U.S. patent application number 14/172257 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-07 for cooling assembly and dehumidification method.
This patent application is currently assigned to ABB Oy. The applicant listed for this patent is ABB Oy. Invention is credited to Timo KOIVULUOMA, Jorma MANNINEN.
Application Number | 20140216069 14/172257 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47632914 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140216069 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KOIVULUOMA; Timo ; et
al. |
August 7, 2014 |
COOLING ASSEMBLY AND DEHUMIDIFICATION METHOD
Abstract
A cooling assembly includes a device chamber containing a device
chamber cooling medium, a heat exchanger including at least one
cooling surface in contact with the device chamber cooling medium,
a control unit configured to control the heat exchanger, a humidity
sensor configured to detect a humidity level in the device chamber,
and a receptacle. The control unit is configured to perform a
dehumidification operation as a response to the humidity level
exceeding a predetermined threshold value in the device chamber.
The dehumidification operation includes lowering a temperature of
the at least one cooling surface in order to condensate water from
the device chamber cooling medium on the at least one cooling
surface. The receptacle is configured to receive water dripping
from the at least one cooling surface.
Inventors: |
KOIVULUOMA; Timo; (Vantaa,
FI) ; MANNINEN; Jorma; (Vantaa, FI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ABB Oy |
Helsinki |
|
FI |
|
|
Assignee: |
ABB Oy
Helsinki
FI
|
Family ID: |
47632914 |
Appl. No.: |
14/172257 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/56 ;
62/176.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 29/00 20130101;
F24F 2003/1446 20130101; F24F 2013/227 20130101; H05K 7/20609
20130101; F24F 3/14 20130101; F24F 13/222 20130101; H05K 7/207
20130101; F25D 21/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/56 ;
62/176.1 |
International
Class: |
F25D 29/00 20060101
F25D029/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 4, 2013 |
EP |
13153815.9 |
Claims
1. A cooling assembly comprising: a device chamber containing a
device chamber cooling medium; heat exchanger means comprising at
least one cooling surface in contact with the device chamber
cooling medium; control means for controlling the heat exchanger
means; humidity sensor means for detecting a humidity level in the
device chamber; and a receptacle, wherein the control means is
configured to perform a dehumidification operation as a response to
the detected humidity level exceeding a predetermined threshold
value in the device chamber, wherein the dehumidification operation
comprises lowering a temperature of the at least one cooling
surface to condensate water from the device chamber cooling medium
on the at least one cooling surface, and wherein the receptacle is
configured to receive water dripping from the at least one cooling
surface.
2. A cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cooling
assembly comprises a discharge tube for discharging water from the
receptacle out of the device chamber.
3. A cooling assembly according to claim 2, wherein the discharge
tube has a capillary structure for discharging water from the
receptacle out of the device chamber.
4. A cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat
exchanger means comprise a device chamber cooling unit for
transferring heat out of the device chamber, the device chamber
cooling unit comprising a first portion located in the device
chamber and a second portion located outside the device chamber,
the first portion having a cooling surface in contact with the
device chamber cooling medium.
5. A cooling assembly according to claim 4, wherein the first
portion of the device chamber cooling unit is in an operating
situation located lower than the second portion of the device
chamber cooling unit.
6. A cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat
exchanger means comprise an internal heat exchanger unit for
transferring heat from a cooling surface of the internal heat
exchanger unit to elsewhere inside the device chamber.
7. A cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cooling
assembly further comprises heating means for heating the device
chamber, the heating means being spaced apart from the at least one
cooling surface, and wherein the dehumidification operation
comprises heating the device chamber cooling medium with the
heating means to evaporate moisture in the device chamber.
8. A cooling assembly according to claim 7, wherein the
dehumidification operation comprises alternately heating the device
chamber with the heating means and lowering a temperature of the at
least one cooling surface.
9. A cooling assembly according to claim 7, wherein the cooling
assembly further comprises device chamber fan means for
transferring the device chamber cooling medium from the heating
means to the at least one cooling surface.
10. A cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least
one cooling surface comprises a hydrophobic coating for
facilitating dripping of water from the at least one cooling
surface to the receptacle.
