Evaporative Subcooling

Abstract

A refrigeration system comprises an indoor exchanger, an outdoor exchanger, a fluid collector configured to collect condensate from the indoor exchanger, and a fluid distributor configured to pass the condensate from the fluid collector over at least a portion of the outdoor exchanger. The outdoor exchanger comprises a main coil, and the subcooling coil. The indoor exchanger and the outdoor exchanger are operable in at least a cooling mode where the indoor coil is configured to absorb heat in the cooling mode and the outdoor coil is configured to release heat in the cooling mode. The fluid distributor may be configured to pass the condensate over at least a portion of the subcooling coil.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigeration system comprising:
 an indoor exchanger;   an outdoor exchanger comprising:
 a main coil, and 
 a subcooling coil, wherein the indoor exchanger and the outdoor exchanger are operable in at least a cooling mode, wherein the indoor coil is configured to absorb heat in the cooling mode, and wherein the outdoor coil is configured to release heat in the cooling mode; 
   a fluid collector configured to collect condensate from the indoor exchanger; and   a fluid distributor configured to pass the condensate from the fluid collector over at least a portion of the outdoor exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump configured to receive the condensate and pass the condensate to the fluid distributor. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor is configured to pass the condensate over at least a portion of the subcooling coil. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the indoor exchanger and the outdoor exchanger are operable in a heating mode, wherein the indoor coil is configured to release heat in the heating mode, and wherein the outdoor coil is configured to absorb heat in the heating mode. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor comprises a drip system or a spray nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor is configured to pass the condensate over at least the portion of the outdoor exchanger in a liquid state. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , further comprising: a condensate storage vessel in fluid communication with the fluid collector and the fluid distributor. 
     
     
         8 . A cooling system comprising:
 an evaporator exchanger;   a condenser exchanger comprising:
 a main coil, and 
 a subcooling coil, wherein the evaporator coil is configured to absorb heat to evaporate at least a portion of a refrigerant, wherein the condenser coil is configured to release heat and condense at least a portion of the refrigerant in the main coil, and wherein the condenser coil is configured to subcool at least a portion of the refrigerant in the subcooling coil; 
   a fluid collector configured to collect condensate from the evaporator exchanger;   a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fluid collector; and   a fluid distributor in fluid communication with the fluid conduit, wherein the fluid distributor is configured to pass the condensate over at least a portion of the condenser exchanger.   
     
     
         9 . The cooling system of  claim 8 , further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the fluid conduit, wherein the pump is configured to pass the fluid to the fluid distributor. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling system of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid distributor comprises a drip system disposed above the condenser exchanger. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid distributor is configured to pass the condensate over at least a portion of the subcooling coil. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling system of  claim 11 , wherein the subcooling coil is disposed above the main coil. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a compressor disposed in a first fluid line between an outlet of the evaporator exchanger and an inlet of the condenser exchanger, wherein the compressor is configured to draw a refrigerant from the outlet of the evaporator exchanger, compress the refrigerant, and pass the refrigerant to inlet of the condenser exchanger; and   an expansion device disposed in a second fluid line between an outlet of the condenser exchanger and an inlet of the evaporator exchanger, wherein the expansion device is configured to receive a refrigerant from the outlet of the condenser exchanger, expand the refrigerant, and pass the refrigerant to inlet of the evaporator exchanger.   
     
     
         14 . The cooling system of  claim 8 , further comprising a blower, wherein the blower is configured to cause air to pass over the condenser exchanger when the condensate is passed over at least the portion of the condenser exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling system of  claim 8 , further comprising: a condensate storage vessel in fluid communication with the fluid collector and the fluid distributor. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling system of  claim 15 , further comprising: a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: cause the condensate storage vessel to collect condensate from the fluid collector;
 detect a condition associated with the cooling system; and transfer the condensate from the condensate storage vessel to the fluid distributor when the condition exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         17 . A method of cooling a refrigerant, the method comprising:
 evaporating a refrigerant in an indoor exchanger;   condensing water on the indoor exchanger during the evaporating;   collecting the water condensed on the indoor exchanger;   distributing the water over at least a portion of an outdoor exchanger;   evaporating the water; and   cooling the refrigerant in the outdoor exchanger in response to the evaporating.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein evaporating the water comprises evaporating the water when the water is in contact with the outdoor exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein distributing the water over at least the portion of the outdoor exchanger comprises distributing the water over a subcooling coil of the outdoor exchanger. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein cooling the refrigerant comprises subcooling the refrigerant in the subcooling coil in response to evaporating the water. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the refrigerant is subcooled at least about 5° F. to about 30° F. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: pumping the water from the indoor exchanger to the outdoor exchanger. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: completely condensing the refrigerant leaving the outdoor exchanger in response to cooling the refrigerant. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein collecting the water comprises storing the water condensed on the indoor exchanger in a condensate storage vessel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , where distributing the water over at least a portion of the outdoor exchanger comprises passing the water from the condensate storage vessel to the outdoor exchanger. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein passing the water from the condensate storage vessel occurs in response to a controller determining that the method is occurring at a peak demand period. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: measuring a condition associated with at least one of the indoor exchanger, the outdoor exchanger, an indoor location, or an outdoor location; comparing the condition with one or more thresholds, and releasing the water from the condensate storage vessel when the condition exceeds at least one threshold.