초록 ▼

A free cooling system may include first and second conduits configured to carry first and second fluids, a cooling load configured to transfer heat to the first fluid, thereby causing the first fluid to have a post-loading temperature, a free cooling device configured to transfer heat from the secon

A free cooling system may include first and second conduits configured to carry first and second fluids, a cooling load configured to transfer heat to the first fluid, thereby causing the first fluid to have a post-loading temperature, a free cooling device configured to transfer heat from the second fluid to atmospheric air, thereby causing the second fluid to have a post-cooling temperature, a heat exchanger configured to facilitate a heat exchange between the first and second fluids of the first and second conduits, thereby causing the first fluid to have a pre-loading temperature and the second fluid to have a pre-cooling temperature, and a fluid flow control device configured to control a first flow rate of the first fluid and a second flow rate of the second fluid, such that the post-cooling temperature is less than the pre-loading temperature by at least a predefined temperature.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A free cooling system, comprising: first and second conduits configured to carry first and second fluids respectively, the first fluid is configured to circulate within the first conduit, the second fluid is a liquid and is configured to circulate within the second conduit;a cooling load configur

1. A free cooling system, comprising: first and second conduits configured to carry first and second fluids respectively, the first fluid is configured to circulate within the first conduit, the second fluid is a liquid and is configured to circulate within the second conduit;a cooling load configured to engage the first conduit, and is configured to transfer heat to the first fluid, thereby causing the first fluid to have a post-loading temperature;a free cooling device configured to engage the second conduit, and is configured to transfer heat from the second fluid in a liquid state to atmospheric air, thereby causing the second fluid to have a post-cooling temperature;a heat exchanger configured to engage the first and second conduits, and configured to facilitate a heat exchange between the first and second fluids with the first and second conduits, thereby causing the first fluid to have a pre-loading temperature and the second fluid to have a pre-cooling temperature; anda fluid flow control device coupled to the first and second conduits, and configured to control a first flow rate of the first fluid and a second flow rate of the second fluid, such that the post-cooling temperature is less than the pre-loading temperature by at least a predefined temperature. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predefined temperature ranges from about 1° C. to about 6° C. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first flow rate is based on the pre-loading temperature and the second flow rate is based on the post-cooling temperature. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first flow rate is configured to decrease when a first difference between the post-loading temperature and the pre-loading temperature decreases, and the second flow rate is configured to increase when a second difference between the pre-cooling temperature and the post-cooling temperature decreases. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow rate control device includes a first flow rate control device coupled to the first conduit, and configured to circulate the first fluid within the first conduit at the first flow rate, anda second flow rate control device coupled to the second conduit, and configured to circulate the second fluid within the second conduit at the second flow rate. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein: the free cooling device includes a plurality of free cooling towers, such that at least one of the plurality of free cooling towers is selected to couple to the second conduit for transferring heat from the second fluid to the atmospheric air, andthe plurality of free cooling towers are selected based on the pre-loading temperature, the post-cooling temperature, and icing conditions of the plurality of free cooling towers. 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a first temperature sensing device coupled to the first conduit, and configured to sense the post-loading temperature;a second temperature sensing device coupled to the first conduit, and configured to sense the pre-loading temperature;a third temperature sensing device coupled to the second conduit, and configured to sense the post-cooling temperature;a fourth temperature sensing device coupled to the second conduit, and configured to sense the pre-cooling temperature; anda processor coupled to the first, second, third, and fourth temperature sensing devices, the processor configured to receive the pre-loading, post-loading, pre-cooling, and post cooling temperatures, and configured to generate first and second flow rate signals configured to be received by the fluid flow control device, the first flow rate signal configured to control the first flow rate based on the post-loading and pre-loading temperatures, the second flow rate signal configured to control the second flow rate based on the post-cooling and pre-cooling temperatures. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein: the first conduit includes first, second, third, and fourth sections forming a first closed loop, the first section is engaged by the cooling load such that heat is transferred from the cooling load to the first fluid within the first section, thereby causing the first fluid within the second section to have the post-loading temperature,the second conduit includes first, second, third, and fourth sections forming a first closed loop, the first section is engaged by the free cooling device such that heat is transfer from the second fluid within the first section to the atmospheric air, thereby causing the second fluid within the second section to have the post-cooling temperature, andthe third sections of the first and second conduits are engaged by the heat exchanger, so as to facilitate heat exchange between the first and second fluid within the third sections of the first and second conduits, thereby causing the first fluid within the fourth section of the first conduit to have the pre-loading temperature and the second fluid within the fourth section of the second conduit to have the pre-cooling temperature. 