System and method for controlling medium temperature by refrigerant vaporization and working gas condensation

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the temperature of a medium by refrigerant vaporization, working gas condensation, or a combination of both, the system including a container, at least one working gas storage tank having at least one storage tank section including a wall thermally coupled to a volume of medium within the container and having an exterior surface constructed to provide a volume of medium thermal coverage within the container, and a condenser for regulating working gas condensation in the storage tank, whereby the working gas storage tank forms a vapor space in each of the at least one storage tank section in response to receiving working gas and regulating condensation in the condenser to enable working gas condensation at or near a selected temperature of a volume of medium within the container thermally coupled to the respective storage tank section.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure is directed to temperature control of a medium, and more particularly to controlling the temperature of a medium through localized temperature control of each localized thermal volume that makes up the medium depending on the properties of the medium. [Background technology]

[0002] Temperature control is a fundamental requirement for successful chemical reaction engineering: biological cells grow and produce products at optimal temperatures, and similarly, chemical catalysis, separations, crystallization, evaporation, filtration, polymerization, isomerization, and other reactions have unique operating temperatures that best achieve desired results. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Conventional cooling methods lack the ability to adapt to the time- and space-dependent heat production characteristics of chemical and biochemical reactions, especially those with low heat output. Such reactions include ethanol and lactic acid fermentation, anaerobic digestion, pharmaceutical cell culture, biodiesel esterification, and industrial polymerization. While these reactions can generate significant instantaneous heat, the overall heat produced is low, and heat production values ​​often vary significantly in time and space. This variation can also require the localized addition of heat to maintain a homogeneous temperature profile throughout the reaction.

[0004] For example, red wine fermentation has a heat output that increases rapidly in the first few hours, peaks briefly, and then gradually declines over several days. Fermentation heat output is also directly proportional to the local concentration of metabolically digesting yeast, a concentration that can vary spatially inside the tank or vessel. This variation is caused by reliance on naturally produced CO2 for agitation / homogenization, and CO2 production is also directly proportional to the local concentration of metabolically digesting yeast, which is further proportional to the overall heat output of the fermentation cycle.

[0005] Failure to control the fermentation temperature of red wine can adversely affect batch quality. Specifically, yeast may aggregate on floating skins, creating localized areas of high heat / accelerated metabolic activity, causing premature death due to the localized temperature increase. These deaths then result in an insufficient yeast population to complete the conversion of all sugars in the tank or vessel (incomplete / failed fermentation). Furthermore, failure to control temperature during fermentation can alter the flavor of the wine by altering the yeast metabolic preference for the production of volatile metabolites.

[0006] Traditional temperature control methods for fermentation utilize an external cooling jacket with a variable flow rate of cold water or glycol and a temperature control element submerged within the reaction vessel. While this method can provide rapid cooling of the vessel volume and quickly offset the heat of reaction, unnecessary cooling can ensue. For example, the temperature element may correctly determine the local need for cooling when cooling of the majority of the reaction volume is not necessary. Similarly, the element may correctly determine that cooling of a nearby reaction volume is not necessary when, in fact, the reaction has exceeded the set-point temperature elsewhere in the tank or vessel. Similar temperature control challenges are observed when heating of the reaction vessel is desired via an external heating jacket with a variable flow rate of hot water or steam and a temperature control element submerged within the reaction vessel.

[0007] One solution to this problem is stirring the reaction volume. Stirring homogenizes the reaction volume, resulting in a more uniform concentration that approximates temperature factors and better represents the entire vessel contents. Yet, many common biological reactions, such as ethanol production during beer fermentation, are not artificially stirred because yeast naturally produces CO2, which helps homogenize the fermentation culture. Artificial stirring risks accidental oxidation of the fermenting beer, potentially altering its flavor profile and shortening its shelf life. Therefore, brewers must rely on natural stirring, but because the fermentation volume is not homogenized, they cannot be sure that their vessel cooling or heating systems will function optimally.

[0008] Like wine fermentation, beer fermentation is also temperature-sensitive. Generally, brewer's yeasts can be divided into two categories: lager and ale. Lager strains prefer temperatures between 45°F and 55°F, while ale strains prefer fermentation temperatures between 60°F and 70°F. Temperature control is critical to ensuring quality, particularly with regard to flavor and consistency between fermentation batches. Temperature extremes, both above and below the desired range, risk both the production of unwanted chemical by-products (e.g., esters, diacetyl, fusel alcohols) and heat shock of the yeast, which can lead to cell damage, including premature death.

[0009] Fermenters have been designed using conventional techniques to cool the tank or vessel using vacuum, water, or air recirculation, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,685,715 for a method for treating containers and tank or vessel contents, in which a coaxial tank or vessel has an inner cylinder wrapped with a spiral band, which in turn is covered with an outer cylinder, whereby fluid is circulated between the cylinders to regulate the temperature of the inner cylinder and contents.

[0010] U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005 / 0077029 teaches a heat exchanger for a fermentation tank or vessel using an outer cylinder with a concentric inner cylinder through which a liquid of a selected temperature passes to regulate the temperature of the contents of the outer cylinder. U.S. Patent Publication No. 7,870,891 teaches the use of a jacketed fermenter using air as a cooling medium. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008 / 0175951 teaches the establishment of a vacuum in the fermenter above the fermented liquid to control steam pressure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present disclosure, in one embodiment, is directed to a system and method for controlling the temperature of a medium in a container, such as a tank or vessel.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a system and method for controlling a temperature of a medium by working gas condensation is provided, the system including: a container having an exterior and an interior; at least one working gas storage tank associated with the container, the at least one working gas storage tank having at least one storage tank section configured to hold a working gas, each at least one storage tank section having an exterior surface thermally coupled to a volume of the medium within the container and a wall assembled to transmit a thermal change to the volume of the medium within the container, thereby providing a volume of medium thermal reach within the container, the volume of medium thermal reach having an outer boundary; and a condenser for adjusting a working gas pressure in the at least one working gas storage tank, the at least one working gas storage tank configured to form a vapor space in each of the at least one storage tank sections in response to receiving the working gas and in response to adjustment of the condenser of the working gas pressure, to enable condensation of the working gas at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium thermal reach relative to the volume of medium within the container thermally coupled to the respective at least one storage tank section.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one storage tank section includes a plurality of storage tank sections each having a respective interior storage tank space fluidly connected to at least one other interior storage tank space of an adjacent storage tank section, and the plurality of storage tank sections are arranged in a spaced relationship with adjacent storage tank sections such that respective boundaries of their thermal reach have respective volumes of at least a continuous medium thermal reach.

[0014] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a system includes a working gas source in fluid communication with a working gas storage tank and a condenser, and is configured to deliver working gas to the working gas storage tank in response to changes in pressure in the working gas storage tank as regulated by the condenser.

[0015] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, multiple reservoir sections are connected together in series or parallel, or a combination of series and parallel arrangements.

[0016] According to an additional aspect of the present disclosure, a working gas reservoir includes a grid of reservoir sections.

[0017] According to yet another additional aspect of the present disclosure, R3 is the radius of the volume of the media thermal reach determined as follows:

[0018]

number

[0019] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the minimum center-to-center spacing of adjacent reservoir sections is at least:

[0020]

number

[0021] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling the temperature of a medium by condensation of a working gas, the method comprising: An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a medium by condensation of a working gas, comprising: a container having an exterior and an interior; at least one working gas associated with a container, the at least one working gas storage tank having at least one storage section configured to hold the working gas, each at least one storage section having walls constructed to thermally couple an exterior surface with a volume of medium within the container and transfer a thermal change to the volume of medium within the container, thereby providing a medium thermal reach volume within the container, the volume of medium thermal reach having an outer boundary; a condensing device for adjusting the working gas pressure in at least one working gas storage tank; at least one working gas storage tank configured to form a vapor space in each of the at least one storage tank section in response to receiving the working gas and in response to adjusting the condenser device for a working gas pressure to enable condensation of the working gas at or near a selected temperature of a volume of medium thermal coverage for a volume of medium within a container thermally coupled to the respective at least one storage tank section; providing introducing a working gas into at least one working gas reservoir so as to partially occupy at least one reservoir section in the at least one reservoir section; adjusting a working gas pressure in the at least one reservoir section to enable condensation of the working gas at or near a selected temperature of a volume of the medium thermal reach for a volume of the medium within a container thermally coupled to each of the at least one reservoir section; Includes:

[0022] According to another aspect of the aforementioned method, the following steps are included. Compartmentalizing the medium into localized thermal volumes; Thermally coupling a working gas to each localized thermal volume to control the temperature of the localized thermal volume and maintain the medium at a selected temperature.

[0023] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, compartmentalizing the medium into localized thermal volumes includes positioning a working gas reservoir in physical proximity to the container, wherein at least one working gas reservoir section is associated with each localized thermal volume.

[0024] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, thermally coupling includes adjusting a working gas pressure in each of the at least one reservoir section to maintain a temperature of the respective localized thermal volume at a selected temperature of the medium.

[0025] As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing, the present disclosure provides systems and methods for controlling the temperature of a medium by providing localized temperature control of the medium. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described in the context of fermentation, the systems and methods of the present disclosure have application in both heating and cooling a medium to maintain the temperature of a wide variety of media, and are a novel approach to engineered temperature control that adjusts for both temporal and spatial differences in heat demand, without requiring advanced controls or programming. In contrast to conventional methods that heat the entire system volume at maximum intensity but for varying lengths of time, the novel approach of the present disclosure adjusts the temperature of only the spatial area requiring heating, for example, where the intensity is directly proportional to the local heat loss. Thus, cooling of the medium is not achieved directly, but rather through careful adjustment of the net heat demand of the reaction. The working gas pressure can be adjusted to change the setpoint temperature of the medium, and the present disclosure ensures that the allowable local change in temperature never falls below this new setpoint. Thus, slow, deliberate cooling of the medium can be affected.

[0026] Conventional systems use hot water or steam that activates whenever a measured setpoint temperature is exceeded. Activation is controlled by the local temperature near the sensing element, and heating is achieved rapidly through the use of a large temperature gradient between the hot water or steam and the system volume. Once the upper temperature setpoint is reached, the heating system is deactivated.

