U.S. patent application number 17/496844 was filed with the patent office on 2022-05-19 for condensate recovery from remote cooling units.
The applicant listed for this patent is Dryair Manufacturing Corp.. Invention is credited to Claude Bourgault.
Application Number | 20220155000 17/496844 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005944966 |
Filed Date | 2022-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220155000 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bourgault; Claude |
May 19, 2022 |
CONDENSATE RECOVERY FROM REMOTE COOLING UNITS
Abstract
A cooling system has a chiller to remove heat from a cooling
liquid and a plurality of remote cooling units each comprises a
heat exchanger coil, a fan blowing air through the heat exchanger
coil, a drip pan receiving drip water condensing on the heat
exchanger coil, a cooling conduit connected to the chiller outlet
and the heat exchanger coil, a return conduit connected to the
chiller inlet and the heat exchanger coil, and a suction conduit
connected to receive water from a pan outlet of the drip pan. A
liquid pump circulates the cooling liquid through the chiller and
through each remote cooling unit, and a suction pump connected to
an output end of each suction conduit draws drip water from each
drip pan through each of the suction conduits and deposits the drip
water into a collector.
Inventors: |
Bourgault; Claude; (St.
Brieux, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Dryair Manufacturing Corp. |
St. Brieux |
|
CA |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005944966 |
Appl. No.: |
17/496844 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2321/145 20130101;
F25D 21/14 20130101; F25D 15/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 21/14 20060101
F25D021/14; F25D 15/00 20060101 F25D015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 18, 2020 |
CA |
3099691 |
Claims
1. A cooling system comprising: a chiller operative to remove heat
from a cooling liquid passing through the chiller from a chiller
inlet to a chiller outlet; a plurality of remote cooling units,
each remote cooling unit comprising: a heat exchanger coil and a
fan operative to blow air through the heat exchanger coil; a drip
pan configured to receive drip water that condenses on an exterior
of the heat exchanger coil; a cooling conduit adapted for
connection to the chiller outlet and a coil inlet of the heat
exchanger coil; a return conduit adapted for connection to the
chiller inlet and a coil outlet of the heat exchanger coil; and a
suction conduit connected at an input end thereof to receive water
from a pan outlet of the drip pan; a liquid pump operative to
circulate the cooling liquid through the chiller and from the
chiller outlet to each remote cooling unit and back to the chiller
inlet; and a suction pump connected at a suction port of the
suction assembly to an output end of each suction conduit and
operative to draw drip water from each drip pan through each of the
suction conduits and deposit the drip water into a collector.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein each cooling conduit is
insulated.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein for each remote cooling unit, the
cooling conduit, the return conduit, and the suction conduit are
enclosed together in a conduit cover.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the conduit cover is wrapped
around the cooling conduit, the return conduit, and the suction
conduit.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the remote cooling units
comprises a float operated valve on the corresponding drip pan,
wherein the float operated valve is operative to open the pan
outlet when a level of the drip water in the drip pan rises to a
selected level that is above the pan outlet.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the float operated valve is
operative to close the pan outlet before the level of the drip
water falls to a level where the pan outlet is exposed to the
atmosphere.
7. The system of claim 5 wherein the suction pump operates at all
times when at least one pan outlet is open, and comprising a sensor
operative to turn off the suction pump when all pan outlets are
closed.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the suction pump comprises a timer
operative to periodically start the suction pump.
9. The system of claim 1 comprising a trailer, and wherein the
chiller and remote cooling units are placed on the trailer for
transport to a desired location.
10. The system of claim 1 comprising a mist maker operative to
transform the drip water in the collector into a mist directed to
cool the chiller.
11. A method of providing cooling to a plurality of neighboring
enclosures, the method comprising: providing a chiller operative to
remove heat from a cooling liquid passing through the chiller from
a chiller inlet to a chiller outlet; providing a remote cooling
unit in each enclosure, each remote cooling unit comprising a heat
exchanger coil; circulating the cooling liquid through the chiller
and from the chiller outlet through the heat exchanger coil of each
remote cooling unit and back to the chiller inlet; in each remote
cooling unit, collecting drip water that condenses on an exterior
of each heat exchanger coil; connecting an input end of a suction
conduit to receive drip water collected in each remote cooling
unit; and providing a suction at an output end of the suction
conduit and drawing drip water from each remote cooling unit into a
collector.
