EP0460969B1 - Cooling apparatus and method - Google Patents
Cooling apparatus and method Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0460969B1 EP0460969B1 EP91305169A EP91305169A EP0460969B1 EP 0460969 B1 EP0460969 B1 EP 0460969B1 EP 91305169 A EP91305169 A EP 91305169A EP 91305169 A EP91305169 A EP 91305169A EP 0460969 B1 EP0460969 B1 EP 0460969B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- gas
- plates
- heat exchanger
- cooling system
- gas flow
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F3/00—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems
- F24F3/12—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling
- F24F3/14—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling by humidification; by dehumidification
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
- F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
- F24F1/0087—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units with humidification means
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
- F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
- F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
- F24F1/0059—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by heat exchangers
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
- F24F6/02—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air
- F24F6/04—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air using stationary unheated wet elements
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28B—STEAM OR VAPOUR CONDENSERS
- F28B9/00—Auxiliary systems, arrangements, or devices
- F28B9/08—Auxiliary systems, arrangements, or devices for collecting and removing condensate
Definitions
- This invention relates to cooling apparatus and a method of cooling according to the preambles of claims 1 and 7 respectively.
- Such cooling is by the maintenance of cooled air or other gas (hereinafter "air”) around the harvested produce.
- the cooling apparatus which cools them may for large and permanent insulations be the type of cooler known as an ice bank cooler such as for example our own Humidicool (trade mark) apparatus.
- Use of such apparatus ensures not only that the air is cooled to the desired temperature but that it maintains a high humidity, without which drying out or wilting of the produce may well occur even at a lowered temperature.
- Conventional portable cooler equipment consists of a battery of tubes through which cooled indirect heat exchange medium flows.
- the tubes are positioned and separated by vertical plates which are comparatively close together and which both guide the air flow across the tubes and extend the effective heat exchanging surface of the tubes whereby to maximise the indirect heat exchange effect.
- US-A-2,382,502 shows a gas cooling system in which the condensed water formed on the heat exchanger plates is collected by allowing it to drip into a pan and then the collected water is reintroduced into the gas flow by a centrifugal lift.
- FR-A-2,468,308 discloses a system in which the condensed water is collected in a reservoir and the cooled gas flow is guided to flow over the surface of the water in the reservoir.
- the object of the present invention is to provide an air cooler which while being in principal embodiable as a portable and small device nevertheless will give a cooled air output having a high relative humidity namely one above 95% and preferably in the region of 96 or 97%.
- the present invention provides a gas cooling system characterised by said plates being arranged for conducting water condensed thereon to be impelled towards the downstream end of the heat exchanger by the gas flow, and the condensed water being impelled by that flow into means towards or beyond the downstream end of the exchanger for reintroducing the condensed water into the cooled gas flow by contacting with that flow.
- the reintroduction may be in a high-surface-area body such as a cellulose honeycomb.
- the tubular array consists primarily of vertically disposed tubes.
- a single tube may be disposed in a zig-zag formation across a parallel array of a plurality of plates.
- the invention also provides a method of providing cooled gas of high relative humidity characterised by impelling by the gas flow the condensed water from the heat exchanger surfaces to reintroduction means located at the gas output side of the heat exchanger so as to reintroduce the condensed water to the cooled gas.
- the method includes distributing the collected liquid throughout a high surface body such as a body of cellulose honeycomb.
- a plurality of metal plates 1 are stacked horizontally in an array.
- Indirect heat exchangers 2 are formed by convoluted tubes led though the plates so as to be positioned with the principal straight runs 3 of the convolutions vertical.
- a plurality of such tubes laterally side by side forms an array 4 and coolant liquid for indirect heat exchange with air is led into the array by duct 5 and out of it by duct 6.
- Air to be cooled is blown over the array in the direction of the arrows 7 and loses heat to the tubes. In doing so water will be condensed onto the tubes and onto the plates (which being metallic act as an extended heat exchange surface for the tubes).
- water indicated by droplets 9 will meet a mass 10 of a high-surface-area spongy or open cellular body, in this embodiment the material being a resin-impregnated cellulose honeycomb. Other materials such as wooden slats and formed plastics sheets will also be particularly suitable. Under the influence of the air flowing through this body between extended top and bottom plates 1 the droplets are swept into it and are dispersed upon its high surface area so that they are recontacted with the cooled air. As a result the water is taken up again by that air so as to raise its relative humidity.
- the effect of the high surface area body is not only to cause resumed contact between the water and the air flow but also to ensure homogeneity of temperature in the air flow at a time when it is capable of taking up water to a high relative humidity.
