Heat extraction system for cooling power transformer

Abstract

A cooling system for controlling including a heat exchanger defining a first interior space and a second interior space in thermal exchange with one another. First interior space is in fluid communication with the power transformer. A refrigeration system is in fluid communication with second interior space and provides a chillant to second interior space. A transformer cooling fluid circulates through and between first interior space and the power transformer. An energy source is operably coupled to the refrigeration system and supplies heat energy to energize the refrigeration system. In operation, thermal energy is absorbed by transformer cooling fluid in the power transformer to thereby cool the power transformer. In the heat exchanger thermal energy is removed from transformer cooling fluid in first interior space and is absorbed by chillant in second interior space to thereby cool the transformer cooling fluid.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cooling system for controlling the internal temperature of a power transformer, the cooling system comprising: 
 a heat exchanger defining a first interior space and a second interior space, said first interior space in a thermal exchange relationship with said second interior space, said first interior space in fluid communication with the power transformer;    a refrigeration system in fluid communication with said second interior space and providing a chillant to said second interior space, said chillant circulating through and between said second interior space and said refrigeration system;    a transformer cooling fluid circulating through and between said first interior space and the power transformer; and    an energy source operably coupled to said refrigeration system and supplying heat energy to energize said refrigeration system, said energy source including at least one of an air breathing heat engine (ABHE) and a steam turbine, 
 wherein during operation of the cooling system thermal energy is absorbed by said transformer cooling fluid in the power transformer to thereby cool the power transformer, and wherein in said heat exchanger thermal energy is removed from said transformer cooling fluid in said first interior space and is absorbed by said chillant in said second interior space to thereby cool said transformer cooling fluid.  
   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said refrigeration system is an absorption chiller.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said absorption chiller employs recovered heat energy from said energy source to energize a staged process of concentration, condensation, evaporation and absorption to provide said chillant.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said transformer cooling fluid is a liquid.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein said transformer cooling fluid comprises an oil.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one of said first and second interior spaces is defined by an elongate tube, the other of said first and second interior spaces is defined by a hollow coil disposed within said elongate tube.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said first interior space is defined by a first coil and the second interior space is defined by a second coil, said first and second coils in heat exchange with one another.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a temperature control valve operably connected to said power transformer, said temperature control valve sensing the temperature of said power transformer and controlling the communication of said transformer cooling fluid from said power transformer to said first interior space based on the sensed temperature.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said energy source includes an air breathing heat engine (ABHE), said ABHE including: 
 a gas conditioner defining a gas conditioning area, said gas conditioner includes a conditioning heat exchanger and a sensible heat exchanger, each of said conditioning heat exchanger and sensible heat exchanger being disposed in said gas conditioner area; each of said conditioning heat exchanger and sensible heat exchanger being in fluid communication with said refrigeration system and receiving said chillant from said refrigeration system;  
 a combustor defining an inlet port and a discharge port, said inlet port in fluid communication with said gas conditioner area of said gas conditioner;  
 a waste recovery unit operably coupled to said discharge port of said combustor;  
 a post-combustion heat exchanger operably coupled to said waste recovery unit and in fluid communication with said refrigerant system, 
 wherein during operation of said ABHE air is received into said gas conditioning area, thermal energy is transferred from said air to said chillant in said conditioning heat exchanger and said sensible heat exchanger to thereby condition said air, said combustor receiving said conditioned air and producing an exhaust gas, said exhaust gas containing thermal heat energy, said waste recovery unit receiving exhaust gas, said post-combustion heat exchanger recovering thermal heat energy in the exhaust gas and communicating said heat energy to said refrigeration system.  
 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said refrigeration system includes an absorption chiller, said absorption chiller employing the recovered heat energy to energize a staged process of concentration, condensation, evaporation and absorption to produce said chillant.  
     
     
         11 . A cooling system for improving the efficiency of the manufacture and distribution of electricity, the system comprising: 
 a power transformer;    a refrigeration system;    a heat dissipation device including a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger defining a first interior space and a second interior space, said first interior space in thermal exchange with said second interior space;    a refrigeration circuit through which a chillant circulates, said refrigeration circuit having operably coupled thereto said refrigeration system and said second interior space, wherein during operation of the cooling system heat is removed from said chillant in said refrigeration system and heat is added to said chillant in said heat exchanger;    a transformer cooling circuit through which a transformer cooling fluid circulates, said transformer cooling circuit having operably coupled thereto said power transformer and said first interior space, wherein during operation of the cooling system heat is absorbed by said transformer cooling fluid in said power transformer and heat is transferred from said transformer cooling fluid to said chillant in said heat exchanger;    a heat energy generating component, said heat energy generating component generating heat energy and said refrigeration system utilizing the heat energy to energize a process for circulating and removing heat from said chillant.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a temperature control valve operably connected to transformer cooling circuit, said temperature control valve sensing the temperature of said power transformer and controlling the circulation of said transformer cooling fluid through said transformer cooling circuit.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said process for circulating and removing heat from said chillant includes staged processes of concentration, condensation, evaporation and absorption.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said heat generating component includes at least one of an air breathing heat engine (ABHE) and a steam turbine.  
     
