Method and system for multi-purpose cooling

Abstract

A multi-purpose cooling method and system is disclosed that includes a temperature sensor configured to sense a wet bulb temperature of atmospheric air at a cooling tower. The system also includes a first valve fluidically coupled to a first load center and the cooling tower, and a second valve fluidically coupled to a second load center and a chiller. The system further includes a heat exchanger including a first inlet fluidically coupled to the first valve and a second inlet fluidically coupled to the second valve. The first valve is configured to direct a first fluid and the second valve are configured to direct a second fluid according to the wet bulb temperature, a first target incoming temperature of the first fluid for the first load center, and a second target incoming temperature of the second fluid for the second load center.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-purpose cooling system comprising:
 a temperature sensor configured to sense a wet bulb temperature of atmospheric air at a cooling tower;   a first valve fluidically coupled to a first load center and the cooling tower;   a second valve fluidically coupled to a second load center and a chiller; and   a heat exchanger including a first inlet fluidically coupled to the first valve and a second inlet fluidically coupled to the second valve, wherein the first valve is configured to direct a first fluid and the second valve are configured to direct a second fluid according to:
 the wet bulb temperature, 
 a first target incoming temperature of the first fluid for the first load center, and 
 a second target incoming temperature of the second fluid for the second load center. 
   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the wet bulb temperature is greater than a first target temperature; and
 wherein the first valve is configured to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the heat exchanger and the second valve is configured to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a third valve fluidically coupled to the first valve, the cooling tower, and a bypass path for the cooling tower, wherein the third valve is configured to direct the first fluid to the bypass path for the cooling tower. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the wet bulb temperature is greater than a second target temperature; and
 wherein the first valve is configured to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the heat exchanger, and the second valve is configured to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger and the chiller.   
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the wet bulb temperature is greater than a third target temperature; and
 wherein the first valve is configured to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the first load center, and the second valve is configured to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the chiller.   
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the wet bulb temperature is greater than a fourth target temperature; and
 wherein the first valve is configured to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the first load center and the heat exchanger, and the second valve is configured to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third valve fluidically coupled to the second valve, the chiller, and a bypass path for the chiller, wherein the third valve is configured to direct the second fluid to the bypass path for the chiller;
 wherein the wet bulb temperature is less than or equal to a fourth target temperature; and   wherein the first valve is configured to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the heat exchanger and the second valve is configured to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         8 . A method for a multi-purpose cooling system comprising:
 obtaining a wet bulb temperature of atmospheric air at a cooling tower from a temperature sensor;   determining a first target incoming temperature for a first fluid at a first load center, and a second target incoming temperature of a second fluid at a second load center;   based on determining the wet bulb temperature is above a first target temperature:
 configuring a first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to a heat exchanger, the first valve fluidically coupled to the first load center, the cooling tower, and the heat exchanger; and 
 configuring a second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger, the second valve fluidically coupled to the second load center, a chiller, and the heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising configuring a third valve to direct the first fluid to a bypass path for the cooling tower, the third valve is fluidically coupled to the first valve, the cooling tower, and the bypass path for the cooling tower. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising, based on determining the wet bulb temperature is above a second target temperature:
 configuring the first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the heat exchanger, and   configuring the second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger and the chiller.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising, based on determining the wet bulb temperature is greater than a third target temperature:
 configuring the first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the first load center; and   configuring the second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the chiller.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising, based on determining the wet bulb temperature is greater than a fourth target temperature:
 configuring the first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the first load center and the heat exchanger; and   configuring the second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising, based on the wet bulb temperature being less than or equal to a fourth target temperature:
 configuring a third valve to direct the second fluid to a bypass path for the chiller, the third valve is fluidically coupled to the second valve, the chiller, and the bypass path for the chiller;   configuring the first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the heat exchanger; and   configuring the second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         14 . A multi-purpose cooling system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; and   computer-executable instructions carried on a computer readable medium, the instructions readable by the processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:
 obtain a wet bulb temperature of atmospheric air at a cooling tower from a temperature sensor; 
 determine a first target incoming temperature for a first fluid at a first load center, and a second target incoming temperature of a second fluid at a second load center; 
 based on determining the wet bulb temperature is above a first target temperature:
 configure a first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to a heat exchanger, the first valve fluidically coupled to the first load center, the cooling tower, and the heat exchanger; and 
 configure a second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger, the second valve fluidically coupled to the second load center, a chiller, and the heat exchanger. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . A multi-purpose cooling system according to  claim 14 , the instructions further cause the processor to configure a third valve to direct the first fluid to a bypass path for the cooling tower, the third valve is fluidically coupled to the first valve, the cooling tower, and the bypass path for the cooling tower. 
     
     
         16 . A multi-purpose cooling system according to  claim 14 , the instructions further cause the processor to, based on determining the wet bulb temperature is above a second target temperature:
 configure the first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the heat exchanger, and   configure the second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger and the chiller.   
     
     
         17 . A multi-purpose cooling system according to  claim 14 , the instructions further cause the processor to, based on determining the wet bulb temperature is greater than a third target temperature:
 configure the first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the first load center; and   configure the second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the chiller.   
     
     
         18 . A multi-purpose cooling system according to  claim 14 , the instructions further cause the processor to, based on determining the wet bulb temperature is greater than a fourth target temperature:
 configure the first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the first load center and the heat exchanger; and   configure the second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         19 . A multi-purpose cooling system according to  claim 14 , the instructions further cause the processor to, based on the wet bulb temperature being less than or equal to a fourth target temperature:
 configure a third valve to direct the second fluid to a bypass path for the chiller, the third valve is fluidically coupled to the second valve, the chiller, and the bypass path for the chiller;   configure the first valve to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower to the heat exchanger; and   configure the second valve to direct the second fluid from the second load center to the heat exchanger.