Ice thermal storage coil systems and methods
First Claim
1. A thermal storage coil apparatus for installation in an ice-on-coil thermal storage tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and on which ice cylinders are formed from water in the tank, comprising:
- a serpentine tubular coil having an inlet end, an outlet end, and vertically spaced rows of elongate straight run sections adjoined by U-shaped curved portions at each end of each of said straight run sections, said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; and
a supply header connected with said inlet end for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return header connected at said outlet end for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said coil height in a vertical direction is at least twice its width in a horizontal direction and said supply header and said return header are disposed at an upper end of said coil.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed toward an ice-on-coil (IOC) thermal storage coil system and method utilizing "deep-tank" technology and dimensional relationship of coil height to coil width wherein the coil serpentine'"'"'s height (vertical tube dimension) is greater than the width (the horizontal dimension), and wherein all manifold and header joints are above, or just below the water surface of the tank, easily visible and accessible for maintenance, assembly, leak-checking or repair. Another aspect of the present ice-on-coil (IOC) thermal storage coil system and method is that, in some embodiments, the ice-coil tubes are never horizontal anywhere in the full coil height, but instead vertical tubes or "near-horizontal" sloped tubes are utilized which slope in an upward direction to facilitate air removal during filling of the coil with the coolant mixture.
38 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A thermal storage coil apparatus for installation in an ice-on-coil thermal storage tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and on which ice cylinders are formed from water in the tank, comprising:
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a serpentine tubular coil having an inlet end, an outlet end, and vertically spaced rows of elongate straight run sections adjoined by U-shaped curved portions at each end of each of said straight run sections, said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; and a supply header connected with said inlet end for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return header connected at said outlet end for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said coil height in a vertical direction is at least twice its width in a horizontal direction and said supply header and said return header are disposed at an upper end of said coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A thermal storage coil apparatus for installation in an ice-on-coil thermal storage tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and on which ice cylinders are formed from water in the tank, comprising:
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a serpentine tubular coil having an inlet end, an outlet end, and vertically spaced rows of elongate straight run sections adjoined by U-shaped curved portions at each end of each of said straight run sections, said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; a supply header connected with said inlet end for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return header connected at said outlet end for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said coil has a supply section formed of a first plurality of rows of said elongate straight run sections and U-shaped curved portions extending downwardly from said inlet end with a U-shaped bend at a lowermost end thereof; and a return section extending upwardly from said U-shaped bend formed of a second plurality of rows of said elongate straight run sections and U-shaped curved portions and terminating at said outlet end; said supply section and said return section disposed in parallel spaced apart vertical planes with said U-shaped bend at said lowermost end extending between said parallel spaced vertical planes. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A thermal storage coil apparatus for installation in an ice-on-coil thermal storage tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and on which ice cylinders are formed from water in the tank, comprising:
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a serpentine tubular coil having an inlet end, an outlet end, and vertically spaced rows of elongate straight run sections adjoined by U-shaped curved portions at each end of each of said straight run sections, said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; a supply header connected with said inlet end for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return header connected at said outlet end for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil; and an enclosed box-like lower header having an inner chamber; and said coil has a supply section formed of a first plurality of rows of said elongate straight run sections and U-shaped curved portions extending downwardly from said inlet end with a lowermost straight run section of said supply section having an open end in fluid communication with a lower portion of said lower header inner chamber; said coil has a return section formed of a second plurality of rows of said elongate straight run sections and U-shaped curved portions with a lowermost straight run section of said return section having an open end in fluid communication with an upper portion of said lower header inner chamber, said return section extending upwardly from said lower header and terminating at said outlet end; and said supply section and said return section disposed in parallel spaced apart vertical planes with said lower header extending between said parallel spaced vertical planes, wherein said supply section and said return section are commonly joined with said inner chamber and said refrigerant and entrained fluids are conducted downwardly from said supply header through said coil supply section into said inner chamber and are transported upwardly through said coil return section and outwardly through said return header.
