Abstract:
A liquid-cooled or air-cooled air conditioning system for corrosive industrial environments is disclosed. The system includes a corrosion-resistant lower or upper cooling module releasably connected to an external source of cool liquid or air and power, and a corrosion-resistant upper or lower blower module releasably connected to an external power source. The two modules are contained within a single corrosion-resistant enclosure. Each module is mounted on a removable frame for placement into either an upper or lower chamber of the enclosure. The system is designed to allow all major air-conditioning components to be quickly disconnected, and removed from the enclosure for maintenance, repair or replacement, on site with minimal work stoppage. The heavy-duty components used increase system durability, reduce component failure, and increase system life ultimately resulting in low cost of ownership. Individual standby modules are kept on-site allowing for immediate interchange of defective modules with to operational modules to minimize downtime related to system maintenance.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention generally relates to modular air conditioning systems, and more particularly to modular liquid-cooled air conditioning systems for corrosive industrial applications.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    In work environments where heat production is problematic, such as when furnaces or sources of steam or water are present in the work area, temperature maintenance is critical to the safety of personnel and maintenance of appropriate operating temperatures for equipment, computers and the like. The frequency of accidents in general appears to be higher in hot environments than in more moderate environmental conditions (Working in Hot Environments, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Doc. No. S/N 017-03300458-7, 1992). Exposure to a hot work environment can bring about a variety of heat-induced disorders such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, fainting, heat rash, fatigue or other symptom which may cause workers to overlook safety procedures or to divert attention from hazardous tasks, resulting in injury. Thus, air conditioning systems employed in these environments must be of reliable construction and operation to ensure that a safe environment is sustained throughout a work period.  
           [0003]    The problem of maintaining air temperature is more pronounced in hot industrial settings because of the difficulty in maintaining air conditioning systems exposed to corrosive materials. Over time, corrosive substances associated with various manufacturing processes contact and deteriorate materials such as, for example, copper, aluminum, iron etc., that are used to manufacture air conditioning system components. This exposure directly leads to the premature failure of many system components. When conventional industrial air-conditioning systems break down, maintenance usually requires extensive disassembly of the unit to locate and fix the component that has failed. This results in considerable down time for a work facility with a concomitant loss of revenue resulting from decreased productivity, and possible increased liability for work related injuries occurring after a system&#39;s failure. Despite these drawbacks, air conditioning systems designed for use in industry have been slow to evolve. The poor structural design and relative inflexibility of industrial systems, i.e. the inability to exchange broken component parts quickly, often results in a protracted maintenance and repair period following system malfunction.  
           [0004]    A recent trend in commercial and residential air-conditioning manufacturing has been to make systems that are modular in design and construction. This allows a user to interchange one or more components to fit a desired need, such as, for example, updating the cooling capacity of a unit without having to purchase an entirely new unit, while allowing increased access to one or more system components for repair or replacement. Several patents have issued on air conditioning systems that have modular construction or have one or more removable components. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,036 issued to Unico, discloses a modular air conditioning unit which comprises individual heating, cooling and blower modules. The system capacity may be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the size of an external condensing unit. However, the system does not offer removable assemblies of components in single operational units that may be readily interchanged on site to reduce down time.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,878, issued to Bard, discloses a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system which is capable of receiving interchangeable ventilation modules having varying degrees of mixing abilities. However, the flexibility of that system is restricted in that it only allows interchange of ventilation modules. No other components are interchangeable, and therefore when a main component (e.g. blower, motor, compressor etc.) breaks down the entire system becomes inoperable until repaired. Numerous other patents have issued for air conditioning systems designed with removable panels for maintenance, or having one or more interchangeable or removable components.  
