HEAT EXCHANGER DEVICE WITH ADIABATIC AIR COOLER

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger device with at least one heat exchanger (1) which is flowed through by a fluid, at least one fan (11) and at least one adiabatic air cooler (2) for cooling air which is drawn in from the surroundings by the fan (11), wherein the air that has been drawn in is conducted firstly through the air cooler (2) and subsequently through the heat exchanger (1) and the adiabatic air cooler (2) has at least one humidification means (3), which is arranged in the air cooler (2) and which is composed of a moisture-absorbing material and a liquid feed (4), which feeds a liquid to the humidification means (3) in order to keep the humidification means (3) moist. In order that the most uniform possible wetting of the humidification means and higher heat exchange performance can be made possible without an impairment of the stability and the handleability of the humidification means and without oversaturation of the humidification means in the upper region with the liquid, provision is made whereby the humidification means (3) comprises at least two mats (3a, 3b) arranged one above the other and whereby the liquid feed (4) has a distributor device (4a, 4b) which is arranged above each mat (3a, 3b) and which serves for uniformly distributing the liquid onto the mats (3a, 3b), wherein each distributor device (4a, 4b) is connected to a feed line (5) via which the distributor devices (4a, 4b) can be charged with the liquid.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger device with at least two heat exchangers (1) flowed through by a fluid, which are arranged opposite a longitudinal center plane of a heat exchanger housing (9) spaced apart from one another and substantially in a vertical direction or inclined to the vertical direction and between the opposing heat exchangers (1) is arranged at least one fan (11) on the upper side of the heat exchanger housing (9), wherein at least one adiabatic air cooler (2) is assigned to each heat exchanger (1) in order to cool the air, which is drawn in from the surroundings by the at least one fan (11), wherein the air that is drawn in is firstly conducted through the air cooler (2) and subsequently through the heat exchanger (1) and is subsequently blown out by the fan (11) at the upper side from the heat exchanger housing (9), and each adiabatic air cooler (2) is assigned to at least one humidification means (3) arranged in the air cooler (2) and composed of a moisture-absorbing material and a liquid feed (4), which feeds a liquid to the humidification means (3) in order to keep the humidification means (3) moist, characterized in that the humidification means (3) comprises at least two mats (3a, 3b) arranged one above the other and in that the liquid feed (4) has a distributor device (4a, 4b) arranged above each mat (3a, 3b) to uniformly distribute the liquid on the mats (3a, 3b) which is connected in each case to a feed line (5) via which the distributor devices (4a, 4b) are charged with the liquid.

2. The heat exchanger device according to claim 1, wherein the mats (3a, 3b) are arranged one above the other extend along one plane and align with one another running in said plane.

3. The heat exchanger device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each distributor device (4a, 4b) comprises a distributor body which distributes the liquid uniformly on an upper side of the mat (3a, 3b) assigned to the respective distributor device (4a, 4b), wherein the distributor devices (4a, 4b) are preferably formed as liquid-permeable pipe or hose lines carrying liquid, in particular in the form of a perl hose made of a porous material or in the form of a pipeline with a plurality of openings or nozzles.

4. The heat exchanger device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by an air cooler housing (10), in which the mats (3a, 3b) are arranged interchangeably.

5. The heat exchanger device according to claim 4, characterized in that the air cooler housing (10) has a base part (10a) formed as a collection device and at least two side parts (10b) and at least two transverse struts (10c, 10d), wherein the transverse struts (10c, 10d) extend in the longitudinal direction (L) of the heat exchanger device.

6. The heat exchanger device according to claim 5, wherein a first mat (3a) extends between the base part (10a) and a first transverse strut (10c) and a second mat (3b) extends between the first transverse strut (10c) and a second transverse strut (10d).

7. The heat exchanger device according to any one of claim 5 or 6, characterized in that a first distributor device (4a) is arranged in the first transverse strut (10c) to moisten the first mat (3a) assigned to it and/or in that a second distributor device (4b) is arranged in the second transverse strut (10d) to moisten the second mat (3b) assigned to it.

