US20190086105A1 - Heat exchange systems and methods - Google Patents
Heat exchange systems and methods Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20190086105A1 US20190086105A1 US16/131,755 US201816131755A US2019086105A1 US 20190086105 A1 US20190086105 A1 US 20190086105A1 US 201816131755 A US201816131755 A US 201816131755A US 2019086105 A1 US2019086105 A1 US 2019086105A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- heat exchange
- exchange medium
- conduit
- air
- airflow
- 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.)
- Abandoned
Links
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- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 claims description 106
- 238000002156 mixing Methods 0.000 claims description 61
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 39
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims description 30
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 27
- 210000001367 artery Anatomy 0.000 claims description 22
- 210000003462 vein Anatomy 0.000 claims description 18
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims description 16
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 claims description 14
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 claims description 13
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 8
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 claims 2
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 description 8
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- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
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- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000013529 heat transfer fluid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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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
- F24F5/00—Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by F24F1/00 or F24F3/00, e.g. using solar heat or combined with household units such as an oven or water heater
- F24F5/0007—Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by F24F1/00 or F24F3/00, e.g. using solar heat or combined with household units such as an oven or water heater cooling apparatus specially adapted for use in air-conditioning
- F24F5/0017—Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by F24F1/00 or F24F3/00, e.g. using solar heat or combined with household units such as an oven or water heater cooling apparatus specially adapted for use in air-conditioning using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice
- F24F5/0021—Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by F24F1/00 or F24F3/00, e.g. using solar heat or combined with household units such as an oven or water heater cooling apparatus specially adapted for use in air-conditioning using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice using phase change material [PCM] for storage
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/00492—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/00492—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators
- B60H1/005—Regenerative cooling means, e.g. cold accumulators
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/00507—Details, e.g. mounting arrangements, desaeration devices
- B60H1/00557—Details of ducts or cables
- B60H1/00564—Details of ducts or cables of air ducts
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/00507—Details, e.g. mounting arrangements, desaeration devices
- B60H1/00557—Details of ducts or cables
- B60H1/00571—Details of ducts or cables of liquid ducts, e.g. for coolant liquids or refrigerants
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64F—GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B64F1/00—Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations
- B64F1/30—Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations for embarking or disembarking passengers
- B64F1/305—Bridges extending between terminal building and aircraft, e.g. telescopic, vertically adjustable
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64F—GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B64F1/00—Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations
- B64F1/36—Other airport installations
- B64F1/362—Installations for supplying conditioned air to parked aircraft
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F5/00—Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by F24F1/00 or F24F3/00, e.g. using solar heat or combined with household units such as an oven or water heater
- F24F5/0007—Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by F24F1/00 or F24F3/00, e.g. using solar heat or combined with household units such as an oven or water heater cooling apparatus specially adapted for use in air-conditioning
- F24F5/0017—Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by F24F1/00 or F24F3/00, e.g. using solar heat or combined with household units such as an oven or water heater cooling apparatus specially adapted for use in air-conditioning using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F7/00—Ventilation
- F24F7/04—Ventilation with ducting systems, e.g. by double walls; with natural circulation
- F24F7/06—Ventilation with ducting systems, e.g. by double walls; with natural circulation with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit
- F24F7/065—Ventilation with ducting systems, e.g. by double walls; with natural circulation with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
- F24F13/02—Ducting arrangements
- F24F13/0218—Flexible soft ducts, e.g. ducts made of permeable textiles
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F2221/00—Details or features not otherwise provided for
- F24F2221/12—Details or features not otherwise provided for transportable
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/14—Thermal energy storage
Definitions
- the embodiments disclosed herein relate to a heat exchanger assembly, and in particular to a heat exchanger system and method used to cool or heat air and/or a space, such as the interior of an airplane.
- Heat exchange systems for cooling or heating air and/or spaces are well-known. Nonetheless, there remains a need for more flexible and efficient heat exchange systems and methods.
- a heat exchange system comprising an airflow source for providing an airflow, at least one air conduit, a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow, and at least one heat exchange medium conduit.
- an airflow source for providing an airflow
- at least one air conduit for providing an airflow
- a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow
- at least one heat exchange medium conduit for each air conduit of the at least one air conduit, that air conduit defines an airflow path for receiving the airflow from the airflow source, the air conduit having an upwind portion and a downwind portion such that the airflow passes through the air conduit from the upwind portion to the downwind portion.
- Each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit i) defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source; ii) further comprises a heat exchanger for transferring heat between the airflow within a corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow within that heat exchange medium conduit; and iii) is inside the corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit.
- the heat exchange medium is either slurry ice for cooling the airflow or a heated fluid for heating the airflow.
- the heat exchange medium flow source supplies the heat exchange medium flow to an upstream end of that heat exchange medium conduit; ii) the heat exchange medium flow is through the heat exchange medium conduit from the upstream end to a downstream end; iii) the heat exchange medium flow is dischargeable from the downstream end of that heat exchange medium conduit; and iv) both the upstream end and the downstream end are located in the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit.
- the at least one air conduit comprises a plurality of air conduits; and ii) the at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises a plurality of heat exchange medium conduits.
- each air conduit of the at least one air conduit is movable relative to the upwind portion of that air conduit.
- each air conduit of the at least one air conduit comprises an at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder, and the at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder holds a heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit away from an inner surface of the air conduit to define an airflow gap for a portion of the airflow between the inner surface of the air conduit and the heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit.
- each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises i) an upstream heat exchange medium artery for providing the heat exchange medium flow from the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit to the downwind portion of the corresponding air conduit; and ii) a downstream heat exchange medium vein for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the upstream heat exchange medium artery, and for providing the heat exchange medium flow from the downwind portion of the corresponding air conduit back to the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit.
- the at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder of each air conduit of the at least one air conduit holds the upstream heat exchange medium artery and the downstream heat exchange medium vein apart to define a heat exchange medium conduit gap, and each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit receives the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source.
- the heat exchange system further comprises an air conduit reel including an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source, and a heat exchange medium manifold in fluid communication with the heat exchange medium flow source.
- the at least one air conduit comprises a plurality of air conduits.
- the plurality of air conduits are aligned to provide substantially parallel airflow paths and to define a first wrapping plane and a second wrapping plane; the substantially parallel airflow paths being disposed side-by-side between the first wrapping plane and the second wrapping plane; and the plurality of air conduits being wrappable around the air conduit reel without blocking the substantially parallel airflow paths.
- the upwind portion is attached to the air conduit reel; and is in fluid communication with the air manifold to receive the airflow from the airflow source via the air conduit reel.
- the at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises a plurality of heat exchange medium conduits. For each heat exchange medium conduit in the plurality of heat exchange medium conduits, an upstream portion of that heat exchange conduit receives the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source via the air conduit reel; and the upstream portion is in fluid communication with the heat exchange medium manifold of the air conduit reel.
- a substantially planar air conduit guide extending through the first wrapping plane attaches to the plurality of air conduits.
- the substantially planar air conduit guide is bendable about a bending axis parallel to the first wrapping plane and the second wrapping plane, and orthogonal to the substantially parallel airflow paths while resisting bending about other axes not parallel to the bending axis.
- the planar air conduit guide comprises a plurality of supply electric power cables, a plurality of fluid conduits, and a plurality of compressed air hoses in parallel with the plurality of the air conduits.
- the heat exchange system further comprises an air mixing box and a hose.
- the downwind portion is attached to the air mixing box and the air mixing box is in fluid communication with the plurality of air conduits to receive the airflow from the airflow source.
- the air mixing box can comprise an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source; and a filter for removing moisture from the airflow.
- the hose is in fluid communication with the air manifold of the air mixing box to receive a dried airflow from the air manifold of the mixing box downwind of the filter; and has a first end attached to the air mixing box and a second end movable relative to the first end and the second end; is positionable relative to an aircraft to provide the dried airflow from the air mixing box to the aircraft.
- the heat exchange system further comprises an air mixing box and a hose.
- the downwind portion is attached to the air mixing box and the air mixing box is in fluid communication with the plurality of air conduits to receive the airflow from the airflow source.
- the air mixing box can comprise an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source; and a humidifier for adding moisture to the airflow.
- the hose is in fluid communication with the air manifold of the air mixing box to receive a humidified airflow from the air manifold of the mixing box downwind of the filter; and has a first end attached to the air mixing box and a second end movable relative to the first end; the second end is positionable relative to an aircraft to provide the humidified airflow from the air mixing box to the aircraft.
- the corresponding air conduit comprises an external membrane defining the airflow path, and the external membrane of the corresponding air conduit has a thermal resistance exceeding a thermal resistance of the heat exchanger, such that heat transfer between the airflow inside the corresponding air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow exceeds heat transfer across the external membrane of the corresponding air conduit.
- the heat exchange system may further comprising an air conduit guide for supporting the at least one air conduit and for straightening the airflow path defined by the at least one air conduit.
- the air conduit guide comprises a plurality of supply electric power cables, a plurality of fluid conduits, and a plurality of compressed air hoses in parallel with the plurality of the air conduits.
- the at least one air conduit comprises only a single air conduit.
- At least a portion of the at least one air conduit is telescopic defining an extended length of the at least one air conduit and a retracted length of the at least one air conduit.
- the heat exchange medium conduit is extendable to at least the extended length of the at least one air conduit and retractable to at least the retracted length of the at least one air conduit, the retracted length being shorter than the extended length.
- the heat exchange system is attached to an aircraft passenger bridge.
- a method for providing cooling to a space involves: providing an airflow along an airflow path; providing a slurry ice flow along a slurry ice flow path, the slurry ice flow path being adjacent to the airflow path, separated by a thermally conductive barrier, the slurry ice flow being provided at a temperature below a temperature of the airflow such that heat is transferred from the airflow to the slurry ice flow via the thermally conductive barrier; and positioning the airflow path to eject a cooled airflow into the space to be cooled.
- the space to be cooled is an interior of a vehicle or an aircraft.
- the described method involves: providing a thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir; filling the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir with slurry ice; and after filling the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir with the slurry ice, moving the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir containing the slurry ice closer to the space to be cooled, such that the airflow path is positionable to eject the cooled airflow into the space to be cooled; wherein providing the slurry ice flow along the slurry ice flow path comprises providing the slurry ice flow to the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir.
- the described method involves: the slurry ice flow path comprising a slurry ice artery and a slurry ice vein.
- the slurry ice artery is surrounded by the airflow path; traverses the airflow path in an outgoing direction; and iii) contains the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path.
- the slurry ice vein is surrounded by the airflow path; traverses the airflow path in an incoming direction, opposite to the outgoing direction; and contains the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path.
- a heat exchange system comprising an airflow source for providing an airflow, at least one air conduit, a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow, and at least one heat exchange medium conduit.
