Heat rejection apparatus, plume abatement system, and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11976882-B2
Application number	US-202117532259-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2021
Priority date	Nov 23, 2020
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

In one aspect, a heat rejection apparatus is provided including an evaporative heat exchanger and a primary fan operable to direct first ambient air into an air inlet, cause the first ambient air to interact with the evaporative heat exchanger to produce heated air, and discharge the heated air from an air outlet. The heat rejection apparatus includes a plume abatement fan operable to direct second ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger and a controller operably coupled to the primary fan and the plume abatement fan. The controller has a plume abatement mode wherein the controller operates the plume abatement fan to cause the plume abatement fan to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air to cool the heated air and abate plume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat rejection apparatus comprising:
an air inlet;
an air outlet;
an evaporative heat exchanger;
a primary fan operable to direct first ambient air into the air inlet, cause the first ambient air to interact with the evaporative heat exchanger to produce heated air, and discharge the heated air from the air outlet;
a plume abatement fan operable to direct second ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger;
a controller operably coupled to the primary fan and the plume abatement fan, the controller having a plume abatement mode wherein the controller operates the plume abatement fan to cause the plume abatement fan to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air to cool the heated air and abate plume;
wherein the controller has a cooling mode wherein the controller operates the plume abatement fan in a first direction to assist in directing the first ambient air into the air inlet, causing the first ambient air to interact with the evaporative heat exchanger, and discharging the heated air from the air outlet; and
wherein the controller plume abatement mode includes the controller operating the plume abatement fan in an opposite, second direction to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger.

2. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plume abatement fan is operable to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger and upstream of the air outlet.

3. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plenum intermediate the evaporative heat exchanger and the air outlet; and
wherein the plume abatement fan is operable to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air in the plenum.

4. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an external plume abatement fan operable to direct third ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the air outlet.

5. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an outer structure, the evaporative heat exchanger in the outer structure, the air inlet permitting ambient airflow into an interior of the outer structure, and the air outlet permitting heated air to exit the interior of the outer structure; and
wherein the external plume abatement fan is outside of the outer structure, the plume abatement fan operable to direct the third ambient air into contact with the heated air once the heated air has been discharged from the air outlet.

6. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary fan is operable to cause the heated air to discharge from the air outlet in a first direction; and
wherein the plume abatement fan is operable to direct the second ambient air in a second direction transverse to the first direction into contact with the heated air.

7. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a plenum intermediate the evaporative heat exchanger and the air outlet;
wherein the primary fan is operable to cause the heated air in the plenum to discharge from the air outlet in the first direction; and
wherein the plume abatement fan is operable to direct the second ambient air in the second direction oblique to the first direction into contact with the heated air in the plenum.

8. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the evaporative heat exchanger includes heat transfer elements, a liquid distribution system configured to distribute a liquid comprising water onto the heat transfer elements, and a sump to collect liquid.

9. A heat rejection apparatus comprising:
an air inlet;
an air outlet;
an evaporative heat exchanger;
a primary fan operable to direct first ambient air into the air inlet, cause the first ambient air to interact with the evaporative heat exchanger to produce heated air, and discharge the heated air from the air outlet;
a plume abatement fan operable to direct second ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger; and
a controller operably coupled to the primary fan and the plume abatement fan, the controller having a plume abatement mode wherein the controller operates the plume abatement fan to cause the plume abatement fan to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air to cool the heated air and abate plume;
wherein the primary fan comprises a plurality of primary fans and the plume abatement fan includes a plurality of plume abatement fans;
wherein the controller has a cooling mode wherein the controller operates the primary fans and the plume abatement fans in first directions so that both the primary fans and the plume abatement fans cooperate to direct the first ambient air into the air inlet, cause the first ambient air to interact with the evaporative heat exchanger, and discharge the heated air from the air outlet; and
wherein the plume abatement mode of the controller includes the controller:
operating the primary fans in the first directions; and
operating the plume abatement fans in second directions opposite the first directions of the plume abatement fans so that the plume abatement fans direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger.

10. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plume abatement fans are operable to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger and upstream of the air outlet.

11. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a plenum intermediate the evaporative heat exchanger and the air outlet; and
wherein the plume abatement fans are operable to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air in the plenum.

12. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 9 wherein the primary fans are operable to cause the heated air to discharge from the air outlet in first directions; and
wherein the plume abatement fans are operable to direct the second ambient air in second directions transverse to the first directions into contact with the heated air.

13. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a plenum intermediate the evaporative heat exchanger and the air outlet;
wherein the primary fans are operable to cause the heated air in the plenum to discharge from the air outlet in the first directions; and
wherein the plume abatement fans are operable to direct the second ambient air in the second directions oblique to the first direction and into contact with the heated air in the plenum.

14. The heat rejection apparatus of claim 9 wherein the evaporative heat exchanger includes heat transfer elements, a liquid distribution system configured to distribute a liquid comprising water onto the heat transfer elements, and a sump to collect liquid.

15. A method of operating a heat rejection apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving a setpoint temperature for a process fluid discharged from the heat rejection apparatus;
operating a primary fan to direct first ambient air into an air inlet of the heat rejection apparatus, causing the first ambient air to interact with an evaporative heat exchanger to cool the process fluid and produce heated air, and discharging the heated air from an air outlet of the heat rejection apparatus;
detecting, via a sensor of the heat rejection apparatus, an ambient air variable;
determining a plume formation condition based at least in part on the ambient air variable;
determining, via a controller of the heat rejection

Assignees

• Baltimore Aircoil Co Inc

Inventors

• Blay Preston
• Shin Yoon K
• Aaron David Andrew

Classifications

• F28C1/14 Primary

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

• F28F27/003

  specially adapted for cooling towers · CPC title

• F28C2001/006

  Systems comprising cooling towers, e.g. for recooling a cooling medium · CPC title

• F28C1/16 Primary

  Arrangements for preventing condensation, precipitation or mist formation, outside the cooler (F28C1/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02B30/70

  Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating · CPC title