Refrigeration system with adiabatic electrostatic cooling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11287165-B2
Application number	US-202016878730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2020
Priority date	May 20, 2020
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

An evaporative cooling device for a refrigeration system includes one or more heat exchanger coils, a first moisture panel, a second moisture panel, a first nozzle array, a second nozzle array, a moisture sensor, and a controller. The first moisture panel and the second moisture panel are separated by a distance and disposed external to the one or more heat exchanger coils. The first nozzle array is disposed external to the first moisture panel and the second nozzle array is disposed external to the second moisture panel. The first nozzle array and the second nozzle array are configured to provide an atomized spray of electrostatically charged droplets. The moisture sensor is configured to provide a signal representative of a moisture level. The controller is configured to receive the signal representative of the moisture level and control a supply of water.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling device for a refrigeration system, comprising:
one or more heat exchanger coils;
a first moisture panel disposed external to the one or more heat exchanger coils;
a second moisture panel disposed external to the one or more heat exchanger coils, the second moisture panel separated from the first moisture panel by a distance;
a first nozzle array disposed external to the first moisture panel and configured to provide an atomized spray of electrostatically charged droplets to the first moisture panel;
a second nozzle array disposed external to the second moisture panel and configured to provide an atomized spray of electrostatically charged droplets to the second moisture panel;
a moisture sensor configured to provide a signal representative of a moisture level from at least one of the first moisture panel or the second moisture panel; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the moisture sensor, the controller configured to:
receive the signal representative of the moisture level from at least one of the first moisture panel or the second moisture panel; and
control a supply of water to at least one of the first moisture panel or the second moisture panel in response to the signal representative of the moisture level.

2. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein:
the moisture level is a first moisture level;
the moisture sensor is a first moisture sensor configured to provide the signal representative of the first moisture level from the first moisture panel; and
the controller is configured to:
receive the signal representative of the first moisture level from the first moisture panel; and
control the supply of water to the first moisture panel in response to the signal representative of the first moisture level.

3. The cooling device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second moisture sensor configured to provide a signal representative of a second moisture level from the second moisture panel; and
the controller configured to:
receive the signal representative of the second moisture level from the second moisture panel; and
control the supply of water to the second moisture panel in response to the signal representative of the second moisture level.

4. The cooling device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second moisture sensor configured to provide a signal representative of a second moisture level from the second moisture panel; and
the controller configured to:
receive the signal representative of the second moisture level from the second moisture panel;
control the supply of water to the first moisture panel in response to the signal representative of the first moisture level and the second moisture level; and
control the supply of water to the second moisture panel in response to the signal representative of the first moisture level and the second moisture level.

5. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
supply a voltage to the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array; and
select the voltage so as to cause the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array to provide a target amount of electrostatically charged droplets.

6. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the moisture sensor is configured to provide the signal representative of the moisture level from at least one of a bottom of the first moisture panel or a bottom of the second moisture panel.

7. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the moisture sensor is configured to provide the signal representative of the moisture level from a drainage receptacle disposed beneath the first moisture panel and the second moisture panel.

8. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein:
the atomized spray of electrostatically charged droplets and the first moisture panel are oppositely charged; and
the atomized spray of electrostatically charged droplets and the second moisture panel are oppositely charged.

9. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein:
electrostatic attraction of the atomized spray of electrostatically charged droplets and the first moisture panel substantially prevents blow-through of droplets beyond an inside surface of the first moisture panel; and
electrostatic attraction of the atomized spray of electrostatically charged droplets and the second moisture panel substantially prevents blow-through of droplets beyond an inside surface of the second moisture panel.

10. A CO 2 refrigeration system with an adiabatic gas cooler with electrostatically charged cooling spray, comprising:
a CO 2 refrigerant circuit including an evaporator, a compressor, a gas cooler, a receiver, and an expansion valve;
wherein the gas cooler comprises:
one or more cooling coils;
one or more moisture pads adjacent to the one or more cooling coils;
one or more spray nozzles configured to wet the one or more moisture pads with electrostatically charged water droplets;
a moisture sensor associated with the one or more moisture pads, operable to provide a signal representative of a moisture level of the one or more moisture pads;
a controller configured to:
receive the signal representative of the moisture level of the one or more moisture pads; and
control a supply of water to the one or more moisture pads in response to the signal representative of the moisture level.

11. The CO 2 refrigeration system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the evaporator, the compressor, the gas cooler, the receiver, and the expansion valve.

12. The CO 2 refrigeration system of claim 10 , wherein:
the moisture level is a first moisture level;
the moisture sensor is a first moisture sensor configured to provide the signal representative of the first moisture level from a first moisture pad of the one or more moisture pads; and
the controller is configured to:
receive the signal representative of the first moisture level from the first moisture pad; and
control the supply of water to the first moisture pad in response to the signal representative of the first moisture level.

13. The CO 2 refrigeration system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second moisture sensor configured to provide a signal representative of a second moisture level from a second moisture pad of the one or more moisture pads; and
the controller configured to:
receive the signal representative of the second moisture level from the second moisture pad; and
control the supply of water to the second moisture pad in response to the signal representative of the second moisture level.

14. The CO 2 refrigeration system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second moisture sensor configured to provide a signal representative of a second moisture level from a second moisture pad of the one or more moisture pads; and
the controller configured to:
receive the signal representative of the second moisture level from the second moisture pad;
control the supply of water to the first moisture pad in response to the signal representative of the first moisture level and the second moisture level; and
control the supply of water to the second moisture pad in response to the signal representative of the first moisture level and the second moisture level.

15. The CO 2 refrigeration system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
supply a voltage to the one or more spray nozzles; and
select the voltage so as to cause the one or more spray nozzles to provide a target amount of electrostatically charged droplets.

16. The CO 2 refrigeration system of claim 10 , wherein the moisture sensor is configured to pr

Assignees

• Hill Phoenix Inc

Inventors

• Bittner John D

Classifications

• F25B49/022

  Compressor control arrangements · CPC title

• F25B2339/021

  Evaporators in which refrigerant is sprayed on a surface to be cooled · CPC title

• F24F1/42 Primary

  characterised by the use of the condensate, e.g. for enhanced cooling · CPC title

• F25B2500/14

  the presence of moisture in a refrigeration component or cycle · CPC title

• F25B39/022 Primary

  with plate-like or laminated elements · CPC title