[0027] This approach has two obvious disadvantages: (1) the entire system volume is heated based on a localized subset of conditions, and (2) the entire system volume is subject to large temperature gradients during the heating cycle. Thus, system contents some distance from the sensing element are heated whether they are needed or not, potentially making the system contents susceptible to thermal heat shock. This heat shock can be more pronounced for contents near the external heating jacket or internal heating coil, especially when the system volume lacks consistent stirring or homogenization.

[0028] The present disclosure avoids these shortcomings by using a working gas in shallow horizontal tubes connected by a common space. The working gas is maintained at or near the desired temperature of the system volume, and its condensation is controlled to condense the working gas at this same temperature. Liquid that condenses in the horizontal tubes is quickly removed, and because the vapor spaces of the tubes remain connected, each horizontal section subsequently condenses at approximately the same pressure / temperature as the horizontal section above and below.

[0029] Temperature control of the system volume is affected by controlling the condensation of the working gas. When the working gas is at its condensation point, it releases a large amount of energy per unit volume while changing phase to a liquid, but it also releases this energy at a constant temperature. Thus, any local system volume near horizontal tubes is protected from falling below the condensation temperature of the working gas within the tubes, as long as those tubes contain the working gas.

[0030] The present disclosure provides passive, uninterrupted, and continuous protection from a drop in the setpoint temperature of the system volume. Temperature sensing elements are no longer required to activate the heating system because local working gas condensation adds heat as soon as heat is needed and near the spatial point of requirement. Furthermore, high temperature gradients for heating are no longer required because heat transfer must be achieved quickly and over long distances (e.g., from the container wall to the container center). As the local heat requirement varies, the local temperature difference between the system volume and the working gas coil also varies, and heat is added proportionally by the local working gas standby mass.

[0031] In summary, the systems and methods of the present disclosure significantly improve upon conventional temperature control methods. The present approach no longer risks overheating the entire system volume based on conditions near a local temperature sensing element, or failing to activate the heating system when needed based on local conditions near the sensing element. The present disclosure also eliminates the need to create large temperature gradients that could risk thermal heating shock of the system contents. Furthermore, controlled media cooling can affect the use of the endothermic heat requirements of the reaction itself without the risk of overshooting and potentially thermally shocking the system contents. Benefits of improved temperature control include optimized reaction rates, reduced undesired side reactions, and improved batch-to-batch consistency for batch processes.

[0032] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a diagram of radial heat transfer along the length of a horizontal grid section according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view of radial heat transfer along the length of the horizontal grate section of Figure 1. [Figure 3] 10 is a diagram of the derivation of ideal spacing between lattice tubes calculated via a right angle geometry in accordance with the present disclosure; [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of multiple cooling volumes with minimum reach according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view of multiple cooling volumes with partial coverage according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view of multiple cooling volumes with full coverage according to the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram of a system formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a refrigerant storage tank formed in accordance with the present disclosure and positioned within a container; [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the refrigerant storage tank of FIG. 8 . [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a view of a refrigerant storage tank external to a container according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 1 is a diagram of a system formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in which zone-based pressure control is affected by multiple pressure regulators. [Figure 12] 9 is a cross-sectional side view of a refrigerant storage tank formed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 8. [Figure 13] 10 is a pictorial representation of an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure in which the coil device is external to the container. [Figure 14] Cross section of radial heat transfer along the length of a horizontal grate section. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram of an oscillating vacuum coil and reservoir design in which the fluid within the coil oscillates with a pressure differential, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] 1 is a diagram of a system formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in which refrigerant is preheated prior to recharging of the refrigerant storage tank; [Figure 17] 1 is a diagram of a system formed in accordance with the present disclosure in which a heat transfer medium is circulated through a reservoir and the flow rate varies based on the measured temperature. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram of radial heat transfer along the length of a horizontal grid section according to the present disclosure. [Figure 19] Cross-sectional view of radial heat transfer along the length of the horizontal grate section of Figure 18. [Figure 20] 1 is a cross-sectional view of multiple heating volumes with minimal reach according to the present disclosure. [Figure 21] 1 is a cross-sectional view of multiple heated volumes with partial coverage according to the present disclosure. [Figure 22] 1 is a cross-sectional view of multiple heating volumes with full coverage according to the present disclosure. [Figure 23] 1 is a diagram of a system formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a diagram of a system formed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the system in FIG. 23. [Figure 25]1 is a cross-sectional side view of a working gas storage tank formed in accordance with the present disclosure and positioned within a container. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a plan view of the working gas reservoir of FIG. 25 . [Figure 27] FIG. 10 is a diagram of a working gas storage tank external to a container according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 28] 26 is a cross-sectional side view of a refrigerant storage tank formed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 25. [Figure 29] Cross section of radial heat transfer along the radius of a horizontal grate section. [Figure 30] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the radial temperature profile of adjacent refrigerant storage tanks. [Figure 31] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature profile of an adjacent working gas reservoir. [Figure 32] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature profile for a combination of adjacent refrigerant and working gas storage tanks; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. Nevertheless, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other examples, well-known structures associated with tanks or vessels, refrigerants, working gases, vaporization and vacuum systems, condensation systems, tubing, pipes, and coils have not been shown or described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the description of the embodiments. References to "medium" are intended to include gases, liquids, solids, as well as gels and other states. References to "containers" are intended to include, without limitation, tanks and vessels. Furthermore, references to "pipes" or "tubes" are intended to encompass conduits of various cross-sectional geometric configurations and of any length, unless otherwise specified herein.

[0035] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout this specification and the claims that follow, the word "comprise" and variations thereof, such as "comprises" and "comprising," are to be interpreted in their broad, inclusive sense, such as "including, but not limited to."

[0036] References throughout this specification to "one implementation" or "an implementation" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrase "in one implementation" or "in an implementation" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It will be understood that, for brevity and clarity of illustration, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements or steps.

[0037] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term "or" is generally used in its broadest sense to mean "and / or" unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

[0038] The titles and abstracts of the disclosure provided herein are for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the embodiments.

[0039] In contrast to conventional temperature control methods, the present disclosure provides both process heating and cooling of a medium using minimal temperature gradients. While a gradient must be created for successful heat transfer according to the present disclosure, this gradient need not be large due to the low heat transfer requirements of many common processes (e.g., cell culture) and the ability to remove heat while constantly generating or applying it. Furthermore, large temperature gradients between the temperature control source and the target volume (i.e., the medium) can actually damage the medium through thermal shock near the heating or cooling system interface. This can occur, for example, near the interior walls of a jacketed cell culture reactor.

[0040] In general, the mechanical structure of some of the embodiments of the present disclosure resembles metal latticework. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the structure is immersed within a volume requiring temperature control. Alternatively, the latticework can be external to a container holding the medium. Ideally, the lattice geometry, construction materials, and cooling system components are determined according to the medium to be cooled. Nevertheless, the cooling performance of a structure formed according to the present disclosure with a given lattice geometry, construction materials, and working gas cooling system can be determined for any medium.

[0041] Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be discussed in the context of cooling media, such as beer and wine fermentation processes, it will be understood that the systems and methods of the present disclosure will have application in other processes and heating, as well as cooling, of various media.

[0042] There are three main aspects to the design of a grid according to the present disclosure: (1) the grid's internal dimensions, (2) the grid's construction material, and (3) the spacing between adjacent grid components. All grid designs have a common headspace and horizontally isolated sections that hold a large volume of liquid refrigerant. These characteristics ensure that the refrigerant in each horizontal section evaporates at the same temperature and that there is always enough liquid refrigerant to dissipate heat generated nearby. Maintaining the height of liquid refrigerant in each horizontal section is often determined by the orientation of this section relative to gravity.

[0043] Logically, a grid can be constructed of a series of horizontal sections of any shape and size, so long as they are capable of containing liquid refrigerant. Practically, it is most cost-effective to use cylindrical pipes or tubing, by definition, designed for the full vacuum required for many refrigerants, rather than relying on advanced fabrication techniques required for specially shaped, full-vacuum vessels. Ideally, the pipes should be kept up to 70% full to provide sufficient surface area for vaporization of liquid refrigerant from the interior surface of the headspace while still retaining the maximum liquid refrigerant volume inside the pipe / tubing. Furthermore, the open headspace allows for unobstructed movement of evaporated vapor along the length of the horizontal sections to the vacuum source. The internal design options for the grid are application-specific, particularly related to the choice of refrigerant and cooling method (vacuum pump, compressor, etc.).

[0044] Logically, lattice construction materials are limited by the requirement that the material not mechanically affect the medium to be cooled and not affect the operating conditions of the refrigerant trapped therein. Practically, construction materials are often dictated by cleaning requirements (e.g., sanitation requirements for cell culture) and by the thickness of these materials available commercially. The choice of lattice construction material is application specific, but the thickness of the material can be adjusted to improve heat transfer, for example, despite increased cost.

[0045] Logically, the spacing between adjacent grid sections is determined by the medium to be cooled and its desired temperature profile, and is independent of the horizontal length. For example, a particular wine flavor profile may be best produced within a 5°F range from 70°F to 75°F; therefore, the spacing is configured so that the outer grid surfaces are maintained at 70°F and a maximum of 75°F occurs at the centerlines between adjacent gaps. In practice, the spacing between grid sections is often determined by the desired materials of construction, welding costs, container geometry, ease of removal for maintenance, ease of cleaning, etc. Nevertheless, the ideal spacing can be determined by applying the radial heat transfer equation to the horizontal coil sections, ignoring their lengths (see drawings and derivations). Instead, the horizontal length is almost always determined by the need to provide the desired grid spacing through the medium to be cooled and the need to ensure the presence of sufficient liquid volume of refrigerant in each horizontal section.

[0046] The use of a mathematical approach is preferred because the ideal grid spacing can be determined by a series of user-defined variables. A further advantage is that the complete grid structure can be designed by examining the spacing requirements of the cross section of a single horizontal grid element.

