COOLING APPARATUS FOR COOLING A FLUID BY MEANS OF SURFACE WATER

Abstract

A cooling apparatus for cooling a fluid by means of surface water, the cooling apparatus comprising more than one tubes for containing and transporting the fluid in its interior, the exterior of the tube being in operation at least partially submerged in the surface water so as to cool the tube to thereby also cool the fluid and hence different tube portions contain fluid at different temperatures. The cooling apparatus further comprises at least one light source for producing light that hinders fouling on the submerged exterior, wherein the at least one light source is arranged so that the intensity of the anti-fouling light, cast over the exterior of the tube portions whose exterior temperature or the temperature of the fluid they contain is below 80° C., is higher than the intensity of the anti-fouling light cast over the other tube portions. By this structure anti-fouling of the cooling apparatus can be assured in an effective manner.

Claims

1. A cooling apparatus for cooling a fluid by means of surface water, the cooling apparatus comprising: more than one tubes for containing and transporting the fluid in its interior, the exterior of the tube being in operation at least partially submerged in the surface water so as to cool the tube to thereby also cool the fluid and hence different tube portions contain fluid at different temperatures, at least one light source for producing light that hinders fouling on at least part of the submerged exterior, wherein the at least one light source is arranged so that the intensity of the anti-fouling light cast over the exterior of the tube portions whose temperature and/or the temperature of the fluid contained in the interior of the said is below 80° C. is higher than the intensity of the anti-fouling light cast over the exterior of the tube portions whose temperature and/or the temperature of the fluid contained in the interior of the said is above 80° C.

2. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one light source is dimensioned and positioned with respect to the tube so that substantially no anti-fouling light is cast over the exterior of the tube portions whose temperature is above 90° C.

3. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the more than one light sources are positioned in an asymmetric manner with respect to the tubes.

4. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a tube plate on which the tubes are mounted, and connected to the tube plate a fluid header comprising one inlet stub and one outlet stub for the entry and the exit of the fluid to and from the tubes respectively, wherein at least one light source is positioned close to the tube portions connected to the outlet stub.

5. A cooling apparatus according to claim 4 wherein a tube bundle comprising tube layers arranged in parallel along its width such that each tube layer comprises a plurality of hairpin type tubes having two straight tube portions and one semicircular portion so as to form a U-shaped tube and wherein the tubes are disposed with U-shaped tube portions concentrically arranged and straight tube portions arranged in parallel, so that the innermost U-shaped tube portions are of relatively small radius and the outermost U-shaped tube portions are of relatively large radius, with the remaining intermediate U-shaped tube portions are of progressively graduated radius of curvature disposed there-between wherein at least one light source is arranged at the inner side of the tube bundle and at least one light source is arranged only at one of the outer sides of the tube bundle which corresponds to the straight tube portions providing fluid to the outlet stub.

6. A cooling apparatus according to claim 5 wherein three light sources are arranged at the inner side of the tube bundle and two light sources are arranged at the outer sides of the tube bundle which corresponds to the straight tube portions providing fluid to the outlet stub.

7. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a tube plate on which the tubes are mounted and a fluid header connected to the tube plate, said header comprising at least two inlet stubs through which fluid at different temperatures enter and at least one outlet stub for the entry and the exit of the fluid to and from the tubes respectively, wherein at least one light source is positioned close to the tube portions connected to the inlet stub through which fluid below 80° C. enters and/or the outlet stub.

8. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: at least one sensor for sensing the temperature of the fluid contained in the interior of the tube portions and/or the temperature of the exterior of the tube portions, at least one light source coupled the sensor and a control unit that controls the activity and the intensity of the light source based on the temperature sensed by the sensor that the light source is coupled to.

9. A cooling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit switches on the light source when the temperature sensed by the sensor coupled to the light source is below 80° C.

10. A cooling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit switches off the light source when the temperature sensed by the sensor coupled to the light source is above 80° C.

11. A cooling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit increases the intensity of the light source when the temperature sensed by the sensor coupled to the light source is below 80° C.

12. A cooling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit decreases the intensity of the light source when the temperature sensed by the sensor coupled to the light source is above 80° C.

13. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tubes are at least partially coated with a light reflective coating.

14. A ship comprising a cooling unit according to claim 1 for cooling of the ship's engine.

15. A ship according to claim 14 wherein the cooling apparatus is placed in a closed box, defined by the hull of the ship and partition plates such that entry and exit openings are provided on the hull so that sea water can freely enter the box volume, flow over the cooling apparatus and exit via natural flow and wherein the inner surfaces of the box in which the cooling unit placed are at least partially coated with a light reflective coating.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the cooling apparatus;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross section view of an embodiment of the cooling apparatus;

[0044] FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical cross section view of another embodiment of the cooling apparatus; and

[0045] FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical cross section view of a further embodiment of the cooling apparatus; and

[0046] FIG. 5 is a schematic vertical cross section view of another embodiment of the cooling apparatus; and