9. The system of claim 8, further comprising: a first storage tank coupled to the first conduit, and configured to store the first fluid within the fourth section of the first conduit; anda second storage tank coupled to the second conduit, and configured to store the second fluid within the second section of the second conduit. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a chiller device; anda bypass valve coupled between the chiller device and the first conduit, and configured to engage the chiller device to the first conduit when a difference between the pre-loading temperature and the post-cooling temperature is less than the predefined temperature value, thereby enabling the chiller device to absorb heat from the first fluid within the first conduit. 11. A free cooling system, comprising: a first conduit having first, second, third, and fourth sections, and configured to carry a first fluid, the first, second, third, and fourth sections forming a first closed loop;a second conduit having first, second, third, and fourth sections, and configured to carry a second fluid, the first, second, third, and fourth sections forming a second closed loop;a cooling load configured to engage the first section of the first conduit, and configured to transfer heat to the first fluid within the first section of the first conduit, thereby causing the first fluid within the second section of the first conduit to have a post-loading temperature;a valve connected to the third section of the first conduit;a cooling device connected to the valve, the valve configured to allow the first fluid to flow through the cooling device or the third section of the first conduit;a free cooling device configured to engage the first section of the second conduit, and configured to transfer heat from the second fluid within the first section of the second conduit to an atmospheric air, thereby causing the second fluid within the second section of the second conduit to have a post-cooling temperature;a heat exchanger configured to engage the third sections of the first and second conduits, and configured to facilitate a heat exchange between the first and second fluid within the third sections of the first and second conduits, thereby causing the first fluid within the fourth section of the first conduit to have a pre-loading temperature and the second fluid within the fourth section of the second conduit to have a pre-cooling temperature; anda fluid flow control device connected to the first and second conduits, and configured to control a first flow rate of the first fluid and a second flow rate of the second fluid, such that the post-cooling temperature is less than the pre-loading temperature by at least a predefined temperature. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the predefined temperature ranges from about 1° C. to about 6° C. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first flow rate is based on the pre-loading temperature, and the second flow rate is based on the post-cooling temperature. 14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first flow rate is based on a first difference between the post-loading temperature and the pre-loading temperature, and the second flow rate is based on a second difference between the pre-cooling temperature and the post-cooling temperature. 15. The system of claim 11, wherein: the cooling device comprises a chiller device; andthe valve comprises a bypass valve connected between the chiller device and the third section of the first conduit, and configured to engage the chiller device to the third section of the first conduit when a difference between the pre-loading temperature and the post-cooling temperature is less than the predefined temperature value, thereby enabling the chiller device to absorb heat from the first fluid within the third section of the first conduit. 16. The system of claim 11, wherein: the free cooling device includes a plurality of free cooling towers, such that at least one of the plurality of free cooling towers is selected to couple to the first section of the second conduit for transferring heat from the second fluid within the first section of the second conduit to the atmospheric air, andthe plurality of free cooling towers are selected based on the pre-loading temperature, the post-cooling temperature, and icing conditions of the plurality of free cooling towers. 17. A method for operating a free cooling system, comprising the steps of: transferring heat from a cooling load to a first fluid carried by a first conduit, thereby causing the first fluid to have a post-loading temperature;transferring heat from a second fluid that is a liquid carried by a second conduit to an atmospheric air by using a free cooling device, thereby causing the second fluid to have a post-cooling temperature;exchanging heat between the first fluid and the second fluid by using a heat exchanger, thereby causing the first fluid to have a pre-loading temperature and the second fluid to have a pre-cooling temperature; andcontrolling a first flow rate of the first fluid within the first conduit and a second flow rate of the second fluid within the second conduit by using a fluid flow control device, such that the post-cooling temperature is less than the pre-loading temperature by at least a predefined temperature. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predefined temperature ranges from about 1° C. to about 6° C. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first flow rate is based on the pre-loading temperature and the second flow rate is based on the post-cooling temperature. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the controlling step includes: decreasing the first flow rate when a first difference between the post-loading temperature and the pre-loading temperature decreases, andincreasing the second flow rate when a second difference between the pre-cooling temperature and the post-cooling temperature decreases.