US 11,703,266 B2
Cooling systems and related method
Ching-Jen Tang, Niskayuna, NY (US); Peter John Bonitatibus, Jr., Niskayuna, NY (US); and John Brian McDermott, Niskayuna, NY (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Appl. No. 16/612,650
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
PCT Filed May 11, 2017, PCT No. PCT/US2017/032288
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 11, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/208308, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 15, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0208899 A1, Jul. 2, 2020
Int. Cl. F25D 17/02 (2006.01); C09K 5/20 (2006.01); F25B 15/02 (2006.01); F25B 47/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25D 17/02 (2013.01) [C09K 5/20 (2013.01); F25B 15/025 (2013.01); F25B 47/006 (2013.01); F25B 2500/09 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cooling system, comprising:
a steam turbine;
a condenser that receives a flow of steam from the steam turbine;
an evaporator;
a reservoir disposed in the evaporator and configured to selectively supply a cooling fluid, the reservoir including a first outlet disposed proximate a top end of the reservoir and a second outlet disposed proximate a bottom end of the reservoir, the first outlet fluidly coupled to a first outlet valve and the second outlet fluidly coupled to a second outlet valve, wherein the reservoir comprises a refrigerant and an anti-freeze additive, the anti-freeze additive characterized by a lower critical solution temperature (LCST), wherein the first outlet valve is configured to open and the second outlet valve is configured to close when a reservoir operating temperature is greater than the LCST, wherein the first outlet valve is configured to close and the second outlet valve is configured to open when the reservoir operating temperature is less than the LCST;
a circulation loop fluidly coupled to the reservoir, and configured to circulate the cooling fluid to and from the reservoir;
an agitator disposed within the reservoir and configured to mix the refrigerant and the anti-freeze additive when the reservoir operating temperature is less than the LCST, and wherein the agitator is configured to turn off when the reservoir operating temperature is greater the LCST; and
a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the circulation loop and configured to exchange heat between the cooling fluid and the flow of steam in the condenser;
wherein when the reservoir operating temperature is greater than the LCST, the reservoir is configured to supply a first mixture of the cooling fluid comprising the refrigerant and less than 5 weight percent of the anti-freeze additive to the circulation loop; and when the reservoir operating temperature is lower than the LCST, the reservoir is configured to supply a second mixture of the cooling fluid comprising the refrigerant and between about 5 weight percent and about 60 weight percent of the anti-freeze additive to the circulation loop.