Intelligent seawater cooling system

Abstract

A seawater cooling system adapted to mitigate salt crystallization in a seawater cooling loop. The system may include a pump operatively connected to the cooling loop and configured to pump seawater through the cooling loop, a temperature sensor operatively connected to the cooling loop and configured to monitor a temperature of the seawater in the cooling loop, and a controller operatively connected to the temperature sensor and to the pump, the controller configured to issue a warning and to increase a speed of the pump if it is determined that the monitored temperature of the seawater exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature.

1 . A seawater cooling system for monitoring and reducing clogging in a seawater cooling loop, the system comprising:
 a pressure sensor operatively connected to the cooling loop and configured to measure a fluid pressure of seawater in the cooling loop;   a plurality of valves operatively connected to the cooling loop and configured to selectively change a flow direction of the seawater through the cooling loop between a first direction, during normal operation, and second direction opposite the first direction, during a back flushing operation; and   a controller operatively connected to the pressure sensor and to the plurality of valves, the controller configured to operate the plurality of valves to change flow from the first direction to the second direction when the pressure of the seawater exceeds a pressure level associated with a predetermined maximum clogging level.   
     
     
         2 . The seawater cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the plurality of valves based on a manual user input. 
     
     
         3 . The seawater cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to maintain the flow direction of the seawater through the cooling loop in the second direction for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The seawater cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the positions of the plurality of valves after the predetermined period of time has elapsed so that the flow direction of the seawater through the cooling loop is configured in the first direction. 
     
     
         5 . The seawater cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein pressure level associated with the predetermined maximum clogging level is a predetermined value higher than an initial system resistance pressure level. 
     
     
         6 . A method for monitoring and reducing clogging in a seawater cooling loop, the method comprising:
 circulating seawater through the cooling loop using a pump operating at a predetermined speed;   measuring a pressure of the seawater while the pump is operated at the predetermined speed;   comparing the measured pressure to a predetermined pressure, the predetermined pressure associated with a baseline condition of the cooling loop; and   reversing the circulation direction of the seawater through the cooling loop when the measured pressure exceeds the predetermined pressure by a predetermined amount.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the baseline condition is a condition of the cooling loop at new installation or after system maintenance. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the circulation direction of the seawater is reversed for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the circulation direction of the seawater is returned to an original flow direction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the circulation direction of the seawater is reversed automatically, without user intervention. 
     
     
         11 . An overlapping pump system, comprising:
 first and second pumps coupled to a seawater cooling loop for circulating seawater through the seawater cooling loop; and   first and second controllers operatively coupled to the first and second pumps, respectively; and   the first and second controllers configured to perform a handshake operation for switching operation between the first and second pumps, the handshake operation comprising:
 sending, from the first controller to the second controller, a request for the second controller to start operation of the second pump, 
 upon receipt of the request, sending, from the second controller, an acknowledgement to the first controller when the second pump is capable of starting operation, and 
 upon receiving, at the first controller, the acknowledgement, the first controller shutting down the first pump. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , the handshake operation further comprising;
 maintaining operation of the first pump if the first controller does not receive the acknowledgement from the second controller within a predetermined period of time after sending the request.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the handshake operation includes the first controller operating the first pump at a current speed for a predetermined period of time after receiving the acknowledgement form the second controller. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the handshake operation includes the first controller reducing a speed of the first pump after receiving the acknowledgement from the second controller and the second controller increasing a speed of the second pump after sending the acknowledgement. 
     
     
         15 . A method for overlapping operation of a first pump and a second pump, the method comprising:
 sending, from a first controller coupled to the first pump, a request to a second controller coupled to the second pump, a request for the second controller to start operation of the second pump;   upon receipt of the request, sending, from the second controller, an acknowledgement to the first controller when the second pump is capable of starting operation; and   upon receiving, at the first controller, the acknowledgement, shutting down the first pump.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising maintaining operation of the first pump if the first controller does not receive the acknowledgement from the second controller within a predetermined period of time after sending the request. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first controller operates the first pump at a current speed for a predetermined period of time after receiving the acknowledgement form the second controller. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first controller reduces a speed of the first pump after receiving the acknowledgement from the second controller and the second controller increases a speed of the second pump after sending the acknowledgement.