Refrigeration – Material cooling means including gas-liquid contactor – Cooling heat rejector of refrigeration producer
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-25
2004-04-06
Jiang, Chen Wen (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Material cooling means including gas-liquid contactor
Cooling heat rejector of refrigeration producer
C062S091000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06715312
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an evaporative condensing air conditioning system employing a de-superheater and mist eliminator located between the air fan on an evaporative cooler and a spray tree that delivers water as a coolant on the exterior surfaces of a condenser coil. The de-superheater receives superheated coolant gas from the compressor of the air conditioning system where air traveling on the outside of the de-superheater coil removes heat from the coolant gas located within the de-superheater coil to the point where the coolant is still a gas but is no longer superheated. The coolant gas then exits the de-superheater and flows into the evaporatively cooled condenser coil where the coolant is further cooled and condenses into a liquid before finishing the normal air conditioning circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently in evaporatively cooled air conditioning units, superheated coolant gas flows from the unit's compressor directly to an evaporatively cooled condenser coil. Because the coolant gas is superheated when it enters the condenser coil, it causes the water that flows downward over the exterior surfaces of the condenser coil to be boiled off of the coil where the coolant enters the condenser coil, leaving behind mineral deposits and scale on the exterior of the condenser coil in this area that are similar to the water deposits that are formed in a tea kettle when the water in the tea kettle boils away. These deposits and scale greatly decrease the heat exchange capacity of the condenser coil and decrease the useful life of the condenser coil because the decreased cooling efficiency of the coil will eventually dictate that the coil be replaced.
The present invention addresses this problem by removing the superheat from the hot coolant gas before the gas reaches the evaporatively cooled condenser coil. More specifically, the present invention employs an air cooled de-superheater and mist eliminator located between a spray tree that delivers water to the exterior surfaces of the condenser coil and the air fan that normally pulls air through the condenser but now also pulls air through the de-superheater coil ,is a means of cooling the superheated coolant gas that flows through the de-superheater coil.
The hot coolant gas from the compressor first flows through the de-superheater where the superheat is removed from the coolant via air cooling. The coolant stream leaving the de-superheater is a saturated gas. This coolant stream enters the condenser coil at a temperature that significantly reduces the possibility of mineral build up and scaling on the exterior surfaces of the evaporatively cooled condenser coil and is further cooled in the condenser. When the coolant condenses within the condenser coil it becomes a saturated liquid. From the condenser coil, the coolant flows through the normal air conditioning circuit by consecutively moving through an optional coolant receiving chamber, a thermal expansion valve, an evaporator, and returning to the compressor.
The present invention includes a mist eliminator that is physically located between the de-superheater and the water spray tree to prevent droplets of water from reaching the de-superheater from the spray tree, thereby preventing mineral build up and scale from being deposited on the exterior surfaces of the air cooled de-superheater coil.
In reducing the amount of cooling water that turns into water vapor at the condenser and leaves the unit via the air flow through the air fan, the amount of make up water for the evaporative cooling system is reduced, thereby saving water costs. Also, with less evaporation of the cooling water, water treatment costs are also reduced because less chemical treatment is needed to keep the cooling water in balance so that it will not scale up or corrode in the cooling water circuit. The cooling water circuit consists of the spray tree, the exterior surface of the condenser coil, a water sump, and a water line that connects the water sump and the spray tree.
The present invention not only increases the efficiency and life of the condenser by preventing mineral deposits and scale from forming on the exterior surface of the condenser coil, it also increases the cooling capacity of the condenser because the condenser does not have to remove the superheat from the coolant. This makes the unit operate more efficiently.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an evaporative condensing air conditioning system employing a de-superheater for removing the superheat from the hot coolant gas before the gas reaches the evaporatively cooled condenser coil. More specifically, the present invention employs an air cooled de-superheater and mist eliminator located between a spray tree that delivers water to the exterior surfaces of the condenser coil and an air fan that normally pulls air through the condenser, but in the present invention also pulls air through the de-superheater coil as a means of cooling the superheated coolant that flows through the de-superheater coil.
The hot coolant gas from the compressor first flows through the de-superheater where the superheat is removed from the coolant via air cooling. Then the coolant leaving the de-superheater enters the condenser coil at a temperature that significantly reduces the possibility of mineral build up and scaling on the exterior surfaces of the evaporatively cooled condenser coil. The coolant is further cooled and condenses into a liquid within the condenser coil before finishing the air conditioning circuit by consecutively moving through an optional coolant receiving chamber, a thermal expansion valve, an evaporator, and returning to the compressor.
The present invention also includes a mist eliminator that is physically provided between the de-superheater and the water spray tree to prevent stray droplets of water from reaching the de-superheater from the spray tree, thereby preventing mineral build up and scale from being deposited on the exterior surfaces of the air cooled de-superheater coil.
The cooling water circuit consists of the spray tree, the exterior surface of the condenser coil, a water sump, and a water line that connects the water sump and the spray tree.
The spray tree sprays cooling water on the exterior surface of the condenser coil. Heat from the hot coolant located within the condenser coil is transferred to the cooling water on the exterior surface of the condenser coil, causing part of the cooling water to be vaporized into the air and thereby removing the heat from the unit with the air that is pulled through the condenser, the mist eliminator and the de-superheater by the air fan. The water sump receives the cooling water that drips off of the condenser coil and the water is continuously pumped through the water line back to the spray tree from the sump. Water is replaced in the sump by a makeup water connection. The amount of makeup water is reduced by use of the de-superheater.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4311498 (1982-01-01), Miller
patent: 4796437 (1989-01-01), James
patent: 5411078 (1995-05-01), Ares
patent: 5692387 (1997-12-01), Alsenz et al.
patent: 5724828 (1998-03-01), Korenic
patent: 5816318 (1998-10-01), Carter
patent: 6343479 (2002-02-01), Merritt
patent: 6422035 (2002-07-01), Phillippe
patent: 2001/0027664 (2001-10-01), Ross
AAON Inc.
Jiang Chen Wen
McKay Molly D.
LandOfFree
De-superheater for evaporative air conditioning does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with De-superheater for evaporative air conditioning, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and De-superheater for evaporative air conditioning will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3236255