Cooling unit having a dew point monitor

Abstract

A cooling unit includes a fluid circuit through which coolant fluid is pumped. A portion of the fluid circuit is positioned within a space through which air flows. A sensor is positioned within the space. The sensor determines an ambient dew point of the air in the space. A parameter adjuster adjusts a parameter of the coolant fluid in the fluid circuit based on the ambient dew point in the space.

1 . A cooling unit comprising:
 a primary heat exchanger;   a primary circuit through which coolant fluid is pumped, a portion of the primary circuit flowing through the primary heat exchanger;   a secondary circuit through which coolant fluid is pumped, the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit conditioning air within a space, a portion of the secondary circuit flowing through the primary heat exchanger, the portions of the primary and secondary circuit flowing through the primary heat exchanger being thermally coupled so that the coolant fluid in the primary circuit conditions the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit;   a sensor positioned within the space, the sensor determining an ambient dew point of the space; and   a parameter adjuster positioned in the primary circuit, the parameter adjuster adjusting a parameter of the coolant in the primary circuit based on the ambient dew point in the space, wherein altering a parameter of the coolant fluid in the primary circuit alters a parameter of the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit to reduce condensation within the space.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein a flow rate of coolant fluid in the primary circuit is adjusted. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of coolant fluid in the secondary circuit is altered to reduce condensation within the space. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the parameter adjuster includes at least one of a variable control valve or a variable pump to control the flow rate of coolant fluid in the primary circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor determines a temperature of the air in the space. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor determines a humidity of the air in the space to determine the ambient dew point. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor determines a pressure of the air in the space to determine the ambient dew point. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  further comprising a temperature sensor to determine a temperature of the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit, the temperature of the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit compared to the ambient dew point of the space. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of an adjustable variable control valve or a variable pump in the secondary circuit to adjust an amount of coolant fluid which passes through the secondary circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary circuit is coupled to an upstream header having outlets connected to secondary heat exchangers positioned within the space, and a downstream header having inlets connected to the secondary heat exchangers. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  further comprising an upstream header coupled to the secondary circuit and having a control valve to adjust a flow of fluid into a secondary heat exchanger positioned within the space. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary circuit includes inlets and outlets having quick release connectors. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary circuit includes inlets and outlets having bayonet connectors. 
     
     
         14 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary circuit is coupled to a secondary heat exchanger with flexible hoses. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  further comprising a frame to support the first and secondary circuits. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the space includes heat-generating electronic equipment which is to be cooled. 
     
     
         17 . A method of cooling air in a space, the method comprising:
 pumping coolant fluid through primary and secondary circuits having respective portions thermally coupled within a primary heat exchanger so that the coolant fluid in the primary circuit conditions the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit;   distributing the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit to at least one secondary heat exchanger positioned with a space;   monitoring an ambient dew point of the space with a sensor; and   controlling a parameter of coolant fluid in the primary circuit based on the ambient dew point to reduce condensation in the space.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein controlling a parameter of coolant fluid in the primary circuit includes controlling a flow rate of the coolant fluid in the primary circuit. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the parameter of the coolant fluid in the primary circuit is adjusted to alter a temperature of the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising monitoring a temperature of the air in the space. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising monitoring a humidity of the air in the space to determine the ambient dew point of the air in the space. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising monitoring a pressure of the air in the space to determine the ambient dew point of the air in the space. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 monitoring a temperature of the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit; and 
 comparing the temperature of the coolant fluid in the secondary circuit to the ambient dew point of the space. 
 
     
     
         24 . A cooling unit comprising:
 a fluid circuit through which coolant fluid is pumped, a portion of the fluid circuit positioned within a space through which air flows;   a sensor positioned within the space, the sensor determining an ambient dew point of the air in the space; and   a parameter adjuster to adjust a parameter of the coolant fluid in the fluid circuit based on the ambient dew point in the space.   
     
     
         25 . The cooling unit of  claim 24 , wherein the parameter adjuster adjusts a temperature of the coolant fluid in the fluid circuit. 
     
     
         26 . The cooling unit of  claim 24 , wherein the space includes heat-generating electronic equipment which is to be cooled. 
     
     
         27 . The cooling unit of  claim 24 , wherein the sensor determines a temperature of the air in the space. 
     
     
         28 . The cooling unit of  claim 24 , wherein the sensor determines a humidity of the air in the space to determine the ambient dew point of the space. 
     
     
         29 . The cooling unit of  claim 24 , wherein the sensor determines a pressure of the air in the space to determine the ambient dew point of the space. 
     
     
         30 . The cooling unit of  claim 24  further comprising a sensor to determine a temperature of the coolant in the fluid circuit, the temperature of the coolant in the fluid circuit compared to the ambient dew point of the space. 
     
     
         31 . A method of cooling air in a space, the method comprising:
 channeling the air through a space;   pumping coolant fluid through a fluid circuit flowing through the space;   monitoring an ambient dew point of the air in the space with a sensor; and   controlling a parameter of the coolant fluid in the fluid circuit based on the ambient dew point to reduce condensation in the space.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein controlling a parameter of the coolant fluid includes controlling a temperature of the coolant fluid. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising monitoring a temperature of the air in the space. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising monitoring a humidity of the air in the space to determine the ambient dew point of the air in the space. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising monitoring a pressure of the air in the space to determine the ambient dew point of the air in the space. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising:
 monitoring a temperature of the coolant fluid in the fluid passageway; and 
 comparing the temperature of the coolant fluid in the fluid passageway to the ambient dew point of the space.