# US 2014/0196487 A1 · Cooling system and methods thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196487 A1 - Document ID: US20140196487A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/157,075 - Filed: 2014-01-16 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16 - Assignees: CIM-Tech, Inc. - Applicants: CIM-Tech, Inc. - Inventors: Rudy C. Tolkamp; Brian P. Greubel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196487A1 ## CPC - F24F 6/12: by forming water dispersions in the air - C21B 7/10: Cooling; Devices therefor - F27B 1/10: Details, accessories or equipment specially adapted for furnaces of these types - F27B 1/24: Cooling arrangements - F27D 1/12: incorporating cooling arrangements - F27D 9/00: Cooling of furnaces or of charges therein (casings, linings, walls or roofs incorporating cooling arrangements F27D1/12) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - C21B: MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL (preliminary treatment of ferrous ores or scrap C22B1/00) - F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS - F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE ## Abstract Cooling system and method suitable for cooling a blast furnace with a cooling fluid during its operation. The cooling system includes a source of a gaseous fluid that feeds the gaseous fluid to multiple flow paths. A liquid is atomized into each of the multiple flow paths, within which the atomized liquid is mixed with the gaseous fluid to form a mist. The system further includes means for selectively closing each of the multiple flow paths while at least one other of the multiple flow paths remains open. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cooling system comprising: at least one source of a gaseous fluid that feeds the gaseous fluid to multiple flow paths; at least one source of a liquid; means for atomizing the liquid and introducing the atomized liquid into each of the multiple flow paths, within which the atomized liquid is mixed with the gaseous fluid to form a mist within each of the multiple flow paths; and means for selectively closing and isolating a portion of each of the multiple flow paths while at least one other of the multiple flow paths remains open, the closing and isolating means providing for cleaning, repair, or removal from the cooling system of a corresponding one of the atomizing means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising means for regulating the flow of the gaseous fluid and the liquid within the multiple flow paths. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the gaseous fluid is dry nitrogen and the liquid is water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the water is at least about 140 kPa greater than the pressure of the nitrogen in the cooling system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the atomizing means is an atomizing spray nozzle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising means for separating the gaseous fluid from a single flow path into each of the multiple flow paths. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising means for separating the liquid from a single flow path into each of the multiple flow paths. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising means for combining the mists within the multiple flow paths into a single flow path. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cooling system is a unitary assembly adapted to be installed as an entire unit in a process apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the process apparatus is a blast furnace and the cooling system is installed to provide the mist to the blast furnace during operation thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method of repairing or replacing a component along an individual flow path of the multiple flow paths of the cooling system of claim 1, the method comprising: isolating the individual flow path from other flow paths of the multiple flow paths by preventing the liquid and the gaseous fluid from entering the individual flow path with the closing and isolating means; and cleaning, repairing or replacing the component of the individual flow path. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the closing and isolating means comprises intake valves associated with the individual flow path. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising regulating the flow of the gaseous fluid and the liquid within the multiple flow paths. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the gaseous fluid is dry nitrogen and the liquid is water. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the pressure of the water is at least about 140 kPa greater than the pressure of the nitrogen in the cooling system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising separating the gaseous fluid from a single flow path into each of the multiple flow paths. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising separating the liquid from a single flow path into each of the multiple flow paths. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising combining the mists within the multiple flow paths into a single flow path. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising installing the cooling system is a unitary assembly in a process apparatus. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the process apparatus is a blast furnace and the cooling system operates to provide the mist to the blast furnace during operation thereof.