Closed-loop climate control system with thermoelectric cooler

Abstract

A closed-loop climate system including a water tank; cooling pads positioned above the water tank, a thermoelectric unit (TEU) connectable to a power supply, and configured to cool/heat water received from the water tank, a sprinkler tube positioned above the cooling pads and configured to sprinkle the water heated by the TEU onto the cooling pads.

1 . A closed-loop climate system comprising:
 an evaporative air conditioning component comprising:   a water tank;   one or more cooling pads, each of the cooling pads made of a material configured to hold about 5-15 times its weight in water and to allow air to pass transversely therethrough, wherein the one or more cooling pads are positioned directly above the water tank, such that excess water from the wetted cooling pads drips back into the water tank;   a sprinkler tube positioned along and above the one or more cooling pads, the sprinkler tube comprising a plurality of sprinkler holes through which water from the water tank can be sprinkled on the one or more cooling pads;   a hydraulic system configured to draw water from the water tank to the sprinkler tube; and   one or more fans configured to draw-in room air and to expel/distribute air cooled via the cooling pads;   a thermoelectric unit (TEU) connectable to a power supply, and configured to cool water flowing therethrough, wherein the TEU is positioned between, and fluidly connected to the water tank and the sprinkler tube, such that water draw from the water tank is cooled by the TEU prior to reaching the sprinkler tube; and   a temperature microcontroller configured to control operation of the TEU, thereby controlling the temperature of the expelled/distributed air.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, the TEU comprises one or more thermoelectric components (TEC), wherein each TEC comprises:
 a heat exchanger comprising a water inlet and a water outlet;   a thermoelectric module (TEM); and   a heat sink.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the TEU further comprises an auxiliary fan, positioned between the one or more TECs and the heat sinks and configured to cool the heat sinks. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the TEU is further configured to heat water flowing therethrough during a heating mode operation of the climate system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, the climate system is configured to be switched from a cooling mode to the heating mode by changing current flow through the TEU. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the system further comprises a radiator. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the hydraulic system comprises a valve, wherein during a cooling mode of the system, the valve is configured to control water flow from the water tank, via the TEU to the sprinkler tube, and wherein during a heating mode of the system, the valve is configured to draw water from the radiator, via the TEU and back to the radiator. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the TEU is a thermoelectric generator (TEG) and wherein the power generated by the TEG is powering at least a portion of the energy required by the system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is controllable via an application running on a remote computing device. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply is a DC power supply. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to provide feedback to the microcontroller. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a temperature sensor and wherein the microcontroller is configured to maintain a set/selected temperature based on the feedback from the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a water level indicator configured to determine a water level in the water tank. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a humidity sensor and wherein the microcontroller is configured to maintain a set/selected humidity, based on the feedback from the humidity sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling pads are honeycomb cooling pads. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , being configured to selectively operate in one of a cooling mode and a heating mode wherein the one or more fans comprise a one or more cooling mode fans positioned in proximity to the one or more cooling pads and one or more heating mode fans positioned in proximity to the radiator. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more cooling mode fans and the one or more heating mode fans each comprise an air intake. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , being devoid of an external unit.