[0047] For example, if sanitary requirements dictate specific materials of construction and cooling system selection dictates a particular refrigerant, both of these measures can be incorporated into the spacing equation. Similarly, for an existing grid structure and cooling system, the expected temperature gradient inside the media to be cooled can be calculated for any media type.

[0048] An important user-defined temperature variable is the maximum allowable temperature difference inside the media to be cooled. For example, if a maximum temperature gradient of 5°F and a maximum temperature of 75°F are desired, the ideal grid spacing can be calculated using derived equations, described in more detail below, assuming a refrigerant vaporization temperature of 70°F inside the grid pipes and a centerline temperature of 75°F for the media between adjacent grids.

[0049] Yet the 5°F value described is actually greater than the minimum temperature gradient required for successful heat transfer. In reality, this value is the total force required to move heat from the furthest limit of the medium to the point of refrigerant vaporization, which is greater than the force required to move heat only to the outer surface of the grid.

[0050] This larger value actually has three components: (1) the temperature difference for transferring heat from the centerline between the grids through the medium to be cooled and to the surface of the grid, (2) the temperature difference for transferring heat from the exterior surface of the grid through the mechanical structure of the grid and to its interior surface, and (3) the temperature difference for transferring heat through the liquid refrigerant from the interior surface of the grid and to the liquid-vapor refrigerant interface where evaporation occurs.

[0051] More specifically, the maximum allowable temperature gradient for heat transfer through the target media is determined by the end user. This value varies based on the desired properties of the media (e.g., flavor profile) over the timescale of cooling. For different media and fixed grid spacing, the greater the gradient value, the greater the resistance of the media to heat flow. Nevertheless, increasing the surface area effective for heat transfer from the media to the grid can reduce this gradient. For example, additional surface area can be created through the use of fin-type structures attached to the outer surface of the grid.

[0052] The temperature gradient across the walls of the lattice's mechanical structure is determined by the lattice's construction material and its thickness. For common lattice shapes and structures, this gradient value is constant regardless of the medium that is to be cooled.

[0053] The temperature gradient from the inner wall of the grid to the liquid-vapor refrigerant interface depends on the refrigerant chosen and the distance from the inner wall to the interface. For a given refrigerant and the height of the liquid refrigerant inside the tube, this gradient value is constant regardless of the medium being cooled. Furthermore, the headspace of a partially filled liquid refrigerant tube can form a thin liquid film of evaporating refrigerant on its interior surface, reducing the distance heat needs to travel from a certain percentage of the interior surface to the liquid-vapor refrigerant interface. Intentionally roughening the interior surface can also improve evaporative heat transfer, effectively reducing the temperature gradient required to move an equivalent amount of heat from the interior wall to the liquid-vapor refrigerant interface.

[0054] For a given lattice geometry, construction material, and cooling system, the horizontal sections are responsible for cooling the same volume of media, yet the heat generated by this volume may vary depending on the nature of the media, and therefore the observed cooling performance of the lattice may also vary.

[0055] 1 and 2, for a given horizontal grid section 50, the mechanical design must be able to remove the maximum heat generated by the medium volume 52 surrounding this horizontal grid section 50 with an outer boundary 53. This volume can be approximated by assuming a cylindrical shape surrounding the horizontal grid section 50 of radius R3, which is the combination of the distance R2 from the grid centerline to the exterior of the tubes and the distance R3 from the exterior of the grid to the centerline between adjacent grids. The volume of the mechanical grid is then subtracted from the total volume of the medium-filled container to calculate the volume of the heat-producing medium.

[0056] R1 is the inner radius of the grid tubes 54 and should be selected depending on the desired cooling system. In a batch-fill system, each horizontal grid tube 54 must hold enough refrigerant mass to absorb the maximum heat generated by the surrounding media for a given time (e.g., 1 hour) between fills. In a given recharge cooling system, this volume can be much smaller, but is still subject to the criterion that sufficient refrigerant volume remains for vaporization throughout the entire horizontal length during maximum media heat production.

[0057] With the value of R1 determined primarily by the choice of refrigeration system, the horizontal length L of the horizontal grid section 50 becomes the primary variable for establishing the refrigerant retention volume. In practice, the chosen length L per horizontal grid section 50 will almost always exceed the required minimum, as this value is chosen primarily for structural support and to ensure that minimum spacing requirements are met throughout the media.

[0058] Grate geometry (spacing) varies based on several variables, including the medium, refrigerant, cooling method, and construction material. The ideal spacing between the centerlines of adjacent grates for wine production, for example, would be roughly 6 inches using a grate of 1" OD sanitary stainless steel tubing and an ethanol refrigerant under vacuum and with an allowable temperature variation of 5°F. An allowable temperature variation of 10°F would increase this ideal spacing to approximately 9 inches, and a change in OD tubing from 1" to 2" for the same 10°F difference would further increase the ideal spacing to roughly 12 inches.

[0059] Also, design considerations must be made regarding the pressure drop across the grate headspace 56 during system operation. For example, in a batch-fill system using a vacuum pump, the pressure at the interface 58 between the liquid 60 and vapor refrigerant 62 must always be greater than the pressure at the vacuum source. Maintaining this pressure drop to a minimum is an important measure of grate design, as it reduces the vacuum level that must be maintained at the vacuum source.

[0060] To illustrate, for 700 L of fermented wine, a maximum liquid ethanol vaporization rate of 2 L / hr can be expected. Vaporization of this liquid mass corresponds to approximately 5 CFM of vapor production at a setpoint temperature of 80°F. With only a 5% allowable pressure drop due to system geometry, this piping can be used to connect the headspace to a vacuum source if the equivalent length (straight length and size) of 0.75" ID piping does not exceed approximately 115 ft.

[0061] Furthermore, the grid design and mathematical method can be adapted for use outside the container, instead of the cooling jacket. This can be particularly beneficial for small diameter vessels, as the grid would not be in contact with the final product and would therefore not require cleaning between batches. Nevertheless, this design may only be of practical use if the spacing between adjacent grids is calculated to be close to that of the container diameter.

[0062] An example mathematical derivation for determining ideal coil spacing is provided below.

[0063]

number

number

number

[0064] This equation can be solved for the value R3, taking into account user-defined values ​​for all other variables. User-defined values ​​can be devised from published literature, previous design experience, acceptable temperature variations for the media, commercially available pipe / tubing sizes and thicknesses, etc. Note that this mathematical analysis is independent of the length of the horizontal section.

[0065] With the known value of R3, the ideal spacing between the tubes is calculated via a right angle geometry. The derivation of this equation is shown in Figure 3.

[0066] Note that in this example, the variable R3 is equal to the sum of a+b+c, where "a" is the outer radius of the grid pipe, "b" is the distance between the grid pipe and the yeast cell cluster, and "c" is the radius of the yeast cell cluster. The total spacing between the grid pipe centerlines is:

[0067]

number

[0068] As shown in Figures 4-6, alternative geometric configurations can increase the spacing between grating sections, but some portions of the media may then exceed the design temperature range due to insufficient cooling. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of multiple cooling volumes with minimal reach, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of multiple cooling volumes with partial reach, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of multiple cooling volumes with full reach.

[0069] FIG. 7 illustrates a system 70 for controlling the temperature of a medium 72 through refrigerant vaporization. In this exemplary embodiment, the system includes a container 74 having an exterior 76 and an interior 77. At least one refrigerant storage tank 78 is associated with the container 74, the refrigerant storage tank 78 including at least one storage section 80 constructed to hold a refrigerant 82 in an interior storage space 83. In this embodiment, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , there are multiple storage sections 80, each having a wall 84 with an exterior surface 86 constructed to be thermally coupled to a volume of medium within the container 74 and to impart a thermal change to the volume of medium within the container 74, thereby providing a volume of medium thermal coverage 52 within the container, as described above in conjunction with FIGS. 1-6 and more fully below.

[0070] Each of the storage tank sections 80 has its own internal storage tank space 83 that is fluidly connected to at least one other internal storage tank space 83 of an adjacent storage tank section 80, and the multiple storage tank sections 80 are arranged in a spaced relationship with adjacent storage tank sections 80 such that each volume of the medium heat reach 52 has a respective boundary of at least a continuous heat reach.

[0071] System 70 further includes a vapor pressure device 88 for adjusting the refrigerant vapor pressure in storage sections 80. Storage sections 80 are configured to form a vapor space 90 in each storage section 80 in response to receiving refrigerant 82 and in response to adjustment by vapor pressure device 88 of the vapor pressure above refrigerant 82 to enable refrigerant vaporization at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium thermal footprint 52 for a volume of medium 72 in container 74 thermally coupled to each storage section 80.

[0072] It will be understood that the vapor pressure device 88 can be implemented using readily available commercial equipment and therefore will not be described in detail herein. Briefly, the vapor pressure device 88 includes a vacuum pump 92 in fluid communication with the refrigerant storage tank 78. Ideally, a pressure regulator 94 is positioned between the vacuum pump 92 and the refrigerant storage tank 78. Control of the vacuum pump 92 can be implemented manually or, more preferably, with automated control utilizing sensors and a computer processor to process signals from the sensors and transmit control signals to the vacuum pump in response to the sensor signals.

[0073] In the embodiment of Figure 7, a condenser 96 is provided for condensing a refrigerant, such as ethanol. The condenser 96 is in fluid communication with the refrigerant storage tank 78 for providing a continuous or uninterrupted supply of refrigerant to the refrigerant storage tank 78. A chilled water tank 98 is in fluid communication with the condenser 96 via a water pump 100 for providing water.

[0074] A refrigerant source, such as a refrigerant tank 102, is fluidly connected to the refrigerant storage tank 78 and the vapor pressure device 88 and is configured to provide refrigerant 82 to the refrigerant storage tank 78 in response to changes in the vapor pressure of the refrigerant storage tank 78, as regulated by the vapor pressure device 88. The condenser 96 is also fluidly connected to the refrigerant tank 102 via a vent solenoid 104. The refrigerant tank 102, in turn, is connected to the refrigerant storage tank 78 via a refrigerant pump 106 and in parallel with a drain solenoid 108 to supply refrigerant to the refrigerant storage tank 78. An isolation solenoid 110 is positioned between the refrigerant storage tank 78 and the parallel connection of the refrigerant pump 106 and the drain solenoid 108. Element LT is a level transmitter that senses and transmits an indication of the volume of refrigerant in the refrigerant tank 102. Element PT is a pressure transmitter that senses and communicates an indication of the refrigerant vapor pressure in the vapor space.

