Evaporative cooling system

Abstract

The evaporative cooling system comprises: evaporative cooling modules, a liquid supply system which comprises a liquid supply pump and a tube, and which supplies a refrigerant liquid to the evaporative cooling modules; an air supply system which comprises air supply tubes, and which supplies warm air to the evaporative cooling modules; an exhaust system which comprises an exhaust pump and a tube, and which exhausts air containing a refrigerant vapor from the evaporative cooling modules; a reflux system which comprises a primary heat exchanger and a reflux tube, and which condenses the refrigerant vapor to return the condensed refrigerant liquid to the liquid supply system; and a heat exhaust system which comprises a secondary heat exchanger and tubes, and which discharges heat absorbed from the primary heat exchanger.

1 . An evaporative cooling system for cooling a heating element by using heat of evaporation of a refrigerant, comprising:
 a vaporizing plate having an area larger than a heat generating portion of the heating element, and configured to dissipate heat by being brought into contact with the heat generating portion and to evaporate the refrigerant liquid into a refrigerant vapor;   a liquid supply system to supply the refrigerant liquid to the vaporizing plate;   an air supply system to supply air to the vaporizing plate;   an exhaust system to exhaust air containing the refrigerant vapor around the vaporizing plate; and   a reflux system to condense the refrigerant vapor of the exhaust system to collect the condensed refrigerant liquid, and to return the collected refrigerant liquid to the liquid supply system.   
   
   
       2 . The evaporative cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the vaporizing plate has one surface in contact with the heat generating portion of the heating element and the other surface having affinity with the refrigerant liquid or covered with capillaries. 
   
   
       3 . The evaporative cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the air supply system supplies, to the vaporizing plate, warm air at a temperature lower than the upper limit temperature of the heating element. 
   
   
       4 . The evaporative cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid supply system supplies, to the vaporizing plate, the refrigerant liquid at a temperature lower than the upper limit temperature of the heating element. 
   
   
       5 . The evaporative cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the air supply system supplies air to the vaporizing plate from a direction different from a direction in which the refrigerant liquid is supplied to the vaporizing plate by the liquid supply system. 
   
   
       6 . An evaporative cooling system for cooling a first and a second heating element, comprising:
 a vaporizing plate to be brought into contact with the first heating element and to evaporate a refrigerant liquid into a refrigerant vapor;   a liquid supply system to supply the refrigerant liquid to the vaporizing plate;   an intake and exhaust system to intake air in the vicinity of the heating elements to supply the air to the vaporizing plate, and to exhaust air containing the refrigerant vapor from the vaporizing plate; and   a reflux system to condense the refrigerant vapor from the exhausted air to collect the refrigerant liquid, and to return the collected refrigerant liquid to the liquid supply system.   
   
   
       7 . The evaporative cooling system according to  claim 6 , wherein the liquid supply system supplies the refrigerant liquid to the vaporizing plate from a place higher in level than the vaporizing plate by using the weight of the refrigerant liquid itself. 
   
   
       8 . The evaporative cooling system according to  claim 6 , wherein the exhaust system includes a pump for, by performing a forced exhaust, setting a side of the vaporizing plate to a negative pressure and setting a side of the reflux system to a positive pressure. 
   
   
       9 . An evaporative cooling system comprising:
 holding means to hold a planar heating element in a substantially vertical state;   a vaporizing plate to be brought into contact with the heating element and to evaporate a refrigerant liquid into a refrigerant vapor;   a liquid supply system to supply the refrigerant liquid to the vaporizing plate;   an air supply system to supply air to the vaporizing plate;   an exhaust system to exhaust air containing the refrigerant vapor from the vaporizing plate; and   a reflux system to condense the refrigerant vapor of the exhaust system to collect the condensed refrigerant liquid, and to return the collected refrigerant liquid to the liquid supply system.   
   
   
       10 . The evaporative cooling system according to  claim 9 , wherein the exhaust system discharges a residual liquid of the refrigerant liquid from the vaporizing plate, together with air containing the refrigerant vapor. 
   
   
       11 . An evaporative cooling system for cooling a heating element by using heat of evaporation of a refrigerant, comprising:
 a vaporizing plate to be brought into contact with the heating element and to evaporate a refrigerant liquid into a refrigerant vapor;   a liquid supply system to-supply the refrigerant liquid to the vaporizing plate;   an air supply system to intake air from ambient air and to send the air to the vaporizing plate;   an exhaust system to exhaust air containing the refrigerant vapor from the vaporizing plate; and   a reflux system to condense the refrigerant vapor from the exhaust air to return the condensed refrigerant liquid to the liquid supply system, and to discharge residual air to ambient air,   wherein the refrigerant is circulated in a closed circuit which is configured by the liquid supply system, the exhaust system, and the reflux system, and   wherein air is circulated in an open circuit which is configured by the air supply system, the exhaust system, and the reflux system.   
   
   
       12 . An evaporative cooling system for cooling a heating element by using heat of evaporation of a refrigerant, comprising:
 a vaporizing plate to be brought into contact with the heating element and to evaporate a first refrigerant liquid into a first refrigerant vapor;   a liquid supply system to supply the first refrigerant liquid to the vaporizing plate;   an air supply system to send air to the vaporizing plate;   an exhaust system to exhaust air containing the first refrigerant vapor from the vaporizing plate;   a primary heat exchange system to cool air of the exhaust system by a second refrigerant liquid to condense the first refrigerant vapor, and to collect the condensed first refrigerant liquid;   a reflux system to return the first refrigerant liquid from the primary heat exchange system to the liquid supply system; and   a secondary heat exchange system to discharge heat absorbed by the second refrigerant liquid from the first refrigerant vapor.   
   
   
       13 . An evaporative cooling system for cooling a heating element by using heat of evaporation of a refrigerant, comprising:
 a vaporizing plate to be brought into contact with the heating element and to evaporate a refrigerant liquid into a refrigerant vapor;   a liquid supply system to supply the refrigerant liquid to the vaporizing plate;   an air supply system to supply air to the vaporizing plate;   an exhaust system to exhaust air containing the refrigerant vapor in the vicinity of the vaporizing plate; and   a reflux system to condense the refrigerant vapor of the exhaust system to collect the refrigerant liquid, and to return the collected refrigerant liquid to the liquid supply system,   wherein the liquid supply amount, the liquid supply temperature, the air supply amount, or the air supply temperature is controlled according to the heat generation amount, the power consumption, the operation rate, or the temperature, of the heating element.