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WO2014194350A1 - Système de tour de refroidissement - Google Patents

Système de tour de refroidissement Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014194350A1
WO2014194350A1 PCT/AU2014/000561 AU2014000561W WO2014194350A1 WO 2014194350 A1 WO2014194350 A1 WO 2014194350A1 AU 2014000561 W AU2014000561 W AU 2014000561W WO 2014194350 A1 WO2014194350 A1 WO 2014194350A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cooling tower
vapour
treatment fluid
heat exchanger
gas
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/AU2014/000561
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Stephen Shelley
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Creative Water Technology Ltd
Original Assignee
Creative Water Technology Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AU2013901989A external-priority patent/AU2013901989A0/en
Application filed by Creative Water Technology Ltd filed Critical Creative Water Technology Ltd
Publication of WO2014194350A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014194350A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D1/00—Evaporating
    • B01D1/28—Evaporating with vapour compression
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D1/00—Evaporating
    • B01D1/0064—Feeding of liquid into an evaporator
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D1/00—Evaporating
    • B01D1/16—Evaporating by spraying
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28C—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITHOUT CHEMICAL INTERACTION
    • F28C1/00—Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers
    • F28C1/02—Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers with counter-current only
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28C—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITHOUT CHEMICAL INTERACTION
    • F28C1/00—Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers
    • F28C1/08—Arrangements for recovering heat from exhaust steam
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28C—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITHOUT CHEMICAL INTERACTION
    • F28C1/00—Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers
    • F28C1/04—Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers with cross-current only
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
    • Y02B30/70—Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to a cooling tower system, in particular an improved wet evaporative cooling tower system.
  • the invention is particularly applicable for concentration of liquid waste stream such as waste water and it will be convenient to hereinafter disclose the invention in relation to that exemplary application.
  • the invention is not limited to that application and could be used in any application in which it is desirable to concentrate a liquid stream and/or obtain a distilled liquid stream from a waste water stream.
  • Cooling towers are heat removal devices used to transfer process waste heat from a liquid stream, typically an aqueous stream, to the atmosphere.
  • Wet evaporative cooling towers use the evaporation of water to remove process heat and cool the working fluid to near the wet-bulb air temperature.
  • Cooling towers vary in size from small roof-top units typically associated with air conditioning systems to very large structures used to remove waste heat from large process streams.
  • Cooling towers can also be used to concentrate a component of an aqueous solution, such as a contaminant or waste component of an aqueous mixture or solution.
  • a waste water stream can be fed into a cooling tower, a content of the water evaporated therefrom to produce a concentrated waste water stream (including the contaminants) and a vaporised water stream.
  • the vaporised water can be recovered using suitable separation and/or condensation processes, or released into the atmosphere as a vapour stream. The production of such concentrated waste water stream reduces the disposal volume of the waste water stream, and therefore reduces the associated disposal costs.
  • cooling towers generally use ambient air for evaporation processes.
  • Ambient air typically has a temperature of between 0 and 30 °C.
  • Use of this temperature air within a cooling tower is not as thermally efficient or effective for evaporation as compared to higher air temperatures.
  • the evaporation could be undertaken in a cooling tower at a higher temperature.
  • a first aspect of the present invention provides a cooling tower system including:
  • a heat exchanger into which a treatment fluid is fed, the heat exchanger transferring energy from a vapour stream to a treatment fluid to produce a heated treatment fluid and a cooled vapour stream;
  • a wet evaporative cooling tower fluidly connected to the heat exchanger, the heated treatment fluid and an evaporating fluid being fed into the cooling tower, the cooling tower, in use, separating an evaporable content from the heated treatment fluid to produce a concentrated treatment fluid and a vapour mixture containing the evaporable content;
  • vapour compressor fluidly connected between the cooling tower and the heat exchanger, the vapour compressor, in use, compressing the vapour mixture from the cooling tower, to produce a compressed vapour mixture stream, the compressed vapour mixture stream being fed into the heat exchanger as the vapour stream that transfers energy to the treatment fluid flowing to the heat exchanger.
  • the present invention uses the unique combination of a cooling tower, vapour compressor, and heat exchanger to concentrate a treatment fluid fed into the system. More particularly, the cooling tower system can be used to remove a portion of the evaporable component of a treatment fluid (preferably a treatment liquid) thereby concentrating a non-evaporable component of that treatment fluid.
  • a treatment fluid preferably a treatment liquid
  • the efficiency of the system is enhanced through the use of the vapour compressor and the heat exchanger which are fluidly linked to the cooling tower.
  • the vapour compressor compresses the gas/vapour exiting the cooling tower to a higher pressure, thus increasing the temperature of the vapour. This increases the amount of energy that can be exchanged in the heat exchanger for heating the treatment fluid flowing through the heat exchanger. This in turn creates a beneficial temperature increase in the cooling tower for the desired evaporative processes.
