Systems and methods for indirect evaporative cooling and for two stage evaporative cooling
Systems and methods for Indirect Evaporative Cooling and for Two Stage Evaporative Cooling for conditioning fluids such as air are disclosed. The Indirect Evaporative Cooling Systems comprise scalable indirect evaporative heat exchangers formed with polymer substrates that have been treated to render one surface substantially hydrophilic while the other is substantially hydrophobic, with channels for passage of primary (cooled) an secondary (cooling) air streams between them. The Two Stage Evaporative Cooling System comprise an indirect evaporation component where the fluid is pre-cooled indirectly with the abovementioned scalable heat exchangers, followed by a direct evaporation stage where the pre-cooled fluid is further cooled directly by adiabatic evaporative cooling. The device employing these systems is scalable, energy-efficient, uses aseptic materials, filters/clean incoming fluids (e.g. air), circulates disinfected evaporating liquid (e.g. disinfected water and has enhanced performance efficiency.
1. A two stage evaporative cooling apparatus comprising:
a direct evaporative cooling component; and
an indirect cooling component comprising:
at least one module, said at least one module comprising:
a plurality of units, each unit from at least two of said plurality of units comprising:
a first polymer substrate; one surface of said first polymer substrate being rendered substantially hydrophilic; another surface of said first polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
a second polymer substrate; one surface of said second polymer substrate being rendered substantially hydrophilic; another surface of said second polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
said first polymer substrate and said second polymer substrate being adjacent one another and having a plurality of channels disposed between and attached to said another surface of said first polymer substrate and said another surface of said second polymer substrate;
a first substantially compliant nonwoven material being disposed on and substantially fixedly attached at a plurality of locations on said one surface of said first polymer substrate; and
a second substantially compliant nonwoven material being disposed on and substantially fixedly attached to at another plurality of locations on said one surface of the second polymer substrate; and
at least two polymer strips interposed between and fixedly securing together two adjacent units from said at least two units from said plurality of units such that said two adjacent units are separated one from another;
whereby during operation, an evaporative liquid is distributed to said first and second substantially compliant nonwoven material of each unit and a secondary fluid is conducted within a space separating each of said units with heat being exchanged between said evaporative liquid and said secondary fluid, and a primary fluid being conducted through at least some channels from said plurality of channels; said primary fluid being provided to the direct evaporative cooling component; during operation, another evaporative liquid is distributed to the direct evaporative cooling component with heat being exchanged between said another evaporative liquid and said primary fluid; a portion of said primary fluid, after flowing through at least said indirect cooling component, is provided to said indirect cooling component as said secondary fluid;
the direct evaporative component being-positioned downstream from said indirect cooling component and receiving at least another portion of said primary fluid from said indirect cooling component.
2. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a primary fluid supply component located upstream from said indirect cooling component and supplying said primary fluid to said indirect cooling component;
a filtering component located at an input to said primary fluid supply component;
during operation, said primary fluid supply component draws ambient fluid through said filtering component and supplies filtered ambient fluid as said primary fluid.
3. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
a first evaporative liquid supply system supplying said evaporative liquid to said indirect cooling component; and
a second evaporative liquid supply system supplying said another evaporative liquid to said direct evaporative cooling component.
4. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:
a liquid holding component providing a supply of said evaporative liquid and said another evaporative liquid; and
wherein said first evaporative liquid supply system and said second evaporative liquid supply system are disposed inside said liquid holding component;
said first evaporative liquid supply system, said second evaporative liquid supply system and said liquid holding component being comprised of an aseptic material.
5. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 4 further comprising: a liquid disinfection system disposed to receive said evaporative liquid and said another evaporative liquid and render said evaporative liquid and said another evaporative liquid disinfected.
6. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 5 wherein said liquid disinfection system comprises a system utilizing ultraviolet (UV) radiation in order to disinfect said evaporative liquid and said another evaporative liquid.
7. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a housing enclosing said filtering component, said primary fluid supply component, said liquid holding component, said first evaporative liquid supply system, said second evaporative liquid supply system, said, liquid disinfection system and connecting components, said connecting components operatively connecting, said primary fluid supply component, said liquid holding component, said first evaporative liquid supply system, said second evaporative liquid supply system and said liquid disinfection system; said housing and said connecting components being comprised of an aseptic material.
8. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein,
said computer readable code causing said at least one processor to:
obtain data to determine whether there is at least a predetermined amount of liquid in said liquid holding component;
provide, after determining that there is at least said predetermined amount of liquid in said liquid holding component, operating signals to said first evaporative liquid supply component and said second evaporative liquid supply component; said operating signals enabling operation of said first and second evaporative liquid supply components for a predetermined time interval in order to substantially disinfect said evaporative liquid and said another evaporative liquid and in order to distribute said evaporative liquid to said indirect cooling component and said another evaporative liquid to said direct evaporative cooling component; and
provide other operating signals to said primary fluid supply component, said other operating signals enabling operation of said primary fluid supply component in order to supply said primary fluid to said indirect cooling component;
said at least one computer usable medium being operatively connected to said at least one processor.
9. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 5 wherein said primary fluid, after flowing through said direct evaporative cooling component is provided to an enclosure;
the two stage, evaporative cooling apparatus further comprising: an exhaust system for removing fluid from the enclosure.
10. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 9 wherein said exhaust system comprises a plurality of fans.
11. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein,
said computer readable code causing said at least one processor to:
obtain data to determine whether there is at least a predetermined amount of liquid in said liquid holding component;
provide, after determining that there is at least said predetermined amount of liquid in said liquid holding component, operating signals to said first evaporative liquid supply component and said second evaporative liquid supply component; said operating signals enabling operation of said first and second evaporative liquid supply components for a predetermined time interval in order to substantially disinfect said evaporative liquid and said another evaporative liquid and in order to distribute said evaporative liquid to said indirect cooling component and said another evaporative liquid to said direct evaporative cooling component;
provide other operating signals to said primary fluid supply component, said other operating signals enabling operation of said primary fluid supply component in order to supply said primary fluid to said indirect cooling component; and
provide yet other operating signals to said exhaust system, said yet other operating signals enabling operation of said exhaust system when primary fluid is being provided to the enclosure;
said at least one computer usable medium being operatively connected to said at least one processor.
12. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:
at least one interface component receiving/sending signals/control signals; said at least one interface component being operatively connected to, said at least one processor and said at least one computer usable medium;
wherein said computer readable code causes said at least one processor to:
a) receive predetermined temperature and/or Rh values;
b) receive temperature and Rh signals from said at least one interface component;
c) compare the received temperature mid Rh signals to the predetermined temperature and Rh values;
d) vary, based on comparison results, if control of humidity is desired, supply of said another evaporative liquid to t said direct evaporative cooling component;
e) vary, based on comparison results, if control of temperature is desired, supply of the primary fluid;
f) repeat steps b) through e) until the received temperature and/or Rh signals are substantially equal to the predetermined temperature and Rh values; and
g) control operation of said plurality of fans.
13. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the direct evaporative component receives said primary fluid from said indirect cooling component and a portion of said primary fluid, after flowing through the direct evaporative component, is provided to said indirect cooling component as said secondary fluid.
14. The two stage evaporative cooling apparatus of claim 13 wherein each channel from said plurality of channels is disposed substantially perpendicular to each of said at least two polymer strips;
whereby said secondary fluid is conducted, within said space separating each of said units, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which said primary fluid is conducted through said at least some channels.
15. A method for providing a scalable indirect cooling component in an evaporative cooling apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a number of modules, each module from the number of modules comprising:
a plurality of units, each unit from at least two of said plurality of units comprising:
a first polymer substrate; one surface of said first polymer substrate being rendered substantially hydrophilic; another t surface of said first polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
a second polymer substrate; one surface of said second polymer substrate being rendered substantially hydrophilic; another surface of said second polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
said first polymer substrate and said second polymer substrate being adjacent one another and having a plurality of channels disposed between and attached to said another surface of said first polymer substrate and said another surface of said second polymer substrate;
a first substantially compliant nonwoven material being disposed on and substantially fixedly attached at a plurality of locations on said one surface of said first polymer substrate; and
a second substantially compliant nonwoven material being disposed on and substantially fixedly attached to at another plurality of locations on said one surface of the second polymer substrate; and
at least two polymer strips interposed between and fixedly securing together two adjacent units from said at least two units from said plurality of units such that said to adjacent units are separated one from another;
fixedly attaching, in a predetermined configuration, said each module to at least another module from the number of modules; said number of multiple modules forming a cartridge;
whereby a scalable indirect cooling component is obtained, scalability being obtained by the number of cartridges.
