4098results about "Steam/vapor condensers" patented technology

An optimization and control system for a utility plant that uses fan based air cooled condensers controls the operation of the power generation system at the plant in conjunction with the operation of the air cooled condensers so as to run the power plant at an optimum operating point associated with minimizing or reducing the cost of each kilowatt-hour of energy or other useful energy produced by the plant. The optimization and control system includes an optimizer having a numerical solver that determines values for a set of control variables associated with an optimal operating point of the plant and an expert system that oversees and modifies the control variable settings prior to providing these settings to a plant controller. The numerical solver uses an objective function and one or more models of plant equipment to determine the operating point of the plant that minimizes the cost per unit of useful energy generated by the plant. As part of determining the optimal plant operating point, the numerical solver may determine the number of fans to run within the air cooled condensers of the plant and/or the speed of the fans to use in the air cooled condensers in conjunction with the amount of fuel to burn in the boiler, the desired temperature of the steam at the input of the steam turbine, etc., all required to produce a given amount of power (load demand) at the particular environmental conditions currently experienced at the plant. The expert system may modify these outputs by determining which fans to actually use at any particular time based on, for example, the availability of or the operational status of the fans, the wear of the fans and fan motors, etc.

An economical solar generator system is provided wherein the solar energy collector is constructed from a plurality of heat exchangers of the kind used as evaporators in automobile air conditioners. The solar generator system includes a plurality of said heat exchangers connected to receive incoming liquefied refrigerant under pressure. The number of such heat exchangers is sufficient to collect solar energy sufficient to induce a phase change from a liquid to a gas state. The solar generator system also includes an air motor and an electric generator. The air motor is coupled to the outflow heated gas from the plurality of heat exchangers. The air motor is rotated by the heated gas. The electrical generator is coupled to the air motor so that rotation of said air motor causes rotation of said generator.

Cooling systems for providing cooled air to electronic devices are described. The systems can include large storage tanks or waste treatment systems to improve the efficiency of the plant and reduce impact on the environment.

A method of reducing pollutants exhausted into the atmosphere from the combustion of fossil fuels. The disclosed process removes nitrogen from air for combustion, separates the solid combustion products from the gases and vapors and can capture the entire vapor/gas stream for sequestration leaving near-zero emissions. The invention produces up to three captured material streams. The first stream is contaminant-laden water containing SO_x, residual NO_x particulates and particulate-bound Hg and other trace contaminants. The second stream can be a low-volume flue gas stream containing N₂ and O₂ if CO₂ purification is needed. The final product stream is a mixture comprising predominantly CO₂ with smaller amounts of H₂O, Ar, N₂, O₂, SO_X, NO_X, Hg, and other trace gases.

A forced air cooling tower includes an upright casing, and elevated water distribution system disposed in an upper portion of the casing and one or more fans for drawing air through the tower. The tower also includes a catch basin for collecting the cooled air and a pump for circulating the cooled water through a condenser and back to the top of the tower and to the water distribution system. The cooling tower also includes a controller and a variable frequency device for regulating the flow of air through the tower. A first temperature sensor senses the temperature T1 of the hot process water delivered to the water distribution system and a second sensor senses the dry bulb temperature of the air leaving the tower Tdbt2. A third sensor senses the temperature of the cooled water leaving the tower. The controller such as a computer and variable frequency drive controls the speed of the fan to minimize the difference in T1 and Tdbt2. A submaster control prevents the fan speed from being further reduced when a predetermined T2 (temperature of the cooled water) is reached.

A method and system for generating power from low- and mid-temperature heat sources using a zeotropic mixture as a working fluid. The zeotropic mixture working fluid is compressed to pressures above critical and heated to a supercritical state. The zeotropic mixture working fluid is then expanded to extract power. The zeotropic mixture working fluid is then condensed, subcooled, and collected for recirculation and recompression.

A thermal management system for an aircraft is provided. The aircraft includes a primary air conditioning system which compresses and cools outside air to create inside air. The inside air pressurizes the internal volume of the aircraft and ventilates a first object in the internal volume. An exhaust exhausts a portion of the inside air to allow more outside air to be drawn into the aircraft. A cooler cools a coolant which in turn controls temperature of at least two objects in the internal volume.