           [0006]    Notwithstanding the variety of air conditioning systems available, no system currently available has adequately addressed the problems associated with system breakdown and repair in an industrial environment where maintenance of temperature is essential to the safety and productivity of a work force and maintenance of temperature for equipment operating requirements. A need therefore remains in the field for a system that is: capable of efficiently cooling an industrial work environment, constructed of materials impervious to corrosive materials commonly associated with industrial manufacturing processes, and designed for quick, on-site, repair and return to service. The present invention provides a modular system whereby heavy-duty, corrosion resistant components are mounted on easily releasable framed modules, such that when one component or an entire system fails, the existing framed module containing the failed component can be quickly exchanged with an identical, standby, framed module containing a fully operational set of components. The framed, standby, modules may be stored on-site to expedite the return to service of a system. In this way, downtime is minimized, productivity is maintained, and maintenance, repair or replacement of the broken component can be done at non-critical times. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of a cabinet housing of an example of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system that embodies the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a shell for a cabinet housing of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system that embodies the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a side view schematic representation of a cabinet housing of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention showing a blower duct assembly and blower support frame.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a blower motor mount of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 a  is a schematic representation of a cooling unit frame assembly of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 b  is a right elevation schematic representation of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention showing a cooling unit frame with a condenser/compressor frame mount.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a front view schematic representation of a drip pan of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 a  is schematic flow diagram of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 b  is a picture of the upper and lower modules of a modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a picture of a single and double unit modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is picture of the exterior NEMA-type electrical enclosure of a modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention. 
     
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    The present invention is a modular, liquid-cooled or air-cooled air conditioning system for use in corrosive industrial environments. In general, the system includes a first removable framed cooling module releasably connected to an external source of cool liquid and power, and a second removable framed blower module releasably connected to an external power source. The two modules are contained within a single enclosure and are designed for quick, easy disconnection and replacement of either the upper or lower or both modules, to minimize down time due to malfunction of components included in either or both modules, with identical standby modules. The system is made from a material such as, for example, cupronickle trombone, stainless steel plate, marine stainless steel plate, galvanized steel, or a polymeric composition, which is impervious to corrosive materials, such as, for example strong acids or strong bases, commonly associated with a manufacturing process. All system components are mounted on quick-release, slide-out frames to allow for fast, easy installation, maintenance and replacement of modules. Framed standby modules are kept on-site for quick replacement of modules with defective components, allowing for the rapid return of the unit to operation. Repair can be done on-site or in the shop at non-critical times. The system is adaptable to a range of cooling capacities. Air or water flow per unit of cooling capacity will vary depending upon the particular application. For example, evaporator air flow may be in the range of 400 cfm/ton of cooling, condenser airflow may be in the range of 700 cfm/ton of cooling, and condesor water flow may be in the range of 3 GPM/ton of cooling. The entire system operates over standard power supply. Internal system components such as, for example, the compressor, condenser, evaporator, motor etc., are generally conventional in construction and operation, and may be made from heavy-duty, corrosion-resistant materials. Each component may be obtained from a number of manufacturers and distributors allowing a user to custom design a system to fit a particular need. Because of its durable, modular construction, the present invention has numerous applications as described herein.  
         [0019]    Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide an improved modular liquid-cooled or air-cooled air conditioning system for industrial work environments.  
         [0020]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a modular air conditioning system that allows for easy exchange of complete inoperative modules with complete operational modules to minimize maintenance-related downtime, and thus maintain workplace productivity.  
         [0021]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a modular air conditioning system that may be adapted to provide a range of cooling capacities.  
         [0022]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a modular air conditioning system for use in a corrosive environment.  
         [0023]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a modular air conditioning system adapted to be repaired immediately on site.  
         [0024]    Another object of this invention is to provide a long-lasting, low-cost modular air conditioning system for industrial or commercial applications.  
         [0025]    Another object of this invention is to provide a modular air conditioning system that is efficient in operation, and well adapted for long-term use.  
         [0026]    Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the complete disclosure and the claims appended hereto.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]    This invention is an air conditioning system for use in a corrosive industrial or other workplace. Liquid-cooled systems are contemplated, such as, for example, water-cooled systems capable of rapidly absorbing heat from another material to which it is placed in close proximity. Air-cooled systems are also contemplated, where water-cooling is impractical, impossible or undesirable. By corrosive is meant any strong acidic or basic substance, product or by-product of an industrial process that exists under ambient conditions as a corrosive gas, dust, or liquid and which possess the ability to deteriorate metal, metal soldering, electrical wiring, brushings, bearings, or polymeric materials used in the manufacture of air conditioning system components, when contacted therewith. By corrosion-resistant coating material is meant Heresite, Bronzeglow, Adsil or other material containing a chemical composition sufficient to neutralize the action of a corrosive substance on a system component. By industrial workplace is meant any work environment where temperature maintenance is problematic such as, for example, paper and pulp mills, chemical plants, metal foundries, brick firing and ceramics operations, glass product manufacturing plants, rubber products manufacturing plants, boiler rooms, bakeries, restaurant, kitchens, laundries, food canneries, mines, smelters, steam tunnels or similar environments where elevated temperatures can create hazardous conditions for workers or operating equipment.  