- an airflow source for providing an airflow
- at least one air conduit for providing an airflow
- a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow
- at least one heat exchange medium conduit for each air conduit of the at least one air conduit, that air conduit defines an airflow path for receiving the airflow from the airflow source, the air conduit having an upwind portion and a downwind portion such that the airflow passes through the air conduit from the upwind portion to the downwind portion.
- Each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit i) defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source; ii) further comprises a heat exchanger for transferring heat between the airflow within a corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow within that heat exchange medium conduit; and iii) contains the corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit is inside.
- FIG. 1A is a side perspective view of a heat exchanger assembly, in accordance with an embodiment
- FIG. 1B is a sectional view of heat exchanger assembly shown in FIG. 1A taken along line 1 b - 1 b;
- FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of the heat exchanger assembly shown in FIG. C taken of section 1 c;
- FIG. 2A is a side perspective view of a heat exchanger assembly, in accordance with an embodiment
- FIG. 2B is a sectional view of heat exchanger assembly shown in FIG. 2A taken along line 2 b - 2 b;
- FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a heat exchanger assembly, in accordance with an embodiment
- FIG. 4 is a front plan view of an air conduit reel, an air manifold, and a centrifugal fan, in accordance with an embodiment
- FIG. 5 is a side plan view of an air conduit reel and a guide arm, in accordance with an embodiment
- FIG. 6A is a side plan view of an air mixing box and a preconditioned air hose, in accordance with an embodiment
- FIG. 6B is a sectional view of the air mixing box shown in FIG. 6A taken along line 6 b - 6 b ;
- FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method for cooling a space in accordance with an embodiment.
- the heat exchange assembly 100 includes a heat exchange system 102 , an air mixing box 104 , a planar air conduit guide 106 , an air conduit reel 108 , and a preconditioned air hose 110 .
- the heat exchange assembly 100 can serve a number of functions, such as the cooling or heating of any space. For example, the cooling of the interior of an airplane, the cooling or heating of the interior of a building, or the cooling or heating of a room in a house.
- any heat transfer fluid may act as the heat exchange medium, for example, water and common refrigerants.
- the heat exchange system 102 comprises an airflow source (not shown), at least one air conduit 112 , a heat exchange medium flow source (not shown) and at least one heat exchange medium conduit 114 .
- the airflow source may be a fan that blows air from the surrounding environment through each air conduit of the at least one air conduit 112
- the heat exchange medium source may be a slurry ice reservoir that provides slurry ice through each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit 114 .
- Each air conduit defines an airflow path 116 for receiving an airflow from the airflow source such that the airflow passes through each air conduit of the at least one air conduit 112 from an upwind portion 118 (shown in FIG. 1A ) to a downwind portion 120 (shown in FIG. 1A ).
- each heat exchange medium conduit 114 defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving a heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source.
- each heat exchange medium conduit 114 may define a slurry ice flow path along which slurry ice can flow.
- Each heat exchange medium conduit 114 may be positioned inside a corresponding air conduit 112 to define a heat exchanger, comprising as shown, for example, in FIG. 1B , gap 122 as well as an exterior surface of heat exchange medium conduit 114 , such that heat may be transferred between the airflow within gap 122 of that air conduit 112 and the heat exchange medium flow within the heat exchange medium conduit 114 contained within that air conduit 112 .
- Heat exchange medium conduit 114 may run substantially parallel to air conduit 112 and have a similar overall length. In an alternative embodiment, heat exchange medium conduit 114 may run parallel to air conduit 112 in a coiled manner resulting in heat exchange medium conduit 114 having a greater overall length than air conduit 112 . For example, the ratio of heat exchange medium conduit 114 to air conduit 112 over a set distance may be 3:1. In an alternative embodiment, for each air conduit of the at least one air conduit 112 , that air conduit may be positioned inside a corresponding heat exchanger conduit of the at least one heat exchanger conduit 114 . In this alternative embodiment, heat may be transferred between the heat exchange medium flow within the corresponding heat exchange medium conduit 114 and the airflow within the air conduit 112 contained within that heat exchange medium conduit 114 .
- the heat exchange medium flow source supplies the heat exchange medium flow to an upstream end (not shown) of each heat exchange medium conduit 114 (shown in FIG. 1B ).
- the heat exchange medium flow path is through each heat exchange medium conduit 114 from its upstream end to its downstream end (not shown).
- the upstream end and the downstream end of each heat exchange medium conduit may be located in the upwind portion 118 (shown in FIG. 1A ) of the corresponding air conduit 112 (the air conduit that contains that heat exchange medium conduit) (shown in FIG. 1B ).
- the upstream end of each heat exchange medium flow path begins at the upwind portion 118 of the corresponding air conduit 112 .
- the heat exchange medium flow travels through each heat exchange medium conduit 114 from the upwind portion 118 to the downwind portion 120 of that corresponding air conduit 112 .
- that heat exchange medium conduit 114 turns such that the heat exchange medium flow path is directed to back to the upwind portion 118 of the corresponding air conduit 112 .
- the heat exchange medium flow path ends and the heat exchange medium is dischargeable from the downstream end of that heat exchange medium conduit.
- the heat exchange medium may be slurry ice for cooling the airflow.
- the heat exchange medium may be a heated fluid for heating the airflow. Any fluid which promotes heat transfer may be used as a heat exchange medium.
- the supply of the heat exchange medium flow source is a slurry ice supply line (not shown) extending from a slurry ice generator, located, for example, within an airport hangar, to the heat exchange system 102 , 202 , and 302 (shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, and 3 ) located on an airport tarmac.
- the slurry ice supply line may be a network of insulated pipes that run, for example, under the airport tarmac and transports slurry ice to any one of a number of locations within the airport.
- the heat exchange system 102 , 202 , and 302 may be used to cool the interior of a stationary airplane on the airport tarmac.
- the heat exchange supply line may be a network of insulated pipes that run, for example, underground to a building.
- the network of insulated pipes may run between multiple buildings, for example, between portable classrooms in a school yard.
- the heat exchange medium supply line may be a network of insulated pipes that run under the airport tarmac and transports a heated fluid.
- the network of insulated pipes as described in any of the above embodiments may run above the ground, or along the ground in alternative embodiments.
- the heat exchange system may be attached to the base of an aircraft passenger bridge.
- the heat exchange system may be attached to an air conduit reel.
- the slurry ice supply line may be connected to a thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir located close to the heat exchange system 102 , 202 , and 302 on the airport tarmac.
- the slurry ice reservoir may have an agitator to keep the frozen components of the slurry ice from separating from the liquid components.
- the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir may be a movable vat, a vehicle with a detachable storage tank, a refrigerated tanker truck, etc.
- the slurry ice generator may fill the slurry ice reservoir, which may be subsequently moved closer to the heat exchange system 102 , 202 , and 302 after filling.
- the described embodiment may also be adapted for use with heated water as the heat exchange medium.
- the heat exchange system 102 , 202 , and 302 may be used to heat a space, such as the interior of an airplane.
- the examples described above can be used to heat or cool a building or a room of a building rather than an aircraft.
- the at least one air conduit 112 comprises a plurality of air conduits 124 and the at least one heat exchange medium conduit 114 comprises a plurality of heat exchange medium conduits 126 .
- Each air conduit 112 of the plurality of air conduits 124 may comprise at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder 128 .
- Each heat exchange medium holder 128 can hold a heat exchange medium conduit 114 away from an inner surface 130 of the corresponding air conduit 112 to define an air flow gap 132 for a portion of the airflow between the inner surface 130 of the corresponding air conduit 112 and that heat exchange medium conduit 114 .
- each heat exchange medium conduit 114 held off the inner surface 130 of the corresponding air conduit 112 by a corresponding heat exchange medium holder 128 the surface area of that heat exchange medium conduit 114 in contact with the airflow in the corresponding air conduit 112 can be increased. In this way, the air flow gap 132 may improve the efficiency of heat exchange.
- each heat exchange medium conduit 114 may comprise an upstream heat exchange medium artery 134 and a downstream heat exchange medium vein 136 defining a closed-loop artery-vein configuration inside the corresponding air conduit 112 .
- Each heat exchange medium conduit 114 may receive heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source.
- the upstream heat exchange medium artery 134 can provide the heat exchange medium flow from the upwind portion 118 of the corresponding air conduit 112 to the downwind portion 120 of the same air conduit 112 .
- the downstream heat exchange medium vein 136 receives the heat exchange medium flow from the upstream heat exchange medium artery 134 and provides the heat exchange medium flow from the downwind portion 120 of the corresponding air conduit 112 back to the upwind portion 118 of that air conduit 112 .
- the heat exchange medium flow may then be returned to the heat exchange medium flow source or, alternatively, discharged.
- each heat exchange conduit holder 128 of each air conduit 112 may hold the upstream heat exchange medium artery 134 and the downstream heat exchange medium vein 136 apart to define a heat exchange medium conduit gap 138 .
- Providing the heat exchange medium conduit gap 138 may improve the efficiency of the heat exchanger 122 by increasing the surface area of the upstream heat exchange medium artery 134 and the downstream heat exchange medium vein 136 in contact with the airflow in the corresponding air conduit 112 .
- FIG. 2A an embodiment of heat exchange assembly 200 is shown having a heat exchange system 202 .
- the heat exchange assembly 200 includes a heat exchange system 202 , an air mixing box 204 , a planar air conduit guide 206 , an air conduit reel 208 , and a preconditioned air hose 210 .
- FIG. 2B illustrated therein is a sectional view of the heat exchange assembly 200 of FIG. 2A taken along line 2 b - 2 b .
- Heat exchange system 202 is similar to heat exchange system 102 except heat exchange system 202 has only a single air conduit 212 including a heat exchange medium conduit 214 .
- Air conduit 212 may be larger than an individual air conduit 112 of heat exchange assembly 100 .
- Each heat exchange medium conduit 214 may be positioned inside air conduit 212 to define a heat exchanger, comprising, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2B , gap 222 as well as an exterior surface of heat exchange medium conduit 214 , such that heat may be transferred between the airflow within that air conduit 212 and the heat exchange medium flow within the heat exchange medium conduit 214 contained within that air conduit 212 .
- the air conduit 212 may include at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder 228 for holding the heat exchange medium conduit 214 away from an inner surface 230 of the air conduit 212 to define an air flow gap 232 .
- heat exchange medium conduit 214 may comprise an upstream heat exchange medium artery 234 and a downstream heat exchange medium vein 236 defining a closed-loop artery-vein configuration inside the corresponding air conduit 212 .
- Each heat exchange medium conduit 214 may receive heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source.
- the upstream heat exchange medium artery 234 can provide the heat exchange medium flow from the upwind portion 218 of the air conduit 212 to the downwind portion 220 of the air conduit 212 .
- the downstream heat exchange medium vein 236 can receive the heat exchange medium flow from the upstream heat exchange medium artery 234 and provide the heat exchange medium flow from the downwind portion 220 of the air conduit 212 back to the upwind portion 218 of air conduit 212 .
- the heat exchange medium flow may then be returned to the heat exchange medium flow source or, alternatively, discharged.
