Method and system for pre-cooling

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for pre-cooling. The cooling system includes a condenser including a condenser inlet and a condenser outlet. The system also includes a cooling tower including a cooling tower inlet and a cooling tower outlet. The system further includes a heat exchanger including a first heat exchanger inlet and a first heat exchanger outlet. The first heat exchanger inlet is fluidically coupled to the cooling tower outlet, and the first heat exchanger outlet is fluidically coupled to the condenser inlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling system comprising:
 a condenser including a condenser inlet and a condenser outlet;   a cooling tower including a cooling tower inlet and a cooling tower outlet; and   a heat exchanger including a first heat exchanger inlet and a first heat exchanger outlet, the first heat exchanger inlet fluidically coupled to the cooling tower outlet, and the first heat exchanger outlet fluidically coupled to the condenser inlet.   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a load center including a load center inlet and a load center outlet;   an evaporator including an evaporator inlet and an evaporator outlet; and   wherein the heat exchanger includes a second heat exchanger inlet and a second heat exchanger outlet, the second heat exchanger inlet fluidically coupled to the load center outlet, and the second heat exchanger outlet fluidically coupled to the evaporator inlet.   
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor to obtain a temperature of a first fluid that exits the cooling tower outlet. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein the cooling tower includes a variable speed fan configured to adjust fan speed based on the obtained temperature. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 3 , further comprising, based on the obtained temperature being greater than a first preset temperature, a piping structure configured to direct the first fluid from the cooling tower outlet to the heat exchanger inlet, from the heat exchanger outlet to the condenser inlet, and from the condenser outlet to the cooling tower inlet. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor to obtain a temperature of a first fluid that exits the cooling tower outlet; and   based on the obtained temperature being greater than a first preset temperature, a piping structure configured to direct a second fluid from the evaporator outlet to the load center inlet and from the load center outlet to the second heat exchanger inlet.   
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 6 , further comprising based on the obtained temperature being less than or equal to a first preset temperature, a chiller configured to be non-operational, the chiller including the condenser and evaporator. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor to obtain a temperature of a wet bulb temperature of an exterior atmosphere; and   based on the obtained temperature being greater than a first preset temperature, a piping structure configured to direct a second fluid from the evaporator outlet to the load center inlet and from the load center outlet to the second heat exchanger inlet.   
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 8 , further comprising based on the obtained temperature being less than or equal to a first preset temperature, a chiller configured to be non-operational, the chiller including the condenser and evaporator. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling tower includes a variable speed fan configured to adjust fan speed based on a wet bulb temperature of an exterior atmosphere. 
     
     
         11 . A system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a first variable speed pump configured to circulate a first fluid and maintain a flow rate of the first fluid. 
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the first fluid is cooling water. 
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a second variable speed pump configured to circulate a second fluid and maintain a flow rate of the second fluid. 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the second fluid is coolant. 
     
     
         15 . A method for a cooling system comprising:
 obtaining a cooling tower exit temperature of a first fluid;   based on the obtained temperature being greater than a first preset temperature, the first fluid directed from a cooling tower outlet to a first heat exchanger inlet, from a first heat exchanger outlet to a condenser inlet, and from a condenser outlet to a cooling tower inlet.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising based on the obtained temperature being greater than the first preset temperature, a second fluid directed from an evaporator outlet to a load center inlet and from a load center outlet to a second heat exchanger inlet. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising based on the obtained temperature being less than or equal to the first preset temperature, configure a chiller to be non-operational, the chiller including an evaporator and a condenser. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising configuring a variable speed pump to circulate the first fluid and maintain a flow rate of the first fluid. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising configuring a variable speed pump to circulate the second fluid and maintain a flow rate of the second fluid. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising configuring a variable speed fan in the cooling tower to adjust fan speed based on the temperature of the first fluid that exits the cooling tower outlet.