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US 6,640,575 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for closed circuit cooling tower with corrugated metal tube elements
OwnerMac Wordinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A closed circuit cooling tower for evaporative fluid cooler applications such as water-cooled residential and commercial air conditioning, geothermal cooling supplementation, and process cooling applications. Corrugated metal tubes are used for heat transfer to permit mechanical de-fouling, such as flexing the tubes. The cooling tower may operate at high dissolved solids, or gray water may be used in order to reduce water consumption. The cooling tower is lightweight and modular to permit retrofitting of existing rooftop air conditioning systems so that efficient evaporative cooling may be used to lower energy costs.
Claims32
A heat exchange system for extracting heat from a process fluid comprising:
- a plurality of heat sources;
- and
- at least one cooling tower, such that the cooling tower removes heat from more than one associated heat source, each cooling tower comprising
- a housing;
- a process fluid inlet manifold;
- a process fluid outlet manifold;
- a process fluid circuit for each heat source associated with the cooling tower, the fluid circuit comprising inlet piping to deliver process fluid from the heat source to the inlet manifold, and outlet piping to deliver process fluid from the outlet manifold to the heat source;
- a plurality of corrugated metal heat transfer tubes, such that each tube has a first end connected to the inlet manifold, and a second end connected to the outlet manifold;
- a process fluid pumping means for forcing the process fluid from a heat source, through the inlet piping means, through the inlet manifold, through the heat transfer tubes, through the outlet manifold, and through the outlet piping means back to the heat source;
- an evaporative coolant system comprising
- an evaporative coolant supply to the cooling tower,
- an evaporative coolant sump positioned within the housing,
- an evaporative coolant distribution means for distributing evaporative coolant onto the heat transfer tubes,
- an evaporative coolant pumping means for delivering coolant from the sump to the coolant distribution means;
- an air distribution system comprising
- an air inlet for introducing air into the housing,
- an air exit for exhausting air from the housing, and
- an air moving device for forcing air across the heat transfer tubes;
- and
- at least one process fluid pump, such that the pump forces the process fluid from the heat sources, through the inlet piping means, through the inlet manifold, through the heat transfer tubes, through the outlet manifold, and through the outlet piping means back to the heat source.
17 more elements
An indirect evaporative cooling tower for extracting heat from a process fluid, the cooling tower comprising:
- a non-metallic housing;
- at least one process fluid circuit comprising an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold;
- inlet piping from at least one heat source to deliver process fluid from the heat source to the inlet manifold;
- outlet piping from the outlet manifold to deliver process fluid from the outlet manifold to the heat source;
- a plurality of corrugated metal heat transfer tubes, such that each tube has a first end connected to the inlet manifold, and a second end connected to the outlet manifold;
- an evaporative coolant system comprising
- an evaporative coolant supply to the cooling tower,
- an evaporative coolant sump positioned within the housing, an evaporative coolant distribution means for distributing evaporative coolant onto the heat transfer tubes,
- an evaporative coolant pumping means for delivering coolant from the sump to the coolant distribution means;
- and
- an air distribution system comprising
- an air inlet for introducing air into the housing,
- an air exit for exhausting air from the housing, and
- an air moving device for forcing air across the heat transfer tubes.
11 more elements
A heat exchanger for an indirect evaporative cooling tower for extracting heat from a process fluid, the heat exchanger comprising:
- an inlet manifold;
- an outlet manifold;
- a plurality of corrugated metal heat transfer tubes, such that each tube has a first end connected to the inlet manifold, and a second end connected to the outlet manifold, such that the process fluid may be directed from the inlet manifold, through the tubes, to the outlet manifold, and such that an evaporative coolant and air may be introduced across the heat transfer tubes in order to provide evaporative cooling to the heat transfer tubes, and thereby cool the process fluid.
A heat exchange element for an indirect evaporative cooling tower for extracting heat from a process fluid, the heat exchange element comprising:
- a first end w with a threaded connection;
- a second end with a threaded connection;
- and
- a corrugated metal tube connecting the first end and the second end, such that the process fluid may be directed from the first end through the tube to the second end, and such that an evaporative coolant and air may be introduced across the tube in order to provide evaporative cooling to the tube, and to thereby cool the process fluid.