[0075] In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the refrigerant storage tank 78 is automatically recharged at regular intervals via a refrigerant pump 106 to provide a fresh replenishment of evaporated refrigerant 82 and temperature control of the medium 72. A vent solenoid 104 draws refrigerant from the condenser 106 to the refrigerant tank 102. The vent solenoid 104 also provides a closed-loop path from the refrigerant pump 106 to the refrigerant tank 102, ensuring that the interior reservoir space 83 is completely filled with refrigerant 82. A drain solenoid 108 functions to remove excess refrigerant 82 from the refrigerant storage tank 78 via gravity to the refrigerant tank 102, creating the vapor space 90.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 8 , in one embodiment, the refrigerant storage tank 78 has a manifold 112 connected to each of the storage tank sections 80 for fluid connection to a vent line 114 and to a combination fill, drain, and vacuum line 116, which allows for system refrigerant charge and drain, and system connection to the vacuum pump 92. Multiple storage tank sections 80 can be connected together in series or parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel arrangements. In one embodiment, the refrigerant storage tank 78 includes a grid of storage tank sections 80. Each storage tank section 80 is held in place by a vertical support 93, as are the manifolds 112. Each storage tank section 80 includes at least one weir 117 sized and shaped to divide the storage tank section into a vapor space 90 and a space for the refrigerant 82. In this embodiment, weir 117 is a curved section of tubing or coil that forms reservoir section 80, and weir 117 includes a first wall 119 that angles upward to meet a second wall 121 that angles downward to form an apex 123. Apex 123 acts as a dam for refrigerant 82, and the height of apex 123 in reservoir section 80 determines how much refrigerant 82 is retained in reservoir section 80.

[0077] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the refrigerant storage tank 78 may be external to the container 74, as shown in FIG.

[0078] In operation, refrigerant 82 is introduced into refrigerant storage tank 78 to partially occupy storage tank sections 80, forming a vapor space 90 above the refrigerant 82 in the interior storage space 83 of each storage tank section 80. The vapor pressure above the refrigerant 82 in refrigerant storage tank 78 is adjusted to permit refrigerant vaporization at or near a selected temperature of the volume of media thermal reach 52 relative to the volume of media 72 in the container 74 thermally coupled to the respective storage tank section.

[0079] System operation requires that the refrigerant vaporize at a uniform, or preferably the same, temperature throughout the coil. Also, a sufficient liquid refrigerant volume must be maintained throughout the coil to remove heat generated by the medium via vaporization. Proper orientation of the coil relative to gravity ensures that the volume of liquid refrigerant within the coil conforms to the design intent of the coil weirs and dams. The coil metallurgy must be selected so as not to adversely affect the quality of the medium to be cooled, and the coil should be cleaned between uses to avoid possible contamination of the new medium to be cooled. The refrigerant vapor pressure should provide for refrigerant vaporization at or as close as possible to the desired temperature of the medium to be cooled to avoid possible thermal shock of the medium.

[0080] In a batch-type system using a vacuum pump, the coils must be properly oriented against gravity, filled with liquid refrigerant, drained to create a common headspace connecting the horizontal sections, and isolated to create a common vapor pressure space above all remaining liquid refrigerant inside. The vacuum pump is activated, and a vacuum regulator allows adjustment of the refrigerant vapor pressure to match the desired heat removal profile of a given media. The time between liquid refrigerant recharges should be kept to a maximum because the coils will not be able to provide cooling during the recharge sequence. Nevertheless, the time between recharges must also be frequent enough to ensure that sufficient liquid refrigerant remains present in all sections of the coil to provide the desired volume of media heat coverage. The selection of refrigerant vapor pressure and the time between recharges depend on the heat production profile of the media to be cooled over time. Ideally, during recharge, the temperature of the fresh liquid refrigerant should be at or near the desired setpoint temperature of the media to be cooled to avoid thermal shock of the media.

[0081] In continuous systems using conventional refrigerant compressors, proper orientation of the coils relative to gravity ensures optimal system performance, as refrigerant liquid volume is maintained as designed in each horizontal section. A common vapor headspace is also maintained by design. Compressor performance must also be monitored for the heat production profile of the medium over time. Most importantly, the compressor must be capable of continuous operation with variable vapor refrigerant flow rates and throughout the desired range of refrigerant vapor pressures. Cell cultures, for example, can vary their heat production rate depending on both time and batch number. System monitoring must be robust enough to adjust system operation for unexpected fluctuations in process variables without risking damage to the compressor and associated components.

[0082] Refrigerant selection depends on the heat production profile and optimal production temperature of the medium to be cooled relative to the cooling equipment selection. For example, in a batch system using a vacuum pump and ethanol refrigerant, maintaining an operating pressure below 0.15 psia (pounds per square inch absolute) is difficult due to the pressure drop between the vacuum source and the coil during system operation. However, 0.15 psia corresponds to an ethanol refrigerant vaporization temperature of approximately 40°F, and therefore, the vacuum pump and ethanol refrigerant combination is best suited for applications where the medium to be cooled is maintained above 40°F. After installation, the pressure drop between the vacuum source and the coil must be recalculated depending on the system geometry to ensure the selected refrigerant vaporizes at the desired temperature to enable successful system operation. Operationally, refrigerant vapor pressure corresponds to the refrigerant vaporization temperature. The objective is to control the refrigerant vapor pressure in the coil at a specific vaporization temperature at or near the vapor pressure of the setpoint temperature of the medium to be cooled.

[0083] For wine fermentation, common maximum allowable temperature ranges are 64-77°F for red wine and 50-59°F for white wine. Assuming an ethanol refrigerant and vacuum pump combination, these temperature ranges correspond to vapor pressures of approximately 0.232-0.288 psia for red wine and 0.184-0.213 psia for white wine. Assuming an R-134a refrigerant and compressor combination, these temperature ranges correspond to vapor pressures of approximately 77.10-96.11 psia for red wine and 59.98-70.61 psia for white wine.

[0084] For beer fermentation, common maximum allowable temperature ranges are 60-70°F for ale and 45-55°F for lager. Assuming an ethanol refrigerant and vacuum pump combination, these temperature ranges correspond to vapor pressures of approximately 0.217-0.256 psia for ale and 0.169-0.200 psia for lager. Assuming an R-134a refrigerant and compressor combination, these temperature ranges correspond to vapor pressures of approximately 71.87-85.48 psia for ale and 54.62-65.72 psia for lager.

[0085] The system must also provide cooling for the duration of the fermentation cycle. For primary fermentation of both red and white wines, 3-5 days is typically required. For primary fermentation of beer, 1-2 weeks is typically required for ales and 1-2 months for lagers.

[0086] It will be appreciated that the present disclosure can be implemented in a variety of systems, apparatuses, and devices for a number of applications, including, but not limited to: 1. Artificial generation of convective flow to enhance thermosiphon stirring / homogenization of the medium through vaporized refrigerants held at different pressures. 2. Use of vaporized refrigerant to indicate the spatial location of heat transfer. 3. Use of a buffer cooling fluid to improve heat transfer consistency, where the buffer fluid is in thermal contact with both the refrigerant reservoir and the medium. 4. Creation of an inner flow of vaporizing refrigerant to improve heat transfer by variation of vapor pressure. 5. Preheating of the refrigerant before feeding it to the evaporator, to heat the medium so that both heating and evaporative cooling can be affected by the same refrigerant evaporator. 6. Use of a heat transfer medium that does not condense or vaporize to approximate the function of a condensing working gas or vaporizing refrigerant through monitoring the change in heat transfer fluid temperature between supply from and return to the device at intervals. 7. Use of a condensing working gas to create a localized thermal volume for heating of the medium, where coil spacing is governed by the same principles and equations as for vaporizing refrigerant. 8. Use of an intermediate medium such as a plastic, metal, gel, or coating external to the surface of the working gas or refrigerant storage tank, where the intermediate medium is in contact with both the surface and medium of the working gas or refrigerant storage tank. 9. Combination of working gas storage tank and refrigerant storage tank for simultaneous heating and cooling of the medium. 10. Use of working gas condenser and refrigerant vaporizer inside the agitator tank.

[0087] Each of these embodiments is described in more detail below and in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

[0088] 1. Artificial generation of convective flow to enhance thermosiphon stirring / homogenization of media through condensed working gas or vaporized refrigerant held at different pressures As shown in Figure 11, a system 120 is shown having multiple vertically arranged coil sections 122 within a container 124. Control of the different vertical coil sections 122 at different vacuum pressures is achieved through the use of regulators 126 and pressure sensors (not shown), which may be manual or automatic, connected to a vacuum pump 128. These can be used to vary the flow of current inside the medium within the container 124, such as beer, to improve heat transfer from the beer to the coil surface. They can also be used to control the agitation of the beer through the thermosiphon effect.

[0089] An electronic controller 130 is coupled to the sensors, pressure regulator 126, and vacuum pump 128. Construction of the electronic controller 130 is within the capabilities of one skilled in the art and will not be described in detail herein. Briefly, an on-site hardwired controller or a remote wireless controller, such as an app on a mobile computing or mobile communication device, such as a cell phone, tablet, or the like, is provided to communicate with the components to monitor status and send control signals to the components. Controlled agitation is important for fermentation, transfer, and storage; pressure can be fixed or cycled; and automated control and maintenance of cooling medium headspace pressure is adjustable. A single pressure control setpoint is possible for all reservoir headspaces via a pressure transmitter that measures headspace pressure and electronic communication with a vacuum source. The reservoir headspace can also be divided into sections so that individual portions of the cooling medium reservoir can be controlled in different zones at different pressures.

[0090] In one embodiment, thermosiphoning can be utilized for homogenization during fermentation and to maintain this homogenization during the lager maturation phase (during and after the cold crash to around 32° F.) Thermosiphoning can be optimized to control the strong wort movement during fermentation and improve contact efficiency between the yeast and the wort.