  • the vapour compressor therefore improves the process heat of the system.
  • the concentrate can be recycled through the system, through mixing with the treatment fluid fed into the system (i.e. into the heat exchanger). This can be achieved in some embodiments, using a one-way fluid connection between a concentrate outlet of the cooling tower and a fluid treatment inlet of the heat exchanger, or through a mixing unit or vessel fluidly connected to each of those outlet and inlet. By this means, energy is further recycled through the system.
  • Concentration processes involving boiling for example falling film evaporators, mechanical or thermal vapour compression evaporation systems, boilers, re-boilers, or the like can precipitate or otherwise separate contaminants from the treatment fluid, which then adhere and foul the internal elements of that evaporator.
  • a cooling tower uses vapour evaporation processes to extract an evaporable content from the treatment fluid fed into the cooling tower. This evaporative process occurs below the boiling point of the fluid, relative to the conditions (temperature, pressure, etc.) within the cooling tower.
  • the present invention therefore advantageously minimises such contaminant build up (fouling) by utilising evaporative processes in the cooling tower to concentrate the treatment fluid.
  • vapour compression be restricted sufficiently to prevent boiling of the treatment liquid in the heat exchanger so as to prevent fouling of that heat exchanger. It is possible that in some embodiments there will be no fouling caused by boiling the treatment fluid and in such an application it can be imagined that the vapour compressor may be more powerfully utilised.
  • the cooling tower functions to separate an evaporable component from the heated treatment fluid fed into the cooling tower from the heat exchanger.
  • the cooling tower typically includes an evaporating fluid (typically a gas/vapour) inlet, an evaporating fluid (typically a gas/vapour) outlet, a liquid inlet into which a treatment fluid enters, and a liquid outlet from which a concentrated form of the treatment fluid leaves.
  • the liquid inlet of the cooling tower is preferably fluidly connected to a liquid outlet of the heat exchanger through which the heated treatment fluid flows out of the heat exchanger.
  • the cooling tower can comprise any suitable wet evaporative cooling unit process. Suitable processes include counter-current cooling towers and cross- flow cooling towers.
  • the evaporating fluid fed into the cooling tower typically flows cross-current or counter-current to the heated treatment fluid in the cooling tower.
  • the evaporating fluid can be fed into the cooling tower in any suitable location as required by the evaporative cooling unit being used.
  • the heated treatment fluid can be fed into the cooling tower in any suitable location as required by the evaporative cooling unit being used.
  • the evaporating fluid is fed into the cooling tower at a location near the bottom of the cooling tower, and the heated treatment fluid is fed into the cooling tower at a location near the top of the cooling tower.
  • the cooling tower preferably includes a packing or fill material to increase contact surface and contact time between the evaporating fluid and the heated treatment fluid, thereby providing better heat transfer and increasing evaporation of the evaporable content from the treatment fluid.
  • the treatment fluid is preferably fed above the fill material and flows/ runs over the surface of the fill material. This provides a greater surface area for the evaporating fluid (typically a gas/vapour, for example air) to contact the treatment fluid, enhancing evaporation of the evaporable content of the treatment fluid.
  • liquid distribution within the cooling tower and across the fill material can be enhanced in those embodiments in which the cooling tower includes at least one liquid distribution arrangement.
  • the liquid distribution arrangement can comprise any suitable multiple outlet system, such as a plurality of space apart nozzles, a porous element - for example a porous pipe or hose, a shower head or the like.
  • Evaporation can be markedly enhanced in the cooling tower with the inclusion of a gas flow generation arrangement.
  • gas flow generation arrangements are possible including at least one of the following:
  • - Forced draft a mechanical draft tower with a blower type fan at the gas/vapour inlet of the cooling tower; or - Fan assisted natural draft: a hybrid type having a natural draft setup, with gas flow being assisted by a fan.
  • the gas flow generation arrangement of preferred embodiments of the present invention include at least one fan or turbine, preferably located at or proximate the gas/vapour outlet of the cooling tower.
  • the gas flow generation arrangements include or incorporate the vapour compressor.
  • the vapour compressor can assist in drawing gas flow through the cooling tower.
  • the fan or turbine can be utilized in or for the vapour compression function of the vapour compressor as well as for drawing gas flow through the cooling tower.
  • the vapour compressor is fluidly connected between the cooling tower and the heat exchanger and functions to compress the vapour mixture stream flowing from the cooling tower.
  • the resulting compressed vapour mixture stream flows into the heat exchanger.
  • the vapour compressor compresses the gas/vapour exiting from the cooling tower to a higher pressure, thus increasing the temperature of the gas/vapour stream .
  • the vapour compressor typically operates at a compression ratio (discharge-pressure: input-pressure) of more than 1 .01 : 1 , and preferably between 1 .1 : 1 and 1 .5:1 .
