EP0252137A1 - Installation for harnessing thermal energy. - Google Patents

Abstract

In an installation for the development of thermal energy, a working fluid is expelled from a first working chamber during the first part of a working cycle and pushed into a second working chamber where a higher temperature prevails to that of the first, then pushed back during a second part of the work cycle from the second to the first chamber. Thermal energy is supplied to the working fluid during its passage from the first to the second chambers and removed during its passage from the second to the first chambers. The chambers are formed by the variable-volume working chambers of phase-shifted piston motor units (10, 12, 14, 16) coupled to each other and connected by fluid lines (18, 20, 22 , 24) so that the working fluid is expelled from a working chamber which narrows and which has a relatively high temperature to be pushed through a first conduit into a working chamber at low temperature which expands, and that at the same time working fluid is expelled from a narrowing low temperature working chamber to be pushed through a second conduit into an expanding higher temperature working chamber. The piston engine units work as a whole at a specific temperature level, so that any thermal insulation problems can be avoided.

Description

 Device for harnessing thermal energy

In the older German patent application P 35 36 710.5, a device working as a heat converter for utilizing thermal energy has been proposed, which has an essentially cylindrical housing which contains three rooms at different temperatures. ^' In the housing two displacement regenerators are arranged, which are moved alternately or out of phase by a gear such that with cyclic repetition a) gaseous working fluid, such as helium, by the first displacer from the middle working space, which is at a temperature in a predetermined , middle temperature range, is transferred into a "hot" working space, which is at a temperature in a higher temperature range than the first, whereby the transferred gas is supplied with thermal energy, b) working fluid through the second displacement regenerator from the middle Working space is transferred into a "cold" working space, which is at a temperature in a relatively low temperature range, which is lower than the first, whereby thermal energy is extracted from the transferred working fluid, c) working fluid through the first displacement regenerator the hot workspace in the middle is transferred to the working space, thermal energy being extracted from the transferred working fluid, d) working fluid is transferred from the cold working space to the central working space by the second displacer, thermal energy being supplied to the transferred working fluid, and e) Working fluid is transferred from the hot to the cold working space by the first and the second displacer regenerator, and thermal energy is removed from the working fluid.

A disadvantage of the proposed heat converter is that the working spaces located at different temperatures are located in a common housing and can therefore only be incompletely thermally insulated from one another, which results in heat losses and thus a reduction in efficiency.

From DE-A-32 37841 a thermally operated heat pump is known which consists of two identical units, each with a high and low temperature working cylinder with corresponding displacement pistons, the periodic stroke movement of which is phase shifted by 90 while the phases of the distinguish the corresponding displacement piston in both agglomerates from each other by 180. Both units each include an externally hermetically sealed constant volume which is filled with compressed gas, and both high-temperature cylinders are supplied with heat at a relatively high temperature, the low-temperature cylinders with a much greater heat at low temperature, and the Waste heat from all four cylinders is removed as useful heat. A countercurrent heat exchanger is provided for the high-temperature cylinders, the two pipe systems of which connect the upper to the lower work rooms. The work rooms of the two low-temperature cylinders which are separated from the displacers are connected to one another by the separate pipe systems of a second heat exchanger. Here too, however, a temperature difference along the cylinders must be maintained, so that problems relating to the thermal insulation also occur here.

The present invention is accordingly based on the object of creating a device of the general type specified above, in which there are no problems with regard to the thermal insulation of the various work spaces.

The present invention is therefore based on a heat converter in which, in a first part of a work cycle, a heat transfer fluid from a first room into a second room in which a higher temperature prevails than in the first, is displaced and the working fluid is displaced from the second room back to the first in a second part of the working cycle, the working fluid being supplied with thermal energy during the transition from the first to the second room and during the transition from the second to the first room Heat energy is withdrawn. In one embodiment of the invention, two first work spaces located at the higher temperature and two second work spaces located at the lower temperature are provided, which are formed by corresponding volume-variable work spaces of coupled, phase-shifted piston machine units. The working spaces of the piston machine units are each connected to one another by fluid lines in such a way that the working fluid is displaced from a reducing working space of a relatively high temperature of a first piston machine unit through a first pipeline into an increasing working space of a relatively low temperature of a second piston machine unit and at the same time working fluid is displaced from a reducing working space of low temperature through a second fluid line into an increasing working space of higher temperature and that the two fluid lines are thermally coupled by a heat exchanger. This device essentially works with the proposed cyclical process. According to the invention, the piston machine units each have a housing which operates essentially at the same temperature level and contains a rotary or reciprocating piston which forms at least two working spaces with the housing and in which the temperatures are essentially the same.

Preferred embodiments of the invention contain four synchronously operating piston machine units, one of which operates at the high temperature and one at the relatively low temperature and two at the medium temperature. The invention makes it possible to implement devices which work as a heat pump and / or heat transformer and, if appropriate, also supply and / or take up mechanical work.

In the following, embodiments of the invention are described with reference explained in more detail on the drawings, other features and advantages of the invention will be discussed.

Show it:

Fig. 1 consisting of Figures 1A to 1H schematic representations of eight working phases of a first embodiment of the invention in the form of a rotary lobe heat converter, which works with four mechanically and thermally coupled thermodynamic gas cycle processes.