[0091] The heat exchanger reservoir is fluidly connected to a cooling medium supply and a vacuum source so that the cooling medium fills the reservoir, leaving a selected amount of headspace. The reservoir is also fluidly connected to a vacuum source to draw a desired level of vacuum in the reservoir headspace to provide controlled vacuum evaporation at low temperatures, such as at or near the temperature of the medium (e.g., beer). Assuming an ethanol refrigerant, the vacuum level should be between 0.169 psi and 0.200 psi for lagers, equivalent to a fermentation temperature of 45°F to 55°F, and between 0.248 psi and 0.265 psi for ales, equivalent to a fermentation temperature of 68°F to 72°F. Additionally, evaporation of the cooling medium can be detected and displayed to provide an indication of headspace pressure, indicating thermal activity inside the medium.

[0092] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a cooling coil for the interior bottom of a fermentation tank is utilized, replacing the second cooling jacket used for lager maturation. This cooling coil improves homogenization by preventing beer separation due to gravity, density, or temperature differences, or any combination of the foregoing, when the yeast is primarily dormant or not producing the CO2 necessary for natural agitation. The coil can also be used for heating the interior bottom of a fermentation tank if the vaporized refrigerant is replaced with a condensed working gas instead.

[0093] The coil temperature setpoints can change during the fermentation cycle, including cold crashing of beer, and are often different from the desired temperature of the fermentation tank or the temperature setpoint of the high cooling jacket. This difference creates a thermal gradient inside the tank, the magnitude of which is determined by the desired radius and temperature difference of the localized thermal volume surrounding the heating or cooling coil. These gradients, in turn, serve to create media movement through exploiting the density differences of the beer depending on its local temperature; as a general principle, in the presence of gravity, less dense warm fluids rise and more dense colder fluids fall.

[0094] 12, described in more detail below, illustrates another embodiment of the present disclosure in which cooling coil sections can be maintained at different vapor pressures without the use of multiple pressure regulators and utilizing only a single vacuum source. Instead, the configuration of the vertical piping 170 connecting the coil sections is varied to create an intentional pressure drop between the reservoirs. The addition of longer pipe lengths or pipe fittings creates greater resistance to the flow of vaporized refrigerant as it travels from a given refrigerant reservoir to the vacuum source. This resistance, in turn, creates different vapor pressures in the horizontal coil sections.

[0095] FIG. 12 shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 8, in which the refrigerant vapor streams are routed through vertical piping 170 so that they are conveyed together to collect above and outside a vessel or container. The diameter of the vertical piping 170 that routes the vapor streams can be smaller than the diameter of the horizontal pipes that form each reservoir section 80, thereby increasing the velocity of the escaping refrigerant vapor stream. This helps avoid condensation in the vertical piping 170, which should prevent vaporized refrigerant from escaping the cooling coils. Additionally, there are charge and drain lines 171 that connect each manifold 112 to the common refrigerant charge and drain line 116. The orientation of the piping that forms the charge and drain lines 171 can be varied based on the desired level of refrigerant 82 to be retained in each manifold 112 after the system drains.

[0096] For example, adding one 90-degree elbow in the piping between horizontal coil sections creates an additional pressure drop of 0.0081 psi, assuming 0.3 psi inside a 4-foot length of 0.25 diameter tubing and 10 CFM of ethanol refrigerant flow rate at 38.7 degrees F. This pressure drop equates to approximately a 0.8 degree F change in vapor temperature inside adjacent horizontal coils. A similar mechanical arrangement can be used to create a pressure differential between horizontal sections of heating coils using condensing working gas.

[0097] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the cooling coil sections are maintained at a common vapor pressure using a single pressure regulator and a common vacuum source. The horizontal coil sections still contain different types of refrigerants, selected to vaporize at different temperatures and at a common vapor pressure. During operation, the refrigerant vapor flow leaving the coil is therefore multicomponent, and recovery is affected using a condenser and decanter upstream of the vacuum pump. After decanting, the refrigerant is returned to designated horizontal coils by separate pumps, each designated for one type of condensed refrigerant. Similar mechanical configurations can be used for condensing different types of working gases.

[0098] 2. Use of condensing working gas or vaporizing refrigerant to indicate the spatial location of heat transfer According to another aspect or embodiment of the present disclosure, a temperature probe or sight glass, pressure, and vacuum gauges or other instruments are used to view or determine the condensation or vaporization rate of the fluid within the conduit. The vaporization rate is indicated by increased movement of the liquid refrigerant or by bubbles forming on the interior surface of the temperature control conduit or heat exchanger. These bubbles first form on the surface of the refrigerant storage tank, then eventually separate and travel upward toward the headspace. An operator, such as a brewer, can use the sight glass or instrumentation to view the vaporization process and have visual or instrument-assisted data to determine where heat is being generated by observing where fluid movement occurs or where bubbles are forming. The condensation rate is indicated by the presence of liquid due to condensation of the working gas.

[0099] Some brewers turn off the cooling system because they don't have the correct way to protect against only a localized thermal event and don't want to risk thermal shock of the entire batch via activation of the cooling jacket. The present disclosure can also provide a continuous indication of localized heat production through the unexpected presence of refrigerant in a vacuum pump or compressor. For example, the indication can be used to signal the brewer to take corrective action and re-homogenize the tank. Similarly, the unexpected presence of condensed working gas at the outlet of a heating coil indicates that the fermentation requires additional heat input to maintain temperature.

[0100] Additionally, the creation of a localized thermal volume surrounding a working gas or refrigerant storage tank can provide useful information for troubleshooting the operational status of the tank or vessel. For example, if a vaporization device is placed inside the tank or vessel and the thermal volume of the device is configured to allow a temperature difference of 5°F or less from the setpoint, the presence of vaporized refrigerant indicates that at least some portion of the tank's or vessel's internal volume exceeds this temperature difference. This information is useful because it indicates that modifications to agitation speed, agitator type, baffle location, etc., should be affected to maintain the tank's or vessel's operating temperature at or below the desired setpoint temperature.

[0101] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a working gas or refrigerant storage tank with a sight glass is placed in contact with the exterior of the tank or vessel. For cooling coils, visual observation of liquid refrigerant movement and bubble formation provides an indication of local heat transfer from the medium to the refrigerant. The relative magnitude of local heat transfer is indicated by visual comparison of liquid refrigerant movement and bubble formation between horizontal sections. A similar comparison can be made for working gas condensation, where gas is visually observed condensing from a vapor to a liquid.

[0102] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the refrigerant vaporizer can consist of a condenser mounted on the outlet line of each horizontal storage tank section and between that section and a common vacuum source. The liquid levels in these condensers can be monitored during system operation. Using the condenser size and known values ​​of the density and latent heat of vaporization of a given refrigerant, a quantitative value of heat transfer from the medium to each refrigerant coil section can be calculated.

[0103] For example, assuming a 12-inch diameter upright cylindrical condenser, a 1-inch level change is equivalent to approximately 0.21 lb of ethanol. This equates to approximately 76 BTU of heat transferred from the media to the refrigerant storage tank. This same calculation can be used for working gas condensers. In this example, the volume of condensed liquid present in each trap directly corresponds to the heat released from the storage tank to the media.

[0104] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerant vaporizer with a pressure transmitter is mounted in the outlet line of each horizontal storage section. The sections are isolable from a vacuum source via an automatic valve, and upon isolation, an increase in refrigerant vapor pressure in the horizontal section indicates local heat generation near that section. For an isolated working gas, a decrease in refrigerant vapor pressure in the horizontal section indicates that the medium near that section requires the addition of heat.

[0105] 3. Use of a buffer medium to improve heat transfer consistency, where the buffer medium is in thermal contact with both the working gas reservoir or refrigerant reservoir and the medium. 13 shows a system 132 that uses a coil or series of connected coils 134 mounted on the exterior 136 of a container 138, such as a jacketed fermenter tank. A medium 140 is contained within the container 138. In this embodiment, the coil 134 mounted on the exterior 136 of the container 138 provides contact between the buffer medium and both the container 138 and the medium 140 within the container 138.

[0106] For a cooling coil, heat is conducted sequentially first from the medium to the tank or vessel wall, then through the wall to the buffer medium, then from the buffer medium to the coil wall, and finally through the coil wall to the refrigerant. For a heating coil, this heat transfer process is reversed, with heat flow originating with the working gas and terminating with the medium. Quantitatively, the coil spacing equation is modified to account for the added resistance of both the buffer medium and the buffer medium's surrounding surfaces.

[0107]

number

number

number

[0108] Note that the resistance of the buffer medium to heat transfer is calculated using the thermal conductivity of the buffer medium, K2, and the inner and outer radii R2 and R4 of the buffer medium, respectively. The buffer medium can be thought of as a moving fluid, such as water in a turbulent state. In this example, W / m 2It may be more appropriate to use the buffer medium heat transfer coefficient H, which has units of K, and this value takes into account boundary layer effects on both the outer and inner surfaces of the buffer housing coil. For simplicity of derivation, these effects have been combined into a value for K2, which has units of W / m*K per unit length of horizontal section.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 14, for a given horizontal grid section, its mechanical design must be capable of the desired heat transfer rate subject to additional thermal resistance. When the working gas storage tank or refrigerant storage tank is placed outside the tank or vessel, the air between adjacent coils may take into account the buffer medium and the tank or vessel wall that the buffer medium surrounds. Ideally, the buffer medium should still transport heat with minimal resistance and be of a construction material that favors the desired heat transfer rate. The construction material of the buffer medium enclosure must also be non-destructive to the medium.

[0110] The buffer medium can also function to expand the radius of the localized thermal volume, reducing temperature gradients between adjacent working gas or refrigerant coils. This is useful for fermentation tanks where it is desirable to maintain a constant temperature across the tank's exterior profile, such as to provide a constant temperature environment at the media's exterior boundary and to help prevent thermal shock due to activation of a temperature control system.

[0111] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the device shown in FIG. 13 may be placed inside a tank or vessel. In this example, a buffer medium is in thermal contact with both the working fluid or refrigerant coil and the medium. The localized thermal volume outside the reservoir is then expanded beyond the thermal volume that would normally be created if the coil were submerged, even without the buffer medium and its enclosure.