  • the compression ratio may be lower or higher depending on the composition of the incoming treatment fluid temperature, the temperature of the vapour mixture entering the vapour compressor and certain attributes of the vapour mixture and the treatment fluid including in particular the boiling point of the treatment fluid.
  • compressions ratios even below 1 .1 : 1 may still be used to beneficially add a few degrees to the incoming treatment fluid; and compression ratios above 1 .5: 1 may be beneficially used to add large amounts of heat to a treatment fluid with a high boiling point and/or no capacity to foul the heat exchange.
  • the compression ratio (discharge- pressure: input-pressure) of the vapour compressor may be 1 .5: 1 .
  • the compression ratio of the vapour compressor may be between 1 .2:1 to 1 .4: 1 .
  • the compression ratio of the vapour compressor may be between 1.2: 1 to 1 .3: 1 .
  • the compression ratio of the vapour compressor may be 1 .125: 1 .
  • the vapour compressor increases the pressure and the temperature of the vapour mixture stream increases as a result of this compression.
  • the treatment fluid will typically be at ambient temperature so depending on local climate this will typically be between 0 and 40°C, preferably between 10 and 30 °C, and more preferably between 15 and 25 °C.
  • the compressed vapour mixture stream fed into the heat exchanger following compression in the vapour compressor typically has a temperature well above 40 °C and usually below 150 °C and preferably below 90°C.
  • compressed vapour mixture stream fed into the heat exchanger following compression in the vapour compressor has a temperature of between 40 and 150 °C, preferably between 50 and 120 °C, and more preferably between 60 and 95 °C.
  • vapour compressor comprises a mechanically driven compressor.
  • Suitable vapour compressors can be selected from at least one of positive displacement compressor, reciprocating compressor, rotary compressor, piston compressor, axial compressor, screw compressor, roots compressor, centrifugal compressor, fan compressor, mixed flow compressor or a combination thereof.
  • the vapour compressor comprises a fan compressor.
  • the treatment fluid concentrated in the system can comprise any liquid, solution, mixture, particular entrained mixture, emulsion or the like which it is desirable to concentrate through the removal of an evaporable content of that treatment fluid.
  • the treatment fluid comprises a waste water stream.
  • the waste water stream includes at least one evaporable part and at least one non-evaporable part relative to the conditions within the cooling tower.
  • the resulting concentrated treatment fluid comprises an aqueous stream having a higher concentration of the at least one non-evaporable part of the treatment fluid fed into the system.
  • the non-evaporable part of the waste water stream includes at least one contaminant.
  • the resulting concentrated treatment fluid would have a higher concentration of that contaminant (or contaminants) than the waste water stream fed into the system.
  • the treatment fluid comprise an oil stream that contains a mixture of light and heavy oil, the light oil comprising the evaporable content of the treatment fluid and the heavy oil being concentrated.
  • the treatment fluid comprises a brine stream, for example the brine reject from a reverse osmosis plant. Distilled water can be extracted from this stream to boost the clean water volume produced by the reverse osmosis plant and the concentrate stream with a very high concentration of salts would represent a reduced volume of waste.
  • the treatment fluid comprises a dyehouse waste stream including colour components and salts.
  • the colours and salts can be concentrated up in the concentrate stream and distilled water removed for re-use in the dye-house processes. This reduces the volume of waste water from the dyehouse and reduces the volume of new make-up water required by the dyehouse.
  • the waste stream may contain a food waste.
  • temperatures of around 45 °C or lower may be used to achieve evaporation without 'cooking' any of the food waste.
  • the concentrate which has not been 'cooked' could be useful as feed stock into a fertilizer or animal food industry process.
  • the evaporating fluid fed into the cooling tower and/or flowing through the cooling tower preferably comprises at least one gas, at least one vapour or a mixture thereof.
  • suitable gases include O2, CO2, N2, or a mixture thereof.
  • the evaporating fluid fed into the cooling tower comprises air, preferably ambient air.
  • the vapour mixture produced in the cooling tower comprises a fluid mixture of one or more of vapour, gas, and liquid, the composition of which depending on the composition of the evaporating gas, treatment fluid and evaporable content of the treatment fluid.
  • the cooling tower functions to concentrate the treatment fluid, and also cool that treatment fluid in accordance with the typical cooling function of a cooling tower.
  • the treatment fluid fed into the cooling tower from the heat exchanger typically has a temperature above 40 °C and below its boiling point.
  • the treatment fluid fed into the heat exchanger typically has a temperature of between 50 to 95 °C, more preferably between 60 to 90 °C, and yet more preferably about 85 °C.
  • the evaporating fluid is fed into the cooling tower is typically between 0 and 40°C, and more preferably below 25 °C.
  • the cooling tower typically evaporates the evaporable content of the treatment fluid from the treatment fluid. This thereby cools the treatment fluid to produce a cooler and more concentrated treatment fluid and a warmer evaporating fluid with a higher evaporable content.
