Apparatus for cooling systems

Abstract

Apparatus for detecting the escape of a fluid from a cooling system having a passage ( 1, 2, 3 ), comprises: a housing ( 4, 5 ) defining a volume abutting one or more portions of said passage; and sensor means ( 6, 7 ) adapted to detect the presence of said fluid within said volume; and wherein the housing is adapted to collect the escaped fluid such that the sensor can detect the escaped fluid before the operation of the cooling system is compromised. The passage of the cooling system may be a pipe of a heat exchange circuit, and the fluid may be a heat transfer fluid such as carbon dioxide. The apparatus may be adapted to signal to alarm means or other monitoring systems on detection of escaped fluid.

1 . Apparatus for detecting the escape of a fluid from a cooling system having a passage, comprising:
 a housing defining a volume abutting one or more portions of said passage; and   sensor means adapted to detect the presence of said fluid within said volume;   
     wherein the housing is adapted to collect the escaped fluid such that the sensor can detect the escaped fluid before the operation of the cooling system is compromised. 
   
   
       2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said fluid is a volatile fluid. 
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said fluid is carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is adapted to detect the presence of a gas. 
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to detect fluid which escapes from the passage in the form of a gas. 
   
   
       6 .- 10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said passage is a pipe and said one or more portions of a passage is one or more portions of a pipe. 
   
   
       12 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling system comprises a heat exchanger comprising said passage or pipe. 
   
   
       13 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the surface area of said one or more portions of passage or pipe to the volume defined by said housing abutting said one or more portions of passage or pipe is less than 1:100, and preferably the surface area to volume ratio is in the range 1:50 to 1:10. 
   
   
       14 .- 18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing abuts a portion of the passage or pipe that is under a locally elevated level of mechanical stress. 
   
   
       20 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing abuts a portion of the passage or pipe that is curved or angled in the longitudinal direction of the pipe. 
   
   
       21 .- 24 . (canceled) 
   
   
       25 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a one of said one or more portions of a passage or pipe is curved at an angle of approximately 180° (e.g. a U-bend). 
   
   
       26 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said sensor is adapted to monitor straight portions of passage/pipe. 
   
   
       27 .- 29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the volume defined by said housing abuts one or more portions of a passage or pipe having a joint. 
   
   
       31 .- 33 . (canceled) 
   
   
       34 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the passage or pipe of the cooling system abutting the volume is less than 50%, preferably less than 25% or more preferably less than 10% of the total length of the pipe. 
   
   
       35 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said volume is in fluid communication with one or more spaced apart additional volumes, and preferably wherein the means of fluid communication is a discharge or connecting pipe, preferably wherein said discharge or connecting pipe is provided with a valve to regulate the rate of fluid communication between said one or more additional volumes, the sensor optionally being mounted on or in said discharge or connecting pipe. 
   
   
       36 .- 38 . (canceled) 
   
   
       39 . Apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein said one or more additional volumes are defined by one or more additional housings. 
   
   
       40 .- 44 . (canceled) 
   
   
       45 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an alarm means. 
   
   
       46 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , adapted to signal to a data storage or processing means, wherein said data storage or processing means may be a monitoring system. 
   
   
       47 .- 48 . (canceled) 
   
   
       49 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing defines a volume abutting a series of U-bends. 
   
   
       50 . (canceled) 
   
   
       51 . A cooling system, heat exchanger, monitoring system or computer installation comprising the apparatus of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       52 .- 54 . (canceled) 
   
   
       55 . A method for detecting the escape of a heat exchange fluid from a cooling system or heat exchanger using the apparatus of  claim 1 .