System and method for controlling temperature of industrial processing devices

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the temperature of industrial processing devices includes a central liquid supply having a supply section and a return section and at least one processing device temperature control subsystem in liquid transmission connection with the central liquid supply for generally maintaining the temperature and pressure of liquid being circulated around an industrial processing device at a designated liquid temperature set point which includes a variable-speed pump, control valve and control device which controls the temperature of the liquid in the subsystem by speeding up, slowing down or shutting off the pump to ensure that the subsystem liquid temperature remains approximately equal to the designated liquid temperature set point as determined by the processing device associated with the subsystem and opens or closes the control valve to add or release liquid from the subsystem to maintain the desired pressure within the system.

1 . An industry processing temperature control system comprising:
 a central liquid supply means for providing liquid via a main liquid circulation means having a main liquid supply loop section and a main return section, said liquid being provided at an adjustable set temperature;   at least one processing device temperature control subsystem for generally maintaining the temperature of liquid being circulated around an industrial processing device at a designated liquid temperature set point, said at least one processing device temperature control subsystem including;
 a subsystem liquid circulation loop in liquid transfer connection with said main liquid supply loop section and said main return section of said main liquid circulation means, said subsystem liquid circulation loop operative to circulate liquid in a continuous loop partially adjacent the industrial processing device for alternatively reducing or increasing the temperature of the industrial processing device via thermal transfer therebetween; 
 a first control valve operatively interposed between said main liquid supply loop section and said subsystem liquid circulation loop; 
   subsystem liquid temperature sensing means operative to obtain the temperature of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop;
 a second control valve operatively interposed in said subsystem liquid circulation loop after said subsystem liquid circulation loop has passed adjacent the processing device and the connection of said subsystem liquid circulation loop to said main return section of said main liquid circulation system; 
 a subsystem variable-speed liquid pump operatively interposed in said subsystem liquid circulation loop after said second control valve; 
 subsystem control means operatively connected to said first control valve, said second control valve and said subsystem variable pump means and in information transmission connection with said subsystem liquid temperature sensing means; and 
   said subsystem control means operative to read the current temperature of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from said subsystem liquid temperature sensing means, compare said current temperature with the designated liquid temperature set point, accelerate said liquid pump if said current temperature is lower than the designated liquid temperature set point, decelerate said liquid pump if said current temperature is higher than the designated liquid temperature set point and stop said liquid pump and shut said second control valve if said current temperature is approximately equal to the designated liquid temperature set point whereby liquid flows directly through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from said main liquid supply loop section around an industrial processing device and out into said main return section of said main liquid circulation means.   
   
   
       2 . The industry processing temperature control system of  claim 1  wherein said subsystem liquid circulation loop further comprises a subsystem liquid differential pressure sensing means in information transmission connection with said subsystem control means and operative to obtain the pressure of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop. 
   
   
       3 . The industry processing temperature control system of  claim 2  wherein said subsystem control means is further operative to read the current pressure of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from said subsystem liquid differential pressure sensing means, compare said current pressure with a designated liquid pressure set point, gradually close said first control valve to decrease liquid flow therethrough if said current pressure is higher than the designated liquid pressure set point and gradually open said first control valve to increase liquid flow therethrough if said current pressure is lower than the designated liquid pressure set point. 
   
   
       4 . The industry processing temperature control system of  claim 1  wherein said subsystem control means comprises a programmable computer system. 
   
   
       5 . The industry processing temperature control system of  claim 1  further comprising a gate valve and a check valve mounted within said subsystem liquid circulation loop, said gate valve interposed between said second control valve and said subsystem variable-speed liquid pump and said check valve interposed between said subsystem variable-speed liquid pump and the section of said subsystem liquid circulation loop which is partially adjacent the industrial processing device. 
   
