Vaporization Vessel Cooling for Compact Coolant Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems require large chillers and long heat exchange passageways, necessitating insulation and a complex configuration to achieve desired cooling temperatures, making them inefficient and difficult to scale down.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system that uses a vaporization vessel with a first fluid source having higher vapor pressure than the coolant, where the internal pressure is controlled to vaporize the first fluid, cooling the coolant through latent heat, eliminating the need for a chiller and heat exchanger, and allowing for a constant passageway length regardless of cooling temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional cooling system with chiller and heat exchanger is used, then cooling temperature can be controlled, but system size increases and configuration becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the chiller component from the cooling system. Instead of using a conventional chiller-heat exchanger configuration, the invention uses a vaporization vessel where a first fluid (with higher vapor pressure than the coolant) directly vaporizes to cool the coolant. This extraction of the chiller simplifies the overall system configuration while maintaining temperature control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition (vaporization) of the first fluid as the core cooling mechanism. The first fluid vaporizes within the vaporization vessel, absorbing latent heat from the coolant in the process. This phase transition approach replaces the conventional heat exchanger-based cooling, achieving temperature control with a simpler system that doesn't require insulation or complex heat exchange passageways.
2Temperature
If chiller and heat exchanger are used for cooling, then cooling function is achieved, but passageway length increases and insulation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heat exchanger component and its associated long passageways from the system. The cooling function is achieved directly within the vaporization vessel where the first fluid vaporizes and transfers latent heat to the coolant. This eliminates the need for extended heat exchange passageways and associated insulation requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
By utilizing the phase transition (vaporization) of the first fluid directly within the vaporization vessel, the patent achieves efficient heat transfer without requiring long heat exchange passageways. The latent heat absorbed during vaporization provides intensive cooling in a compact space, eliminating the need for extended insulation-covered pipelines.
3Temperature
If conventional cooling system is used, then cooling is achieved, but system size increases requiring insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates both the chiller and heat exchanger from the system, replacing them with a compact vaporization vessel. This drastic simplification reduces the overall system volume significantly while maintaining the cooling function through direct vaporization of the first fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
The utilization of phase transition (vaporization) of the first fluid enables compact system design. The latent heat absorption during vaporization provides high-density cooling in a small volume, eliminating the need for large chillers and insulated heat exchangers, thus reducing overall system size.
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 configuration allows for simple and efficient temperature control of the coolant, reducing system size and complexity, while maintaining high responsiveness and accuracy in reaching target temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
only the first fluid mixed with the coolant is vaporized within the vaporization vessel, so that the coolant is cooled by latent heat of the first fluid
Implementation Method 2
the first fluid having the vapor pressure higher than the vapor pressure of the coolant is supplied by the first flow rate control unit into the vaporization vessel to which the coolant is supplied, so that the first fluid is mixed with the coolant. Further, the internal pressure within the vaporization vessel is controlled to be higher than the vapor pressure of the coolant and equal to or lower than the vapor pressure of the first fluid. Accordingly, only the first fluid mixed with the coolant is vaporized within the vaporization vessel
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system can control a coolant temperature with a simple configuration. The cooling system 90 includes a vaporization vessel 80, a first fluid source 92, a first flow rate control unit 91, and a pressure control unit 99. The vaporization vessel 80 has a space, a supply opening 80a and a discharge opening 80b through which the coolant is supplied and discharged, respectively. The first fluid source 92 stores a first fluid having a vapor pressure higher than that of the coolant. The first flow rate control unit 91 connects the first fluid source 92 to the vaporization vessel 80 and controls a first fluid supply amount into the vaporization vessel. The pressure control unit 99 controls an internal pressure within the vaporization vessel to be higher than the vapor pressure of the coolant and equal to or lower than that of the first fluid.