  • the concentrated treatment fluid has a temperature of between 5 to 60 °C, preferably 10 to 50 °C, and more preferably between 20 and 40 °C.
  • the heat exchanger is used to transfer energy from a vapour stream flowing through a first heat exchanger section of the heat exchanger and the treatment fluid flowing through another heat exchange section of the heat exchanger.
  • the heat exchanger preferably includes a gas/vapour inlet, a gas/vapour outlet, a liquid inlet, and a liquid outlet.
  • the vapour stream flows between the gas/vapour inlet and the gas/vapour outlet thereof and the treatment fluid flows between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet thereof.
  • Any suitable heat exchanger can be used to transfer energy from the compressed vapour mixture stream flowing through one side of the heat exchanger to the treatment fluid flowing through the other side of the heat exchanger.
  • Suitable heat exchangers include (but are not limited to) shell and tube heat exchangers, and plate and shell heat exchangers. Whilst a single heat exchange can be used, in some embodiments, two or more heat exchangers in parallel, series or combination thereof may be used.
  • the compressed vapour mixture stream fed into the heat exchanger following compression in the vapour compressor typically has a temperature above 40 °C and low enough to prevent the treatment fluid from boiling on the surface of the heat exchanger.
  • the compressed vapour mixture stream fed into the heat exchanger has a temperature of between 40 to 120 °C, and more preferably between 60 to 90 °C.
  • the treatment fluid fed into the heat exchanger typically has a temperature of below 40.
  • the temperature may be between 0 to 40 °C, preferably between 5 to 30 °C, and more preferably between 10 to 20 °C.
  • the heat exchanger preferably increases the temperature of the treatment fluid by at least 10 °C (in some embodiments the heat exchanger may increase the temperature by 20 to 80 °C, and more preferably between 40 and 60°C) by transferring heat energy between the vapour stream and the treatment fluid flowing through the heat exchanger.
  • a gas-liquid separator can be used as an additional downstream process, to separate the water content and the gas from the cooled vapour stream flowing out from the vapour side of the heat exchanger.
  • Any suitable gas-liquid separator can be used, such as a knock-out drum, blowdown tank or flash type tank or vessel.
  • the gas-liquid separator can be enabled to harvest additional water through the use of a cooling device that cools the vapour stream after it leaves the heat exchange and before it enters the gas- liquid separator.
  • the vapour leaving the heat exchange can be captured and (possibly after other processes) returned to the cooling tower.
  • a cross-flow cooling tower facilitates such an embodiment, and the recycling of the vapour may in some cases improve the energy efficiency of the concentration process.
  • an amount of concentrate extracted from the liquid outlet of the cooling tower can be recycled and mixed with make-up treatment fluid and re-processed.
  • This optional one-way fluid connection increases the achievable concentration and allows the recycling and re-use of any heat remaining in the concentrate as it is mixed with make-up treatment fluid.
  • an additional solid separator can be used in fluid connection to the recycled concentrate to remove solids from the concentrate that is being recycled. This is particularly useful in some cases where the process of concentrating certain liquids will cause dissolved solids to crystallise and become suspended solids that are removable in a solid separator.
  • additional downstream process may be fluidly connected to a vapour/gas outlet of the vapour side of the heat exchanger prior to the (optional) connection to the gas-liquid separator.
  • Additional downstream processes may include at least one cooling process, preferably at least one further heat exchanger, for example to cool the vapour mixture even further.
  • the liquid distillate separated from the vapour mixture stream using the gas-liquid separator is collected in a fluidly linked reservoir and recovered.
  • At least one of the gas-liquid separator, or the heat exchanger can be fluidly connected to or incorporated into another evaporating fluid treatment system, for example, an evaporator, distillation unit, reverse osmosis unit, membrane filtration unit or the like.
  • the gas-liquid separator can be fluidly connected to the Applicant's evaporating fluid treatment systems published in Australian patent applications No. 2006317300, 2009227990 and/or 2009225950, the contents of which should be taken to be incorporated into this specification by this reference.
  • the cooling tower system of the present invention is composed of a number of fluidly linked components.
  • each component is constructed as an isolated process unit, fluidly linked using a conduit, such as a pipe.
  • one or more of the components are integrated together, preferably within a common housing.
  • the cooling tower and vapour compressor can be integrated within a single process unit, with the vapour compressor integrally connected with the gas/vapour outlet of the cooling tower.
  • the heat exchanger could be integrated into a housing portion of a single unit which is integrally connected with the gas/vapour outlet of the vapour compressor.
  • substantially all of the components of the cooling tower system are integrated and fluidly connected within a single housing.
  • the vapour compressor would be integrally connected with the gas/vapour outlet of the cooling tower
  • the heat exchanger would be integrally connected with the gas/vapour outlet of the vapour compressor
  • the gas-liquid separator would be integrally connected to a gas/vapour outlet of the heat exchanger.
