The invention relates to the nuclear energy field, including pressurized water reactor containment internal passive heat removal systems. The invention increases heat removal efficiency, flow stability in the circuit, and system reliability. The system has at least one cooling water circulation circuit comprising a heat exchanger inside the containment and including an upper and lower header interconnected by heat-exchange tubes, a riser pipeline and a downtake pipeline connected to the heat exchanger, a cooling water supply tank above the heat exchanger outside the containment and connected to the downtake pipeline, a steam relief valve connected to the riser pipeline and located in the water supply tank and hydraulically connected to the latter. The upper and lower header of the heat exchanger are divided into heat exchange tube sections on the assumption that: L/D≦20, L being the header section length, D being the header bore.

A method of operating a heat exchange system includes a heat exchanger including an outer boundary formed by inflow and outflow surfaces, a fan configured and arranged such that a transport fluid is transported through the heat exchanger over the inflow surface to the outflow surface and a control unit that receives one or more actual values from the heat exchanger and/or fan in the operating state and that one or more predetermined values of the heat exchanger and/or of the fan are adjusted by the control unit. The heat exchange system further includes a communication module in signal communication with the control unit, the communication module receiving one or more actual values from the control unit and/or one or more predetermined values transmitted from the communication module to the control unit, with the communication module being in signal communication with a communication unit at least at times.

A method of operating a heat exchange system includes a heat exchanger including an outer boundary formed by inflow and outflow surfaces, a fan configured and arranged such that a transport fluid is transported through the heat exchanger over the inflow surface to the outflow surface and a control unit that receives one or more actual values from the heat exchanger and/or fan in the operating state and that one or more predetermined values of the heat exchanger and/or of the fan are adjusted by the control unit. The heat exchange system further includes a communication module in signal communication with the control unit, the communication module receiving one or more actual values from the control unit and/or one or more predetermined values transmitted from the communication module to the control unit, with the communication module being in signal communication with a communication unit at least at times.

A heat exchanger for a vapor compression system includes a shell, a distributing part disposed inside of the shell to distribute a refrigerant, a tube bundle and a trough part. The tube bundle includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes disposed inside of the shell below the distributing part. The tube bundle includes a falling film region disposed below the distributing part, an accumulating region disposed below the falling film region, and a flooded region disposed below the accumulating region at a bottom portion of the shell. The trough part extends under at least one of the heat transfer tubes in the accumulating region to accumulate the refrigerant therein. The trough part at least partially overlaps with the at least one of the heat transfer tubes in the accumulating region when viewed along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis of the shell.

A reliable, leak-tolerant liquid cooling system with a backup air-cooling system for computers is provided. The system may use a vacuum pump and a liquid pump and/or an air compressor in combination to provide negative fluid pressure so that liquid does not leak out of the system near electrical components. Alternatively, the system can use a single vacuum pump and a valve assembly to circulate coolant. The system distributes flow and pressure with a series of pressure regulating valves so that an array of computers can be serviced by a single cooling system. A connector system is provided to automatically evacuate the liquid from the heat exchangers before they are disconnected. Leak detection and mitigation structures are also disclosed. Various turbulators are also provided, as well as a system and method for optimizing the heat transfer characteristics of a heat exchanger to minimize total energy requirements.

A reliable, leak-tolerant liquid cooling system with a backup air-cooling system for computers is provided. The system may use a vacuum pump and a liquid pump and/or an air compressor in combination to provide negative fluid pressure so that liquid does not leak out of the system near electrical components. Alternatively, the system can use a single vacuum pump and a valve assembly to circulate coolant. The system distributes flow and pressure with a series of pressure regulating valves so that an array of computers can be serviced by a single cooling system. A connector system is provided to automatically evacuate the liquid from the heat exchangers before they are disconnected. Leak detection and mitigation structures are also disclosed. Various turbulators are also provided, as well as a system and method for optimizing the heat transfer characteristics of a heat exchanger to minimize total energy requirements.

A heat exchanger apparatus includes at least one metal sheet with a corrugated surface, fabric covering at least a part of one surface of the at least one metal sheet to promote evaporation, and a wetting agent in the fabric to promote wetting of the fabric, the wetting agent also acting as an anti-microbial agent.

A heat exchanger apparatus includes at least one metal sheet with a corrugated surface, fabric covering at least a part of one surface of the at least one metal sheet to promote evaporation, and a wetting agent in the fabric to promote wetting of the fabric, the wetting agent also acting as an anti-microbial agent.

The invention relates to a heat exchanger apparatus comprising at least one metal sheet (10) (e.g. aluminium), and preferably a plurality in a stack. Each metal sheet (10) has a corrugated surface, with fabric covering at least a portion of one surface of the metal sheet to promote evaporation. A wetting agent (e.g. LiCl/Polyvinyl-Alcohol (PVA) solution) is provided in the fabric to promote wetting of the fabric, and also acts as an anti-microbial agent. The fabric preferably covers all of the corrugated surface, and two planar portions are provided above and below the corrugated surface respectively. In use, the heat exchanger apparatus is disposed with a long side vertical and the corrugated surface is disposed on a middle portion, the upper planar portion is contiguous with an air outlet, and/or the lower planar portion is contiguous with an air inlet. In a preferred embodiment, the corrugated surface has in cross-section a profile of a periodic waveform, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is 11.6 mm, the amplitude is 2.5 mm, and corrugations intersect the plane of the heat exchanger apparatus at an angle to that plane of 50 degrees. Also disclosed are a cooling system incorporating the heat exchanger apparatus and methods of operating the cooling system, involving intermittently operating a water supply system for the application of water to the fabric, and/or, recirculating water from a water sump using the water supply system.

The invention relates to a heat exchanger apparatus comprising at least one metal sheet (10) (e.g. aluminium), and preferably a plurality in a stack. Each metal sheet (10) has a corrugated surface, with fabric covering at least a portion of one surface of the metal sheet to promote evaporation. A wetting agent (e.g. LiCl/Polyvinyl-Alcohol (PVA) solution) is provided in the fabric to promote wetting of the fabric, and also acts as an anti-microbial agent. The fabric preferably covers all of the corrugated surface, and two planar portions are provided above and below the corrugated surface respectively. In use, the heat exchanger apparatus is disposed with a long side vertical and the corrugated surface is disposed on a middle portion, the upper planar portion is contiguous with an air outlet, and/or the lower planar portion is contiguous with an air inlet. In a preferred embodiment, the corrugated surface has in cross-section a profile of a periodic waveform, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is 11.6 mm, the amplitude is 2.5 mm, and corrugations intersect the plane of the heat exchanger apparatus at an angle to that plane of 50 degrees. Also disclosed are a cooling system incorporating the heat exchanger apparatus and methods of operating the cooling system, involving intermittently operating a water supply system for the application of water to the fabric, and/or, recirculating water from a water sump using the water supply system.