2 shows schematic representations of some corresponding working phases of the proposed heat converter mentioned,

3 and 4 are a pressure-time diagram and a volume-time diagram, respectively, to which reference is made in the explanation of the mode of operation of the heat converter according to FIG. 1;

5 consisting of FIGS. 5A to 5D representations corresponding to FIGS. 1A, 1C, 1E and 1G of a second embodiment of the invention;

6 consisting of FIGS. 6A to 6H are schematic representations corresponding to FIGS. 5A to 5D of a third embodiment of the invention;

7 consisting of FIGS. 7A to 7H representations of an embodiment of the invention which can be used as a motor in different operating states corresponding to FIGS. 5A to 5D;

Fig. 8 is a graphical representation of the volumes that in the

Description of the Fig. 7 mentioned working gas masses (bl), (or), (ge), (ro), (br) or (gr. Einneh¬ men during a rotor revolution;

9 and 10 a pressure-volume (PV) diagram or temperature entropy (TS) diagram for the thermodynamic process taking place in the device according to FIG. 7; 11 consisting of FIGS. 11a to 11h show schematic representations of working phases of a preferred embodiment of the invention working with reciprocating piston units;

FIG. 12 shows a diagram of the pressure which in one of two separate working fluid systems of the device according to FIG. 11, depending on the crankshaft angle;

13 shows a part of a drive device for the device according to FIG. Fig. 11, and

14 consisting of FIGS. 14A to 14C is a simplified illustration of an embodiment of the invention that can be used as a motor.

In the implementation of the invention, both reciprocating piston machine units with a reciprocating piston mounted tightly and displaceably in a cylinder as well as any known displacer rotary piston machine constructions (which are also to be understood as rotary vane machines) can be used, as they are in manifold forms as pumps pen, compressor, etc. are in use. The mechanical construction is therefore only discussed to the extent that it is important for the present invention. However, it should be mentioned that in the piston machine units which are used in the devices according to the invention and which in principle each take on part of the function of a displacer, there is generally no significant mechanical compression of the working fluid and no significant expansion of the working fluid. the outside work is taking place. However, pressure differences occur at the pistons, so that the piston must be sealed with respect to the associated cylinder or housing by piston rings, sealing strips and the like. The forces acting on a piston due to the pressure difference can, however, be easily compensated for by mechanically coupling the pistons of two synchronously operating units.

A construction of a rotary piston machine which is well suited for realizing the invention and which is shown in a highly simplified manner in FIG. 1 contains a housing with a cylindrical inner wall, the one Forms a rotor chamber in which a rotor with a cylindrical outside is arranged coaxially, which forms an intermediate space with the inner wall of the housing. The space has essentially constant radial dimensions. The rotors have sliders or "knives" which, for. B. each consist of a strip-like projection of the rotor outside, which is connected to the rotor, extends axially with its longitudinal direction and extends radially to the housing inner wall, with respect to which is sealed by sealing strips or the like. The required, with respect to the housing, stationary seal between the rotor and the housing can then consist of a sealing slide which is mounted in a radially displaceable manner in the inner wall of the housing, sealingly rests on the cylindrical outside of the rotor and, by means of a bevelled edge of the strip-like projection, essentially corresponds to the Housing inner wall aligned position is pressed when the strip-like projection runs past this seal. As will be explained with reference to FIG. 6, however, rotary piston machine constructions can also be used which contain a rotary piston which is not circular in cross section.

The embodiment of the invention shown schematically in FIG. 1 can be referred to as a rotary piston heat converter and contains four rotary piston machine units (10), (12), (14) and ⁽ 16 ⁾ . The unit

(10) operates in a typical heat pump mode of the device in a relatively high temperature range (H), the unit (16) in a relatively low temperature range (L) and the units

(12) and (14) in an intermediate temperature range (M) between them. The rotary lobe machine units can each contain separate, essentially cylindrical housings which can be provided on the outside with ribs or the like and / or on the inside with heat exchanger channels in order to form a large heat transfer area and to ensure good heat transfer with a corresponding external heat transfer fluid. The housings each contain a rotor chamber with a rotor. The rotors of the units (10) to (16) can sit on a common shaft or can be driven synchronously in another way. The units (10) and (16) are thermally insulated as far as possible from the units (12) and (14). The units (12) and (14) can be accommodated in a common housing if they work at the same temperature, but the working spaces (rotor chambers) of the two units are also separate in this case.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, each unit has a rotor with two diametrically arranged sliders or knives (13) represented by a radial line and a stationary seal, indicated by a black wedge, attached to the inner wall of the housing

⁽ 11) between the inner wall of the housing and the outer surface of the rotor.

Each rotary piston machine unit has three connections for corresponding channels or pipelines carrying a gaseous working fluid, namely a connection (10a), (12a), (14a) or (16a), which is diametrically opposite the respective stationary seal, and one each Connection (10b), (12b), (14b) or (16b), which is in rotation of the rotors clockwise immediately before the seal

(13), and finally a connection (10c), (12c), (14c) or (16c), which is in the direction of rotation immediately behind the seal (13) located. The slider or knife (11) of the rotors with respect to the stationary seal (13) adjacent openings, z. B. ⁽ 10b), (10c) so dimensioned that they close both openings when they are swept at the same time.

A branching pipeline ⁽ 18) connects the connections (10a ⁾ , (14b) and (16c). A branching pipeline (20) connects the connections (10b), (12c) and ⁽ 16a). A branching pipeline (22) connects the connections ⁽ 10c ⁾ , ⁽ 12b) and ⁽ 14a). A branching pipeline (24) connects the connections (12a), (14c) and (16b).

The said terminal (10a) adjacent part of the conduit (18) and that of ^'the respective branches to the connections (10b and 10c) carrying parts of the pipes ⁽²⁰ and 22) through a first heat exchanger (26). The part of the pipeline (20) adjacent to the connection (16a) and the parts of the pipeline (18) and (24) leading from the branching to the connections (16b) and (16c) lead through a second heat exchanger (28).

