Cooling systems and related method

A method of cooling using a cooling system comprising a steam turbine, a condenser that receives a flow of steam from the steam turbine, an evaporator, a reservoir disposed in the evaporator, a circulation loop, and a heat exchanger, wherein the reservoir comprises a refrigerant and an anti-freeze additive, the anti-freeze additive characterized by a lower critical solution temperature (LCST), the method comprising:

• selectively supplying a cooling fluid from the reservoir to the circulation loop, such that when a reservoir operating temperature is greater than the LCST, a first mixture of the cooling fluid comprising the refrigerant and less than 5 weight percent of the anti-freeze additive is supplied to the circulation loop;
• and when the reservoir operating temperature is lower than the LCST, a second mixture of the cooling fluid comprising the refrigerant and between about 5 weight percent and about 60 weight percent of the anti-freeze additive is supplied to the circulation loop;
• operating an agitator disposed within the reservoir to mix the refrigerant and the anti-freeze additive when the reservoir operating temperature is less than the LCST and turning off the agitator when the reservoir operating temperature is greater the LCST;
• circulating the cooling fluid via the circulation loop from the reservoir to the heat exchanger by opening one of a first outlet valve or a second outlet valve and leaving the other of the first outlet valve or the second outlet valve closed, the first outlet valve fluidly coupled to a first outlet that is disposed proximate to a top end of the reservoir, the second outlet valve fluidly coupled to a second outlet that is disposed proximate to a bottom end of the reservoir, wherein the first outlet valve is open and the second outlet valve is closed when the reservoir operating temperature is greater than the LCST, wherein the first outlet valve is closed and the second outlet valve is open when the reservoir operating temperature is less than the LCST, and wherein the cooling fluid exchanges heat with the flow of steam within the condenser via the heat exchanger;
• and
• circulating the cooling fluid from the heat exchanger to the reservoir via the circulation loop.

An absorption cycle apparatus, comprising:

• a steam turbine;
• a condenser that receives a flow of steam from the steam turbine;
• and
• an evaporator;
• a reservoir disposed in the evaporator and configured to selectively supply a cooling fluid, the reservoir including a first outlet disposed proximate a top end of the reservoir and a second outlet disposed proximate a bottom end of the reservoir, the first outlet fluidly coupled to a first outlet valve and the second outlet fluidly coupled to a second outlet valve, wherein the reservoir comprises a refrigerant and an anti-freeze additive, the anti-freeze additive characterized by a lower critical solution temperature (LCST), wherein the first outlet valve is configured to open and the second outlet valve is configured to close when a reservoir operating temperature is greater than the LCST, wherein the first outlet valve is configured to close and the second outlet valve is configured to open when the reservoir operating temperature is less than the LCST;
• a circulation loop fluidly coupled to the reservoir, and configured to circulate the cooling fluid to and from the reservoir;
• an agitator disposed within the reservoir and configured to mix the refrigerant and the anti-freeze additive when the reservoir operating temperature is less than the LCST, and wherein the agitator is configured to turn off when the reservoir operating temperature is greater the LCST;
• and
• a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the circulation loop and configured to exchange heat between the cooling fluid and the flow of steam in the condenser;
• wherein when the reservoir operating temperature is greater than the LCST, the reservoir is configured to supply a first mixture of the cooling fluid comprising the refrigerant and less than 5 weight percent of the anti-freeze additive to the circulation loop;
• and when the reservoir operating temperature is lower than the LCST, the reservoir is configured to supply a second mixture of the cooling fluid comprising the refrigerant and between about 5 weight percent and about 60 weight percent of the anti-freeze additive to the circulation loop;
• and
• an absorber in fluid communication with the evaporator.