Air cooled heat exchange device with integrated and mechanized air pre-cooling system

Abstract

Direct current dry insulated chiller with integrated air pre-cooler system installed at the factory, which is mechanized and can be moved from a transport position to an operating position.

Description

[0001] Divisional application

[0002] This application is a divisional application of Chinese Patent Application No. 201880067876.4, filed on September 19, 2018, entitled “Air-cooled heat exchange device with integrated and mechanized air pre-cooling system”. BACKGROUND TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present invention relates to air-cooled heat exchange devices. BACKGROUND

[0006] Air-cooled heat exchangers remove heat from a working fluid by transferring heat into the air. Air-cooled heat exchangers are typically composed of tubes connected to fins. The working fluid passes through the interior of the tubes, and heat is conducted to the exterior of the tubes and fins. Air is passed over the fins and tubes to dissipate the heat; one or more fans are typically used to move the air. The working fluid can be a liquid, a gas, a condensed refrigerant, or any other fluid that requires heat removal. The tubes are typically made of copper, aluminum, or stainless steel, but other metals and non-metals have been used. The fins are typically made of copper or aluminum, but other heat-conductive materials have been used.

[0007] To remove heat from the working fluid, the temperature of the working fluid must be higher than the air temperature. The greater the temperature difference between the air and the working fluid, the less heat needs to be removed; therefore, less fan power is required to move the air.

[0008] A known method of reducing the temperature of the surrounding air is through evaporative cooling. Under evaporative cooling, a quantity of water is sprayed into the air or some open- panel face. As the air dry-bulb temperature approaches the wet-bulb temperature, the water evaporates and cools the air. The evaporatively cooled air will have a higher humidity level and a lower dry-bulb temperature than the untreated air. The lower dry-bulb temperature will allow for cooling in lower airflows or cooling the working fluid to a lower temperature, both of which are desirable effects.

[0009] There are multiple methods of evaporatively cooling air-cooled heat exchangers. In one method, the incoming ambient air passes through a pre-cooling system that has open-panel faces that have been saturated with water. The faces can be saturated by drip, spray, or other methods. As the air passes over the faces, the water evaporates, thereby cooling the incoming air. There are many variations of the type and location of these faces, but all of the incoming air passes through water-saturated faces.

[0010] These pre-cooling systems are typically provided after the sale and are always shipped separately from the air-cooled system to which they are connected, thus requiring on-site installation. SUMMARY

[0011] The present invention features an air-cooled heat exchanger that includes a factory installed air pre-cooling system that is connected to and integrated with the main air-cooled heat exchanger, further including a mechanism for converting the air pre-cooling system from a shipping position to an operating position.

[0012] The present invention eliminates the separation between the main heat exchanger and the air pre-cooling system prior to shipping while keeping the equipment within legal shipping dimensions, which in turn greatly reduces the effort of equipment installation.

[0013] The factory assembled air-cooled heat exchanger including the integrated air pre-cooling system preferably includes the following main components to facilitate normal operation and ensure non-permitted shipping dimensions: rotating water distribution head, removable water distribution and insulation pad, adjustable incremental frame, incremental insulation pad support angle, dual function drip pan / insulation pad bottom support, multi-function drip pan and insulation chassis support / unit structure reinforcement.

[0014] The integrated air pre-cooling system and air-cooled heat exchanger of the present invention allows the air-cooled system to operate at the same ambient dry bulb temperature while achieving significantly higher heat rejection capacity compared to non-pre-cooled air equipment. Alternatively, the air-cooled heat exchanger with air pre-cooling system can provide equivalent heat rejection when operated at considerably higher ambient dry bulb temperature. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of two V-type air-cooled heat exchangers that can be used in conjunction with the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 is Figure 1 is a close-up perspective view of the opposite end of the two V-type air-cooled heat exchangers shown in

[0017] Figure 3 is Figure 1 and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the operation of a V-type air-cooled heat exchanger of the type shown in

[0018] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of two V-type air-cooled heat exchangers with insulation pads provided after sale and installed on site for pre-cooling incoming air;

[0019] Figure 5 shows Figure 3 is a close-up side cross-sectional view of one of the V-type air-cooled heat exchangers shown in

[0020] Figure 6 is Figure 4 and Figure 5Operation schematic of the V-type air-cooled heat exchanger with heat-insulated pre-cooling function shown;

[0021] Figure 7 Perspective view of the integrated air pre-cooling system and air-cooled heat exchange device assembled integrally at the factory according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the air pre-cooling system is in the retracted / shipping position;

[0022] Figure 8 Close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the air pre-cooling system is in the retracted / shipping position;

[0023] Figure 9 Close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the air pre-cooling system is in the first partially deployed position;

[0024] Figure 10 Close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the air pre-cooling system is in the second partially deployed position;

[0025] Figure 11 Close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the air pre-cooling system is in the third partially deployed position;

