EP4680843A1

EP4680843A1 - Combined chiller and organic rankine cycle system

Info

Publication number: EP4680843A1
Application number: EP24714171.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Damien Jean Daniel Arnou; Francois Charles Andre CLUNET; Paul Eric LE SAUSSE; Laurent Claude Eric THIBAUD
Original assignee: Tyco Fire and Security GmbH
Current assignee: Tyco Fire and Security GmbH
Priority date: 2023-03-20
Filing date: 2024-03-20
Publication date: 2026-01-21
Also published as: KR20260016463A; CN120958220A; WO2024194347A1

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system having a chiller circuit configured to direct a first working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system to transfer heat away from a component to be cooled and an ORC circuit configured to direct a second working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system to capture heat energy from a heat source and convert the heat energy into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both. The combined chiller and ORC system further includes a joint condenser having a first inlet configured to receive the first working fluid flow, a second inlet configured to receive a second working fluid flow, and a cooling fluid system configured to place a cooling fluid in a heat exchange relationship with the first working fluid flow and the second working fluid flow.

Description

COMBINED CHILLER AND ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE SYSTEM

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/453,409, entitled "COMBINED CHILLER AND ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE SYSTEM," filed March 20, 2023, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems, or vapor compression systems, are utilized in residential, commercial, and industrial environments to control environmental properties, such as temperature and humidity, for occupants of the respective environments. An HVAC&R system may utilize a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that changes phases between vapor, liquid, and combinations thereof in response to exposure to different temperatures and pressures within components of the HVAC&R system. The HVAC&R system, which may include a chiller system, may place the working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a cooling fluid (e.g., water) and may deliver the cooling fluid to conditioning equipment and/or a conditioned environment serviced by the chiller system. In some embodiments, an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) unit may be implemented alongside the HVAC&R system to recover energy from excess heat. Heat rejected as a byproduct (e.g., from engines) may warm a second flow of working fluid via a first ORC heat exchanger (e.g., an ORC evaporator) and direct the warmed second flow of working fluid to a turbine to convert the heat to mechanical and electrical energy that may then be recaptured by the vapor compression system. The ORC unit may direct the second working fluid to a second heat exchanger (e.g., an ORC condenser) to cool the working fluid and direct the cooled working fluid to a liquid pump. The liquid pump may drive the second working fluid flow and direct the working fluid to the first ORC heat exchanger. Unfortunately, existing ORC units result in additional costs, additional environmental footprint, and additional installation costs to implement.

SUMMARY

A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

In an embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system having a chiller circuit configured to direct a first working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system to transfer heat away from a component to be cooled and an ORC circuit configured to direct a second working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system to capture heat energy from a heat source and convert the heat energy into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both. The combined chiller and ORC system further includes a joint condenser having a first inlet configured to receive the first working fluid flow, a second inlet configured to receive a second working fluid flow, and a cooling fluid system configured to place a cooling fluid in a heat exchange relationship with the first working fluid flow and the second working fluid flow.

In an embodiment, a combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system includes a chiller circuit configured to direct a first working fluid therethrough, an ORC circuit configured to direct a second working fluid therethrough, and a joint condenser disposed between the chiller circuit and the ORC circuit and configured to reject excess heat from the first working fluid and the second working fluid. The chiller circuit includes a compressor configured to pressurize and circulate the first working fluid through the chiller circuit, and a first evaporator configured to place the first working fluid in a first heat exchange relationship with a load to be cooled. The ORC circuit includes a second evaporator configured to place the second working fluid in a second heat exchange relationship with a heat source to capture heat energy from the heat source and a turbine configured to receive the second working fluid from the evaporator and convert the heat energy imparted to the second working fluid from the heat source via the second evaporator into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both.

In an embodiment, a combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system includes a chiller circuit, an ORC circuit, a joint condenser, and a variable speed drive (VSD). The chiller circuit includes a compressor configured to direct a first working fluid through the combined chiller and ORC system to transfer heat away from a component to be cooled. The ORC circuit is configured to direct a second working fluid through the combined chiller and ORC system to capture heat energy from a heat source, where the ORC circuit includes a turbine configured to convert the heat energy into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both. The joint condenser is configured to receive the first working fluid and the second working fluid and reject excess heat from the first working fluid and the second working fluid. The VSD is communicatively coupled to the turbine and the compressor and is configured to provide power to drive operation of the compressor.