- heat exchange assembly 300 having a heat exchange system 302 .
- Heat exchange system 302 is similar to heat exchange systems 102 and 202 except heat exchange system 302 includes a single air conduit 312 comprising at least one heat exchange medium conduit 314 .
- the air conduit 312 may comprise at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder 328 to hold the heat exchange medium conduit 314 away from an inner surface 330 of the air conduit 312 to define an air flow gap 332 .
- each heat exchange medium conduit 314 may include an upstream heat exchange medium artery 334 and a downstream heat exchange medium vein 336 defining a closed-loop artery-vein configuration inside the air conduit 312 .
- Each heat exchange medium conduit 314 may receive heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source.
- heat exchange assembly 100 When describing additional features of the claimed invention below, reference is made to the embodiment of heat exchange assembly 100 and its components. It should be understood that the description below is not limited to heat exchange assembly 100 and, where applicable, can be applied to heat exchange assembly 200 and heat exchange assembly 300 .
- the air conduit reel 108 comprises an air manifold 140 that can be in fluid communication with the airflow source and a heat exchange medium manifold 142 that can be in fluid communication with the heat exchange medium flow source.
- Each air conduit 112 of the plurality of air conduits 124 can be attached at the upwind portion 118 (shown in FIG. 1A ) to the air conduit reel 108 to be in fluid communication with the air manifold 140 to receive the airflow source.
- the airflow source may be a centrifugal fan 144 .
- the centrifugal fan 144 may be attachable and detachable from the air conduit reel 108 .
- Each heat exchange medium conduit 114 of the plurality of heat exchange medium conduits 126 can receive the heat exchange medium flow source at the upstream end via the heat exchange medium manifold 142 connected to the air conduit reel 108 .
- the plurality of air conduits 124 (shown in FIG. 1B ) attached to the air conduit reel 108 may be aligned to provide substantially parallel airflow paths and to define a first wrapping plane 146 a and a second wrapping plane 148 a (shown in FIG. 1B ).
- a Cartesian coordinate system 147 comprising an x-axis (x), a y-axis (y) and a z-axis (z) is superimposed on FIG. 1A to assist in describing the alignment of the plurality of the air conduits 124 .
- the first wrapping plane 146 a corresponds to the xz-plane of the Cartesian coordinate system 147 which extends parallel along the plurality of air conduits 124 (i.e. the z-axis) from the origin of the Cartesian coordinate system 147 to the air mixing box 104 .
- the second wrapping plane 148 a is parallel to the first wrapping plane 146 a , separated by an offset 149 (shown in FIG. 1B ) along the y-axis corresponding to the diameter of each air conduit 112 of the plurality of air conduits 124 . As illustrated in FIG.
- the substantially parallel airflow path can further define a first wrapping plane 146 b and a second wrapping plane (not shown) between the air conduit reel 108 and the origin of the Cartesian coordinate system 147 .
- Both the first wrapping plane 146 b and second wrapping plane are slanted versions of the first wrapping plane 146 a and the second wrapping plane 148 a , respectively, from the origin of the Cartesian coordinate system 147 to the air conduit reel 108 .
- the plurality of air conduits 124 may be wrapped around the air conduit reel 108 without blocking or collapsing the substantially parallel airflow paths.
- each of the substantially parallel airflow paths can be kept open to allow for airflow by its corresponding heat exchange conduit holder 128 .
- the plurality of air conduits 124 may be aligned together by a substantially planar air conduit guide 106 (shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B ).
- FIG. 1B shows a planar air conduit guide 106 , in accordance with an embodiment, in which the planar air conduit guide 106 aligns the plurality of air conduits 124 .
- the plurality of air conduits 124 comprises nine 4-inch diameter air hoses.
- the plurality of air conduits 124 comprises twenty 2-inch diameter air hoses.
- Alternative embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B may comprise only a single air conduit 212 .
- a single air conduit 212 may be aligned by a planar air conduit guide 206 .
- planar air conduit guide 206 With or without planar air conduit guide 206 , a single air conduit 212 may be wrapped around an air conduit reel 208 in a similar manner as described above. In other embodiments, the single air conduit 212 may not be sufficiently bendable to wrap around an air conduit reel 208 .
- the diameter of each of the plurality of air conduits 124 may vary, and the number of air conduits 124 may also vary.
- the planar air conduit guide 106 may extend through the first wrapping plane 146 a , 146 b and the second wrapping plane 148 a .
- the planar air conduit guide 106 may be bendable about a bending axis 150 parallel to the first wrapping plane 146 a , 146 b and the second wrapping plane 148 a and orthogonal to the substantially parallel airflow paths while resisting bending about other axes not parallel to the bending axis 150 as to allow the planar air conduit guide to be wrappable around the air conduit reel 108 in either a clockwise 154 or a counterclockwise 156 direction.
- an alternate planar air conduit guide may be bendable about a bending axis parallel to and above the first wrapping plane while resisting bending about all other axes, including axes parallel to the bending axis but on the other side of the planar air conduit guide, being underneath the second wrapping plane.
- This asymmetrical resistance to bending (bending about the first wrapping plane is facilitated, but bending about the second wrapping plane is resisted, allows the alternate air conduit guide to support the weight of the plurality of conduits 124 .
- the first wrapping plane and second wrapping planes are not divided into portions (i.e. 146 a and 146 b ; 148 a ) due to gravity.
- the plurality of air conduits 124 may be extended to reach areas off the surface 158 while remaining unbent despite the effect of gravity.
- FIG. 5 illustrated therein is side view of the air conduit reel 108 further comprising a guide arm 156 .
- the guide arm 156 may be spring-loaded and may connect to a roller (not shown) that holds the planar air conduit guide 106 in the center of the air conduit reel 108 .
- the guide arm 156 may be used to assist in wrapping and unwrapping the plurality of air conduits 124 around the air conduit reel 108 .
- the air conduit reel 108 may be used to move the plurality of air conduits 124 from a fully wrapped position (not shown) to a fully unwrapped position (shown in FIG. 1A ).
- the downwind portion 120 of each air conduit 112 can be movable relative to the upwind portion 118 of each air conduit 112 .
- the air conduit reel 108 may be used to unwrap the plurality of air conduits 124 to a position below an airplane for cooling. After cooling has completed, the air conduit reel 108 may be used to remove the plurality of air conduits 124 from the position below the airplane by wrapping the plurality of air conduits 124 about the air conduit reel 108 .
- the planar air conduit guide 106 may rest on the surface 158 when not in the fully wrapped position (shown in FIG. 1A ).
- the planar air conduit guide 106 may further comprise at least one pair of wheels 160 , which can be attached on adjacent sides of the planar air conduit guide 106 to support the planar air conduit guide 106 on the surface 158 (shown in FIG. 1B ).
- the air conduit reel 108 further comprises a heat exchange medium swivel 162 .
- the heat exchange medium swivel 162 may be connected to the heat exchange medium manifold 142 such that the air conduit reel 108 rotates independently of the heat exchange medium swivel 162 as to prevent a heat exchange medium supply line (not shown) and heat exchange medium discharge line (not shown) from twisting when the air conduit reel 108 is being rotated.
- FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of FIG. 1A taken of section 1 c . In accordance with an embodiment, FIG.
- FIG. 1C shows the heat exchange medium swivel 162 connected to the air conduit reel 108 , including a heat exchange medium supply line connection 164 and a heat exchange medium discharge line connection 166 for connecting the heat exchange medium supply line and the heat exchange medium discharge line, respectively.
- the heat exchange supply line may travel from a slurry ice reservoir (not shown) to the heat exchange medium supply line connection 166
- the heat exchange medium discharge line may travel from the heat exchange medium discharge connection 168 to the slurry ice reservoir.
- At least a portion of the heat exchange assembly 100 , 200 , or 300 may be attached to the base of an aircraft passenger bridge extending from an airport terminal.
- heat exchange system 102 may run along the base of the aircraft passenger bridge and air mixing box 104 may be attached to the base of the aircraft passenger bridge at an end opposite to the airport terminal.
- the passenger bridge attaches to the aircraft, and preconditioned air hose 110 can be connected between the aircraft and the air mixing box 104 to deliver the airflow to the aircraft.
- the passenger bridge may be extendable and compressible.
- the heat exchange system 102 may correspondingly extend and compress.
- the heat exchange system 102 may bend back upon itself forming a tortuous path.
- the heat exchange system 102 may telescope within itself.
- the at least one heat exchange medium conduit 114 may telescope while the at least one air conduit 112 may compress.
- the heat exchange system 102 may correspondingly ravel and unravel on the air conduit reel 108 as the passenger bridge extends and compresses.
- the at least one air conduit 112 may be telescopic (different lengthwise portions of the air conduit fitting or nesting within one another, analogous to a telescope) and the heat exchange medium conduit 114 may fold back on itself.
- the at least one air conduit 112 may be telescopic and the heat exchange medium conduit 114 may stretch and relax accordingly.
- the above example do not intend to limit the ways by which the at least one air conduit 112 and the heat exchange medium conduit 114 may extend to a first length and retract to a second length. There may be other methods of extending and compressing the at least one air conduit 112 or the heat exchange medium conduit 114 .
- the air mixing box 104 comprises an air manifold 170 in fluid communication with the airflow source.
- heat exchange assembly 200 and heat exchange assembly 300 may each include an air mixing box that is similar to air mixing box 104 .
- the air manifold 170 may include a filter 172 for removing moisture from the airflow. Filter 172 be a cyclonic air flow path in air mixing box 104 to promote the separation of moisture or condensation from the air flow as it travels within air mixing box 104 .
- Condensation separated from the air flow may collect in a lower compartment 180 of the air mixing box 104 .
- Moisture, or condensation may also collect on inner surface 130 (shown in FIG. 1B ) as the air flow is cooled.
- at least some of the condensation may be removed from the inner surface 130 prior to the air mixing box 104 .
- the condensation may be expelled from the air conduit 112 from an aperture, or a drain (not shown), in air conduit 112 .
- the aperture may be positioned in air conduit 112 to allow condensation to drip onto surface 158 .
- the aperture may also be used to drain chemicals out of the air conduit 112 during a cleaning process.
- Each air conduit 112 of the plurality of air conduits 124 is attached, at the downwind portion 120 , to the air mixing box 104 and the air mixing box 104 can be in fluid communication with the plurality of air conduits 124 to receive the airflow from the airflow source.
- the preconditioned air hose 110 is in fluid communication with the air manifold 170 to receive a dried airflow from the air manifold downwind of the filter 172 .
- the preconditioned air hose 110 has a first end 174 attached to the air mixing box 104 and a second end 176 moveable relative to the first end 174 .
- the second end 176 can be positionable relative to an airplane 178 to provide a dried airflow from the air mixing box 104 .
- a lower compartment 180 of the air mixing box 104 may be used to collect and store condensation from the airflow as the airflow dries in the air mixing box 104 .
