Cooling system

Claim 2

In a thermal plant including condenser means for converting steam to water by heat exchange with an aqueous solution, a cooling tower for cooling the heated aqueous solution coming from the condenser means by contact with air at ambient temperature, said condenser means being operable to raise the temperature of said solution above the temperature of said air, and means for circulating the aqueous solution between the condenser means and the cooling tower, the improvement in which the aqueous solution at its maximum temperature during cooling contains at least one dissolved compound in an amount that renders the solution to exhibit substantially no loss of water at the ambient temperature of air of a specific humidity passing through the cooling tower.

Claim 3

The thermal plant of claim 1 wherein the compound in the aqueous solution is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of magnesium chloride, lithium chloride, and lithium bromide.

Claim 4

The thermal plant of claim 2 wherein the salt in the aqueous solution is magnesium chloride.

Claim 5

The thermal plant of claim 3 wherein there are from about 50 to about 60 grams of magnesium chloride per 100 grams of water in the aqueous solution.

Claim 6

The thermal plant of claim 1, wherein the heated aqueous solution coming from the condenser is admixed with cool solution from the cooling tower in a proportion such that the water vapor pressure thereof is substantially equal to that of the water vapor pressure in the ambient air being used for cooling.

Claim 7

In a system for dissipating heat to the air, in combination a heat source, means for absorbing heat from the heat source, said means comprising an aqueous solution of a compound in such an amount and having such characteristics when dissolved in the water that it loses none or a substantially smaller amount of water to ambient air of any usual humidity at the temperatures involved than does relatively pure water, said heat source being operable to raise the temperature of said solution above the temperature of said air, means for exposing thin streams of the heated aqueous solution to ambient air in order to transfer the heat acquired by the aqueous solution from the heat source to the air without losing any material proportion of the water by evaporation.

Claim 8

In a system for dissipating heat to the air, in combination a heat source, means for absorbing heat from the heat source, said means comprising an aqueous solution of a compound in such an amount and having such characteristics when dissolved in the water that it loses none or a substantially smaller amount of water to ambient air of any usual humidity at the temperatures involved than does relatively pure water, said heat source being operable to raise the temperature of said solution above the temperature of said air, means for exposing thin streams of the heated aqueous solution to ambient air in order to transfer the heat acquired by the aqueous solution from the heat source to the air without losing any material proportion of the water by evaporation.

Claim 9

The system of claim 6, wherein the aqueous solution is at a maximum temperature of about 40* to 50* C when it leaves the heat source.

Claim 10

The system of claim 6 in which the compound comprises a deliquescent compound selected from at least one of the group consisting of calcium chloride, maGnesium chloride and lithium chloride.

Claim 11

The system of claim 6 in which a circulating means circulates cooled aqueous solution from the means for exposing thin streams to the heat source, and also circulates heated aqueous solution from the heat source to the means for exposing thin streams, including bypass means for intermixing cooled aqueous solution with heated aqueous solution so as to obtain an aqueous solution having a water vapor pressure substantially equal to the water vapor pressure in the ambient air to which heat is rejected as it is exposed in such thin streams.

Claim 12

In a system for dissipating heat to air, in combination, a heat source at a temperature above ambient atmospheric air temperature and requiring dissipation of heat therefrom, an aqueous solution disposed in a closed means associated with the heat source for absorbing heat from the heat source, means for circulating the heated aqueous solution from the closed means to a cooling means wherein thin streams of the aqueous solution are exposed to the ambient air, which air has a given water vapor pressure, the temperature of the aqueous solution being above that of the ambient air, the aqueous solution containing a dissolved solid having such characteristics and present in an amount that the water vapor pressure of the aqueous solution up to a given temperature does not significantly exceed that of the ambient air so that no substantial loss of water from the thin streams of aqueous solution to the ambient air occurs, while heat is being extracted by the ambient air from the thin streams of aqueous solution, the means for circulating including both means for returning cool aqueous solution to the heat source and a bypass means for adding cool aqueous solution to hot aqueous solution coming from the heat source prior to entry to the cooling means whereby upon admixing of the cool aqueous solution to the hot aqueous solution there may be produced an aqueous solution at an intermediate temperature which does not exceed said given temperature.

Claim 13

In a system for dissipating heat to air, in combination, a heat source at a temperature above ambient atmospheric air temperature and requiring dissipation of heat therefrom, an aqueous solution disposed in a closed means associated with the heat source for absorbing heat from the heat source, means for circulating the heated aqueous solution from the closed means to a cooling means wherein thin streams of the aqueous solution are exposed to the ambient air, which air has a given water vapor pressure, the temperature of the aqueous solution being above that of the ambient air, the aqueous solution containing a dissolved solid having such characteristics and present in an amount that the water vapor pressure of the aqueous solution up to a given temperature does not significantly exceed that of the ambient air so that no substantial loss of water from the thin streams of aqueous solution to the ambient air occurs, while heat is being extracted by the ambient air from the thin streams of aqueous solution, the means for circulating including both means for returning cool aqueous solution to the heat source and a bypass means for adding cool aqueous solution to hot aqueous solution coming from the heat source prior to entry to the cooling means whereby upon admixing of the cool aqueous solution to the hot aqueous solution there may be produced an aqueous solution at an intermediate temperature which does not exceed said given temperature.