Claims
- 1. A liquid chiller for cooling low temperature coolant, said coolant in steady state operation being cooled from T2 to T1 at a predetermined mass flow and pressure drop, comprising:
a cylindrical outer casing having an initial internal volume, and including a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, said coolant inlet and outlet communicating with said initial internal volume, said outer casing further including a refrigerant inlet and refrigerant outlet; an inner cylinder within said outer casing and having a common longitudinal axis with said casing, said inner cylinder occupying a substantial portion of said initial internal volume; a finned tubing of extended length connected between said refrigerant inlet and said refrigerant outlet for refrigerant flow therethrough, said finned tubing being wrapped around and contacting said inner cylinder and further occupying said initial internal volume, fins of said tubing extending toward an inner surface of said outer casing; in operation, coolant entering said volume at said coolant inlet flowing over said finned tubing to said coolant outlet, a cold refrigerant flowing through said finned tubing from said refrigerant inlet to said refrigerant outlet absorbing heat from said coolant, said outer casing and inner cylinder being constructed in materials and dimensions, and said fins and tubing being selected, to provide low mass and a reduced portion of said initial volume, said reduced portion being unoccupied by said inner cylinder and said finned tubing and fillable with coolant, said chiller with said low mass and reduced portion of internal volume providing said T2,T1, mass flow, and pressure drop in steady state operation, and rapid cool down at start up.
- 2. A liquid chiller as in claim 1, wherein said outer casing and said inner cylinder are circular cylinders.
- 3. A liquid chiller as in claim 1, wherein closeness of said fins to said inner surface of said outer casing prevents any substantial bypass of said fins by said coolant flow during operation of said chiller.
- 4. A liquid chiller as in claim 3, wherein said chiller is sized for use with a refrigerant that is one of a single refrigerant and a mixed refrigerant.
- 5. A liquid chiller as in claim 3, wherein said coolant cab flow counterflow to said refrigerant for heat transfer.
- 6. A liquid chiller as in claim 3, wherein said chiller is sized for use with a coolant that is one of a liquid and a gas.
- 7. A liquid chiller as in claim 6, wherein said coolant is Galden TH 70.
- 8. A liquid chiller as in claim 4, wherein said refrigerant is a mixture of at least two components having normal boiling points at least 90 degrees C. apart.
- 9. A chiller as in claim 4, wherein said refrigerant is a mixed refrigerant that is approximately 22% R-14, approximately 9% R-23, approximately 9% R-125, and approximately 60% R-236fa.
- 10. A liquid chiller as in claim 5, wherein the temperature increase of refrigerant passing through said chiller in operation is equal to or less than three times the temperature change in the coolant flow.
- 11. A liquid chiller as in claim 7, wherein said coolant when flowing over said finned surface has a Reynolds number of approximately 10.
- 12. A liquid chiller as in claim 1, wherein said inner cylinder is at least partially hollow and sealed off from said initial internal volume.
- 13. A liquid chiller as in claim 3, wherein said inner cylinder is at least partially hollow and sealed off from said initial internal volume.
- 14. A liquid chiller as in claim 7, wherein said inner cylinder is at least partially hollow and sealed off from said initial internal volume.
- 15. A closed cycle low temperature refrigeration system comprising:
a refrigeration unit for delivering low temperature, low pressure refrigerant at an outlet, and receiving a return flow of said refrigerant at a higher temperature; a liquid chiller for cooling low temperature coolant, said coolant in steady state operation being cooled from T2 to T1 at a predetermined mass flow and pressure drop, said liquid chiller including:
a cylindrical outer casing having an initial internal volume, and including a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, said coolant inlet and outlet communicating with said initial internal volume, said outer casing further including a refrigerant inlet receiving said refrigerant from said refrigeration unit and a refrigerant outlet returning said refrigerant to said refrigeration unit; an inner cylinder within said outer casing and having a common longitudinal axis with said casing, said inner cylinder occupying a substantial portion of said initial internal volume; a finned tubing of extended length connected between said refrigerant inlet and said refrigerant outlet for refrigerant flow therethrough, said finned tubing being wrapped around and contacting said inner cylinder and further occupying said initial internal volume, fins of said tubing extending toward an inner surface of said outer casing; in operation, coolant entering said volume at said coolant inlet flowing over said finned tubing to said coolant outlet, said cold refrigerant flowing through said finned tubing from said refrigerant inlet to said refrigerant outlet absorbing heat from said coolant, said outer casing and inner cylinder being constructed in materials and dimensions, and said fins and tubing being selected, to provide low mass and a reduced portion of said initial volume, said reduced portion being unoccupied by said inner cylinder and said finned tubing and filled with said coolant, said chiller with said low mass and reduced portion of internal volume providing said T2,T1, mass flow, and pressure drop in steady state operation, and rapid cool down at start up.
- 16. A refrigeration system as in claim 15, wherein said outer casing and said inner cylinder are circular cylinders.
- 17. A refrigeration system as in claim 15, wherein closeness of said fins to said inner surface of said outer casing prevents any substantial bypass of said fins by said coolant flow during operation of said chiller.
- 18. A refrigeration system as in claim 17, wherein said refrigerant is one of a single refrigerant and a mixed refrigerant.
- 19. A refrigeration system as in claim 17, wherein said coolant flows counterflow to said refrigerant for heat transfer.
- 20. A refrigeration system as in claim 17, wherein said coolant is one of a liquid and a gas.
- 21. A refrigeration system as in claim 20, wherein said coolant is Galden TH 70.
- 22. A refrigeration system as in claim 18, wherein said refrigerant is a mixture of at least two components having component boiling points at least 90 degrees C. apart.
- 23. A refrigeration system as in claim 18, wherein said refrigerant is a mixed refrigerant that is approximately 22% of R-14, approximately 9% of R-23, approximately 9% of R-125, and approximately 60% of R-236fa.
- 24. A refrigeration system as in claim 19, wherein the temperature increase of refrigerant passing through said chiller in operation is equal to or less than three times the temperature change in the coolant flow.
- 25. A refrigeration system as in claim 21, wherein said coolant when flowing over said finned surface has a Reynolds number of approximately 10.
- 26. A refrigeration system as in claim 15, wherein said inner cylinder is at least partially hollow and sealed off from said initial internal volume.
- 27. A refrigeration system as in claim 17, wherein said inner cylinder is at least partially hollow and sealed off from said initial internal volume.
- 28. A refrigeration system as in claim 21, wherein said inner cylinder is at least partially hollow and sealed off from said initial internal volume.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of earlier filed and pending provisional application No. 60/214,565.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60214565 |
Jun 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09894965 |
Jun 2001 |
US |
Child |
10412750 |
Apr 2003 |
US |