EP3973181A1

EP3973181A1 - Solid-body-based energy converter, heating/cooling apparatus comprising such an energy converter, and method for operating a heating/cooling apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP3973181A1
Application number: EP20732107.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Susanne-Marie Kirsch; Felix Welsch; Stefan Seelecke
Original assignee: Universitaet des Saarlandes
Current assignee: Universitaet des Saarlandes
Priority date: 2019-05-22
Filing date: 2020-05-18
Publication date: 2022-03-30
Also published as: DE102019113696A1; CN114144626B; US20220228575A1; CN114144626A; WO2020234235A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermoelastic energy converter (1), in particular for use in a thermoelastic heating/cooling apparatus or in a combined heat-and-power coupling system, comprising: - an arrangement comprising a plurality of converter devices (3a, 3b), wherein each of the converter devices (3a, 3b) has one or more thermoelastic elements (4) arranged in a direction of extension; - a loading device, in order to load the thermoelastic elements (4) of each of the plurality of converter devices (3a, 3b) so as to have a temporally variable power curve; - a coupling which is designed such that the loading device actuates the converter devices (3a, 3b) in a phase-offset manner with respect to their cyclic loading and unloading.

Description

Solid-state energy converter, heating / cooling device with one

Energy converter and method for operating a heating / cooling device

Technical area

The invention relates to solid-based energy converters and heating / cooling devices with such energy converters. In particular, the present invention relates to a configuration of such an energy converter.

Technical background

Solid-state energy converters usually use caloric effects in ferroic materials to reversibly convert mechanical energy into a change in temperature. The use of such an energy converter as a heat exchanger in heating and / or cooling devices enables improved efficiency compared to compression refrigeration machines due to the reduced mechanical effort and thus represents an environmentally friendly technology.

An active element of such an energy converter usually consists of a thermoelastic material, in particular a shape memory alloy, in which a transformation of the microstructure is forced through the action of mechanical energy. Such materials are referred to as thermoelastic, elastocaloric or mechanocaloric materials. In particular, such materials can give off latent heat when they are subjected to tensile, compressive, bending, torsional or shear loads or, in the case of relief, absorb ambient heat. The resulting temperature changes can thus be used for cooling or heating a surrounding medium.

For example, document DE 10 2016 118 776 A1 provides a thermoelastic energy converter for use in an energy converter system, in which thermoelastic elements are guided in a cylindrical arrangement, so that in a synchronous rotation of the thermoelastic elements causes a change in length of the thermoelastic elements, so that a cyclic elastic deformation and relaxation of at least one thermoelastic element is achieved, with heat being emitted or absorbed.

Due to the cylindrical arrangement, however, the power density of such an arrangement is limited and deteriorates with higher heating or cooling capacities, i. H. with a larger cross-sectional area of the thermoelastic elements or larger cylinder diameters.

The publication WO 2017/097989 A1 discloses a method for operating cycle-based systems with a hot-side reservoir and a cold-side reservoir for a fluid and at least one heat exchanger unit with mechanocaloric material, the mechanocaloric material of the heat exchanger unit being arranged in operative connection with the fluid, so that a heat transfer between mechanocaloric Material and fluid takes place, the heat transfer between mechanocaloric material and fluid taking place essentially by means of latent heat transfer. A change in shape of the mechanocaloric material is generated by a mechanical tension in the mechanocaloric material, so that a temperature change of the mechanocaloric material is generated. The potential energy contained in the compression of the mechanocaloric material of a first heat exchanger unit from the elastic deformation of the mechanocaloric material can be used to compress the mechanocaloric material of a second heat exchanger unit.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved energy converter which has a high power density and is scalable in a high power range.

Disclosure of the invention

This object is achieved by the thermoelastic energy converter according to claim 1 and by the heating and / or cooling device according to the independent claim. Further refinements are given in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect, a thermoelastic energy converter, in particular for use in a thermoelastic heating / cooling device or in a heat and power coupling system, is provided, comprising:

an arrangement with a plurality of transducer devices, each of the transducer devices having one or more thermoelastic elements arranged in a direction of extension;

a loading device to load the thermoelastic elements of each of the plurality of converter devices with a time-variable force curve,

a coupling which is designed so that the application device controls the converter devices in a phase-shifted manner with regard to their cyclical loading and unloading.

The coupling can be implemented:

with a converter drive which is designed to control the application device in such a way that the converter devices are controlled out of phase so that the thermoelastic elements of the respective converter devices are cyclically loaded and unloaded and thereby each heat up or cool down cyclically; or

with a force decoupling which is designed to decouple mechanical energy, which is supplied to the impingement device from the converter devices, from the energy converter.

Furthermore, the thermoelastic elements within one or more of the converter devices can each be arranged parallel to one another in a frame, so that the converter devices form one or more essentially planar heat exchanger planes, which in particular are completely accommodated within the frame.

Furthermore, the plurality of converter devices can form at least one essentially planar heat exchanger plane with a plurality of converter devices in each case, the converter devices of one heat exchanger plane, in particular, being completely accommodated within a common frame. One idea of the above energy converter is to alternately load and unload thermoelastic elements of several converter devices by means of a common coupling, so that heat is released and absorbed alternately in the converter devices. The converter devices each have a two-dimensional arrangement of the thermoelastic elements, so that media supply and media discharge can be carried out on both sides in a simple manner without significant structural effort. In particular, media routing along or across the thermoelastic elements is possible in such a way that heat can be transferred over a large part of the surface of the thermoelastic elements and a correspondingly improved heat exchange characteristic is achieved. Due to the flat arrangement of the converter devices, cascading is possible by simply stacking the energy converters.

