Fluid conditioning arrangements

Abstract

A fluid conditioning arrangement comprises a primary heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat the fluid; a secondary heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat the fluid; and a controller for operating said secondary heat exchanger when said primary heat exchanger fails to cool and/or heat the fluid at a predetermined acceptablelevel; wherein said primary heat exchanger is a phase change material (PCM) based heat exchanger.

1 . A fluid conditioning arrangement comprising a primary heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat the fluid; a secondary heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat the fluid; and a controller for operating said secondary heat exchanger when said primary heat exchanger fails to cool and/or heat the fluid at a predetermined acceptable level; wherein said primary heat exchanger is a phase change material (PCM) based heat exchanger. 
     
     
         2 . An arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said secondary heat exchanger is selected from: a vapour compression cycle based air conditioning system, a heat pump, an absorption chiller, a desiccant, an adsorption cooler or a heater element. 
     
     
         3 . An arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said secondary heat exchanger incorporates a liquid store suitable for cryogenic cooling. 
     
     
         4 . An arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said secondary heat exchanger incorporates an evaporative cooler. 
     
     
         5 . An arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein said evaporative cooler incorporates a housing with an air intake; a corresponding air outlet; a liquid inlet;
 a corresponding liquid outlet; and a wicking surface.   
     
     
         6 . An arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said secondary heat exchanger incorporates a Peltier cooler. 
     
     
         7 . An arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said secondary heat exchanger exchanges heat with a liquid which then exchanges heat with the PCM of said primary heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . An arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said primary heat exchanger incorporates one or more units housing PCM; wherein said housing incorporates a PCM tank. 
     
     
         9 . An arrangement according to  claim 8 , wherein said tank incorporates insulated sides and at least one side without insulation in order to enhance convection through said side. 
     
     
         10 . A phase change material (PCM) module comprising a number of PCM packs; a housing for thermally insulating said number of PCM packs from a module's surrounding medium; said packs being in the form of a panel with an upper surface, a lower surface, and relatively narrow lateral sides; wherein a plurality of troughs in at least either the upper or lower surfaces of the panel are provided to allow fluid to flow through the module for heat exchange with the PCM. 
     
     
         11 . A phase change material (PCM) module comprising a number of PCM monoliths; a housing for thermally insulating said number of PCM monoliths from a module's surrounding medium; and gaps being formed between a stack of said monoliths in said module to allow fluid to flow through the module for heat exchange with the PCM. 
     
     
         12 . A module according to  claim 11 , wherein said monoliths are hexagonal in cross-section. 
     
     
         13 . A phase change material (PCM) module comprising a number of PCM packs; a housing for thermally insulating said number of PCM packs from a module's surrounding medium; and conduits passing through said PCM packs to allow fluid to flow through the module for heat exchange with the PCM. 
     
     
         14 . A fluid conditioning arrangement comprising a first heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat fluid; and a second heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat fluid; wherein said one of said heat exchangers is a phase change material (PCM) based heat exchanger; and the other is an evaporative cooler. 
     
     
         15 . A fluid conditioning arrangement comprising a first heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat fluid; and a second heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat fluid; wherein said one of said heat exchangers is a phase change material (PCM) based heat exchanger; and the other is a Peltier cooler. 
     
     
         16 . A fluid conditioning arrangement comprising a first heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat fluid; and a second heat exchanger configured to cool and/or heat fluid; wherein said one of said heat exchangers is a phase change material (PCM) based heat exchanger; and the other is a solar based heat exchanger. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled)