Patent Application
20150198340
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC systems) generally comprise one or more heat exchangers generally referred to as “condensers” that may be comprise a condenser coil, and may be associated with one or more compressors and a fan assembly. In operation, a compressor may compress refrigerant and discharge superheated refrigerant (i.e., refrigerant at a temperature greater than a saturation temperature of the refrigerant) to the condenser coil. As the refrigerant passes through the condenser coil, a fan assembly may be configured to selectively force air into contact with the condenser coil. In response to the air contacting the condenser coil, heat may be transferred from the refrigerant to the air, thereby desuperheating the refrigerant and/or otherwise reducing a temperature of the refrigerant. In some cases, the temperature of the refrigerant within the condenser coil is reduced to a saturation temperature of the refrigerant.
Continued removal of heat from the refrigerant at the saturation temperature in combination with appropriately maintained pressure within the condenser coil may result in transforming at least some or substantially all of the gaseous phase refrigerant to liquid phase refrigerant. Refrigerant may generally exit the condenser coil in a liquid phase and/or a gaseous and liquid mixed phase. The refrigerant may thereafter be delivered from the condenser coil to a refrigerant expansion device where the refrigerant pressure is reduced and after which, the refrigerant is selectively discharged into a so-called evaporator coil of the HVAC system that may provide a cooling function.
In an embodiment, a refrigeration system comprises an indoor exchanger, an outdoor exchanger, a fluid collector configured to collect condensate from the indoor exchanger, and a fluid distributor configured to pass the condensate from the fluid collector over at least a portion of the outdoor exchanger. The outdoor exchanger comprises a main coil, and the subcooling coil. The indoor exchanger and the outdoor exchanger are operable in at least a cooling mode where the indoor coil is configured to absorb heat in the cooling mode and the outdoor coil is configured to release heat in the cooling mode. The refrigeration system may also include a pump configured to receive the condensate and pass the condensate to the fluid distributor. The fluid distributor may be configured to pass the condensate over at least a portion of the subcooling coil. The indoor exchanger and the outdoor exchanger may be operable in a heating mode where the indoor coil is configured to release heat in the heating mode and the outdoor coil is configured to absorb heat in the heating mode. The fluid distributor may comprise a drip system or a spray nozzle. The fluid distributor may be configured to pass the condensate over at least the portion of the outdoor exchanger in a liquid state. The refrigeration system may also include a condensate storage vessel in fluid communication with the fluid collector and the fluid distributor.
In an embodiment, a cooling system comprises an evaporator exchanger, a condenser exchanger, a fluid collector configured to collect condensate from the evaporator exchanger, a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fluid collector, and a fluid distributor in fluid communication with the fluid conduit. The fluid distributor is configured to pass the condensate over at least a portion of the condenser exchanger. The condenser exchanger comprises a main coil, and a subcooling coil, where the condenser coil is configured to subcool at least a portion of the refrigerant in the subcooling coil. The evaporator coil is configured to absorb heat to evaporate at least a portion of a refrigerant, and the condenser coil is configured to release heat and condense at least a portion of the refrigerant in the main coil. The cooling system may also include a pump in fluid communication with the fluid conduit, and the pump may be configured to pass the fluid to the fluid distributor. The fluid distributor may comprise a drip system disposed above the condenser exchanger. The fluid distributor may be configured to pass the condensate over at least a portion of the subcooling coil. The subcooling coil may be disposed above the main coil. The cooling system may also include a compressor disposed in a first fluid line between an outlet of the evaporator exchanger and an inlet of the condenser exchanger, and an expansion device disposed in a second fluid line between an outlet of the condenser exchanger and an inlet of the evaporator exchanger. The compressor may be configured to draw a refrigerant from the outlet of the evaporator exchanger, compress the refrigerant, and pass the refrigerant to inlet of the condenser exchanger. The expansion device may be configured to receive a refrigerant from the outlet of the condenser exchanger, expand the refrigerant, and pass the refrigerant to inlet of the evaporator exchanger. The cooling system may also include a blower that may be configured to cause air to pass over the condenser exchanger when the condensate is passed over at least the portion of the condenser exchanger. The cooling system may also include a condensate storage vessel in fluid communication with the fluid collector and the fluid distributor. The cooling system may also include a controller that is configured to cause the condensate storage vessel to collect condensate from the fluid collector, detect a condition associated with the cooling system, and transfer the condensate from the condensate storage vessel to the fluid distributor when the condition exceeds a threshold.
In an embodiment, a method of cooling a refrigerant comprises evaporating a refrigerant in an indoor exchanger, condensing water on the indoor exchanger during the evaporating, collecting the water condensed on the indoor exchanger, distributing the water over at least a portion of an outdoor exchanger, evaporating the water, and cooling the refrigerant in the outdoor exchanger in response to the evaporating. Evaporating the water may comprise evaporating the water when the water is in contact with the outdoor exchanger. Distributing the water over at least the portion of the outdoor exchanger may comprise distributing the water over a subcooling coil of the outdoor exchanger. Cooling the refrigerant may comprise subcooling the refrigerant in the subcooling coil in response to evaporating the water. The refrigerant may be subcooled at least about 5° F. to about 30° F. The method may also include pumping the water from the indoor exchanger to the outdoor exchanger and/or completely condensing the refrigerant leaving the outdoor exchanger in response to cooling the refrigerant. Collecting the water may comprise storing the water condensed on the indoor exchanger in a condensate storage vessel. Distributing the water over at least a portion of the outdoor exchanger may comprise passing the water from the condensate storage vessel to the outdoor exchanger, which may or may not occur in response to a controller determining that the method is occurring at a peak demand period. The method may also include measuring a condition associated with at least one of the indoor exchanger, the outdoor exchanger, an indoor location, or an outdoor location, comparing the condition with one or more thresholds, and releasing the water from the condensate storage vessel when the condition exceeds at least one threshold.
These and other features will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description:
In the drawings and description that follow, like parts are typically marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. In addition, similar reference numerals may refer to similar components in different embodiments disclosed herein. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The present invention is susceptible to embodiments of different forms. Specific embodiments are described in detail and are shown in the drawings, with the understanding that the present disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed herein may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results.
HVAC systems are being improved in order to provide increased efficiency and cooling capacity. Disclosed herein is an HVAC system that utilizes condensation formed on an indoor heat exchanger to cool, and in some instances subcool, the refrigerant passing through the outdoor heat exchanger. As used herein, the condensation formed on the indoor heat exchanger may be referred to as “condensate.” During a normal cooling mode, the indoor heat exchanger responsible for cooling the indoor air can utilize 20% to 25% of the cooling capacity in condensing the moisture in the indoor air. This condensation process occurs at a near constant temperature and does not significantly contribute to the lowering the dry-bulb temperature of the indoor air. This condensate is typically discarded to a waste water source, and the energy required to condense the water is essentially lost.
Rather than discard the condensate formed on the indoor heat exchanger, the present disclosure teaches transferring the water to a fluid distributor and using the fluid distributor to distribute the water over at least a portion of the outside heat exchanger. The condensate can be distributed over the outside heat exchanger as it is generated on the indoor heat exchanger, or in some embodiments, the condensate can be stored and used during high demand periods (e.g., peak demand conditions). In some embodiments, the condensate can be distributed over a subcooling portion of the outdoor heat exchanger in order to subcool the refrigerant prior to cycling the refrigerant back into the indoor heat exchanger. Applying the condensate to the subcooling portion may reduce or avoid the condensate inducing circuit imbalance while increasing the condenser capacity up to 20% to 30%. The use of the condensate may also enable depression of the condensing temperature more than using outdoor air alone. Further, the use of the condensate formed on the indoor heat exchanger may provide for a relatively pure water source that should be free of dissolved minerals and other chemicals that could foul the outdoor heat exchanger. The recycling of the water also reclaims a portion of the energy that was lost during the condensation process, reduces the need to discard the water, and provides the water at the time that it is needed (e.g., during the cooling cycle).
Referring now to
The HVAC system 100 illustrated in
Indoor unit 102 generally comprises an indoor heat exchanger 108, an indoor fan 110, an expansion device 112, and a fluid collection assembly 109. The indoor heat exchanger 108 is configured to allow heat exchange between a refrigerant carried within internal tubing of the indoor heat exchanger 108 and fluids that contact the indoor heat exchanger 108 but that are kept segregated from the refrigerant. In a cooling mode, the refrigerant received within the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be cooler than the fluid passing over the exterior of the indoor heat exchanger 108. The resulting heat absorption by the refrigerant within the indoor heat exchanger may result in the vaporization of the refrigerant within the indoor heat exchanger 108. For this reason, the indoor heat exchanger may be referred to as an evaporator or evaporator exchanger in some contexts. Various types of exchangers can be used as the indoor heat exchanger 108 including, but not limited to, a plate fin heat exchanger, a spine fin heat exchanger, a microchannel heat exchanger, or any other suitable type of heat exchanger.
The indoor fan 110 serves to create the flow of the fluid that contacts the indoor heat exchanger 108. In general, the indoor fan 110 drives an air flow over the exterior of the indoor heat exchanger 108 tubes as well as driving the ventilation system to circulate the air within the indoor environment. While described as a fan, various types of fans and blowers can be used as the indoor fan 110. In an embodiment, the indoor fan 110 may be a centrifugal blower comprising a blower housing, a blower impeller at least partially disposed within the blower housing, and a blower motor configured to selectively rotate the blower impeller. In other embodiments, the indoor fan 110 may comprise a mixed-flow fan and/or any other suitable type of fan. The indoor fan 110 may be configured as a modulating and/or variable speed fan capable of being operated at many speeds over one or more ranges of speeds. In other embodiments, the indoor fan 110 may be configured as a multiple speed fan capable of being operated at a plurality of operating speeds by selectively electrically powering different ones of multiple electromagnetic windings of a motor of the indoor fan 110. In yet other embodiments, the indoor fan 110 may be a single speed fan.
The expansion device 112 is configured to receive a relatively high-pressure refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger 114 and reduce the pressure of the refrigerant (e.g., expanding the refrigerant) as measured across the expansion device 112 prior to the refrigerant entering the indoor heat exchanger 108. In this embodiment, the expansion device 112 is disposed between and is in fluid communication with the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger114 and the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger 108. In some embodiments, the expansion device 112 may also control an amount of refrigerant passing through the expansion device 112. The pressure reduction results in a cooling of the refrigerant, which is then used to absorb heat into the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 108 while correspondingly cooling the fluid (e.g., the indoor air) passing over the indoor heat exchanger 108.
The expansion device 112 may include various forms. In an embodiment, the expansion device 112 may comprise an electronically controlled motor driven electronic expansion valve (EEV). In some embodiments, the expansion device 112 may comprise a thermostatic expansion valve, an isenthalpic expansion valve, a capillary tube assembly, an orifice and/or any other suitable expansion device or metering device. The expansion device 112 may comprise and/or be associated with a refrigerant check valve and/or refrigerant bypass.
The fluid collection assembly 109 is configured to receive at least some condensate formed on the indoor heat exchanger 108 during operation of the indoor heat exchanger 108. In general, the cool refrigerant located within the indoor heat exchanger 108 when the system 100 is operating in a cooling mode may result in the condensation of at least a portion of any moisture in the fluid passing over the of the indoor heat exchanger 108. The fluid collection assembly 109 may be located in a suitable position to collect and receive the condensate formed on the indoor heat exchanger 108. In an embodiment, the fluid collection assembly 109 may comprise a drain pan having a substantially open box-shaped structure. In this embodiment, the fluid collection assembly 109 may comprise four generally rectangular side walls and a generally rectangular bottom wall. While described as being rectangular, any suitable shape or configuration can be used so long as at least a portion of the condensate is collected from the indoor heat exchanger 108.
The condensate may be used with the outdoor heat exchanger 114 as described herein. In order to allow the condensate to be transferred to the outdoor heat exchanger 114, the fluid collection assembly 109 may comprise a port 105 or other opening at or near the bottom of the fluid collection assembly 109 to allow at least a portion of the collected condensate to leave the fluid collection assembly 109. In some embodiments, the fluid may flow by gravity flow to a fluid distributor 111 associated with the outdoor heat exchanger 114, as described in more detail herein.
In some embodiments, an optional pump 107 may be disposed between and in fluid communication with the port 105 and the fluid distributor 111. The pump 107 may generally be configured to provide the driving force to cause the condensate to flow from the fluid collection assembly 109 to the fluid distributor 111. Any suitably sized pump 107 may be used to transfer the condensate from the fluid collection assembly 109 to the fluid distributor 111. Various factors may be considered when selecting the type and capacity (e.g., the volumetric capacity, pumping head, etc.) of the pump 107 such as the relative locations of the fluid collection assembly 109, the fluid losses associated with the fluid conduits between the pump 107 and the fluid distributor 111, the pressure losses associated with the fluid distributor 111, the amount of condensate generated on the indoor heat exchanger 108, and the like. In an embodiment, the pump may comprise a positive displacement pump, a centrifugal pump, or any other suitable pump, and the pump 107 may operate continuously, intermittently, and/or selectively, for example, when a condensate level is detected in the fluid collection assembly 109 (using, for example, a fluid level detector).