1 more element
A water-cooled rooftop air conditioning system for a structure comprising:
- a plurality of air conditioning units, each unit comprising an evaporator coil located within the structure, and a compressor and a heat exchanger located on the rooftop, such that a refrigerant is compressed by the compressor, then flows through the heat exchanger, and is then expanded in the evaporator coil;
- at least one cooling tower, such that the cooling tower removes heat from more than one air conditioning unit, each cooling tower comprising
- a fiberglass housing;
- a process fluid inlet manifold;
- a process fluid outlet manifold;
- a process fluid circuit for each air conditioning unit associated with the cooling tower, the fluid circuit comprising inlet piping to deliver process fluid from the heat exchanger of the air conditioning unit to the inlet manifold, and outlet piping to deliver process fluid from the outlet manifold to the heat exchanger of the air conditioning unit;
- a plurality of corrugated stainless steel heat transfer tubes, such that each tube has a first end connected to the inlet manifold, and a second end connected to the outlet manifold;
- a process fluid pump for forcing the process fluid from a heat source, through the inlet piping means, through the inlet manifold, through the heat transfer tubes, through the outlet manifold, and through the outlet piping means back to the heat source;
- an evaporative coolant system comprising
- an evaporative coolant supply to the cooling tower, the evaporative coolant selected from the group consisting of water, gray water, or salt water,
- an evaporative coolant sump positioned within the housing, an evaporative coolant distribution means for distributing evaporative coolant onto the heat transfer tubes,
- an evaporative coolant pumping means for delivering coolant from the sump to the coolant distribution means;
- an air distribution system comprising
- an air inlet for introducing air into the housing, such that air may enter the housing through the vent, and such that sunlight may not enter the housing,
- an air exit for exhausting air from the housing, and
- at least one fan for forcing air across the heat transfer tubes;
- and
- at least one process fluid pump, such that the pump forces the process fluid from the heat sources, through the inlet piping means, through the inlet manifold,
- through the heat transfer tubes, through the outlet manifold, and through the outlet piping means back to the heat source.
16 more elements
A method of extracting heat from a plurality of heat sources associated with a cooling tower, the method comprising
- providing at least one closed process fluid loop between the heat sources and the cooling tower;
- and
- for each process fluid loop,
- directing a portion of the process fluid through a heat exchanger for each heat source thereby removing heat from the heat source,
- directing the process fluid through a plurality of corrugated metal heat transfer tubes within the cooling tower;
- and
- providing an evaporative coolant and forced air to the exterior of the corrugated metal heat transfer tubes and to other portions of the cooling tower in order to facilitate evaporative cooling within the cooling tower, thereby lowering the temperature of the process fluid flowing through the heat transfer tubes.
4 more elements
A method of indirect evaporative cooling for extracting heat from a process fluid, the method comprising
- directing the process fluid through a plurality of corrugated metal heat transfer tubes positioned within a housing;
- introducing air near the bottom of the housing and blowing the air upwards;
- and
- spraying an evaporative coolant onto to the exterior of the corrugated metal heat transfer tubes in order to facilitate evaporative cooling of the heat transfer tubes, thereby lowering the temperature of the process fluid flowing through the heat transfer tubes.
1 more element
A method of providing a water-cooled rooftop air conditioning system for a structure, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of air conditioning units, each unit comprising an evaporator coil located within the structure, and a compressor and a heat exchanger located on the rooftop;
- circulating a refrigerant such the refrigerant is compressed by the compressor, then flows through the heat exchanger, and is then expanded in the evaporator coil;
- providing at least one cooling tower, such that the cooling tower removes heat from more than one air conditioning unit;
- circulating a process fluid between each heat exchanger and a plurality of corrugated metal heat transfer tubes positioned within the cooling tower;
- and
- providing evaporative cooling to the heat transfer tubes.
3 more elements
A method of constructing a heat exchanger, the method comprising
- providing a first manifold;
- providing a second manifold;
- attaching the first end of a plurality of corrugated metal heat transfer tubes to the first manifold;
- and
- attaching the second end of a plurality of corrugated metal heat transfer tubes to the second manifold.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.