[0112] For example, if 1 inch inner diameter, 1.15 inch outer diameter stainless steel ethanol refrigerant vaporizing coils are submerged in a tank or vessel with a coil centerline-to-centerline spacing of approximately 8.75 inches, the calculated temperature gradient midway between adjacent coils is approximately 8 degrees F. If the coil centerline spacing is maintained but an aluminum buffer media is used with a 1.5 inch inner diameter, 1.625 inch outer diameter stainless steel buffer media housing, the calculated temperature gradient midway between adjacent coils drops to approximately 6.35 degrees F.

[0113] 4. Creation of an inner flow of vaporized refrigerant to improve heat transfer due to vapor pressure fluctuations According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the mechanical design of the cooling coil provides agitation of the cooling fluid within the cooling coil tubing itself, further improving heat transfer from the cooling liquid to the vapor interface within the coil. The agitation results from a mechanical design that links a common refrigerant vapor space to at least two ends of the coil filled with liquid refrigerant. When the liquid refrigerant vaporizes due to a vacuum, the generated vapor moves toward the common vapor space, and this movement causes agitation of the refrigerant liquid volume between the vapor source and the common headspace. Nevertheless, because the liquid refrigerant volume is connected to the common headspace at two or more locations, vapor generation causes a portion of the liquid volume to move in a direction opposite to the direction the vapor is traveling, and this portion of the liquid can move to fill a portion of the common headspace. The result is that a portion of the liquid refrigerant within the coil then moves relative to the inner coil surface. The movement of the liquid refrigerant enhances absorption of the refrigerant vapor generated on the inner coil surface into the refrigerant liquid, thereby improving heat transfer from the medium external to the coil to the refrigerant contained within the coil. For example, assuming an ethanol refrigerant, a vacuum level of 0.248 psi to 0.265 psi would be required, equivalent to a fermentation temperature of 68°F to 72°F for beer and ale.

[0114] The foregoing is illustrated in Figure 15, which shows a vacuum coil and reservoir system 142 consisting of two coils, a first coil 144 and a second coil 146, connected to a common vacuum coil reservoir 148, with a vacuum equalization line 152 at the top 150 of the common vacuum coil reservoir 148. Each of the first and second coils 144, 146 has a first end 154, 156, respectively, connected to respective first and second ports 158, 160 in the empty headspace at the top 150 of the reservoir 148. Additionally, each of the first and second coils 144, 146 has a second end 162, 164, respectively, connected to a common port 166 at the second end 168, or to the liquid-filled portion of the reservoir 148. Essentially, when the vacuum is activated, the liquid in the coils 144, 146 begins to oscillate against the two connection ports 158, 160 at the top 150 of the reservoir 148. When viewed through the clear coil tubing, the liquid appears to try to escape through one side of the top connection ports 158, 160, then be pulled back, then try to escape through the other side of the top connection, never succeeding in escaping through either connection. This should be the observed oscillatory motion. The reservoir is mechanically configured to replenish vaporized liquid refrigerant and maintain a constant level of liquid refrigerant in the coil relative to the start and end points of the oscillation.

[0115] 5. Refrigerant preheating When a system is recharged with refrigerant, the refrigerant can be heated above the current temperature of the medium. When introduced into a refrigerant storage tank, heat is conducted through the walls of the storage tank to the medium as the refrigerant cools, warming the medium. The refrigerant is then vaporized when cooling is desired. Thus, both heating and evaporative cooling can be affected by the same refrigerant vaporizer.

[0116] Figure 16 is an adaptation of Figure 7 described above and shows system 70 having vacuum source 92, fermentation tank 74, fermentation tank temperature transmitter TT, refrigerant storage tank 78, refrigerant supply pump 106, refrigerant tank 102, and refrigerant supply temperature transmitter TT. The temperature of the refrigerant in refrigerant tank 102 is regulated using heating coil 101 and cooling coil 103. Heating of the medium is achieved by adjusting the setpoint temperature of the refrigerant higher than the current temperature of the medium and then feeding this refrigerant into the refrigerant storage tank.

[0117] 6. Heating and cooling using heat transfer media Temperature control of the medium can be achieved by continuous flow of heat-transfer fluid through the working gas or refrigerant system. Nevertheless, the temperature profile of the heat-transfer fluid will vary across the coil reservoir in proportion to the rate and specific location of heat transfer to and from the medium. This temperature gradient does not exist with condensing working gas or vaporizing refrigerant, since both types of phase change provide a constant temperature heat source or sink across the same coil. Nevertheless, for applications where fluctuations in coil temperature are acceptable, heating or cooling via heat-transfer fluid flow may be a viable alternative to heating via working gas condensation or cooling via refrigerant vaporization. In this example, the coil spacing of the heating or cooling coil is defined by the same equation as the condensing working gas or vaporizing refrigerant method to most closely approximate the performance of the condensing working gas or vaporizing refrigerant.

[0118] To affect both heating and cooling without using a condensing working gas or vaporizing refrigerant, temperature variations across the coil are best minimized when the flow of the heat transfer medium is high and when the flow can be characterized by turbulent conditions. For a constant heat flux, a larger flow rate of the heat transfer medium volume results in less heating or cooling of this volume across a fixed length coil section, because it has less time to absorb or release heat. Turbulent flow inside the coil section can increase the heat transfer coefficient of the heat transfer medium so that the coefficient approaches that of a condensing working gas or vaporizing refrigerant.

[0119] For example, Figure 17 is essentially a modified version of Figure 16, showing a refrigerant vaporizer with a heat transfer medium inlet and outlet. The heat transfer medium flow rate can be adjusted using a variable speed pump 106, with the inlet temperature controlled using temperature indicators TT on the heating coil 101, cooling coil 103, and heat transfer medium supply tank 102, and the outlet temperature monitored using a temperature indicator TT in the piping connecting the refrigerant storage tank 78 and condenser 96. The heat transfer medium temperature in the connecting piping is monitored, and the speed of the pump 106 is varied to ensure that the temperature drop or rise across the coil does not exceed a set value. This works best to protect the localized thermal volume distribution created by the refrigeration system's mechanical design by maintaining the coil's external temperature at or near a constant value.

[0120] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, heat transfer medium is pumped in parallel through horizontal coils of either the working gas system or the vaporizer to reduce the temperature rise across each coil. The coil temperature at each outlet is monitored and the flow rate of heat transfer medium to each horizontal section is adjusted to approach a zero temperature change condition across the coil.

[0121] 7. Condensation of working fluid to provide heating The refrigerant vaporizer provides process cooling of the medium using minimal temperature gradients. The mechanical design of the refrigerant vaporizer creates a volume of medium thermal footprint surrounding individual refrigerant storage tanks, which are configured so that the boundaries of each thermal footprint are at least contiguous. The refrigerant vaporizer designer then selects the spacing between adjacent refrigerant storage tanks depending on the allowable temperature fluctuations inside the medium to be cooled. When operational, the refrigerant vaporizer effectively places an upper limit on the allowable temperature of the medium.

[0122] When the vaporized refrigerant inside the system is replaced with condensed working gas, the system immediately functions in reverse, heating the medium with minimal temperature gradient. The volume of the medium heat reach is maintained both at scale and in a particular location; volume also functions to place a lower limit on the medium's tolerable temperature. The equation for calculating the ideal coil spacing for a working gas condenser is the same as that for a refrigerant vaporizer, as derivated in the example below.

[0123]

number

number

number

[0124] Note that the temperature T1 at the center of the working gas reservoir is now less than the temperature T2 at the outer edge of the medium heat reach volume, and the heat produced by the medium per unit volume per unit time, J, now holds a negative value indicating that the medium is losing heat per unit volume per unit time. The changes in sign of both the temperature difference ΔT and the heat production J cancel out, and the equation inside the square root term always remains positive, providing a real solution for the value R3.

[0125] 18 and 19, for a given horizontal grid tube section 200, its mechanical design must be able to supply the maximum heat required by a medium volume 202 surrounding this horizontal grid section 200 with an outer boundary 204. This volume 202 can be approximated by assuming a cylindrical shape surrounding the horizontal grid section 200 of radius R3, which is a combination of the distance R2 from the grid centerline to the exterior of the tubes and the distance R2 from the exterior of the grid to the centerline between adjacent grids. The volume of the mechanical grid is then subtracted from the total volume of the medium-filled container to calculate the heat-demanded volume of medium.

[0126] R1 is the inner radius of the grid tubes and should be selected in conjunction with the horizontal length L of the horizontal grid section 200 to provide sufficient surface area for heat transfer from the grid structure to the medium. As with a refrigerant vaporizer, design considerations must be given to the pressure drop in the grid headspace during system operation. However, unlike a refrigerant vaporizer, only a minimum liquid level should exist in the horizontal grid tube section 200, as any condensed working gas must be quickly removed to keep the interior grid tube surface free of obstructions that could reduce the condensation rate.

[0127] Also, similar to refrigerant vaporizers, the design and mathematical methods for horizontal grid tube sections can be adapted for use outside of a container. Consideration must be given to the additional heat transfer resistances created by the container walls and the medium (e.g., air) surrounding the horizontal section. These resistances can be accounted for through reduced values ​​of h1, h2, or k1 in the spacing equations, or through a more rigorous treatment of the heat transfer resistances as shown in the modified spacing equations found in embodiment 3 of this disclosure. While it is often most practical to modify the resistance terms h1, h2, or k1 to reflect empirical data, it is most practical to keep the calculations to a minimum.

[0128] The ideal horizontal grid tube section spacing for a working gas condenser remains as calculated by the rectangular geometry of the refrigerant vaporizer. Figures 20, 21, and 22 show alternative geometric configurations that allow for greater spacing between grid sections, but these configurations run the risk of insufficient heating, causing some of the media to fall below the design temperature range. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of multiple heating volumes with minimal reach, Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of multiple heating volumes with partial reach, and Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view of multiple heating volumes with full reach.

