Cooling device and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems face challenges in efficiently managing coolant temperature and preventing freezing during frost conditions, leading to inefficiencies and potential damage when outside temperatures drop, especially when the cooling capacity is low.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with temperature sensors and a control system that switches between a large and small circuit, using a coolant tank with an inert gas seal to manage pressure and prevent freezing, and a refrigeration machine for additional cooling, ensuring the coolant remains above freezing temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cooling system uses a closed water circuit to prevent freezing, then the system reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional valves and buffer tanks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the buffer tank and expansion tank functions into a single component. The buffer tank serves dual purposes: it acts as an expansion tank for the closed water circuit and provides a collection point for draining coolant from the dry cooler during frost protection mode. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall system configuration while maintaining freezing prevention capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The dry cooler is designed with multi-functionality to serve both cooling operations and frost protection. During normal operation, it cools the coolant; during frost protection mode, it serves as a drainage path for the closed water circuit. The three-way valve enables the system to switch between these functions by redirecting coolant flow, allowing one component to perform multiple roles without requiring separate dedicated systems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the system drains the dry cooler during frost conditions, then the freezing risk is reduced, but the cooling efficiency decreases due to circuit switching
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic switching between operating modes based on environmental conditions. The three-way valve enables real-time reconfiguration of the coolant circuit: during normal conditions, the system operates in cooling mode with high productivity; during frost conditions, it switches to frost protection mode by draining the dry cooler. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to optimize performance according to actual operating conditions, minimizing the trade-off between productivity and frost protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses temperature sensors to monitor coolant temperature and outside air temperature, providing feedback to the control unit. When the coolant temperature approaches freezing point or outside temperature drops below a threshold, the control unit activates frost protection mode by opening the three-way valve to drain the dry cooler. This feedback mechanism ensures timely switching between modes, preventing frost damage while minimizing interruptions to cooling efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If temperature sensors and control systems are added, then the precision of temperature management is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service through automatic control based on temperature feedback. Temperature sensors continuously monitor the coolant temperature and outside air temperature, and the control unit automatically activates frost protection mode when thresholds are approached, without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability provides precise temperature management while minimizing the need for complex manual control systems, as the system autonomously responds to temperature changes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively prevents coolant freezing, maintains efficient cooling operations, and reduces energy consumption by optimizing the use of free cooling and refrigeration, ensuring reliable performance across varying temperature conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an inert gas seal (13) is provided in the coolant tank (1) to compensate for geodetic pressure in higher areas of the cooling circuit
Implementation Method 2
utilizing the cooling capacity of an outdoor air recooler located in an outdoor area during a frost-free phase to cool
Implementation Method 3
the free cooling mode can be run with the recooler. When the outside air temperature is sufficiently low, the recooler enables significant energy savings for the cooling system
Implementation Method 4
The cooling device can be switched between a long or large circuit with the recooler (6) and a short or small circuit without the recooler (6) via a switching device (16)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A switch (16) switches cooling circuit between small and large cooling circuits that are respectively with or without coolers (6). The partial area of small cooling circuit is provided geodetically higher than that of a coolant container (1), to exert corresponding geodetic pressure (PH) to the coolant (K). The inert gas temperature (13) of coolant container is set for building up equalization pressure (PG) to compensate geodetic pressure, so that regions (12,52) filled with coolant and inert gas (G) are partially provided within retention volume of the container.