Hybrid Evaporative-Radiative Cooling Panels for Efficient Air Conditioning/Refrigeration

Hybrid evaporative and radiative cooling panel systems having increased cooling efficiency while minimizing water consumption are provided. The disclosed hybrid systems include a cooling panel that enables the improved cooling and water consumption via a reflector layer which reflects solar radiation, an evaporative and infrared-emitting layer that is solar-transparent and water-rich, and an insulation layer that is vapor-permeable. infrared-transparent. and solar-reflecting. The cooling panel is configured to be in fluid communication with a heat exchanger. The cooling panel is further configured to cool a heat transfer fluid by way of both evaporative cooling and radiative cooling. The cooling panel is also configured such that the heat transfer fluid passes at least one of through or across the cooling panel and flows to the heat exchanger. Various configurations of such panels and panel systems. and methods of implementing the principles associated with the same. are also disclosed.