CN-121993913-A - Cooling system with dual refrigerant condensing zones

Abstract

A cooling system having a dual refrigerant condensing zone is provided. The cooling system and cooling circuit include a first refrigerant condensing line including a condenser, a second refrigerant condensing line bypassing the condenser, and a remixing chamber disposed in the cooling circuit at a junction of the first refrigerant condensing line and the second refrigerant condensing line. According to a first mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line to the remixing chamber. According to a second mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant and vapor refrigerant are supplied from the respective first and second refrigerant condensing lines to the remixing chamber and remixed therein to improve low-ambient operation.

Inventors

• Andrew Nathan Cole

Assignees

• 维谛公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20251103

Priority Date

20251029

Claims (20)

1. 1. A cooling system, comprising: a cooling circuit configured to circulate a refrigerant, the cooling circuit including a first refrigerant condensing line including a condenser and a second refrigerant condensing line bypassing the condenser, and A remixing chamber provided in the cooling circuit at a junction of the first refrigerant condensing line and the second refrigerant condensing line, Wherein, in a first mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line to the remixing chamber, and Wherein in a second mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant and vapor refrigerant are supplied to the remixing chamber from the respective first and second refrigerant condensing lines and remixed therein.
2. 2. The cooling system according to claim 1, Wherein the first mode of operation corresponds to a normal ambient temperature mode of operation in which the ambient temperature is within a predefined ambient temperature range, Wherein the second mode of operation corresponds to a low ambient temperature mode of operation in which ambient temperature is below the predefined ambient temperature range, and Wherein the refrigerant supplied from the second refrigerant condensing line is at a higher pressure and temperature than the refrigerant supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line.
3. 3. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a reversing valve disposed in the cooling circuit at a separation of the first and second refrigerant condensing lines, the reversing valve configured to control refrigerant flow through each of the first and second refrigerant condensing lines.
4. 4. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a compressor disposed in the cooling circuit upstream of the first refrigerant condensing line and the second refrigerant condensing line.
5. 5. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising at least one pump disposed in the cooling circuit.
6. 6. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising: at least one metering device disposed in the cooling circuit downstream of the remixing chamber, and At least one evaporator is disposed in the cooling circuit downstream of the at least one metering device.
7. 7. The cooling system according to claim 1, Wherein the first refrigerant condensing line is subdivided into a first flow line and a second flow line into the remixing chamber, each of the first flow line and the second flow line comprising a flow control valve, Wherein when the cooling system is operating in the first mode of operation, the first flow line is open and the second flow line is closed, and Wherein the first flow line is closed and the second flow line is open when the cooling system is operating in the second mode of operation.
8. 8. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising: A pump disposed in the first refrigerant condensing line downstream of the condenser, and A bypass flow line disposed in the first refrigerant condensing line bypassing the pump, the bypass flow line including a check valve.
9. 9. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a controller for operating the cooling system in the first or second modes of operation as a function of ambient temperature.
10. 10. A cooling system, comprising: A cooling circuit configured to circulate a refrigerant, the cooling circuit comprising a first refrigerant condensing line and a second refrigerant condensing line; a compressor disposed in the cooling circuit upstream of the first and second refrigerant condensing lines, the compressor configured to pressurize the refrigerant; a condenser disposed in the first refrigerant condensing line; a remixing chamber disposed in the cooling circuit at a junction of the first refrigerant condensing line and the second refrigerant condensing line; at least one metering device disposed in the cooling circuit downstream of the remixing chamber, and At least one evaporator arranged in the condensation circuit downstream of the at least one metering device, Wherein, in a first mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line to the remixing chamber, and Wherein in a second mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant and vapor refrigerant are supplied to the remixing chamber from the respective first and second refrigerant condensing lines and remixed therein.
11. 11. The cooling system according to claim 10, Wherein the first mode of operation corresponds to a normal ambient temperature mode of operation in which the ambient temperature is within a predefined ambient temperature range, Wherein the second mode of operation corresponds to a low ambient temperature mode of operation in which ambient temperature is below the predefined ambient temperature range, and Wherein the refrigerant supplied from the second refrigerant condensing line is at a higher pressure and temperature than the refrigerant supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line.
12. 12. The cooling system of claim 10, further comprising a reversing valve disposed in the cooling circuit at a separation of the first and second refrigerant condensing lines, the reversing valve configured to control refrigerant flow through each of the first and second refrigerant condensing lines.
13. 13. The cooling system of claim 10, further comprising at least one pump disposed in the cooling circuit in the first refrigerant condensing line.
14. 14. The cooling system according to claim 10, Wherein the first refrigerant condensing line is subdivided into a first flow line and a second flow line into the remixing chamber, each of the first flow line and the second flow line comprising a flow control valve, Wherein when the cooling system is operated in the first mode of operation, the first flow line is open and the second flow line is closed, and Wherein the first flow line is closed and the second flow line is open when the cooling system is operating in the second mode of operation.
15. 15. The cooling system of claim 10, further comprising a controller for operating the cooling system in the first or second modes of operation as a function of ambient temperature.
16. 16. A cooling system, comprising: A cooling circuit configured to circulate a refrigerant, the cooling circuit comprising a first refrigerant condensing line and a second refrigerant condensing line; a condenser disposed in the first refrigerant condensing line; at least one pump disposed in the cooling circuit; a remixing chamber disposed in the cooling circuit at a junction of the first refrigerant condensing line and the second refrigerant condensing line; at least one metering device disposed in the cooling circuit downstream of the remixing chamber, and At least one evaporator arranged in the condensation circuit downstream of the at least one metering device, Wherein, in a first mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line to the remixing chamber, and Wherein in a second mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant and vapor refrigerant are supplied to the remixing chamber from the respective first and second refrigerant condensing lines and remixed therein.
17. 17. The cooling system according to claim 16, Wherein the first mode of operation corresponds to a normal ambient temperature mode of operation in which the ambient temperature is within a predefined ambient temperature range, Wherein the second mode of operation corresponds to a low ambient temperature mode of operation in which ambient temperature is below the predefined ambient temperature range, and Wherein the refrigerant supplied from the second refrigerant condensing line is at a higher pressure and temperature than the refrigerant supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line.
18. 18. The cooling system of claim 16, further comprising a reversing valve disposed in the cooling circuit at a separation of the first and second refrigerant condensing lines, the reversing valve configured to control refrigerant flow through each of the first and second refrigerant condensing lines.
19. 19. The cooling system according to claim 16, Wherein the first refrigerant condensing line is subdivided into a first flow line and a second flow line into the remixing chamber, each of the first flow line and the second flow line comprising a flow control valve, Wherein when the cooling system is operated in the first mode of operation, the first flow line is open and the second flow line is closed, and Wherein the first flow line is closed and the second flow line is open when the cooling system is operating in the second mode of operation.
20. 20. The cooling system of claim 16, further comprising a controller for operating the cooling system in the first or second modes of operation as a function of ambient temperature.