Alternatively, the parts of the lines (18) and (20) adjacent to the connections (10a) or (16a) cannot lead through the heat exchangers (26) or (28), but rather can be thermally coupled to one another by a separate heat exchanger (29) .

Preferably, as indicated by dashed rectangles (30) or (32), a heat exchanger (30) or (32) is in each case between the part of the pipeline (24) adjacent to the connection (12a) and the part adjacent to the branching the pipeline (18) or between the part of the pipeline (22) adjacent to the connection (14a) and the part of the pipeline (20) adjacent to the branching.

The work spaces formed by the rotary piston machine units and the pipelines contain a gaseous working fluid, such as helium. In a typical mode of operation of the device according to FIG. 1 as a heat pump or cooling machine, the rotors of the units are driven synchronously in the clockwise direction. The unit (10) becomes high quality High-temperature heat energy (H) supplied, the unit ⁽ 16 ⁾ absorbs low-temperature heat energy (L), while the units ⁽ 12 and 14) emit medium-temperature heat energy (M), which, when operated as a heat pump, provides the useful heat and when operated as a chiller generally represents waste heat.

The heat converter according to FIG. 1 contains four gas-separated systems in which four thermodynamic gas cycle processes are shifted with respect to one another. In the work spaces of the various systems connected by the respective pipelines (18), (20), (22) or (24), the pressure that changes over time is essentially the same. However, pressure generally varies from system to system. For the sake of simplicity, the systems are designated below by "(S)" with the addition of the relevant line number. In Fig. 1, the separate working fluid masses of the different systems are shown by different hatching, namely

- The working fluid of the system (S18) associated with the pipeline (18) by vertical hatching ("red");

- The working fluid of the system (S20) assigned to the pipeline (20) by right-angled hatching ("green");

- The working fluid of the pipeline (22) assigned system (S22) by horizontal hatching ("blue") and

- The working fluid of the system (S24) associated with the pipeline (24) by interrupted cross hatching ("yellow").

In the phase shown in FIG. 1A, the working fluids of the various systems are essentially only in two units (the working fluid in the lines is neglected in the following):

- (S18) in units (10) and (14);

- (S20) in units (10) and (16);

- (S22) in units (12) and (14);

- (S24) in units (12) and (16). In the case of a heat converter, as was proposed in the earlier patent application mentioned above, the state of the systems would correspond to the positions shown in FIG. 2 of the displacement regenerators symbolized by an oblique cross

- (S18) position I; - (S20) of position II;

- (S22) of position IV and - (S24) of position III.

Fig. 1B shows the state of the systems when the rotors have rotated about 45 clockwise. Part of the working space volume remains unchanged during the first 180 of the rotation, specifically

- The working space of (S18) in the unit (10);

- The working space of (S20) in the unit (16);

• - the working space of (S22) in the unit (14) and

- The working space of (S24) in the unit (12).

In the unit (10) the working space occupied by the working fluid of the "green" system (S20) is successively smaller, so that the working fluid through the connection (10b), through the heat exchanger (26) and the connection (12c) into the Unit (12) flows where a correspondingly enlarging work space is formed adjacent to the connection (12c). At the same time, working fluid of the "blue" system (S22) is displaced from the unit (12) through the connection (12b), the heat exchanger (26) and the connection (10c) into the unit (10) in which, adjacent to the connection ( 10c) a correspondingly enlarging work space is formed. The working fluid of the system (S2Q) displaced from the unit (10) into the unit (12) gives heat in the heat exchanger (26) to the working fluid of the system (22) displaced from the unit (12) into the unit (10) ).

Correspondingly, working fluid of the "red" system (S18) is displaced from the unit (14) through the heat exchanger (28) into the unit (16), while at the same time working fluid of the "yellow" system (S24) from the unit (16) is displaced into the unit (14) by the heat exchanger (28), so that a corresponding heat exchange in the heat exchanger (28) can also take place here.

As the temperature of the displaced working fluid changes, the pressure in the system in question also changes and, accordingly, some working fluid will flow into or out of the unit through the line in question, in which the volume of the working space of the system in question does not change.

The further course of the working cycle should be readily understandable on the basis of the above explanation when considering FIGS. 1C to 1H. At the end the state according to FIG. 1A is reached again.

FIG. 3 shows the pressure changes that take place in the individual systems if practical values are assumed for the temperatures of the units (10), (12) + (14) and (16). The pressure in the system (S18), the course of which is shown by the solid curve with an arrow, drops between (t _n ) and (t_.) In accordance with the transition from FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C due to the fact that working fluid is of medium temperature (M) is displaced from the unit (14) working at medium temperature (M) into unit (16), in which the temperature (L) is relatively low. Between (t.) And (t_), the pressure drops relatively sharply, since during the transition from FIG. 1C to FIG. 1E, the working fluid from the unit (10), which operates at the relatively high temperature (H), into the medium temperature (M) lying unit (12) is displaced, a larger temperature change taking place than in the transition between (14) and (16). The temperature changes between (t_) and (t,) and between ⁽ t,) and (t.) Correspond to the working phases between FIGS. 1E and 1G or between FIGS. 1G and 1A. The pressure curve in the other systems is represented by the curves provided with two, three or four arrows and the system name.

In FIG. 4, analogously to FIG. 3, the changes in the working volumes formed by the units (10) to (16) for the systems (S18) to ⁽ S24) are shown. It can be seen that the sum of the working volumes formed by the four units (10) to (16) is constant over time for each system.

