Passive water cooler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote industrial facilities lack access to reliable power sources and mains water, making it challenging to provide safe and temperate water for emergency showers and eye-wash units, which is essential for personnel safety and legal compliance.
Innovation Solution
A passive water cooling system comprising a water tank with an internal heat exchanger and an external heat exchanger, connected in a fluid circulation circuit that uses convection to transfer heat, allowing the system to cool water without external power and maintain a safe temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an electrical chiller unit system is used to cool water in emergency showers, then water temperature can be controlled within safe limits, but the system requires electricity and maintenance which are not available in remote locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses natural convection currents to circulate coolant fluid through the heat exchangers without requiring pumps or external power sources. The temperature difference between the water tank and ambient environment drives the cooling process automatically, making the system self-sufficient and suitable for remote locations without reliable electricity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical chiller unit with a passive thermal management system using heat exchangers and natural convection. This substitutes an active mechanical cooling system with a passive thermal system that relies on fundamental heat transfer principles rather than powered compressors or refrigeration cycles
2Quantity of substance
If water is stored in a tank in high ambient temperature locations, then water is readily available for emergency showers, but the water becomes overheated through exposure to solar radiation and can cause scalding
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a coolant fluid as an intermediary substance that absorbs heat from the water through the internal heat exchanger and transfers it to the ambient environment through the external heat exchanger. This mediator enables heat removal from the water without direct contact with the ambient environment, maintaining water temperature within safe limits while preserving water availability
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management system is divided into separate components: an internal heat exchanger immersed in the water tank, an external heat exchanger exposed to ambient air, and connecting fluid circulation pathways. This segmentation allows the water storage function to be separated from the cooling function, enabling the water to remain available while its temperature is independently controlled through the heat exchanger system
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 cools water to a safe temperature range (between 16°C and 38°C) using ambient temperature differences, ensuring continuous operation even without a reliable power source, thus providing a reliable solution for emergency showers and eye-wash units in remote locations.
Implementation Method 1
an external heat exchanger disposed outside the water tank in thermal communication with the internal heat exchanger... arranged in a mutual fluid circulation circuit configured to contain coolant fluid flowable therein by convection to provide said thermal communication for transferring heat
Implementation Method 2
The external heat exchanger is arranged to be positioned higher than the internal heat exchanger to permit formation of a thermocline within the coolant fluid between the external heat exchanger and the internal heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
The tank comprises thermally insulating material for thermally insulating the volume of water from the environment within which the external heat exchanger resides
Data Source
AI summary
A passive water cooler comprising a water tank arranged for containing a volume of water, an internal heat exchanger disposed within the water tank for contact with (e.g. submersion within) said volume of water and an external heat exchanger disposed outside the water tank in thermal communication with the internal heat exchanger. The external heat exchanger and the internal heat exchanger are connected and arranged to collectively define a fluid circulation circuit configured to contain coolant fluid flowable by convection to provide said thermal communication for transferring heat therebetween. The tank comprises thermally insulating material for thermally insulating said volume of water from the environment within which the external heat exchanger resides. The external heat exchanger is arranged to be positioned higher than the internal heat exchanger to permit formation of a thermocline within the coolant fluid between the external heat exchanger and the internal heat exchanger.