A type of high-efficiency cooling device created and developed for the petrochemical sector by Longhua Technology Group (Luoyang) Company is the hybrid evaporative cooler. The high-efficiency cooler for the petrochemical industry has achieved an optimized combination of different cooling methods such as evaporative cooling, air cooling, and water cooling, thereby achieving a stable and reliable structure, extensive application scope, and obvious benefits such as energy saving, water saving, and environmental protection performance. This is based on the basic theories of latent heat exchange and sensible heat exchange.
The hybrid evaporative cooler is similar to the three-stage series cooling system of "air cooler + water cooler + cooling water tower" combined into one set of intensive equipment, but compared with the traditional series cooling system, it has significant "three reuse processes and three differences":
1. "Three reuse processes" means that the wind and water are reused three times in the high-efficiency equipment. The first reuse of wind occurs from the lowest end of the evaporation tube to the liquid level of the water tank, in which the wind with the lowest temperature cools the circulating water falling continuously above to ensure that the water temperature in the water tank remains unchanged. The second reuse of wind occurs outside the water film of the evaporation tube, and the air with higher speed flows through the outside of the water film to form local negative pressure, which is beneficial to the evaporation of the water film and taking away the water vapor in time, thereby preventing the water vapor from forming pressure outside the water film. When the wind reaches the outside of the fin in the upward direction, the flow pattern changes from laminar flow to turbulent flow. In this state, the air heat transfer coefficient is high, the air temperature rises greatly (generally 10℃ - 15℃), and the high-temperature air is discharged from the induced-draft fan duct, thus completing the three-step cascade utilization of the air. The first cascade utilization of water also occurs at the bottom of the evaporation tube, in which water is in counter-current contact with the air inhaled from the outside for the first time. The water in torrential rain state has the function of washing, which can thoroughly flush the impurities in the air to the bottom of the water tank, ensure clean air passing through the tube bundle, and reduce scaling and blockage between the gaps of the tube bundle. The second reuse of water occurs outside the evaporation tube, and its main function is to evenly distribute the water film. It is necessary to ensure that each line of pipes and each row of pipes are evenly covered by the water film, without dry areas, and prevent scaling and corrosion under the scale. Most of the liquid water is intercepted by the water collector at the upper part of the spraying device. When saturated water vapor passes upward through the outside of the finned tube bundle, secondary interception occurs, in which saturated water vapor becomes unsaturated steam when passing through the superheated section of the fin and is discharged to the outside of the air duct, without the white mist phenomenon, and the air heat transfer coefficient outside the humidified fin is also be improved. In a series of cascade utilization, the water is reused three times, realizing "full use".
2. "Three differences" means that the equipment is quite different from the traditional air cooler, water cooler and cooling water tower. The difference between the fin section of the equipment and the fin section of the air cooler is the difference in anticorrosion. The traditional air cooler generally operates in dry air environment, so the outer side of its aluminum fins basically does not need anticorrosion, but the fin outer side of the hybrid evaporative cooler operates in humid air environment, so the fin tube bundle needs to be anticorrosive as a whole, and the overall hot dip galvanized zinc anticorrosion is generally adopted on the processed steel pipe and steel sheet. The evaporation tube section of the equipment is also very different from the tube bundle of the water cooler. The cold medium of the water cooler generally goes through inside the tube and hot medium goes through outside the tube, but the hybrid evaporative cooler is just the opposite: The hot medium goes through inside the tube, the wind and water go through outside the tube, so the outer side of the tube also needs hot dip galvanized zinc anticorrosion. Hybrid evaporative cooler is also very different from cooling water tower. Traditional cooling water tower generally has packing, but hybrid evaporative cooler has no packing in the countercurrent contact section of wind and water. Besides, cooling water tower is generally installed on the ground, while hybrid evaporative cooler is a kind of movable equipment, which can be conveniently installed on pipe gallery, platform or roof, conducive to utilizing used equipment.
Main components
The evaporative condenser is an energy-efficient and highly effective heat exchanger. It operates by spraying a film of water onto the outer surface of the heat exchanger coil, which then undergoes an evaporation process. This process is facilitated by an induced-draft fan that circulates air and removes water vapor. As a result, the heat from the steam flowing through the tubes is absorbed, causing it to condense and cool down.
Hybrid evaporative cooling systems for petrochemical industry are a kind of high-efficiency cooling equipment designed and developed by Longhua Technology Group (Luoyang) Company for petrochemical industry. Based on the basic theory of latent heat exchange and sensible heat exchange, the high-efficiency cooler for petrochemical industry has achieved optimized combination of various cooling methods such as evaporative cooling, air cooling and water cooling, thereby achieving stable and reliable structure, extensive application scope, and obvious advantages such as energy saving, water saving and environmental protection performance.