The loading and unloading takes place through a direct or indirect mechanical coupling of the thermoelastic elements, so that when the thermoelastic elements of one of the transducer devices are unloaded, at least part of the mechanical energy released as a result can be used to load the thermoelastic elements of another of the transducer devices . By coupling the thermoelastic elements, it is possible to control them in such a way that the design effort is minimal and the installation space can be used efficiently.

According to one embodiment, the loading device can have a common slide which is movably arranged in the frame and which is connected to one of the ends of the thermoelastic elements, so that with a cyclical translational movement of the common slide in the direction of extension, a reciprocal cyclic loading and unloading of the thermoelastic elements of the Converter devices is achieved or so that when the thermoelastic elements of the converter devices are thermally applied, a cyclical translational movement of the common slide is achieved in the direction of extension.

In this way, the two converter devices can be directly coupled via a common slide that can be moved back and forth. Due to the back and forth movement of the carriage, a tensile force is exerted on the thermoelastic elements of one of the transducer devices, while the thermoelastic elements of the be relieved according to other converter device and vice versa. The use of the common slide leads to an integrated energy recovery of mechanical tension energy in a cyclical back and forth movement and thus to an improved coefficient of performance. Furthermore, an essentially simultaneous converter operation of both converter devices is achieved in an alternating manner with the best possible use of the lifting movement of the slide. In addition, when the slide is used, the maximum stroke is usually not restricted by geometric conditions.

Furthermore, the converter drive can be designed to move the common slide cyclically in accordance with a predetermined movement profile, with the motion profile in particular being designed to accommodate load phases for loading one of the converter devices and stop phases during which there is essentially no movement of the slide during cyclic operation. and / or to provide load phases to load the converter devices and relief phases to relieve the converter devices during cyclical operation, wherein the load phases and the relief phases of the multiple converter devices can have different force curves or expansion curves.

According to a further embodiment, the application device for each of the transducer devices can comprise a slide arranged movably in the frame, each of the slides being connected to the respective thermoelastic elements of the associated transducer device, so that with a respective movement profile with a cyclical translatory movement of the slide in the direction of extension the cyclic loading and unloading of the thermoelastic elements is achieved or so that a cyclic translational movement of the respective slide in the direction of extension is achieved when the thermoelastic elements of the transducer devices are thermally applied.

An indirect coupling can thus take place via the converter drive, which has little or no self-locking, so that mechanical energy acting via one of the converter devices when the load is released can be fed to one of the other converter devices for its mechanical loading. Such an arrangement does not require a common slide, so that separate movement profiles of the back and forth movement are possible. The Movement profiles of the respective slides can thus be shaped in a thermodynamically optimized manner.

In particular, the carriages can be mechanically coupled in order to use a mechanical energy released when one of the converter devices is relieved at least partially to load another of the converter devices.

In particular, the converter drive can be coupled to the carriage in order to drive them according to the particular non-sinusoidal movement profile, in particular the cyclical movement profiles each having a loading phase for loading the relevant converter device, a holding phase in which there is no movement of the relevant carriage, and a relief phase provide to relieve the relevant converter device.

Furthermore, the loading phase and the relieving phase can each have linear or other monotonous courses of the load and / or relief or a movement of the carriage in sections, the linear courses in particular different gradients or the other monotonic courses of the load and / or relief or the movement of the Carriages have different gradients.

According to one embodiment, the converter drive can have at least one cam disk with a respective cam carriage, which is coupled to the corresponding slide, the cam disk being in engagement with the cam carriage, so that a movement of the slide concerned to load and relieve the load through the link of the cam disk Thermoelastic elements of the converter device in question is effected in particular in the direction of extent. Thus, the link profile of the converter drive can be adapted for a cooling and / or heating power-optimized loading and unloading of the thermoelastic elements of the converter devices in order to achieve a high thermodynamic efficiency (coefficient of performance) of the cooling / heating device.

In this way, the converter drive can be coupled to the carriage in order to drive them according to a movement profile, the cyclical movement profiles each having a load phase for loading the converter device in question, a holding phase in which there is essentially no movement of the carriage in question, and a relief phase for Relief of the converter device concerned have, wherein in particular the loading phase and the unloading phase each have different gradients of the movement of the carriage.

According to a further embodiment, the force coupling can have at least one cam disk with a respective cam carriage, which is coupled to the corresponding slide, the cam disk being in engagement with the cam carriage, so that a movement of the relevant slide due to a temperature exposure of the thermoelastic elements of the converter device concerned and a rotation of the cam disk is effected by a link of the cam disk.

According to a further embodiment, the slide is driven by a cam drive, which allows an optimized adaptation of the movement profile of the slide. In particular, the slide can thus be guided in a thermodynamically optimized manner.

According to a further aspect, an energy converter system is provided, in particular a heating / cooling system, comprising:

an arrangement of at least one of the above energy converters; one or more media feeds for feeding a gaseous or liquid medium, in particular air or water, to the arrangement and one or more media outlets for discharging the medium from the arrangement,

media path switching means configured to selectively route the media through one or more of the transducer means along a first or second media path to separate cooled or heated media;

wherein the coupling is designed to operate the operation of the at least one energy converter synchronously to a switch between a media guide via the first and the second media path, so that the medium for absorbing heat from the thermoelastic elements and for releasing heat to the thermoelastic Elements is guided through the arrangement via the first or the second media path.

In particular, the coupling can be designed to, when operating a plurality of energy converters, the cyclical loading and unloading with flow along the first or second media path offset in time with respect to the direction of flow of the medium through the respective media path.

Furthermore, the media path switching device can be provided with at least one media control element in order to switch between the first media path and the second media path.

It can be provided that the media path switching device is designed with at least one first media supply and one first media discharge for controlling the first media path and with at least one second media supply and one second media discharge for controlling the second media path.