         [0028]    Reference is now made to the drawings, which show various embodiments of an air conditioning system. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a cabinet housing which encases a modular, liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention. The cabinet, generally shown at  100 , is made from any durable material capable of withstanding continued exposure to a corrosive atmosphere, but preferably is made from galvanized or stainless steel. In a preferred embodiment, stainless steel angle braces are used to construct the shell  101  of the cabinet  100 . Horizontal  102  and vertical  103  angle braces are welded or otherwise affixed to each other, such that the resulting shell  101  of the cabinet  100  is generally in the form of a rectangle with top  104   a , bottom  104   b , front  104   c , rear  104   d , left  104   e  and right  104   f  sides. The cabinet  100  is divided into an upper cabinet  105  and a lower cabinet  106  separated by horizontal angle braces  102  on all four sides. Three sides of the cabinet; rear  104   d , left  104   e , and right  104   f , along with both the top  104   a  and bottom  104   b  section are covered by a sheet (see generally FIG. 9) of non-corrosive metal or other material along both the upper cabinet  105  and lower cabinet  106  sections. The covering is welded or otherwise affixed to the horizontal  102  and vertical  103  angle braces that define the shell  101  of the cabinet  100 . In use, the front section  104   c  of the upper cabinet  105  is covered with an easily removable sheet of metal  802  (see FIG. 8). In use, the front section  104   c  of the lower cabinet  106  is covered by a louvered panel  803  (see FIG. 8) to allow for intake of fresh air into the system. Both the front upper cabinet cover  802  (see FIG. 8) and the front lower cabinet cover  803  (see FIG. 8) are affixed to the main cabinet  100  by quick-release fixation devices such as screws, hex-nuts, butterfly nuts, spring mounts, or other devices which allow a user to quickly remove one or both of the covers. Upon removal of the front upper cabinet cover, an upper chamber  107  is revealed which is capable of receiving, for example, a framed upper blower module  715  (see FIG. 7 b ), generally comprising a blower and motor. Upon removal of the front lower cabinet cover a lower chamber  108  is revealed which is capable of receiving, for example, a framed lower cooling module  716  (see FIG. 7 b ) generally comprising a condenser, compressor, cooling coil, and evaporator. The framed upper blower unit  715  (see FIG. 7 b ) is designed such that the entire unit slides easily into the upper chamber  107  along an horizontal plane. The framed lower cooling unit  716  (see FIG. 7 b ) is similarly designed to easily slide into the lower chamber  108  along an horizontal plane. A hole  109  is cut out of the top panel  104   a  of the cabinet  100  to receive a portion of a blower (not shown) housed in the framed upper blower unit  715  (see FIG. 7 b ) placed inside the upper chamber  107 . A hole  110  is cut through the lower quadrant of the rear section  104   d  of the lower cabinet  106  to expel condensate from a pipe drain (see generally FIG. 6). On either the right side  104   f  or left side  104   e  of the lower cabinet  106  two holes are cut, an intake  111  to receive cooling fluid from an external cooling system (not shown), and an outlet  112  to release heated fluid (not shown) back into the external cooling system. Positioned on the right side  104   f  or left side  104   e  panel extending between the upper  105  and lower  106  cabinets, a plurality of holes  113  exist to accept NEMA type electrical enclosures  900  (see FIG. 9) to house exterior electrical wiring and couplings. A thermostat  901  (see FIG. 9) is attached to the outside of the NEMA enclosure  900  if desired. The exact orientation of the cabinet and frame may be altered to fit a desired need. For example, the top and bottom cabinets could be reversed such that the blower and cooling units are reversed. All internal system components are affixed to either the upper or lower framed units, and are releasably connected to external sources of liquid or air coolant and/or power. The major components, such as, for example, condenser, compressor, evaporator, cooling coil, etc., are of conventional design and operation. If used in an industrial application, each component is constructed of corrosion resistant material, such as, for example, cupronickle trombone, stainless steal plate, marine stainless steel plate, galvanized steel, or polymeric compositions. Alternatively, the components may be coated with a corrosion resistant material.