, the outer surface being arranged upstream of the vent,   arranging the at least one radiative cooling material upstream of the of the at least one air intake comprises arranging the at least one radiative cooling material on the outer surface, and   cooling the air such that the air is cooled prior to entering the at least one air intake comprises using the outer surface to cool the air such that the air is cooled prior to entering the vent.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising arranging an air cavity upstream of the at least one air intake, wherein:
 the at least one radiative cooling material is arranged on at least one surface enclosing the air cavity, and   the cooled air entering the at least one air intake is provided by the air cavity.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one radiative cooling material comprises a plurality of openings through which the air flows before entering into the at least one air intake, wherein the air flow through the plurality of openings causes the air to be cooled. 
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 at least one radiative cooling material;   at least one air intake, wherein:
 the at least one radiative cooling material is arranged upstream of the at least one air intake, and air moves from the at least one radiative cooling material to the at least one air intake, such that the air is cooled using the at least one radiative cooling material prior to entering the at least one air intake; and 
   air handling equipment configured to:
 receive the cooled air from the at least one air intake, 
 further cool the received cooled air, and 
 provide the further cooled air to a cooling system.