11. A cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least
one cooling surface comprises anti-bacterial material.
12. A cooling assembly according to claim 11, wherein an inner
surface of the receptacle comprises the anti-bacterial
material.
13. A cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein an inner
surface of the receptacle comprises anti-bacterial material.
14. A dehumidification method comprising: detecting a humidity
level in a device chamber containing a device chamber cooling
medium; as a response to the detected humidity level exceeding a
predetermined threshold value in the device chamber, lowering a
temperature of at least one cooling surface in contact with the
device chamber cooling medium to condensate water from the device
chamber cooling medium on the at least one cooling surface; and
collecting water dripping from the at least one cooling surface in
a receptacle.
15. A dehumidification method according to claim 14, comprising:
heating the device chamber cooling medium to evaporate moisture in
the device chamber, the heating being carried out at a distance
from the at least one cooling surface; and transferring the heated
device chamber cooling medium containing evaporated moisture to the
at least one cooling surface.
16. A dehumidification method according to claim 15, wherein the
heating of the device chamber cooling medium and the lowering of
the temperature of the at least one cooling surface are repeated
alternately.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119
to European Patent Application No. 13153815.9 filed in Europe on
Feb. 4, 2013, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a cooling assembly and to
a dehumidification method.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0003] Humidity is harmful to many electronic components. Humidity
is an issue, for example, in solar power plants and wind power
plants. Challenging environments such as tropical or arctic
climates increase problems caused by humidity.
[0004] In a known method, air inside a device chamber is heated
after which the heated moist air is discharged from the device
chamber, and the cycle is repeated until air inside the device
chamber is warm and dry. It is also known to use water absorbing
materials such as silica gel to remove humidity from a device
chamber.
[0005] Dehumidification by repeated drying cycles discharging
heated humid air and replacing the discharged air with colder
ambient air is a relatively slow process requiring plenty of
energy. Water absorbing materials are expensive and their useful
life is limited.
SUMMARY
[0006] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a
cooling assembly which includes a device chamber containing a
device chamber cooling medium, heat exchanger means comprising at
least one cooling surface in contact with the device chamber
cooling medium, control means for controlling the heat exchanger
means, humidity sensor means for detecting a humidity level in the
device chamber, and a receptacle. The control means is configured
to perform a dehumidification operation as a response to the
detected humidity level exceeding a predetermined threshold value
in the device chamber. The dehumidification operation comprises
lowering a temperature of the at least one cooling surface to
condensate water from the device chamber cooling medium on the at
least one cooling surface. The receptacle is configured to receive
water dripping from the at least one cooling surface.
[0007] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a
dehumidification method which includes detecting a humidity level
in a device chamber containing a device chamber cooling medium. As
a response to the detected humidity level exceeding a predetermined
threshold value in the device chamber, the exemplary method also
includes lowering a temperature of at least one cooling surface in
contact with the device chamber cooling medium to condensate water
from the device chamber cooling medium on the at least one cooling
surface. In addition, the exemplary method includes collecting
water dripping from the at least one cooling surface in a
receptacle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Additional refinements, advantages and features of the
present disclosure are described in more detail below with
reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in
which:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a cooling chamber according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a
method and an apparatus for implementing the method so as to
alleviate the above disadvantages. Exemplary embodiments of the
present disclosure provide a dehumidification method and a cooling
assembly as described herein.
[0011] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are based on
the idea of condensing water from a device chamber cooling medium
by cooling thereof at a safe place at a distance from electronic
components that could be damaged by humidity. The condensed water
may be discharged from a device chamber containing the electronic
components or stored inside the device chamber in a harmless place
where the water does not endanger the electronic components.
[0012] An advantage of the method and assembly of the present
disclosure is that the cooling medium in a device chamber can be
dried relatively fast without need to discharge heated cooling
medium from the device chamber.