12. The method of claim 11 comprising circulating the cooling
liquid through the chiller and from the chiller outlet to the heat
exchanger coil of each remote cooling unit by connecting a conduit
assembly between the chiller and each remote cooling unit.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the conduit assembly comprises:
a cooling conduit connected between the chiller outlet and a coil
inlet of the heat exchanger coil; a return conduit connected
between the chiller inlet and a coil outlet of the heat exchanger
coil; a suction conduit connected at an input end thereof to
receive drip water from the remote cooling unit; and a conduit
cover enclosing the cooling conduit, the return conduit, and the
suction conduit.
14. The method of claim 13 comprising, in each remote cooling unit,
collecting drip water in a drip pan and allowing drip water in the
drip pan to rise to a selected level before connecting the input
end of the corresponding suction conduit to the drip pan.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein, in each remote cooling unit, a
pan outlet of the drip pan is connected to the input end of the
corresponding suction conduit through a float valve, and wherein
the float valve is operative to open and connect the pan outlet to
the input end of the corresponding suction conduit when a level of
the drip water in the drip pan rises to a selected level that is
above the pan outlet.
16. The method of claim 15 comprising ceasing to provide a suction
at the output end of the suction conduit when the float valve in
each of the remote cooling units is closed.
17. The method of claim 11 mounting the chiller and the remote
cooling units on a vehicle and transporting the chiller and remote
cooling units to a location adjacent to the neighboring enclosures.
Description
[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of cooling equipment,
and in particular cooling systems comprising a chilling apparatus
connected to a plurality of remote cooling units.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A common cooling system is provided by a chiller which
removes heat from a cooling liquid, which liquid is then circulated
to one or more remotely located coolers where it passes through a
heat exchanger coil and then returns to the chiller to be cooled
again. A fan creates an air stream through the coil and the air
passing through the cooled coil is cooled and cools the room or
enclosure where the heat exchanger is located. Such systems can be
installed permanently in a building or the like, or can be portable
for temporary use.
[0003] Portable systems typically include a chiller unit to cool
the liquid, a pump to pump the cooled liquid, and a plurality of
remote cooler units connected by hoses. Depending on the situation,
a portable chiller unit can be connected to several remote cooler
units by hoses that are 200-300 feet long.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present disclosure provides a portable cooling system
that overcomes problems in the prior art.
[0005] As the air passes through the cold heat exchanger coil, drip
water condenses out of the air onto the coil and drips into a pan.
In permanent systems this drip water is simply funnelled to a
drain, however in portable systems this drip water or condensate
must be gathered in a drip pan or the like, and in many situations
where there is no convenient drain the drip pans must periodically
be emptied manually.
[0006] In a first embodiment the present disclosure provides a
cooling system comprising a chiller operative to remove heat from a
cooling liquid passing through the chiller from a chiller inlet to
a chiller outlet. A plurality of remote cooling units each
comprises a heat exchanger coil and a fan operative to blow air
through the heat exchanger coil, a drip pan configured to receive
drip water that condenses on an exterior of the heat exchanger
coil, a cooling conduit adapted for connection to the chiller
outlet and a coil inlet of the heat exchanger coil, a return
conduit adapted for connection to the chiller inlet and a coil
outlet of the heat exchanger coil, and a suction conduit connected
at an input end thereof to receive water from a pan outlet of the
drip pan. A liquid pump is operative to circulate the cooling
liquid through the chiller and from the chiller outlet to each
remote cooling unit and back to the chiller inlet, and a suction
pump connected at a suction port of the suction assembly to an
output end of each suction conduit and operative to draw drip water
from each drip pan through each of the suction conduits and deposit
the drip water into a collector.
