EP0460969B1 - Appareil et méthode de refroidissement - Google Patents

Appareil et méthode de refroidissement Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0460969B1
EP0460969B1 EP91305169A EP91305169A EP0460969B1 EP 0460969 B1 EP0460969 B1 EP 0460969B1 EP 91305169 A EP91305169 A EP 91305169A EP 91305169 A EP91305169 A EP 91305169A EP 0460969 B1 EP0460969 B1 EP 0460969B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
gas
plates
heat exchanger
cooling system
gas flow
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP91305169A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0460969A2 (fr
EP0460969A3 (en
Inventor
Peter Sutherland C/O Thermal Engineering Reed
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
THERMAL ENGINEERING SYSTEMS Ltd
Original Assignee
THERMAL ENGINEERING SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by THERMAL ENGINEERING SYSTEMS Ltd filed Critical THERMAL ENGINEERING SYSTEMS Ltd
Publication of EP0460969A2 publication Critical patent/EP0460969A2/fr
Publication of EP0460969A3 publication Critical patent/EP0460969A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F3/00—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems
    • F24F3/12—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling
    • F24F3/14—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling by humidification; by dehumidification
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
    • F24F1/0087—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units with humidification means
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
    • F24F1/0059—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by heat exchangers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
    • F24F6/02—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air
    • F24F6/04—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air using stationary unheated wet elements
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28B—STEAM OR VAPOUR CONDENSERS
    • F28B9/00—Auxiliary systems, arrangements, or devices
    • F28B9/08—Auxiliary systems, arrangements, or devices for collecting and removing condensate

Definitions

  • This invention relates to cooling apparatus and a method of cooling according to the preambles of claims 1 and 7 respectively.
  • Such cooling is by the maintenance of cooled air or other gas (hereinafter "air”) around the harvested produce.
  • the cooling apparatus which cools them may for large and permanent insulations be the type of cooler known as an ice bank cooler such as for example our own Humidicool (trade mark) apparatus.
  • Use of such apparatus ensures not only that the air is cooled to the desired temperature but that it maintains a high humidity, without which drying out or wilting of the produce may well occur even at a lowered temperature.
  • Conventional portable cooler equipment consists of a battery of tubes through which cooled indirect heat exchange medium flows.
  • the tubes are positioned and separated by vertical plates which are comparatively close together and which both guide the air flow across the tubes and extend the effective heat exchanging surface of the tubes whereby to maximise the indirect heat exchange effect.
  • US-A-2,382,502 shows a gas cooling system in which the condensed water formed on the heat exchanger plates is collected by allowing it to drip into a pan and then the collected water is reintroduced into the gas flow by a centrifugal lift.
  • FR-A-2,468,308 discloses a system in which the condensed water is collected in a reservoir and the cooled gas flow is guided to flow over the surface of the water in the reservoir.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide an air cooler which while being in principal embodiable as a portable and small device nevertheless will give a cooled air output having a high relative humidity namely one above 95% and preferably in the region of 96 or 97%.
  • the present invention provides a gas cooling system characterised by said plates being arranged for conducting water condensed thereon to be impelled towards the downstream end of the heat exchanger by the gas flow, and the condensed water being impelled by that flow into means towards or beyond the downstream end of the exchanger for reintroducing the condensed water into the cooled gas flow by contacting with that flow.
  • the reintroduction may be in a high-surface-area body such as a cellulose honeycomb.
  • the tubular array consists primarily of vertically disposed tubes.
  • a single tube may be disposed in a zig-zag formation across a parallel array of a plurality of plates.
  • the invention also provides a method of providing cooled gas of high relative humidity characterised by impelling by the gas flow the condensed water from the heat exchanger surfaces to reintroduction means located at the gas output side of the heat exchanger so as to reintroduce the condensed water to the cooled gas.
  • the method includes distributing the collected liquid throughout a high surface body such as a body of cellulose honeycomb.
  • a plurality of metal plates 1 are stacked horizontally in an array.
  • Indirect heat exchangers 2 are formed by convoluted tubes led though the plates so as to be positioned with the principal straight runs 3 of the convolutions vertical.
  • a plurality of such tubes laterally side by side forms an array 4 and coolant liquid for indirect heat exchange with air is led into the array by duct 5 and out of it by duct 6.
  • Air to be cooled is blown over the array in the direction of the arrows 7 and loses heat to the tubes. In doing so water will be condensed onto the tubes and onto the plates (which being metallic act as an extended heat exchange surface for the tubes).
  • water indicated by droplets 9 will meet a mass 10 of a high-surface-area spongy or open cellular body, in this embodiment the material being a resin-impregnated cellulose honeycomb. Other materials such as wooden slats and formed plastics sheets will also be particularly suitable. Under the influence of the air flowing through this body between extended top and bottom plates 1 the droplets are swept into it and are dispersed upon its high surface area so that they are recontacted with the cooled air. As a result the water is taken up again by that air so as to raise its relative humidity.
  • the effect of the high surface area body is not only to cause resumed contact between the water and the air flow but also to ensure homogeneity of temperature in the air flow at a time when it is capable of taking up water to a high relative humidity.
  • any air which is comparatively uncooled at the time of expulsion from the heat exchanger had no opportunity to take up moisture except from other air thereby leading to a reduced overall relative humidity.
  • the device is equipped also with a drip tray 11 and drain 12 in a conventional manner so that any water not taken up by the air that leaves the block 10 at 13 may be collected and disposed of as usual.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Claims (9)