It can be provided that the first media inlet and the first media outlet as well as the second media inlet and the second media outlet are arranged on different sides of the energy converter arrangement, in particular the first media inlet, the first media outlet, the second media inlet and / or the second media outlet on one Frame part of the converter devices or are provided in a cover on its surface side.

According to one embodiment, the energy converter arrangement can have several adjacent energy converters, so that the first and second media paths each run through two mutually adjacent converter devices of energy converters, the media inlets and / or the media outlets on surface sides of the energy converter arrangement or in each case in a frame of the converter devices of the Energy converters are arranged. This ensures a high level of scalability, since any number of energy converters can be combined in one arrangement.

Furthermore, the at least one media supply and / or the at least one media discharge can have a rectangular, round, oval or triangular opening cross section.

It can be provided that the first and / or the second media path is along the direction of extent of the thermoelastic elements, transversely to the direction of extent and in the plane of arrangement of the thermoelastic elements or are formed transversely to the direction of extension and transversely to the plane of arrangement of the thermoelastic elements.

According to a further aspect, a method for operating a thermoelastic energy converter, in particular for use in a thermoelastic heating / cooling device or in a heat and power coupling system, is provided, the thermoelastic energy converter comprising an arrangement with a plurality of converter devices, each of the converter devices in one Has one or more thermoelastic elements arranged in the direction of extent, the thermoelastic elements of each of the plurality of transducer devices being loaded with a time-variable force curve, the transducer devices being controlled in a phase-shifted manner with respect to their cyclical loading and unloading.

According to a further aspect, a method of operating a

Energy converter system, in particular a heating / cooling system, provided, the energy converter system being an arrangement of at least one of the above energy converters, one or more media feeds for supplying a gaseous or liquid medium, in particular air or water, to the arrangement and one or more media outlets for discharge of the medium from the arrangement, and a media path switching device which is designed to guide the medium through one or more of the converter devices selectively along a first or a second media path in order to separate cooled or heated medium, the at least one energy converter synchronously to switch between media routing via the first and the second media path, so that the medium for absorbing heat from the thermoelastic elements and for releasing heat to the thermoelastic elements via the first and the second media path through the arrangement is managed.

Furthermore, when operating a plurality of energy converters, the cyclical loading and unloading can be carried out offset in time with respect to the direction of flow of the medium through the respective media path when there is flow along the first or second media path. ok

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

FIGS. 1a and 1b are schematic representations of an energy converter with a common slide according to a first embodiment;

FIGS. 2a and 2b show various schematic views of a converter drive for the energy converter according to FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3a and 3b show schematic representations of cycle processes for heat and cold generation by means of a phase transition based on a discontinuous process or a process of a heat and power coupling;

FIG. 4 shows, by way of example, time profiles of the application of force

Sled for a thermodynamically optimized heat emission or heat absorption and the resulting temperature profile;

FIGS. 5a and 5b show schematic representations of an energy converter with separate slides according to a second embodiment;

FIGS. 6a and 6b show various schematic views of a converter drive for the energy converter according to FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows, by way of example, temporal profiles of the application of force

Carriage for a thermodynamically optimized heat release or heat absorption and the resulting temperature profile for the energy converter of Figure 5;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic representation of a heating / cooling arrangement with a plurality of switchable media paths;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic representation of a heating / cooling arrangement with media feeds that can be opened and closed alternately and media outlets for guiding a medium through the converter devices of the energy converter;

FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of the heating / cooling arrangement in FIG

FIG. 9 with media guide arrangements;

FIGS. 11a and 11b representations of a mechanical coupling of the adjusting movement of a movable sliding screen by the converter drive; and

FIGS. 12 a to 12 c show different embodiments for the cross sections of media guide openings;

FIG. 13 shows a schematic representation of an energy converter with partition walls arranged between the thermoelastic elements, and FIG

FIG. 14 shows a schematic representation of a heating / cooling arrangement with a plurality of switchable media paths;

Figure 15 shows an arrangement of stacked energy converters

Cascading of the converter devices.

Description of embodiments

FIGS. 1a and 1b show perspective representations of an energy converter 1 which has converter devices 3a, 3b arranged in a frame structure of a surrounding frame 2. In the present exemplary embodiment, two converter devices 3a, 3b are provided in the common frame 2, but more than two converter devices 3a, 3b can also be provided within a common frame 2.

The transducer devices 3a, 3b are each formed with a number of thermoelastic elements 4, which extend in an extension direction E from a frame side 2a, 2b of the frame 2 to a slide 5 that can be moved translationally in the extension direction E. The carriage 5 is held between further opposing frame sides 2c, 2d and is used as a loading device for loading the thermoelastic elements of each of the plurality of transducer devices 3a, 3b with a time-variable force curve.

As shown in FIG. 1 a, the slide 5 is held guided in a web part 7. The web part 7 serves to separate the transducer devices 3a, 3b from one another, so that an exchange of a medium between the transducer devices 3a, 3b is prevented. The web part 7 preferably seals the transducer devices 3a, 3b from one another. The web part 7 is arranged in the frame between the frame sides 2c, 2d and can preferably have the same thickness as the frame sides 2c, 2d.

A converter drive 10 which can be used to move the carriage 5 is shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b. The carriage 5 is held at its two opposite ends by a cam carriage 12 of the converter drive 10 and is moved by the latter.

For this purpose, the thermoelastic elements 4 are attached with their ends to the frame 2, 2a, 2b and the slide 5 via corresponding holding elements 6 so that they can be subjected to tensile and possibly compressive loads through a translational movement of the slide. The holding elements 6 ensure that the thermoelastic elements 4 can be exchanged easily.