8. The heat exchanger device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the first transverse strut (10c) has a base and a cover running at a distance and parallel to the base, wherein the first distributor device (4a) is arranged between the base and the cover and passages (13) are arranged both in the base and in the cover, through which liquid can pass.

9. The heat exchanger device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one valve (16) is arranged in the feed line (5) via which the liquid standing in the feed line can be drained.

10. The heat exchanger device according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein each transverse strut (10c, 10d) has at least one receiving region formed in a U shape in the cross-section to receive an underside and/or an upper side of a mat (3a, 3b).

11. The heat exchanger device according to any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein at least one and in particular each transverse strut (10c, 10d) has at least one passage, preferably a plurality of passages (13), through which the liquid can reach the mat (3a) arranged therebelow.

12. The heat exchanger device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each distributor device (4a, 4b) is connected to the feed line (5) via a manifold (12).

13. The heat exchanger device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the feed line (5) is coupled to a pump (15), with which the liquid under pressure is conducted via the feed line (5) to the distributor devices (4a, 4b).

14. The heat exchanger device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one mat (3a, 3b) is composed of a plurality of mat sections (3a′, 3a″, 3a″), wherein the mat sections (3a′, 3a″, 3a″) are arranged running in the plane in the longitudinal direction (L) of the air cooler (2) edge-to-edge next to one another and/or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) one above the other.

15. The heat exchanger device according to any one of the preceding claims, in particular claim 14, wherein each mat (3a, 3b) or each mat section (3′, 3″, 3″) is removable separately from the air cooler (2).

16. The heat exchanger device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each heat exchanger (1) is divided into at least two heat exchanger sections (Ia, Ib) arranged vertically one above the other, wherein the heat exchanger sections (Ia, Ib) have pipeline systems separate from one another, through which flows the fluid formed as a cooling means or refrigerant, which is in heat exchange with the air conducted through the heat exchanger (1).

17. The heat exchanger device according to claim 16, wherein a mat (3a, 3b) is assigned to each heat exchanger section (Ia, Ib) in such a manner that the air drawn in from the surroundings by the fan (11) firstly flows through the respective mat (3a, 3b) and subsequently through the heat exchanger section (Ia, Ib) assigned thereto.

Description

[0017] These and other advantages and features of the invention will emerge from the embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show:

[0018] FIG. 1: Perspective representation of a first embodiment of a heat exchanger device according to the invention;

[0019] FIG. 2: Representation of the embodiment of a heat exchanger device according to the invention in accordance with FIG. 1 with removed humidification means, whereby the heat exchangers arranged in the heat exchanger device are visible;

[0020] FIG. 3a: Detail representation of a section of the adiabatic air cooler of the heat exchanger device according to the invention from FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 3b: Detail representation of the adiabatic air cooler of FIG. 3a in the region of a distributor device to distribute liquid onto the mat arranged thereunder;

[0022] FIG. 4a: Detail representation of an upper distributor device of the adiabatic air cooler of FIG. 3a, with the cover of an upper transverse strut, in which this distributor device is arranged, being removed for clearer representation;

[0023] FIG. 4b: Detail representation of a lower distributor device of the adiabatic air cooler of FIG. 3a;

[0024] FIG. 4c: Sectional view of the lower distributor device of FIG. 4b, with the lines of this distributor device not being shown for clearer representation;

[0025] FIG. 5: Schematic representation of the liquid feed for the humidification means of the heat exchanger device of FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 6: Perspective representation of a second embodiment of a heat exchanger device according to the invention.

[0027] A heat exchanger device according to the invention is shown in a perspective view in FIG. 1. The heat exchanger device comprises a box-shaped heat exchanger housing 9, which is constructed symmetrically to its middle longitudinal level. Two heat exchangers 1 are each arranged opposite one another in a side wall in the heat exchanger housing 9. The two heat exchangers 1 can for example be fin-tube heat exchangers (finned pipe heat exchangers) or tube bundle heat exchangers. Each heat exchanger 1 contains a pipeline system with a plurality of pipelines, which extend in the longitudinal direction L of the heat exchanger housing 9. The two heat exchangers 1, that are formed flat, are in this case arranged opposite one another in the heat exchanger housing 9 and standing vertically. However, it is also possible that the heat exchangers 1 are arranged standing inclined obliquely to the vertical and, when viewed from the side, in a V shape in relation to one another.

[0028] Each heat exchanger 1 is composed of two heat exchanger sections 1a, 1b arranged vertically one above the other, with the heat exchanger sections 1a, 1b having pipeline systems separated from one another, through which a fluid formed as the cooling means or refrigerant is conducted. Each heat exchanger section 1a, 1b is for this purpose connected to a distributor 8a, 8b, with each distributor 8a, 8b having an inlet 6a or 6b and an outlet 7a, 7b. The fluid is conducted into the heat exchanger sections 1a, 1b via the inlet 6a, 6b and distributed by the respective distributor 5a, 5b into the pipelines of the heat exchanger sections 1a, 1b. The fluid circulates in the pipelines of the heat exchanger sections 1a, 1b and flows out on both sides through the respective outlet 7a, 7b of the distributor 5a or 5b. The inlets 6a, 6b and the outlets 7a, 7b are connected to feed and discharge lines not represented here, via which the fluid is fed and discharged.

[0029] An adiabatic air cooler 2 is assigned to each heat exchanger 1 of the heat exchanger device of FIG. 1, wherein the air coolers 2 are arranged in lateral air inlet openings of the heat exchanger housing 9. Each air cooler 2 contains a humidification means 3 which extends along one plane and is composed of a moisture-absorbing material and a liquid feed 4, over which the liquid, in particular water, is fed to the humidification means 3 in order to keep the humidification means 3 moist. The mats 3a, 3b are each formed of a moisture-absorbing material, for example of corrugated cardboard or paper webs or of a block of cellulose or an open-pore foam material.

[0030] The level of the humidification means 3, in which the mats 3a, 3a are extending, is understood here as the midplane of the mats, which are formed flat or plate-shaped. The level, in which the humidification means 3 extends, runs, in the embodiment shown, vertically and is parallel to the inflow surface of the assigned heat exchanger 1.

[0031] The humidification means 3 is composed of two mats 3a, 3b running in the level and arranged aligned with one another, vertically one above the other, with a lower mat 3a being assigned to the lower heat exchanger section 1a and an upper mat 3b being assigned to the upper heat exchanger section 1b in such manner that the lower mat 3a is arranged opposite the lower heat exchanger section 1a and the upper mat 3b is arranged opposite the upper heat exchanger section 1b.

[0032] The mats 3a, 3b shown in FIG. 1 are removed in FIG. 2 such that the heat exchanger sections 1a, 1b located therebelow are visible.

[0033] The liquid feed 4 has a distributor device 4a, 4b arranged above each mat 3a, 3b to uniformly distribute the liquid on the mats 3a, 3b. Each distributor device 4a, 4b is connected to a feed line 5, via which the respective distributor device 4a, 4b is supplied with the liquid, in particular with water.

[0034] Two fans 11 are used in the openings of the heat exchanger housing 9 on the upper side of the heat exchanger housing 9, with each fan 11 being placed between the opposing heat exchangers 1. The fans 11 draw in surrounding air and conduct it firstly through the air coolers 2 arranged laterally on the heat exchanger housing 9 and from there conduct it through the lateral air inlet openings in the heat exchanger housing 9 between the pipelines of the heat exchangers 1. The air that is drawn in is thereby firstly cooled adiabatically in the adiabatic air coolers 2 and the cooled air absorbs heat from the fluid circulating therein when passing through the heat exchangers 1, whereby the fluid is cooled or liquefied. The air heated by the heat exchange with the fluid in the heat exchangers 1 is blown out by the fans 11 on the upper side from the heat exchanger housing 9.

[0035] The two air coolers 2 arranged laterally on the heat exchanger housing 9 are each constructed identically, with each air cooler having its own liquid feed 4, which is connected in each case via a feed line 5 to a liquid reservoir not represented here. The liquid is pumped into the line 5 via a pump device also not represented here. A pump device can possibly be dispensed with when the liquid is already provided under pressure from the liquid reservoir, as is the case e.g. when using water from the domestic drinking water line.

[0036] The liquid feed 4 comprises a separate distributor device 4a, 4b for each of the mats 3a, 3b. Each mat 3a, 3b is thus assigned its own distributor device 4a, 4b, with each distributor device 4a, 4b comprising a distributor body, which distributes the liquid uniformly onto an upper side of the mat 3a, 3b assigned to the respective distributor device 4a, 4b. The distributor devices 4a, 4b can for example be formed as liquid-permeable pipe or hose lines carrying the liquid, in particular in the form of a perl hose made of a porous material or in the form of a pipeline with a number of openings or nozzles, through which the liquid can reach the upper side of the mat 3a, 3b located therebelow. The liquid fed by the liquid feed 4 in this case escapes through the openings or nozzles of the distributor devices 4a, 4b to the upper side of the respectively assigned mat 3a, 3b and flows forced by gravity downwards into the moisture-absorbing material of the mats 3a, 3b, whereby said mats are moistened. Thereby, further distributor bodies, such as e.g. a distributor plate with openings or passages therein, can be arranged between the pipe or hose lines of a distributor device 4a, 4b and the upper side of the assigned mat 3a, 3b.

[0037] In order to supply the mats 3a, 3b uniformly over their entire thickness with liquid, each distributor device 4a, 4b preferably contains a plurality of lines, which extend horizontally in the longitudinal direction L and are arranged parallel and in the transverse direction (i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L) over the thickness of the mats 3a, 3b at a distance to one another. Each air cooler 2 comprises an air cooler housing 10 laterally fastened on the heat exchanger housing 9 with a pan-shaped base part 10a which extends in the horizontal direction and two side parts 10b standing perpendicularly opposite the base part 10a. The mats 3a, 3b, which form the humidification means 3, are arranged so as to be interchangeable in the air cooler housing 10. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the humidification means 3 is composed of the lower mat 3a and the upper mat 3b. In this case, each mat 3a, 3b can be removed separately from the air cooler housing 10.

[0038] As is apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, each mat 3a, 3b used in the air cooler housing 10 runs parallel and in a horizontal direction aligned perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction L in relation to the respectively assigned flat heat exchanger section 1a, 1b of the heat exchanger 1. In the case of mats 3a, 3b inserted into the air cooler housing 10, the mat level (longitudinal center plane of the mats 3a and 3b) runs parallel to the vertically oriented heat exchanger 1.

[0039] Excess liquid, which is flowed through the mats 3a, 3b, without being drawn from the mat material, flows into the pan-shaped base part 10a of the air cooler housing 10 and is collected there. Outlet nozzles are arranged on the pan-shaped base part 10a, via which the liquid collected in the pan-shaped base can be discharged.

[0040] It can be discerned from FIG. 1 that each mat 3a, 3b is composed of two mat sections 3a′, 3a″ or 3b′, 3b″ arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction L. The mat sections 3a′, 3a″ or 3b′, 3b″ located next to one another therein are arranged edge-to-edge in relation to one another on their vertically standing side edges. In this case, a vertical strut 10e of the air cooler housing can also be provided between the butt joints of mat sections 3a′, 3a″ or 3b′, 3b″ located next to one another, as shown in FIG. 1. However, it is also possible that the mat sections 3a′, 3a″ or 3b′, 3b″ rest edge-to-edge on one another on their side edges without intermediate space. The construction of the air cooler housing 10 can be inferred in detail from the FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIGS. 3a and 3b. As is discernible from FIGS. 1 and 2, the air cooler housing 10 comprises, in addition to the base part 10a and the side walls 10b, a first middle transverse strut 10c and a second upper transverse strut 10d, with the transverse struts 10c, 10d extending in the longitudinal direction L and running parallel to the base part 10a. Each transverse strut 10c, 10d forms a mount for the mats 3a or 3b. For this purpose, the transverse struts 10c, 10d have, on their upper or lower side, profiles, which are U-shaped in the cross-section and which can be formed for example of a metal sheet. A lower side or an upper side of a mat 3a, 3b can be inserted into the U-shaped profiles of the transverse struts 10c, 10d. The middle transverse strut 10d contains one U-shaped profile pointing upwards and one pointing downwards in order to be able to receive the upper side of the lower mat 3a and also the lower side of the upper mat 3b. The U-shaped profiles of the transverse struts 10c, 10d enable, on the one hand, a secure fixing of the mats 3a, 3b in the air cooler housing 10 and, on the other hand, an easy removal of the mats 3a, 3b from the air cooler housing 10.