The outdoor unit 104 generally comprises an outdoor heat exchanger 114, a compressor 116, an outdoor fan 118, and a fluid distributor 111. The outdoor heat exchanger 114 is configured to allow heat exchange between a refrigerant carried within internal tubing of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 and fluids (e.g., outdoor air) that contact the outdoor heat exchanger 114 but that are kept segregated from the refrigerant. In a cooling mode, the refrigerant received within the outdoor heat exchanger 114 through inlet line 115 can be warmer than the fluid passing over the exterior of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. The resulting heat loss by the refrigerant within the outdoor heat exchanger 114 may result in the partial or complete condensation of the refrigerant within the outdoor heat exchanger 114. For this reason, the outdoor heat exchanger 114 may be referred to as a condenser or condenser exchanger in some contexts. Various types of exchangers can be used as the outdoor heat exchanger 114 including, but not limited to, a plate fin heat exchanger, a spine fin heat exchanger, a microchannel heat exchanger, or any other suitable type of heat exchanger.
While the outdoor heat exchanger 114 is described as being outside or outdoors, the outdoor heat exchanger 114 does not have to be installed physically outdoors. For example, the outdoor heat exchanger 114 can be installed within a building while having ducting to contact exterior air with the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In some embodiments, the heat exchange between the outdoor heat exchanger 114 and the exterior or outdoor air can occur directly or indirectly via an intermediate heat transfer fluid.
The compressor 116 can be disposed between and in fluid communication with the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger 108 and the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. The compressor 116 may be configured to receive the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger 108 through line 119, compress the refrigerant, and pass the refrigerant to the outdoor heat exchanger 114 through line 115. As the refrigerant is compressed, the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant may rise, thereby allow the heat to be released from the refrigerant within the outdoor heat exchanger 114. Various types of compressors are known and may be suitable for use with the system 100. In an embodiment, the compressor 116 may comprise a multiple speed scroll type compressor configured to selectively pump refrigerant at a plurality of mass flow rates. In some embodiments, the compressor 116 may comprise a modulating compressor capable of operation over one or more speed ranges, a reciprocating type compressor, a single speed compressor, and/or any other suitable refrigerant compressor and/or refrigerant pump.
In an embodiment as schematically illustrated in
In an embodiment, the main coil 205 may comprise a series of refrigerant conveying tubes traversing a plurality of heat transfer fins 206. The outside fluid (e.g., outdoor air) can be conveyed across the heat transfer fins 206 and/or the plurality of refrigerant conveying tubes. The main coil 205 may receive a refrigerant through the inlet line 115 and pass the refrigerant to an inlet header 208 (e.g., a distributor) that is coupled to and in fluid communication with an outlet header 212 (e.g., a collector) by a plurality of cross-flow tubes 210. Each of the cross-flow tubes 210 may be in thermal contact with one or more of the heat transfer fins 206. The refrigerant may generally flow through one of the cross-flow tubes 210 from the inlet header 208 to the outlet header 212. As heat is removed from the refrigerant, the refrigerant may partially or completely condense within the cross-flow tubes 210.
The subcooling coil 203 may also comprise one or more refrigerant conveying tubes 216 traversing a plurality of heat transfer fins 206 across which the outside fluid (e.g., outdoor air) can be conveyed. The heat transfer fins 206 may be coupled to both the subcooling coils 203 and the main coils 205. The subcooling coil 203 may receive the refrigerant from the main coil 205 through an inlet line 214 in fluid communication with the outlet header 212. The refrigerant may generally flow through the subcooling tubes 216 before passing out of the subcooling coil 203 through outside heat exchanger outlet line 117. The refrigerant may be received within the inlet line 214 in a completely liquid phase or mixed gas/liquid phase. As the refrigerant passes through the subcooling tubes 216, the refrigerant may be completely condensed and subcooled below the saturation temperature (e.g., the condensation temperature).
For performance reasons, there may be more tubes in the main coils 205 than in the subcooling coil 203. For example, the refrigerant passing through the main coils 205 may comprise a gaseous or mixed gas/liquid phase. Upon the condensation of the refrigerant, the reduced volume of the liquid phase refrigerant may be transported through fewer subcooling tubes 216 in the subcooling coil 203.
The outdoor fan 118 serves to create the flow of the fluid that contacts the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In general, the outdoor fan 118 drives an air flow over the exterior of the outdoor heat exchanger 118 tubes. While described as a fan, various types of fans and blowers can be used as the indoor fan 110. In an embodiment, the outdoor fan 118 may be an axial fan comprising a fan blade assembly and fan motor configured to selectively rotate the fan blade assembly. In other embodiments, the outdoor fan 118 may comprise a mixed-flow fan, a centrifugal blower, and/or any other suitable type of fan and/or blower. The outdoor fan 118 is configured as a modulating and/or variable speed fan capable of being operated at many speeds over one or more ranges of speeds. In other embodiments, the outdoor fan 118 may be configured as a multiple speed fan capable of being operated at a plurality of operating speeds by selectively electrically powering different ones of multiple electromagnetic windings of a motor of the outdoor fan 118. In yet other embodiments, the outdoor fan 118 may be a single speed fan.
The outdoor fan 118 may be configured to draw air through the outdoor heat exchanger 118 and/or blow air into the outdoor heat exchanger 118. While illustrated as being above the outdoor exchanger 114, the outdoor fan 118 may be disposed below, within, or adjacent the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In some embodiments, the outdoor fan 118 may be configured to create an air flow pattern over the outdoor heat exchanger 114 such that the air passes over the subcooling section 202 prior to passing over the condensing section 204, thereby creating a counter-current flow pattern within the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In some embodiments, a cross-current flow pattern may be established where the external fluid (e.g., the outdoor air) is drawn across the subcooling section 202 and the condensing section 204. Any other suitable flow patterns or configurations are also possible.
The fluid distributor 111 is configured to receive the condensate from the fluid collection assembly 109 and pass the condensate over at least a portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. For example, the fluid distributor 111 may be configured to pass the condensate over the condensing section 204, the subcooling section 202, and/or any portion thereof. The fluid distributor 111 is coupled to and in fluid communication with the condensate line 113, which is in fluid communication with the fluid collection assembly 109 and the optional pump 107. The fluid distributor 111 may comprise any device suitable for passing the condensate over the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In an embodiment, the fluid distributor 111 may pass at least a portion of the condensate over the subcooling section 202 of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In some embodiments, the fluid distributor 111 may pass at least a portion of the condensate over the condensing section 204 of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. The use of the condensate on the outdoor heat exchanger 114, and in some embodiments the subcooling section 202, may result in subcooling of the refrigerant to a temperature below a comparable outdoor heat exchanger not having the condensate contacting at the portion of the comparable outdoor heat exchanger. In some embodiments, the fluid distributor 111 may be configured to only receive a fluid (e.g., the condensate) condensing on the indoor heat exchanger 108 and no other source.