16. A heat exchanger comprising:
at least one module, said at least one module comprising:
a plurality of units, each unit from at least two of said plurality of units comprising:
a first polymer substrate; one surface of said first polymer substrate being rendered substantially hydrophilic; another surface of said first polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
a second polymer substrate; one surface of said second polymer substrate being rendered substantially hydrophilic; another surface of said second polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
said first polymer substrate and said second polymer substrate being adjacent one another and having a plurality of channels disposed between and attached to said another surface of said first polymer substrate and said another surface of said second polymer substrate;
a first substantially compliant nonwoven material being disposed on and substantially fixedly attached at a plurality of locations on said one surface of said first polymer substrate; and
a second substantially compliant nonwoven material being disposed on and substantially fixedly attached to at another plurality of locations on said one surface of the second polymer substrate; and
at least two polymer strips interposed between and fixedly securing together two adjacent units from said at least two units from said plurality of units such that said to adjacent units are separated one from another;
whereby, during operation, an evaporative liquid is distributed to said first and second substantially compliant nonwoven material of each unit and a fluid is conducted within a space separating each of said units with heat being exchanged between said evaporative liquid and said fluid, and another fluid being conducted through at least some channels from said plurality of channels.
17. The heat exchanger of claim 16 wherein a thermoplastic material is disposed, at said number of locations, between said first substantially compliant nonwoven material and said one surface of said first polymer substrate; and wherein said thermoplastic material is disposed, at said another number of locations, between said second substantially compliant nonwoven material and said one surface of said second polymer substrate.
18. The heat exchanger of claim 17 wherein said first substantially compliant nonwoven material is fusion bonded, at said number of locations, to said one surface of said first polymer substrate; and wherein said second substantially compliant nonwoven material is fusion bonded, at said another number of locations, to said one surface of said second polymer subject.
19. The heat exchanger of claim 17 wherein said thermoplastic material comprises low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
20. The heat exchanger of claim 16 wherein said first and second substantially compliant nonwoven materials comprise a spunbonded material.
21. The heat exchanger of claim 16 wherein said first and second substantially compliant nonwoven materials comprise a melt blown material.
22. The heat exchanger of claim 16 wherein said first and second substantially compliant nonwoven materials comprise a hydro-entangled material.
23. The heat exchanger of claim 16 wherein each one of said first and second substantially compliant nonwoven materials has a density of at most about 30 grams per square meter.
24. The heat exchanger of claim 16 wherein each one of said first and second polymer substrates has a thickness of at most about 0.12 mm.
25. The heat exchanges of claim 16 wherein each one of said first and second polymer substrate comprises extruded thermoplastic polymer.
26. The heat exchanger of claim 25 wherein said extruded thermoplastic polymer comprises extruded polypropylene (PP).
27. The heat exchanger of claim 16 wherein said at least two units comprise all units from said plurality of units.
28. The heat exchanger of claim 16 wherein adhesive is disposed between each one of said at least two polymer strips and, at a location wherein each one of said at least two polymer strips is fixedly secured to each one of said at least two polymer strips, to each one of said two adjacent units in order to fixedly secured together said two adjacent units.
29. A method for forming a heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a module by the steps of:
forming a plurality of units, each unit from the plurality of units being formed by the steps of:
rendering substantially hydrophilic one surface of a polymer substrate; an opposite surface of the polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
fixedly attaching, at a number of locations, one surface of a nonwoven material to the one surface of the polymer substrate which has been rendered substantially hydrophilic;
forming a plurality of sub-modules, each sub-module being formed by the step of:
fixedly attaching polymer strips between another surface of the nonwoven material, said another surface being opposite to the one surface of the nonwoven material, in one unit and another surface of the nonwoven material in another unit;
providing channels between an (the) opposite surface of the substrate in one submodule and an (the) opposite surface of the substrate in another submodule; and
providing channels between one submodule and another submodule.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of rendering said one surface of the polymer substrate substantially hydrophilic comprises the step of Corona treating said one surface of the polymer substrate.