[0007] In a second embodiment the present disclosure provides a
method of providing cooling to a plurality of neighboring
enclosures. The method comprises providing a chiller operative to
remove heat from a cooling liquid passing through the chiller from
a chiller inlet to a chiller outlet; providing a remote cooling
unit in each enclosure, each remote cooling unit comprising a heat
exchanger coil; circulating the cooling liquid through the chiller
and from the chiller outlet through the heat exchanger coil of each
remote cooling unit and back to the chiller inlet; in each remote
cooling unit, collecting drip water that condenses on an exterior
of each heat exchanger coil; connecting an input end of a suction
conduit to receive drip water collected in each remote cooling
unit; and providing a suction at an output end of the suction
conduit and drawing drip water from each remote cooling unit into a
collector.
[0008] The present disclosure provides a system and method for
conveniently collecting drip water that drips from the heat
exchanger coils of a plurality of remote cooling units and
conveying the collected drip water from each remote cooling unit to
a centrally located collector. The disclosed system and method
removes the need, especially in portable systems, for periodic
attendance to empty and dispose of the drip water that collects at
each of the remote cooling units.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions
hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying
detailed description which may be best understood in conjunction
with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the
several diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an embodiment of the
system of the present disclosure installed in a plurality of
neighboring enclosures;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1
showing a single remote cooling unit;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional side view of a float
operated valve on each pan outlet operative open the pan outlet
when the drip water level rises to a selected level while maintain
the drip water level at all times above the pan outlet to prevent
air from entering the pan outlet into the suction conduit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] FIGS. 1-3 schematically illustrate an embodiment of a
cooling system 1 of the present disclosure. The system comprises a
chiller 3 operative to remove heat from a cooling liquid passing
through the chiller from a chiller inlet 3A to a chiller outlet 3B.
A plurality of remote cooling units 5 is provided for operative
connection to the chiller 3 to cool locations remote from the
chiller 3. For example in a portable system 1 of the present
disclosure the chiller 1 can be mounted on a trailer 7 or like
vehicle and moved to a location adjacent to a number of different
neighboring enclosures 9, typically rooms, separate buildings or a
combination of like enclosures where cooling is desired. The remote
cooling units 5, as well as the required pumps described below, can
be carried on the trailer as well and the remote cooling units can
moved into position in the desired enclosures 9 and connected to
the chiller 3 by a conduit assembly 11.
[0014] Each remote cooling unit 5 comprises a heat exchanger coil
13 and a fan 15 operative to blow air through the heat exchanger
coil 13. A drip pan 17 under the heat exchanger coil 13 is
configured to receive drip water 19 that condenses on an exterior
of the heat exchanger coil 13 and forms drops 19A as seen in FIG. 3
that fall into the drip pan 17. The remote cooling units 5 can be
configured with larger or smaller heat exchanger coils 13 to
provide remote cooling units 5 suitable for varying cooling
capacities.
[0015] Each conduit assembly 11 comprises a cooling conduit 21
adapted for connection to the chiller outlet 3B and a coil inlet
13A of the heat exchanger coil 13, a return conduit 23 adapted for
connection to the chiller inlet 3A and a coil outlet 13B of the
heat exchanger coil, and a suction conduit 25 connected at an input
end 25A thereof to receive water from a pan outlet 27 of the drip
pan 17.
[0016] A liquid pump 29 is operative to circulate cooling liquid LQ
through the chiller 3 and from the chiller outlet 3B to each remote
cooling unit 5 and back to the chiller inlet 3A. A suction pump 31
is connected at a suction port 31A of the suction pump to an output
end 25B of each suction conduit 25. The suction pump 31 creates a
suction at the suction port 31A that is operative to draw drip
water 19 from each drip pan 17 through each of the suction conduits
25 and deposit the drip water 19 into a collector 33.
[0017] To form each conduit assembly 11, each cooling conduit 21 is
first insulated to preserve the cool temperature of the cooling
liquid LQ as it passes from the chiller to the remote cooling unit
5. The cooling conduit 21, the return conduit 23, and the suction
conduit 25 are enclosed together in a conduit cover, such as by
wrapping a fabric or the like around the conduits, so the conduit
assembly 11 is a single lengthy and flexible component that is
readily rolled up for transport and then unrolled for deployment. A
number of conduit assemblies 11 can be provided with different
lengths, or all can be the same length, which can be typically 250
or more feet long to provide a wide reach from the chiller 3 to the
farthest remote cooling units 5.