- the air mixing box 104 may include a filter for removing bacteria from the airflow, for example a mesh filter or an ultraviolet light.
- the air mixing box 104 may also include an at least one pair of wheels 182 , attached on adjacent sides of the mixing box 104 . Each pair of wheels 182 may assist in positioning of the air mixing box 104 relative to the airplane 178 to be cooled.
- FIG. 6B shows a section view of the air mixing box of FIG. 6A along the line 6 b - 6 b . As the airflow moves downwind through the filter 172 , filtered condensation falls and can be collected in the lower compartment 180 (shown in FIG. 6A ).
- the air manifold may include a humidifier (not shown) for adding moisture to the airflow.
- the other components of the air mixing box 104 can operate in the manner described in which slurry ice is the heat exchange medium.
- a humidified airflow can be provided instead of providing the dried airflow through the preconditioned air hose 110 .
- the air manifold 170 may include a switch (not shown) for switching between the humidifier and the filter 172 as to enable the filter 172 to be used for both heating and cooling using different types of heat exchange mediums.
- the planar air conduit guide 106 may be used to supply a plurality of utility conduits 184 in parallel with the plurality of air conduits 124 .
- the plurality of utility conduits 184 may include electric power cables, fluid conduits, and compressed air hoses.
- the plurality of utility conduits 184 may be used to operate the filter 172 , the humidifier, a fan (not shown), a heater (not shown), a sensor (not shown), or any combination thereof, contained in the air mixing box 104 .
- the plurality of utility conduits 184 may be configured to form a plurality of utility outlets (not shown) at the air mixing box 104 .
- the plurality of utility outlets may distribute power to ground support equipment, such as belt loaders, baggage-lifting robots, or container lifters.
- the plurality of utility conduits 184 may be extendable from either the planar air conduit guide 106 or the air mixing box 104 to ground support equipment near or under the airplane.
- each air conduit 112 of the plurality of air conduits 124 comprises an external membrane 186 defining the airflow path.
- the external membrane 186 of the corresponding air conduit 112 can have a thermal resistance exceeding a thermal resistance of the heat exchanger 122 such that heat transfer between the airflow inside the corresponding air conduit 112 and the heat exchange medium flow exceeds that of the heat transfer across the external membrane 184 of the corresponding air conduit 112 and an external environment 188 .
- heat may be transferred from the external environment 188 to the airflow inside the corresponding air conduit 112 through the external membrane 186 .
- Heat transfer from the atmosphere outside the external membrane 186 may counteract cooling provided by the heat exchanger 122 within the corresponding air conduit 112 wherein the airflow is being cooled by the transfer of heat to the heat exchange medium, such as slurry ice.
- the external membrane 186 may be made of material that has high thermal resistance to limit heat transfer between the airflow the corresponding air conduit 112 and the external environment 188 .
- air conduit 112 and heat exchange medium conduit 114 are similar in length, in alternative embodiments, the length of air conduit 112 may be substantially longer than heat exchange medium conduit 114 .
- heat exchange medium conduit 114 may be inserted into air conduit 112 part way down the length of air conduit 112 .
- the air conduit 112 may extend from an air flow source that is located further from the heat exchange medium source.
- the heat exchange medium conduit 114 and the air conduit 112 could be joined at an intermediate location in the air conduit 112 , for example proximate to an aircraft. This would allow for the air flow to be cooled only shortly prior to entering the fuselage of the aircraft.
- the air conduit is provided with a passenger bridge, and is extendable or contractible as the passenger bridge is extended toward or contracted away from an aircraft.
- the air conduit provided with the passenger bridge could be telescopically extendable or contractible, such that the air conduit could be contracted by fitting or nesting different lengthwise portions of the air conduit within one another, and could be extended by reversing this operation.
- the passenger bridge is extendable or retractable, it may be advantageous to provide the heat exchange medium conduit only in portions of the passenger bridge and air conduit that are not telescopically or otherwise extendable or contractible, as the heat exchange medium conduit may not be extendable or contractible.
- an airflow is provided along an airflow path.
- the airflow may be provided by a fan that blows air from the surrounding environment and the airflow path may be defined by an air flow conduit.
- a slurry ice flow can be provided along a slurry ice flow path.
- the slurry ice flow path may be defined by a slurry ice conduit.
- the slurry ice flow path can be adjacent to the airflow path and the slurry ice flow path can be separated from the airflow path by a thermally conductive barrier.
- the thermally conductive barrier may be the external membrane of the slurry ice conduit, which may, for example, be made of a thermally conductive material such as copper.
- the slurry ice flow path can be provided at a temperature below a temperature of the airflow such that heat is transferred from the airflow to the slurry ice flow via the thermally conductive barrier.
- the airflow path can be positioned to eject a cooled airflow into the space to be cooled.
- the space to be cooled may be the interior of an airplane or the interior of a vehicle.
- the slurry ice flow path may surround the airflow path.
- the slurry ice flow path may further comprise a slurry ice artery and a slurry ice vein.
- the slurry ice artery can be surrounded by the airflow path.
- the slurry ice artery can traverse the airflow path in an outgoing direction and can contain the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path.
- the slurry ice vein can be surrounded by the airflow path and can traverse the airflow in an incoming direction, opposite to the outgoing direction.
- the slurry ice vein can contain the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path.
- method 1000 may comprise an additional method 1008 in accordance with another embodiment.
- This additional method 1008 exemplifies one way of providing slurry ice at 1004 A.
- a thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir is provided.
- the thermally insulated slurry reservoir can be filled with slurry ice.
- a slurry ice generator located within an airport hangar may fill the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir with slurry ice.
- the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir can be moved closer to the space to be cooled such that the airflow path is positionable to eject the cooled airflow into the space to be cooled.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for a heat exchange system used to heat or cool a space are presented. The system includes an airflow source for providing an airflow and at least one conduit that defines an airflow path for receiving the airflow from the airflow source. The air conduit comprises an upwind portion and a downwind portion such that the airflow passes through the air conduit from the upwind portion to the downwind portion. The system further includes a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow and at least one heat exchange medium conduit that defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving the heat exchange medium from the heat exchange medium flow source. The heat exchange medium conduit is positioned inside a corresponding air conduit to define a heat exchanger in which heat may be transferred between the airflow within the air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow within the heat exchange medium conduit.
Description
- This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/559,059 filed on Sep. 15, 2017, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
- The embodiments disclosed herein relate to a heat exchanger assembly, and in particular to a heat exchanger system and method used to cool or heat air and/or a space, such as the interior of an airplane.
- Heat exchange systems for cooling or heating air and/or spaces are well-known. Nonetheless, there remains a need for more flexible and efficient heat exchange systems and methods.
- In accordance with an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a heat exchange system comprising an airflow source for providing an airflow, at least one air conduit, a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow, and at least one heat exchange medium conduit. For each air conduit of the at least one air conduit, that air conduit defines an airflow path for receiving the airflow from the airflow source, the air conduit having an upwind portion and a downwind portion such that the airflow passes through the air conduit from the upwind portion to the downwind portion. Each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit i) defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source; ii) further comprises a heat exchanger for transferring heat between the airflow within a corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow within that heat exchange medium conduit; and iii) is inside the corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit.
- In some embodiments, the heat exchange medium is either slurry ice for cooling the airflow or a heated fluid for heating the airflow.
- In some embodiments, for each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit, i) the heat exchange medium flow source supplies the heat exchange medium flow to an upstream end of that heat exchange medium conduit; ii) the heat exchange medium flow is through the heat exchange medium conduit from the upstream end to a downstream end; iii) the heat exchange medium flow is dischargeable from the downstream end of that heat exchange medium conduit; and iv) both the upstream end and the downstream end are located in the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit.
- In some embodiments, i) the at least one air conduit comprises a plurality of air conduits; and ii) the at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises a plurality of heat exchange medium conduits.
- In some embodiments, the downwind portion of each air conduit of the at least one air conduit is movable relative to the upwind portion of that air conduit.
- In some embodiments, each air conduit of the at least one air conduit comprises an at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder, and the at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder holds a heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit away from an inner surface of the air conduit to define an airflow gap for a portion of the airflow between the inner surface of the air conduit and the heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit.
- In some embodiments, each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises i) an upstream heat exchange medium artery for providing the heat exchange medium flow from the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit to the downwind portion of the corresponding air conduit; and ii) a downstream heat exchange medium vein for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the upstream heat exchange medium artery, and for providing the heat exchange medium flow from the downwind portion of the corresponding air conduit back to the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit. The at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder of each air conduit of the at least one air conduit holds the upstream heat exchange medium artery and the downstream heat exchange medium vein apart to define a heat exchange medium conduit gap, and each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit receives the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source.
- In some embodiments, the heat exchange system further comprises an air conduit reel including an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source, and a heat exchange medium manifold in fluid communication with the heat exchange medium flow source. The at least one air conduit comprises a plurality of air conduits. The plurality of air conduits are aligned to provide substantially parallel airflow paths and to define a first wrapping plane and a second wrapping plane; the substantially parallel airflow paths being disposed side-by-side between the first wrapping plane and the second wrapping plane; and the plurality of air conduits being wrappable around the air conduit reel without blocking the substantially parallel airflow paths. For each air conduit in the plurality of air conduits, the upwind portion is attached to the air conduit reel; and is in fluid communication with the air manifold to receive the airflow from the airflow source via the air conduit reel. The at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises a plurality of heat exchange medium conduits. For each heat exchange medium conduit in the plurality of heat exchange medium conduits, an upstream portion of that heat exchange conduit receives the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source via the air conduit reel; and the upstream portion is in fluid communication with the heat exchange medium manifold of the air conduit reel.
- In some embodiments, a substantially planar air conduit guide extending through the first wrapping plane attaches to the plurality of air conduits. The substantially planar air conduit guide is bendable about a bending axis parallel to the first wrapping plane and the second wrapping plane, and orthogonal to the substantially parallel airflow paths while resisting bending about other axes not parallel to the bending axis.
- In some embodiments, the planar air conduit guide comprises a plurality of supply electric power cables, a plurality of fluid conduits, and a plurality of compressed air hoses in parallel with the plurality of the air conduits.
- In some embodiments, the heat exchange system further comprises an air mixing box and a hose. For each air conduit of the plurality of air conduits, the downwind portion is attached to the air mixing box and the air mixing box is in fluid communication with the plurality of air conduits to receive the airflow from the airflow source. If the heat exchange medium is slurry ice, the air mixing box can comprise an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source; and a filter for removing moisture from the airflow. The hose is in fluid communication with the air manifold of the air mixing box to receive a dried airflow from the air manifold of the mixing box downwind of the filter; and has a first end attached to the air mixing box and a second end movable relative to the first end and the second end; is positionable relative to an aircraft to provide the dried airflow from the air mixing box to the aircraft.