In an embodiment, the fluid distributor 111 may comprise a drip system. In this embodiment, the fluid distributor may comprise tubing having one or more openings, ports, orifices, or other permeable surface to allow the condensate to flow from an interior of the tubing to an exterior of the tubing. For example, the fluid distributor may comprise a permeable tubing to allow the condensate to flow through the permeable tubing and downward onto the outdoor heat exchanger 114. The fluid distributor 111 may then be configured to allow the condensate to drip off of the fluid distributor 111 and contact the outdoor heat exchanger 114. Since the drip system may rely on gravity to carry the condensate into contact with the outdoor heat exchanger, the fluid distributor 111 may be disposed above or over the outdoor heat exchanger 114. Further, the fluid distributor may be configured to allow the condensate to contact the outdoor heat exchanger 114 in a liquid state. The condensate may then be allowed to evaporate from the outdoor heat exchanger 114, thereby absorbing and removing heat from the refrigerant passing through the outdoor heat exchanger 114.
When the fluid distributor 111 comprises a drip system, the fluid distributor 111 may be configured to allow the condensate to contact the subcooling section 202 prior to any condensate contacting the condensing section 204. In an embodiment, the subcooling section 202 including the subcooling coil 203 may be located above the condensing section 204 including the condensing coil 205. This may allow the condensate to be distributed from the top of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 so that the condensate may first contact the subcooling coil 203, and any excess condensate not vaporized while in contact with the subcooling coil 203 may then flow into contact with the condensing coil 205. This may allow the condensate to be used to subcool the refrigerant. In some embodiments, the drip system may allow the condensate to contact one or more heat transfer fins 206 adjacent the subcooling coil 203 and/or the condensing coil 205.
In an embodiment, the fluid distributor 111 may comprise a spray system. In this embodiment, the fluid distributor may comprise a tubing having one or more nozzles or spray devices to allow the condensate to flow from an interior of the tubing through the nozzles or spray devices to an exterior of the tubing and into contact with the outdoor heat exchanger. The use of nozzles or the like may benefit from the use of the optional pump 107 described above in order to provide the pressure associated with passing the fluid through the nozzles. The spray system may be configured to contact the outdoor heat exchanger 114 regardless of orientation. For example, the spray system may be located above, below, and/or on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. Further, the fluid distributor may be configured to allow at least a portion of the condensate to contact the outdoor heat exchanger 114 in a liquid state. The condensate may then be allowed to evaporate from the outdoor heat exchanger 114, thereby absorbing and removing heat from the refrigerant passing through the outdoor heat exchanger 114.
When the fluid distributor 111 comprises a spray system, the fluid distributor 111 may be configured to allow the condensate to contact the subcooling section 202 prior to any condensate contacting the condensing section 204. In an embodiment, the subcooling section 202 including the subcooling coil 203 may be located adjacent the fluid distributor 111 or at least the portion thereof comprising the nozzles or spray devices. Since the spray system may be configured to eject the fluid onto the surfaces within the outdoor heat exchanger 114, the subcooling section 202 may be located above, below, or adjacent the condensing section 204. For example, the subcooling coil may be located above, below, or horizontally aligned with the condensing coil 205. In an embodiment, the disposition of the subcooling section 202 above the condensing section 204 may allow any excess condensate not evaporated in the condensing section 202 to flow to the condensing section 204. In an embodiment, the spray system may be configured to spray the condensate directly on the subcooling coil, the condensing coil, and/or one or more heat transfer fins 206.
In an embodiment, the fluid distributor 111 may be configured to pass the condensate over at least a portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 as a vapor. When water evaporates, it can cause the air temperature surrounding the water to drop to at or near the wet bulb temperature. The cooling effect can then be used to contact the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In this embodiment, the fluid distributor 111 may comprise a spray system or a drip system. For a spray system, the condensate may be sprayed or atomized into a stream of income air, for example outdoor air forced by the outdoor fan 118. At least a portion of the condensate in the air stream can then evaporate and cause the temperature of the stream of air to be reduced. The air stream can then pass over at least a portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In an embodiment, the fluid distributor 111 can comprise a drip system where the condensate is passed through a porous mesh or other high surface area structure. The air stream can then be drawn through the mesh and the condensate can evaporate, thereby cooling the air stream. The air stream can then pass over at least a portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In some embodiments, the fluid distributor may be configured to pass a portion of the condensate over the outdoor heat exchanger 114 as a liquid and another portion as a vapor. In an embodiment, an outdoor air stream cooled using the condensate can be configured to pass over the subcooling section 202 prior to passing over the condensing section 204.
The use of the fluid distributor 111 to pass the condensate over the outdoor heat exchanger 114 may result in the refrigerant within the outdoor heat exchanger 114 being cooled, condensed, and/or subcooled. In an embodiment, the refrigerant can be completely condensed within the condensing coil 205 and/or the subcooling coil 203. In this embodiment, the refrigerant may leave the outdoor heat exchanger 114 as a liquid. The use of the condensate on the outdoor heat exchanger 114 may increase the capacity of the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In an embodiment, the use of the condensate with the fluid distributor 111 may increase the capacity of the outdoor heat exchanger to cool and condense the refrigerant between about 5% and 50%, between about 10% and 40%, or alternatively between about 15% and 30% relative to the same outdoor heat exchanger 114 not having any condensate distributed over at least a portion thereof. The improvement in the capacity of the outdoor heat exchanger may occur when the condensate is distributed or contacted with any portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 including the condensing section 204 and/or the subcooling section 202.
In some embodiments, the refrigerant can be subcooled within the subcooling coil 203. In this embodiment, the refrigerant may leave the outdoor heat exchanger 114 as a subcooled liquid. The amount of subcooling may depend on the amount of condensate supplied through the fluid distributor 111, the outdoor air temperature, the contact area of the outdoor heat exchanger 114, the incoming temperature and pressure of the refrigerant within the outdoor heat exchanger 114, and various other factors. In an embodiment, the use of the condensate to subcool the refrigerant within the outdoor heat exchanger may result in the refrigerant passing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 having been subcooled between about 5° F. and about 30° F., about 7° F. and about 25° F., or about 10° F. and about 20° F.
Returning to
In some embodiments, the system controller 106 may also selectively communicate with an indoor controller 124 of the indoor unit 102, with an outdoor controller 126 of the outdoor unit 104, and/or with other components of the HVAC system 100. In some embodiments, the system controller 106 may be configured for selective bidirectional communication over a communication bus 128. In some embodiments, portions of the communication bus 128 may comprise a three-wire connection suitable for communicating messages between the system controller 106 and one or more of the HVAC system 100 components configured for interfacing with the communication bus 128. Still further, the system controller 106 may be configured to selectively communicate with HVAC system 100 components and/or any other device 130 via a communication network 132. In some embodiments, the communication network 132 may comprise a telephone network, and the other device 130 may comprise a telephone. In some embodiments, the communication network 132 may comprise the Internet, and the other device 130 may comprise a smartphone and/or other Internet-enabled mobile telecommunication device. In other embodiments, the communication network 132 may also comprise a remote server.
