Device and method for recooling coolants or recooling media, or for obtaining cold from an air current

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for the recooling of coolants or of recoolant media or for extracting cold from an airstream. The apparatus comprises at least one air-humidifier ( 10 ) to add moisture to the airstream. Positioned downstream of the air-humidifier ( 10 ) is a heat exchanger ( 12 ), which is in interaction with a coolant circuit. The apparatus comprises a blower means ( 14 ), which propels the airstream through the air-humidifier ( 10 ) and the heat exchanger ( 12 ). In the heat exchanger ( 12 ) the airstream is warmed and its moisture evaporated.

1 . Apparatus for the recooling of coolants or of recoolant media or for extracting cold from an airstream, comprising 
 at least one air-humidifier ( 10 ) for the addition of moisture to the airstream;    at least one heat exchanger ( 12 ), which is positioned downstream of the air-humidifier ( 10 ) and interacts between the airstream and a coolant circuit; and    a blower means ( 14 ) for propelling the airstream.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the air-humidifier ( 10 ), the heat exchanger ( 12 ) and the blower means ( 14 ) are disposed in a channel, which defines an entrance and an exit but is otherwise closed.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  or  claim 2 , characterized in that the blower means ( 14 ) is disposed downstream of the heat exchanger ( 12 ).  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterized in that the blower means ( 14 ) comprises a plurality of ventilators ( 38 ) which are either disposed in parallel or disposed in series.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  4 , characterized in that the air-humidifier ( 10 ) is a pressurized-water humidifier.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the air-humidifier ( 10 ) comprises a plurality of nozzles ( 32 ) disposed in the airstream.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , characterized in that the orientation of the plurality of nozzles ( 32 ) is such that an ejection is substantially in the direction of flow of the airstream.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 5  to  7 , characterized in that the pressure with which humidifying liquid is applied to the air-humidifier ( 10 ) is continuously adjusted, in particular regulated.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that the pressure with which humidifying liquid is applied to the air-humidifier ( 10 ) is set, in particular regulated, to values in a range between 0 bar and 200 bar.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  9 , characterized in that the amount of water in the air-humidifier ( 10 ) is continuously adjusted, in particular regulated.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  10 , characterized in that the air-humidifier ( 10 ) produces a fine mist in the airstream.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the fine mist consists of droplets, such that the majority of droplets has a diameter smaller than 60 μm, preferably smaller than 30 μm.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  12 , characterized in that a sound attenuator ( 16 ) is positioned upstream of the air-humidifier ( 10 ).  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  13 , characterized in that a sound attenuator ( 18 ) is positioned downstream of the blower means ( 14 ).  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  14 , characterized in that the coolant circuit comprises a liquid coolant.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  15 , characterized in that the air-humidifier ( 10 ) comprises a regulating device to regulate the humidification of the airstream, so that substantially no condensed water remains in the apparatus.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 4  to  16 , characterized in that the rotational speed of the ventilators ( 38 ) is continuously adjustable.  
     
     
         18 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , characterized in that the apparatus can be regulated by adjusting the rotational speed of the ventilators ( 38 ) and the pressure in the air-humidifier ( 10 ).  
     
     
         19 . Method for the cooling of a coolant media or for extracting cold from an airstream, comprises the steps of: 
 providing an airstream derived from air discharged from an air-conditioned building or from ambient air;    humidifying the airstream by spraying into it a fine mist of water;    warming the airstream while increasing the absolute humidity and simultaneously reducing the relative humidity, the energy required for this process being drawn from a coolant circuit; and    discharging the airstream into the surroundings.    
     
     
         20 . Method as claimed in  claim 19 , characterized in that the humidification of the airstream is regulated and directed in such a way that substantially no precipitation is produced.  
     
     
         21 . Method as claimed in  claim 19  or  claim 20 , characterized in that the method is carried out with an apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  18 .  
     
     
         22 . Method as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  21 , characterized in that the steps of humidifying the airstream and warming the airstream are repeated at least once.  
     
     
         23 . Method as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  22 , characterized in that the humidification of the airstream is performed with pressurized water, with a pressure in a range between 0 bar to 200 bar, and preferably in a range between 20 to 120 bar, and yet more preferably with a pressure of 80 bar.  
     
     
         24 . Method as claimed in any one of the  claims 19  to  23 , characterized in that the amount and the velocity of the airstream are regulated by continuous adjustment of the rotational speeds of ventilators.  
     
     
         25 . Method as claimed in  claim 23  or  claim 24 , characterized in that the cooling or cold extraction is regulated both by adjusting the pressure or the output quantity of the pressurized water and by adjusting the rotational speeds of ventilators.