- In some embodiments, the heat exchange system further comprises an air mixing box and a hose. For each air conduit of the plurality of air conduits, the downwind portion is attached to the air mixing box and the air mixing box is in fluid communication with the plurality of air conduits to receive the airflow from the airflow source. If the heat exchange medium is heated fluid, the air mixing box can comprise an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source; and a humidifier for adding moisture to the airflow. The hose is in fluid communication with the air manifold of the air mixing box to receive a humidified airflow from the air manifold of the mixing box downwind of the filter; and has a first end attached to the air mixing box and a second end movable relative to the first end; the second end is positionable relative to an aircraft to provide the humidified airflow from the air mixing box to the aircraft.
- In some embodiments, for each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit, the corresponding air conduit comprises an external membrane defining the airflow path, and the external membrane of the corresponding air conduit has a thermal resistance exceeding a thermal resistance of the heat exchanger, such that heat transfer between the airflow inside the corresponding air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow exceeds heat transfer across the external membrane of the corresponding air conduit.
- In some embodiments, the heat exchange system may further comprising an air conduit guide for supporting the at least one air conduit and for straightening the airflow path defined by the at least one air conduit.
- In some embodiments, the air conduit guide comprises a plurality of supply electric power cables, a plurality of fluid conduits, and a plurality of compressed air hoses in parallel with the plurality of the air conduits.
- In some embodiments, the at least one air conduit comprises only a single air conduit.
- In some embodiments, at least a portion of the at least one air conduit is telescopic defining an extended length of the at least one air conduit and a retracted length of the at least one air conduit. The heat exchange medium conduit is extendable to at least the extended length of the at least one air conduit and retractable to at least the retracted length of the at least one air conduit, the retracted length being shorter than the extended length. The heat exchange system is attached to an aircraft passenger bridge.
- In accordance with an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing cooling to a space. The method involves: providing an airflow along an airflow path; providing a slurry ice flow along a slurry ice flow path, the slurry ice flow path being adjacent to the airflow path, separated by a thermally conductive barrier, the slurry ice flow being provided at a temperature below a temperature of the airflow such that heat is transferred from the airflow to the slurry ice flow via the thermally conductive barrier; and positioning the airflow path to eject a cooled airflow into the space to be cooled.
- In some embodiments, the space to be cooled is an interior of a vehicle or an aircraft.
- In some embodiments, the described method involves: providing a thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir; filling the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir with slurry ice; and after filling the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir with the slurry ice, moving the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir containing the slurry ice closer to the space to be cooled, such that the airflow path is positionable to eject the cooled airflow into the space to be cooled; wherein providing the slurry ice flow along the slurry ice flow path comprises providing the slurry ice flow to the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir.
- In some embodiments, the described method involves: the slurry ice flow path comprising a slurry ice artery and a slurry ice vein. The slurry ice artery is surrounded by the airflow path; traverses the airflow path in an outgoing direction; and iii) contains the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path. The slurry ice vein is surrounded by the airflow path; traverses the airflow path in an incoming direction, opposite to the outgoing direction; and contains the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path.
- In accordance with an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a heat exchange system comprising an airflow source for providing an airflow, at least one air conduit, a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow, and at least one heat exchange medium conduit. For each air conduit of the at least one air conduit, that air conduit defines an airflow path for receiving the airflow from the airflow source, the air conduit having an upwind portion and a downwind portion such that the airflow passes through the air conduit from the upwind portion to the downwind portion. Each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit i) defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source; ii) further comprises a heat exchanger for transferring heat between the airflow within a corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow within that heat exchange medium conduit; and iii) contains the corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit is inside.
- Other aspects and features will become apparent, to those ordinarily skilled in the art, upon review of the following description of some exemplary embodiments.
- The drawings included herewith are for illustrating various examples of articles, methods, and apparatuses of the present specification. In the drawings:
-
FIG. 1A is a side perspective view of a heat exchanger assembly, in accordance with an embodiment; -
FIG. 1B is a sectional view of heat exchanger assembly shown inFIG. 1A taken alongline 1 b-1 b; -
FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of the heat exchanger assembly shown in FIG. C taken ofsection 1 c; -
FIG. 2A is a side perspective view of a heat exchanger assembly, in accordance with an embodiment; -
FIG. 2B is a sectional view of heat exchanger assembly shown inFIG. 2A taken alongline 2 b-2 b; -
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a heat exchanger assembly, in accordance with an embodiment; -
FIG. 4 is a front plan view of an air conduit reel, an air manifold, and a centrifugal fan, in accordance with an embodiment; -
FIG. 5 is a side plan view of an air conduit reel and a guide arm, in accordance with an embodiment; -
FIG. 6A is a side plan view of an air mixing box and a preconditioned air hose, in accordance with an embodiment; -
FIG. 6B is a sectional view of the air mixing box shown inFIG. 6A taken alongline 6 b-6 b; and -
FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method for cooling a space in accordance with an embodiment. - Various apparatuses or processes will be described below to provide an example of each claimed embodiment. No embodiment described below limits any claimed embodiment and any claimed embodiment may cover processes or apparatuses that differ from those described below. The claimed embodiments are not limited to apparatuses or processes having all of the features of any one apparatus or process described below or to features common to multiple or all of the apparatuses described below.
- Referring to
FIG. 1A , illustrated therein is aheat exchange assembly 100, in accordance with an embodiment. Theheat exchange assembly 100 includes aheat exchange system 102, anair mixing box 104, a planarair conduit guide 106, anair conduit reel 108, and a preconditionedair hose 110. Theheat exchange assembly 100 can serve a number of functions, such as the cooling or heating of any space. For example, the cooling of the interior of an airplane, the cooling or heating of the interior of a building, or the cooling or heating of a room in a house. Although the description below discusses slurry ice as a heat exchange medium, it is to be understood that any heat transfer fluid may act as the heat exchange medium, for example, water and common refrigerants. - Referring to
FIG. 1B , illustrated therein is a sectional view of theheat exchange assembly 100 ofFIG. 1A taken alongline 1 b-1 b. Theheat exchange system 102 comprises an airflow source (not shown), at least oneair conduit 112, a heat exchange medium flow source (not shown) and at least one heatexchange medium conduit 114. For example, the airflow source may be a fan that blows air from the surrounding environment through each air conduit of the at least oneair conduit 112, and the heat exchange medium source may be a slurry ice reservoir that provides slurry ice through each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heatexchange medium conduit 114. Each air conduit defines anairflow path 116 for receiving an airflow from the airflow source such that the airflow passes through each air conduit of the at least oneair conduit 112 from an upwind portion 118 (shown inFIG. 1A ) to a downwind portion 120 (shown inFIG. 1A ). - Referring still to
FIG. 1B , each heatexchange medium conduit 114 defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving a heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source. For example, each heatexchange medium conduit 114 may define a slurry ice flow path along which slurry ice can flow. Each heatexchange medium conduit 114 may be positioned inside acorresponding air conduit 112 to define a heat exchanger, comprising as shown, for example, inFIG. 1B ,gap 122 as well as an exterior surface of heatexchange medium conduit 114, such that heat may be transferred between the airflow withingap 122 of thatair conduit 112 and the heat exchange medium flow within the heatexchange medium conduit 114 contained within thatair conduit 112. Heat exchangemedium conduit 114 may run substantially parallel toair conduit 112 and have a similar overall length. In an alternative embodiment, heatexchange medium conduit 114 may run parallel toair conduit 112 in a coiled manner resulting in heatexchange medium conduit 114 having a greater overall length thanair conduit 112. For example, the ratio of heatexchange medium conduit 114 toair conduit 112 over a set distance may be 3:1. In an alternative embodiment, for each air conduit of the at least oneair conduit 112, that air conduit may be positioned inside a corresponding heat exchanger conduit of the at least oneheat exchanger conduit 114. In this alternative embodiment, heat may be transferred between the heat exchange medium flow within the corresponding heatexchange medium conduit 114 and the airflow within theair conduit 112 contained within that heatexchange medium conduit 114. - Referring to
FIGS. 1A and 1B , the heat exchange medium flow source supplies the heat exchange medium flow to an upstream end (not shown) of each heat exchange medium conduit 114 (shown inFIG. 1B ). The heat exchange medium flow path is through each heatexchange medium conduit 114 from its upstream end to its downstream end (not shown). The upstream end and the downstream end of each heat exchange medium conduit may be located in the upwind portion 118 (shown inFIG. 1A ) of the corresponding air conduit 112 (the air conduit that contains that heat exchange medium conduit) (shown inFIG. 1B ). For example, in some embodiments the upstream end of each heat exchange medium flow path begins at theupwind portion 118 of thecorresponding air conduit 112. The heat exchange medium flow travels through each heatexchange medium conduit 114 from theupwind portion 118 to thedownwind portion 120 of thatcorresponding air conduit 112. For each heatexchange medium conduit 114, when the heat exchange medium flow enters thedownwind portion 120 of thecorresponding air conduit 112, that heatexchange medium conduit 114 turns such that the heat exchange medium flow path is directed to back to theupwind portion 118 of thecorresponding air conduit 112. Upon reaching theupwind portion 118 of thecorresponding air conduit 112, the heat exchange medium flow path ends and the heat exchange medium is dischargeable from the downstream end of that heat exchange medium conduit. - In some embodiments, the heat exchange medium may be slurry ice for cooling the airflow. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the heat exchange medium may be a heated fluid for heating the airflow. Any fluid which promotes heat transfer may be used as a heat exchange medium. In accordance with an embodiment, the supply of the heat exchange medium flow source is a slurry ice supply line (not shown) extending from a slurry ice generator, located, for example, within an airport hangar, to the
heat exchange system FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, and 3 ) located on an airport tarmac. In an alternative embodiment, the slurry ice supply line may be a network of insulated pipes that run, for example, under the airport tarmac and transports slurry ice to any one of a number of locations within the airport. In this embodiment, theheat exchange system heat exchange system heat exchange system heat exchange system - Referring again to
