System and method of cooling

Abstract

The invention provides a cooling fluid heat exchange unit including: a primary heat exchange unit including a closed circuit for circulating primary circuit fluid; and a secondary heat exchange unit adapted to provide cooled air in communication with the primary heat exchange unit. The closed circuit for the cooling fluid as it passes through the primary heat exchange unit ensures that the cooling fluid is prevented from exposure to the atmosphere, and in particular, to the air forced through the heat exchange unit.

1 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit including: 
 a primary heat exchange unit including a closed circuit for liquid:    an air cooler located upstream of said primary heat exchange unit, said air cooler having a plurality of inlets and a moisture absorbent material extending substantially over the entire area of the plurality of air inlets of the air cooler; and    a fan arrangement operable to control air flow and force air through said air cooler and said primary heat exchange unit,    wherein said moisture absorbent material is, in use, maintained moist and readily transfers moisture vapor to air forced through said air cooler, the air cooler and the fan arrangement acting cooperatively to avoid transition of moisture in the liquid state to be forced air stream by retaining moisture in a liquid state in the moisture absorbent material, such that the air forced through said air cooler is cooled by the action of evaporation without collecting moisture in liquid form from the moisture absorbent material, said air stream being cooled prior to being forced over a portion of the closed circuit in the primary heat exchange unit and wherein the liquid in the closed circuit remains in the liquid state whilst passing through the primary heat exchange unit.    
     
     
         2 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 1  including a plurality of air outlets with the fan arrangement disposed between the air inlets and outlets and operable to draw air in through the plurality of inlets and force air out through the plurality of outlets.  
     
     
         3 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 2  wherein a plurality of air coolers are located over said plurality of air inlets such that air drawn through said air coolers by the fan arrangement is cooled prior to being drawn or forced over the primary heat exchange unit, the air subsequently being discharged through the plurality of air outlets.  
     
     
         4 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid passes through the primary heat exchange unit in thermally conductive tubing.  
     
     
         5 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 1  wherein the moisture absorbent material is moistened with water.  
     
     
         6 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 5  wherein the water used to moisten the absorbent material is separate from the liquid to be cooled.  
     
     
         7 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 1  wherein the fan arrangement comprises a mechanism for regulating air speed to avoid the introduction of moisture into the forced air stream.  
     
     
         8 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 1  wherein the air cooler and the primary heat exchange unit are separated by a distance along the path of air flow from the cooler to the primary heat exchange unit to further reduce the likelihood of moisture in a liquid state passing from the moisture absorbent material of the air cooler and impinging upon any surface of the primary heat exchange unit.  
     
     
         9 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid is water which passes through the primary heat exchange unit in thermally conductive tubing.  
     
     
         10 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid is water and the moisture absorbent material is moistened with water.  
     
     
         11 . A liquid cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 10  wherein the liquid is water and the water used to moisten the absorbent material is separate from the cooling water passing through the primary heat exchange unit.  
     
     
         12 . A method of cooling liquid in the liquid cooling heat exchange unit of  claim 1 , said method including the steps of: 
 passing cooling liquid of a cooling system through said primary heat exchanger and    operating said fan arrangement to draw a flow of air through said air cooler and over a portion of the closed liquid circuit.    
     
     
         13 . A method of converting a cooling system incorporating a first heat exchange unit including a liquid cooling heat exchange unit where the liquid is exposed to air drawn through the heat exchange unit by replacing the first heat exchange unit with the heat exchange unit of  claim 1 , including of steps of: 
 disconnecting cooling liquid inlet and outlet connections of the first heat exchange unit from the cooling system;    connecting liquid inlet and outlet connections of the heat exchange unit of  claim 1  to the cooling system; and    operating the cooling system.    
     