5A to 5D show four working phases of a device which shows a modification of the heat converter according to FIG. 1 and differs from the latter essentially only in that each Unit has a rotor with four slides or knives offset by 90 and that two diametrically offset seals are provided between the housing and the rotor, so that two diametrically opposed working spaces are formed for each system in each unit, as shown by corresponding hatching. The diametrically opposite working spaces of each unit are provided with corresponding connections, which are connected in pairs to the corresponding pipes (18) to (24). For the sake of simplicity, this is only shown for the unit (10) in FIG. 5A: Two diametrically opposite connections (10a1), (10a2) are provided in each case, which are located in the middle between the seals (11a, 11b). Two diametrically opposed pairs of connections (10b1), (10c1) and (10b2), (10c2) are provided around the angular spacing of the rotor knives, that is to say offset by 90 degrees to these connections, so assigned to the seals (11) are, as has been explained in connection with FIG. 1. Otherwise, the same reference numerals have been used as in FIG. 1 and the mode of operation of the heat converter according to FIG. 5 is quite analogous to that according to FIG. 1.

1 and 5 differ from the proposed process and the so-called Vui lleumier process in that the gas mass (m) on a path from (x) to (y) of one The amount of heat supplied or withdrawn to the regenerator when flowing back from (y) to (x) is no longer supplied to or taken from the total mass (m), but rather from a partial mass of (m).

FIG. 6 schematically shows a modification of the device according to FIG. 1, in which novel rotary piston machine units (610), (612), (614), (616) are used, each of which has a rotary piston (602) in the form of a three-pointed star included, which rotates eccentrically in a rotor chamber (604) in the form of a square cushion with slightly protruding sides. Here, too, there are four systems in which four are out of phase with each other ₁₃

Ther odynamic gas processes of the type explained in connection with FIG. 1 take place. A line ⁽ 618 ^{) is} assigned to the "red" system (S618), a line ⁽ 620 ⁾ to the "green" system (S620), a line (622) to the "blue" system (S622) and the "yellow" system ( S624 ⁾ a line (624). The rotor chambers of the units ⁽ 610 ⁾ , ⁽ 612 ⁾ , ⁽ 614 ⁾ and (616) each have a connection in their corners for one of the lines (618), (620), (622) and (624). The connections are labeled clockwise with the number of the unit and the indices (a), (b), (c) and ⁽ d) starting at the top right and connected to the lines as follows:

Connectors (610a), (612c), (614b), (616d) with 618;

(610b), (612d), (614c). (616a) with 620,

(610c), (612a), (614d), (616b) with 624,

(610d), (612b), (614a), (616c) with 622.

While the working gas only ever either flows out or flows in in the connections of the rotor chambers of the units of the device according to FIG. 1, the working gas flows in the device according to FIG. 6 into one and the same connection during one part of the working cycle into the rotor chamber and out of the rotor chamber during another part of the duty cycle. Instead of the heat exchangers (626) or (628), which correspond in their function to the heat exchangers (26) or (28) in FIG. 1, a corresponding regenerator (recuperator) can therefore be used in each line. The operation of the device according to FIG. 6 otherwise corresponds to that according to FIG. 1, so that a further explanation is unnecessary. The embodiment according to FIG. 6 is mechanically much more complicated than that according to FIG. 1 and is mainly intended to show that the invention can be implemented with rotary piston machine units of various designs.

Since there is practically no mechanical compression of the working gas in the devices described above, practically only that power is required to drive the rotors, which is necessary to overcome the frictional losses and any thermal differences in pressure. As has already been mentioned above in connection with FIG. 1, the above-mentioned devices can serve as a heat pump or cooling machine. In a typical operating mode, the rotors rotate clockwise, heat is supplied to the units (10) and (16) operating at high (H) and low (L) temperatures, and from the units operating at medium temperature (M) (12) and (14) heat is removed. The units (12) and (14) can, however, also be operated at different temperatures (T3) or (T2), where (T3) can be greater or smaller than (T2) without affecting the operation of the device as a heat pump or Chiller changes something fundamental.

The devices according to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6 can, however, also be operated in other ways as heat pumps (refrigeration machines) and also as a heat transformer or as a heat pump transformer. A total of eight operating modes are possible, which are shown in Table I below. A plus sign (+) means that thermal energy is added to the unit indicated in the first column, a minus sign ⁽ - ^{) means} that thermal energy is removed or taken from the unit in question.

TABLE I

Type of operation: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Unit: 10 + + + +

12 + + + +

U + + + - - +

16 + + - + - +

The above table applies to clockwise rotor rotation. When the rotor rotates counterclockwise, the signs of the heat flows are reversed.

Operating mode 2 was explained above with reference to FIG. 1. It should be noted that T3 can be greater than, equal to or smaller than T2. T4 is larger than T3 and T2 and these are larger than T1. Particularly advantageous heat pump or refrigerator operating modes are also 1 and 3, since in operating mode or type 1 useful heat is released at two different temperature levels T4 and T3, while in operating mode 3 cold can be generated at a relatively low level T1 and a somewhat higher level .

The operating mode 8 represents a heat transformer. The unit 10 emits useful heat of the relatively high temperature T4, the unit 16 waste heat of the relatively low temperature T1, the units 12 and 14 absorb heat of the medium temperatures T3 and T2, respectively

T4> T3> / = / <T2> T1 is ..

In modes 3 and 6, the device works as a heat pump transformer. The following applies to the temperature levels

Operating mode 3: T3> T4> T2> T1. Operating mode 6: T4> T3> T1> T2

The heat pump transformers are particularly suitable for heat recovery in condensation processes. The condensation heat released when a substance is condensed is fed to the heat pump transformer and transformed up to a temperature above the condensation temperature so that it can be used for the evaporation of the substance in question.