[0013] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present
disclosure will be described in greater detail with reference to
FIG. 1 illustrating a cooling assembly according to an exemplary
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a cooling assembly including a device chamber
2, a cooling chamber 4, heat exchanger means, humidity sensor means
61 (e.g., a humidity sensor), heating means 26 (e.g., a heater),
device chamber fan means 51 (e.g., a fan in the device chamber 2),
cooling chamber fan means 52 (e.g., a fan in the cooling chamber
4), control means 6 (e.g., a computer processor configured to
execute a computer program and/or computer-readable instructions
tangibly recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable recording
medium, such as a non-volatile memory), a receptacle 9, and a
discharge tube 92. The device chamber 2 contains, for example, air
as a device chamber cooling medium, and the cooling chamber 4
contains, for example, air as a cooling chamber cooling medium. The
device chamber 2 is separated from the cooling chamber 4 such that
there is substantially no cooling medium flow between the device
chamber 2 and the cooling chamber 4.
[0015] The heat exchanger means include a device chamber cooling
unit 3 and an internal heat exchanger unit 10. The device chamber
cooling unit 3 is configured for transferring heat from the device
chamber 2 to the cooling chamber 4. The device chamber cooling unit
3 includes a first portion 31 located in the device chamber 2 and a
second portion 32 located in the cooling chamber 4. The first
portion 31 is in an operating situation located lower than the
second portion 32. The first portion 31 has a cooling surface 35 in
contact with the device chamber cooling medium. The internal heat
exchanger unit 10 is configured for transferring heat from a
cooling surface 15 of the internal heat exchanger unit 10 to a hot
surface 16 of the internal heat exchanger unit 10. Both the cooling
surface 15 of the internal heat exchanger unit 10 and the hot
surface 16 of the internal heat exchanger unit 10 are in contact
with the device chamber cooling medium. The hot surface 16 is
cooled by circulation of the device chamber cooling medium.
[0016] A cooling assembly according to another exemplary embodiment
of the present disclosure does not include a cooling chamber. A
device chamber cooling unit of such an embodiment is configured to
transfer heat out of the device chamber, for example, to ambient
air surrounding the device chamber.
[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment, the device chamber
cooling unit 3 is a cothex type heat exchanger. A cothex is a
thermosyphon heat exchanger where a cooling medium circulates by
means of natural convection without a mechanical pump. In an
alternative embodiment, a heat exchanger configured to transfer
heat out of the device chamber may include another type of passive
heat exchanger, or an active heat exchanger.
[0018] According to an exemplary embodiment, the internal heat
exchanger unit 10 is a Peltier cooler or a thermoelectric cooler
configured to use a Peltier effect to transfer heat from the
cooling surface 15 to the hot surface 16. In an alternative
embodiment, an internal heat exchanger unit configured to transfer
heat from a cooling surface of the internal heat exchanger unit to
elsewhere inside the device chamber may include a heat exchanger
whose type is other than a thermoelectric cooler.
[0019] The cooling chamber fan means 52 are configured for
regulating a cooling chamber cooling medium flow interacting with
the second portion 32 of the device chamber cooling unit 3. The
cooling chamber fan means 52 are capable of exhausting warm air
from the cooling chamber and drawing in cold air from the exterior
of the cooling assembly. Increasing the cooling chamber cooling
medium flow increases a cooling power of the device chamber cooling
unit 3. The control means 6 are configured to control the cooling
chamber fan means 52.
[0020] The humidity sensor means 61 are configured to detect a
humidity level in the device chamber 2, and to provide the control
means 6 with information relating to the detected humidity level.
The control means 6 are configured to control the heat exchanger
means, and to perform a dehumidification operation as a response to
the humidity level exceeding a predetermined threshold value in the
device chamber 2. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the
duration of a dehumidification operation is constant, the duration
being rated for the cooling assembly in question. Duration of the
dehumidification operation may be from 1 to 3 minutes, for example.
In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the control means
6 are configured to continue a dehumidification operation until
device chamber cooling medium is sufficiently dry.
[0021] In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present
disclosure, a decisive humidity level value is a relative humidity
level. Since relative humidity level is a function of temperature,
the cooling assembly of FIG. 1 is depicted with a separate
temperature sensor 62 configured to detect a temperature in the
device chamber 2. Alternatively, an integrated relative humidity
sensor may be used. Since relative humidity of air further depends
on pressure, a cooling assembly may be equipped with a pressure
sensor.
