Information
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Patent Grant
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6715312
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Patent Number
6,715,312
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Date Filed
Friday, October 25, 200222 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, April 6, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
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Original Assignees
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Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 062 305
- 062 91
- 062 79
- 062 181
- 062 184
- 062 2386
- 165 110
- 165 113
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International Classifications
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Abstract
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 20 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 air conditioning circuit by consecutively moving through an optional coolant receiving chamber, a thermal expansion valve, an evaporator, and returning to the compressor.
Description
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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a diagram showing a de-superheater for evaporative condensing air conditioning constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The Invention
Referring now to
FIG. 1
, there is illustrated an evaporative condensing air conditioning system
10
employing a de-superheater
12
for removing the superheat from hot coolant gas before the gas reaches the evaporatively cooled condenser
14
constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The system
10
employs the air cooled de-superheater
12
and mist eliminator
16
that are located between a spray tree
18
that delivers cooling water
20
to the exterior surfaces of the condenser coil
14
and an air fan
22
that normally pulls air through the condenser
14
, but in the present invention also pulls air through the mist eliminator
16
and the de-superheater coil
12
as a means of cooling the superheated coolant that flows through the de-superheater coil
12
.
Superheated hot coolant gas from a compressor
24
first flows through coolant line
26
to the de-superheater
12
where the superheat is removed from the coolant via air cooling. Then the coolant leaving the de-superheater
12
travels via coolant line
28
to the condenser
14
, entering the condenser coil
14
as a saturated gas and at a temperature that does not promote mineral build up and scaling on the exterior surfaces of the evaporatively cooled condenser coil
14
. The coolant is further cooled and condenses into a liquid within the condenser coil
14
before finishing the air conditioning circuit by consecutively moving through a coolant line
30
to an optional coolant receiving chamber
32
, through another coolant line
34
to a thermal expansion valve
36
, through still another coolant line
37
to an evaporator
38
, through the evaporator
38
, and returning to the compressor
24
via still another coolant line
40
. Although the air conditioning circuit is described as having a coolant receiving chamber
32
, the feature is optional. As shown in the drawing by arrows F and G, an air handling fan
41
forces air to be cooled over the chilled exterior surfaces of the evaporator coil
38
in order to provide cool air for use in a building. Although the air handling fan
41
is shown in the drawing as being located upstream of the evaporator
38
so that it pushes air through the evaporator
38
, it could also be located downstream of the evaporator
38
so that it pulls air through the evaporator
38
.
The present invention also includes a mist eliminator
16
that is physically provided between the de-superheater
12
and the water spray tree
18
to prevent stray droplets of water
20
from reaching the de-superheater
12
from the spray tree
18
, thereby preventing mineral build up and scale from being deposited on the exterior surfaces of the air cooled de-superheater coil
12
.
The cooling water circuit consists of the spray tree
18
, the exterior surfaces of the condenser coil
14
, a water sump
42
, a water line
43
that connects the water sump
42
, and a water pump
44
that continuously pumps cooling water
20
via a water line
46
from the water sump
42
to the spray tree
18
. Water
20
is replaced in the sump
42
by a makeup water connection
47
. The amount of makeup water is reduced by use of the de-superheater
12
.
The spray tree
18
sprays cooling water
20
on the exterior surface of the condenser coil
14
. Heat from the hot coolant located within the condenser coil
14
is transferred to the cooling water
20
on the exterior surface of the condenser coil
14
, causing part of the cooling water
20
to be vaporized into the air and thereby removing the heat from the unit
10
with the air that is pulled by the air fan
22
through the air circuit of the evaporative cooler, i.e. through the condenser
14
, then through the mist eliminator
16
, and finally through the de-superheater
12
, as shown by arrows A, B, C, D, and E. The water sump
42
receives the cooling water
20
that drips off of the condenser coil
14
, and the water pump
44
continuously pumps cooling water
20
through the water line
46
back to the spray tree
18
from the sump
42
.
While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for the purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.
Claims
- 1. A de-superheater for an evaporative condensing air conditioning system comprising:an air cooled de-superheater coil, said de-superheater coil connected to and receiving superheated coolant gas from a compressor of an evaporative condensing air conditioning system, and said de-superheater coil provided with one connection to and supplying completely de-superheated coolant gas to an evaporatively cooled condenser coil of the evaporative condensing air conditioning system.
- 2. A de-superheater for an evaporative condensing air conditioning system according to claim 1 further comprising:a mist eliminator located between the de-superheater coil and a spray tree of the evaporative condensing air conditioning system to prevent water droplets from the spray tree from reaching the de-superheater coil.
- 3. An evaporative condensing air conditioning system with de-superheater according to claim 1 further comprising:said condenser coil connected to and supplying liquid coolant gas to a thermal expansion valve, said thermal expansion valve connected to and supplying coolant gas to an evaporator, and said evaporator connected to and supplying coolant gas to said compressor.
- 4. An evaporative condensing air conditioning system with de-superheater according to claim 3 further comprising:a mist eliminator located between the de-superheater coil and a spray tree of the evaporative condensing air conditioning system to prevent water droplets from the spray tree from reaching the de-superheater coil.
- 5. An evaporative condensing air conditioning system with de-superheater according to claim 1 further comprising:a common air supply passing through both the evaporatively cooled condenser coil and the de-superheater coil.
- 6. An evaporative condensing air conditioning system with de-superheater according to claim 5 further comprising:a mist eliminator located between the de-superheater coil and a spray tree of the evaporative condensing air conditioning system to prevent water droplets from the spray tree from reaching the de-superheater coil.
US Referenced Citations (9)