[0041] As can be inferred from FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c, the distributor devices 4a, 4b are housed in the transverse struts 10c, 10d. As a result, each distributor device 4a, 4b is arranged above the mat 3a, 3b assigned thereto. For this purpose, the transverse struts 10c, 10d are each formed as a box-shaped housing with a base and a cover running at a distance and parallel to the base and two side walls standing perpendicular to the base between which in each case a distributor device 4a, 4b is arranged. The base of the upper transverse strut 10d and the middle transverse strut 10c has passages 13 here through which liquid can pass which escapes from the lines of the respective distributor device 4a, 4b (FIGS. 4a and 4b). The passages 13 can be formed for example in the form of a perforation in the base. The liquid, which flows from the distributor devices 4a, 4b, can flow through these passages 13, through the transverse struts 10c, 10d and onto the upper side of the mat 3a, 3b arranged therebelow. In the case of the middle transverse strut 10c, corresponding passages 13 are also provided in the cover such that excess liquid, which is flowed through the upper mat 3b, can firstly flow through these passages 13 into the middle transverse strut 10c and from there in turn through the passages 13 in its base onto the upper side of the lower mat 3a (FIG. 4c).

[0042] In order to supply the plurality of lines of a distributor device 4a, 4b uniformly with the liquid, each distributor device 4a, 4b has a manifold 12 to which the lines of the distributor device 4a, 4b are connected (FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c). A supply line of the manifold 12 is in turn connected to the feed line 5.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows the supply of the mats 3a, 3b with liquid by means of the respectively assigned distributor devices 4a, 4b. In the case of the embodiment schematically shown in FIG. 5, two identically constructed air coolers 2 are arranged opposite one another in the heat exchanger device, with the heat exchangers 1 assigned to the respective air coolers 2 not being represented here for reasons of clarity. Each air cooler 2 contains an air cooler housing 10 with respectively two mats 3a, 3b arranged therein vertically one above the other, with each mat 3a, 3b comprising a plurality of mat sections 3a′, 3a″, 3a′″ or 3b′, 3b″, 3b′″ arranged edge-to-edge in relation to one another in the longitudinal direction L. To illustrate that the mat sections here can be removed individually from the air cooler housing 10, the two left mat sections 3a′ or 3b′ of the right air cooler 2 are shown removed.

[0044] Each mat 3a, 3b is assigned a distributor device 4a, 4b which is arranged running above the respective mat 3a, 3b in a transverse strut 10c, 10d of the air cooler housing 10. Each distributor device 4a, 4b is connected to a feed line 5 which is connected to a reservoir of a liquid via a pump 15. The pump 15 pumps the liquid via the feed line 5 into the distributor devices 4a, 4b which uniformly distribute the liquid onto the upper side of the mat 3a, 3b assigned thereto. Excess liquid, which runs through the mats 3a, 3b, without being absorbed by the material of the mats, is collected in the pan-shaped base part 10a of the air cooler housing 10 and is pumped back into the feed line 5 by the pump 15 via a collection line 14. The liquid collected in the base part 10a can also be delivered into a waste water channel via a drain line. In order to enable draining of the feed line 5, for example for winter operation, in which the air coolers are not used, drain valves 16 are provided via which the liquid can be drained.

