Multi-stage evaporative heat rejection process cycle that facilitates process cooling efficiency, water production, and/or water reclamation for fluid coolers and cooling towers

Abstract

An evaporative heat rejection cycle for cooling a heat load is presented, including an environmental pre-cooling primary evaporator, an environmental pre-cooling secondary evaporator, a pre-cooled evaporative heat rejection cycle section in thermal communication with a heat load, and a primary pre-cooling evaporative heat exchanger in thermal communication with air that is drawn into thermal communication with a primary evaporator cycle, to enable heat transfer and moisture elimination from the air to a first fluid, where a portion of the first fluid evaporates and absorbs heat and condenses moisture from the air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An evaporative heat rejection cycle for cooling a heat load, comprising:
 an environmental pre-cooling primary evaporator;   an environmental pre-cooling secondary evaporator;   a pre-cooled evaporative heat rejection cycle section in thermal communication with the heat load; and   a primary pre-cooling evaporative heat exchanger in thermal communication with air that is drawn into thermal communication with the primary evaporator to enable heat transfer and moisture elimination from the air to a first fluid,   wherein a portion of the first fluid evaporates and absorbs heat and condenses moisture from the air,   wherein the first fluid transports the heat to a condenser where it is in thermal communication with a second fluid that at least partially condenses the first fluid,   wherein the second fluid is circulated to a discharge pipe with atomizing spray nozzles that are in thermal communication with the air that is being pulled through a closed evaporative heat rejection chamber,   wherein the second fluid is in contact with the air and creates a film on the fill or evaporator coil to enable partial water evaporation to the atmosphere as well as cooling the remaining first fluid as it travels down through a circuit in thermal contact with the air,   wherein a portion of the cooled second fluid drops and collects at a cold water basin, and   wherein the second fluid is circulated from the cold water basin and is pumped to the condenser to repeat the cycle.   
     
     
         2 . The heat rejection cycle according to  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary pre-cooling evaporative section in thermal communication with the pre-cooled air,
 wherein the air is in thermal contact with the secondary pre-cooling evaporative section to enable further heat and moisture elimination to a third fluid, the third fluid being circulated to another evaporator, the third fluid being in thermal communication with a fourth fluid which evaporates the rejected heat into the fourth fluid, the fourth fluid being pulled through the suction of a compressor.   
     
     
         3 . The heat rejection cycle according to  claim 2 , wherein the compressor compresses the fourth fluid and delivers it to another condenser where it is in thermal communication with the second fluid which fully condenses the fourth fluid into a liquid and wherein the fourth fluid liquid is transported through an expansion valve, wherein the fourth fluid expands and evaporates in thermal communication with the third fluid in the another evaporator. 
     
     
         4 . The heat rejection cycle according to  claim 3 , wherein, the second fluid which is in thermal communication with the fourth fluid at the condenser, is circulated to the discharge pipe with the atomizing spray nozzles that are in thermal communication with the air that is being pulled through the closed evaporative heat rejection chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The heat rejection cycle according to  claim 4 , wherein the second fluid is in contact with the air and creates the film on the fill or the evaporator coil to enable partial water evaporation to the atmosphere, as well as to cool remaining first fluid as it travels down through the circuit in thermal contact with the air. 
     
     
         6 . The heat rejection cycle according to  claim 5 , wherein a portion of the cooled second fluid drops and collects at the cold water basin and wherein the second fluid is circulated from the cold-water basin and is pumped to the condenser to repeat the cycle. 
     
     
         7 . The heat rejection cycle according to  claim 6 , wherein the atmospheric air enters the cycle at the primary pre-cooling evaporator and is either pushed or pulled through the cycle utilizing fans, wherein the air is pre-cooled, a portion of the moisture in the air is eliminated, and the air is transported to the secondary pre-cooler evaporator. 
     
     
         8 . The heat rejection cycle according to  claim 7 , wherein the cool air enters the air chamber and is pushed or pulled across and up through the evaporative heat rejection chamber where it is in thermal contact with the second fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The heat rejection cycle according to  claim 8 , wherein warm heated air is either rejected into the atmosphere, or warm latent air enters into the secondary after cooler evaporator. 
     
     
         10 . A primary after-cooler evaporative heat exchanger in thermal communication with warm process heat rejection air is drawn into thermal communication with a primary after-cooler evaporator cycle, to enable heat transfer and moisture elimination from air to a first fluid, the heat exchanger enabling:
 a portion of the first fluid to evaporate and absorb heat and condense moisture from the air;   the first fluid to transport heat to a condenser where it is in thermal communication with a second fluid that at least partially condenses the first fluid; and   the second fluid to be circulated to a discharge pipe with atomizing spray nozzles that are in thermal communication with the air that is being pulled through a closed evaporative heat rejection chamber.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein the second fluid is in contact with the air and creates a film on a fill or evaporator coil to enable partial water evaporation to the atmosphere, as well as to cool remaining first fluid as it travels down through a circuit in thermal contact with the air. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein a portion of the cooled second fluid drops and collects at a cold water basin and wherein the second fluid is circulated from the cold-water basin and is pumped to the condenser to repeat the cycle. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , further comprising a secondary after-cooler evaporative section in thermal communication with the pre-cooled air, wherein the air is in thermal contact with the secondary pre-cooling evaporator to enable further heat and moisture elimination to a third fluid, the third fluid being circulated to another evaporator where it is in thermal communication with a fourth fluid which evaporates the rejected heat into the fourth fluid, the fourth fluid being pulled through a suction of a compressor. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 13 , wherein the compressor compresses the fourth fluid and delivers it to another condenser where it is in thermal communication with the second fluid which fully condenses the fourth fluid into a liquid. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein the fourth fluid liquid is transported through an expansion valve, where it expands and evaporates in thermal communication with the third fluid in the another evaporator. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , wherein the second fluid, which is in thermal communication with the fourth fluid at the condenser, is circulated to the discharge pipe with the atomizing spray nozzles that are in thermal communication with the air that is being pulled through the closed evaporative heat rejection chamber and wherein the second fluid is in contact with the air and creates the film on the fill or evaporator coil to enable partial water evaporation to the atmosphere, as well as to cool the remaining first fluid as it travels down through the circuit in thermal contact with the air. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein the second fluid is circulated from the cold-water basin and is pumped to the condenser to repeat the cycle, and a warm heat rejection air enters the cycle at the primary pre-cooling evaporator where it is either pushed or pulled through the cycle by utilizing fans. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 17 , wherein the air is pre-cooled, a portion of the moisture in the air is eliminated, and the air is then transported to the secondary pre-cooler evaporator, and
 wherein the cool air enters an air chamber and is pushed or pulled across and up through the evaporative heat rejection chamber where it is in thermal contact with the second fluid.   
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 18 , wherein the warm heated air enters into the primary after-cooler evaporator where the air is after-cooled and a portion of the moisture is eliminated. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 19 , wherein the air enters the secondary after-cooler evaporator where the air is further cooled and additional moisture is eliminated, and
 wherein the cooler dry air is discharged into the atmosphere or is distributed as conditioned air.