US 4,201,262 A · Cooler for chilling a working fluid

Abstract

A cooler for chilling a working fluid used in a manufacturing or production process comprised of a tank having a reservoir in the bottom and one or more cooling coils mounted above the reservoir. A metering plate is inserted in the tank above the cooling coils to distribute the working fluid to be cooled over the refrigerant-containing coil at a predetermined rate. The metering plate has a plurality of tapered metering holes in a circular pattern aligned with each coil of the cooling coils mounted in the tank. The metering holes evenly distribute the hot working fluid over the cooling coils. Distribution and overflow barriers are provided on the metering plate to provide a constant maximum flow of hot working fluid through the cooling tank. Refrigerant is pumped through the cooling coils from the bottom to the top in a counterflow action with respect to the hot working fluid to be cooled. With proper selection of the metering holes, distribution and overflow barriers on the metering plate the cooler can be constructed to automatically maintain a predetermined amount of cooling.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A cooler for extracting heat from a working fluid comprising:

a tank;
a reservoir at the bottom of said tank;
a plurality of cooling coils mounted in said tank;
an inlet for delivering a working fluid to be cooled in said tank;
metering means for metering the flow of working fluid over said cooling coils;
said metering means comprising a circular plate having a plurality of metering holes aligned with the respective coils in said plurality of cooling coils;
distribution control means for controlling the distribution of working fluid evenly over said metering plate;
said distribution control means comprising an overflow hole in the center of said metering plate;
an overflow barrier around said overflow hole;
a distribution barrier on said plate between said overflow barrier and said metering holes said inlet positioned to deliver working fluid onto said metering plate between said overflow barrier and said distribution barrier;
said overflow barrier having a predetermined height greater than the height of said distribution barrier whereby said working fluid flows through said inlet onto said metering plate and flows at a substantially even rate through all the metering holes.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cooler for chilling a working fluid

Life of this patent

Cooler for chilling a working fluid

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14