For example, the corresponding ends of the thermoelastic elements 4 can be provided with dovetail couplings, which can be inserted into corresponding dovetail couplings of the holding elements 6. The holding elements 6 can be attached to the frame 2 and / or to the slide 5 by a length-adjustable connection, e.g. Threaded rod / nut connections, so that by varying the length-adjustable connection, e.g. a tightening of the nut, the thermoelastic elements 4 a bias can be impressed.

The thermoelastic elements 4 can be arranged parallel to one another in one or more planes, in particular with an arrangement direction along the frame sides 2a, 2b, so that the entire arrangement of the thermoelastic Elements 4 is received in the plane of the frame 2 without protruding beyond the plane of the frame 2.

The thermoelastic material of the thermoelastic elements 4 can be a shape memory alloy, e.g. Contain nickel-titanium and so through a phase transition, i. a transformation of the lattice structure, with elastic tension or relaxation, release or absorb latent heat. Usually, in the case of shape memory alloys that are subjected to mechanical deformation under the action of force, an austenitic material structure is converted into a martensitic material structure and in the process gives off heat. If the material is relieved, it takes on its original shape again due to the elastic deformation, the martensitic material structure converting back into an austenitic material structure and absorbing heat from the environment. Other materials that show a corresponding reversible thermal change in response to an applied mechanical stress field can also be used for the thermoelastic elements 4 herein.

As shown in more detail in FIGS. 2a and 2b on the basis of two views, the converter drive 10 can be formed with the aid of a rotatable cam disk 11 which has a link profile and is in engagement with the cam carriages 12 attached to the slide 5. The cam carriages 12 are arranged on both sides of the slide 5 and are fork-shaped with prongs 12a. The prongs 12a are preferably provided with rollers 13 which enclose the cam disk 11 so that the cam carriages 12 follow the link profile of the cam disks 11 and thereby move the relevant carriage 5.

The respective cam disk 11 is arranged on a drive shaft 15 which is driven by a drive unit 16, e.g. an electric drive or the like, is driven for rotation. The converter devices 3a, 3b are coupled via the cam disks 11 and the cam carriages 12.

The device can generally be used for heat and cold generation or for a heat and power coupling to convert thermal potential differences into mechanical energy. Figures 3a and 3b show an adiabatic cycle for heat and cold generation and an adiabatic cycle for a heat-power coupling.

FIG. 3a shows an adiabatic cycle for the generation of heat and cold through a phase transition of a shape memory material in a discontinuous process. Starting from a phase P1 in which the shape memory material has a temperature T1, latent heat is released during an adiabatic elastic deformation of the shape memory material (the elastic tension e increases), so that the shape memory material is heated to a temperature T2. In a phase P2, with constant deformation, the released heat is dissipated via a heat sink, so that the temperature of the shape memory material decreases to a temperature T3. In a phase P3, the thermoelastic material is adiabatically relaxed again (e decreases) and absorbs latent heat, so that its temperature decreases and a temperature T4 is reached after the relaxation process, as illustrated in phase P4. By absorbing heat from a heat source, the temperature of the shape memory material is increased again to the starting temperature T1 for the process of phase P1.

FIG. 3b shows an adiabatic cycle for a heat-power coupling through a phase transition of a shape memory material in a discontinuous process. Starting from a phase K1, in which the shape memory material is heated from a temperature T1 to a temperature T2 in a long configuration, constant elongation e ₂ , the shape memory material is strained. In a phase K2, the shape-memory material of martensite transformed (long) to austenite (short) with change in elongation ei to e ₂ and exerts a mechanical force on the transducer means from. In phase K3, the material from T2 cools in a short configuration on T1 and transforms from austenite to martensite. In K4 the material is elongated from Z to e ₂ by the converter device while the temperature T1 remains the same. The force required is significantly less than is output to the converter device in K2.

In the following, embodiments for the cold or heat generation are described. The thermoelastic elements 4 of the converter devices 3a, 3b are preferably relaxed in one position of the slide 5 or are only loaded with a pretension set in each case. By moving the carriage 5 into the Extension direction E of the thermoelastic elements 4 of the converter devices 3a, 3b, these can be alternately loaded and relieved, in particular stretched and compressed (or relieved). The slide 5 is preferably displaced in the direction of extension E in order to avoid bending stress on the thermoelastic elements 4, which can lead to increased material fatigue.

By exerting a tensile force on the thermoelastic elements 4 of one of the converter devices 3a, these heat up, while the relieving of the other converter device 3b causes heat to be absorbed from the environment. With the aid of a converter drive 10, the carriage 5 is moved back and forth according to a predetermined movement profile. The movement profile is specified by the link profile of the cam disk 11. The to-and-fro movement can be sinusoidal, but the to-and-fro movement can be carried out according to a non-sinusoidal movement profile, which leads to a thermodynamically optimized heat absorption and heat release.

FIG. 4 shows, by way of example, a profile of a movement or application of force K of the slide 5 in an extension direction E for thermodynamically improved heat dissipation or heat absorption. One recognizes the change of the phases between loading and unloading with intermediate holding phases, during which the heat supply or heat dissipation takes place, recognizable from the corresponding schematized temperature profile T in the two converter devices 3a, 3b. The loading and unloading takes place alternately due to the common slide 5.

FIGS. 5a and 5b show an alternative embodiment of the energy converter 1, which, in contrast to the embodiment of FIGS. 1a, 1b, has two separate, for example, carriages 5a, 5b, instead of a carriage 5. Two cam carriages 12 are provided for each slide 5a, 5b, each of which is arranged on both sides of the respective associated slide 5a, 5b. The carriages 5a, 5b are assigned to a respective one of the transducer devices 3a, 3b and are held in web parts 7a, 7b which ensure that the transducer device 3a, 3b is sealed against leakage of the medium.

