Title of Invention

AN EVAPORATIVE COOLING APPARATUS

Abstract

An evaporative cooling apparatus to provide a cool and humid environment to silkworm seed cocoons.This invention relates to an evaporative cooling apparatus to provide a cool and humid environment to silkworm seed cocoons comprising a cocoon preservation stand, a frame mounted on said stand for holding an evaporation surface, a water distributor disposed above of said frame for supply of water onto said frame, said water distributor adapted to be connected to a water supply.

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to an evaporative cooling apparatus to provide a cool and humid environment to silkworm seed cocoons. EXISTING STATE OF ART The most commonly used conventional methods for silkworm seed cocoon preservation during summer are as follows: 1. Sand beds of about 6" thick are prepared on the floor of the seed cocoon preservation rooms which are maintained in wet condition by manual sprinkling of water frequently. 2. Gunny curtains are arranged to the doors and windows of the seed cocoon preservation rooms which are maintained in wet condition by frequent spraying of water using a sprayer or by manual means. 3. Anti - radiation measures like application of straw material on the roof of the building, providing shade to the walls of the cocoon preservation rooms are practiced during summer months. In addition to the above conventional methods, some of the seed production centres afford to maintain air conditioners and humidifiers in cocoon preservation rooms during summer months. DRAWBACKS IN THE EXISTING STATE OF ART The sand bed is a poor absorbent of water, it has only one surface (upper) exposed to air, and hence the evaporation of water is low resuhing in a poor evaporative cooling effect. The horizontal cooling element (wet sand beds) cannot uniformly and effectively influence the seed cocoons which are placed in vertical dimension i.e. preserved in different layers/tiers one over the other up to a height of 6 fl. from the wet sand bed. This is a due to the fact that, the cool and humid air is always heavier in weight than the hot and dry air, hence it always settles at the bottom and weakens vertically. As a result seed cocoons preserved in upper layers receive less cooling and humidity as compared to their counter parts on the bottom layers. Horizontal location of the wet sand beds hampers hygiene in the preservation room, as it acts as a seat of pathogen accumulation. Maintenance of wet gunny curtains and wet sand beds is a laborious process which demands exclusive man power. The wet gunny curtains arranged to doors and windows dry up very fast hence need frequent wetting and hence highly laborious. Despite hampering the hygiene, these curtains can exhibit only a mild influence on the seed cocoons under preservation due to their distant placement. The anti-radiation measures can reduce the temperature to some extent but have no influence on the relative humidity in the cocoon preservation room. Despite huge investment and maintenance costs air conditioners can influence only temperature but not humidity. Hence separate methods should be adopted to improve humidity. Power interruptions and failures which are common in rural sectors during summer imposes heavy expenditures on generators and drastically escalates the cost of production of silkworm eggs. Due to the lack of feasible low cost technology, the above conventional methods are being invariably used by the silkworm seed producers to protect the seed cocoons during preservation in summer months. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to propose a low cost, versatile evaporative cooling apparatus which can provide a cool and humid environment to silkworm seed cocoons during their preservation in hot and dry seasons. A further object of this invention is to propose an evaporative cooling apparatus which protects the pupal health and to prevent the preservation mehage of silkworm seed cocoons during summer at a low cost, with less man power and without electricity. A still further object of this invention is to propose an evaporative cooling apparatus which reduces labour intensive and expensive conventional practices associated with seed cocoon preservation and to reduce the cost of production of silkworm eggs. Yet a further object of this invention is to propose an evaporative cooling apparatus which improves the quality and quantity of silkworm eggs in summer months contributing to the higher productivity. DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION According to this invention there is provided an evaporative cooling apparatus to provide a cool and humid environment to silkworm seed cocoons comprising a cocoon preservation stand, a frame mounted on said stand for holding an evaporation surface, a water distributor disposed above of said frame for supply of water onto said frame, said water distributor adapted to be connected to a water supply. Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and wherein: Figs. 1A to ID illustrate the skeletal frame; Fig. 2 illustrates the evaporative member on the skeletal frame; Fig. 3 shows the water distributor means; and Fig. 4 shows the apparatus. Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a skeletal frame A to consist of a) Supporting frame B and b) Cocoon preservation stand C. The supporting frame is prepared by welding 10 mn2 iron rods as per the shape upper end to a hanger A consists of vertical rods Al welded at the rod A2 having two metal rings A3 on either side of said hanger rod. Plastic threads A4 are stiffly tied on a supporting base frame A5 and equal distances as shown in Fig. IB. Base frame A5 is welded to the lower end of vertical rods Al. The cocoon preservations stand B is made of IronAVooden as shown in Fig.lC or its equivalents which are commonly used in seed production centres can be used for the purpose. The supporting frame A is placed on the top of the cocoon preservation stand B and the contact points are tied securely using a plastic thread. The two components arranged as above constitute the skeletal frame as shown in Fig. ID. The supporting frame A aids in holding the evaporation surface D in position so that it assumes a specific shape covering the skeletal frame as shown in Fig. 2. While the preservation stand provides the space ft)r the preservation of seed cocoons. The evaporation surface D comprises a gunny cloth curtain that covers the skeletal frame B on its front, top and back; while the sides E being open (uncovered ) to permit aeration. After installation, it assumes the shape of a multi-planar structure consisting of two vertical planes F and two inclined planes G. A minimum angle of 145° between each vertical plane and its corresponding inclined plane is maintained for balanced spreading of water on the evaporation surface. The gunny cloth G should be either thick or double layered on inclined planes to avoid water seepage inside the appliance. The bidirectional drip emittor assemblage of Fig. 3 ensures a balanced and regulatable delivery of water in the form of drops on the peak of the evaporation surface G so as to wet the entire surface and to maintain it in moist condition. It consists of a metal seating plate HI with side hooks H2 on either side on which a drip tube H3 is mounted using suitable clamps H4. One end of drip tube H3 is fitted with a connector H5 through which water enters, while the other end is fitted with an end cap H6. Drip emitters H7 are inserted on the drip tube, two on either side in opposite directions. The delivery point of the emitter is always right angles to seating plat HI. A clinical infusion set H8 is taken and distal end is connected to the joiner H5 of the drip tube H3 where as the proximal end is connected to a filter H9 and regulator HIO. The water supply system comprises a water storage drum I kept in an eleyated place above the peak of the apparatus. A drip tube 5 is drawn from storage drum I to r each the apparatus installed in the seed cocoon preservation room, and its end is connected to the water distributor. OPERATION OF THE EVAPORATIVE COOLING APPARATUS 1) The seed cocoons are accommodated in the preservation space of the apparatus; 2) The water storage drum I is filled with water; 3) The Joint near the petrol filter H9 is detached and the water is gently sucked. 4) The air in the water supply tube is allowed to expel completely and the fi"ee flow of water is ensured. 5) At this stage the Joint is replaced to its original position. 6) The regulator HIO is opened to allow the flow of water in the entire system, and subsequently delivery of the same through all the emitters H7 in the form of drops. 7) When the wetness of the evaporation surface D reaches to about half of its height, the delivery speed of water is reduced considerably, so that the entire surface turns wet gradually without seeping water at the bottom. 8) At this stage an appropriate delivery speed can be judged visually and set. The appropriate delivery speed is one which keeps the evaporation surface in moist condition consistently without allowing water seepage at the bottom. 9) The system may be operated during the crucial periods of the day time when the Temp is high and RH is Low ; While during the non crucial periods especially nights, the water flow is stopped. This practice not only improves the durability of gunny material but also saves water. 10) To stimulate the silkworm moth emergence, it is a common practice that the cocoon preservation room is illuminated and the light is allowed to fall on the seed cocoons. In the present system, the evaporation surface D which is covering the cocoon preservation stand is swept aside on the front and the back so that incident light is allowed for the purpose. After picking all the emerged moths, the gunny curtains D are adjusted to their original position. TABLE:1 Comparative efficiency of E.C-Appiiance and conventional methods in improving the Temperature and Relative humidity In cocoon preservation rooms during peak summer Values are mean of 30 observations recorded during peak sumnner, and rounded off to the nearest l" C and 5% of Temp and RH respectively. Normal condition Cocoon preservation room with anti radiation measures alone (protection of walls and roof of the room from direct sun light) Conventional practice : Cocoon preservation room with antI radition measures, wet sand beds on the floor, wet gunny curtains to the windows & doors and watering on the roof. E.C-Appllance Preservation of seed cocoons In E.C-Appllance without any conventional practice. The data presented in table 1 shows the conditions of Temp and RH in the cocoon preservation space with and without adopting the conventional methods