Thermal Energy Storage Cooling Flow Control for Transient Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems are often oversized or inefficiently controlled, failing to effectively manage both steady-state and transient thermal loads, leading to suboptimal performance and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that dynamically adjust fluid flows and valve operations to optimize thermal management by utilizing a thermal energy storage system, mixing valves, and recharge pumps to mix and recirculate cooling fluids, allowing for efficient cooling and recharging based on load demands, thereby reducing component size and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cooling systems are designed to handle peak constant thermal loads without regard to transient loads, then cooling availability is ensured, but component size becomes oversized and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-cools the thermal energy storage tank during low-demand periods, storing cooling capacity in advance. This preliminary action allows the system to meet peak transient loads without requiring the cooling source to be continuously oversized, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining cooling availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different operating modes (recharge mode and load mode) based on real-time thermal demand. The controller adjusts fluid flow distribution dynamically, directing flow to either recharge the storage tank or serve the thermal load, optimizing power consumption across varying demand conditions.
2Reliability
If cooling systems are designed to handle peak constant thermal loads without regard to transient loads, then cooling availability is ensured, but component size becomes oversized
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-charging the thermal energy storage tank with cooling capacity during low-demand periods, the system prepares in advance for transient load peaks. This allows the cooling source and associated components to be sized for average rather than peak demand, reducing component size while ensuring cooling availability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal energy storage tank serves multiple functions: it acts as a buffer during transient loads, a rechargeable reservoir during low-demand periods, and a supplemental cooling source during peak demand. This multi-functionality allows smaller cooling components to achieve the same overall cooling capacity.
3Quantity of substance
If thermal energy storage is recharged during periods when cooling is not required, then cooling potential is maximized, but loss of time occurs during recharge cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic recharge cycles during low-demand periods when cooling requirements are minimal or absent. By scheduling recharge operations during these natural low-demand windows, the system accumulates cooling potential without compromising load coverage, effectively converting otherwise wasted time into productive recharge time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages its own recharge cycles based on real-time monitoring of storage tank temperature and cooling demand. The controller initiates recharge operations autonomously during low-demand periods without external intervention, optimizing the balance between maintaining cooling potential and minimizing impact on system availability.
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 enables efficient cooling of thermal loads by optimizing fluid flows and recharging the thermal energy storage, allowing for smaller cooling components while maintaining cooling availability during transient demands, thus improving overall thermal management efficiency and reducing energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
supplying the thermal energy storage with a third fluid flow that comprises cooling fluid heated by the thermal load and cooled by the cooling source
Implementation Method 2
cooling the thermal load with cooling fluid that is a mixture of a first fluid flow received from a thermal energy storage and a second fluid flow comprising cooling fluid heated by the thermal load
Implementation Method 3
the bypass fluid flow bypasses the cooling pump, the bypass fluid flow comprising cooling fluid that is heated by the thermal load and pumped through a recharge pump
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 2B
AI summary
A cooling system may include a cooling pump, a cooling source, a thermal energy storage, a mixing valve, a recharge valve, a recharge pump. The mixing valve may be in fluid communication with a thermal load. A first input of the mixing valve may be in fluid communication with the thermal energy storage. A second input of the mixing valve may be in fluid communication with the recharge pump. Operation of the recharge pump may cause heated cooling fluid output from the thermal load to bypass the cooling pump and flow to the second input of the mixing valve. The recharge valve may be in fluid communication with the thermal energy storage and the cooling pump. The recharge valve may regulate a recharge fluid flow comprising cooling fluid received from the thermal energy storage.