Cooling tower control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859924-B2
Application number	US-202117318431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2021
Priority date	May 12, 2020
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

In one aspect, a cooling tower system is provided that includes an evaporative heat exchanger, a sensor configured to detect a parameter of evaporative liquid distributed onto the evaporative heat exchanger, and an evaporative liquid treatment system. The cooling tower system further includes a controller having a normal operating mode wherein the controller operates the evaporative liquid treatment system to treat the evaporative liquid upon a determination of inadequate evaporative liquid quality based at least in part on the parameter of the evaporative liquid. The controller has a failsafe operating mode wherein the controller changes operation of the cooling tower upon a determination that the operation of the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid quality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling tower system comprising:
a cooling tower comprising:
an evaporative heat exchanger, the cooling tower operable to distribute an evaporative liquid onto the evaporative heat exchanger;
a sensor configured to detect a parameter of the evaporative liquid; and
an evaporative liquid treatment system;

a controller operably coupled to the cooling tower, the controller having a normal operating mode wherein the controller operates the evaporative liquid treatment system to treat the evaporative liquid upon a determination of inadequate evaporative liquid quality based at least in part on the parameter of the evaporative liquid;
the sensor operable to detect the parameter of the evaporative liquid after the controller operates the evaporative liquid treatment system;
the controller configured to determine whether the operation of the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid quality based at least in part upon the parameter of the evaporative liquid detected after the operation of the evaporative liquid treatment system; and
the controller having a failsafe operating mode wherein the controller changes operation of the cooling tower upon a determination that the operation of the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid quality.

2. The cooling tower system of claim 1 wherein the controller, in the normal operating mode, is capable of operating the cooling tower in a plurality of modes including a wet mode wherein the cooling tower distributes the evaporative liquid onto the evaporative heat exchanger and a dry mode wherein the cooling tower limits distribution of the evaporative liquid onto the evaporative heat exchanger; and
wherein the controller, in the failsafe operating mode, refrains from operating the cooling tower in the wet mode.

3. The cooling tower system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of modes of operation include an adiabatic mode; and
wherein the controller, in the failsafe operating mode, refrains from operating the cooling tower in the wet mode and the adiabatic mode.

4. A cooling tower system comprising:
a cooling tower comprising:
an evaporative heat exchanger, the cooling tower operable to distribute an evaporative liquid onto the evaporative heat exchanger;
a sensor configured to detect a parameter of the evaporative liquid; and
an evaporative liquid treatment system;

a controller operably coupled to the cooling tower, the controller having a normal operating mode wherein the controller operates the evaporative liquid treatment system to treat the evaporative liquid upon a determination of inadequate evaporative liquid quality based at least in part on the parameter of the evaporative liquid;
the controller having a failsafe operating mode wherein the controller changes operation of the cooling tower upon a determination that the operation of the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid quality;
wherein the controller, in the normal operating mode, is capable of operating the cooling tower in a plurality of modes including a wet mode wherein the cooling tower distributes the evaporative liquid onto the evaporative heat exchanger and a dry mode wherein the cooling tower limits distribution of the evaporative liquid onto the evaporative heat exchanger; and
wherein the controller, in the failsafe operating mode, refrains from operating the cooling tower in the wet mode;
wherein the cooling tower includes at least one operating parameter sensor configured to detect an operating parameter of the cooling tower;
the controller is configured to receive a process fluid temperature request and determine whether to operate the cooling tower in the wet mode to satisfy the process fluid temperature request based at least in part on the process fluid temperature request and the operating parameter; and
wherein the controller, in the failsafe operating mode, refrains from operating the cooling tower in the wet mode despite the controller determining operation of the cooling tower in the wet mode is appropriate to satisfy the process fluid temperature request.

5. The cooling tower system of claim 1 wherein the evaporative liquid treatment system is operable to purge and flush the cooling tower; and
wherein the controller, in the normal operating mode, is configured to periodically cause the evaporative liquid treatment system to purge and flush the cooling tower.

6. The cooling tower system of claim 5 wherein the controller, in the failsafe operating mode, is configured to change the operation of the cooling tower including causing the evaporative treatment system to purge and flush the cooling tower more frequently than with the controller in the normal operating mode.

7. The cooling tower system of claim 1 wherein the controller, in the normal operating mode, is configured to operate the evaporative liquid treatment system including at least one of: opening a makeup liquid supply valve, opening a bleed off valve, running a purge and flush cycle, and adding a treatment chemical to the evaporative liquid; and
wherein the controller, in the failsafe operating mode, is configured to change operation of the cooling tower including at least one of turning off a spray pump, reducing a speed of a fan of the cooling tower, running a purge and flush cycle, and adding a treatment chemical to the evaporative liquid.

8. A cooling tower system comprising:
a cooling tower comprising:
an evaporative heat exchanger, the cooling tower operable to distribute an evaporative liquid onto the evaporative heat exchanger;
a sensor configured to detect a parameter of the evaporative liquid; and
an evaporative liquid treatment system;

a controller operably coupled to the cooling tower, the controller having a normal operating mode wherein the controller operates the evaporative liquid treatment system to treat the evaporative liquid upon a determination of inadequate evaporative liquid quality based at least in part on the parameter of the evaporative liquid; and
the controller having a failsafe operating mode wherein the controller changes operation of the cooling tower upon a determination that the operation of the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid quality;
wherein the sensor includes at least one of a conductivity sensor, a biofilm sensor, and a pH sensor;
wherein the parameter includes at least one of a conductivity parameter, a biofilm parameter, and a pH parameter; and
wherein the controller, in the failsafe operating mode, is configured to bypass consideration of the at least one of the conductivity parameter, biofilm parameter, and pH parameter.

9. The cooling tower system of claim 1 wherein the controller generates a remedial action signal upon the controller operating the liquid treatment system; and
the determination that the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid quality is based at least in part upon the number of remedial action signals exceeding a predetermined number of remedial action signals.

10. The cooling tower system of claim 1 wherein the determination that the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid quality is based at least in part on the parameter of the evaporative liquid being outside of an acceptable range for longer than a predetermined period of time.

11. The cooling tower system of claim 1 wherein the determination that the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid qu

Assignees

• Baltimore Aircoil Co Inc

Inventors

• Blay Preston
• Morrison Frank T
• Aaron David Andrew

Classifications

• F28F27/003 Primary

  specially adapted for cooling towers · CPC title

• F28C1/00

  Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers (building construction E04H5/12; enclosed spaces cooled by trickle F25; components parts of trickle coolers F28F25/00; {indirect-contact cooling towers F28B1/06}) · CPC title

• F28C1/14 Primary

  comprising also a non-direct contact heat exchange · CPC title

• F28F2265/18

  for removing contaminants, e.g. for degassing · CPC title

• F28F2265/20

  for preventing development of microorganisms · CPC title