- any air which is comparatively uncooled at the time of expulsion from the heat exchanger had no opportunity to take up moisture except from other air thereby leading to a reduced overall relative humidity.
- the device is equipped also with a drip tray 11 and drain 12 in a conventional manner so that any water not taken up by the air that leaves the block 10 at 13 may be collected and disposed of as usual.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
Description
- This invention relates to cooling apparatus and a method of cooling according to the preambles of
claims 1 and 7 respectively. - It is concerned to provide a method and means for cooling produce and in particular fresh fruit and vegetables to a temperature where wilting and other loss of freshness will be prevented or strongly retarded.
- Such cooling is by the maintenance of cooled air or other gas (hereinafter "air") around the harvested produce.
- The cooling apparatus which cools them may for large and permanent insulations be the type of cooler known as an ice bank cooler such as for example our own Humidicool (trade mark) apparatus. Use of such apparatus ensures not only that the air is cooled to the desired temperature but that it maintains a high humidity, without which drying out or wilting of the produce may well occur even at a lowered temperature.
- Any attempt to introduce portable or small scale cooling equipment to such produce stores has however so far been unsuccessful because of the lowering of humidity which they cause in the cooled air.
- Conventional portable cooler equipment consists of a battery of tubes through which cooled indirect heat exchange medium flows. The tubes are positioned and separated by vertical plates which are comparatively close together and which both guide the air flow across the tubes and extend the effective heat exchanging surface of the tubes whereby to maximise the indirect heat exchange effect.
- As the air is cooled its saturation vapour point lowers and water is condensed onto the tubes or plates. This flows downwardly down the plates and is caught by a drip tray or the like and is removed to a drain.
- However, not all air is in direct contact with the tubes or plates and the net relative humidity of the cooled air which is the output from the device will rarely exceed 95% and will often be as low as 90%.
- US-A-2,382,502 shows a gas cooling system in which the condensed water formed on the heat exchanger plates is collected by allowing it to drip into a pan and then the collected water is reintroduced into the gas flow by a centrifugal lift.
- FR-A-2,468,308 discloses a system in which the condensed water is collected in a reservoir and the cooled gas flow is guided to flow over the surface of the water in the reservoir.
- The object of the present invention is to provide an air cooler which while being in principal embodiable as a portable and small device nevertheless will give a cooled air output having a high relative humidity namely one above 95% and preferably in the region of 96 or 97%.
- To this end, the present invention provides a gas cooling system characterised by said plates being arranged for conducting water condensed thereon to be impelled towards the downstream end of the heat exchanger by the gas flow, and the condensed water being impelled by that flow into means towards or beyond the downstream end of the exchanger for reintroducing the condensed water into the cooled gas flow by contacting with that flow.
- The reintroduction may be in a high-surface-area body such as a cellulose honeycomb.
- Preferably the tubular array consists primarily of vertically disposed tubes. A single tube may be disposed in a zig-zag formation across a parallel array of a plurality of plates.
- The invention also provides a method of providing cooled gas of high relative humidity characterised by impelling by the gas flow the condensed water from the heat exchanger surfaces to reintroduction means located at the gas output side of the heat exchanger so as to reintroduce the condensed water to the cooled gas. Preferably the method includes distributing the collected liquid throughout a high surface body such as a body of cellulose honeycomb.
- A particular embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
- Figure 1 is a plan view of the embodiment and
- Figure 2 is an elevation along the line Y to Y in Figure 1.
- In this air cooler which should produce air at a temperature of approximately 2.5°C and a relative humidity of 96 to 97%, a plurality of metal plates 1 are stacked horizontally in an array. Indirect heat exchangers 2 are formed by convoluted tubes led though the plates so as to be positioned with the principal
straight runs 3 of the convolutions vertical. A plurality of such tubes laterally side by side forms anarray 4 and coolant liquid for indirect heat exchange with air is led into the array byduct 5 and out of it by duct 6. Air to be cooled is blown over the array in the direction of thearrows 7 and loses heat to the tubes. In doing so water will be condensed onto the tubes and onto the plates (which being metallic act as an extended heat exchange surface for the tubes). At least most of the water condensed in this way will be caught upon the horizontal plates and will be blown along the plates by the air flow until it reaches thedownstream edge 8 of the heat exchange assembly. Here water indicated bydroplets 9 will meet amass 10 of a high-surface-area spongy or open cellular body, in this embodiment the material being a resin-impregnated cellulose honeycomb. Other materials such as wooden slats and formed plastics sheets will also be particularly suitable. Under the influence of the air flowing through this body between extended top and bottom plates 1 the droplets are swept into it and are dispersed upon its high surface area so that they are recontacted with the cooled air. As a result the water is taken up again by that air so as to raise its relative humidity. The effect of the high surface area body is not only to cause resumed contact between the water and the air flow but also to ensure homogeneity of temperature in the air flow at a time when it is capable of taking up water to a high relative humidity. In the prior art situation any air which is comparatively uncooled at the time of expulsion from the heat exchanger had no opportunity to take up moisture except from other air thereby leading to a reduced overall relative humidity. - As can be seen from Figure 2 the device is equipped also with a
drip tray 11 and drain 12 in a conventional manner so that any water not taken up by the air that leaves theblock 10 at 13 may be collected and disposed of as usual.