[0129] FIG. 23 illustrates a system 210 for controlling the temperature of a medium 212 by working gas condensation. In this exemplary embodiment, the system includes a container 214 having an exterior 216 and an interior 218. At least one working gas storage tank 220 is associated with the container 214, the working gas storage tank 220 including at least one storage section 222 constructed to hold a working gas 224 in an interior storage space 226. In this embodiment, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 , there are multiple storage sections 222, each having a wall 228 with an exterior surface 230 constructed to be thermally coupled to the volume of medium 212 within the container 214 and to effect a thermal change in the volume of medium 212 within the container 214, thereby providing a volume of medium thermal coverage within the container 214, as described above in connection with FIGS. 18 and 22 and as will be described more fully below.

[0130] Each of the storage tank sections 222 has its own internal storage tank space 226 that is fluidly connected to at least one other internal storage tank space 226 of an adjacent storage tank section 222, and the multiple storage tank sections 222 are arranged at intervals with adjacent storage tank sections 222 having respective volumes of medium heat reach areas with respective boundaries of the heat reach areas that are at least continuous.

[0131] The system 210 further includes a gas cylinder 240 for supplying the working gas to the storage sections 222, and a working gas pressure device 242 for regulating the working gas pressure within the storage sections 222. The storage sections 222 are each configured to, in response to receiving the working gas 224 and in response to the working gas pressure device 242 regulating the pressure of the working gas 224, form a vapor space 232 within each storage section 222 to enable condensation of the working gas at or near a selected temperature (e.g., higher than 202) of a volume of the medium thermal reach relative to a volume of the medium 212 within a container 214 thermally coupled to the respective storage section 222.

[0132] It will be understood that the actuation gas pressure system 242 can be implemented using readily available commercial equipment and therefore will not be described in detail herein. Briefly, the actuation gas pressure system 242 includes a gas cylinder 240 in fluid communication with the actuation gas reservoir 220. Ideally, both a pressure regulator 244 and an accumulator 246 are positioned between the gas cylinder 240 and the actuation gas reservoir 220. Control of the pressure regulator 244 can be implemented manually or, more preferably, by automatic control in a controller 248 utilizing sensors and a computer processor to process signals from the sensors and transmit control signals to the pressure regulator 244 in response to the sensor signals.

[0133] In the embodiment of FIG. 23, a condensate trap 250 is provided to remove condensed working gas, such as R-134a. The condensate trap 250 is fluidly connected to the working gas storage tank 220 via an outlet line 252, which may be gravity-fed to provide a continuous or uninterrupted supply of condensed working gas to a condensate receiver tank 254. Ideally, the condensate receiver tank 254 includes a level transmitter LT that senses and transmits an indication of the volume of condensate in the condensate receiver tank 254 to avoid applying backpressure that could interfere with the proper functioning of the condensate trap 250. The pressure in the working gas storage tank 220 is maintained at a setpoint pressure by a working gas pressure device 242, and the condensed working gas is removed to the condensate trap 250 by a gravity drain.

[0134] FIG. 24 is a diagram of an alternative embodiment of a system 260 to the system 210 shown in FIG. 23. Working gas is continuously supplied to a working gas condenser 262 through the use of a compressor 264, an evaporator 266, a throttling device 268, a receiver 270 with variable heat rejection, and a controller 248. This embodiment closely mirrors the functionality of a conventional refrigeration system, but the refrigerant is replaced by a working gas. In this embodiment, the working gas is compressed by the compressor 264, condenses in the working gas condenser 262 and receiver 270, expands through the throttling device 268, evaporates in the evaporator 266, and is then returned to the compressor 264. A controller 248 is provided for system automation.

[0135] The receiver 270 can provide variable heat removal based on the condensation rate of the upstream working gas condenser 262. Variable heat removal is necessary to ensure a constant volume of condensed working gas is supplied to the throttling device 268. For example, a cell culture reactor may require different amounts of heat input to maintain temperature based on its current life cycle phase and therefore produce variable flow rates and phases of condensed working gas at the outlet of the working gas condenser 262. Nevertheless, the embodiment shown in FIG. 24 functions optimally with a constant heat load, such that both the flow rate and phase of the working gas are the same at the input to each of the throttling device 268, evaporator 266, and compressor 264. Variable heat removal at the receiver 270 adds additional condensation to the system when needed, providing downstream stability in the required phase and flow.

[0136] The alternative system 260 shown in Figure 24 can also be modified for use with a refrigerant vaporizer. In this example, the working gas condenser 262 and receiver with variable heat removal 270 are replaced by a conventional condenser, and the evaporator 266 is replaced by a refrigerant vaporizer and receiver with variable heat addition. The receiver with variable heat addition serves a similar purpose to the receiver with variable heat removal 270 in that it helps ensure a constant flow rate and phase of evaporated refrigerant to the downstream compressor 264, which is subject to the variable heat output of the medium to be cooled.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 25 , in one embodiment, the working gas storage tank 220 has a manifold 234 connected to each of the storage tank sections 222 for fluid connection to a working gas supply line 236 and to a condensate drain line 238, which allows system liquid drain to a condensate trap 250 and a condensate receiver 254. Multiple storage tank sections 222 can be connected together in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel arrangements. In one embodiment, the working gas storage tank 220 includes a grid of storage tank sections 222. Each storage tank section 222, like the manifold 234, is held in place by a vertical support 239. Each storage tank section 222 is designed and positioned for gravity drain of condensed working gas to a condensate drain line 238 via the slope of the storage tank bottom 241.

[0138] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the working gas reservoir 220 may be external to the container 214 shown in FIG.

[0139] FIG. 28 shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 25 . Here, a working gas storage tank 260 is provided that includes multiple storage tank sections 262 connected in series by vertical risers 264 to form a continuous arrangement with an input port 266 at the top through which working gas 270 enters. A condensate drain line 268 is provided at the other end, allowing the system to drain to a condensate trap 250 and a condensate receiver 254. In this embodiment, working gas 270 enters the input port 266 at the top of the system, and liquid condensate 272 is removed by gravity at the bottom through a drain port 268. The working gas storage tank 260 should be tilted downward to promote gravity drain of the condensate to the drain port 268. This coil would be suitable for use for heating or cooling a medium via circulation of a heat transfer medium in either direction between the input port 266 and the drain port 268.

[0140] During operation, working gas 276 is introduced into the working gas storage tank 260 and the pressure of the working gas 276 in the working gas storage tank 260 is adjusted to enable condensation of the working gas at or near a selected temperature of the volume of the medium thermal reach for the volume 274 of the medium in the container thermally coupled to each storage tank section 262.

[0141] System operation requires that the working gas condense at a uniform, or preferably the same, temperature throughout the coil. Also, a volume of working gas must be maintained throughout the coil sufficient to remove heat generated by the medium via evaporation. Proper orientation of the coil relative to gravity ensures that the liquid volume of working gas condensed in the coil matches the design intent, drains quickly into the trap below, and leaves the surface area inside the coil free of liquid obstructions that could reduce the condensation rate. The coil metallurgy must be selected so as not to adversely affect the quality of the medium to be heated, and the coil should be cleaned between uses to avoid possible contamination of new medium to be heated. The working gas pressure should result in working gas condensation at or as close as possible to the desired temperature of the medium to be heated, to avoid possible thermal shock of the medium.

[0142] When utilizing gas cylinders for batch supply of working gas, the working gas supply must be made available at a pressure higher than the coil's requirements, and the system design must allow for a variable inlet flow rate of working gas to the system. This can be affected by the use of an upstream accumulator that makes a large amount of working gas constantly available, maintained at the desired pressure. The condensate trap and receiver must also be properly sized to prevent condensed working gas from building up to a high liquid level in the coil drain piping and blocking the coil's internal surface area available for heat transfer via condensation. The coil must also be carefully oriented relative to gravity to allow proper drainage and prevent liquid buildup in the horizontal sections.

[0143] When utilizing a compressor for continuous operation, proper orientation of the coil relative to gravity ensures optimal system performance as the working gas reservoir systematically drains condensed liquid. Compressor performance must be monitored for the heat production profile of the medium over time. Most importantly, the compressor must be capable of continuous operation at variable flow rates of condensed working gas and throughout the desired range of working gas inlet pressures. Cell cultures, for example, can vary their heat production rate depending on both time and batch number. System monitoring must be robust enough to adjust system operation to unexpected fluctuations in process variables without risking damage to the compressor and associated components.

[0144] The choice of working gas depends on the heat production profile and optimal production temperature of the medium to be heated relative to the choice of heating equipment and control scheme. Ideally, the working gas also condenses at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure (14.7 psia). This eliminates the need to maintain a system environment below atmospheric pressure, which is particularly difficult because air leakage into the system is common through components and fittings, and the use of a vacuum source to compensate removes the working gas from the coil before it has a chance to condense.

[0145] The pressure drop between the working gas source and the coil must be calculated depending on the system geometry to ensure that the working gas condenses at the desired temperature. Operationally, the working gas pressure corresponds to the working gas condensation temperature, since the working gas condensation temperature is constant during the phase change. The objective is to control the working gas pressure in the coil at a specific condensation temperature at or near the pressure of the setpoint temperature of the medium to be heated.

[0146] For wine fermentation, common maximum allowable temperature ranges are 64-77°F for red wine and 50-59°F for white wine. Assuming an R-134a working gas and compressor combination, these temperature ranges correspond to vapor pressures of approximately 77.10-96.11 psia for red wine and 59.98-70.61 psia for white wine. For beer fermentation, common maximum allowable temperature ranges are 60-70°F for ale and 45-55°F for lager. Assuming an R-134a working gas and compressor combination, these temperature ranges correspond to vapor pressures of approximately 71.87-85.48 psia for ale and 54.62-65.72 psia for lager.

[0147] The system must also provide cooling for the duration of the fermentation cycle. For primary fermentation of both red and white wines, 3-5 days are typically required. For primary fermentation of beer, 1-2 weeks are typically required for ales and 1-2 months for lagers.

[0148] 8. Intermediate medium on the coil surface The spacing equations for the working gas or refrigerant storage tank can be modified to account for an intermediate medium that will be placed in contact with both the working gas or refrigerant storage tank surface and the medium. The intermediate medium can be useful, for example, as a disposable layer mounted on the outside of the coil to prevent unwanted contamination from previous fermentations, or as a way to change the external metallurgy of the coil when there is a conflict between the metallurgy of the coil and the medium to be heated or cooled.