FIG. 1B , in accordance with an embodiment, the at least oneair conduit 112 comprises a plurality ofair conduits 124 and the at least one heatexchange medium conduit 114 comprises a plurality of heatexchange medium conduits 126. Eachair conduit 112 of the plurality ofair conduits 124 may comprise at least one heat exchangemedium conduit holder 128. Each heatexchange medium holder 128 can hold a heatexchange medium conduit 114 away from aninner surface 130 of thecorresponding air conduit 112 to define anair flow gap 132 for a portion of the airflow between theinner surface 130 of thecorresponding air conduit 112 and that heatexchange medium conduit 114. With each heatexchange medium conduit 114 held off theinner surface 130 of thecorresponding air conduit 112 by a corresponding heatexchange medium holder 128, the surface area of that heatexchange medium conduit 114 in contact with the airflow in thecorresponding air conduit 112 can be increased. In this way, theair flow gap 132 may improve the efficiency of heat exchange. - Referring still to
FIG. 1B , in accordance with an embodiment, each heatexchange medium conduit 114 may comprise an upstream heatexchange medium artery 134 and a downstream heatexchange medium vein 136 defining a closed-loop artery-vein configuration inside the correspondingair conduit 112. Each heatexchange medium conduit 114 may receive heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source. The upstream heatexchange medium artery 134 can provide the heat exchange medium flow from theupwind portion 118 of thecorresponding air conduit 112 to thedownwind portion 120 of thesame air conduit 112. The downstream heatexchange medium vein 136 receives the heat exchange medium flow from the upstream heatexchange medium artery 134 and provides the heat exchange medium flow from thedownwind portion 120 of thecorresponding air conduit 112 back to theupwind portion 118 of thatair conduit 112. The heat exchange medium flow may then be returned to the heat exchange medium flow source or, alternatively, discharged. - Referring still to
FIG. 1B , in accordance with an embodiment, each heatexchange conduit holder 128 of eachair conduit 112 may hold the upstream heatexchange medium artery 134 and the downstream heatexchange medium vein 136 apart to define a heat exchangemedium conduit gap 138. Providing the heat exchangemedium conduit gap 138 may improve the efficiency of theheat exchanger 122 by increasing the surface area of the upstream heatexchange medium artery 134 and the downstream heatexchange medium vein 136 in contact with the airflow in thecorresponding air conduit 112. - Referring to
FIG. 2A , an embodiment ofheat exchange assembly 200 is shown having aheat exchange system 202. Theheat exchange assembly 200 includes aheat exchange system 202, anair mixing box 204, a planarair conduit guide 206, anair conduit reel 208, and a preconditionedair hose 210. Referring toFIG. 2B , illustrated therein is a sectional view of theheat exchange assembly 200 ofFIG. 2A taken alongline 2 b-2 b.Heat exchange system 202 is similar toheat exchange system 102 exceptheat exchange system 202 has only asingle air conduit 212 including a heatexchange medium conduit 214.Air conduit 212 may be larger than anindividual air conduit 112 ofheat exchange assembly 100. Increasing the diameter ofair conduit 112 may reduce an internal pressure drop alongheat exchange assembly 200. Each heatexchange medium conduit 214 may be positioned insideair conduit 212 to define a heat exchanger, comprising, as shown, for example, inFIG. 2B ,gap 222 as well as an exterior surface of heatexchange medium conduit 214, such that heat may be transferred between the airflow within thatair conduit 212 and the heat exchange medium flow within the heatexchange medium conduit 214 contained within thatair conduit 212. Theair conduit 212 may include at least one heat exchangemedium conduit holder 228 for holding the heatexchange medium conduit 214 away from aninner surface 230 of theair conduit 212 to define anair flow gap 232. - Referring still to
FIG. 2B , heatexchange medium conduit 214 may comprise an upstream heatexchange medium artery 234 and a downstream heatexchange medium vein 236 defining a closed-loop artery-vein configuration inside the correspondingair conduit 212. Each heatexchange medium conduit 214 may receive heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source. The upstream heatexchange medium artery 234 can provide the heat exchange medium flow from theupwind portion 218 of theair conduit 212 to thedownwind portion 220 of theair conduit 212. The downstream heatexchange medium vein 236 can receive the heat exchange medium flow from the upstream heatexchange medium artery 234 and provide the heat exchange medium flow from thedownwind portion 220 of theair conduit 212 back to theupwind portion 218 ofair conduit 212. The heat exchange medium flow may then be returned to the heat exchange medium flow source or, alternatively, discharged. - Referring to
FIG. 3 , an embodiment ofheat exchange assembly 300 is shown having aheat exchange system 302.Heat exchange system 302 is similar toheat exchange systems heat exchange system 302 includes asingle air conduit 312 comprising at least one heatexchange medium conduit 314. Theair conduit 312 may comprise at least one heat exchangemedium conduit holder 328 to hold the heatexchange medium conduit 314 away from aninner surface 330 of theair conduit 312 to define anair flow gap 332. - Referring still to
FIG. 3 , in accordance with an embodiment, each heatexchange medium conduit 314 may include an upstream heatexchange medium artery 334 and a downstream heatexchange medium vein 336 defining a closed-loop artery-vein configuration inside theair conduit 312. Each heatexchange medium conduit 314 may receive heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source. - When describing additional features of the claimed invention below, reference is made to the embodiment of
heat exchange assembly 100 and its components. It should be understood that the description below is not limited to heatexchange assembly 100 and, where applicable, can be applied toheat exchange assembly 200 andheat exchange assembly 300. - Referring to
FIG. 4 , an embodiment is shown in which theair conduit reel 108 comprises anair manifold 140 that can be in fluid communication with the airflow source and a heatexchange medium manifold 142 that can be in fluid communication with the heat exchange medium flow source. Eachair conduit 112 of the plurality ofair conduits 124 can be attached at the upwind portion 118 (shown inFIG. 1A ) to theair conduit reel 108 to be in fluid communication with theair manifold 140 to receive the airflow source. In some embodiments, the airflow source may be acentrifugal fan 144. Thecentrifugal fan 144 may be attachable and detachable from theair conduit reel 108. Each heatexchange medium conduit 114 of the plurality of heatexchange medium conduits 126 can receive the heat exchange medium flow source at the upstream end via the heatexchange medium manifold 142 connected to theair conduit reel 108. - Referring again to
FIG. 1A , the plurality of air conduits 124 (shown inFIG. 1B ) attached to theair conduit reel 108 may be aligned to provide substantially parallel airflow paths and to define afirst wrapping plane 146 a and asecond wrapping plane 148 a (shown inFIG. 1B ). A Cartesian coordinatesystem 147 comprising an x-axis (x), a y-axis (y) and a z-axis (z) is superimposed onFIG. 1A to assist in describing the alignment of the plurality of theair conduits 124. Thefirst wrapping plane 146 a corresponds to the xz-plane of the Cartesian coordinatesystem 147 which extends parallel along the plurality of air conduits 124 (i.e. the z-axis) from the origin of the Cartesian coordinatesystem 147 to theair mixing box 104. Thesecond wrapping plane 148 a is parallel to thefirst wrapping plane 146 a, separated by an offset 149 (shown inFIG. 1B ) along the y-axis corresponding to the diameter of eachair conduit 112 of the plurality ofair conduits 124. As illustrated inFIG. 1A , as theair conduit reel 108 can be elevated adistance 151 above asurface 158 to permit wrapping of the plurality ofair conduits 124, the substantially parallel airflow path can further define afirst wrapping plane 146 b and a second wrapping plane (not shown) between theair conduit reel 108 and the origin of the Cartesian coordinatesystem 147. Both thefirst wrapping plane 146 b and second wrapping plane are slanted versions of thefirst wrapping plane 146 a and thesecond wrapping plane 148 a, respectively, from the origin of the Cartesian coordinatesystem 147 to theair conduit reel 108. - Referring to
FIG. 4 , the plurality ofair conduits 124 may be wrapped around theair conduit reel 108 without blocking or collapsing the substantially parallel airflow paths. In some embodiments, each of the substantially parallel airflow paths can be kept open to allow for airflow by its corresponding heatexchange conduit holder 128. The plurality ofair conduits 124 may be aligned together by a substantially planar air conduit guide 106 (shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B ).FIG. 1B shows a planarair conduit guide 106, in accordance with an embodiment, in which the planarair conduit guide 106 aligns the plurality ofair conduits 124. In some embodiments, the plurality ofair conduits 124 comprises nine 4-inch diameter air hoses. In an alternative embodiment, the plurality ofair conduits 124 comprises twenty 2-inch diameter air hoses. Alternative embodiments, as shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B , may comprise only asingle air conduit 212. Asingle air conduit 212 may be aligned by a planarair conduit guide 206. With or without planarair conduit guide 206, asingle air conduit 212 may be wrapped around anair conduit reel 208 in a similar manner as described above. In other embodiments, thesingle air conduit 212 may not be sufficiently bendable to wrap around anair conduit reel 208. In still further embodiments, the diameter of each of the plurality ofair conduits 124 may vary, and the number ofair conduits 124 may also vary. - Referring again to
FIGS. 1A and 1B , the planarair conduit guide 106 may extend through thefirst wrapping plane second wrapping plane 148 a. In one embodiment, the planarair conduit guide 106 may be bendable about a bendingaxis 150 parallel to thefirst wrapping plane second wrapping plane 148 a and orthogonal to the substantially parallel airflow paths while resisting bending about other axes not parallel to the bendingaxis 150 as to allow the planar air conduit guide to be wrappable around theair conduit reel 108 in either a clockwise 154 or a counterclockwise 156 direction. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), an alternate planar air conduit guide may be bendable about a bending axis parallel to and above the first wrapping plane while resisting bending about all other axes, including axes parallel to the bending axis but on the other side of the planar air conduit guide, being underneath the second wrapping plane. This asymmetrical resistance to bending (bending about the first wrapping plane is facilitated, but bending about the second wrapping plane is resisted, allows the alternate air conduit guide to support the weight of the plurality ofconduits 124. In this way, the first wrapping plane and second wrapping planes are not divided into portions (i.e. 146 a and 146 b; 148 a) due to gravity. In this embodiment, the plurality ofair conduits 124 may be extended to reach areas off thesurface 158 while remaining unbent despite the effect of gravity. - Referring to
FIG. 5 , illustrated therein is side view of theair conduit reel 108 further comprising aguide arm 156. Theguide arm 156 may be spring-loaded and may connect to a roller (not shown) that holds the planarair conduit guide 106 in the center of theair conduit reel 108. Theguide arm 156 may be used to assist in wrapping and unwrapping the plurality ofair conduits 124 around theair conduit reel 108. Theair conduit reel 108 may be used to move the plurality ofair conduits 124 from a fully wrapped position (not shown) to a fully unwrapped position (shown inFIG. 1A ). Thedownwind portion 120 of eachair conduit 112 can be movable relative to theupwind portion 118 of eachair conduit 112. For example, theair conduit reel 108 may be used to unwrap the plurality ofair conduits 124 to a position below an airplane for cooling. After cooling has completed, theair conduit reel 108 may be used to remove the plurality ofair conduits 124 from the position below the airplane by wrapping the plurality ofair conduits 124 about theair conduit reel 108. - In accordance with an embodiment, the planar
air conduit guide 106 may rest on thesurface 158 when not in the fully wrapped position (shown inFIG. 1A ). Referring specifically toFIG. 1B , in accordance with another embodiment, the planarair conduit guide 106 may further comprise at least one pair ofwheels 160, which can be attached on adjacent sides of the planarair conduit guide 106 to support the planarair conduit guide 106 on the surface 158 (shown inFIG. 1B ). - Referring again to
