EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEM AND DEVICE
An evaporative cooling system includes an indirect cooling coil containing a cooling fluid to be circulated and a blower assembly configured to generate an inlet air stream through the indirect cooling coil. The cooling fluid in the indirect cooling coil is a slurry of water and phase change material.
1 . A cooling system, comprising:
a cooling coil containing a cooling fluid to be circulated;
a fan configured to generate an inlet air stream through said cooling coil; and
a thermal battery bank arranged downstream from said indirect cooling coil and configured to absorb heat from said inlet air stream.
2 . The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said thermal battery bank includes a plurality of thermal battery pods containing a cooling fluid.
3 . The cooling system according to claim 2 , wherein:
said cooling fluid is a slurry of water and a phase change material.
4 . The cooling system according to claim 3 , wherein:
said phase change material has a latent heat absorption capacity that is approximately 5 times that of water.
5 . The cooling system according to claim 2 , wherein:
said cooling coil, said fan and said thermal battery bank are contained within a housing.
6 . The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said thermal battery pods are removable from said battery bank.
7 . An evaporative cooling device, comprising:
a housing;
a first heat exchanger containing a first cooling fluid to be circulated through said heat exchanger, said first cooling fluid including a slurry of water and a phase change material; and
a fan configured to generate an inlet air stream through said first heat exchanger.
8 . The evaporative cooling device according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a second heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger containing a second fluid, said second fluid configured to absorb heat from said first cooling fluid.
9 . The evaporative cooling device according to claim 7 , wherein:
said phase change material has a latent heat absorption capacity that is approximately 5 times that of water.
10 . A method of cooling a target area, said method comprising the steps of:
initiating a flow of inlet air;
cooling said inlet air by passing said inlet air through a thermal battery bank having a plurality of thermal battery pods containing a cooling fluid; and
cooling said inlet air by passing said inlet air through a first heat exchanger containing a circulated cooling fluid when a cooling capability of said thermal battery bank is substantially exhausted.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
circulating said cooling fluid through a second heat exchanger to remove heat absorbed by said cooling fluid.