  1. Système de refroidissement à gaz, possédant un échangeur de chaleur indirect (2) pour refroidir un flux de gaz (7) et associé à une pluralité de plaques essentiellement parallèles (1) agencées pour guider le flux de gaz (7) à travers l'échangeur (2), caractérisé en ce que lesdites plaques (1) sont agencées de façon à conduire l'eau condensée sur celles-ci pour qu'elle soit forcée vers l'extrémité aval de l'échangeur de chaleur (2) par le flux de gaz (7); et l'eau condensée étant forcée par ce flux dans des moyens (10) vers ou au-delà de l'extrémité aval de l'échangeur (2) pour réintroduire l'eau condensée dans le flux de gaz refroidi (7) par une mise en contact avec ce flux.
  2. Système de refroidissement à gaz conformément à la revendication (1), dans lequel le moyen (10) pour réintroduire l'eau condensée est un corps de zone de surface élevée.
  3. Système de refroidissement à gaz conformément à la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel l'échangeur (2) est constitué d'un ou de plusieurs tubes en spires suivant une direction sensiblement perpendiculaire aux plaques (1).
  4. Système de refroidissement à gaz selon la revendication 3, dans lequel il est prévu une pluralité desdits tubes en spires connectés entre un conduit d'entrée (5) et un conduit de sortie (6).
  5. Système de refroidissement à gaz conformément à l'une des revendications 2 à 4, dans lequel les plaques (1) sont sensiblement horizontales et les moyens de réintroduction (10) se trouvent à l'extrémité aval des plaques (1).
  6. Système de refroidissement à gaz conformément à l'une des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les moyens de réintroduction (10) sont constitués par un nid d'abeilles en cellulose.
  7. Procédé pour réaliser un gaz refroidi d'une humidité relativement élevée qui consiste à refroidir un flux de gaz (7) en le guidant à travers un échangeur de chaleur indirect (2); à condenser l'humidité du gaz refroidi sur des surfaces (1) dans l'échangeur de chaleur, ces surfaces étant parallèles à la direction du flux de gaz (7); caractérisé en forçant par le flux de gaz (7) l'eau condensée des surfaces (1) de l'échangeur de chaleur aux moyens de réintroduction (10) situés au côté de sortie de gaz de l'échangeur de chaleur (2), de façon à réintroduire l'eau condensée dans le gaz refroidi.
  8. Procédé selon la revendication 7, dans lequel l'eau collectée est réintroduite dans le moyen de réintroduction (10) qui est un corps de zone de surface élevée (10).
  9. Procédé selon la revendication 7 ou la revendication 8, dans lequel les surfaces (1) sont sensiblement horizontales.
EP91305169A 1990-06-08 1991-06-07 Appareil et méthode de refroidissement Expired - Lifetime EP0460969B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB909012754A GB9012754D0 (en) 1990-06-08 1990-06-08 Cooling apparatus and method
GB9012754 1990-06-08

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0460969A2 EP0460969A2 (fr) 1991-12-11
EP0460969A3 EP0460969A3 (en) 1992-11-19
EP0460969B1 true EP0460969B1 (fr) 1994-09-28

Family

ID=10677253

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP91305169A Expired - Lifetime EP0460969B1 (fr) 1990-06-08 1991-06-07 Appareil et méthode de refroidissement

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0460969B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69104269T2 (fr)
GB (1) GB9012754D0 (fr)

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2251649A (en) * 1939-01-24 1941-08-05 John C Wichmann Air conditioning dehumidifier
US2382502A (en) * 1939-06-19 1945-08-14 Nash Kelvinator Corp Air conditioning apparatus
US2629587A (en) * 1949-03-04 1953-02-24 Henry G Tignor Apparatus for conditioning air
FR2468308A1 (fr) * 1979-10-26 1981-05-08 Bollore Michel Groupe de conditionnement de l'atmosphere d'une chambre de fermentation
DD271632A3 (de) * 1987-12-08 1989-09-13 Gothaer Metallwarenfabrik Veb Verfahren und vorrichtung zur wasserausscheidung aus uebersaettigter warmer abluft

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9012754D0 (en) 1990-08-01
DE69104269T2 (de) 1995-04-06
EP0460969A2 (fr) 1991-12-11
DE69104269D1 (de) 1994-11-03
EP0460969A3 (en) 1992-11-19

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