[0045] The liquid fed by means of the upper distributor device 4b of the upper mat 3a flows uniformly distributed over the cross-section of the mat 3a forced by gravity downwards and in doing so wets the material of the upper mat 3a. The upper mat 3a is expediently easily oversaturated here with liquid, i.e. rather more liquid is delivered onto the upper distributor device 4b than would be required for complete wetting of the upper mat 3a. The excess liquid not absorbed by the material of the mat 3a flows out from the underside of the upper mat 3a and through the passages 13 in the middle transverse strut 10c onto the upper side of the lower mat 3b and as a result contributes to the wetting of the lower mat 3b.

[0046] The distributor devices 4a, 4b preferably are selectively actuatable in this case. As a result, the air cooler 2 can for example be operated in partial load so as to save liquid by only the lower distributor device 4a being supplied with liquid such that only the lower mat 3a is moistened. By selectively actuating the distributor devices 4a, 4b, sediment formation in the base region of the lower mat 3a and contamination of excess liquid, which is collected in the base part 10a of the air cooler housing 10, can also be prevented.

[0047] Selective actuation of the distributor devices 4a, 4b is also advantageous in combination with a selective operation of the heat exchanger sections 1a, 1b because during operation of the apparatus in a partial load where only one of the two heat exchanger sections 1a or 1b is operated for heat exchange, only the assigned region of the air cooler 2 has to be operated with the assigned mat 3a or 3b. In FIG. 6, an embodiment is represented in which each mat 3a, 3b is composed of in total four mat sections 3a′, 3a″, 3a″, 3a″″ or 3b′, 3b″, 3b′″, 3b″″ with two sections arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction L and two sections arranged vertically one above the other. The mat sections 3a′, 3a″ or 3b′, 3b″ located next to one another are in this case arranged edge-to-edge in relation to one another on their vertically standing side edges and separated by a vertical strut 10e. The mat sections 3a′, 3a″ or 3b′, 3b″ located next to one another are in this case also arranged edge-to-edge in relation to one another on their horizontally running edges and separated by a horizontal strut 10f. However, it is also possible that the mat sections 3a′, 3a″, 3a″, 3a″″ or 3b′, 3b″, 3b″, 3b″″ rest edge-to-edge on one another on their horizontal and/or on their vertical side edges without intermediate space.

[0048] The division of the humidification means 3 of the adiabatic air cooler according to the invention into at least two mats 3a, 3b arranged one above the other enables the construction of high-performance heat exchanger devices in the performance range of approx. 2 MW or more with a total height of the apparatus of 4 m or more. By dividing the humidification means 3 into two or more mats 3a, 3b arranged one above the other and by (optionally) also dividing the individual mats 3a, 3b into a plurality of mat sections, which are arranged next to or one above the other edge-to-edge in relation to one another, the manageability of the mats, for example when changing the mats 3a, 3b for cleaning purposes, thereby remains ensured and a uniform wetting of the humidification means is ensured by supplying each mat 3a, 3b with liquid via its own assigned distributor device 4a, 4b for each mat 3a, 3b. It is advantageous for easy handling of the mats 3a, 3b when each individual mat 3a, 3b or each of the mat sections is not higher than 2.5 m and preferably less than 2 m high.

[0049] The invention is not limited to the embodiments represented in the drawings here. The arrangement of the heat exchangers 1 and the assigned air coolers 2 can thus have other geometries. It is in particular possible to arrange the heat exchangers 1 and/or the air coolers 2 obliquely to the vertical. The number of heat exchangers 1 and the heat exchanger sections 1a, 1b and the number of air coolers 2 and mats 3a, 3b assigned to them can also be adapted to the required performance of the apparatus, just like the number of fans 11. This also applies to the number of mat sections of which the mats 3a, 3b are composed and which can be arranged located next to or one above the other edge-to-edge in relation to one another. Moreover, the distributor devices 4a, 4b can be configured differently to how they are described here. Thus, sprinkler or spraying systems or distributor devices can for example be used with different distributor bodies, such as e.g. distributor plates or the like in order to wet the mats 3a, 3b with the liquid.