  • the housing comprises a generally inverted U-shaped housing, having the cooling tower in one leg, and the gas-liquid separator in the other leg. The liquid reservoirs of each of the cooling tower and gas-liquid separator would be located proximate the base of each leg.
  • the vapour compressor could be located near the apex of the inverted U-shape, and the heat exchanger could straddle each leg. It should of course be appreciated that other configurations and housing shapes are possible, such as r-shapes, inverted V-shapes, C- shapes or the like.
  • a second aspect of the present invention provides a method of concentrating a treatment fluid comprising: heating a treatment fluid in a heat exchanger to produce a heated treatment fluid;
  • the method of the second aspect of the present invention is preferably performed using the system of the first aspect of the present invention.
  • the present invention can be used to extract either the evaporable component or the non-evaporable component or both from the treatment fluid; or reduce the volume of the treatment fluid. More specifically, the present invention can be used for any one or combination of the following purposes:
  • Figure 1 is a general process flow diagram of the cooling tower system according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is an integrated process unit embodying the cooling tower system shown in Figure 1 .
  • FIG. 1 provides a general process flow diagram for the system 100, which is generally applicable to a number of embodiments of the system 100 including the specific form of the system 100 illustrated in Figure 2.
  • Figure 2 provides a detailed schematic of a specific form of the system 100 shown in Figure 1 .
  • the system 100 is shown to include four distinct but fluidly linked process units: a heat exchanger 102, cooling tower 104, a vapour compressor 106 and an optional gas-liquid separator 108.
  • the gas/liquid separator 108 is an optional process unit in the system 100 of the present invention, and is therefore illustrated in broken lines in Figure 1 .
  • the cooling tower system 100 uses the unique combination of a cooling tower 104, vapour compressor 106, and heat exchanger 108 to concentrate a treatment fluid which is fed into the system at a liquid inlet 1 10 of the heat exchanger 102.
  • the cooling tower 104 evaporates a portion of the water component of the treatment fluid thereby concentrating a contaminant component of that treatment fluid.
  • a vapour mixture is also produced, and is outputted from the system 100 from the heat exchanger 102 at outlet 1 14.
  • This vapour mixture may be vented to atmosphere, or a liquid content may be recovered at outlet 136 using the optional gas-liquid separator 108.
  • a gas content can be recovered at outlet 138 or vented to atmosphere. Both the gas from outlet 138 and the liquid from outlet 136 may be further processed by incorporating this invention into the Applicant's evaporating fluid treatment systems published in Australian patent applications No. 2006317300, 2009227990 and/or 2009225950.
  • the treatment fluid is fed into system 100 through the liquid fed inlet 1 10 of the heat exchanger 102.
  • Any suitable heat exchanger 102 can be used including, but not limited to, shell and tube heat exchangers, plate and shell heat exchangers, or other suitable liquid/gas heat exchange units.
  • the heat exchanger 102 comprises a shell and tube type exchanger.
  • the heat exchanger 102 has a gas/vapour inlet 1 12, a gas/vapour outlet 1 14, a liquid inlet 1 10 and a liquid outlet 1 16.
  • the liquid outlet 1 16 of the heat exchanger 102 is fluidly linked the cooling tower 104 and the liquid inlet 1 10 of the heat exchanger 102 is fluidly linked to the vapour compressor 106.
  • the heat exchanger 102 operates to transfer energy from a vapour stream flowing between the gas/vapour inlet 1 12 and the gas/vapour outlet 1 14 of the heat exchanger 102 to the treatment fluid flowing between the liquid inlet 1 10 and the liquid outlet 1 16 thereof. This heat exchange will be described in more detail below.
  • a heated treatment fluid exits the heat exchanger 102 through the liquid outlet 1 16 and flows into the liquid inlet 120 of the cooling tower 104.
  • the cooling tower 104 is a wet evaporative cooling tower which uses vapour evaporation processes to extract an evaporable content from the treatment fluid fed into the cooling tower 104. This evaporative process occurs below the boiling point of the liquid (relative to the conditions (temperature, pressure, etc.) within the cooling tower).
  • the cooling tower 104 includes a gas/vapour inlet 122, a gas/vapour outlet 126 the liquid inlet 120 and the liquid outlet 124.
  • the liquid inlet 120 of the cooling tower 104 is fluidly connected to the liquid outlet 1 16 of the heat exchanger 102.
  • the heated treatment fluid from the heat exchanger 102 flows into the liquid inlet 120 of the cooling tower 104.
  • An evaporating fluid typically air, is fed into the gas/vapour inlet 122 of the cooling tower 104 and typically flows in a cross-current or in a counter-current direction through the cooling tower 104 to the heated treatment fluid.
