Mud Cooling Device with Three-Heat Exchanger System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Land mud coolers using environmental air as a heat exchanging medium face performance issues due to high and fluctuating temperatures, leading to overdesigning and inefficiencies in heat transfer, especially in dry climates with large diurnal temperature variations.
Innovation Solution
A three-heat exchanger system is employed, with a closed coolant loop that includes a first heat exchanger for mud-coolant exchange, a second heat exchanger for air-cooled coolant, and a third heat exchanger for additional cooling using a refrigerant-based subcircuit, allowing adaptation to changing climatic conditions through modular design and valving for optimal performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If environmental air is used as a cooling medium in dry climates, then the cooling device can operate without water, but the high and fluctuating air temperatures cause performance degradation and require overdesigning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically adjustable cooling system where the third heat exchanger can be selectively connected or disconnected from the coolant circuit based on ambient temperature conditions. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt to varying climate conditions, maintaining reliable cooling performance whether air temperatures are high or moderate, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
2Productivity
If the coolant temperature is reduced to improve heat transfer efficiency, then the temperature difference between coolant and air increases, but the heat transfer coefficient decreases due to lower coolant temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the heat exchangers by allowing the third heat exchanger to selectively adjust the coolant temperature. By varying the coolant temperature based on ambient conditions, the system optimizes the temperature difference for heat transfer while maintaining adequate heat transfer coefficients, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and energy loss.
3Reliability
If a fixed cooling capacity is designed for extreme conditions, then the system can handle high temperatures, but it becomes oversized and inefficient for moderate conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic configuration system with adjustable connections between the third heat exchanger and the coolant circuit. This allows the cooling capacity to be dynamically adjusted based on ambient temperature conditions, enabling the system to operate at optimal capacity for each condition rather than being permanently oversized, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
4Productivity
If multiple heat exchangers are added to improve cooling efficiency, then the cooling performance increases, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling system into modular heat exchanger units (first, second, and third heat exchangers) that can be independently configured. The third heat exchanger can be selectively connected or disconnected based on conditions, allowing the system to achieve high cooling efficiency when needed while reducing apparent complexity by only activating necessary components, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.
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
The system effectively adapts to varying temperatures, ensuring efficient cooling by maintaining standard operating conditions for the first and second heat exchangers while adjusting the third exchanger's capacity, thereby enhancing overall cooling efficiency and ease of installation.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger for heat exchange between hot drilling fluid and a coolant
Implementation Method 2
a second heat exchanger for heat exchange between the coolant and air from the environment under forced air flow conditions
Implementation Method 3
a third heat exchanger for heat exchange between the coolant and a heat exchange fluid
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooling device (10) for cooling drilling fluids, comprising a first heat exchanger (16) for heat exchange between hot drilling fluid and a coolant passing through a closed second coolant circuit, a second heat exchanger (26) for heat exchange between the coolant and ambient air, wherein the closed second coolant circuit is provided with a coolant subcircuit provided with a third heat exchanger (80) for additional heat exchange between the coolant and a heat exchanging fluid.