FIG. 4 , in accordance with an embodiment, theair conduit reel 108 further comprises a heatexchange medium swivel 162. The heatexchange medium swivel 162 may be connected to the heatexchange medium manifold 142 such that theair conduit reel 108 rotates independently of the heatexchange medium swivel 162 as to prevent a heat exchange medium supply line (not shown) and heat exchange medium discharge line (not shown) from twisting when theair conduit reel 108 is being rotated.FIG. 1C is an enlarged view ofFIG. 1A taken ofsection 1 c. In accordance with an embodiment,FIG. 1C shows the heatexchange medium swivel 162 connected to theair conduit reel 108, including a heat exchange mediumsupply line connection 164 and a heat exchange mediumdischarge line connection 166 for connecting the heat exchange medium supply line and the heat exchange medium discharge line, respectively. For example, the heat exchange supply line may travel from a slurry ice reservoir (not shown) to the heat exchange mediumsupply line connection 166, and/or, the heat exchange medium discharge line may travel from the heat exchange medium discharge connection 168 to the slurry ice reservoir. - In an alternative embodiment, at least a portion of the
heat exchange assembly heat exchange system 102 may run along the base of the aircraft passenger bridge andair mixing box 104 may be attached to the base of the aircraft passenger bridge at an end opposite to the airport terminal. When an aircraft arrives at the airport terminal, the passenger bridge attaches to the aircraft, and preconditionedair hose 110 can be connected between the aircraft and theair mixing box 104 to deliver the airflow to the aircraft. - In an alternative embodiment, the passenger bridge may be extendable and compressible. The
heat exchange system 102 may correspondingly extend and compress. In one example, theheat exchange system 102 may bend back upon itself forming a tortuous path. In a second example, theheat exchange system 102 may telescope within itself. In a third example, the at least one heatexchange medium conduit 114 may telescope while the at least oneair conduit 112 may compress. In a forth example, theheat exchange system 102 may correspondingly ravel and unravel on theair conduit reel 108 as the passenger bridge extends and compresses. In a fifth example, the at least oneair conduit 112 may be telescopic (different lengthwise portions of the air conduit fitting or nesting within one another, analogous to a telescope) and the heatexchange medium conduit 114 may fold back on itself. In a sixth example, the at least oneair conduit 112 may be telescopic and the heatexchange medium conduit 114 may stretch and relax accordingly. The above example do not intend to limit the ways by which the at least oneair conduit 112 and the heatexchange medium conduit 114 may extend to a first length and retract to a second length. There may be other methods of extending and compressing the at least oneair conduit 112 or the heatexchange medium conduit 114. - As shown in accordance with the embodiment of
FIGS. 6A and 6B , theair mixing box 104 comprises anair manifold 170 in fluid communication with the airflow source. Although discussed in reference to heatexchange assembly 100,heat exchange assembly 200 andheat exchange assembly 300 may each include an air mixing box that is similar toair mixing box 104. In accordance with an embodiment wherein the heat exchange medium is slurry ice, theair manifold 170 may include afilter 172 for removing moisture from the airflow.Filter 172 be a cyclonic air flow path inair mixing box 104 to promote the separation of moisture or condensation from the air flow as it travels withinair mixing box 104. Condensation separated from the air flow, whether by a filter, or cyclonic or other means, may collect in alower compartment 180 of theair mixing box 104. Moisture, or condensation, may also collect on inner surface 130 (shown inFIG. 1B ) as the air flow is cooled. In an embodiment, at least some of the condensation may be removed from theinner surface 130 prior to theair mixing box 104. The condensation may be expelled from theair conduit 112 from an aperture, or a drain (not shown), inair conduit 112. The aperture may be positioned inair conduit 112 to allow condensation to drip ontosurface 158. The aperture may also be used to drain chemicals out of theair conduit 112 during a cleaning process. Eachair conduit 112 of the plurality ofair conduits 124 is attached, at thedownwind portion 120, to theair mixing box 104 and theair mixing box 104 can be in fluid communication with the plurality ofair conduits 124 to receive the airflow from the airflow source. The preconditionedair hose 110 is in fluid communication with theair manifold 170 to receive a dried airflow from the air manifold downwind of thefilter 172. The preconditionedair hose 110 has afirst end 174 attached to theair mixing box 104 and asecond end 176 moveable relative to thefirst end 174. Thesecond end 176 can be positionable relative to anairplane 178 to provide a dried airflow from theair mixing box 104. Alower compartment 180 of theair mixing box 104 may be used to collect and store condensation from the airflow as the airflow dries in theair mixing box 104. Theair mixing box 104 may include a filter for removing bacteria from the airflow, for example a mesh filter or an ultraviolet light. Theair mixing box 104 may also include an at least one pair ofwheels 182, attached on adjacent sides of themixing box 104. Each pair ofwheels 182 may assist in positioning of theair mixing box 104 relative to theairplane 178 to be cooled.FIG. 6B shows a section view of the air mixing box ofFIG. 6A along theline 6 b-6 b. As the airflow moves downwind through thefilter 172, filtered condensation falls and can be collected in the lower compartment 180 (shown inFIG. 6A ). - In an alternative embodiment, where the heat exchange medium is a heated fluid (such as hot water), the air manifold may include a humidifier (not shown) for adding moisture to the airflow. The other components of the
air mixing box 104 can operate in the manner described in which slurry ice is the heat exchange medium. However, instead of providing the dried airflow through the preconditionedair hose 110, a humidified airflow can be provided. Theair manifold 170 may include a switch (not shown) for switching between the humidifier and thefilter 172 as to enable thefilter 172 to be used for both heating and cooling using different types of heat exchange mediums. - Referring again to
FIG. 1A , in accordance with an embodiment, the planarair conduit guide 106 may be used to supply a plurality ofutility conduits 184 in parallel with the plurality ofair conduits 124. The plurality ofutility conduits 184 may include electric power cables, fluid conduits, and compressed air hoses. The plurality ofutility conduits 184 may be used to operate thefilter 172, the humidifier, a fan (not shown), a heater (not shown), a sensor (not shown), or any combination thereof, contained in theair mixing box 104. In accordance with an embodiment, the plurality ofutility conduits 184 may be configured to form a plurality of utility outlets (not shown) at theair mixing box 104. For example, the plurality of utility outlets may distribute power to ground support equipment, such as belt loaders, baggage-lifting robots, or container lifters. In accordance with another embodiment, the plurality ofutility conduits 184 may be extendable from either the planarair conduit guide 106 or theair mixing box 104 to ground support equipment near or under the airplane. - Referring again to
FIG. 1B , eachair conduit 112 of the plurality ofair conduits 124 comprises anexternal membrane 186 defining the airflow path. Theexternal membrane 186 of thecorresponding air conduit 112 can have a thermal resistance exceeding a thermal resistance of theheat exchanger 122 such that heat transfer between the airflow inside the correspondingair conduit 112 and the heat exchange medium flow exceeds that of the heat transfer across theexternal membrane 184 of thecorresponding air conduit 112 and anexternal environment 188. For example, on a hot day, heat may be transferred from theexternal environment 188 to the airflow inside the correspondingair conduit 112 through theexternal membrane 186. Heat transfer from the atmosphere outside theexternal membrane 186 may counteract cooling provided by theheat exchanger 122 within the correspondingair conduit 112 wherein the airflow is being cooled by the transfer of heat to the heat exchange medium, such as slurry ice. To mitigate this, theexternal membrane 186 may be made of material that has high thermal resistance to limit heat transfer between the airflow thecorresponding air conduit 112 and theexternal environment 188. - Although in the Figures it appears that
air conduit 112 and heatexchange medium conduit 114 are similar in length, in alternative embodiments, the length ofair conduit 112 may be substantially longer than heatexchange medium conduit 114. For example, heatexchange medium conduit 114 may be inserted intoair conduit 112 part way down the length ofair conduit 112. In a second example, where the heat exchange system is used to cool an aircraft, theair conduit 112 may extend from an air flow source that is located further from the heat exchange medium source. In this example, the heatexchange medium conduit 114 and theair conduit 112 could be joined at an intermediate location in theair conduit 112, for example proximate to an aircraft. This would allow for the air flow to be cooled only shortly prior to entering the fuselage of the aircraft. This could, for example, be particularly advantageous in embodiments in which the air conduit is provided with a passenger bridge, and is extendable or contractible as the passenger bridge is extended toward or contracted away from an aircraft. In at least some of these embodiments, the air conduit provided with the passenger bridge could be telescopically extendable or contractible, such that the air conduit could be contracted by fitting or nesting different lengthwise portions of the air conduit within one another, and could be extended by reversing this operation. In these embodiments, or indeed in any embodiments in which the passenger bridge is extendable or retractable, it may be advantageous to provide the heat exchange medium conduit only in portions of the passenger bridge and air conduit that are not telescopically or otherwise extendable or contractible, as the heat exchange medium conduit may not be extendable or contractible. - Referring to
FIG. 7 , illustrated therein is amethod 1000 for cooling a space, in accordance with an embodiment. At 1002 an airflow is provided along an airflow path. For example, the airflow may be provided by a fan that blows air from the surrounding environment and the airflow path may be defined by an air flow conduit. At 1004A, a slurry ice flow can be provided along a slurry ice flow path. For example, the slurry ice flow path may be defined by a slurry ice conduit. As indicated in 1004B, the slurry ice flow path can be adjacent to the airflow path and the slurry ice flow path can be separated from the airflow path by a thermally conductive barrier. For example, the thermally conductive barrier may be the external membrane of the slurry ice conduit, which may, for example, be made of a thermally conductive material such as copper. At 1004C, the slurry ice flow path can be provided at a temperature below a temperature of the airflow such that heat is transferred from the airflow to the slurry ice flow via the thermally conductive barrier. At 1006, the airflow path can be positioned to eject a cooled airflow into the space to be cooled. For example, the space to be cooled may be the interior of an airplane or the interior of a vehicle. In an alternative embodiment, the slurry ice flow path may surround the airflow path. - Referring still to
FIG. 7 , the slurry ice flow path may further comprise a slurry ice artery and a slurry ice vein. The slurry ice artery can be surrounded by the airflow path. The slurry ice artery can traverse the airflow path in an outgoing direction and can contain the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path. The slurry ice vein can be surrounded by the airflow path and can traverse the airflow in an incoming direction, opposite to the outgoing direction. The slurry ice vein can contain the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path. - Referring still to
FIG. 7 , as illustrated thereinmethod 1000 may comprise anadditional method 1008 in accordance with another embodiment. Thisadditional method 1008 exemplifies one way of providing slurry ice at 1004A. At 1010 ofadditional method 1008, a thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir is provided. At 1012 ofadditional method 1008, the thermally insulated slurry reservoir can be filled with slurry ice. For example, a slurry ice generator located within an airport hangar may fill the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir with slurry ice. At 1014 ofadditional method 1008, the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir can be moved closer to the space to be cooled such that the airflow path is positionable to eject the cooled airflow into the space to be cooled. Once the slurry ice is provided, whether by theadditional method 1008 or in some other way (such as, for example, without limitation, by pipeline)method 1000 can proceed through 1004A, 1004B, 1004C and 1006 as described above - While the above description provides examples of one or more apparatus, methods, or systems, it will be appreciated that other apparatus, methods, or systems may be within the scope of the claims as interpreted by one of skill in the art.
