Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system – Temperature measuring system
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-14
2004-01-13
Barlow, John (Department: 2863)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system
Temperature measuring system
C062S003700, C062S342000, C073S195000, C180S065310, C374S045000, C702S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06678628
ABSTRACT:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND AUTHORIZATION
This patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records of any country, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to coolant recirculation systems and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for monitoring, characterizing, and testing coolant recirculation systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various industries, including the semiconductor manufacturing facilities, general manufacturing industries, and military organizations, regularly utilize cooling systems with heat exchangers and recirculating coolant. In these industries and elsewhere, such recirculating-coolant heat-exchanger cooling systems are used to remove excess heat in naval vessels, manufacturing process equipment, HVAC installations, etc. Expensive failures of these systems can be the result of many factors, including fouling, inadequate flow, and excessive heat load. When a need occurs to provide for cooling new equipment or to add additional equipment load onto an existing cooling system, there is often uncertainty as to the actual heat removal capacity and reliability of the proposed new system or the existing system. Thus there is a need for apparatus and methods for consistent, reproducible, quantitative testing and characterization of coolant recirculation systems.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,518 to Stevenson discloses a recirculating hot-water pump control system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,578 to Farrell et al. discloses an apparatus for measuring the amount of heat absorbed or given up by a heat-transferring structure such as a heat exchanger. The apparatus comprises a wheel-and-disc type integrator having a disc coupled to a volumetric flowmeter output shaft and a wheel positionable on the disk by a dual bellows assembly which measures the inlet and outlet temperatures of the heat exchanger. A differential mechanism has an output drive connected to a counter for totalizing the amount of heat transferred relative to the heat exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,717 to Kato et al. discloses a calorie-measuring device comprising a flowmeter arranged in a pipeline through which a heat carrier flows to a load wherein heat is emitted or absorbed. A device provides a signal indicative of difference between temperatures before and after the load, and a further device serves for multiplying the values of flow quantity and temperature difference to indicate the caloric value of heat emitted or absorbed in the load.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,300 to Weisstuch et al. discloses a device for measuring the efficiency of a heat exchanger. The device comprises a plurality of temperature sensors, a plurality of difference means, and calculation means which generates a signal representative of the efficiency of the heat exchanger, either the heat transfer coefficient or the fouling factor in the heat exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,751 to Potrzebowski discloses an apparatus for determining heat transfer efficiency of a heat exchanger wall, comprising means for imposing a heat load on a first heat transfer surface of the wall and means for determining the rate of dissipation of the heat load across the wall and into a heat exchange fluid in contact with a second heat transfer surface of the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,727 to Domingorena et al. discloses a method and apparatus for evaluating the performance of a heat exchanger, in which water is supplied to the heat exchanger at a known mass flow rate and temperature. The water is directed to traverse a flow path of the heat exchanger. The water is then heated and redirected into another flow path of the heat exchanger in heat exchange relation with the first flow path. The temperature change of the water over a flow path is measured to determine the performance of the heat exchange.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,667 to Blangetti et al. discloses a process and device for the determination of the thermal resistance of contaminated heat exchange elements of thermodynamic apparatuses, in particular of power station condensers, using two comparison tube sections which originate from a single condenser tube and of which one is left in the corroded condition and/or the condition encrusted by mineral deposits and the other is brought into the new condition by etching or other cleaning procedures. The two comparison tube sections are conductively connected in series, cooling water flows through them, and they are heated from the outside in a condenser chamber in each case by steam flows of equal power. The temperatures measured at the inlet and outlet positions of the comparison tube sections, the measured values of the mass flow of cooling water, the steam temperatures, and the heat flows in the two condenser chambers permit the determination of the thermal resistance of the incrustation layer of the tube drawn for the purposes of investigation from the condenser. A device for carrying out the process is also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,553 to Kaya et al. discloses a heat exchanger performance monitor which generates a fouling factor which indicates the level of fouling of a heat exchanger having a heat exchange surface area and through which a heat exchange medium passes having a known specific heat. Temperature transmitters are utilized to obtain values for the input and output temperatures of the heat exchange medium as well as the temperature in the heat exchanger of a heat exchange fluid used to transfer heat to or from the heat exchange medium. Modules are used to generate a value for an actual heat transfer coefficient in the heat exchanger as a function of the temperatures, flow rate, and constant parameters such as area and specific heat, for the heat exchanger. The actual heat transfer coefficient is compared with a nominal or original heat transfer coefficient to determine if any deterioration in the coefficients has occurred which reflects the fouling of the heat exchanger. A simple ratio of the nominal to actual heat transfer coefficient is taken as a measure of this fouling factor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,052 to Suzuki et al. discloses a method of assembling a heat exchanger including a method of determining values of parameters in a heat exchanger, and determining whether the efficiency of the heat exchanger is acceptable. The method includes determining the values of parameters: width of a louver formed in a fin of the heat exchanger, fin pitch, tilt angle of the fin, and tilt angle of the louver.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,975 to Mertens discloses apparatus for preparation of process water for presses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,704 to Hirota discloses a method and apparatus for in situ testing of heat exchangers by measuring the heat transfer capabilities of an individual tube. A relatively small reservoir of service fluid is connected to the inlet and outlet ports of a tube. The reservoir is provided with a heater or chiller and the service fluid is circulated through the tube. When a steady state is reached, the heat transfer characteristics of the tube are measured using known mathematical relationships.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,009 to Zivalich, Jr. discloses a method and apparatus for emulating a perimeter induction unit air conditioning system.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,343,762 and 5,396,810 to Beulke disclose vortex flow meters for measuring fluid flow, each including a conduit having a wall surrounding a bore for carrying the fluid along a bore axis. A pivoting member moves in response to vortices in the fluid and extends from a hole in the wall into the bore, and sensing means is provided for sensing the motion of the pivoting member to provide an output indicative of flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,653 to Watanabe et al. discloses a heat exchanger abnormality monitoring system having heat-exchange tubes for heating feed water with extraction steam, an inlet and an outlet for the feed water, and a drain
Berube John W.
Hazelton Peter D.
Ryan William J.
Le John
Touw Theodore R.
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