The indoor controller 124 may be carried by the indoor unit 102 and may be configured to receive information inputs, transmit information outputs, and otherwise communicate with the system controller 106, the outdoor controller 126, and/or any other device 130 via the communication bus 128 and/or any other suitable medium of communication. In some embodiments, the indoor controller 124 may be configured to receive information related to a speed of the indoor fan 110, transmit a control output to an electric heat relay, transmit information regarding an indoor fan 110 volumetric flow-rate, communicate with and/or otherwise affect control over an air cleaner, and communicate with an indoor expansion device controller. In some embodiments, the indoor controller 124 may be configured to communicate with an indoor fan controller and/or otherwise affect control over operation of the indoor fan 110.
The outdoor controller 126 may be carried by the outdoor unit 104 and may be configured to receive information inputs, transmit information outputs, and otherwise communicate with the system controller 106, the indoor controller 124, and/or any other device via the communication bus 128 and/or any other suitable medium of communication. In some embodiments, the outdoor controller 126 may be configured to receive information related to an ambient temperature associated with the outdoor unit 104, information related to a temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 114, and/or information related to refrigerant temperatures and/or pressures of refrigerant entering, exiting, and/or within the outdoor heat exchanger 114 and/or the compressor 116. In some embodiments, the outdoor controller 126 may be configured to transmit information related to monitoring, communicating with, and/or otherwise affecting control over the outdoor fan 118, a compressor sump heater, a solenoid of the reversing valve, a relay associated with adjusting and/or monitoring a refrigerant charge of the HVAC system 100, a position of the indoor metering device 112, and/or a position of the outdoor metering device 120. The outdoor controller 126 may further be configured to communicate with a compressor drive controller that is configured to electrically power and/or control the compressor 116.
In operation, the HVAC system 100 may be used in a cooling mode in which heat is absorbed by refrigerant at the indoor heat exchanger 108 and heat is rejected from the refrigerant at the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In the cooling mode, a cooled and pressurized refrigerant may be received at the expansion device 112 through line 117. The refrigerant received at the expansion device 112 from the outdoor heat exchanger 114 may comprise a refrigerant that is primarily or completely in the liquid refrigerant. In some embodiments, the refrigerant may comprise a subcooled liquid refrigerant. The expansion device 112 may reduce the pressure of the refrigerant as measured from upstream of the expansion device 112 (e.g., in line 117) to downstream of the expansion device 112 (e.g., in line 121). The pressure differential across the expansion device 112 may allow the refrigerant downstream of the expansion device 112 to expand and/or at least partially convert to a two-phase (gas/liquid) mixture.
The two phase refrigerant may enter the indoor heat exchanger 108 through line 121. As the refrigerant is passed through the indoor heat exchanger 108, the indoor fan 110 may be operated to move air into contact with the indoor heat exchanger 108, thereby transferring heat to the refrigerant from the air surrounding the indoor heat exchanger 108. The liquid portion of the two phase mixture may evaporate and the temperature of the refrigerant may rise in the indoor heat exchanger 108.
On the exterior of the indoor heat exchanger 108, the cooler temperature of the refrigerant may cause any humidity in the air contacting the indoor heat exchanger 108 to condense. The condensate may collect within the fluid collection assembly 109. The resulting condensate may pass through a port 105 in the fluid collection assembly 109 and pass through a condensate line 113 to the fluid distributor 111. The condensate may be pumped by the optional pump 107 to aid in transferring the condensate from the fluid collection assembly 109 to the fluid distributor 111.
The refrigerant may pass out of the indoor heat exchanger 108 through line 119 and enter the compressor 116. The compressor 116 may operate to compress the refrigerant and pump the resulting relatively high temperature and high pressure compressed refrigerant from the compressor 116 to the outdoor heat exchanger 114 through line 115. As the refrigerant is passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 114, the outdoor fan 118 may be operated to move a fluid (e.g., outdoor air) into contact with the outdoor heat exchanger 114, thereby transferring heat from the refrigerant to the air surrounding the outdoor heat exchanger 114. The refrigerant entering the outdoor heat exchanger 114 may primarily comprise a vapor and the refrigerant passing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 may primarily comprise liquid phase refrigerant. The refrigerant may flow from the outdoor heat exchanger 114 to the expansion device 112 to repeat the process.
In some embodiments, the outdoor heat exchanger 114 may comprise a condensing section and a subcooling section. The refrigerant entering the outdoor heat exchanger 114 through line 115 may first enter the condensing section 204. As heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the air passing over the outdoor heat exchanger, 114, the refrigerant may at least partially condense within the condensing section 204. The at least partially condensed refrigerant may then enter the subcooling section 202 where the refrigerant may be completely condensed, and in some embodiments, subcooled below the condensation temperature. The outdoor fan 118 may be configured to allow the air entering the outdoor heat exchanger 114 to contact the subcooling section 202 before or concurrently with the condensing section 204.
In addition to the outdoor fan 118 operating, the fluid distributor 111 may also distribute the condensate over at least a portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 as the refrigerant passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 114. The fluid distributor 111 may be configured to pass the condensate over the outdoor heat exchanger 114 in a liquid and/or vapor form. In some embodiments, the fluid distributor 111 may be configured to distribute the condensate over a subcooling portion 202 (e.g., a subcooling coil) of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 prior to passing the condensate over at least a portion of the condensing section 204 (e.g., a condensing coil). The condensate may evaporate, and the resulting evaporation may absorb heat from the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 114. For example, the condensate may be evaporated when the condensate is in contact with the outdoor heat exchanger 114 (e.g., the condensing coil, the subcooling coil, etc.). The heat transfer may result in the condensation and/or subcooling of the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In some embodiments, the refrigerant may be subcooled in an amount in the range of about 5° F. to about 30° F.
While the HVAC system described above refers to a system that can utilize the condensate at or near the time that it is generated, the use of the system to store and supply the condensate to the outdoor heat exchanger 114 at a later time is shown in the embodiment depicted in
The main difference between the HVAC system 300 and the HVAC system 100 is the presence of a condensate storage vessel 302. The condensate storage vessel 302 may serve to receive and collect the condensate from the indoor heat exchanger 108 and hold it in reserve for use with the outdoor heat exchanger 114. As noted above, the condensate may be generated at the indoor heat exchanger 108 during the operation of the HVAC unit 300, which may occur at peak demand conditions as well as during off-peak demand times. In order to utilize the added efficiency of the evaporative cooling during certain periods such as peak demand periods (e.g., during the hottest parts of the hottest days of the year and/or the electric utility requests or incentivizes energy conservation), the condensate storage vessel 302 may store the condensate until a threshold system condition (e.g., a temperature, load, cooling rate, electricity cost, etc.) is met or exceeded. In this way the efficiency of the HVAC system 300 may be improved at a desired time such as during a peak demand period.