  • a typical embodiment is shown in the schematic of the cooling tower 104 in Figure 1 , the evaporating fluid is fed at a location near the bottom of the cooling tower 104, and the treatment fluid is fed at a location near the top of the cooling tower 104 to allow counter-current flow through the cooling tower 104.
  • Alternative embodiments of the cooling tower include cross-flow cooling towers, and it should be appreciated that any suitable embodiment of a cooling tower can be used.
  • an amount of concentrate can be extracted from the liquid outlet 124 of the cooling tower 104 and recycled and mixed with make-up treatment fluid and re-processed via an optional one-way recycle fluid connection 135 which connects to the feed stream of the heat exchanger 102 prior to the liquid inlet 1 10.
  • This recycle stream 135 increases the achievable concentration and allows the recycling and re-use of any heat remaining in the concentrate as it is mixed with make-up treatment fluid.
  • the cooling tower 104 can comprise any suitable wet evaporative cooling tower. As shown in Figure 1 , the liquid inlet 120 of the cooling tower 104 is fluidly connected to a liquid distribution arrangement 128 within the cooling tower 104.
  • the liquid distribution arrangement 128 can comprise any suitable multiple outlet system, such as a plurality of space apart nozzles, a porous element - for example a porous pipe or hose, a shower head or the like.
  • the cooling tower 104 also includes an optional fill material 130.
  • the fill material 130 can comprise any suitable packing material or fill material to increase contact surface as well as contact time between air and the treatment fluid, to provide better evaporation. This material is not essential but if included enhances evaporation of the evaporable content of the treatment fluid within the cooling tower 104.
  • the efficiency of the cooling tower 104 is greatly influenced by the type and amount of fill material 130 and the temperature of the incoming evaporating fluid 122 and the temperature of the treatment fluid 120.
  • the fill material 130 can be selected from one or more film type fill material which causes the treatment fluid to spread into a thin film, and/or one or more splash type fill material which breaks up falling stream of treatment fluids and interrupts its vertical progress. It should be appreciated that a number of suitable fill materials 130 are commercially available, and that a person skilled in the art would be readily able to select a material to suit the size and conditions designed for the specific cooling tower used in a specific system of the present invention.
  • Evaporation can be markedly enhanced in the cooling tower 104 with the inclusion of a gas flow generation arrangement 132.
  • gas flow generation arrangements 132 are possible, including natural draft, mechanical draft, induced draft, forced draft, and fan assisted natural draft (all of which have been previously described).
  • the gas flow generation arrangement 132 of preferred embodiments of the present invention includes at least one fan or turbine, located at or proximate the gas/vapour outlet of the cooling tower 104.
  • the gas flow generation arrangements incorporates the function of the vapour compressor 106 as well as to assist in inducing or otherwise drawing gas flow through the cooling tower 104.
  • the cooling tower 104 functions to concentrate the treatment fluid, and also cool that treatment fluid in accordance with the typical cooling function of a cooling tower 104.
  • the treatment fluid fed into the cooling tower 104 from the heat exchanger 102 typically has a temperature well above 40 °C and the evaporating fluid fed into the gas/vapour inlet of the cooling tower 104 is typically well below 40°C.
  • the cooling tower 104 typically cools the treatment fluid to produce a cooler and more concentrated treatment fluid at the liquid outlet of the cooling tower 104.
  • the vapour compressor 106 is fluidly connected between the gas/vapour outlet 126 of the cooling tower 104 and the gas/vapour inlet 1 12 of the heat exchanger 102.
  • the vapour compressor 106 functions to compress the gas/vapour mixture stream flowing from the gas/vapour outlet 126 of the cooling tower 104.
  • the resulting compressed gas/vapour stream flows to the fluidly connected heat exchanger 102.
  • the vapour compressor 106 compresses the gas/vapour mixture to a higher pressure, thus increasing its temperature, enabling the vapour to be better utilised in the heat exchanger 102 for heating the treatment fluid flowing through the heat exchanger 102.
  • the vapour compressor 106 In order to add a suitable amount of energy to the system, the vapour compressor 106 typically operates at a compression ratio (discharge- pressure: input-pressure) of between 1.01 : 1 to 1 .5: 1 . Similarly, the temperature of the vapour stream increases through compression, typically by at least 10°C.
  • the treatment fluid 1 10 initially has a temperature of 25 °C, and the evaporating fluid is air with a wet-bulb temperature of 18 °C.
  • the gas/vapour entering the vapour compressor 106 from the cooling tower 104 initially has a temperature of 20°C, and at this initial stage the compressed vapour mixture stream fed into the heat exchanger 102 following compression in the vapour compressor 106 has a temperature of 35 °C.
  • the heat exchanger 102 then increases the temperature of the treatment fluid to 30 °C, which in turn improves the performance of the cooling tower 104 enough to cause the temperature of the gas/vapour entering the vapour compressor 106 to increase to 25 °C, which in turn enables the vapour compressor 106 to increase the temperature of the vapour stream entering the heat exchanger 102 to 35 °C and so on in a positive feedback cycle.