Further advantageous modifications result if the facilities according to. Fig. 1, 5 or 6 supplemented by a compression machine (KM) and / or an expansion machine (EM). In Fig. 1, the expansion machine (EM) is turned on at the connection (10a) in the line (18) and it can, for. B. can be used to supply the drive energy required to drive the rotors of the units (10) to (16). The compression machine (KM) is switched on at the connection (16a) in the line (20) and allows additional energy to be supplied to the system by mechanical work. Compression or expansion machines result in the 22 types or operating modes listed in Table II, with a plus sign in the line (W) meaning that work is being supplied to the system via a compression machine (KM), while a minus sign in this line indicates the removal of Energy from the system through an expansion machine (EM) means. Regarding units (10) to ⁽ 12), Table II corresponds to Table I.

TABLE II

Concerning Type: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1.9 20 21 22

W: + + + + + + + + - - - - - - - - + + + + + +

Unit. 10 + + + + + + + + - - - - _. - - _{+ + +}

12 + - - - - + + + + - - - - + + + + - - - + +

14 - - + + + - - + - - + + + - - + + + - - - +

16 + + - + - + - - + + - + - + - - + + + - _ -

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of the present device with which thermal energy can be converted into mechanical work, in particular shaft power from a turbine. The device according to FIG. 7 contains two rotary piston machine units (710) and (712), which can be constructed essentially as it was explained in connection with FIG. 1. The units each contain three rotor chamber connections ⁽ 710a ⁾ , ⁽ 710b ⁾ and ⁽ 710c ⁾ or (712a), (712b) and (712c), which are arranged as explained for the corresponding connections in FIG. 1 has been. The connections (710a) and (712a) are connected via a line (717), which is a work-expanding machine, e.g. B. contains a turbine (719). The connection (710b) is connected to the connection (712c) via a line (721). The connection (712b) is connected to the connection (710c) via a line (723). The lines (721) and (723) lead through a heat exchanger (726). Furthermore, the lines (717) and (723) can be thermally coupled by a heat exchanger (728). If necessary, all or part of the gaseous working fluid flowing through line (717) can be passed through heat exchanger (726), as indicated by dashed lines. In operation, the unit (710) is supplied with relatively high temperature (T _u ) thermal energy and the ⁽ 712) thermal energy π with a relatively low temperature (T.) is withdrawn. The rotors of the units (710) and (712) are seated on a common shaft or are driven synchronously in some other way, whereby essentially only the mechanical friction losses need to be covered here, since the torques resulting from pressure differences in the units compensate.

7A to 7H show different operating states during one revolution of the rotors of the units (710 ⁾ and ⁽ 712). In units (710) and (712), four thermodynamic gas cycle processes that are phase-shifted with respect to one another run. It is characteristic of the device according to FIG. 7 that a certain volume of the working gas only oscillates back and forth between the units (710) and (712), while another part of the volume of this "pendulum volume" through the turbine (719 ) is promoted and does mechanical work there. To explain this process, consider first the working gas located in the left half of the unit (712d) between the knife (712d) and the seal (712e). When the rotors rotate clockwise, the gas is displaced from the relatively cold unit (712) through line (723) into the relatively hot unit (710).

In the position according to FIG. 7C, this process is completed, ie the left half of the unit (710) now contains working gas of relatively high pressure. The knife (710d) now overflows the opening (710a) ⁽ FIG. 7C), so that the working gas under the relatively high pressure flows through the line (717) to the turbine (719), where it relaxes and then flows into the working space of the unit (712) (FIG. 7D) which is connected to the opening (712a), where it contains the "brown" working gas volume which is contained in this working space and is at a relatively low temperature and has a low density, somewhat condensed, as represented by the "orange" part (or). In FIG. 7E, the piston (712d ^{) reaches} the connection (710a), so that the outflow of working gas of relatively high pressure from the piston in front of it i ^β located part of the work area is terminated. This part of the work space now contains a "blue" working gas volume (bl), which has been released by the outflow of the "orange" part (or). The working gas volume (bl) is now transferred between 7E and 7H into the part of the working space located between the seal (712e) and the knife (712d), the pressure falling as a result of the temperature reduction. This process is completed in FIG. 7G.

It can thus be seen that the "blue" volume (bl) only oscillates back and forth between the units (710) and (712), but drives the other, "orange" part (or) of the working gas by intermittent expansion through the turbine to produce mechanical work there. Of course, the working gas in the "blue" and in the "orange" volume is not separated from one another, the above explanation is only intended to clarify that a certain percentage of the working gas oscillates between the units (710) and (712), while another part is pushed through the turbine from the first part to produce the desired shaft power. This mass fraction m_ depends on the temperature levels (T) and (T,) in the units (710) and π L

(712).

Completely corresponding processes take place with a corresponding phase shift with respect to the "yellow" pendulum volume (ge) and the "red" working volume (ro). While the volume (or) of (bl) or (br) was conveyed cyclically through the turbine in the process explained above, in the second process, gas volume (ro) is displaced by the volumes (ge) or (gr) by 180. conveyed by the turbine.

A device of the type shown in FIG. 7 can be built very compactly. The rotary piston machines and the turbine can be installed in one and the same, e.g. B. housing cylindrical housing, which then has only suitable heat exchanger surfaces and, if the turbine is connected to an electrical generator, has only electrical connections for power consumption. Replacing the turbine (719) with a compressor or compressor in the opposite direction of delivery results in a heat pump or refrigeration machine.

FIG. 8 shows how the volumes of the different gas masses change during a working cycle, the same color names or hatching being used as in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows the indicator diagram of the pendulum mass m_, which does the primary work by pushing the working mass m_ through the turbine.