[0022] The dehumidification operation includes lowering a
temperature of the cooling surface 35 of the device chamber cooling
unit 3 in order to condensate water from the device chamber cooling
medium on the cooling surface 35 of the device chamber cooling unit
3. In order to lower a temperature of the cooling surface 35 of the
device chamber cooling unit 3, the control means 6 starts the
cooling chamber fan means 52. In an alternative embodiment where a
device chamber cooling unit includes an active heat exchanger, a
step of lowering a cooling surface of the active heat exchanger may
include starting of a pump of the active heat exchanger.
[0023] Alternatively or in addition, the dehumidification operation
includes lowering a temperature of the cooling surface 15 of the
internal heat exchanger unit 10 in order to condensate water from
the device chamber cooling medium on the cooling surface 15 of the
internal heat exchanger unit 10. In order to lower a temperature of
the cooling surface 15, the control means 6 switches on the
internal heat exchanger unit 10.
[0024] The receptacle 9 is configured to receive water dripping
from the cooling surfaces 15 and 35. The discharge tube 92 is
configured for discharging water from the receptacle 9 out of the
device chamber 2. The discharge tube 92 has a capillary structure
for discharging water from the receptacle 9 out of the device
chamber 2.
[0025] In accordance with an alternative exemplary embodiment,
water received in a receptacle is not discharged from a device
chamber. Instead, the water is stored inside the device chamber in
a harmless place. The stored water may be boiled in order to
sterilize the water. The stored water may be used later. Storing
water may be useful in a desert or other environment suffering from
a shortage of water.
[0026] The cooling surface 35 of the device chamber cooling unit 3
is a smooth surface thereby facilitating a downward transfer of
water along the cooling surface 35. The cooling surface 35 and the
cooling surface 15 of the internal heat exchanger unit 10 each
include a hydrophobic coating for facilitating dripping of water
from the cooling surface to the receptacle 9. Further, the cooling
surface 35 of the device chamber cooling unit 3, the cooling
surface 15 of the internal heat exchanger unit 10, and an inner
surface of the receptacle 9 includes anti-bacterial material.
[0027] The heating means 26 are configured for heating the device
chamber 2. The heating means 26 are provided for a cold start
situation in order to raise a temperature and/or lower relative
humidity in the device chamber 2 to a suitable level. The heating
means 26 are spaced apart from the cooling surfaces 15 and 35. In
the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the heating means 26 are
located inside an electrical apparatus 102 accommodated in the
device chamber 2. In alternative exemplary embodiments, the heating
means may be located elsewhere in the device chamber 2.
[0028] The electrical apparatus 102 includes a frequency converter.
In an alternative embodiment, an electrical apparatus located in
the device chamber 2 may include an inverter or some other heat
generating apparatus that requires cooling when operating.
[0029] The heating means 26 may be used in the dehumidification
operation for heating the device chamber cooling medium in order to
evaporate moisture in the device chamber 2. Transfer of the heated
device chamber cooling medium containing evaporated moisture to the
cooling surfaces 15 and 35 may be facilitated by the device chamber
fan means 51 being configured for circulating device chamber
cooling medium in the device chamber 2. In the exemplary embodiment
of FIG. 1, the device chamber fan means 51 are located inside the
electrical apparatus 102 accommodated in the device chamber 2. In
alternative exemplary embodiments, the device chamber fan means may
include one or more fans located outside the electrical apparatus.
Device chamber fan means may be used for circulating device chamber
cooling medium in a device chamber also in exemplary embodiments
with no heating means.
[0030] The dehumidification operation may include alternately
heating the device chamber 2 with the heating means 26 and lowering
a temperature of the cooling surface 35 and/or cooling surface 15.
The steps of heating the device chamber and lowering a temperature
of the cooling surfaces may be overlapped such that the temperature
lowering step begins before the heating step ends. In an
alternative embodiment the heating step and the temperature
lowering step are carried out simultaneously.
[0031] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The
presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all
respects to be illustrative and not restricted. The scope of the
invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the
foregoing description and all changes that come within the meaning
and range and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced
therein.
* * * * *