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US 8,408,015 B2Granted
Cooling recovery system and method
OwnerScot M. Duncaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooling recover system and method are disclosed. A fluid, such as water, is chilled and provided to a cooling coil to cool and dehumidify air passing over the cooling coil. The fluid is output from the cooling coil through an outlet, and at least a portion of the fluid from the outlet of the cooling coil is provided to an inlet of a heat transfer coil to reheat air passing over the heat transfer coil. The fluid is warmed as it passes through the cooling coil, which warmer temperature serves to reheat the air passing over the heat transfer coil.
Claims16
A system comprising:
- a first heat transfer coil disposed such that an air stream contacts the first heat transfer coil, the first heat transfer coil comprising a first heat transfer coil input for receiving a liquid-phase fluid and a first heat transfer coil output for discharging the liquid-phase fluid, the received liquid-phase fluid having a first received fluid temperature, the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet having a first discharged fluid temperature;
- a second heat transfer coil disposed such that the air stream contacts the second heat transfer coil after contacting the first heat transfer coil, the second heat transfer coil comprising a second heat transfer coil input for receiving the liquid-phase fluid and a second heat transfer coil output for discharging the liquid-phase fluid, the received liquid-phase fluid having a second received fluid temperature, the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet having a second discharged fluid temperature;
- first piping to deliver at least some of the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet to the second heat transfer coil input;
- at least one first flow control valve for controlling a first amount of the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet that passes to the second heat transfer coil input;
- second piping to receive the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet, and return the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet to the first heat transfer coil input after the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet has been exposed to at least a cooling plant;
- at least one second flow control valve for controlling a flow rate of the liquid-phase fluid into the first heat transfer coil input after the liquid-phase fluid has passed through the cooling plant;
- and
- a control system configured to actuate the at least one first flow control valve and the at least one second flow control valve, the actuating of the at least one first flow control valve and the at least one second flow control valve comprising:
- when at least one of a humidity of the air stream and a demand of a conditioned space receiving at least part of the air stream require dehumidification of the air stream, selectively modulating the at least one second control valve to control flow of the liquid-phase fluid from the cooling plant into the first heat transfer coil input such that a first air stream temperature of the air stream after the air stream contacts the first heat transfer coil is reduced to an air temperature at which water is removed from the air stream to dehumidify and cool the air stream, and also selectively modulating the at least one first flow control valve to control flow of the liquid-phase fluid exiting the first heat transfer coil outlet into the inlet of the second heat transfer coil to cause heat to be transferred to the dehumidified and cooled air stream from the liquid-phase fluid and to thereby lower a cooling demand of the cooling plant while reheating the dehumidified and cooled air stream.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- contacting an air stream with a first heat transfer coil, the first heat transfer coil comprising a first heat transfer coil input for receiving a liquid-phase fluid and a first heat transfer coil output for discharging the liquid-phase fluid, the received liquid-phase fluid having an first received fluid temperature, the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet having a first discharged fluid temperature;
- contacting the air stream with a second heat transfer coil after contacting the first heat transfer coil, the second heat transfer coil comprising a second heat transfer coil input for receiving the liquid-phase fluid and a second heat transfer coil output for discharging the liquid-phase fluid, the received liquid-phase fluid having a second received fluid temperature, the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet having a second discharged fluid temperature;
- delivering, via first piping, at least some of the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet to the second heat transfer coil input;
- controlling, using at least one first flow control valve, a first amount of the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet that passes to the second heat transfer coil input;
- receiving, via second piping, the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet, and return the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet to the first heat transfer coil input after the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet has been exposed to at least a cooling plant;
- controlling, using at least one second flow control valve, a flow rate of the liquid-phase fluid into the first heat transfer coil input after the liquid-phase fluid has passed through the cooling plant;
- and
- actuating the at least one first flow control valve and the at least one second flow control valve, the actuating of the at least one first flow control valve and the at least one second flow control valve comprising:
- when at least one of a humidity of the air stream and a demand of a conditioned space receiving at least part of the air stream require dehumidification of the air stream, selectively modulating the at least one second control valve to control flow of the liquid-phase fluid from the cooling plant into the first heat transfer coil input such that a first air stream temperature of the air stream after the air stream contacts the first heat transfer coil is reduced to an air temperature at which water is removed from the air stream to dehumidify and cool the air stream, and also selectively modulating the at least one first flow control valve to control flow of the liquid-phase fluid exiting the first heat transfer coil outlet into the inlet of the second heat transfer coil to cause heat to be transferred to the dehumidified and cooled air stream from the liquid-phase fluid and to thereby lower a cooling demand of the cooling plant while reheating the dehumidified and cooled air stream.
6 more elements
A system comprising:
- means for contacting an air stream with a first heat transfer coil, the first heat transfer coil comprising a first heat transfer coil input for receiving a liquid-phase fluid and a first heat transfer coil output for discharging the liquid-phase fluid, the received liquid-phase fluid having an first received fluid temperature, the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet having a first discharged fluid temperature;
- means for contacting the air stream with a second heat transfer coil after contacting the first heat transfer coil, the second heat transfer coil comprising a second heat transfer coil input for receiving the liquid-phase fluid and a second heat transfer coil output for discharging the liquid-phase fluid, the received liquid-phase fluid having a second received fluid temperature, the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet having a second discharged fluid temperature;
- means for delivering at least some of the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet to the second heat transfer coil input;
- means for first controlling a first amount of the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the first heat transfer coil outlet that passes to the second heat transfer coil input;
- means for receiving the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet, and returning the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet to the first heat transfer coil input after the liquid-phase fluid discharged from the second heat transfer coil outlet has been exposed to at least a cooling plant;
- means for second controlling a flow rate of the liquid-phase fluid into the first heat transfer coil input after the liquid-phase fluid has passed through the cooling plant;
- and
- means for actuating the means for first controlling and the means for second controlling, the means for actuating performing functions comprising, when at least one of a humidity of the air stream and a demand of a conditioned space receiving at least part of the air stream require dehumidification of the air stream, selectively modulating the means for first controlling to control flow of the liquid-phase fluid from the cooling plant into the first heat transfer coil input such that a first air stream temperature of the air stream after the air stream contacts the first heat transfer coil is reduced to an air temperature at which water is removed from the air stream to dehumidify and cool the air stream, and also selectively modulating the means for second controlling to control flow of the liquid-phase fluid exiting the first heat transfer coil outlet into the inlet of the second heat transfer coil to cause heat to be transferred to the dehumidified and cooled air stream from the liquid-phase fluid and to thereby lower a cooling demand of the cooling plant while reheating the dehumidified and cooled air stream.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.