The indicator diagram flowing through the turbine, the shaft power ddeerr TTuurrbbiinnee lleettzzttlliicchh eerrzzeeuuggeennddeen working mass m is only through the

B indicated extreme points 1 and 4,

The embodiment according to FIG. 11 contains four reciprocating piston units (810, 812, 814, 816), each of which contains a cylinder and a piston (K) which is displaceably mounted in the cylinder. The pistons are sealed with respect to the inner wall of the respective cylinder, e.g. B. by O-rings, since a pressure difference occurs on them during operation of the device. The pistons of units (810) and (812) and the pistons of units (814) and (816) are each rigidly connected to one another via a gear unit (G), which will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 13 coupled so that they perform synchronous lifting movements in the respective cylinders.

The unit ⁽ 810) operates at a relatively high temperature level (H), the units (812) and (814) operate at medium temperature levels (M ,,) and (M-,) which are the same or somewhat can be different. The unit (816) operates at a relatively low temperature level (L).

A first working fluid line (818) connects connections (810a, 812d) at the opposite, "outer" ends of the cylinders of the units (810) and (812) as well as connections (814b, 816a) at the "inner" ends facing each other the cylinder of the units (814) or (816). In a corresponding manner, a second working fluid line connects device (820) connections (810b, 812a) on the opposite, "inner" ends of the units (810, 812) and connections ⁽ 814a, 816b ⁾ on the opposite, "outer" ends of the units (814) and ( 816). The parts of the lines ⁽ 818, 820) connecting the connections (810a) and (812b) and the connections (810b) and (812a) are thermally coupled to one another by a heat exchanger (826). In a corresponding manner, the parts of the working fluid lines (818, 820) running between the connections (814b) and (816a) and the connections (814a) and (816b) are thermally coupled to one another by a heat exchanger (828).

The work spaces in the cylinders of units (810) to (816) connected by line (818) form a first work equipment system. The working spaces connected by the line (820) in the cylinders of the units (810) to (816) form a second working fluid system that is fluidly separated from the first. In the two systems, two different thermodynamic processes, offset by 360 crankshaft rotation, take place, each of which requires a crankshaft rotation of 720 to pass through. The working fluid, e.g. B. a gas such as helium, the first system occupied work spaces are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11. The working spaces occupied by the working fluid of the other system are shown in white in FIG. 11. The pistons are hatched at an angle.

The pistons preferably carry out intermittent movements, that is to say that they each execute a stroke during a crankshaft rotation of 90 and remain in the cylinder in the extreme position reached at the end of the previous stroke movement during the next 90 crankshaft rotation, the pistons of the one pair of units ⁽ 810, 812) each move while the pistons of the other pair of units (814, 816) are at rest and vice versa. If you accept a certain reduction in efficiency, you can also work with a sinusoidal stroke movement of the pistons. In the state shown in Fig. 11a, the pistons of units (810) and ⁽ 812) are in the middle of their upward stroke, with hot working fluid of the first system (system A, dotted work spaces, extended process curve in Fig. 11) associated with line (818) Fig. 12) is displaced into the lower part of the unit (812) located at the medium temperature level (M,.). At the same time, medium-temperature working fluid of the system assigned to the line (820) (system B, white working spaces, dashed process curve in FIG. 12) is displaced from the upper part of the unit ⁽ 812) into the lower part of the "hot" unit (810) . The displaced working fluids of the two systems exchange heat in the heat exchanger (826). Because of the lowering of the temperature, the pressure in the system (A) drops, as the curve in FIG. 12 shows between -90 and +90.

At 90 ° (Fig. 11b) the pistons have reached their extreme position.

The pistons in the units (810) and (812) rest in the range from 90 ° to 270 °, while the pistons in the units (814) and (816) carry out an upward stroke movement (FIGS. 11b to 11d). . The cold working fluid of the system (A) is displaced from the "cold" unit (816) into the unit (814) located at an average temperature level (M _? ). As a result, the pressure in system (A) increases, as the curve in FIG. 12 shows between 90 ° and 270 °, but the temperature rise is relatively small because of the relatively small temperature difference between the temperature levels of units (816) and (814). At the same time, the working fluid of the system (B) is displaced from the unit ⁽ 814 ⁾ into the unit (816).

In the range from 270 to 450, the pistons of the units (810) move downward (FIG. 11e), so that the working fluid at medium temperature is displaced from the unit (812) into the working unit (810) which is at a high temperature . At the same time, hot working fluid of the system (B) is displaced from the unit ⁽ 812 ⁾ into the unit (810). Here, too, heat is exchanged in the heat exchanger (826). The pistons in units ⁽ 814 ⁾ and ⁽ 816 ⁾ rest between 270 and 450 ° (FIGS. 11d to 11f). The pistons in the units (810) and (812) rest in the range between 450 and 630 ° of the crankshaft rotation, while the pistons of the units (814) and (816) move upwards (FIGS. 11f to 11h). In the range between 630 ° to 90 ° of the next cycle, the pistons of units (810) and (812) then move upwards again, while the pistons in units (814) and (816) are at rest. The displacement, heating and cooling processes taking place should not require any further explanation.

For driving a pair of mutually coupled pistons and two units it is advantageous to use a gear unit, ^as' shown in Fig. 13. This Getπ ^' ebeeinheit contains a cam (910), the circumferential surface of two concentric to its axis circular surfaces ⁽ 312, 314), which occupy two opposite quadrants and are connected by two extending sections (316, 318). The cam disc (310) sits on a driven shaft (320). At radially opposite points of the cam disc (910), two removal members (322) engage, which consist of rotatably mounted rollers and are seated in an annular body (324), which is connected at diametrically opposite points to a piston rod ⁽ 326, 328) is the piston of two related units, z. B. (810, 812 or 814, 816) controls. The cam disks of the drive devices for the unit pairs (810, 812) and (814) are offset by 90 from one another.