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10. A thermal storage coil apparatus for installation in an ice-on-coil thermal storage tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and on which ice cylinders are formed from water in the tank, comprising:
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a tubular coil formed of a plurality of vertical elongate U-shaped tubular members each having a straight supply leg with an inlet end at an upper end and a parallel laterally spaced return leg with an outlet end at an upper end, each of said supply and return legs adjoined by a U-shaped curved portion at a bottom end thereof and said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; and a supply header connected with said inlet ends for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return header connected with said outlet ends for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said coil height in a vertical direction is at least twice its width in a horizontal direction and said supply header and said return header are disposed at an upper end of said coil. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A thermal storage coil apparatus for installation in an ice-on-coil thermal storage tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and on which ice cylinders are formed from water in the tank, comprising:
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a tubular coil formed of a plurality of vertical elongate U-shaped tubular members each having a straight supply leg with an inlet end at an upper end and a parallel laterally spaced return leg with an outlet end at an upper end, each of said supply and return legs adjoined by a U-shaped curved portion at a bottom end thereof and said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; and a supply header connected with said inlet ends for providing refrigerant to said coil, and a return header connected with said outlet ends for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said plurality of vertical elongate U-shaped tubular members comprise an outer U-shaped tubular member having a straight supply leg with an inlet end at an upper end and a parallel laterally spaced straight return leg with an outlet end at an upper end adjoined by a wide U-shaped curved portion at a bottom end thereof; and a plurality of inner said vertical elongate U-shaped tubular members having successively smaller U-shaped curved portions at a bottom end thereof nested between said supply leg and return leg of said outer U-shaped tubular member with all of said supply legs and return legs in generally parallel laterally spaced relation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An ice-on-coil thermal storage system, comprising:
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a generally rectangular ice tank suitable for containing water and having a bottom wall and opposed side walls; a serpentine tubular coil having an inlet end, an outlet end, and vertically spaced rows of elongate straight run sections adjoined by U-shaped curved portions at each end of each of said straight run sections disposed in said tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and for forming ice cylinders thereon from water in said tank, said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; and a supply header connected with said inlet end for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return header connected at said outlet end for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said coil height in a vertical direction is at least twice its width in a horizontal direction and said supply header and said return header are disposed at an upper end of said coil. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An ice-on-coil thermal storage system, comprising:
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a generally rectangular ice tank suitable for containing water and having a bottom wall and opposed side walls; a serpentine tubular coil having an inlet end, an outlet end, and vertically spaced rows of elongate straight run sections adjoined by U-shaped curved portions at each end of each of said straight run sections disposed in said tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and for forming ice cylinders thereon from water in said tank said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; and a supply header connected with said inlet end for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return header connected at said outlet end for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said coil has a supply section formed of a first plurality of rows of said elongate straight run sections and U-shaped curved portions extending downwardly from said inlet end with a U-shaped bend at a lowermost end thereof; and a return section extending upwardly from said U-shaped bend formed of a second plurality of rows of said elongate straight run sections and U-shaped curved portions and terminating at said outlet end; said supply section and said return section disposed in parallel spaced apart vertical planes with said U-shaped bend at said lowermost end extending between said parallel spaced vertical planes. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An ice-on-coil thermal storage system, comprising:
- a generally rectangular ice tank suitable for containing water and having a bottom wall and opposed side walls;
a tubular coil disposed in said tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and for forming ice cylinders thereon from water in said tank, said coil formed of a plurality of vertical elongate U-shaped tubular members each having a straight supply leg with an inlet end at an upper end and a parallel laterally spaced return leg with an outlet end at an upper end, each of said supply and return legs adjoined by a U-shaped curved portion at a bottom end thereof and said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; and a supply header connected with said inlet ends for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return header connected with said outlet ends for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said coil height in a vertical direction is at least twice its width in a horizontal direction and said supply header and said return header are disposed at an upper end of said coil. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 26, 27)
- a generally rectangular ice tank suitable for containing water and having a bottom wall and opposed side walls;
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25. An ice-on-coil thermal storage system comprising:
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a generally rectangular ice tank suitable for containing water and having a bottom wall and opposed side walls; a tubular coil disposed in said tank for transporting a refrigerant through said tank and for forming ice cylinders thereon from water in said tank, said coil formed of a plurality of vertical elongate U-shaped tubular members each having a straight supply leg with an inlet end at an upper end and a parallel laterally spaced return log with an outlet end at an upper end, each of said supply and return legs adjoined by a U-shaped curved portion at a bottom end thereof and said coil having a height in a vertical direction greater than its width and length in a horizontal direction; and a supply header connected with said inlet ends for providing refrigerant to said coil and a return connected with said outlet ends for withdrawing refrigerant from said coil, wherein said plurality of vertical elongate U-shaped tubular members comprise an outer U-shaped tubular member having a straight supply leg with an inlet end at an upper end and a parallel laterally spaced straight return leg with an outlet end at an upper end adjoined by a wide U-shaped curved portion at a bottom end thereof; and a plurality of inner said vertical elongate U-shaped tubular members having successively smaller U-shaped curved portions at a bottom end thereof nested between said supply leg and retrun leg of said outer U-shaped tubular member with all of said supply legs and return legs in generally parallel laterally spaced relation.
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Specification