SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE OF A WORKING FLUID

• US 20150153074A1
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Antel, William Joseph Jr., Rosvold, Odd Marius, Saele, Ove
• Application Number:
  US14/094,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153074A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/001 Cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0007 for underwater installations E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 10/10 with circulation of working fluids through underground channels, the working fluids not coming into direct contact with the ground
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 10/30 using underground reservoirs for accumulating working fluids or intermediate fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0472 the conduits being helically or spirally coiled
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/00 Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus control arrangements in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/10 Geothermal energy

Abstract

A heat exchanging device is presented. The heat exchanging device includes an inlet header configured to receive a working fluid. Further, the heat exchanging device includes at least one coil segment having a first end and a second end, where the first end of the at least one coil segment is coupled to the inlet header and configured to receive the working fluid from the inlet header. In addition, the heat exchanging device includes an outlet header coupled to the second end of the at least one coil segment and configured to receive the working fluid from the at least one coil segment. Also, the heat exchanging device includes at least one propeller disposed proximate to the at least one coil segment and configured to propel subsea water across the at least one coil segment to control a temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

Claims

1. A heat exchanging device, comprising:

an inlet header configured to receive a working fluid;

at least one coil segment having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the at least one coil segment is coupled to the inlet header and configured to receive the working fluid from the inlet header;

an outlet header coupled to the second end of the at least one coil segment and configured to receive the working fluid from the at least one coil segment; and

at least one propeller disposed proximate to the at least one coil segment and configured to propel subsea water across the at least one coil segment to control a temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

2. The heat exchanging device of claim 1, further comprising a control unit operatively coupled to the at least one propeller and configured to activate or deactivate the at least one propeller to regulate flow of the subsea water across the at least one coil segment.

3. The heat exchanging device of claim 2, wherein the control unit comprises:

a first sensor operatively coupled to the outlet header and configured to determine the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header; and

a processing subunit electrically coupled to the first sensor and configured to communicate a first control signal to the at least one propeller when the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header is outside a determined temperature range.

4. The heat exchanging device of claim 3, wherein the processing subunit is configured to communicate the first control signal to the at least one propeller to activate or deactivate the at least one propeller.

5. The heat exchanging device of claim 3, wherein the control unit further comprises a second sensor operatively coupled to the processing subunit and configured to determine a temperature of the subsea water.

6. The heat exchanging device of claim 5, wherein the processing subunit is configured to:

compare the temperature of the subsea water with the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header; and

communicate a second control signal to the at least one propeller to activate the at least one propeller when the temperature of the subsea water is less than the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

7. The heat exchanging device of claim 6, wherein the processing subunit is configured to transmit a third control signal to the at least one propeller to deactivate the at least one propeller when the temperature of the subsea water is greater than the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

8. The heat exchanging device of claim 1, wherein the outlet header is configured to supply the working fluid received from the at least one coil segment to an external device.

9. The heat exchanging device of claim 1, further comprising a nozzle enclosing the at least one propeller and configured to streamline a flow of the subsea water towards the at least one coil segment.

10. A method for controlling a temperature of a working fluid, comprising:

directing, by at least one coil segment, working fluid from an inlet header to an outlet header in a heat exchanging device;

determining, by a control unit, a temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header; and

propelling, by at least one propeller, subsea water across the at least one coil segment to control the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising activating, by the control unit, the at least one propeller when the determined temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header is outside a determined temperature range.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining, by the control unit, a temperature of the subsea water;

comparing the temperature of the subsea water with the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header; and

activating the at least one propeller when the temperature of the subsea water is less than the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising deactivating the at least one propeller when the temperature of the subsea water is greater than the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

encapsulating a nozzle around the at least one propeller; and

directing, by the nozzle, flow of the subsea water towards the at least one coil segment.

15. A system, comprising:

an inlet header;

an outlet header;

a plurality of coil segments disposed between the inlet header and the outlet header and configured to direct a working fluid from the inlet header to the outlet header; and

a plurality of propellers disposed proximate to the plurality of coil segments and configured to propel subsea water across the plurality of coil segments so as to control a temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a control unit operatively coupled to the plurality of propellers and configured to activate or deactivate each of the plurality of propellers to regulate a flow of the subsea water across the plurality of coil segments.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the control unit comprises:

a first sensor operatively coupled to the outlet header and configured to determine the temperature of the working fluid at a determined location in the outlet header; and

a processing subunit electrically coupled to the first sensor and the plurality of propellers and configured to activate or deactivate one or more propellers in the plurality of propellers based on the determined temperature of the working fluid.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control unit further comprises a second sensor operatively coupled to the processing subunit and configured to determine a temperature of the subsea water.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing subunit is configured to:

compare the temperature of the subsea water with the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header; and

activate one or more propellers in the plurality of propellers when the temperature of the subsea water is less than the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processing subunit is configured to deactivate one or more propellers in the plurality of propellers when the temperature of the subsea water is greater than the temperature of the working fluid in the outlet header.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of nozzles, wherein each of the plurality of nozzles encloses a corresponding propeller and is configured to direct the flow of the subsea water towards at least one coil segment of the plurality of coil segments.