[0047] The drawings are not necessarily on scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0048] While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is further noted that the drawings are schematic, not necessarily to scale and that details that are not required for understanding the present invention may have been omitted. The terms “inner”, “outer”, “along”, “longitudinal”, “bottom” and the like relate to the embodiments as oriented in the drawings, unless otherwise specified. Further, elements that are at least substantially identical or that perform an at least substantially identical function are denoted by the same numeral.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows as a basic embodiment, a schematic view of a cooling apparatus (1) for the cooling of a ship's engine, placed in a closed box, defined by the hull (3) of the ship and partition plates (4,5) such that entry and exit openings (6,7) are provided on the hull so that sea water can freely enter the box volume, flow over the cooling apparatus and exit via natural flow, comprising a bundle of tubes (8) through which a fluid to be cooled can be conducted, at least one light source (9) for generating an anti-fouling light, arranged by the tubes (8) so as to emit the anti-fouling light on the tubes (8). Hot fluid enters the tubes (8) from above and conducted all the way and exits once again, now cooled from the top side. Meanwhile sea water enters the box from the entry openings (6), flows over the tubes (8) and receives heat from the tubes (8) and thus the fluid conducted within. Taking the heat from the tubes (8) sea water warms up and rises. The sea water then exits the box from the exit openings (7) which are located at a higher point on the hull (3). During this cooling process any bio organisms existing in the sea water tend to attach to the tubes (8) which are warm and provide a suitable environment for the organisms to live in, the phenomena known as fouling. To avoid such attachment at least one light source (9) is arranged by the tubes (8). The light source (9) emits the anti-fouling light on the outer surface of the tubes (8) and further is arranged so that the intensity of the anti-fouling light cast over the exterior of the tube portions (118, 228, 338) whose temperature is below 80° C. is higher than the tube portions (18, 28, 38) whose temperature is above 80° C. Accordingly fouling formation is avoided with effective usage of light sources (9) and optimal power consumption is achieved. As illustrated in FIG. 1 one or more tubular lamps can be used as a light source (9) to realize the aim of the invention.

[0050] FIG. 1 shows as a basic embodiment, a schematic view of a cooling apparatus (1) for the cooling of a ship's engine, placed in a closed box, defined by the hull (3) of the ship and partition plates (4,5) such that entry and exit openings (6,7) are provided on the hull so that sea water can freely enter the box volume, flow over the cooling apparatus and exit via natural flow, comprising a bundle of tubes (8) through which a fluid to be cooled can be conducted, at least one light source (9) for generating an anti-fouling light, arranged by the tubes (8) so as to emit the anti-fouling light on the tubes (8). Hot fluid enters the tubes (8) from above and conducted all the way and exits once again, now cooled from the top side. Meanwhile sea water enters the box from the entry openings (6), flows over the tubes (8) and receives heat from the tubes (8) and thus the fluid conducted within. Taking the heat from the tubes (8) sea water warms up and rises. The sea water then exits the box from the exit openings (7) which are located at a higher point on the hull (3). During this cooling process any bio organisms existing in the sea water tend to attach to the tubes (8) which are warm and provide a suitable environment for the organisms to live in, the phenomena known as fouling. To avoid such attachment at least one light source (9) is arranged by the tubes (8) such that the higher intensity of anti-fouling light is cast over the exterior of the tube portions (28, 228) whose exterior temperature and/or the temperature of the fluid contained in its interior is below 80° C. Accordingly fouling formation is avoided. As illustrated in FIG. 1 one or more tubular lamps can be used as a light source (9) to realize the aim of the invention.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the cooling unit (1). In this embodiment the cooling unit (1) comprises a tube plate (10) on which the tubes (8) are mounted. A fluid header (11) is connected to the tube plate (10) which comprises at least one inlet stub (12) and one outlet stub (13) for the entry and the exit of the fluid to and from the tubes (8) respectively. In this embodiment at least one light source (9) is positioned close to the tube portions (28, 228) connected to the outlet stub (13). In this embodiment the cooling unit (1) comprises a tube bundle having tube layers arranged in parallel along its width such that each tube layer comprises a plurality of hairpin type tubes (8) having two straight tube portions (18, 28) and one semicircular portion (38) so as to form a U-shaped tube (8). The tubes (8) are disposed with U-shaped tube portions (38) concentrically arranged and straight tube portions (18, 28) arranged in parallel. In this embodiment three light sources (9) are arranged at the inner side of the tube bundle and two light sources (119) are arranged at the outer sides of the tube bundle which corresponds to the straight tube portions (18, 28) connected to the outlet stub (13). Obviously other configurations are also possible.

[0052] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the cooling apparatus (1) comprises a tube plate (10) on which the tubes (8) are mounted and a fluid header (11) connected to the tube plate (10). In this embodiment said header (11) comprises at least two inlet stubs (12, 112) through which fluid at different temperatures enter and at least one outlet stub (13) for the entry and the exit of the fluid to and from the tubes (8) respectively. At least one light source (9) is positioned close to the tube portions (28, 228) connected to the inlet stub (112) through which fluid below 80° C. enters and/or the outlet stub (13). In this embodiment light sources (9) are arranged in between the tubes (8) as well as on the outer and the inner side of the tube bundle.

[0053] In another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 the cooling apparatus (1) comprises at least one sensor (16) for sensing the temperature of the fluid contained in the interior of the tube portions (18, 28, 38, 118, 228, 338) and/or the temperature of the exterior of the tube portions (18, 28, 38, 118, 228, 338). In this embodiment the cooling apparatus (1) further comprises at least one light source (9) coupled the sensor (16) and a control unit (17) that controls the activity and the intensity of the light source (9) based on the temperature sensed by the sensor (16) that the light source (9) is coupled to. In the different embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 the sensors (16) are arranged in contact with the fluid contained in the interior tube portions (18, 28, 38, 118, 228, 338) or with the exterior of the tube portions (18, 28, 38, 118, 228, 338) respectively. The control unit (17) controls the power and the intensity of the light source (9) so that the anti-fouling light casted on the exterior of the tube portions (28, 228) for which the coupled sensor (16) senses a temperature below 80° C. is higher than the tube portions (18, 38, 118, 338) for which the coupled sensor (16) senses a temperature above 80° C.

[0054] Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise. The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Modifications and alterations may occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. As fouling may also happen in rivers or lakes, the invention is generally applicable to cooling by means of any kind of surface water.