Description

Cooling system with dual refrigerant condensing zones Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. application number 63,716,071 filed on month 4 of 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field The present invention relates generally to refrigerant-based cooling systems for data centers and the like, and more particularly to cooling systems including dual pressure zones for accurate ambient temperature control. Background Conventional refrigerant-based cooling systems discharge and absorb heat by repeatedly pressurizing and depressurizing a refrigerant. In a conventional cooling circuit, the refrigerant is pressurized in a compressor, rejects heat in a condenser, depressurizes through a metering medium (METERING AGENT), and absorbs heat in an evaporator. Cooling systems utilizing cooling circuits may be used to transfer heat from one location to another. For example, in a data center, a cooling circuit may be used to cool electronic equipment by transferring heat from inside a building to outside the building, from one space to another space, and so on. The cooling system performance depends on the dependence of pressure, volume and temperature. Thus, optimal cooling system performance requires precise pressure and temperature control. In external environments where the ambient temperature may be low and in some cases below freezing, it becomes necessary to control the supply temperature within a target range to ensure good evaporator performance. In large component and large capacity cooling systems, controlling the supply temperature under low ambient conditions becomes extremely difficult. Therefore, there is a need for a cooling system with accurate ambient temperature control. Disclosure of Invention According to one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a cooling system including a cooling circuit configured to circulate a refrigerant. In an embodiment, a cooling circuit includes a first refrigerant condensing line including a condenser, a second refrigerant condensing line bypassing the condenser, and a remixing chamber disposed in the cooling circuit at the junction of the first refrigerant condenser line and the second refrigerant condenser line. In a first mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line to the remixing chamber. In a second mode of operation of the cooling system, liquid refrigerant and vapor refrigerant are supplied from the respective first and second refrigerant condensing lines to the remixing chamber and remixed therein to increase the pressure/temperature of the liquid refrigerant supplied to the at least one evaporator. In some embodiments, the first mode of operation corresponds to a normal ambient temperature mode of operation in which the ambient temperature is within a predefined ambient temperature range, the second mode of operation corresponds to a low ambient temperature mode of operation in which the ambient temperature is below the predefined ambient temperature range, and the refrigerant supplied from the second refrigerant condensing line is at a higher pressure and temperature than the refrigerant supplied from the first refrigerant condensing line. In some embodiments, the cooling system further includes a reversing valve (e.g., a three-way valve) disposed in the cooling circuit at a separation of the first refrigerant condensing line and the second refrigerant condensing line, the reversing valve configured to control refrigerant flow through each of the first refrigerant condensing line and the second refrigerant condensing line. In some embodiments, the cooling system further comprises a compressor disposed in the cooling circuit upstream of the first refrigerant condensing line and the second refrigerant condensing line, the compressor configured to pressurize the refrigerant. In some embodiments, the cooling system further comprises at least one pump disposed in the cooling circuit. In some embodiments, the cooling system further includes at least one metering device disposed in the cooling circuit downstream of the remixing chamber, and at least one evaporator disposed in the cooling circuit downstream of the at least one metering device. In some embodiments, the first refrigerant condensing line is subdivided into a first flow line and a second flow line into the remixing chamber, wherein each of the first flow line and the second flow line includes a flow control valve, the first flow line being open and the second flow line being closed when the cooling system is operating in the first mode of operation, and the first flow line being closed and the second flow line being open when the cooling system is operating in the second mode of operation. In some embodiments, the cooling system further includes a pump disposed in the first refrigerant condensing line downstream of the co