System and Method for Cooling Using Two Separate Coolants

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a cooling system for a heat-generating structure includes a first cooling loop that directs a flow of a first fluid coolant from a heat-generating structure to a first heat exchanger. The system also includes a second cooling loop that directs a flow of a second fluid coolant from the first heat exchanger to a second heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger receives thermal energy from the first fluid coolant and transfers at least a portion of the thermal energy to the second fluid coolant. The first fluid coolant has a specific heat and a mass flow rate, and the second fluid coolant has a specific heat and a mass flow rate. A product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the first fluid coolant is greater than a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the second fluid coolant.

1 . A cooling system for a heat-generating structure comprising:
 a first cooling loop that directs a flow of a first fluid coolant from a heat-generating structure to a first heat exchanger;   a second cooling loop that directs a flow of a second fluid coolant from the first heat exchanger to a second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger receiving thermal energy from the first fluid coolant and transferring at least a portion of the thermal energy to the second fluid coolant;   the first heat exchanger receiving the first fluid coolant at a first temperature and dispensing of the first fluid coolant out of the first heat exchanger at a second temperature, the first heat exchanger further receiving the second fluid coolant at a third temperature and dispensing of the second fluid coolant out of the heat exchanger at a fourth temperature, the first temperature of the first fluid coolant being higher than the second temperature of the first fluid coolant, and the third temperature of the second fluid coolant being lower than the fourth temperature of the second fluid coolant;   wherein the first heat exchanger prevents fluid contact between the first fluid coolant and the second fluid coolant; and   wherein the first fluid coolant has a specific heat and a mass flow rate, and the second fluid coolant has a specific heat and a mass flow rate, a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the first fluid coolant being greater than a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the second fluid coolant.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating structure is a phased array antenna located on a mast of a ship. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second heat exchanger is a chiller operable to cool the second fluid coolant, the chiller being located remotely from the heat-generating structure, the heat exchanger, and the mast of the ship. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first fluid coolant is a mixture of water and propylene glycol (PGW). 
   
   
       5 . A cooling system for a heat-generating structure comprising:
 a first cooling loop that directs a flow of a first fluid coolant from a heat-generating structure to a first heat exchanger;   a second cooling loop that directs a flow of a second fluid coolant from the first heat exchanger to a second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger receiving thermal energy from the first fluid coolant and transferring at least a portion of the thermal energy to the second fluid coolant; and   wherein the first fluid coolant has a specific heat and a mass flow rate, and the second fluid coolant has a specific heat and a mass flow rate, a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the first fluid coolant being greater than a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the second fluid coolant.   
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the heat-generating structure is a phased array antenna. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the second heat exchanger is a chiller operable to cool the second fluid coolant, the chiller being located remotely from the heat-generating structure and the first heat exchanger. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first fluid coolant is a mixture of water and propylene glycol (PGW). 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the first fluid coolant being greater than a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the second fluid coolant includes a product of the specific heat, the mass flow rate, and an inverse of a viscosity of the first fluid coolant being greater than a product of the specific heat, mass flow rate, and an inverse of a viscosity of the second fluid coolant. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the viscosity of the first fluid coolant is lower than the viscosity of the second fluid coolant. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the specific heat of the first fluid coolant is higher than the specific heat of the second fluid coolant. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the mass flow rate of the first fluid coolant is higher than the mass flow rate of the second fluid coolant. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first fluid coolant includes a fluid coolant selected from a group consisting of a mixture of water and propylene glycol (PGW), a mixture of water and ethylene glycol (EGW), and HFC-134a. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the second fluid coolant includes a fluid coolant selected from a group consisting of polyalphaolefin (PAO) and Coolanol. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the second fluid coolant includes a fluid coolant selected from a group consisting of a mixture of water and propylene glycol (PGW) and a mixture of water and ethylene glycol (EGW). 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first cooling loop is separate from the second cooling loop, and wherein the first and second cooling loops are coupled to the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       17 . A method for cooling a heat-generating structure, the method comprising:
 providing a first cooling loop for circulating a first fluid coolant;   providing a second cooling loop for circulating a second fluid coolant;   cooling the heat-generating structure using the first fluid coolant;   providing a heat exchanger for cooling the first fluid coolant using the second fluid coolant, the first fluid coolant having a specific heat and a mass flow rate, the second fluid coolant having a specific heat and a mass flow rate, a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the first fluid coolant being greater than a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the second fluid coolant.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the heat-generating structure is a phased array antenna. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising providing a chiller for cooling the second fluid coolant, the chiller being located remotely from the heat-generating structure and the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the first fluid coolant being greater than a product of the specific heat and the mass flow rate of the second fluid coolant further comprises a product of the specific heat, the mass flow rate, and an inverse of a viscosity of the first fluid coolant being greater than a product of the specific heat, mass flow rate, and an inverse of a viscosity of the second fluid coolant. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the viscosity of the first fluid coolant is lower than the viscosity of the second fluid coolant. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the specific heat of the first fluid coolant is higher than the specific heat of the second fluid coolant. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the mass flow rate of the first fluid coolant is higher than the mass flow rate of the second fluid coolant. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first fluid coolant includes a fluid coolant selected from a group consisting of a mixture of water and propylene glycol (PGW), a mixture of water and ethylene glycol (EGW), and HFC-134a. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second fluid coolant includes a fluid coolant selected from a group consisting of polyalphaolefin (PAO) and Coolanol. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the second fluid coolant includes a fluid coolant selected from a group consisting of a mixture of water and propylene glycol (PGW) and a mixture of water and ethylene glycol (EGW).