The condensate storage vessel 302 may be fluidly coupled to the fluid collection assembly 109 through condensate line 313. In some embodiments, an optional pump 307 may be disposed between and in fluid communication with the port 105 and the condensate storage vessel 302. The pump 307 may generally be configured to provide the driving force to cause the condensate to flow from the fluid collection assembly 109 to the condensate storage vessel 302. Any suitably sized pump 307 may be used to transfer the condensate from the fluid collection assembly 109 to the condensate storage vessel 302. Various factors may be considered when selecting the type and capacity (e.g., the volumetric capacity, pumping head, etc.) of the pump 307 such as the relative locations of the fluid collection assembly 109, the fluid losses associated with the fluid conduits between the pump 307 and the condensate storage vessel 302, the fluid head within the condensate storage vessel 302, the amount of condensate generated on the indoor heat exchanger 108, and the like. In an embodiment, the pump may comprise a positive displacement pump, a centrifugal pump, or any other suitable pump, and the pump 307 may operate continuously, intermittently, and/or selectively, for example, when a condensate level is detected in the fluid collection assembly 109 (using, for example, a fluid level detector).
The condensate storage vessel 302 may comprise any vessel capable of retaining the condensate from the fluid collection assembly 109. In an embodiment, the condensate storage vessel 302 may comprise a tank having any suitable shape (e.g., cylindrical, rectilinear, etc.). The condensate storage vessel 302 may be configured to hold at least about 0.01 gallons, at least about 0.05 gallons, at least about 0.1 gallons, at least about 0.2 gallons, at least about 0.3 gallons, at least about 0.4 gallons, at least about 0.5 gallons, at least about 0.7 gallons, at least about 1.0 gallons, at least about 2.0 gallons, at least about 3.0 gallons, at least about 4 gallons, or at least about 5.0 gallons. The condensate storage vessel 302 may be configured to hold up to about 100 gallons, up to about 75 gallons, up to about 50 gallons, up to about 25 gallons, up to about 20 gallons, up to about 15 gallons, up to about 14 gallons, up to about 13 gallons, up to about 12 gallons, up to about 11 gallons, up to about 10 gallons, up to about 9 gallons, up to about 8 gallons, or up to about 7 gallons. While illustrated as a single container, any number of condensate storage vessels may be arranged in series and/or parallel to allow for the storage of a desired amount of condensate. For example, a plurality of condensate storage vessels may be used in the HVAC system 300 and fluidly coupled to the fluid collection assembly 109 and the fluid distributor 111.
The condensate storage vessel 302 may be fluidly coupled to the fluid distributor 111, and the condensate storage vessel 302 can be located at any point between the fluid collection assembly 109 and the fluid distributor 111. In an embodiment, the condensate storage vessel 302 may be located within the indoor unit 102. In some embodiments, the condensate storage vessel 302 can be located within the outdoor unit 104, for example, at or near the outdoor heat exchanger 114. In still other embodiments, the condensate storage vessel 302 may be located outside of the indoor unit 102 and the outdoor unit 104.
The condensate storage vessel 302 may be fluidly coupled to the fluid distributor 111 through condensate line 304. In some embodiments, an optional pump 308 may be disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the condensate storage vessel 302. The pump 308 may be fluidly coupled to the fluid distributor 111. The pump 308 may generally be configured to provide the driving force to cause the condensate to flow from the condensate storage vessel 302 to the fluid distributor 111. Any suitably sized pump 308 may be used to transfer the condensate from the condensate storage vessel 302 to the fluid distributor 111. Various factors may be considered when selecting the type and capacity (e.g., the volumetric capacity, pumping head, etc.) of the pump 308 such as the relative locations of the condensate storage vessel 302, the fluid losses associated with the fluid conduits between the pump 308 and the fluid distributor, the fluid pressure loss associated with the fluid distributor 111, the amount of condensate stored within the condensate storage vessel 302, the flowrate of the condensate to the fluid distributor 111, and the like. In an embodiment, the pump may comprise a positive displacement pump, a centrifugal pump, or any other suitable pump, and the pump 308 may operate continuously, intermittently, and/or selectively, for example, when the controller actuates the pump 308, as described in more detail below. In an embodiment, only one of the optional pumps 307, 308 may be present in the system. For example, the pump 307 may not be present and the condensate may flow by gravity flow to the condensate storage vessel 302. The pump 308 may then be used to transfer the condensate to the fluid distributor 111.
In operation, the HVAC system 300 may operate as described with respect to the HVAC system 100 in
During use, the condensate may collect within the condensate storage vessel 302. In an embodiment, the condensate may collect within the condensate storage vessel 302 during one or more operational periods, for example, over multiple operations of the HVAC system 300 in the cooling mode. In an embodiment, the condensate may collect during non-peak hours of the day. In some embodiments, the condensate may collect over a period of days, weeks, or even months without being used with the outdoor heat exchanger 114.
The condensate may be used based on various considerations. In an embodiment, the controller 106 may be configured to use the condensate under one or more conditions, for example, in response to one or more conditions or thresholds being achieved and/or at one or more specified time periods. In an embodiment, the condensate may be utilized based on an input associated with the HVAC system 300. The controller 106 may detect a condition associated with the system 300 and initiate the pump 307 and/or the pump 308 to provide the condensate to the fluid distributor 111. In an embodiment, the condition associated with use of the condensate may include a time period such as a peak demand time period. For example, the time period may include a time of the day, a day of the week, a month of the year, a season, or any combination thereof. As a further example, the condensate may be used during the hottest two hours of the day (e.g., 3:00-5:00 PM) in summer season (e.g., July to August) at a given location.
In some embodiments, the condition may be a measured condition. The system 300 may comprise one or more sensors for detecting system conditions including, but not limited to, the interior air temperature (e.g., room air temperature measured by a thermostat), the exterior air temperature (e.g., the outside air temperature), the HVAC system running time, the refrigerant temperature at the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 114, the refrigerant temperature at the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 114, the vapor quality of the refrigerant at the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 114, a compressor power load, or any other condition associated with the system. The controller 106 may initiate use of the condensate when one or more of the measured conditions exceeds a threshold, which may include detecting a value above or below a predetermined value. For example, the controller 106 may initiate the use of the condensate when the refrigerant outlet temperature and/or quality rises above a predetermined value at the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger. The controller 106 may also calculate one or more values based on the measured conditions to determine if one or more thresholds are exceeded. In an embodiment, the controller 106 may calculate a temperature difference between an interior and exterior temperature, a refrigerant temperature difference around the outdoor heat exchanger 114 (e.g., a temperature difference between a refrigerant temperature at the inlet and outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger), a cooling rate based on one or more of the temperatures and the time the system has been running, or the like. The controller 106 may then initiate the use of the condensate based on the calculated value meeting or exceeding a threshold value.
