Apparatus for cooling hot condensate in a piping

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus (10) suitable for cooling hot condensate in a piping. The apparatus comprises the use of a vortex tube (103) together with liquid such as water. A container (101) is provided to hold the liquid where the vortex tube is disposed inside the container (101). A pipe coil (133) for conveying the hot condensate is provided around the tube (104). The apparatus (10) will generate mist for cooling the hot condensate in the piping.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cooling hot condensate in a piping comprising: a container for holding a liquid; a vortex tube having a vortex core for creating vortex and a tube with a plurality of openings for dispersing the liquid; a pipe coil coiled around the tube for conveying hot condensate; wherein the vortex draws the liquid from the container through the vortex core to allow the liquid to disperse through the openings as mist.

2. An apparatus for cooling hot condensate in a piping as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vortex core has a first inlet for allowing pressurized air to enter and a second inlet for allowing liquid from the container to enter.

3. An apparatus for cooling hot condensate in a piping as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container comprises an outlet for allowing water to flow out of the container.

4. An apparatus for cooling hot condensate in a piping as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second inlet of the vortex core is connected to the outlet of the container via a connecting pipe.

5. An apparatus for cooling hot condensate in a piping as claimed in claim 3 wherein hot condensate leaving the apparatus is cold liquid.

6. An apparatus for cooling hot condensate in a piping as claimed in claim wherein the cold liquid is channeled to a container to allow hot condensate in the piping to be cooled down before entering the apparatus.

7. An apparatus for cooling hot condensate in a piping as claimed in claim 6 wherein the cold liquid from the container is channeled to another container to allow hot condensate in the piping to be cooled down before entering the apparatus.

8. An apparatus for cooling hot condensate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container has an open top for allowing pressure in the container to escape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) This invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for cooling condensate in a piping according to an embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows an apparatus for cooling condensate in a piping shown in FIG. 1 in an application.

(4) FIG. 3 shows an apparatus for cooling condensate in a piping shown in FIG. 1 in another application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) An apparatus (10) for cooling condensate in it piping according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus comprises a container (101) for holding water, a vortex tube (103) having a vortex core (105) and a tube (104) disposed inside the container (101), a pipe coil (133) for conveying hot condensate coiled around the tube (104), wherein the vortex core (105) has a first inlet (105a) to allow a pressurized air to enter the vortex tube (103) for creating vortex and a second inlet (105b) for allowing water from the container to enter the vortex tube (103), wherein the container (101) is in communication with the vortex tube (103) through a connecting pipe (121) which is connected between the second inlet (105b) of the vortex core (105) and an outlet (108) provided at the container (101), wherein the tube (104) has a plurality of openings (102) on its sidewalls to allow water following the vortex to discharge or disperse over the coil (133). The container has an opening that act as an exhaust to allow pressure in the container (101) to escape. As shown in FIG. 1, the container has an open top.

(6) In operation, pressurized air will be channeled into the vortex tube (103) through the first inlet (105a) of the vortex core (105) where it will generate vortex. The generation of the vortex will generate a vacuum which in turn will draw the water from the container (101). The water inside the container (101) will travel through the connecting pipe (109) to the vortex core (105). When the water enters the second inlet (105b) and the water will be swirled by the vortex and forced upward. This will allow the water to flow through the upright tube (104) and eventually discharges through the openings (109) in the form of cool mist. Some droplets will be in contact with the coil (133) and absorb latent heat from the hot condensate and evaporates into vapour leaving the hot condensate in the coil (133) with lowered temperature. Rapid movement of the water due to the vortex results in a rapid evaporative cooling. As shown in FIG. 1, the hot condensate will travel from point A1 to the cooling apparatus (10) and will leave the apparatus (10) as cold liquid and will enter an analyzer (501).

(7) FIG. 2 shows the use of the apparatus (10) in an application. The cold liquid that passed through the analyzer (501) is channeled to a first auxiliary container (224) so that the cold liquid leaving the apparatus (10) can be used to cool down hot condensate in the piping prior to entering the cooling apparatus (10). The first auxiliary container (224) acts as a pre-cooler. As shown in FIG. 2, the hot condensate will travel from point B2 to the first pre-cooler (224) and then to the cooling apparatus (10). As shown in FIG. 3, the first pre-cooler container (224) can be connected to another auxiliary container (228) which acts as a second pre-cooler so that the cold liquid leaving the apparatus (10) can be used to cool down the hot condensate entering the piping before entering the first pre-cooler (224) and the cooling apparatus (10). As shown in FIG. 3, hot condensate will travel from point C3 to the second pre-cooler (228) and then to the first pre-cooler (224) before entering the cooling apparatus (10). A draining pipe (209) is connected between the first pre-cooler (224) and second pre-cooler (228) to allow cold liquid to flow into the second pre-cooler (228) after the first pre-cooler (224) being filled up. An outlet (208) is provided at the second pre-cooler to allow liquid or water to be discharged. It is obvious that multiple pre-coolers can be added to this system.

(8) According to the present invention, about 7 kg 1 cm.sup.2 of pressurized air is used to generate cool mist with temperature of 13 C. wherein the mist is capable of cooling hot condensate from 80 C. to 20 C. at the rate of 250 ml per minute.