A hybrid heat exchange apparatus for indirectly transferring heat between a process fluid and ambient air includes an evaporative heat transfer cell operative in a wet mode or a dry mode, a dry heat transfer cell and a fan. The air may bypass the dry heat transfer cell to flow through a first air passage or may flow through a second air passage through the dry heat transfer cell and in either event, then through the evaporative heat transfer cell. The air may partially flow through and partially bypass the dry heat transfer cell, and then through the evaporative heat transfer cell. The evaporative heat transfer cell optionally may include a direct contact evaporative heat exchanger. Manually or automatically controlling air flow based on ambient conditions provides efficient and economical control of the hybrid heat exchange apparatus, while avoiding problems in freezing conditions.

An immersion cooling tank includes: a tank comprised of a base wall, and perimeter walls, and having a lower tank volume in which a liquid can be maintained and heated to a boiling point to generate a rising plume of vapor; a rack structure within the tank volume that supports insertion of multiple, heat dissipating electronic devices in a side-by-side vertical configuration; and a condenser configured as a plurality of individually rotatable condenser sub-units, with each condenser sub-unit located above a vertical space that extends vertically from the lower tank volume and within which an electronic device can be inserted. Each individual condenser sub-unit can be opened independent of the other sub-units and each other condenser sub-unit can remain in a closed position while a first condenser sub-unit is opened to allow access to a first vertical space and any existing electrical device contained therein below the first condenser sub-unit.

An integrated power and cooling machine having an indirect regenerative air cooling feature may be useful for providing power and environmental control to both ground vehicles, such as tanks, and aircraft, such as helicopters and airplanes. The integrated power and cooling machine may prevent contamination of the conditioned supply air by isolating the conditioned supply air from the machine lubricating and heat transport fluid (e.g., operating fluid) that may leak into the conditioned supply air. Furthermore, the integrated power and cooling machine may utilize a lower energy source from the engine, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving system efficiency. In addition, a flow mixing device may enhance airflow to improve cooling performance.

An aircraft air provision system includes a power turbine that receives bleed air at a first pressure and provides rotational energy to a shaft and outputs output air at an intermediate pressure. The system also includes a compressor coupled to the shaft that receives input air at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure and outputs compressed air having a pressure equal to the intermediate pressure and a mix chamber coupled to outputs of both the power turbine and the compressor where the output air and the compressed air are mixed. The system also includes a cooling turbine coupled to the shaft and that is in fluid communication with an output of the mix chamber.

The disclosure relates to a unitary heat pump air conditioner (Unitary HPAC) having a plate type hot-side heat exchanger assembly, a cold-side heat exchanger assembly, and electrically driven compressors and coolant pumps. The plate type hot-side heat exchanger assembly includes a plurality of plates stacked and hermetically sealed between an upstream end plate and a downstream end plate, defining a condenser/chiller portion having a first coolant passageway, a sub-cooler portion having a second coolant passageway, and a refrigerant receiver portion sandwiched between the condenser/chiller portion and the sub-cooler portion. The first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway are in non-contact thermal communication with the refrigerant passageway.

A system and method are shown which utilize a hybrid mechanical and evaporative air conditioning system to produce potable drinking while cooling an enclosure. The system operates on direct current, making it suitable for use in areas effected by natural disaster, power outage, or simply rural locations without access to electricity. The conditioning system includes both evaporative air conditioning and mechanical air conditioning functioning components to produce a water discharge. The system is operated to cool an enclosure. A portion of the water discharge is then drawn off and purified for use as drinking water.

A condenser assembly adapted to condense an evaporated refrigerant for use in a retail store refrigeration system. The condenser assembly includes at least one microchannel condenser coil including an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold. The inlet manifold includes an inlet port for receiving the refrigerant, and the outlet manifold includes an outlet port for discharging the refrigerant. The condenser assembly also includes a frame supporting the at least one microchannel condenser coil.

A thermosyphon heat exchanger according to the disclosure includes a set of linear conduit elements and a heat exchange plate mounted in a heat receiving region on the conduit elements. The longitudinal axes of the conduit elements extend in a first direction in a plane defined by the flat side of the heat exchange plate. The conduit elements project above the heat receiving region in the first direction on a first side and an opposing second side such that the extension of the conduit elements on each side of the heat exchange region is suitable for constituting a condensing region for condensing a refrigerant vaporized in the heat receiving region if the first direction is arranged vertically.