In some embodiments, the controller 106 may initiate the use of the condensate based on an external signal. In an embodiment, the controller 106 may receive a signal from the communication network 132 that triggers the use of the condensate. For example, a utility supplier may be in communication with the controller 106 over the communication network 132, and the controller 106 may receive a signal from the utility supplier to initiate the use of the condensate. Such a signal may be useful during high demand periods to allow the HVAC system 300 to cool more efficiently and reduce the overall electricity usage. Similarly, a monitoring service provided by the manufacturer or a third party may similarly generate a signal to allow the controller to initiate the use of the condensate. When a signal is used to initiate the use of the condensate, the signal may contain a time period during which to use the condensate, the controller may automatically utilize the condensate for a predetermined period, and/or a second signal may be generated to cause the cessation of the use of the condensate.
Upon initiating the use of the condensate, the controller 106 may actuate the pump 307 and/or the pump 308. In some embodiments, one or more valves may be opened upon receiving an actuation signal. Once initiated, the condensate may pass from the condensate storage vessel 302 to the fluid distributor 111. The fluid distributor 111 may distribute the condensate over at least a portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 114 as the refrigerant passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 114. The fluid distributor 111 may be configured using any of the embodiments described herein, and may operate as described with respect to
While the HVAC system described above refers to a system that can generally be used in a cooling mode, the use of the system to supply the condensate to the outdoor heat exchanger 114 can also be used in a reversible HVAC system 400 as shown in the embodiment depicted in
The indoor unit 402 generally comprises an indoor heat exchanger 108, a fluid collection assembly 109, an indoor fan 110, an indoor metering device 412, and an optional pump 107. The indoor heat exchanger 108, the fluid collection assembly 109, the indoor fan 110, and the optional pump 107 may be the same or similar to the elements described herein. The indoor metering device 412 may be similar to the expansion device 112 described herein. For example, the indoor metering device 412 may comprise an electronically controlled motor driven electronic expansion valve (EEV). In some embodiments, the indoor metering device 412 may comprise a thermostatic expansion valve, a capillary tube assembly, and/or any other suitable metering device. The indoor metering device 412 may comprise and/or be associated with a refrigerant check valve and/or refrigerant bypass for use when a direction of refrigerant flow through the indoor metering device 412 is such that the indoor metering device 412 is not intended to meter or otherwise substantially restrict flow of the refrigerant through the indoor metering device 412.
The outdoor unit 404 generally comprises an outdoor heat exchanger 114, a compressor 116, an outdoor fan 118, a fluid distributor 111, an outdoor metering device 420, and a reversing valve 422. The outdoor heat exchanger 114, the compressor 116, the outdoor fan 118, and the fluid distributor may be the same as or similar to any of the corresponding components described herein. The outdoor metering device 420 may comprise a thermostatic expansion valve. In some embodiments, the outdoor metering device 420 may comprise an electronically controlled motor driven EEV similar to indoor metering device 412, a capillary tube assembly, and/or any other suitable metering device. The outdoor metering device 420 may comprise and/or be associated with a refrigerant check valve and/or refrigerant bypass for use when a direction of refrigerant flow through the outdoor metering device 420 is such that the outdoor metering device 420 is not intended to meter or otherwise substantially restrict flow of the refrigerant through the outdoor metering device 420.
The reversing valve 422 may be configured to selectively control or alter a flow path of refrigerant in the HVAC system 400 as described in greater detail below. In an embodiment, the reversing valve 422 may comprise so-called four-way reversing valve. The reversing valve 422 may comprise an electrical solenoid or other device configured to selectively move a component of the reversing valve 422 between operational positions.
As schematically illustrated in
The two phase refrigerant may enter the indoor heat exchanger 108. As the refrigerant is passed through the indoor heat exchanger 108, the indoor fan 110 may be operated to move air into contact with the indoor heat exchanger 108, thereby transferring heat to the refrigerant from the air surrounding the indoor heat exchanger 108, and causing evaporation of the liquid portion of the two phase mixture. The cooler refrigerant may cause moisture in the air moving in contact with the indoor heat exchanger 108 to condense. The condensate may collect in the fluid collection assembly 109 and be transferred to the fluid distributor 111 in order to cool the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 114. The optional pump or driving device may be used to transfer the condensate from the fluid collection assembly to the fluid distributor. The refrigerant leaving the indoor heat exchanger 108 may thereafter re-enter the compressor 116 after passing through the reversing valve 422.
The HVAC system 100 may also be operated in the so-called heating mode. In this configuration, the reversing valve 422 may be controlled to alter the flow path of the refrigerant, the indoor metering device 412 may be disabled and/or bypassed, and the outdoor metering device 420 may be enabled. In the heating mode, refrigerant may flow from the compressor 116 to the indoor heat exchanger 108 through the reversing valve 422, the refrigerant may be substantially unaffected by the indoor metering device 412, the refrigerant may experience a pressure differential across the outdoor metering device 420, the refrigerant may pass through the outdoor heat exchanger 114, and the refrigerant may reenter the compressor 116 after passing through the reversing valve 422. Most generally, operation of the HVAC system 100 in the heating mode reverses the roles of the indoor heat exchanger 108 and the outdoor heat exchanger 114 as compared to their operation in the cooling mode. In the heating mode, heat may be released from the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 108. As a result, condensate may not form, and fluid may be transferred from the fluid collection assembly 109 to the fluid distributor 111. As a result, the use of the condensate may be used in the cooling mode and not in the heating mode.
In some embodiments, various portions of the system such as the controller 106 may comprise or operate using a computer. For example, the use of the controller 106 to determine one or more conditions associated with the system and trigger the release of the condensate may occur based on instructions stored in a memory and executed on a processor associated with the controller.
It is understood that by programming and/or loading executable instructions onto the computer system 580, at least one of the CPU 582, the RAM 588, and the ROM 586 are changed, transforming the computer system 580 in part into a particular machine or apparatus having the novel functionality taught by the present disclosure. It is fundamental to the electrical engineering and software engineering arts that functionality that can be implemented by loading executable software into a computer can be converted to a hardware implementation by well known design rules. Decisions between implementing a concept in software versus hardware typically hinge on considerations of stability of the design and numbers of units to be produced rather than any issues involved in translating from the software domain to the hardware domain. Generally, a design that is still subject to frequent change may be preferred to be implemented in software, because re-spinning a hardware implementation is more expensive than re-spinning a software design. Generally, a design that is stable that will be produced in large volume may be preferred to be implemented in hardware, for example in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), because for large production runs the hardware implementation may be less expensive than the software implementation. Often a design may be developed and tested in a software form and later transformed, by well known design rules, to an equivalent hardware implementation in an application specific integrated circuit that hardwires the instructions of the software. In the same manner as a machine controlled by a new ASIC is a particular machine or apparatus, likewise a computer that has been programmed and/or loaded with executable instructions may be viewed as a particular machine or apparatus.