  • the vapour compressor 106 will stop increasing the temperature of the vapour stream when it has reached its work-load capacity, or because it is deliberately constrained by some form of industrial control system.
  • any suitable vapour compressor 106 can be used in the system 100 of the present invention.
  • the vapour compressor 106 comprises a mechanically driven compressor.
  • Suitable vapour compressors 106 can be selected from, but are not limited to, at least one of positive displacement compressor, reciprocating compressor, rotary compressor, piston compressor, axial compressor, screw compressor, roots compressor, centrifugal compressor, fan compressor, mixed flow compressor or a combination thereof.
  • the compressed gas/vapour mixture stream fed into the gas/vapour inlet of the heat exchanger 102 following compression in the vapour compressor 106 would have a temperature at least 10 °C higher than the temperature of the gas/vapour entering the vapour compressor 106.
  • the amount of the temperature increase may usefully vary significantly depending on a number of items specific to each embodiment of the invention but which include the performance of the heat exchanger 102, the performance of the cooling tower 104, the designed ramp-up time of the positive feedback cycle and the boiling point of the treatment fluid.
  • the treatment fluid fed into the liquid inlet 1 10 of the heat exchanger 102 is typically at an ambient air temperature, for example of 25 °C.
  • the heat exchanger 102 typically has the capacity to transfer at least 10 °C, from the vapour stream flowing between the gas/vapour inlet 1 12 and the gas/vapour outlet 1 14 and the treatment fluid flowing between the liquid inlet 1 10 and the liquid outlet 1 16.
  • Heat transfer through the heat exchanger 102 creates a beneficial process temperature change in the cooling tower 104 and enhances the desired evaporative processes.
  • the vapour compressor 106 therefore creates a positive feedback cycle as discussed above through the system 100.
  • the gas/vapour stream 1 12 is converted into a gas/liquid stream 1 14 by the heat exchanger 102 and a gas-liquid separator 108 can optionally be used to separate the gas/liquid stream 1 14 of the heat exchanger 102 into a gas portion 138 and a liquid portion 136 either or both of which may then be recovered.
  • the gas-liquid separator 108 is fluidly connected to the vapour/gas outlet stream 1 14 of the heat exchanger 102. Any suitable gas- liquid separator 108 can be used, such as a knock-out drum, blowdown tank or flash type tank or vessel. Liquid exits the system 100 in liquid outlet 136 and the separated air exits the system 100 via gas outlet 138 either or both of which can be recovered.
  • the system 100 could be interconnected to various other downstream processes.
  • the concentrated treatment fluid 124 exiting the cooling tower 104 may be subject to further processing.
  • the gas 138 or the liquid 136 recovered from the gas-liquid separator 108 could be subject to further processing or treatment.
  • all inputs and outputs can be incorporated into the Applicant's evaporating fluid treatment systems published in Australian patent applications No. 2006317300, 2009227990 and/or 2009225950.
  • FIG 2 there is shown a more detailed schematic of a specific form of the cooling tower system 100 shown in Figure 1 .
  • all of the components process units 102, 104, 106, 108 of the cooling tower system 100 are integrated and fluidly connected within a single generally inverted U-shaped housing 135.
  • the cooling tower 104 is located in a first leg 139 of the housing 135. As described above, the cooling tower 104 includes a liquid distribution arrangement 128 through which the heated treatment fluid is fed over a fill material 130. The concentrated treatment fluid is collected in a liquid reservoir 140 located at the base of the first leg 139.
  • the vapour compressor 106 is integrally connected with the gas/vapour outlet 126 of the cooling tower 104 and comprises a fan type compressor, including at least one fan blade 145.
  • the vapour compressor 106 is located at the apex of top of the generally inverted U-shaped housing 135.
  • the fan type compressor 106 also provides the gas flow generation arrangement 132 of the cooling tower 104, with the fan function operating to induce and/or draw air through the cooling tower 104. Fluid is compressed using a throttle point 148 in which the flow area of the housing 135 reduces, compressing the gas/vapour flow flowing therethrough.
  • the heat exchanger 102 is integrally connected with the gas/vapour outlet 1 12 of the vapour compressor 106, with the compressed gas exiting the vapour compressor 106 flowing over heat exchange coils 150 positioned within the housing 135.
  • the treatment water is fed into the system 100 through the liquid inlet 1 10 of the heat exchange coils 150, is heated therein within the heat exchanger 102 and flows to the liquid inlet 120 of the cooling tower 104.
  • the cooled gas then flows to a gas-liquid separator 108 located in the second leg 152 of the housing 135.