[0026] Figure 12 Close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the air pre-cooling system is in the fourth partially deployed position;

[0027] Figure 13 Close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the air pre-cooling system is in the fifth partially deployed position;

[0028] Figure 14 Closer close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the top bracket of the air pre-cooling system is in the retracted position;

[0029] Figure 15 Closer close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the top bracket of the air pre-cooling system is in the partially deployed position;

[0030] Figure 16 Closer close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the top bracket of the air pre-cooling system is in the second partially deployed position;

[0031] Figure 17 Closer close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present application, wherein the heat-insulating pad and the top bracket of the air pre-cooling system are in the fully deployed position, while the top tube of the air pre-cooling system is in the partially deployed position;

[0032] Figure 18A closer perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the insulation pads and top supports of the air pre-cooling system are in a fully deployed position, and the top tubes of the air pre-cooling system are in a second partially deployed position;

[0033] Figure 19 A closer perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the insulation pads, top supports and top tubes of the air pre-cooling system are in a fully deployed position;

[0034] Figure 20 A perspective view of an integrated factory assembled air pre-cooling system and air cooled heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the air pre-cooling system is in a fully deployed / operational position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Examples of V-shaped coolers are shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 The frame supports two coil bundles, each coil bundle comprising a plurality of horizontally arranged finned tubes in a V-shaped configuration. At one end of each tube bundle, the tubes are connected to an inlet header and an outlet header at the inlet end. At the opposite end of each bundle, each horizontal tube is connected to an adjacent horizontal tube by a return bend. The hot process fluid enters the inlet header through the inlet header connection, and is then distributed from the inlet header to the tubes. The cooled fluid exits the tubes through the outlet header and is returned to the process / system to which the fluid is flowing. The frame supports a plurality of fans at the top of the cooler and draws ambient air into the equipment through the tubes and fins and out the top of the equipment.

[0036] Figure 1 and 2 The working principle of a V-shaped air cooled heat exchanger of the type shown in Figure 3 is shown. The hot process fluid, shown in red, enters the inlet header through the inlet header connection. The hot process fluid passes laterally through the heat exchanger from the inlet header, generally in a direction parallel to the horizontal. Heat from the process fluid is dissipated through the coil tube surfaces and is emitted to the fins (not shown). Fans located at the top of the equipment draw ambient air into the coil surfaces. The heat from the process fluid is transferred to the air and is emitted to the atmosphere. The cooled process fluid, shown in blue, exits the equipment through the outlet header.

[0037] Examples of V-shaped coolers with insulated pre-cooling pads are shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5A frame supports two coil bundles, each coil bundle comprising a plurality of horizontally arranged finned tubes in a V-shaped configuration. At one end of each tube bundle, the tubes are connected at the inlet end to an inlet header and an outlet header. At the opposite end of each bundle, each horizontal tube is connected to an adjacent horizontal tube by a return bend. The hot process fluid enters the inlet header through the inlet header connection, and is then distributed from the inlet header to the tubes. The cooled fluid exits the tubes through the outlet header and is returned to the process / system stream. Insulating pads are installed along both sides of the unit, from left to right and top to bottom. A water distribution system drops water onto the top of the pads to saturate them. Water that does not evaporate from the pads is collected at the bottom of the unit and either drained or recirculated back to the top of the unit and back to the pads. The frame supports a plurality of fans at the top of the cooler and draws ambient air into the unit through the saturated pads, through the tubes and fins, and out the top of the unit.

[0038] The working principle of a V-shaped air-cooled heat exchanger with insulated pads for pre-cooling incoming air is shown in Figure 6 Red hot process fluid enters the inlet header through the inlet header connection. The hot process fluid traverses the heat exchanger from the inlet header, generally parallel to the horizontal direction. Heat from the process fluid is dissipated through the coil tube surfaces and radiated to the fins (not shown). The insulation system comprises a fibrous pad that is fully wetted in front of the coils. Fans located at the top of the unit draw air through the insulated pre-cooled pads. The air is humidified as it passes through the insulated pads, reducing the dry bulb temperature to within a few degrees of the wet bulb temperature. This new air temperature is called the low pressure dry bulb. This pre-cooled air is then drawn through the tube and fin surfaces, greatly increasing the heat dissipation capacity. Heat from the process fluid is transferred to the air and discharged to the atmosphere. The cooled process fluid (shown in blue) exits the unit through the outlet header. In a closed water system, the water used to wet the insulation pads that does not evaporate is collected at the bottom of the unit and recirculated to the water distribution system at the top of the pads. In an open water system, the water used to wet the insulation pads that does not evaporate is collected and sent to a drain.

[0039] Figure 7 and Figure 20 An example of an embodiment of the present invention is shown, comprising a V-shaped air-cooled heat exchanger with an integrated factory installed air pre-cooling system. Figure 7 An air pre-cooling system is shown in a retracted position for shipping, Figure 20 An air pre-cooling system is shown in a fully deployed operating position.

