Cooling panel system

Abstract

A cooling system includes one or more cooling panels for affecting a cooling load in an environment. The cooling system also includes a heat exchanger coupled to the one or more cooling panels. Each cooling panel includes a film, a panel body, an inlet port, an outlet port, and a fluid path. The film's radiative properties allow it to achieve a temperature less than an environment temperature. The heat exchanger includes ports that are coupled to the fluid paths of the one or more cooling panels. A control system is used to control flow rates, flow paths, fluid temperatures, component temperatures, cooling rates, component operation, or other aspects of a cooling system. For example, the control system controls or monitors pumps, compressors, fans, valves, sensors, actuators, or a combination thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 at least one cooling surface that is exposed to an ambient environment and that is to cool a first fluid based on a flow path of the first fluid being thermally coupled to the at least one cooling surface;   one or more channels in thermal contact with the at least one cooling surface along the flow path; and   a heat exchanger that is arranged downstream of the at least one cooling surface, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat to the first fluid from a second fluid configured to cool a cooling load.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooling surface comprises a surface of a cooling panel. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling panel comprises a plate that partially defines the one or more channels, the at least one cooling surface is thermally coupled to the plate, and the flow path of the first fluid is thermally coupled to the at least one cooling surface based on flowing over the plate. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flow path is a first cooling loop; and   the second fluid flows in a second cooling loop to cool the cooling load.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling load is a data center. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal storage tank configured to store energy based on the first fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second fluid comprises a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle; and   the heat exchanger is configured to sub-cool the refrigerant.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second fluid comprises a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle;   the refrigeration cycle comprises a condenser; and   the refrigeration cycle comprises an evaporator configured to cool the cooling load.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooling surface cools the first fluid to a fluid temperature lower than an ambient temperature of the ambient environment while the at least one cooling surface is under direct sunlight. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one valve configured to affect a flow of the first fluid along the flow path; and   a control system configured to adjust a position of the at least one valve to control an amount of heat transfer at the at least one cooling surface.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 exposing at least one cooling surface to an ambient environment, wherein the at least one cooling surface is to cool a first fluid;   directing the first fluid through one or more channels in thermal contact with the at least one cooling surface along a flow path; and   directing the first fluid thought a heat exchanger arranged downstream of the at least one cooling surface to transfer heat to the first fluid from a second fluid configured to cool a cooling load.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cooling surface comprises a surface of a cooling panel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling panel comprises a plate that partially defines the one or more channels, the at least one cooling surface is thermally coupled to the plate, and the flow path of the first fluid is thermally coupled to the at least one cooling surface based on flowing over the plate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the flow path is a first cooling loop; and   the second fluid flows in a second cooling loop to cool the cooling load.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cooling load is a data center. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a thermal storage tank configured to store energy based on the first fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the second fluid comprises a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle; and   the heat exchanger is configured to sub-cool the refrigerant.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the second fluid comprises a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle;   the refrigeration cycle comprises a condenser; and   the refrigeration cycle comprises an evaporator configured to cool the cooling load.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cooling surface cools the first fluid to a fluid temperature lower than an ambient temperature of the ambient environment while the at least one cooling surface is under direct sunlight. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 affecting a flow of the first fluid along the flow path using at least one valve; and   adjusting, using a control system, a position of the at least one valve to control an amount of heat transfer at the at least one cooling surface.