If the pistons are driven in the manner described with reference to FIG. 11, the device according to FIG. 11 operates as a heat pump or refrigeration machine. The unit (810) is supplied with heat of a relatively high temperature, the unit (816) absorbs heat of a relatively low temperature ⁽ cooling heat or heat to be pumped up). The units (812, 814) emit medium-temperature heat (heating or waste heat).

Reversing the direction of the heat flows and the flows of working fluid z. B. by appropriate reversal of the drive direction of the individual 11, the device according to FIG. 11 works as a heat transformer, ie the units (812, 814) absorb heat at a medium temperature level, the unit ⁽ 810 ⁾ emits "highly transformed" network heat of a higher temperature, while from the unit (816) Relatively low temperature waste heat must be removed.

The embodiment according to FIG. 11 can also be supplemented by a rotary machine analogous to FIG. B. between the connections (810a) and (816b). The statements made in connection with Tables I and II also apply accordingly.

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment of the invention corresponding to FIG. 7, which can be used to generate mechanical work. The device according to FIG. 14, which is shown in FIGS. 14a to 14c in four different phases of its working cycle, contains a first reciprocating piston engine unit (910) and a second reciprocating piston engine unit (912). The unit (910) contains a piston (K1), which forms two working spaces with the housing of the unit, which work at a relatively high temperature level (H). The second unit (912) contains a piston (K2), which also forms two working spaces with the housing of this machine, but which work at a relatively low temperature (L). The pistons (K1 and K2) are mechanically coupled to one another so that they each move synchronously towards a first (upper in FIG. 14) end of the associated housing or a second (lower in FIG. 14) end of the associated housing. The drive device can be designed as was explained with reference to FIG. 13, but one can also work with a simus-shaped or other lifting movement.

The upper, first end of the first unit (910) via a connection ^(910aa) and a working fluid conduit (921) with a connection ^(912ba) connected to the second, lower end of the unit (912). Furthermore, the second, lower end of the unit (910) is connected via a connection (910ba) via a working fluid line tunjg (923) to a connection (912aa) at the first, upper end of the unit (912). The lines (921, 923) can be thermally coupled to one another by a heat exchanger (926).

Furthermore, the first end of the first unit (910) via a connection (910ab) and a third ArbeitsfLuidleitung (917) which a work machine, such as an expansion machine, for. B. contains a turbine (931), with a connection (912ba) at the first end of the unit (912) and / or the second, lower end of the first unit (910) is via a connection (910bb) and a working fluid line (919 ) that a second machine, such as an expansion machine, e.g. B. contains a turbine (933), coupled to a connection (912bb) at the second end of the unit (912). Shaft power can be extracted from the turbines, i.e. 14 can serve as a motor. For the rest, the statements made with regard to FIG. 7 apply.

By arranging several devices with a phase-shifted processing according to FIG. 14, a smooth run can be achieved if desired. The corresponding turbines of the coupled, phase-shifting devices can then sit on a common shaft.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A device for harnessing thermal energy, in which in a first part of a duty cycle of a heat transfer fluid from a first space to a second space in which the temperature is higher than the first, is displaced and the heat transfer fluid in a second part ^'of the working cycle again is displaced from the second room back into the first, thermal energy being supplied to the heat transfer fluid during the transition from the first to the second room and thermal energy being withdrawn during the transition from the second to the first room, and in which the rooms are changed by volume-variable working rooms of coupled piston engine units ⁽ 10, 12, 14, 16) are formed, each having a housing and a piston (24 or (25) movable therein) and are connected to one another by fluid lines (18, 20, 22, 24) in such a way that the working fluid a shrinking work space of relatively high temperature levels through a first line i n an expanding working space of low temperature level is displaced and at the same time working fluid is displaced from a reducing working space of low temperature level through a second line into an increasing working space of higher temperature levels, characterized in that the housing of each piston engine unit is essentially everywhere work at the same temperature level and each form at least two working spaces with the piston, in which there is essentially the same temperature level.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston machine units are rotary machine units.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the rotary machine units each contain a housing with a substantially cylindrical rotor chamber and a rotatably arranged in this substantially cylindrical rotor; that the rotor contains at least one pair of diametrical elements or knives (13) which seal with respect to the housing, that at least one seal (11) which is stationary with respect to the housing is provided between the housing and the rotor; that the rotor chamber has at least one triple of connections (10a, 10b, 10c) for working fluid lines, the first (10a) of each adjacent housing-fixed seal

(11) has an angular distance that is equal to 180 divided by the number of seals and that the second and third connections (10b), (10c) for a given direction of rotor rotation immediately before or immediately behind an associated housing-fixed seal (11) Lies.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that four rotary machine units (11, 12, 14, 16) are provided that the first connection (10a) of the first unit (10) through a branching ArbeitsfLuid line (18) with the the second terminal (14b) of the third unit (14) and the third terminal (16c) of the fourth unit are connected; that the first connector (12a) of the second unit