[0040] Figure 8A close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention is shown with the integrated air pre-cooling system in the retracted / shipping position. The movable water distribution and insulation pads 3 are shown on the dual function drip pan / insulation pad bottom bracket 5 just above the multi-function drip pan 7. The rotatable water distribution manifold / tube 9 is pivotally attached to the V-shaped frame air-cooled heat exchanger. The integrated air pre-cooling system also includes a frame 11 connected to the V-shaped air-cooled heat exchanger frame, a pivoting intermediate insulation support element 13 and a translatable top insulation support element 15.

[0041] When the unit is ready for shipping, all of the insulation pads are in the Figure 8 position, with the respective top and bottom pads 3 lying / stacked on top of each other, with the top pads in front of / external to the bottom pads. The water distribution tube 9 is in the retracted position, folded against the frame of the V-shaped air-cooled heat exchanger. The top insulation support element 15 is in the retracted / down position, and the intermediate support element 13 is in the down / retracted position. According to an alternative embodiment, the top insulation support element 15 can be in the deployed / top position (see, for example Figure 16 ). The unit is shipped in this position.

[0042] When the unit arrives at its installation site, the deployment / positioning control system 17 is activated by the operator / installation technician, causing the elements of the pre-cooling system to automatically move in sequence into the fully deployed operational configuration. Figure 9 The first step in this process is shown, with the insulation pads being raised by the insulation pad positioning mechanism 19 towards the operational position. At this stage, the water distribution tube 9 and the intermediate support element 13 remain in the retracted position. The top insulation support element 15 remains in the shipping position, whether it is in the lowered position or the final position.

[0043] Figure 10 The top insulation pads are shown beginning to move into the final position, with the remaining elements of the pre-cooling system in the shipping state. Although only one set of top pads is shown moving into the deployed configuration, in actual operation all of the top pads are moved into the deployed / operational configuration at the same time. Figure 11 The top insulation pads are shown moving to their final and operational position / configuration.

[0044] When the top pads have moved to their final position, the intermediate pad support element is automatically raised by the pad support element positioning mechanism 21 towards its final operational configuration, see Figure 12 (the intermediate pad support element moving towards the final operational configuration) and Figure 13 (the intermediate pad support element reaching the final operational configuration).

[0045] In the next step, if the top insulation support element is not already in the fully deployed and raised position, it will automatically move to that position. Figure 14The top insulation pad support element is shown in its lower (preferred shipping) configuration. Figure 15 The top insulation pad support element is shown moving toward its fully raised and operational configuration, and Figure 16 The top insulation pad support element is shown having moved to its fully raised and operational position (and optionally, a less preferred shipping position).

[0046] Once the top insulation pad is in its operational position, and the top insulation support element and the intermediate insulation support element are also in their operational positions, the water distribution pipe will be automatically rotated from its shipping position to its operational position by the water distribution pipe positioning mechanism 23, see Figure 17 and 18 .

[0047] The insulation pad positioning mechanism, the insulation pad support element positioning mechanism, and the water distribution pipe positioning mechanism are connected to and controlled by the positioning control system 17.

[0048] Figure 19 With the top insulation pad, the top insulation pad support element bracket, and the water distribution pipe of the air pre-cooling system in place, the water distribution pipe nests in the recess at the top of the insulation pad.

[0049] Figure 20 is a perspective view of an integrated factory-assembled air pre-cooling system and air-cooled heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the air pre-cooling system in a fully deployed / operational position. Once the integrated air pre-cooling system is fully deployed into the operational configuration, it will operate as described in Figures 4-6 .

[0050] The various mechanisms and control systems for moving the elements of the air pre-cooling system from the shipping position to its operational position are well within the capabilities of those skilled in the art, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to any particular mechanism or control system.

Claims

1. A dry insulated chiller comprising: a frame; two tube banks arranged in a V-shape in vertical orientation in the frame; each of the two tube banks having an inlet header and an outlet header, each inlet header configured and positioned to receive and distribute a hot process fluid to a respective tube bank, and the outlet header configured and positioned to receive a cooled process fluid from the respective tube bank; at least one fan configured and positioned to draw air through the two tube banks; a plurality of upper insulation pads and a plurality of lower insulation pads mounted in the frame adjacent to an air intake side of the two tube banks; the plurality of upper insulation pads having an upper insulation pad shipping position laterally adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of lower insulation pads to accommodate size requirements of the insulated chiller as a whole when shipping, and an upper insulation pad operating position above the corresponding one of the lower insulation pads; a water distribution system comprising one or more water distribution pipes configured and positioned to wet and cool the air before it is drawn through the two tube banks; and a water collection pan positioned below the insulation pads and configured to collect water drained from the lower insulation pads.

2. The dry insulated chiller of claim 1, further comprising a control system configured to move the plurality of upper insulation pads from respective upper insulation pad shipping positions to respective upper insulation pad operating positions. ​

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