[0149] In turn, cooling coils conduct heat first from the medium to the intermediate medium, then from the intermediate medium to the coil walls, and finally through the coil walls to the refrigerant. For heating coils, this heat transfer process reverses the heat flow, beginning with the working gas and ending with the medium. Quantitatively, the coil spacing equation is modified to account for the added resistance of the intermediate medium.

[0150]

number

number

number

[0151] Referring to FIG. 29, for a given horizontal grid section, the mechanical design must have the desired heat transfer rate subject to additional thermal resistance. Ideally, the intermediate medium will transport heat with minimal resistance and is of a material of construction that favors the desired heat transfer rate. The intermediate medium's material of construction must also not affect the surrounding medium that will be heated or cooled. The working gas or refrigerant storage tank, including the intermediate buffer, may be internal or external to the tank or vessel.

[0152] 9. Combination of working gas condensing and refrigerant vaporizing coil A refrigerant vaporizer controls the temperature of a medium by preventing the medium volume from exceeding an upper boundary temperature value. Utilizing the same coil spacing equation, a working gas condenser controls the temperature of a medium by preventing the medium volume from exceeding a lower boundary temperature value. Both types of devices can be combined inside a tank or vessel to control the temperature of a medium between upper and lower boundary values.

[0153] Figure 30 is a diagram of an adjacent refrigerant storage tank designed to ensure that the media outside the storage tank never exceeds an upper boundary temperature of 72° F. Figure 31 is a diagram of an adjacent working gas storage tank designed to ensure that the media outside the storage tank never falls below a lower boundary temperature of 68° F. The internal grid temperature of the refrigerant and working gas storage tanks is 70° F.

[0154] Figure 32 is a diagram of a combination of the refrigerant storage tanks shown in Figure 30 and the working gas storage tanks shown in Figure 31. The storage tanks are positioned so that the volumetric end of the thermal reach of one storage tank is at the center of an adjacent storage tank of a different type. Thus, a refrigerant storage tank that prevents the temperature of the surrounding medium from exceeding 70°F to 72°F is positioned so that its volumetric end of the thermal reach is at the center of an adjacent working gas storage tank that prevents the temperature of the surrounding medium from falling below 68°F to 70°F.

[0155] Assuming radial heat transfer from each reservoir through the same medium, there is minimal risk of interference between the two temperature control systems because the temperature of the lower boundary of the refrigerant evaporator never falls below the temperature of the upper boundary of the working gas condenser, and the temperature of the upper boundary of the working gas condenser never exceeds the temperature of the lower boundary of the refrigerant evaporator. Thus, no spatial temperature gradient is formed where the condenser would provide heat to the evaporator volume of the cooling reach, and no spatial temperature gradient is formed where the evaporator would remove heat from the condenser volume of the cooling reach.

[0156] 10. Use of working gas condensing and refrigerant vaporizing coils inside agitated tanks A refrigerant vaporizer controls the temperature of a medium by preventing the medium volume from exceeding an upper boundary temperature value. Utilizing the same coil spacing equation, a working gas condenser controls the temperature of a medium by preventing the medium volume from exceeding a lower boundary temperature value. Both types of devices can be used individually to control the temperature of a medium inside a tank or vessel, or can be combined inside a tank or vessel to control the temperature of a medium at or between upper and lower boundary values.

[0157] The use of either or both devices in an agitated tank improves the probability that heat will be successfully transferred from the medium to the refrigerant vaporization reservoir or from the working gas condensation reservoir to the medium. Mathematically, this increase in probability is manifested by an increase in H2, the medium heat transfer coefficient including boundary layer effects. According to the coil spacing equation, an increase in H2 in turn increases the value of R3, the radius from the center of the horizontal grid section to the outside of the medium volume. In practical terms, the use of agitation in a tank or vessel reduces the coil surface area required to maintain a desired volume of cooling reach inside the tank or vessel. For example, a refrigerant vaporization device used with ethanol refrigerants, a 2" OD sanitary reservoir tubing reservoir, and a wine fermentation with a 10°F temperature difference has an ideal grid spacing of roughly 12 inches. When a wine tank or vessel is agitated, the value of H2, the medium heat transfer coefficient including boundary layer effects, should increase from 140 W / m^2*K to 1000 W / m^2*K. According to the spacing equation, this change changes the ideal grid spacing by roughly 21 inches.

[0158] It is often useful to further subdivide H1, the refrigerant or condensing working gas heat transfer coefficient including boundary layer effects, and H2, the media heat transfer coefficient including boundary layer effects. This subdivision allows for improved analysis of the effect of agitation on heat transfer coefficient. For example, as media agitation increases grid spacing, fouling has a larger proportional effect on heat transfer because the available coil surface area decreases. Impeller design, speed, and spatial location can also have a significant impact on coil heat transfer coefficient in an agitated tank or vessel through changes in heat transfer film coefficient. A typical subdivision for an agitated refrigerant vaporizer is as follows: 1 / U=1 / HM+1 / HROFC+1 / HROF+1 / HR+1 / HRIF+1 / HRIFC+1 / HF U = overall heat transfer coefficient (W / m^2*K), HM = medium heat transfer coefficient (W / m^2*K), HROFC = film heat transfer coefficient on the outside of the reservoir (W / m^2*K), HROF = Heat transfer coefficient of the deposit on the outside of the storage tank (W / m^2*K), HR = Heat transfer coefficient of the storage tank (W / m^2*K), HRIF = Heat transfer coefficient of the deposit inside the storage tank (W / m^2*K), HRIFC = Heat transfer coefficient of the film inside the reservoir (W / m^2*K), and HF=refrigerant heat transfer coefficient (W / m^2*K).

[0159] Note that the overall heat transfer coefficient, U, now represents the complete heat transfer rate from the medium to the refrigerant, taking into account the effects of H1, H2, and K1, the thermal conductivities of the lattice construction materials, as used in the spacing equation.

[0160] These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above detailed description. Generally, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the scope of the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the scope of the claims is not limited by the present disclosure.

Claims

1. 1. A system for controlling the temperature of a medium by working gas condensation, comprising: a container having an exterior and an interior; at least one working gas storage tank associated with the container, the at least one working gas storage tank having at least one storage tank section configured to hold a working gas, each at least one storage tank section having walls constructed such that an exterior surface is thermally coupled to a volume of the medium within the container and transfers a thermal change to the volume of the medium within the container, thereby providing a medium thermal reach volume within the container, the volume of the medium thermal reach having an outer boundary; a condensing device for adjusting the working gas pressure in the at least one working gas storage tank; Equipped with the at least one working gas storage tank is configured to form a vapor space in each of the at least one storage tank sections in response to receiving the working gas and in response to adjustment of the working gas pressure by the condenser to enable condensation of the working gas at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium thermal coverage for the volume of the medium within the container thermally coupled to the respective at least one storage tank section. system.

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one storage tank section comprises a plurality of compartmentalized storage tank sections each having a respective interior storage tank space fluidly connected to at least one other interior storage tank space of an adjacent storage tank section, and the plurality of storage tank sections are arranged in a spaced relationship with adjacent storage tank sections such that the respective outer boundaries of their thermal reach have at least the respective volumes of continuous medium thermal reach.

3. 3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a working gas source in fluid communication with the working gas storage tank and the condenser, and configured to deliver working gas to the working gas storage tank in response to changes in pressure in the working gas storage tank as regulated by the condenser.

4. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of reservoir sections are connected together in series or parallel, or a combination of series and parallel arrangements.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the working gas reservoir comprises a grid of horizontal compartmentalized reservoir sections.

6. the volume of media heat coverage surrounding the grid of horizontal compartmentalized reservoir sections within the container has a radius R3 determined as follows: [Equation 1] where: H1 = working gas heat transfer coefficient including boundary layer effect (W / m ２ *K), H2 = medium heat transfer coefficient including boundary layer effect (W / m ２ *K), J = heat produced by the medium per unit volume per unit time (W / m ３ ), K1 = thermal conductivity of the working gas reservoir wall construction material (W / m*K), R1 = radius from the center of the reservoir section to the interior of the reservoir section wall (m); R2 = radius from the center of the reservoir section to the exterior of the reservoir section wall (m); R3 = Radius from the center of the reservoir section to the outer boundary of the media heat reach (m); T1 = temperature of the working gas at the condensation position (K), and T2 = temperature of the medium at the outer boundary of the thermal penetration range (K) The system of claim 5 , wherein:

7. The minimum spacing between the centers of adjacent compartmented reservoir sections is at least [Equation 2] The system of claim 6, wherein:

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one working gas reservoir is in the interior of the container.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one working gas reservoir is external to the container.

10. The system of claim 1 , comprising a variable speed pump for moving the working gas through the working gas reservoir and condenser.

11. 1. A method for controlling the temperature of a medium by working gas condensation, comprising: providing an apparatus for controlling the temperature of the medium by condensation of a working gas, a container having an exterior and an interior; at least one working gas associated with the container, wherein the at least one working gas storage tank has at least one storage section configured to hold a working gas, each at least one storage section having walls constructed to thermally couple an exterior surface to a volume of the medium within the container and to transfer a thermal change to the volume of the medium within the container, thereby providing a medium thermal footprint volume within the container, the volume of the medium thermal footprint having an outer boundary; a condensing device for adjusting the working gas pressure in the at least one working gas storage tank; providing the at least one working gas storage tank is configured to form a vapor space in each of the at least one storage tank sections in response to receiving the working gas and in response to condensation device adjustment of the working gas pressure to enable condensation of the working gas at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium thermal coverage for the volume of the medium within the container thermally coupled to the respective at least one storage tank section. Steps and introducing a working gas into the at least one working gas storage tank so as to partially occupy the at least one storage tank section; adjusting a working gas pressure in the at least one reservoir section to enable condensation of a working gas at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium thermal coverage for the volume of the medium within the container thermally coupled to each of the at least one reservoir section; A method comprising:

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