and evaporative cooling appliance (E.C - Appliance during peak summer season). Silkworm seed cocoons require an optimal climate of 25° c Temp and 70% RH during preservation to conserve the health of pupae so that the moths will be healthy, emerge uniformly, pair effectively and lay quality eggs. High Temp (31-35°C) and low RH (35-60%) which pervail during summer months invariably affects the quality of seed cocoons during preservation (5-7 days) by inducing physiological perturbations and desiccation of pupae. The major damage occurs during peak hours of the day time when the Temp shoots up to 35° c (Max) and RH comes down to 35% (Min) creating an acute hot and dry climate in the cocoon preservation room. Due to this adverse effect, the pupae become weak, loose vigor resulting in the loss of seed cocoons in the form of preservation meltage. The survived pupae lay less number of eggs, with high percent of unfertilized eggs and dead eggs hampering the quality and quantity of silkworm seed (eggs). Hence, the silk worm egg producers adopt different conventional methods in summer months (as explained in Annexure 8) with the main aim of reducing the Temp and increasing the RH as far as possible towards the optimal climatic conditions required for the purpose, so that the seed cocoons are protected from the climatic extremities especially during peak hot and dry hours. By following the laborious conventional methods, the Temp in the preservation space could be brought down from 31-35° c (Min-Max) to 29-32° C and the RH could be increased from 35-60% (Min-Max) to 50-65% achieving an improvement of 2-3° c and 5-15% of Temp and RH respectively as compared to the normal conditions. Further, the conventional methods carry several disadvantages as described hereinabove. In contrast, by using the present apparatus, the Temp and RH in the preservation space could be improved more effectively, at a low cost and less ease as compared to the conventional practices, so that a Temp of 28-30° C and RH of 60-70% could be achieved, and in addition, the disadvantages connected with the conventional practices could be totally eradicated. Table : II denotes the efficiency of the present apparatus in minimizing the cocoon melting % during the preservation in summer months; and also on the qualitative and quantitative improvement of silkworm eggs generated from these cocoons as compared to those preserved under conventional methods. The cocoon melting % of the Multivoltine (M.S.C.) and Bivoltine (B.S.C.) seed cocoons was minimized by 5.4% and 8.1% respectively, which is an indication of better protection of the heahh of the living pupae present in the seed cocoons. The data shown that, the recovery % of DFLs (Disease Free Layings) Over the M.S.C. was increased by 3.8% resulting in an increase of net recovery of DFLs by 21.0%. Further, a better configuration of qualitative parameters like higher Fecundity, low % of unfertilized and dead eggs was observed with E.C - Appliance method over the conventional practice (Table:II). As the Multivoltine and Bivoltine seed cocoons act as the female and male parents respectively for the generation of cross breed silkworm eggs, it can be envisaged from the results that, the protection of their health with E.C-Appliance was reflected in the generation of a better quality and quantity of silkwom eggs during summer. TABLE : II Impact of Seed Cocoon preservation in E.C-Appliance on " The Qualitative and Quantitative aspects of Silkworm Egg Productivity during Summer". Values are IVIean of 6 observations. Student T-test: statistical significance *: P Fecundity : Total No. of eggs laid by a silk moth DFL : Disease free laying (a unit of egg mass free from pathogens). WE CLAIM; 1. An evaporative cooling apparatus to provide a cool and humid environment to silkworm seed cocoons comprising a cocoon preservation stand, a frame mounted on said stand for holding an evaporation surface, a water distributor disposed above of said frame for supply of water onto said frame, said water distributor adapted to be connected to a water supply. 2. An evaporative cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said water distributor comprises a drip tube mounted on a seating plate, a plurality of drip emittors provided with said drip tube. 3. An evaporative cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said water distributor includes a water regulator connected to the inlet end of said drip tube. 4. An evaporative cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said evaporation surface comprises a gunny curtain. 5. An evaporative cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said evaporation surface is disposed along the vertical plane and on opposite sides of said stand and extends upwardly along an inclined plane and an opposite sides of said frame. 6. An evaporative cooling apparatus to provide a cool and humid environment to silkworm seed cocoons substantially as herein described and illustrated.

Documents:

0370-mas-2001 abstract.pdf

0370-mas-2001 claims-duplicate.pdf

0370-mas-2001 claims.pdf

0370-mas-2001 correspondence-others.pdf

0370-mas-2001 correspondence-po.pdf

0370-mas-2001 description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

0370-mas-2001 description (complete).pdf

0370-mas-2001 drawings.pdf

0370-mas-2001 form-1.pdf

0370-mas-2001 form-18.pdf

0370-mas-2001 form-26.pdf