[0018] The suction pump 31 is a self-priming suction type water
pump that pumps drip water 19 from each drip pan 17 through the
suction conduits 25 and deposits the drip water 19 into the
collector 33. It is contemplated that a mist maker 35 can be
provided that is operative to transform the drip water 19 in the
collector 33 into a mist 37 directed to cool the chiller 3.
[0019] The suction pump 31 can be configured to operate constantly,
with the pan outlet open so that any drip water 19 that gathers in
the drip pans 17 is drawn out right away.
[0020] An alternate arrangement is schematically illustrated in
FIG. 3 which shows a float operated valve 39 on the pan outlet 27
of the drip pan 17. A float 41 is connected to the valve 39 by an
arm 43 and the valve 39, arm 43, and float 41 pivot about a pivot
axis PA. When the level DWL of the drip water 19 in the drip pan 17
rises above the level shown in FIG. 3, the float moves upward and
the valve moves as indicated by the arrow, slightly opening the
valve and allowing drip water 19 to be sucked out through the pan
outlet 27, which is operated continuously so there is always
suction at the pan outlet 27.
[0021] It can be seen that a slight rise of the float 41 will cause
a correspondingly slight opening of the valve 39, allowing some
drip water to exit the drip pan causing the float 41 to move down
closing the valve 39 again, and this cycle will repeat
continuously. In high humidity conditions where the drip water 19
drips more quickly the drip water level DWL will rise more quickly
but the float 41 will then rise higher causing the valve 39 to open
farther, allowing more water to be sucked out.
[0022] Humidity levels in the enclosures will vary, and so then
will the rate of deposition of drip water 19 in the drip pans 17.
The illustrated float system will operate in a wide range of
humidity conditions, and maintains the drip water level DWL above
the pan outlet 27 at all times and so air is not drawn into the
suction conduit 25 and drip water 19 remains in the suction conduit
25 to maintain the suction pump 31 primed.
[0023] In some situations, such as low humidity conditions, rather
than have the pump 31 working at all times it may be preferred to
have the suction pump 31 operate only when needed. A sensor 45 can
be provided that senses when all pan outlets 27 are closed, such as
by sensing that no water is being drawn into the collector 33, or
by sensing that suction pressure has increased, indicating that
nothing is flowing into any of the suction conduits 25. When the
sensor 45 senses that all pan outlets are closed, the suction pump
is turned off.
[0024] A timer 47 can be provided to turn the suction pump 31
intermittently, and if the sensor 45 still senses that all pan
outlets 27 are closed, the suction pump will be turned off again,
while if one or more pan outlets are open the suction pump 31 will
operate until all pan outlets 17 are again closed.
[0025] The present disclosure further provides a method of
providing cooling to a plurality of neighboring enclosures 9. The
method comprises providing a chiller 3 operative to remove heat
from a cooling liquid LQ passing through the chiller 3 from a
chiller inlet 3A to a chiller outlet 3B; providing a remote cooling
unit 5 in each enclosure 9, each remote cooling unit 5 comprising a
heat exchanger coil 13; circulating the cooling liquid LQ through
the chiller 3 and from the chiller outlet 3B through the heat
exchanger coil 13 of each remote cooling unit 5 and back to the
chiller inlet 3A; in each remote cooling unit 5, collecting drip
water 19 that condenses on an exterior of each heat exchanger coil
13; connecting an input end 25A of a suction conduit 25 to receive
drip water 19 collected in each remote cooling unit 5; providing a
suction at an output end 25B of the suction conduit 25 and drawing
drip water 19 from each remote cooling unit 5 into a collector
33.
[0026] The present disclosure provides a system and method for
conveniently collecting drip water 19 that drips from the heat
exchanger coils 13 of a plurality of remote cooling units 5 and
conveying the collected drip water 19 from each remote cooling unit
to a centrally located collector 33. This system and method does
not require any attendance to empty and dispose of the drip water
that collects at each of the remote cooling units 5 as is typically
required in portable applications.
[0027] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous changes and
modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is
not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable
changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be
resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed
invention.
* * * * *