Knitted Textile Cooling Unit Pack for Droplet Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling towers face challenges in efficiently separating water droplets from exhaust air, leading to unwanted water loss and potential contamination risks, while also requiring complex and energy-intensive droplet separators.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration unit pack utilizing a flat, strip-shaped knitted or warp-knitted textile with a high surface-to-volume ratio, integrated with a cleaning module for efficient evaporation and separation, and designed for flexible installation and easy maintenance, which includes alternating density areas for optimal airflow and evaporation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional droplet separators are installed downstream of cooling systems, then water loss is minimized and contamination is prevented, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses porous textile materials as cooling unit packs that inherently separate water droplets from exhaust air through their porous structure. The textile's pore size and distribution enable droplet capture without requiring complex mechanical separator components, thus maintaining reliability while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling unit packs are designed to be self-cleaning through the cooling process itself. The evaporation and condensation cycles naturally remove accumulated water and contaminants from the textile surface, eliminating the need for external cleaning mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity.
2Productivity
If complex droplet separators with zigzag channels are used, then droplet separation efficiency improves, but manufacturing complexity and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible textile films as cooling unit packs that provide separation functionality through their inherent fabric structure rather than rigid zigzag channels. These thin film textiles are easier to manufacture using conventional textile processes while achieving comparable separation efficiency through their porous and layered structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the textile parameters such as pore size, thread density, and fabric weave pattern to achieve effective droplet separation. By adjusting these parameters, the textile can be tailored for different separation requirements without changing the fundamental simple structure, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving high productivity.
3Productivity
If cooling unit packs are installed in cooling towers, then evaporation efficiency increases, but cleaning and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the cooling unit packs with dynamic characteristics that allow them to be easily removed, installed, and cleaned. The textile packs can be taken out of the cooling tower for external washing and maintenance without requiring disassembly of complex structures, thus maintaining high evaporation efficiency while improving ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling unit packs are designed as replaceable, cost-effective textile components that can be easily cleaned or replaced when needed. This approach allows for simple maintenance procedures where packs are removed, washed, and reinstalled without affecting the overall cooling tower structure or requiring complex cleaning mechanisms.
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 enhances evaporation efficiency, reduces water loss, and prevents contamination by allowing for continuous, environmentally friendly cleaning, maintaining high cooling performance without energy losses and minimizing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
Heat is extracted from the cooling water through evaporation, producing steam
Implementation Method 2
the rising steam also carries small water droplets, leading to unwanted water loss
Implementation Method 3
a cleaning module for the at least one surface textile is provided in or on the cooling unit
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a cooling unit having an air feed line which is provided in a lower region of the cooling unit and a steam exhaust means which is provided in an upper region of the cooling unit, wherein a water distribution device is provided in an inner region of the cooling unit between the air feed line and the steam exhaust means, and a cooling unit pack which consists of at least one flat textile is provided below the water distribution device. The present invention is based on the object of providing a cooling unit of said generic type which has a cooling unit pack which can be designed to a particularly flexible extent, can be manufactured with low outlay and can be integrated into the cooling unit. The cooling unit pack should provide efficient evaporation and/or precipitation of liquid contained in a waste air stream. This problem is solved by way of a cooling unit of the above-mentioned generic type, wherein the flat textile has a tape-type weft- or warp-knitted fabric.