Switch Cabinet Cooling with Heat Pipe and Dual Coolant Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling arrangements for switch cabinets, which rely on refrigerating machines, often operate in inefficient on/off modes due to extreme conditions being exceptional, and have high energy consumption, with hybrid cooling systems using air/air heat exchangers posing complications in handling and energy inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cooling apparatus with a heat pipe arrangement and air/coolant heat exchangers that allows for passive operation by positioning condensation and evaporation zones to facilitate efficient heat exchange, using a combination of active and passive cooling circuits to optimize energy use and reduce complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a refrigerating machine is used to provide sufficient cooling under extreme conditions, then cooling capacity is improved, but energy consumption increases and the system operates inefficiently in on/off mode
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent coolant circuits: a first circuit with a refrigerating machine for active cooling, and a second circuit with a heat pipe arrangement for passive cooling. This segmentation allows the system to use only the necessary cooling method based on ambient conditions, avoiding the energy waste of running the refrigerating machine continuously or in inefficient on/off mode.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a hybrid cooling apparatus with an air/air heat exchanger is used to reduce energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but the system becomes complicated to handle and requires additional valve mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the complicated flat valve mechanism from the hybrid cooling system. Instead of using valves to divert ambient air, the system uses two separate air passages: one for the refrigerating machine and one for the heat pipe arrangement, allowing simple selection of cooling methods without additional mechanical complexity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If passive cooling with a heat pipe arrangement is used for low temperature differences, then energy consumption is reduced, but cooling capacity is limited compared to active cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its cooling method based on ambient temperature conditions. For low temperature differences, the heat pipe arrangement provides sufficient passive cooling with minimal energy consumption. When ambient temperature rises or power dissipation increases, the refrigerating machine can be activated to supplement or replace passive cooling, ensuring adequate cooling capacity is always available.
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
Enables efficient cooling with reduced energy consumption by allowing passive operation for low temperature differences and hybrid operation to supplement cooling capacity, enhancing energy efficiency and simplifying the cooling system design.
Implementation Method 1
a second coolant circuit separated fluidically from the first coolant circuit and having a heat pipe arrangement or a two-phase thermosiphon
Implementation Method 2
a second coolant circuit separated fluidically from the first coolant circuit and having a heat pipe arrangement or a two-phase thermosiphon
Implementation Method 3
an evaporation zone of the heat pipe arrangement being disposed in the second air passage, and the condensation zone and the evaporation zone having in each case an air/coolant heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
a condensation zone of the heat pipe arrangement being disposed in the first air passage, and the condensation zone and the evaporation zone having in each case an air/coolant heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a switch cabinet with a cooling apparatus which has a first closed coolant circuit and a second closed coolant circuit separated fluidically from the first coolant circuit, the first coolant circuit having a refrigerating machine or a cold water set and the second coolant circuit having a heat pipe arrangement.