31. A method for forming a heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of
forming a module by the steps of:
forming a plurality of units, each unit from the plurality of units being formed by the steps of
rendering substantially hydrophilic one surface of a polymer substrate by treating said one surface of the polymer substrate by a method selected from plasma discharge, plasma, et, flame treatment and acid etching; an opposite surface of the polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
fixedly attaching, at a number of locations, one surface of a nonwoven material to the one surface of the polymer substrate which has been rendered substantially hydrophilic;
forming a plurality of sub-modules, each sub-module being formed by the step of:
fixedly attaching polymer strips between another surface of the nonwoven material, said another surface being opposite to the one surface of the nonwoven material, in one unit and another surface of the nonwoven material in another unit;
providing channels between an opposite surface of the substrate in one submodule and an opposite surface of the substrate in another submodule; and
providing channels between one submodule and another submodule.
32. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of fixedly attaching said one surface of the nonwoven material to said one surface of the polymer substrate comprises the steps of:
disposing, at the number of locations, a thermoplastic material between said one surface of the nonwoven material and said one surface of the polymer substrate; and
fusion bonding said one surface of the nonwoven material, at the number of locations, to said one surface of the polymer substrate.
33. The method of claim 30 wherein the step of-fixedly attaching polymer strips between said another surface of the nonwoven material in said one unit and said another surface of the nonwoven material in said another unit comprises the steps of disposing adhesive between each one of said at least two polymer strips and said another surface of the nonwoven material in said one unit and said another unit.
34. A method for forming a heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of:
forming at least one module by the steps of:
forming at least two units, each unit from said at least two units being formed by the steps of:
rendering one surface of a first polymer substrate substantially hydrophilic; another surface of said first polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
rendering one surface of n second polymer substrate substantially hydrophilic; another surface of said second polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
disposing a plurality of channels between said another surface of said first polymer substrate and said another surface of said second polymer substrate; said plurality of channels being attached to said another surface of said first polymer substrate and to said another surface of said second polymer substrate;
fixedly attaching a first substantially compliant nonwoven material at a plurality of locations on said one surface of said first polymer substrate; and
fixedly attaching a second substantially compliant nonwoven material at another plurality of locations on said one surface of said second polymer material; and
interposing at least two polymer, strips between two adjacent units from said at least two units such that the two adjacent units are set by the one from another; and
fixedly securing said at least two polymer strips to each one of the two adjacent units.
35. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of rendering said one surface of the first polymer substrate substantially hydrophilic comprises the step of Corona treating said one surface of the first polymer substrate; and wherein the step of rendering said one surface of the second polymer substrate substantially hydrophilic comprises the step of Corona treating said one surface of the second polymer substrate.
36. A method for forming a heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of:
forming at least one module by the steps of
forming at least two units, each unit from said at least two units being formed by the steps of:
rendering one surface of a first polymer substrate substantially hydrophilic by treating said one surface of the first polymer substrate by a method selected from plasma discharge, plasma jet, flame treatment and acid etching; another surface of said first polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
rendering one surface of a second polymer substrate substantially hydrophilic by treating said one surface of the second polymer substrate by a method selected from plasma discharge, plasma jet, flame treatment and acid etching; another surface of said second polymer substrate being substantially hydrophobic;
disposing a plurality of channels between said another surface of said first polymer substrate and said another surface of said second polymer substrate; said plurality of channels being attached to said another surface of said first polymer substrate and to said another surface of said second polymer substrate;
fixedly attaching a first substantially compliant nonwoven material at a plurality of locations on said one surface of said first polymer substrate; and
fixedly attaching a second substantially compliant nonwoven material at another plurality of locations on said one surface of said second polymer material; and
interposing at least two polymer strips between two adjacent units from said at least two units such that the two adjacent units are set by the one from, another; and
fixedly securing said at least two polymer strips to each one of the two adjacent units.
37. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of fixedly attaching said first substantially compliant nonwoven material to said one surface of said first polymer substrate comprises the steps of:
disposing, at said plurality of locations, a thermoplastic material between said first substantially compliant nonwoven material and said one surface of said first polymer substrate; and
fusion bonding said first substantially compliant nonwoven material, at said plurality of locations, to said one surface of said first polymer substrate;
and wherein the step of fixedly attaching said second substantially compliant nonwoven material, at said another plurality of locations, to said one surface of said second polymer substrate comprises the steps of:
disposing, at said another plurality of locations, a thermoplastic material between said second substantially compliant nonwoven material and said one surface of said second polymer substrate; and
fusion bonding said second substantially compliant nonwoven material, at said another plurality of locations, to said one surface of said second polymer substrate.
38. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of fixedly securing said at least two polymer strips to each one of the two adjacent units comprises the steps of disposing adhesive between each one of said at least two polymer strips and said each one of the two adjacent units.