Claims (24)
1. A heat exchange system comprising:
an airflow source for providing an airflow;
at least one air conduit, wherein for each air conduit of the at least one air conduit, that air conduit defines an airflow path for receiving the airflow from the airflow source and for discharging the airflow into a discharge space, the air conduit having an upwind portion and a downwind portion such that the airflow passes through the air conduit from the upwind portion to the downwind portion;
a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow;
at least one heat exchange medium conduit, wherein each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit,
defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source,
further comprises a heat exchanger for transferring heat between the airflow within a corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow within that heat exchange medium conduit, and
is inside the corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit.
2. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange medium is either slurry ice for cooling the airflow or a heated fluid for heating the airflow.
3. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , wherein for each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit,
the heat exchange medium flow source supplies the heat exchange medium flow to an upstream end of that heat exchange medium conduit;
the heat exchange medium flow is through the heat exchange medium conduit from the upstream end to a downstream end;
the heat exchange medium flow is dischargeable from the downstream end of that heat exchange medium conduit; and
both the upstream end and the downstream end are located in the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit.
4. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , wherein
the at least one air conduit comprises a plurality of air conduits; and
the at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises a plurality of heat exchange medium conduits.
5. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the downwind portion of each air conduit of the at least one air conduit is movable relative to the upwind portion of that air conduit.
6. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , wherein
each air conduit of the at least one air conduit comprises at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder, and
the at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder holds a heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit away from an inner surface of the air conduit to define an airflow gap for a portion of the airflow between the inner surface of the air conduit and the heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit.
7. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 6 , wherein
each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises,
an upstream heat exchange medium artery for providing the heat exchange medium flow from the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit to the downwind portion of the corresponding air conduit; and
a downstream heat exchange medium vein for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the upstream heat exchange medium artery, and for providing the heat exchange medium flow from the downwind portion of the corresponding air conduit back to the upwind portion of the corresponding air conduit;
the at least one heat exchange medium conduit holder of each air conduit of the at least one air conduit holds the upstream heat exchange medium artery and the downstream heat exchange medium vein apart to define a heat exchange medium conduit gap; and
each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit receives the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source.
8. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 5 , further comprising an air conduit reel, wherein
the at least one air conduit comprises a plurality of air conduits;
the plurality of air conduits are aligned to provide substantially parallel airflow paths to define a first wrapping plane and a second wrapping plane, the substantially parallel airflow paths being disposed side-by-side between the first wrapping plane and the second wrapping plane, the plurality of air conduits being wrappable around the air conduit reel without blocking the substantially parallel airflow paths;
the air conduit reel comprises an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source, and a heat exchange medium manifold in fluid communication with the heat exchange medium flow source;
for each air conduit in the plurality of air conduits, the upwind portion is attached to the air conduit reel and is in fluid communication with the air manifold to receive the airflow from the airflow source via the air conduit reel;
the at least one heat exchange medium conduit comprises a plurality of heat exchange medium conduits; and,
each heat exchange medium conduit in the plurality of heat exchange medium conduits comprises an upstream portion for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source via the air conduit reel, the upstream portion being in fluid communication with the heat exchange medium manifold of the air conduit reel.
9. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 8 further comprising a substantially planar air conduit guide extending through the first wrapping plane and attached to the plurality of air conduits, the substantially planar air conduit guide being bendable about a bending axis parallel to the first wrapping plane and the second wrapping plane, and orthogonal to the substantially parallel airflow paths while resisting bending about other axes
10. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the planar air conduit guide comprises a plurality of supply electric power cables, a plurality of fluid conduits, and a plurality of compressed air hoses in parallel with the plurality of the air conduits.
11. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an air mixing box and a hose, wherein
the air mixing box comprises an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source;
the air manifold including a filter for removing moisture from the airflow;
for each air conduit of the at least one air conduit, the downwind portion is attached to the air mixing box and the air mixing box is in fluid communication with the at least one air conduit to receive the airflow from the airflow source;
the hose is in fluid communication with the air manifold of the air mixing box to receive a dried airflow from the air manifold of the mixing box downwind of the filter;
the hose has a first end attached to the air mixing box and a second end movable relative to the first end;
the second end is positionable relative to an aircraft to provide the dried airflow from the air mixing box to the discharge space inside the aircraft.
12. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 4 , further comprising an air mixing box, wherein
the air mixing box comprises an air manifold in fluid communication with the airflow source;
the air manifold including a humidifier for adding moisture to the airflow;
for each air conduit of the at least one air conduit, the downwind portion is attached to the air mixing box and the air mixing box is in fluid communication with the plurality of air conduits to receive the airflow from the airflow source;
the hose is in fluid communication with the air manifold of the air mixing box to receive a humidified airflow from the air manifold of the mixing box downwind of the filter;
the hose has a first end attached to the air mixing box and a second end movable relative to the first end;
the second end is positionable relative to the discharge space to provide the humidified airflow from the mixing box to the discharge space.
13. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , wherein
for each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit, the corresponding air conduit comprises an external membrane defining the airflow path, and
the external membrane of the corresponding air conduit has a thermal resistance exceeding a thermal resistance of the heat exchanger, such that heat transfer between the airflow inside the corresponding air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow exceeds heat transfer across the external membrane of the corresponding air conduit.
14. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 further comprising an air conduit guide for supporting the at least one air conduit and for straightening the airflow path defined by the at least one air conduit.
15. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 14 , wherein the air conduit guide comprises a plurality of supply electric power cables, a plurality of fluid conduits, and a plurality of compressed air hoses in parallel with the plurality of the air conduits.
16. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one air conduit comprises only a single air conduit.
17. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 1 , wherein
at least a portion of the at least one air conduit is telescopic defining an extended length of the at least one air conduit and a retracted length of the at least one air conduit;
the heat exchange medium conduit is extendable to at least the extended length of the at least one air conduit and retractable to at least the retracted length of the at least one air conduit, the retracted length being shorter than the extended length; and
the heat exchange system is attached to an aircraft passenger bridge.
18. A method for providing cooling to a space, the method comprising:
providing an airflow along an airflow path;
providing a slurry ice flow along a slurry ice flow path, the slurry ice flow path being adjacent to the airflow path, separated by a thermally conductive barrier, the slurry ice flow being provided at a temperature below a temperature of the airflow such that heat is transferred from the airflow to the slurry ice flow via the thermally conductive barrier; and
positioning the airflow path to eject a cooled airflow into the space to be cooled.
19. The method as defined in claim 18 , wherein the space is an interior of a building, a vehicle or an aircraft.
20. The method as defined in claim 18 , further comprising:
providing a thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir;
filling the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir with slurry ice; and
after filling the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir with the slurry ice, moving the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir containing the slurry ice closer to the space to be cooled, such that the airflow path is positionable to eject the cooled airflow into the space to be cooled; wherein providing the slurry ice flow along the slurry ice flow path comprises providing the slurry ice flow to the thermally insulated slurry ice reservoir.
21. The method as defined in claim 18 , wherein
the slurry ice flow path comprises a slurry ice artery and a slurry ice vein;
the slurry ice artery is surrounded by the airflow path, traverses the airflow path in an outgoing direction, and contains the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path; and
the slurry ice vein is surrounded by the airflow path, traverses the airflow path in an incoming direction, opposite to the outgoing direction, and contains the slurry ice flow to cool the airflow within the airflow path.
22. The method as defined in claim 18 , wherein the slurry ice flow path surrounds the airflow path.
23. A heat exchange system comprising:
an airflow source for providing an airflow;
at least one air conduit, wherein for each air conduit of the at least one air conduit, that air conduit defines an airflow path for receiving the airflow from the airflow source and for discharging the airflow into a discharge space, the air conduit having an upwind portion and a downwind portion such that the airflow passes through the air conduit from the upwind portion to the downwind portion;
a heat exchange medium flow source for providing a heat exchange medium flow;
at least one heat exchange medium conduit, wherein each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit,
defines a heat exchange medium flow path for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the heat exchange medium flow source, and
further comprises a heat exchanger for transferring heat between the airflow within a corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit and the heat exchange medium flow within that heat exchange medium conduit;
wherein for each heat exchange medium conduit of the at least one heat exchange medium conduit, the corresponding air conduit of the at least one air conduit is inside the heat exchange medium conduit.
24. The heat exchange system as defined in claim 23 wherein the heat exchange medium flow source comprises:
a slurry ice generator for generating slurry ice; and,
a slurry ice conduit in fluid communication with the slurry ice generator for receiving the heat exchange medium flow from the slurry ice generator, the heat exchange medium flow being a slurry ice flow.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US16/131,755 US20190086105A1 (en) | 2017-09-15 | 2018-09-14 | Heat exchange systems and methods |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201762559059P | 2017-09-15 | 2017-09-15 | |
US16/131,755 US20190086105A1 (en) | 2017-09-15 | 2018-09-14 | Heat exchange systems and methods |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20190086105A1 true US20190086105A1 (en) | 2019-03-21 |
Family
ID=65721109
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US16/131,755 Abandoned US20190086105A1 (en) | 2017-09-15 | 2018-09-14 | Heat exchange systems and methods |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20190086105A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2019051604A1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
NZ210198A (en) * | 1983-11-18 | 1987-01-23 | Teledyne Ind | Cooling cabins of parked aircraft using system located external to the aircraft |
US5139549A (en) * | 1991-04-05 | 1992-08-18 | Chicago Bridge & Iron Technical Services Company | Apparatus and method for cooling using aqueous ice slurry |
JPH10332178A (en) * | 1997-05-29 | 1998-12-15 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Heat storage type low-temperature air supply system |
EP0905020B1 (en) * | 1997-09-30 | 2004-12-15 | Sefind Servizi e Forniture Industriali s.r.l. | Rigid, jointed piping for conditioning an aircraft in advance |
DE50009111D1 (en) * | 2000-05-19 | 2005-02-03 | Ist Edelstahl Anlagenbau Ag Gw | Telescopic tube for supplying conditioned air to a waiting aircraft |
US7685838B2 (en) * | 2006-03-09 | 2010-03-30 | Dew Engineering And Development Ulc | Ground-based aircraft air conditioner with thermal storage |
CA2817674A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-20 | Chinook Mobile Heating And Deicing Corporation | A delivery head system for optimizing heat transfer to a contaminated surface |
US9365297B2 (en) * | 2008-02-02 | 2016-06-14 | Twist, Inc. | Hose management system for supplying conditioned air to an aircraft |
WO2010106520A2 (en) * | 2009-03-20 | 2010-09-23 | Axa Power Aps | A preconditioned air unit with variable frequency driving |
-
2018
- 2018-09-14 WO PCT/CA2018/051142 patent/WO2019051604A1/en active Application Filing
- 2018-09-14 US US16/131,755 patent/US20190086105A1/en not_active Abandoned
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