     
         15 . The system of claim  111  wherein said refrigeration system includes an absorption chiller, said chiller employing the heat energy to energize a staged process of concentration, condensation, evaporation and absorption to provide the chillant.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein one of said first and second interior spaces is defined by an elongate tube, the other of said first and second interior space is defined by a hollow coil disposed within said elongate tube.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said transformer cooling fluid is a liquid.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said heat energy generating component comprises an air breathing heat engine (ABHE), said ABHE includes: 
 a combustor;    a waste recovery unit operably coupled to said combustor; and    a post-combustion heat exchanger operably coupled to said waste recovery unit and in fluid communication with said refrigerant system, 
 wherein during operation of said ABHE said combustor produces an exhaust gas, said exhaust gas containing heat energy, said waste recovery unit receiving said exhaust gas, said post-combustion heat exchanger recovering heat energy from the exhaust gas and communicating said heat energy to said refrigeration system.  
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said ABHE further includes a shaft operably driven by said combustor, and a power generator drivingly connected to said shaft to actuate said power generator.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  further comprising a generator cooling circuit through which a generator cooling fluid circulates, said generator cooling circuit having operably coupled thereto said generator and said refrigeration system, wherein during operation of the cooling system said generator cooling fluid absorbs heat in said generator to cool said generator and heat is removed from said generator cooling fluid in said refrigeration system.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 a generator heat exchanger defining a first interior path and a second interior path, said first interior path in heat exchange with said second interior path;  
 a generator cooling circuit through which a generator cooling fluid circulates, said generator cooling circuit having operably coupled thereto said generator and said first interior path; and  
 a generator refrigeration circuit through which the chillant circulates, said second refrigeration circuit having operably coupled thereto said refrigeration system and said second interior path, 
 wherein during operation of the cooling system heat is absorbed by said generator cooling fluid in said generator to cool said generator and heat is transferred from said generator cooling fluid to said chillant in said generator heat exchanger.  
 
 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said heat energy generating component includes a steam turbine operably coupled to said refrigeration system, said steam turbine generating hot water, said hot water containing heat energy, said steam turbine communicating said hot water and said heat energy to said refrigeration system, said refrigeration system employing the heat energy to energize a staged process of concentration, condensation, evaporation and absorption to produce said chillant.  
     
     
         23 . A method for controlling the internal temperature of one or more components of a system for generating and distributing electricity, the method comprising the steps of: 
 circulating a transformer cooling fluid through a transformer cooling circuit, the transformer cooling circuit having operably coupled thereto a power transformer and a heat exchanger, whereby heat is absorbed by the transformer cooling fluid in the power transformer and heat is extracted from the transformer cooling fluid in said heat exchanger; and    circulating a chillant through a refrigeration circuit, the refrigeration circuit having operably coupled thereto the heat exchanger and a refrigeration system, whereby heat is extracted from the chillant in the refrigeration system and heat is absorbed by the chillant in the heat exchanger.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of: 
 generating heat energy to energize the refrigeration system using an air breathing heat engine (ABHE), the step of generating heat energy using the ABHE including the steps of: 
 producing an exhaust gas containing heat energy by combustion;  
 discharging the exhaust gas into a waste heat recovery unit; and  
 recovering the heat energy contained in the exhaust gas by circulating a working fluid through an energy recovery circuit, the energy recovery circuit operably coupled to the refrigeration system and a second heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger operably coupled to the waste heat recovery unit, whereby heat energy is transferred from the exhaust gas to the working fluid in the second heat exchanger and the working fluid is circulated to the refrigeration system wherein said refrigeration system employs the heat energy to energize a staged process of concentration, condensation, evaporation and absorption.  
 
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the working fluid comprises the chillant.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of generating heat energy to energize the refrigeration system using a steam turbine, the step of generating heat energy using the steam turbine including the steps of: 
 generating hot water using the steam turbine, the hot water containing heat energy;  
 communicating the hot water and the heat energy contained therein to the refrigeration system; and  
 the refrigeration system employing the heat energy to energize a staged process of concentration, condensation, evaporation and absorption.  
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of regulating the circulation of transformer cooling fluid through the transformer cooling circuit by sensing the temperature of the power transformer, communicating the sensed temperature to a temperature control valve, the temperature control valve operably coupled to transformer cooling circuit, the temperature control valve restricting the circulation of the transformer cooling fluid when the sensed temperature is below a pre-determined value and permitting the circulation of the transformer cooling fluid when the sensed temperature is above a pre-determined value.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the refrigeration system includes an absorption chiller.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the steps of: 
 circulating a generator cooling fluid through a generator cooling circuit, the generator cooling circuit having operably coupled thereto a generator and a generator heat exchanger, whereby heat is absorbed by the generator cooling fluid in the generator and heat is extracted from the generator cooling fluid in the generator heat exchanger; and  
 circulating the chillant through a generator refrigeration circuit, the generator refrigeration circuit having operably coupled thereto the generator heat exchanger and the refrigeration system, whereby heat is extracted from the chillant in the refrigeration system and heat is transferred from the generator cooling fluid to the chillant in the generator heat exchanger.