Blended operation mode for providing cooling to a heat load

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11737239-B2
Application number	US-202217697612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2022
Priority date	Nov 17, 2017
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

Conditioning systems and methods for providing cooling to a heat load can include an evaporative cooler arranged in a scavenger plenum with a recovery coil downstream of the evaporative cooler. The conditioning systems can operate in various modes, including an adiabatic mode and an evaporative mode, depending on outdoor air conditions. The systems can operate in a blended mode between the adiabatic mode and the evaporative mode by varying the distribution of return water from the recovery coil into at least partially isolated sections of a storage tank, and selectively directing cold water from the evaporative cooler into the tank. The mix of warm and cold water exiting the tank can be varied to maintain the cold-water supply at or near a set point temperature for the heat load. In an example, the systems can include a pre-cooler in the plenum upstream of the evaporative cooler for pre-conditioning the scavenger air.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of controlling operation of a conditioning system configured to provide cooling to a heat load, the method comprising: selectively directing scavenger air and a cooling liquid through an evaporative cooler arranged inside a scavenger plenum based on outdoor air conditions; directing the scavenger air and the cooling liquid through a cooling coil arranged inside the scavenger plenum downstream of the evaporative cooler; selectively directing the cooling liquid from a liquid outlet of the evaporative cooler into a first portion of a reservoir; directing the cooling liquid from a liquid outlet of the LAHX to one or more of a second portion of the reservoir having a first reservoir outlet and a third portion of the reservoir having a second reservoir outlet; controlling a proportion of the cooling liquid from the liquid outlet of the LAHX that is directed to the second and third portions of the reservoir; directing the cooling liquid from the first reservoir outlet to the heat load; directing the cooling liquid heated by the heat load from the heat load to a liquid inlet of the LAHX; and selectively directing the cooling liquid from the second reservoir outlet to a liquid inlet of the evaporative cooler, wherein the second and third portions of the reservoir are at least partially fluidly separated from one another, and the first portion of the reservoir is fluidly connected to the second and third portions of the reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein: directing the cooling liquid from the liquid outlet of the cooling coil comprises directing the cooling liquid through one or more modulating valves.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein: controlling a proportion of the cooling liquid from the liquid outlet of the cooling coil comprises actuating one or more of the one or more modulating valves.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein directing the cooling liquid from a liquid outlet of the cooling coil to one or more of a second portion of the reservoir having a first reservoir outlet and a third portion of the reservoir having a second reservoir outlet includes controlling the distribution of cooling liquid to the second portion and the third portion based on the outdoor air conditions.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a flow path from the cooling coil to the reservoir includes a three-way modulating valve to control the distribution of cooling liquid to the second portion and the third portion.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein a flow path from the cooling coil includes a first pipe to the second portion and a second pipe to the third portion, and a modulating valve for each pipe to control the flow of cooling fluid to the second portion and the third portion.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
selectively directing scavenger air through a pre-cooler arranged inside the scavenger plenum upstream of the evaporative cooler to pre-condition the scavenger air depending on the outdoor air conditions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein directing the cooling liquid from a liquid outlet of the cooling coil to one or more of a second portion of the reservoir having a first reservoir outlet and a third portion of the reservoir having a second reservoir outlet includes selectively flowing the cooling liquid into at least one of a first discharge pipe inside the second portion and a second discharge pipe inside the third portion.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein directing the cooling liquid from a liquid outlet of the cooling coil to one or more of a second portion of the reservoir having a first reservoir outlet and a third portion of the reservoir having a second reservoir outlet includes selectively flowing the cooling liquid into a diffuser baffle inside each of the second and third portions.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the conditioning system in an economizer mode in which the evaporative cooler is off, and the scavenger air bypasses the evaporative cooler.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the conditioning system in an adiabatic mode in which the cooling liquid directed from the liquid outlet of the evaporative cooler into the first portion of the reservoir is recirculated to the evaporative cooler and essentially all of the cooling liquid from the cooling coil is directed to the second portion to be directed through the first reservoir outlet to the heat load.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the conditioning system in an evaporative mode in which essentially all of the cooling liquid from the cooling coil is directed to the third portion and the cooling liquid from the liquid outlet of the evaporative cooler flows to the second portion to be directed through the first reservoir outlet to the heat load.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the conditioning system in a blended mode in which the cooling liquid from the liquid outlet of the cooling coil is distributed to both the second portion sand the third portion.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising partially separating the second portion and the third portion of the reservoir with a dividing baffle, wherein the dividing baffle extends along a portion of a length of the reservoir.

15. A conditioning system configured to provide cooling to a heat load, the conditioning system comprising: a scavenger plenum having an air inlet and air outlet, the scavenger plenum configured to direct scavenger air in an air flow path from the air inlet to the air outlet; an evaporative cooler arranged inside the scavenger plenum in the air flow path and having a first cooling fluid circuit configured to circulate a first cooling fluid through the evaporative cooler; a cooling coil arranged inside the scavenger plenum between the evaporative cooler and the air outlet and having a second cooling fluid circuit configured to circulate a second cooling fluid through the cooling coil; a reservoir having a first portion and a second portion at least partially fluidically separated from one another, and a discharge area in fluid connection with the first and second portions; and one or more modulating valves fluidly connecting the cooling coil and the reservoir, wherein: the reservoir is configured to releasably store the first and second cooling fluids for selective delivery of the cooling fluids to the heat load and to the evaporative cooler for recirculation; the first cooling fluid exiting the evaporative cooler is directed into the discharge area of the reservoir; and the one or more modulating valves are configured to control and vary distribution of the second cooling fluid to the first and second portions of the reservoir based on the outdoor air conditions.

Assignees

• Nortek Air Solutions Canada Inc

Inventors

• Lepoudre Philip Paul

Classifications

• H05K7/20309 Primary

  Evaporators · CPC title

• F24F5/0017

  using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice · CPC title

• F24F5/0035 Primary

  using evaporation · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title

• H05K7/20327

  Accessories for moving fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds · CPC title