Claims (9)
- A gas cooling system having an indirect heat exchanger (2) for cooling a gas flow (7) and being associated with a plurality of essentially parallel plates (1) arranged for guiding the gas flow (7) across the exchanger (2), characterised by said plates (1) being arranged for conducting water condensed thereon to be impelled towards the downstream end of the heat exchanger (2) by the gas flow (7); and the condensed water being impelled by that flow into means (10) towards or beyond the downstream end of the exchanger (2) for reintroducing the condensed water into the cooled gas flow (7) by contacting with that flow.
- A gas cooling system according to claim 1 wherein the means (10) for reintroducing condensed water is a high-surface-area body.
- A gas cooling system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the exchanger (2) is one or more tubes convoluted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plates (1).
- A gas cooling system according to claim 3 wherein there are a plurality of said convoluted tubes connected between an inflow duct (5) and an outflow duct (6).
- A gas cooling system according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the plates (1) are substantially horizontal and the reintroduction means (10) are at the downstream end of the plates (1).
- A gas cooling system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the reintroduction means (10) is a cellulose honeycomb.
- A method of providing cooled gas of relatively high humidity which consists of cooling a gas flow (7) by guiding it through an indirect heat exchanger (2); condensing moisture from the cooled gas on surfaces (1) in the heat exchanger which surfaces are parallel to the direction of the gas flow (7); characterised by impelling by the gas flow (7) the condensed water from the heat exchanger surfaces (1) to reintroduction means (10) located at the gas output side of the heat exchanger (2) so as to reintroduce the condensed water to the cooled gas.
- A method according to claim 7 wherein the collected water is reintroduced in the reintroduction means (10) which is a high-surface-area body (10).
- A method according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the surfaces (1) are substantially horizontal.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9012754 | 1990-06-08 | ||
GB909012754A GB9012754D0 (en) | 1990-06-08 | 1990-06-08 | Cooling apparatus and method |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0460969A2 EP0460969A2 (en) | 1991-12-11 |
EP0460969A3 EP0460969A3 (en) | 1992-11-19 |
EP0460969B1 true EP0460969B1 (en) | 1994-09-28 |
Family
ID=10677253
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP91305169A Expired - Lifetime EP0460969B1 (en) | 1990-06-08 | 1991-06-07 | Cooling apparatus and method |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0460969B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69104269T2 (en) |
GB (1) | GB9012754D0 (en) |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2251649A (en) * | 1939-01-24 | 1941-08-05 | John C Wichmann | Air conditioning dehumidifier |
US2382502A (en) * | 1939-06-19 | 1945-08-14 | Nash Kelvinator Corp | Air conditioning apparatus |
US2629587A (en) * | 1949-03-04 | 1953-02-24 | Henry G Tignor | Apparatus for conditioning air |
FR2468308A1 (en) * | 1979-10-26 | 1981-05-08 | Bollore Michel | Air conditioning unit for bakery proving chamber - has simple contacting humidifier downstream of air cooler |
DD271632A3 (en) * | 1987-12-08 | 1989-09-13 | Gothaer Metallwarenfabrik Veb | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR WATER SEPARATION FROM EXCESSIVE WARMER EXHAUST AIR |
-
1990
- 1990-06-08 GB GB909012754A patent/GB9012754D0/en active Pending
-
1991
- 1991-06-07 EP EP91305169A patent/EP0460969B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-06-07 DE DE69104269T patent/DE69104269T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE69104269T2 (en) | 1995-04-06 |
GB9012754D0 (en) | 1990-08-01 |
DE69104269D1 (en) | 1994-11-03 |
EP0460969A3 (en) | 1992-11-19 |
EP0460969A2 (en) | 1991-12-11 |
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