(12) is connected to the second connection (16b) of the fourth unit (16) and the third connection (14c) of the third unit (14) via a second branching working fluid line (24); that the first connection (14a) of the third unit (14) is connected via a third working fluid line (22) to the second connection (12b) of the second unit (12) and the third connection (10c) of the first unit (10) ; and that the first connection (16a) of the fourth unit (16 ^{) is} connected via a fourth working fluid line (20) to the second connection (10b) of the first unit (10) and the third connection (12c) of the second unit (12) is.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the part of the first line (18) adjacent to the first connection ⁽ 10a) of the first unit (10) and that of the second and third connection (10b), ⁽ 10c) of the first unit ( 10) neighboring parts of the third and fourth line ⁽ 22), (20) are thermally coupled to one another by a first heat exchanger ⁽ 26 ⁾ and in that the part of the fourth line adjacent to the first connection of the fourth unit (16) and that to the second and third connection ⁽ 16b), ⁽ 16c ⁾ parts of the first and second lines (18), (24) adjacent to this unit are thermally coupled to one another by a second heat exchanger (28) such that the parts of the first line (14), (16) adjacent to the third and fourth units (14) 18) and the part of the second line (24) adjacent to the first connection (12a) of the second unit (12) are thermally coupled to one another by a heat exchanger (30) such that the part of the third line (22) adjacent to the third unit (14) and are the first and second unit ^{(10), (12)} adjacent part of the fourth line ⁽²⁰⁾ coupled by a heat exchanger (32) thermally to each other.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that in the first connection (10a) of the first unit (10) adjacent part of the first line (18) and / or in which the first connection (16a) the fourth unit (16) adjacent part of the fourth line (20) is arranged a work machine in the form of a work-absorbing compression machine or work-performing expansion machine.

7. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that two at different temperatures (T _u ), (T) working Rotationsmaschinenein- π L units (710), (712) are provided; that the first connector (710a) of the first unit (710) is connected to the first connector (712a) of the second unit ⁽ 712) via a work machine (719); that the second terminal (710b) of the first unit (710) is connected through a working fluid conduit ⁽⁷²¹⁾ to the third terminal (712) of the second unit ⁽⁷¹²⁾ and that the third terminal (710c) of the first unit (710) is connected to the second connection ⁽ 712b) of the second unit (712) via a third working fluid line (723).

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains four reciprocating piston machine units (810, 812, 814, 816), each having a housing and a displaceable in this piston, which forms two working spaces with the housing; that each housing has a first working fluid line connection (810a, 812a, 814a or 816a) leading to the first working space and a second working fluid line connection (810b, 812b, 814b or 816b) leading to the second working space; that the pistons of a first pair (810, 812) of the units are mechanically coupled to one another such that they each move synchronously in the direction of the respective first working fluid line connection or second working fluid line connection; in that the second pair (814, 816) of the units are mechanically coupled to one another so that they each move synchronously in the direction of the respective first working fluid line connection or second working fluid line connection; that the first working fluid line connection (810a) of the first unit (810), the second working fluid line connection (812b) of the second unit (812), the second fluid line connection (814b) of the third unit (814) and the first working fluid line connection (816a) of the fourth unit (816) are connected to one another by a first working fluid line (818) and that the remaining working fluid line connections (810b, 812a, 814a, 816b) of the units (810, 812, 814, 816 ) by ^"a second working fluid conduit (820) are connected together.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the parts of the working fluid lines (818, 820) which the connections (810a, 812b; 810b, 812a or 814a, 816b; 814b, 816a) of a pair of units (810, 812 ; 814, 816), the pistons of which are coupled to one another, are each coupled to one another by a heat exchanger (826, 828).

10. Device according to one of claims 4, 5, 8 or 9, characterized in that the first unit (10, 810) thermal energy of relatively high temperature (T4, H) can be removed; that the second and third units (12, 812; 14, 814) thermal energy in a medium temperature range (T3, M ..; T2, M-) can be supplied and that of the fourth unit (16, 816) thermal energy of relatively low temperature (T1, L) is removable, so that the device works as a heat transformer.

11. Device according to one of claims 4, 5, 8 or 9, characterized in that for operating the device as a heat pump transformer four successively lower temperature levels (T4, H; T3, M ,; T2, M ₂ or T1, L ) are provided; that the first unit (10, 810) can be supplied with thermal energy at the second uppermost temperature (T2, H); thermal energy of the highest temperature (T4, H) can be taken from the second unit (12, 812); thermal energy of the third highest temperature (T2, M _? ) can be supplied to the third unit (14, 814) and thermal energy of the lowest temperature (T1, L) can be extracted from the fourth unit (16, 816).

12. Device according to one of claims 4, 5, 8 or 9, characterized in that successively lower temperature levels (T4, H; T3, M .; T2, M_ or T1, L) are provided for operating the device as a heat pump transformer are; that the first unit (10, 810) thermal energy of the highest temperature (T4, H) can be removed; that the second unit (12, 812) thermal energy of the second temperature level (T3, M_.) can be supplied; thermal energy of the lowest temperature level (T1, L) can be taken from the third unit (14, 814) and thermal energy of the third highest temperature level ⁽ T2, M_) can be supplied to the fourth unit (16, 816).

13. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a first reciprocating piston engine unit (110) working at a relatively high temperature level (H) with a first piston and a second reciprocating piston engine unit (912 ⁾ working at a relatively low temperature level ⁽ L ⁾ ) with a second piston; that the pistons are mechanically coupled to one another so that they both simultaneously move to a first and a second end of the associated housing; that the first end of the housing of the first unit (910) is connected to the second end of the second unit (912) by a first working fluid line (921); that the second end of the first unit (910) is connected to the first end of the second unit (912) via a second working fluid line (923) and that the first end of the first unit (910) is connected to the first end of the second unit (912) is connected by a third working fluid line (917), which contains a working machine (931), and / or the second end of the first unit (910) is connected to the second end of the second unit (912) by a fourth fluid line (919), which contains a work machine ⁽ 933).