     
         14 . A cooling system having a liquid cooling heat exchange unit including: 
 a primary heat exchange unit including a closed circuit for cooling liquid;    an air cooler having a plurality of air inlets, the air cooler including a moisture absorbent material that is maintained moist and readily transfers moisture vapor to air forced through said air cooler such that the air forced through said air cooler is cooled by evaporation, said air cooler located upstream of said primary heat exchange unit, said moisture absorbent material extending substantially over the entire surface of the air inlets; and    a fan arrangement operable to force air through said air cooler and said primary heat exchange unit, the fan arrangement and the air cooler acting cooperatively on the air forced through said air cooler to avoid the transition of liquid into the forced air stream by retaining moisture in the liquid state in the moisture absorbent material, the cooled air being forced over a portion of said closed circuit in said primary heat exchange unit wherein the liquid in the closed circuit remains in a liquid state whilst passing through the closed circuit.    
     
     
         15 . A water cooling heat exchange unit including: 
 a primary heat exchange unit including a closed circuit for containing cooling water;    an air cooler located upstream of said primary heat exchange unit, said air cooler having a plurality of air inlets and a moisture absorbent material extending substantially over the entire area of the air inlets; and    a fan arrangement operable to force air through said air cooler and said primary heat exchange unit,    wherein said air cooler and fan arrangement operate cooperatively to avoid transition of moisture in the liquid state to the forced air stream by retaining moisture in the liquid state in the moisture absorbent material, the moisture absorbent material readily transferring moisture vapor to the air forced through said air cooler, such that the air is cooled by the action of evaporation without collecting moisture in liquid form from the moisture absorbent material, said air stream being cooled prior to being forced over a portion of the closed circuit in the primary heat exchange unit thus cooling the water contained therein and wherein the water passing through the closed circuit remains in a liquid state during passage through the primary heat exchange unit.    
     
     
         16 . A water cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 15  including a plurality of air outlets with the fan arrangement disposed between the air outlets and air inlets and operable to draw air in through the plurality of inlets and force air out through the plurality of outlets, the fan arrangement having a controllable speed to facilitate avoidance of introduction of liquid into the forced air stream  
     
     
         17 . A water cooling heat exchange unit according to  claim 16  wherein a plurality of air coolers are located over said plurality of air inlets such that air drawn through said air coolers by the fan arrangement is cooled prior to being drawn or forced over the primary heat exchanger, the air subsequently being discharged through the plurality of air outlets.  
     
     
         18 . A method of cooling water in the water cooling heat exchange unit of  claim 15 , said method including the steps of: 
 passing cooling water of a cooling system through said primary heat exchanger;    and operating said fan arrangement to draw a flow of air through said air cooler and over a portion of the closed water circuit.    
     
     
         19 . A method of converting a cooling system incorporating a first heat exchange unit including a water cooling heat exchange unit where the water is exposed to air drawn through the heat exchange unit by replacing the first heat exchange unit with the heat exchange unit of  claim 15 , including of steps of: 
 disconnecting cooling fluid inlet and outlet connections of the first heat exchange unit from the cooling system;    connecting water inlet and outlet connections of the heat exchange unit of claim  41  to the cooling system; and    operating the cooling system.    
     
     
         20 . A cooling system having a water cooling heat exchange unit including: 
 a primary heat exchange unit including a closed circuit for cooling water;    an air cooler having a plurality of air inlets and a moisture absorbent material extending substantially over the entire area of the air inlets, the air cooler including a moisture absorbent material that is maintained moist and readily transfers moisture vapor to air forced through said air cooler, such that the air is cooled by evaporation, said air cooler located upstream of said primary heat exchange unit; and    a fan arrangement operable to force air through said air cooler and said primary heat exchange unit, the fan arrangement and the air cooler acting cooperatively to avoid the transition of liquid into the forced air stream and to retain moisture in the liquid state in the moisture absorbent material, the cooled air being forced over a portion of said closed circuit in said primary heat exchange unit, wherein the water in the closed circuit remains in the liquid state whilst passing through the closed circuit.