Energy efficient: Hybrid evaporative coolers are energy-efficient as they consume less electricity and use water as a natural coolant.
High cooling efficiency: They can reduce the temperature of the air by up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit compared to the outside temperature.
Dehumidification: The air conditioning component of a hybrid evaporative cooler can remove excess moisture from the air, making the environment more comfortable.
Environmentally friendly: They do not use ozone-depleting refrigerants and use less energy compared to conventional air conditioning units.
Easy to install: Hybrid evaporative coolers are easy to install and require minimal ductwork.
Improves indoor air quality: They can improve indoor air quality by reducing the amount of dust and pollutants in the air.
Provides constant airflow: Hybrid evaporative coolers distribute cool and fresh air evenly throughout the room.
Cost-effective: They have a low maintenance cost and are less expensive to operate compared to traditional air conditioning systems.
Temperature control: They have adjustable temperature and humidity settings, giving users greater control over their cooling needs.
Compatible with solar power: Hybrid evaporative coolers can be powered by solar panels, making them ideal for off-grid applications and saving on energy costs.
Compared Items | Water Cooling System | Air Cooling System | Evaporative Condenser | High-efficiency Hybrid Evaporative Cooler |
Heat Transfer Process | Secondary Repeated Cooling | Primary Cooling | Primary Cooling | Secondary Cascade Cooling |
Heat Transfer Mechanism | Sensible Heat + Latent Heat | Sensible Heat Exchange | Latent Heat Exchange | Sensible Heat + Latent Heat (Proportion) |
Ambient Temperature | Wet Bulb Temperature + | Dry Bulb Temperature | Wet Bulb Temperature | Wet Bulb Temperature |
Water Consumption | Much | None | Relatively Little | Little |
Energy Consumption of Pump | Much | None | Relatively Little | Little |
Energy Consumption of Fan | Little | Much | Relatively Little | Relatively Little |
Initial Temperature of Cooled Medium | Low | Relatively High | Relatively Low | Relatively High |
Final Temperature of Cooled Medium | Relatively Low | High | Low (Good) | Low |
Structure | Complex System | Huge | Compact | Compact and Reasonable |
Heat Transfer Efficiency | Relatively High | Low | High | High |
Initial Investment | Medium | High | Low | Relatively Low |
Operating Cost | Medium | High | Relatively Low | Low |
Antiscale Ability | Weak | Weak | Relatively Strong | Strong |
Applicability | Suitable for water-rich regions or low-temperature cooling | Suitable for water-shortage regions or high final temperature of cooled medium | Suitable for low temperature cooling occasions in most industrial fields | Suitable for most industrial fields with strong adaptability. |
The hybrid evaporative cooling systems boast a compact design and superior efficiency, and their operation data when compared across different sections is as follows:
When compared with the cascading air cooling and water cooling heat exchange scheme, the hybrid high-efficiency cooler occupies over 40% less floor area and results in a comprehensive initial investment savings of approximately 20%. Additionally, it consumes 30-60% less energy and 40-70% less water.
During operation, the hybrid cooler can be cleaned without the need for disassembly or shutdown, thus solving the problems commonly seen in air coolers such as fin scaling and water cooler blockages, ensuring safe, stable and full load operation during process production.
The tube bundle of the hybrid high-efficiency cooler undergoes a hot dip galvanization process, which increases its overall lifespan and improves equipment safety and reliability.
In comparison to traditional horizontal tube bundles, the hybrid evaporative cooling systems use an inclined tube bundle that reduces the pressure drop by roughly 50% in similar working conditions.
Hybrid Evaporative Coolers have varied applications in different settings, such as:
Residential buildings: They can be used in homes and apartments to cool indoor spaces while reducing energy costs.
Commercial buildings: Hybrid evaporative coolers can be used in commercial buildings such as hotels, offices, and shopping malls, to provide cooling while improving indoor air quality.
Data Centers: They are ideal for cooling data centers as they provide a more energy-efficient cooling system that helps to keep critical equipment safe from overheating.
Industrial settings: They can be used in industrial settings such as factories, warehouses, and workshops, to prevent overheating of machinery and improve working conditions.
Agriculture: Hybrid evaporative coolers are used in greenhouses and other agricultural settings to regulate the temperature, humidity, and air quality for optimal plant growth.
Sports facilities: They are used in sports facilities to keep athletes, spectators, and staff comfortable during events.
Public spaces: Hybrid evaporative coolers can be installed in public spaces such as community centers, libraries, and museums, to provide cost-effective cooling while improving the air quality.