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the shell  101  of cabinet  100  of the present invention which includes a hole  109  cut out of the top  104   a  panel of the upper cabinet  105 . One embodiment of a bottom cabinet base support  200  is shown configured with a top hat design edge  201  to allow for easy in and out movement of a framed lower cooling unit  716  (see FIG. 7 b ). A top angle brace  202 , configured to have three sides, acts as an upper support base and is welded or otherwise affixed to the upper portion of the lower cabinet  106  in contact with the lower portion of the horizontal angle brace  102 , such that the open section of the brace  202  faces the front section  104   c  of the cabinet  100 . The absence of a front section of the angle brace permits easy movement of the framed lower cooling unit during maintenance, repair or replacement. One embodiment of a blower support base  203  for placement within the upper cabinet chamber is also shown. The blower support base  203  is welded or otherwise affixed to the upper portion of the horizontal angle brace  102  and supports the framed upper blower module  715  (see FIG. 7 b ) placed in the upper chamber  107 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3 shows a schematic side profile of one embodiment of a single unit cabinet of the present invention. A duct assembly is generally indicated at  300  for communication with a blower  717  (see FIG. 7 b ). The duct assembly  300  comprises a duct attachment collar  301  and a duct assembly reinforcement component  302 . The top ridge  303  of the duct assembly reinforcement component  302  is bent at a ninety degree angle such that when placed into the hole  109 , it covers the entire opening cut into the top panel  104   a  of the upper cabinet  105  and embraces a portion of a blower unit  717 (see generally FIG. 7 b ) placed inside the chamber  107  of the upper cabinet  105 . The duct attachment collar  301  is fitted into the duct assembly reinforcement component  302  to create a firm seal between the end of the blower  717  (see FIG. 7 b ) and the opening in the top panel  104   a  of the upper cabinet  105 . A blower connection apparatus is generally indicated at  304  consisting of a blower frame attachment bracket  305   a  and blower frame attachment harness  305   b . A connection is made between the end of the blower  717  (see FIG. 7 b ) and the blower frame assembly on the underside of the top panel  104   a  of the upper cabinet  105 . The blower connection apparatus  304  is placed in communication with the duct assembly  300 , such that conditioned air released from the blower is expelled through the opening to the exterior environment. A blower support base  203  (see FIG. 2) is affixed between the upper  105  and lower  106  cabinets to support the framed blower module  715  (see FIG. 7 b ). A slidably mounted blower frame assembly  306  is shown comprising right  307   a  and left  307   b  vertical side slide supports attached to upper  308   a  and lower  308   b  horizontal supports. The blower frame assembly  306  is mounted on top of the blower support base  203  (see FIG. 2). In use, the frame houses a blower motor  718  (see FIG. 7 b ) attached directly to a blower  717  (see FIG. 7 b ) through a pulley, chain, belt, or like system (see generally FIG. 7 b ). Air circulation through the system is preferably accomplished by a squirrel cage type centrifugal blower  717  (see FIG. 7 b ), but any conventional blower may be used within the system with appropriate modifications. The blower  717  (see FIG. 7 b ) is affixed to the blower frame assembly  302  through quick release mechanisms, such as for example screws, hex nuts and the like to allow easy removal from the framed assembly. A motor  718  (see FIG. 7 b ), is supported by a motor mount apparatus  309  welded to or otherwise affixed to the blower frame assembly  306 . The motor  718  (see FIG. 7 b ) may be a multi-speed unit to provide airflow adjustments for high and low static operation, or a single speed unit depending on the particular requirements of the environment.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 4 shows a motor mount apparatus generally indicated at  400  for attachment of a blower motor  717  (see FIG. 7 b ) to minimize vibrational noise associated with motor operation. A distal (considered to be that portion facing the interior of the cabinet) cleat  401   a  attaches a top motor mount plate  402   a  to a bottom motor mount plate  402   b . On the proximal end, a continuous thread rod  404  runs though the top motor mount plate  402   a  and is affixed to the bottom motor mount plate  402   b  by way of a cleat  401   b  containing the continuous thread rod  404 . Attached to the continuous thread rod are heavy-duty vibration dampers  405  located above and below the top motor mount plate  402   a , each held in place by heavy-duty hex nuts  406 . Adjustments to the angle of the motor mount  400  are made by adjusting the rod  404  and hex nuts  406 . In use a motor  718  (see FIG. 7 b ) is affixed to the continuous thread rod  404  such that the base of the motor rests on the top motor mount plate  402   a.    