With this arrangement, it is possible to operate the converter devices 3a, 3b according to different loading and unloading profiles, in order to thus improve To achieve efficiency of the converter devices 3a, 3b. The cam disks 11 on both sides of the carriages 5a, 5b are preferably attached to a common drive shaft 15. The cam disks 11 and the respectively assigned cam carriages 12 are arranged on both sides of the respective slide 5a, 5b, so that when the converter drive 10 is activated, the resulting movement of the cam carriages 12 for each of the carriages 5a, 5b is synchronized with one another.

Figures 6a and 6b show in detail two views of the converter drive 10 used to control the separate carriages 5a, 5b. This has two cam disks 11 arranged on the drive shaft 15 with offset profiles so that a cyclical movement profile for the two carriages 5a, 5b and thereby a thermodynamically optimized heat emission or heat absorption for the converter devices 3a, 3b can be set individually.

By coupling the carriages 5a, 5b via the cam drive 10, the movements of the two carriages 5a, 5b are coupled to one another, so that mechanical energy recovered from the elastic deformation is generated through the link profile of the cam disk 11 by the relief of one of the converter devices 3a, 3b is free, is transmitted as a torque to the drive shaft 15 and can thus be used at least partially to load the thermoelastic elements 4 of the corresponding other converter device 3a, 3b. The carriages 5a, 5b are coupled via the cam carriages 12 and the cam disks 11 coupled via the shaft 15.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a possible movement profile or load profile of the transducer devices 3a, 3b and, shown schematically, the resulting temperature change. It can be seen that through the individual control of the converter devices 3a, 3b, the loading and unloading processes can be implemented with different movement profiles. It can be provided that a movement of the respective carriage 5a, 5b for loading the thermoelastic elements 4 of the relevant converter device 3a, 3b takes place with a linear course according to a lower gradient of the load or the movement than the linear course of the relief or the movement of the relevant carriage 5a, 5b to relieve the thermoelastic elements 4. Other non-linear but monotonic gradient courses are also conceivable. It is thermodynamically sensible to provide holding phases between the loading and unloading phases, which have a constant load profile or a load profile with a gradient that is very small in terms of amount and essentially makes no contribution to the generation of heat or cold. In other words, the load profile should be reduced in the holding phases in such a way that the heat dissipation from heat generated in the previous load phase or the heat absorption from in the previous relief phase are brought about without additional caloric effects. The holding phase can be correspondingly short if the previous loading and unloading was so slow that the energy from the latent heat is released from the medium directly without any significant delay. This is particularly advantageous for isothermal-adiabatic processes.

One or more holding phases can also be provided between several load phases and / or between several relief phases. In addition to a linear course of the load or the movement during a load phase and / or a relief phase, this can also have a different course, the courses should be monotonous.

A heating / cooling device 20 is shown schematically in FIG. To use the energy converter 1 for cooling and / or heating in the heating / cooling device 20, an alternating media conduction for heat transport through the converter devices 3a, 3b along different media paths S1, S2 can be provided in order to supply the released thermal energy to a media flow to heat it and / or to cool it by absorbing heat from a medium. For this purpose, for example, a first media feed 21a for feeding a medium to be heated, in particular air or water, to an arrangement of at least one of the energy converters 1, a first media outlet 22a for discharging the heated medium from the arrangement, a second media feed 21b for feeding in a medium to be heated, in particular air or water, from the arrangement and a second media outlet 22b for discharging the heated medium from the arrangement is provided. Media control elements 23, such as media flaps or media valves, of a media path switching device are provided in the media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b, which are designed to feed the medium through the arrangement either along a first or a second media path P1, P2 conduct. An exemplary embodiment is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The heating / cooling device 20 of FIG. 9 is provided with media control elements 23, which are each provided with one or more adjustable media feeds 21a, 21b or media outlets 22a, 22b as media guide openings which can each be selectively opened.

For this purpose, the adjustable media guide openings can preferably be arranged in the frame 2 above and below the converter devices 3a, 3b, so that they enclose the arrangement of the thermoelastic elements together with the frame 2. Switching of the media paths S1, S2 by selective opening or closing of one of the media feeds 21a, 21b or one of the media outlets 22a, 22b is provided for each converter device 3a, 3b.

In one embodiment, the frames 2 of several energy converters 1 can also be stacked and the media guide openings 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b can only be provided above the uppermost converter devices 3a, 3b and below the lowest of the converter devices 3a, 3b the energy converter 1. Furthermore, in other embodiments, some of the media guide openings 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b can also be provided between stacked frames 2 of several energy converters 1.

In principle, the media path or the media paths through the energy converter 1 can be provided in such a way that they flow transversely towards the thermoelastic elements 4 over their entire length or over a large part of their length in the direction of extent E in order to achieve the fastest possible heat transfer between the thermoelastic elements 4 and reach the medium. This can run through media guide openings 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b on the surface side or essentially parallel to the thermoelastic elements 4

Frame parts of the frame 2 can be achieved.

Alternatively, a flow of the medium can also be provided at least partially along the extension direction of the thermoelastic elements 4. This can be done by providing the media guide openings 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b on the holding sides 2a, 2b of the frame on which the thermoelastic elements 4 are held, or by offsetting opposing media guide openings 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b on the surface side or at substantially parallel to the thermoelastic elements 4 Frame parts of the frame 2 can be achieved. This can be advantageous for improving the internal media routing when cascading.

