Night stream cooling system and method

Claim 2

In the method of absorbing heat from a heat-producing apparatus into cooling water withdrawn from a body thereof the improvement which comprises: lowering the effective temperature of the water in said body of cooling water by flowing a stream of water from a storage facility under the force of gravity from a higher elevation and simultaneously effecting cooling of the flowing water by exposing the same to the ambient nighttime atmosphere to bring about heat transfer from the water to the nighttime atmosphere by radiation, conduction, convection and evaporation; storing the thus-cooled water in said body; stopping the flow of water during the daytime; and passing cooled water from said body of cooling water in heat-exchange relationship with said heat-producing apparatus as needed.

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 including maintaining said body of cooling water at a substantial depth and selectively withdrawing water from different levels in said body for passing in heat-exchange relationship with the heat-producing apparatus.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 1 wherein said nighttime flowing step is carried out by flowing the water in the form of a continuous layer along at least one inclined channel.

Claim 5

A cooling water system comprising: a first storage vessel for receiving a stream of relatively warm cooling water which has passed in heat-exchange relationship with a heat-producing apparatus; a second storage vessel; means for flowing water from the first vessel to the second vessel and for simultaneously cooling the flowing water by radiation, conduction, convection and evaporation with respect to the ambient atmosphere, said means including an open-top inclined channel located substantially at ground level and in communication with the vessels and adapted to expose a large surface area of the flowing water to the ambient atmosphere and further including valve means for retaining the water in the first vessel during the daytime and for flowing the water from the first vessel into said channel only at nighttime; and means for withdrawing a stream of cooled water from the second vessel for use in extracting heat from the heat-producing apparatus.

Claim 6

A cooling water system comprising: a first storage vessel for receiving a stream of relatively warm cooling water which has passed in heat-exchange relationship with a heat-producing apparatus; a second storage vessel; means for flowing water from the first vessel to the second vessel and for simultaneously cooling the flowing water by radiation, conduction, convection and evaporation with respect to the ambient atmosphere, said means including an open-top inclined channel located substantially at ground level and in communication with the vessels and adapted to expose a large surface area of the flowing water to the ambient atmosphere and further including valve means for retaining the water in the first vessel during the daytime and for flowing the water from the first vessel into said channel only at nighttime; and means for withdrawing a stream of cooled water from the second vessel for use in extracting heat from the heat-producing apparatus.

Claim 7

A cooling water system as in claim 4 wherein said means for withdrawing a stream of cooled water from the second vessel includes selective valve means for withdrawing water from at least two distinct levels in the second vessel.

Claim 8

A cooling water system as in claim 5 wherein the second vessel is of greater depth and capacity than the first vessel.

Claim 9

A cooling water system for extracting heat from a heat-producing apparatus, said system comprising: a cool-water vessel for holding a supply of cooling water; a warm-water vessel; means for passing a stream of the cooling water from the cooling-water vessel into heat-exchange relationship with a heat-producing apparatus and then into said warm-water vessel; and means for flowing water from said warm-water vessel to said cool-water vessel while simultaneously cooling the flowing water by radiation, conduction, convection and evaporation with respect to the ambient atmosphere, said means including a sequence of side-by-side, open-top inclined channels in communication with each other at alternate ends so that the water flows through the channels in sequence, the upstream channel being in communication with the warm-water vessel via valve means and the downstream channel being in communication with the cool-water vessel, and said means further including by-pass valve means associated with said channels for flowing water directly from the warm-water vessel to the cool-water vessel.

Claim 10

A cooling water system for extracting heat from a heat-producing apparatus, said system comprising: a cool-water vessel for holding a supply of cooling water; a warm-water vessel; means for passing a stream of the cooling water from the cooling-water vessel into heat-exchange relationship with a heat-producing apparatus and then into said warm-water vessel; and means for flowing water from said warm-water vessel to said cool-water vessel while simultaneously cooling the flowing water by radiation, conduction, convection and evaporation with respect to the ambient atmosphere, said means including a sequence of side-by-side, open-top inclined channels in communication with each other at alternate ends so that the water flows through the channels in sequence, the upstream channel being in communication with the warm-water vessel via valve means and the downstream channel being in communication with the cool-water vessel, and said means further including by-pass valve means associated with said channels for flowing water directly from the warm-water vessel to the cool-water vessel.

Claim 13

A method as in claim 8 including maintaining the coolest water in said body of cooling water below a layer of warmer water and withdrawing water from the layer of warmer water during periods of low cooling demand and from the lower, cooler water during periods of high cooling demand.

Claim 14

A method as in claim 8 wherein the stream of water which is exposed to nighttime ambient atmosphere flows as a layer over an inclined uncovered surface, said method further including the step of flowing a low-volume stream over said surface during at least a portion of the daytime so as to extract the heat absorbed by said surface from the ambient atmosphere during the daytime, and allowing said low-volume stream to evaporate on said surface so that heated water does not enter the body of cooling water.