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 5 a  shows several views of a cooling module frame generally indicated at  500 , of the present invention. The frame  500  is designed to be slidably mounted on an interior support base  200  (see FIG. 2). The frame  500  has a bottom support composed of four metal angle braces, left  501   a , right  501   b , front  501   c  and rear  501   d  which are welded together or otherwise affixed at right angels to one another such that a square or rectangle shape results. Rising perpendicularly from the comers of the bottom angle braces are two front angle braces, left  502   a  and right  502   b  and two rear angle braces, left  503   a  and right  503   b . The two front, left  502   a  and right  502   b , perpendicular angles braces are configured to be sufficiently longer than the two rear perpendicular angles braces, left  503   a  and right  503   b , to create an incline rising from the rear perpendicular angle braces to the front perpendicular angle braces. A left cross angle brace  504   a  is placed between the front left perpendicular angle brace  502   a  and the rear left perpendicular angle brace  503   a , such that the cross angle brace  504   a  forms roughly a forty-five degree angle with the front left perpendicular angle brace  502   a . Similarly, a right cross angle brace  504   a  is placed between the front right perpendicular angle brace  502   b  and the rear right perpendicular angle brace  503   b , such that the cross angle brace  504   b  forms roughly a forty-five degree angle with the front right perpendicular angle brace  502   b . Both cross angle braces  504   a  and  504   b  are oriented such that one edge of the brace faces the interior of the frame, and the other is bent at a ninety-degree angle toward the exterior of the frame. This orientation allows for placement and support of a cooling coil assembly  710  (see FIG. 7 a,b ). An electrical junction box bracket  505  is placed on the interior edge of the front left perpendicular angle brace  502   a  to allow for placement of an interior electrical panel (not shown). A drip pan  601  (see FIG. 6 for detail) is placed horizontally between the right rear  503   a  and left rear  503   b  perpendicular angle braces such that the drip pan  601  (see FIG. 6) is positioned at the lower edge of the cooling coil assembly to receive condensate that accumulates on the cooling coil.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 b  shows a right elevation of the lower frame  500  assembly showing a compressor and condenser support  506 . The compressor/condenser support  506  lies horizontal to the ground and is affixed to the bottom portion of the lower unit frame. The support is generally composed of flat metal sheets  507  and  508  crossed over one another and has a plurality of drilled compressor bolt holes  509  to allow fixation of the compressor unit to the floor of the lower frame unit to minimize movement. Copper tubing  510  is disposed within the lower frame for attachment of refrigerant material to system components, and to allow for attachment of external liquid coolant to the unit. Two pipe tee reducers  511  are affixed to the copper tubing  510  to allow water pipes to pass completely through the unit if multiple units are installed in parallel. If a single unit is installed, the extra port on the pipe tee reducer  511  is sealed. A clamp  512  for holding copper tubing  510  is shown mounted on a support channel  513 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 6 shows a drain trough generally indicated at  600  comprising drip pan  601  and associated plumbing fittings. The drip pan  601  has a drain connector for connection to drain hose which carries away condensation formed on the cooling coil assembly  710  see FIGS. 7 a,b ) during cooling operation of the system. The drip pan  601  is generally in the shape of a trough or box. A hole  602  is cut in the base  603  of the drip pan  601  wherein a nipple thread  604  is welded or otherwise affixed thereto. An adapter pipe  605  is affixed to the nipple thread  604 . Affixed to the adapter pipe  605  is a straight pipe  606 , and a series of elbows  607  fabricated to line up with the drain hole  110  (see FIG. 1) on the back of the cabinet  100  (see FIG. 1).  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 7 a  shows a schematic flow diagram for the system indicated at  700 . In general, warm air is drawn into the system by a blower and motor apparatus by convective current through a louvered door and filter, past a cooling coil/evaporator system, which removes heat from the air and subsequently passes the then cool air through the blower and out to exterior of the structure. In one embodiment of the present invention, a compressor  701  does work on Freon gas, thereby increasing the pressure on the gas. As the pressure increases, so does its temperature. Freon flows through the system via a series of pipes generally indicated by a system pipe  702 . High-pressure, high-temperature Freon gas exits the compressor  701  through system pipe  702  and enters an internal water-cooled or air-cooled condenser  703 . Chilled water or air from an external source is drawn into the condenser  703  through an intake pipe  704 . The intake pipe  704  communicates with and runs parallel with, but in opposite direction to, the system pipe  702  inside the condenser unit. This orientation allows for the quick exchange of heat from the Freon to the water through countercurrent exchange mechanisms known in the field. The then