   
       6 . An industry processing temperature control system for connection to a central liquid supply source for providing liquid via a main liquid circulation system having a main liquid supply loop section and a main return section, the liquid being provided at an adjustable set temperature, comprising:
 at least one processing device temperature control subsystem for generally maintaining the temperature of liquid being circulated around an industrial processing device at a designated liquid temperature set point, said at least one processing device temperature control subsystem including;
 a subsystem liquid circulation loop in liquid transfer connection with the central liquid supply source, said subsystem liquid circulation loop operative to circulate liquid in a continuous loop partially adjacent the industrial processing device for alternatively reducing or increasing the temperature of the industrial processing device via thermal transfer therebetween; 
 a first control valve operatively interposed between the main liquid supply loop section and said subsystem liquid circulation loop; 
 subsystem liquid temperature sensing means operative to obtain the temperature of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop; 
 a second control valve operatively interposed in said subsystem liquid circulation loop after said subsystem liquid circulation loop has passed adjacent the processing device and the connection of said subsystem liquid circulation loop to the main return section of the main liquid circulation system; 
 a subsystem variable-speed liquid pump operatively interposed in said subsystem liquid circulation loop after said second control valve; 
 subsystem control means operatively connected to said first control valve, said second control valve and said subsystem variable pump means and in information transmission connection with said subsystem liquid temperature sensing means; and 
   said subsystem control means operative to read the current temperature of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from said subsystem liquid temperature sensing means, compare said current temperature with the designated liquid temperature set point, accelerate said liquid pump if said current temperature is lower than the designated liquid temperature set point, decelerate said liquid pump if said current temperature is higher than the designated liquid temperature set point and stop said liquid pump and shut said second control valve if said current temperature is approximately equal to the designated liquid temperature set point whereby liquid flows directly through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from the main liquid supply loop section around an industrial processing device and out into the main return section of the main liquid circulation means.   
   
   
       7 . The industry processing temperature control system of  claim 6  wherein said subsystem liquid circulation loop further comprises a subsystem liquid differential pressure sensing means in information transmission connection with said subsystem control means and operative to obtain the pressure of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop. 
   
   
       8 . The industry processing temperature control system of  claim 7  wherein said subsystem control means is further operative to read the current pressure of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from said subsystem liquid differential pressure sensing means, compare said current pressure with a designated liquid pressure set point, gradually close said first control valve to decrease liquid flow therethrough if said current pressure is higher than the designated liquid pressure set point and gradually open said first control valve to increase liquid flow therethrough if said current pressure is lower than the designated liquid pressure set point. 
   
   
       9 . The industry processing temperature control system of  claim 6  wherein said subsystem control means comprises a programmable computer system. 
   
   
       10 . The industry processing temperature control system of  claim 6  further comprising a gate valve and a check valve mounted within said subsystem liquid circulation loop, said gate valve interposed between said second control valve and said subsystem variable-speed liquid pump and said check valve interposed between said subsystem variable-speed liquid pump and the section of said subsystem liquid circulation loop which is partially adjacent the industrial processing device. 
   
   
       11 . An industry processing temperature control system comprising:
 a central liquid supply means for providing liquid via a main liquid circulation means having a main liquid supply loop section and a main return section, said liquid being provided at an adjustable set temperature;   at least one processing device temperature control subsystem for generally maintaining the temperature of liquid being circulated around an industrial processing device at a designated liquid temperature set point, said at least one processing device temperature control subsystem including;
 a subsystem liquid circulation loop in liquid transfer connection with said main liquid supply loop section and said main return section of said main liquid circulation means, said subsystem liquid circulation loop operative to circulate liquid in a continuous loop partially adjacent the industrial processing device for alternatively reducing or increasing the temperature of the industrial processing device via thermal transfer therebetween; 
 a first control valve operatively interposed between said main liquid supply loop section and said subsystem liquid circulation loop; 
 subsystem liquid temperature sensing means operative to obtain the temperature of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop; 
 subsystem liquid differential pressure sensing means in information transmission connection with said subsystem control means operative to obtain the pressure of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop; 
 a second control valve operatively interposed in said subsystem liquid circulation loop after said subsystem liquid circulation loop has passed adjacent the processing device and the connection of said subsystem liquid circulation loop to said main return section of said main liquid circulation system; 
 a subsystem variable-speed liquid pump operatively interposed in said subsystem liquid circulation loop after said second control valve; 
 subsystem control means operatively connected to said first control valve, said second control valve and said subsystem variable pump means and in information transmission connection with said subsystem liquid temperature sensing means; 
   said subsystem control means operative to read the current temperature of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from said subsystem liquid temperature sensing means, compare said current temperature with the designated liquid temperature set point, accelerate said liquid pump if said current temperature is lower than the designated liquid temperature set point, decelerate said liquid pump if said current temperature is higher than the designated liquid temperature set point and stop said liquid pump and shut said second control valve if said current temperature is approximately equal to the designated liquid temperature set point whereby liquid flows directly through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from said main liquid supply loop section around an industrial processing device and out into said main return section of said main liquid circulation means; and   said subsystem control means further operative to read the current pressure of liquid flowing through said subsystem liquid circulation loop from said subsystem liquid differential pressure sensing means, compare said current pressure with a designated liquid pressure set point, gradually close said first control valve to decrease liquid flow therethrough if said current pressure is higher than the designated liquid pressure set point and gradually open said first control valve to increase liquid flow therethrough if said current pressure is lower than the designated liquid pressure set point.