  • the gas-liquid separator 108 is integrally connected to a gas/vapour outlet 1 14 of the heat exchanger 102 and comprises an expansion or blow down unit, in which the flow area of the housing expands, thereby separating the water and air content of the gas/vapour flow.
  • the condensate or water component is collected in a reservoir 142 located at the base of the second leg 152, and flows out of the system 100 through liquid outlet 136.
  • the separated air exits the system 100 through air outlet 138. Again, the separated air may be recovered or vented.
  • an amount of concentrate can be extracted from the liquid outlet 124 of the cooling tower 104 and recycled and mixed with make-up treatment fluid and re-processed via optional one-way recycle fluid connection 135 which connects to the feed stream of the heat exchanger 102 prior to the liquid inlet 1 10.
  • the illustrated system 100 can be used to process any suitable treatment fluid which has an evaporable content which can be removed from a non-evaporable content in the process conditions of the cooling tower.
  • One example is a waste water process stream that includes at least one contaminant.
  • the system 100 of the present invention produces a concentrated treatment fluid having higher concentration of that contaminant (or contaminants) than the treatment fluid fed into the system by evaporating a water content from the waste water stream.
  • the treatment fluid comprise an oil stream that contains a mixture of light and heavy oil, the light oil comprising the evaporable content of the treatment fluid and the heavy oil being concentrated.
  • the treatment fluid comprises a brine stream, for example the brine reject from a reverse osmosis plant. Distilled water can be extracted from this stream to boost the clean water volume produced by the reverse osmosis plant and the concentrate stream with a very high concentration of salts would represent a reduced volume of waste.
  • the treatment fluid comprises a dyehouse waste stream including colour components and salts.
  • the colours and salts can be concentrated up in the concentrate stream and distilled water removed for reuse in the dye-house processes. This reduces the volume of waste water from the dyehouse.
  • the waste stream contains a food waste.
  • temperatures of around 45 °C or lower may be used to achieve evaporation without 'cooking' any of the food waste.
  • the concentrate could be useful as feed stock into a fertilizer or animal food industry.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Vaporization, Distillation, Condensation, Sublimation, And Cold Traps (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système de tour de refroidissement (100) qui comprend : un échangeur de chaleur (102) dans lequel un fluide de traitement est injecté, l'échangeur de chaleur (102) transférant de l'énergie d'un courant de vapeur à un fluide de traitement afin de produire un fluide de traitement chauffé et un courant de vapeur refroidi ; une tour de refroidissement par évaporation humide (104) en communication fluidique avec l'échangeur de chaleur (102), le fluide de traitement chauffé et un fluide en évaporation étant injectés dans la tour de refroidissement (104), la tour de refroidissement (104), en cours de fonctionnement, séparant un contenu évaporable dans le liquide de traitement chauffé afin de produire un fluide de traitement concentré et un mélange de vapeurs contenant le contenu évaporable ; un compresseur de vapeur (106) en communication fluidique entre la tour de refroidissement (104) et l'échangeur de chaleur (102), le compresseur de vapeur (106), en cours de fonctionnement, comprimant le mélange de vapeurs de la tour de refroidissement (104), afin de produire un courant de mélange de vapeurs comprimées, le courant de mélange de vapeurs comprimées étant injecté dans l'échangeur de chaleur (102) en tant que courant de vapeur qui transfère l'énergie au fluide de traitement circulant vers l'échangeur de chaleur (102).
PCT/AU2014/000561 2013-06-03 2014-05-29 Système de tour de refroidissement Ceased WO2014194350A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2013901989 2013-06-03
AU2013901989A AU2013901989A0 (en) 2013-06-03 Cooling Tower System

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WO2014194350A1 true WO2014194350A1 (fr) 2014-12-11

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106642857A (zh) * 2017-01-09 2017-05-10 中国工程物理研究院材料研究所 一种采用制冷剂的热力性质控制冷却塔风机的系统及方法
EP3320959B1 (fr) * 2016-11-10 2019-11-06 Biogastechnik Süd GmbH Dispositif et procédé d'élimination d'eaux usées

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100218549A1 (en) * 2007-09-28 2010-09-02 Takanori Suzuki Refrigeration system
US20110011107A1 (en) * 2008-03-28 2011-01-20 Creative Water Technology Ltd. Device and method for utilising surplus cooling of water in a cooling tower

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100218549A1 (en) * 2007-09-28 2010-09-02 Takanori Suzuki Refrigeration system
US20110011107A1 (en) * 2008-03-28 2011-01-20 Creative Water Technology Ltd. Device and method for utilising surplus cooling of water in a cooling tower

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3320959B1 (fr) * 2016-11-10 2019-11-06 Biogastechnik Süd GmbH Dispositif et procédé d'élimination d'eaux usées
CN106642857A (zh) * 2017-01-09 2017-05-10 中国工程物理研究院材料研究所 一种采用制冷剂的热力性质控制冷却塔风机的系统及方法

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