heated water or air is released back into the environment through an outlet pipe  705  to liberate the heat absorbed. The heat lost by the Freon causes the high-pressure gas to condense to a liquid. The liquid Freon then passes out of the condenser  703 , and through a pump down valve (expansion valve)  706  which decreases its pressure and hence temperature. The liquid then passes through a filter dryer  707  and may be viewed through a site glass  708  to check that a complete phase change (gas to liquid) has occurred, as evidenced by the absence of bubbles. The Freon liquid is then run through an evaporator  709  and cooling coil assembly  710  where, under reduced pressure, it boils and begins absorbing heat from the hot air passing over the cooling coil assembly  710 . Heat from the air passing over the coil  710  is thereby transferred to cool Freon running internally through the coil system  710  causing the temperature of the air to rapidly decrease. Moisture from warm air that contacts the coil  710 , condenses, drips into a drip pan  601 , and drains out by way of an external valve (see generally FIG. 6). Through continued absorption of heat from the air passing over the coil system, the intermolecular bonds of liquid Freon circulating interiorly, break causing expansion and vaporization to occur, thus slowly decreasing its heat absorption capacity. Freon vapor is then drawn through the compressor  701  and compressed back into a hot, high-pressure gas, and the cycle repeats. The cycle described above does not run continuously, but rather is controlled by a thermostat generally shown at  711 . When the temperature outside rises above the set temperature, the thermostat starts the compressor  701 . Once the air has been cooled below the set temperature, the compressor  701  is turned off. One particular advantage of the current invention is the use of an external liquid coolant, such as, for example, water or air to cool the condenser. This provides an inexpensive, continuous supply of cooling material which is naturally recharged by the environment. Additionally, use of an external cooling source allows for the placement of a condenser internally, which in turn increase the flexibility of the system by increasing the placement options available. Other systems generally use condensers mounted outdoors which may limit a system&#39;s placement. The present system may operate over a range of cooling capacities by employing different sized condensing units having different cooling capacities. Generally, the capacity of the condensing unit is selected according to industry standard guidelines of the cooling load of the structure to be conditioned. The preferred set up of the present invention comprises an upper and lower unit matched with a 7.5 or 10 ton condensing unit or matched with a 15-20 ton double unit for greater cooling capacity. The power source  712  is mounted on the exterior for ease of access. A refrigerant pressure activated water valve, i.e. throttling valve,  713  ensures that proper condenser pressure is maintained when the water is cold. If the condenser pressure drops too far, performance of the entire unit may be compromised and evaporator freeze-up becomes possible. The throttling valve  713  senses a drop in condenser pressure and restricts the water flow to maintain a desired minimum condenser pressure.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 b  shows one embodiment of a modular liquid-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention. As previously noted, all main system components are conventional in design and operation and may be purchased form a variety of manufacturers. An upper removable framed blower module is generally shown at  715 , and a lower removable framed cooling module is generally indicated at  716 . A squirrel type centrifugal blower  717  is run by a motor  718  which is affixed to a motor mount  400  (see also FIG. 4). The lower removable framed cooling module assembly  716  is shown partially removed from the cabinet  100  (see FIG. 1) to reveal a cooling coil assembly  710  affixed to a compressor  701 , a condenser  703 , copper tubing  510  (see also FIG. 5), and an internal electrical junction box plate  505  (see also FIG. 5 a ) for connecting internal components to external power. Preferably, the blower module  715  is releasably connected to an outside power supply by screw type terminal strips. However, quick-release conductive couplings, plug attachment means, detachable circuit means or their equivalents may also be used. The cooling module  716  has a similarly designed electrical connection. Preferably the cooling module  716  is releasably connected to an external source of chilled liquid or chilled air with unions. However, screw-on couplings, pressure couplings, spring-loaded poppet-type valves, self-sealing valves or similar devices are also contemplated for use. The system may be disassembled quickly for repair by disconnecting the blower unit, the cooling unit or both. In one embodiment of the present invention, the blower section is removed by: turning off the power supply, removing the upper front cover panel by removing the screws or other fixation devices present, opening the electrical control box to remove blower wires from the connection terminals, disconnecting the conduit strain relief, pushing the wires back into the chamber and sliding the blower assembly and frame out of the unit. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling unit may be removed by: turning off the external water and electrical supply, detaching the cover panel and removing the filter, removing the cover from the internal electrical junction box to disconnect those wires connecting the control box to the screw type terminal strips, disconnecting the conduit strain relief from the conduit connecting the junction box and control box, pushing the wires and conduit from the junction box back into the chamber, disconnecting the external water pipe unions, and sliding the cooling unit and frame out of the cabinet.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 shows a front view of an embodiment of a single unit  800  and a double unit  801  water-cooled or air-cooled air conditioning system of the present invention. A front upper section cover is shown at  802  and a lower unit louvered cover is shown at  803 . The double unit  801  essentially comprises the combination of two single units with similar components. A removable filter  804  is located behind the louvered cover  803  to filter air drawn into the lower chamber. Optional plenums  805  are available.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 9 shows one embodiment of the NEMA type electrical enclosure  900 , which houses all exterior electrical components for the present invention. An optional temperature regulator  901  is available. Preferably, electrical connections are made with screw type terminal strips (not shown). These strips connect to the main power supply inside the NEMA enclosure and extend from the enclosure to the interior of the cabinet for connection with either the blower or cooling unit. For protection in tight quarters or where movement or vibration exists, each set of wires leading to the respective units is placed inside a corrosion resistant conduit (not shown) having corrosion resistant, watertight, strain relief connectors (not shown) disposed on either end. On one end, a strain relief connector is threaded into a coupling located on the top of the NEMA box.  
         [0039]    On the other end a strain relief connector is threaded into the side of the cabinet adjacent the NEMA box. This design provides structural support, while permitting quick disconnection of electrical connections during removal of one or more units. In any configuration, the present invention meets or exceeds requirements outlined in the National Electric Code for electrical connections.  
         [0040]    While the present disclosure and the attached figures provide specific embodiments of the modular liquid-cooled air conditioning unit, those skilled in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that variations, modifications and equivalents of the specific device elements suggested by the present disclosure come within the scope of this invention. Thus, for example the present invention is intended to encompass new or existing systems that may be adapted for the use described herein. Different materials of construction, different environments of use, and different orientation of components come within the scope of this invention. For example, different methods of and devices for maintaining condenser pressure, such as, for example, flooding the condenser with liquid refrigerant, or using other refrigerant line piping designs are also contemplated. Additionally, the system may be adapted for use as an air-cooled air conditioning system. Simpler systems are also contemplated, such as, for example, a chilled water air handler system. In this system water is chilled by exterior cooling means and passed through an internal cooling coil assembly, wherein it absorbs heat from warm air passing over the coil. The heated water is then circulated back to the exterior cooling means where it is chilled again for subsequent redelivery to the cooling coil. This simpler systems does not require other components, such as, for example, compressor, condenser, evaporator, etc described in the more complex cooling coil module. In any design, the system may be composed of stainless steel throughout, corrosion resistant polymer throughout, galvanized steel throughout, or combinations of all three. The system may be used in non-corrosive environments where durability and ease of access are desired. Individual upper or lower units may have modified components to fit a desired purpose. The easy slide-out frames may be constructed to include any release mechanism that allows for the unit to be quickly removed from a cabinet, such as for example, modified desk drawer hinges, wheels, pulleys or similar devices. The system may be designed to fit through a standard 3-ft door, or may be combined with one or multiple systems to increase capacity. The power may be industry standard or modified to suit a particular need. Plenums can be designed into the system if required. Heavy-duty components can be substituted for more economical light duty components if the system is used in a non-industrial setting. Insulation such as, for example, fiberglass or rubber may used to insulate wiring and tubing to make the system more efficient. Standard components such as for example compressors, condensers, motors etc. can be entirely encased in corrosion resistant material, or may have such a covering only over those parts exposed to the external environment. A NEMA electrical box outlet may be configured to accommodate different electrical wire and couplings to accommodate specific needs. Accordingly, the scope of this invention should not be construed as being limited to the specifics of the detailed disclosure and best mode disclosed herein, but should be construed in light of the claims appended thereto and to the equivalents thereof.