As shown in the embodiment of a heating / cooling device in Figure 9, the media guide openings can be designed, for example, as register panels, the openings of which, as shown in Figure 10, are connected to media guide arrangements 25 in order to feed a medium to the media feeds 21a, 21b and from the Remove media outlets 22a, 22b. The media guide arrangements 25 are each connected to the one or more media inlets 21a, 21b and each to the one or more media outlets 22a, 22b through which a media flow is supplied or discharged during operation, so that media paths S1, S2 through the Arrangement of one or more energy converters 1 are formed.

Preferably, the medium for heating is fed to the first media feeds 21a on a first side of the respective converter device 3a, 3b and discharged from a second side of the respective converter device 3a, 3b via the first media outlets 22a. Analogously, the medium for cooling is fed to the second media inlets 21b on a second side of the respective converter device 3a, 3b and discharged from a first side of the respective converter device 3a, 3b via the second media outlets 22b.

The opening and closing of the first and second media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b is generally controlled in such a way that a supplied medium flows into an area of the transducer device 3a, 3b in question, in a surface direction of the transducer device 3a, 3b on the thermoelastic elements 4 flows along or transversely to these and via the media outlets 22a, 22b, which are arranged offset to the direction of extent E and / or to the media feeds 21a, 21b, via the corresponding media guide arrangement 25.

As shown in FIG. 9, the media flaps 23 of the media feeds 21a, 21b and 20 can each be designed as a register panel. This has a fixed sliding panel 26a with the respective media guide openings 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b and a movable sliding panel 26b arranged thereon with correspondingly arranged openings, so that depending on the overlap of the sliding panels 26a, 26b on a first side of one of the transducer devices 3a, 3b, the first media inlets 21a are opened and the second media outlets 22b are closed and on a second side of one of the converter devices 3a, 3b, the second media inlets 21b are closed and the first media outlets 22a are open. In particular, it is thus possible to move the movable sliding panel 26b between two positions in which only one of the

Media guide openings 21a, 22b are open, while the corresponding other of the media guide openings 21a, 21b are closed.

The control of the media guide openings 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b or the adjusting movement of the movable sliding panel 26b can be carried out by the converter drive 10 or the cam carriage 12 coupled to it. As shown, for example, in the two opening positions in FIGS. 11a and 11b, the movable sliding panel 26b can be coupled to the cam carriage 12 by a suitable mechanical coupling, such as the lever arrangement 27, so that the opening and closing cycles of the media guide openings 21a , 21b, 22a, 22b takes place synchronously with the heating and cooling (loading and unloading) of the thermoelastic elements 4 of the respective converter device 3a, 3b.

The media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b are opened and closed in accordance with the loading and unloading of the thermoelastic elements 4 of the relevant converter device 3a, 3b and can be controlled accordingly via the common converter drive 10. Alternatively, the media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b can be opened and closed via a separate control which is synchronized with the course of the loading and unloading of the thermoelastic elements 4.

In an alternative embodiment, the opening and closing of the media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b can also take place alternately with respect to the sides of the converter device in question, ie. H. for heating the medium, the feed and discharge openings are open on a first side simultaneously, while the media feeds 21a, 21b and

Media outlets 22a, 22b on the opposite second side of the converter device 3a, 3b in question are closed and for cooling the medium the media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b on the second side are open simultaneously, while the media inlets 21a, 21b and

Media outlets 22a, 22b of the opposite first side of the

Converter device 3a, 3b are closed. The arrangement of the media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b, which are open at the same time, should be offset in the direction of the surface of the converter device in order to enable the best possible heat dissipation or supply to the thermoelastic elements 4. In particular, the media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b can be arranged in such a way that a flow of the medium is achieved along the extension direction of the thermoelastic elements 4 or across them.

Figures 12a to 12c show different embodiments for the cross sections of media guide openings. For example, FIG. 12a shows a corresponding media guide opening which extends over a large part of the length (> 80%) of a thermoelastic element 4 in its direction of extent E. The media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b on the first side and the second side of the respective transducer device 3a, 3b are offset transversely to the direction of extent, so that a flow through the relevant transducer device 3a, 3b is effected transversely to the direction of extent E.

Furthermore, FIG. 12b shows a triangular media guide opening which extends approximately over half the length of the thermoelastic elements 4 in their directions E of extension. The media feeds 21a, 21b and

Media outlets 22a, 22b on the first side and the second side are offset with respect to the direction of extent, so that a flow through the relevant converter device 3a, 3b is effected at least partially along the direction of extent, the flow resistance being uniform due to the triangular cross-section of the media duct.

Furthermore, FIG. 12c shows a rectangular media guide opening which extends approximately over less than half the length of the thermoelastic elements 4 in their extension directions E. The media guide openings on the first side and the second side are offset over the direction of extent E, so that a flow through the relevant transducer device 3a, 3b is effected along the direction of extent.

As shown in FIG. 13, partition walls 28, which run in the direction of extent, can be arranged between thermoelastic elements 4. These serve to guide the media inside the energy converter 1 and force a course of the Media flow in the direction of extension of the thermoelastic elements 4 in order to achieve an improved heat input or heat discharge.

In principle, the media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b can be provided on all sides of the converter devices 3a, 3b. The media guide openings can thus also run through the frame 2 to the thermoelastic elements 4. Overall, the converter devices 3a, 3b are each located within a closed volume through which the media paths S1, S2 run. The media guide openings are arranged in such a way that media paths run past at least a large part of the thermoelastic elements 4 in order to maximize the thermal transfer between the medium and the thermoelastic elements 4.

In an alternative embodiment, which is shown schematically in FIG. 14, the media paths can have a common media feed and separate media outlets 22a, 22b provided with corresponding media control elements 23. The media flaps are operated synchronously with the activation of the converter devices 3a, 3b by the converter drive 10, in order to discharge heated or cooled medium.

