US 5,212,956 A · Method and apparatus for gas cooling

Abstract

A low energy consumption apparatus and method for treating a gas in which a main gas stream is cooled and heat is transferred by convection to a liquid and to a secondary gas stream across a heat transfer surface. Liquid evaporates into the secondary stream. A total gas stream is subjected to initial sensible cooling along a moisture impervious surface of a heat exchange element. A secondary gas stream is diverted from the total discharge from the initial cooling stage and is directed counterflow to the total stream at the opposite absorbent surface of the heat exchange element to cause heating and humidification of the secondary stream. The remaining cooled stream which is the primary stream is subjected to sorbent treatment in an absorbent media to heat and dehumidify the stream. The primary gas flow is subjected to a final treatment stage similar to the initial heat exchange treatment. Condensate may be removed from the saturated or near-saturated secondary flow. The primary flow may also be subjected to intermediate cooling treatment. The initial and final dry cooling stages preferably include an adiabatic cooling zone. The secondary flow from the initial heat exchanger may be subdivided into two streams, one is dehumidified in the sorbtion device by an auxiliary heater and is used for regeneration of the absorbent media and the other is used to cool the primary air stream.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A cooling system for cooling a gas and supplying it to an environmentally cooled zone, said system comprising:

(a) a primary heat exchanger having a dry cooling channel and an adjacent humidification and heating wet channel;
(b) a gas mover having an inlet connected to a source of gas to be treated and a discharge communicating with said dry cooling channel directing a total gas flow to said dry cooling channel;
(c) means for directing a portion of the total gas flow exiting the dry cooling channel countercurrently through said adjacent humidification and heating wet channel in a secondary air stream to heat and humifify the secondary air stream and to simultaneously establish a separate primary cooled supply gas flow;
(d) adsorber means having adsorptive media associated therewith and communicating with said dry channel to receive said primary cooled supply gas flow;
and
(e) means for selectively regenerating said adsorber means.

3 more elements

A process for treating a total stream of air to condition the same to provide a cooled supply air to a cooled area, said process comprising:

(a) providing a total air supply from a primary air mover which total air supply is selected from ambient air, cooled supply air and return air from the cooled area;
(b) treating the total air stream in an adsorber to dehumidify and cool the total air stream by contacting the air with an adsorbent material;
(c) treating the dehumidified total air stream in an initial heat exchange chamber by flowing the total air along a first moisture-impervious surface to extract heat at substantially constant moisture conditions to produce a sensibly dry cooled air;
(d) diverting a portion of the total stream of sensibly dry cooled air to establish an intermediate sensibly cooled stream;
(e) treating the remaining total air stream in an adiabatic cooling zone in the initial heat exchange zone and thereafter dividing the remaining total air stream into a primary and secondary air flow;
(f) directing the secondary air flow in a secondary heat exchange zone countercurrently to the total air stream along an absorbent surface adjacent said first moisture-impervious surface in heat exchange relationship with said total air flow to heat and humidify said secondary air flow;
(g) directing at least a portion of the primary stream of dry cooled air to the area to be cooled;
and
(h) periodically regenerating the adsorbent material.

6 more elements

A regenerative air cooling system for providing cooled air to a cooled area having a return, said system having a cooling mode and a regenerative mode and comprising:

(a) a primary heat exchanger having a housing with a heat exchange element having a first moisture-impervious surface and a second opposite absorber surface, said heat exchange element extending in said housing and defining therewith a dry pre-cooling channel adjacent said first surface and a humidification and heating wet channel adjacent said second surface;
(b) air mover means for directing total air flow through said dry channel to cool same;
(c) means for directing part of the total air flow exiting said initial dry pre-cooling channel countercurrently through said heating and humidification channel of said initial heat exchanger in a secondary air stream to heat and humidify same and for establishing a separate primary cooled air flow to be directed to the cooled area;
(d) regenerative adsorption means intermediate said air mover and said primary heat exchanger, said regenerative adsorption means having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being in selective communication with said air mover during cooling and said outlet communicating with the inlet to said primary heat exchanger during cooling, said regenerative adsorber having first heat exchange means and second heat exchange means, said regenerative adsorption means further including dehumidification means;
and
(e) control means for directing cooling fluid to said first and second heat exchange means and supply air from said inlet to said outlet during the cooling mode of operation and for directing heat to said second heat exchange means and for directing air reversely through said heat exchanger from said outlet to said inlet during the regeneration mode of operation.

3 more elements

A process for treating a total stream of air to condition same to cool same for supply to a temperature controlled area including:

(a) directing air to be treated to a regenerative adsorption unit with an inlet and outlet having first stage and second stage heat exchange element and dehumidification means to cool and dehumidify the supply air stream;
(b) directing the discharge from the regenerative adsorption unit to an initial heat exchange zone and flowing the air along a first moisture-impervious surface to extract heat at substantially constant moisture conditions to produce a dry cooled air in the first stage;
(c) diverting a portion of the total stream of the dry cooled air to establish a secondary air flow and a primary air flow;
(d) directing the secondary air flow in a secondary heat exchange zone countercurrently to the total air stream along an absorbent surface adjacent said first moisture-impervious surface in heat exchange relationship with said total flow to heat and humidify said secondary air flow;
(e) directing the primary stream of dry cooled air to the temperature controlled zone;
and
(f) periodically regenerating said regenerative adsorption unit to reactivate the dehumidification means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for gas cooling

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for gas cooling

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26