Heating System

Abstract

A cooler ( 10 ) for an air-conditioning system and a method of heating the cooler ( 10 ) is provided. The cooler ( 10 ) comprises a shell ( 12 ) and at least one tube ( 20 ) within the shell ( 12 ), said tube ( 20 ) capable of carrying a first medium ( 40 ). The cooler ( 10 ) further comprises a heating means ( 54, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68 ), said heating means comprising means for providing an electrical current to at least one of the shell ( 12 ) and the tube ( 20 ) so as to generate heat therein.

1 . A cooler for an air-conditioning system, said cooler comprising:
 a shell;   at least one tube within the shell, said tube capable of carrying a first medium; and   heating means, said heating means comprising means for providing an electrical current to at least one of the shell and the tube so as to generate heat therein.   
     
     
         2 . The cooler of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said tubes. 
     
     
         3 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the medium comprises water. 
     
     
         4 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the shell and the tube are thermally and/or electrically coupled such that heat generated in one is transferable to the other. 
     
     
         5 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical current comprises an alternating current. 
     
     
         6 . The cooler of  claim 1 , further comprising a transformer, said electrical current provided by a secondary side of the transformer. 
     
     
         7 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical current is from 50 to about 1000 Amperes 
     
     
         8 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein an electrical voltage corresponding with the electrical current is from about 0.1 to about 24 Volts. 
     
     
         9 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises an electrically and thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         10 . The cooler of  claim 9 , wherein the shell comprises an electrically and thermally conductive material that is less electrically and less thermally conductive than the material of the tube. 
     
     
         11 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises copper or a copper based alloy. 
     
     
         12 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises steel or a steel based alloy. 
     
     
         13 . The cooler of  claim 1 , further comprising a second medium within the shell, said second medium at least partially surrounding the tube. 
     
     
         14 . The cooler of  claim 13 , wherein the second medium comprises refrigerant. 
     
     
         15 . The cooler of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first inlet in a manifold at a first side of the shell and a first outlet in a further manifold at a second side of the shell; and   a second inlet and a second outlet in the shell for the second medium.   
     
     
         16 . The cooler of  claim 15 , wherein the first medium enters the shell via the first inlet in the manifold at the first side of the shell, passes through the tube and exits the shell via the first outlet in the further manifold at the second side of the shell. 
     
     
         17 . The cooler of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling means for measuring the temperature of the medium and/or an ambient temperature and for controlling the heating means depending upon one or both said temperatures. 
     
     
         18 . An air-cooled chiller comprising:
 a plurality of tubes, said tubes capable of carrying a first medium;   a shell, said shell capable of containing a second medium and having the tubes arranged therein such that said second medium at least partially surrounds the plurality of tubes; and   a heater, said heater comprising:
 a transformer; 
 means for providing an electrical current from the transformer to at least one of the shell and the tubes, so as to generate heat therein. 
   
     
     
         19 . The chiller of  claim 18  wherein the shell comprises steel and the tubes comprise copper. 
     
     
         20 . The chiller of  claim 18 , wherein the transformer comprises a step-down transformer capable of connection to a conventional mains supply. 
     
     
         21 . A method of heating a cooler for an air-conditioning system, said cooler having metallic components, the method comprising:
 providing a heater, said heater comprising a transformer, means for providing an electrical current from the transformer to a first metallic component of the system, and means for returning the electrical current from a second metallic component of the system to the transformer;   supplying an electrical current from the transformer to the first metallic component so as to generate heat therein.   
     
     
         22 . The method of heating a cooler of  claim 21  wherein:
 the cooler comprises a shell and a plurality of tubes within the shell, arranged such that a medium is conveyed from a first side of the shell, through the tubes to a second side of the shell:   the first metallic component comprises the first side of the shell;   the second metallic component comprises the second side of the shell: and   said heat is generated in the first and second sides of the shell and in the tubes.