Alternatively, a common media outlet can also be provided, which has a switchable branching, in order to direct heated and cooled media columns after passing through the arrangement of one or more energy converters 1 in separate outlet paths.

Furthermore, as shown in the energy converter system 20 of FIG. 15, it is possible to stack several energy converters 1 so that their frames 2 lie on top of one another. Only the top and bottom of the stack arrangement can then be provided with the appropriately controllable media inlets 21a, 21b and media outlets 22a, 22b, so that a flow through the transducer devices 3a, 3b is achieved transversely to their surface direction.

Alternatively, the media path can also run in a meandering shape through such a stack arrangement and thereby run transversely to the direction of extension of the thermoelastic elements 4 or along their direction of extension. The media paths can also be tapped to add or remove media. By stacking the energy converters 1, the output of the heating / cooling device can be increased considerably. Due to the possibility of stacking and the configuration options through the number of thermoelastic elements 4 and their length, the structural size of such a heating / cooling device 20 can be adapted without the power density in relation to the structural volume deteriorating significantly.

With the arrangement of the media guide openings in the frame 2, with the upper and lower sides closed, a lateral arrangement of the frames can also be provided, in which the converter devices 3a, 3b of the energy converter 1 are flowed through one after the other to heat or cool the media flow.

The coupling can be designed in the energy converter system 20 in order to operate the operation of the at least one energy converter synchronously with a switchover between media routing via the first and second media paths S1, S2, so that the medium for absorbing heat from the thermoelastic elements 4 and to give off heat to the thermoelastic elements 4 via the first and the second media path S1, S2 through the arrangement.

In particular, the coupling can be designed to carry out the cyclical loading and unloading with flow along the first or the second media path S1, S2 offset in time with respect to the flow direction of the medium through the respective media path when operating several energy converters. In this way, depending on the flow rate of the medium, when changing between heating and cooling phases, the medium remaining within the arrangement can first be pressed out and the converter devices 3a, 3b only then activated, i.e. are loaded or relieved when the medium to be heated or cooled has reached the relevant converter device 3a, 3b.

Claims

1. Thermoelastic energy converter (1), in particular for use in a thermoelastic heating / cooling device or in a heat and power coupling system, comprising:

an arrangement with a plurality of transducer devices (3a, 3b), each of the transducer devices (3a, 3b) having one or more thermoelastic elements (4) arranged in a direction of extension; a loading device to load the thermoelastic elements (4) of each of the plurality of transducer devices (3a, 3b) with a time-variable force curve,

a coupling which is designed so that the application device controls the converter devices (3a, 3b) out of phase with regard to their cyclical loading and unloading.

2. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to claim 1, wherein the coupling is implemented:

with a converter drive (10) which is designed to control the application device in such a way that the converter devices (3a, 3b) are controlled out of phase so that the thermoelastic elements (4) of the respective converter devices (3a, 3b) are cyclically loaded and unloaded and thereby each cycle to warm up or cool down; or

with a force decoupling which is designed to decouple mechanical energy, which is supplied to the impingement device by the converter devices (3a, 3b), from the energy converter.

3. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thermoelastic elements (4) are arranged within one or more of the converter devices (3a, 3b) each parallel to one another in a frame (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) , so that the converter devices (3a, 3b) form one or more essentially planar heat exchanger planes, which in particular are completely received within the frame (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d).

4. Thermoelastic energy converter according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of converter devices form at least one substantially planar heat exchanger plane, each with a plurality of converter devices, wherein the converter devices of a heat exchanger level are in particular completely received within a common frame (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d).

5. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the loading device has a common carriage (5) which is movably arranged in the frame (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) and which is connected to one of the ends of the thermoelastic elements (4 ) is connected, so that with a cyclical translational movement of the common carriage (5) in the direction of extension, a reciprocal cyclical loading and unloading of the thermoelastic elements (4) of the transducer devices (3a, 3b) is achieved or so that when the thermoelastic Elements (4) of the converter devices (3a, 3b) a cyclic translational movement of the common slide (5) in the direction of extension is achieved.

6. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to claim 5, wherein the converter drive (10) is designed to move the common slide (5) cyclically according to a predetermined movement profile, wherein in particular the movement profile is designed to load phases during cyclical operation one of the converter devices (3a, 3b) and holding phases, in which there is essentially no movement of the carriage (5), and / or, during cyclic operation, load phases to load the converter devices (3a, 3b) and relief phases to relieve the converter devices (3a , 3b), the load phases and the relief phases of the plurality of converter devices (3a, 3b) in particular having different force profiles or expansion profiles.

7. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the loading device for each of the converter devices (3a, 3b) comprises a carriage (5a, 5b) movably arranged in the frame (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d), wherein each of the carriages is connected to the respective thermoelastic elements (4) of the associated transducer device (3a, 3b), so that with a respective movement profile with a cyclic translational movement of the carriages (5a, 5b) in the direction of extension, the cyclic loading and unloading of the thermoelastic elements (4) is achieved or so that when thermal loading of the thermoelastic Elements (4) of the converter devices (3a, 3b) a cyclic translational movement of the respective carriage in the direction of extension is achieved.

8. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to claim 7, wherein the carriages (5a, 5b) are mechanically coupled in order to at least partially load a mechanical energy released when one of the converter devices (3a, 3b) is relieved of load to load another of the converter devices (3a, 3b). 3b) to use.

9. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the converter drive (10) is coupled to the slides in order to drive them according to the particular non-sinusoidal movement profile, in particular the cyclical movement profiles each having a loading phase for loading the relevant converter device ( 3a, 3b), a holding phase in which there is essentially no movement of the relevant carriage, and a relief phase to relieve the relevant transducer device (3a, 3b).

10. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to claim 9, wherein the loading phase and the relief phase each have in sections linear or other monotonous courses of the load and / or relief or a movement of the carriage, the linear courses in particular having different gradients or the other monotonic courses the loading and / or unloading or the movement of the carriages (5a, 5b) have different gradients.

11. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to one of claims 6, 9 and 10, wherein the converter drive has at least one cam disk (11) with a respective cam carriage (12) which is coupled to the corresponding slide (5, 5a, 5b), wherein the cam disk (11) is in engagement with the cam carriage (12), so that a movement of the respective carriage (5, 5a, 5b) to load and relieve the thermoelastic elements (4) of the respective Converter device (3a; 3b) is effected in particular in the direction of extent (E) of the thermoelastic elements (4).

12. Thermoelastic energy converter (1) according to one of claims 6, 9 and 10, wherein the force coupling has at least one cam disk (11) with a respective cam carriage (12) which is connected to the corresponding slide (5, 5a, 5b) is coupled, wherein the cam disk (11) is in engagement with the cam carriage (12), so that a movement of the relevant slide due to a temperature exposure of the thermoelastic elements (4) of the relevant converter device (3a, 3b) (5, 5a, 5b) and rotation of the cam disk (11) is effected by a link.

13. Energy converter system (20), in particular a heating / cooling system, comprising: an arrangement of at least one energy converter (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12;

one or more media feeds (21, 21 b) for feeding a gaseous or liquid medium, in particular air or water, to the arrangement and one or more media outlets (22a, 22b) for discharging the medium from the arrangement,

a media path switching device which is designed to guide the medium through one or more of the converter devices (3a, 3b) selectively along a first or a second media path (S1, S2) in order to separate cooled or heated medium;

wherein the coupling is designed to operate the operation of the at least one energy converter (1) synchronously with a switchover between media routing via the first and second media path (S1, S2), so that the medium can absorb heat from the thermoelastic elements (4) and to give off heat to the thermoelastic elements (4) via the first and the second media path (S1, S2) through the arrangement.

14. Energy converter system (20) according to claim 13, wherein the coupling is designed to offset the cyclical loading and unloading with flow along the first or the second media path (S1, S2) with respect to one another in time when operating a plurality of energy converters (1)

Carry out flow direction of the medium through the respective media path.

15. Energy converter system (20) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the media path switching device (23) is provided with at least one media control element to switch between the first media path and the second media path (S1, S2).

16. Energy converter system (20) according to claim 15, wherein the media path switching device (23) with at least one first media supply (21a) and a first media discharge (22a) for controlling the first media path (S1) and with at least one second media supply (21b) and a second media outlet (22b) for controlling the second media path (S2) are formed.

17. Energy converter system (20) according to claim 16, wherein the first media inlet (21a) and the first media outlet (22a) are arranged on different sides of the energy converter arrangement and the second media inlet (21b) and the second media outlet (22b) are arranged on different sides of the energy converter arrangement are, in particular the first media feed (21a), the first media discharge (22a), the second media feed (21b) and / or the second media discharge (22b) on a frame part of the frame (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) of the Converter devices (3a, 3b) or are provided in a cover on the surface side thereof.

18. Energy converter system (20) according to one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the

Energy converter arrangement has a plurality of energy converters (1) adjacent to one another, so that the first and second media paths (S1, S2) each run through two mutually adjacent converter devices (3a, 3b) of energy converters (1), the media feeds (21a, 21b) and / or the media outlets (22a, 22b) on the surface sides of the

Energy converter arrangement or are each arranged in a frame (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) of the converter devices (3a, 3b) of the energy converter (1).

19. Energy converter system according to one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the at least one first and / or second media supply (21a, 21b) and / or the at least one first and / or second media discharge (22a, 22b) is a rectangular, round, oval or triangular opening cross-section.

20. Energy converter system (20) according to one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the first and / or the second media path (S1, S2) along the extension direction of the thermoelastic elements (4), transversely to the extension direction (E) and in the arrangement plane of the thermoelastic Elements (4) or transversely to the direction of extension and transversely to the plane of arrangement of the thermoelastic elements (4) are formed.

21. A method for operating a thermoelastic energy converter (1), in particular for use in a thermoelastic heating / cooling device or in a heat and power coupling system, wherein the thermoelastic energy converter comprises an arrangement with several converter devices (3a, 3b), each of the converter devices (3a, 3b) in one

Has one or more thermoelastic elements (4) arranged in the direction of extent (E);

wherein the thermoelastic elements (4) of each of the plurality of transducer devices (3a, 3b) are loaded with a time-variable force curve, the transducer devices (3a, 3b) being actuated with a phase shift with regard to their cyclical loading and unloading.

22. A method for operating an energy converter system (20), in particular a heating / cooling system, wherein the energy converter system (20) comprises an arrangement of at least one energy converter (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, one or more media feeds (21a, 21b) to Supplying a gaseous or liquid medium, in particular air or water, to the arrangement and having one or more media outlets (22a, 22b) for discharging the medium from the arrangement, and having a media path switching device which is designed to switch the medium through one or directing a plurality of the transducer devices (3a, 3b) selectively along a first or a second media path in order to separate cooled or heated medium;

wherein the at least one energy converter (1) is operated synchronously with a switch between a media routing via the first and the second media path (S1, S2), so that the medium for absorbing heat from the thermoelastic elements (4) and for releasing heat to the thermoelastic elements (4) via the first or the second media path (S1, S2) through the arrangement.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein when several energy converters (1) are in operation, the cyclical loading and unloading with flow along the first or second media path (S1, S2) is carried out offset in time with respect to the direction of flow of the medium through the respective media path .