Indirect evaporative cooling apparatus and cooling system including the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Indirect evaporative cooling apparatuses face challenges with low cooling efficiency and space inefficiency due to poor heat transfer between working fluid and cooling target fluid, requiring significant space for refrigerant injection, which increases production and installation costs.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a plurality of evaporation modules with a first and second module, each comprising a heat transfer plate, hydrophilic and hydrophobic plates, and a water supply device, with specific flow paths and configurations to enhance heat exchange and space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If indirect evaporative cooling apparatus is used to avoid humidity increase in cooling target fluid, then user comfort is improved, but cooling efficiency is lowered due to poor heat transfer between working fluid and cooling target fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling apparatus is divided into multiple evaporation modules, each comprising first and second modules with hydrophilic and hydrophobic plates. This segmentation creates numerous micro-evaporation surfaces that enhance heat transfer efficiency while maintaining the indirect cooling function, thus resolving the contradiction between avoiding humidity increase and maintaining cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Hydrophilic porous plates are used to absorb and distribute water uniformly across the evaporation surface, while hydrophobic porous plates allow working fluid to pass through while preventing water leakage. These porous materials significantly improve the heat transfer surface area and efficiency, addressing the cooling efficiency problem while maintaining indirect cooling benefits.
2Reliability
If sufficient space is provided to inject refrigerant such as water to working fluid, then evaporation process is enabled, but space efficiency of the apparatus decreases and production and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporation modules are designed with nested structures where hydrophilic plates, hydrophobic plates, and flow channels are integrated in a compact arrangement. The first and second modules are disposed to face each other with spaced apart configuration, allowing water to be supplied to working fluid in a compact space, thus improving space efficiency while maintaining reliable evaporation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus utilizes vertical stacking of multiple evaporation modules with first and second modules facing each other in alternating arrangement. This three-dimensional configuration allows sufficient space for water injection and evaporation processes while minimizing the horizontal footprint, thereby improving space efficiency without compromising evaporation reliability.
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 design maximizes cooling efficiency and space efficiency by improving heat transfer and reducing the need for additional space, thereby lowering production and installation costs.
Implementation Method 1
The hydrophilic plate may be disposed to face the heat transfer plate and formed of a porous material capable of absorbing water
Implementation Method 2
an indirect evaporative cooling apparatus is an evaporative cooling apparatus in which the cooling target fluid does not come into contact with the refrigerant. Specifically, working fluid is in contact with the refrigerant to evaporate the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
Heat transfer may be made in the heat transfer plate
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an indirect evaporative cooling apparatus and a cooling system including the same, and more particularly, to an indirect evaporative cooling apparatus including a plurality of evaporation modules each including a first module and a second module, and a cooling system including the same. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an indirect evaporative cooling device that maximizes cooling efficiency and space efficiency, and a cooling system including the same.