The secondary storage 584 is typically comprised of one or more disk drives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data and as an over-flow data storage device if RAM 588 is not large enough to hold all working data. Secondary storage 584 may be used to store programs which are loaded into RAM 588 when such programs are selected for execution. The ROM 586 is used to store instructions and perhaps data which are read during program execution. ROM 586 is a non-volatile memory device which typically has a small memory capacity relative to the larger memory capacity of secondary storage 584. The RAM 588 is used to store volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to both ROM 586 and RAM 588 is typically faster than to secondary storage 584. The secondary storage 584, the RAM 588, and/or the ROM 586 may be referred to in some contexts as computer readable storage media and/or non-transitory computer readable media.
I/O devices 590 may include printers, video monitors, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads, switches, dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tape readers, or other well-known input devices.
The network connectivity devices 592 may take the form of modems, modem banks, Ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards, serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radio transceiver cards such as code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), long-term evolution (LTE), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), and/or other air interface protocol radio transceiver cards, and other well- known network devices. These network connectivity devices 592 may enable the processor 582 to communicate with the Internet or one or more intranets. With such a network connection, it is contemplated that the processor 582 might receive information from the network, or might output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method steps. Such information, which is often represented as a sequence of instructions to be executed using processor 582, may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave.
Such information, which may include data or instructions to be executed using processor 582 for example, may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signal or signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signal embedded in the carrier wave, or other types of signals currently used or hereafter developed, may be generated according to several methods well known to one skilled in the art. The baseband signal and/or signal embedded in the carrier wave may be referred to in some contexts as a transitory signal.
The processor 582 executes instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts which it accesses from hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk (these various disk based systems may all be considered secondary storage 584), ROM 586, RAM 588, or the network connectivity devices 592. While only one processor 582 is shown, multiple processors may be present. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as executed by a processor, the instructions may be executed simultaneously, serially, or otherwise executed by one or multiple processors. Instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts, and/or data that may be accessed from the secondary storage 584, for example, hard drives, floppy disks, optical disks, and/or other device, the ROM 586, and/or the RAM 588 may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory instructions and/or non-transitory information.
In an embodiment, the computer system 580 may comprise two or more computers in communication with each other that collaborate to perform a task. For example, but not by way of limitation, an application may be partitioned in such a way as to permit concurrent and/or parallel processing of the instructions of the application. Alternatively, the data processed by the application may be partitioned in such a way as to permit concurrent and/or parallel processing of different portions of a data set by the two or more computers. In an embodiment, virtualization software may be employed by the computer system 580 to provide the functionality of a number of servers that is not directly bound to the number of computers in the computer system 580. For example, virtualization software may provide twenty virtual servers on four physical computers. In an embodiment, the functionality disclosed above may be provided by executing the application and/or applications in a cloud computing environment. Cloud computing may comprise providing computing services via a network connection using dynamically scalable computing resources. Cloud computing may be supported, at least in part, by virtualization software. A cloud computing environment may be established by an enterprise and/or may be hired on an as-needed basis from a third party provider. Some cloud computing environments may comprise cloud computing resources owned and operated by the enterprise as well as cloud computing resources hired and/or leased from a third party provider.
In an embodiment, some or all of the functionality disclosed above may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may comprise one or more computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therein to implement the functionality disclosed above. The computer program product may comprise data structures, executable instructions, and other computer usable program code. The computer program product may be embodied in removable computer storage media and/or non-removable computer storage media. The removable computer readable storage medium may comprise, without limitation, a paper tape, a magnetic tape, magnetic disk, an optical disk, a solid state memory chip, for example analog magnetic tape, compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) disks, floppy disks, jump drives, digital cards, multimedia cards, and others. The computer program product may be suitable for loading, by the computer system 580, at least portions of the contents of the computer program product to the secondary storage 584, to the ROM 586, to the RAM 588, and/or to other non-volatile memory and volatile memory of the computer system 580. The processor 582 may process the executable instructions and/or data structures in part by directly accessing the computer program product, for example by reading from a CD-ROM disk inserted into a disk drive peripheral of the computer system 580. Alternatively, the processor 582 may process the executable instructions and/or data structures by remotely accessing the computer program product, for example by downloading the executable instructions and/or data structures from a remote server through the network connectivity devices 592. The computer program product may comprise instructions that promote the loading and/or copying of data, data structures, files, and/or executable instructions to the secondary storage 584, to the ROM 586, to the RAM 588, and/or to other non-volatile memory and volatile memory of the computer system 580.
In some contexts, the secondary storage 584, the ROM 586, and the RAM 588 may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readable medium or a computer readable storage media. A dynamic RAM embodiment of the RAM 588, likewise, may be referred to as a non- transitory computer readable medium in that while the dynamic RAM receives electrical power and is operated in accordance with its design, for example during a period of time during which the computer specification 580 is turned on and operational, the dynamic RAM stores information that is written to it. Similarly, the processor 582 may comprise an internal RAM, an internal ROM, a cache memory, and/or other internal non-transitory storage blocks, sections, or components that may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory computer readable media or computer readable storage media.
At least one embodiment is disclosed and variations, combinations, and/or modifications of the embodiment(s) and/or features of the embodiment(s) made by a person having ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the disclosure. Alternative embodiments that result from combining, integrating, and/or omitting features of the embodiment(s) are also within the scope of the disclosure. Where numerical ranges or limitations are expressly stated, such express ranges or limitations should be understood to include iterative ranges or limitations of like magnitude falling within the expressly stated ranges or limitations (e.g., from about 1 to about 10 includes, 2, 3, 4, etc.; greater than 0.10 includes 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, etc.). For example, whenever a numerical range with a lower limit, R1, and an upper limit, Ru, is disclosed, any number falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, the following numbers within the range are specifically disclosed: R=R1+k*(Ru-R1), wherein k is a variable ranging from 1 percent to 100 percent with a 1 percent increment, i.e., k is 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent, 4 percent, 5 percent, . . . , 50 percent, 51 percent, 52 percent, . . . , 95 percent, 96 percent, 97 percent, 98 percent, 99 percent, or 100 percent. Moreover, any numerical range defined by two R numbers as defined in the above is also specifically disclosed. Use of the term “optionally” with respect to any element of a claim means that the element is required, or alternatively, the element is not required, both alternatives being within the scope of the claim. Use of broader terms such as comprises, includes, and having should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of, consisting essentially of, and comprised substantially of. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above but is defined by the claims that follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. Each and every claim is incorporated as further disclosure into the specification and the claims are embodiment(s) of the present invention.
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/926,720 filed on Jan. 13, 2014 by Stephen Stewart Hancock and entitled “Evaporative Subcooling,” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/010,266 filed on Jun. 10, 2014 by Stephen Stewart Hancock and entitled “Evaporative Subcooling,” the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61926720 | Jan 2014 | US | |
| 62010266 | Jun 2014 | US |