DRAWINGS

Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building that utilizes an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system in a commercial setting, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a schematic of an embodiment of the vapor compression system of FIG. 2, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of an embodiment of the vapor compression system of FIG. 2, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic of an embodiment of an HVAC&R system that includes a combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system having a joint compressor; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic of an embodiment of an HVAC&R system that includes a combined chiller and ORC system having a joint compressor and a shared rotor shaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. As used herein, the terms "approximately," "generally," "substantially," and so forth, are intended to convey that the property value being described may be within a relatively small range of the property value, as those of ordinary skill would understand. For example, when a property value is described as being "approximately" equal to (or, for example, "substantially similar" to) a given value, this is intended to convey that the property value may be within +/- 5%, within +/- 4%, within +/- 3%, within +/- 2%, within +/- 1%, or even closer, of the given value. Similarly, when a given feature is described as being "substantially parallel" to another feature, "generally perpendicular" to another feature, and so forth, this is intended to convey that the given feature is within +/- 5%, within +/- 4%, within +/- 3%, within +/- 2%, within +/- 1%, or even closer, to having the described nature, such as being parallel to another feature, being perpendicular to another feature, and so forth. Mathematical terms, such as "parallel" and "perpendicular," should not be rigidly interpreted in a strict mathematical sense, but should instead be interpreted as one of ordinary skill in the art would interpret such terms. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that two lines that are substantially parallel to each other are parallel to a substantial degree, but may have minor deviation from exactly parallel.

An HVAC&R system in accordance with present embodiments may include a chiller system configured to place a working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a cooling fluid (e.g., water), and may deliver the cooling fluid to conditioning equipment and/or a conditioned environment serviced by the chiller system. For example, HVAC&R systems may include a vapor compression system (e.g., a chiller system, heat pump system) that transfers thermal energy between a working fluid (e.g., refrigerant, heat transfer fluid) and a fluid to be conditioned (e.g., air, water, brine). The vapor compression system may include one or more vapor compression circuits (e.g., chiller circuits) that each include a condenser and an evaporator that are fluidly coupled to one another via one or more conduits (e.g., chiller circuit). Further, each vapor compression circuit may include a compressor configured to pressurize and circulate the working fluid through the conduit and, thus, enable the transfer of thermal energy between the working fluid and the fluid to be conditioned via the condenser and/or the evaporator. In certain instances, an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system may be implemented alongside the HVAC&R system to recover energy from excess heat. For example, the ORC system may include an ORC unit (e.g., an ORC circuit) configured to circulate a second flow of working fluid. The ORC unit may include a first ORC heat exchanger (e.g., an ORC evaporator) configured to transfer heat from a heat source (e.g., an engine) to the second flow of working fluid. The warmed working fluid of the ORC unit may be directed to a turbine to convert the heat energy of the working fluid into mechanical energy (e.g., rotational energy, kinetic energy). The turbine may include a generator. The mechanical energy produced via the turbine may cause a generator disposed along the turbine to spin and convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy. Converted electrical energy produced this way may be stored or utilized by the HVAC&R system. Working fluid may be directed by the ORC unit towards a second ORC heat exchanger (e.g., an ORC condenser) to reject excess heat not converted into mechanical energy via the turbine. The working fluid of the ORC system may be put into a heat exchange relationship with a cooling fluid of the ORC condenser to further reject excess heat out of the HVAC&R system. In this way, excess heat from a heat source may be recaptured and repurposed by the HVAC&R system. However, not every HVAC&R system is able to implement an ORC unit for the purposes of energy recapture. Some HVAC&R systems are implemented in spaces with minimal room to configure an additional working fluid flow path and the components of an ORC unit. Installing and maintaining these units may increase a cost and/or complexity associated with manufacture, installation, and/or maintenance of the HVAC&R system.

Thus, it is now recognized that improvements are desired for HVAC&R systems having a combined chiller and ORC system. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a compressor system that includes a single condenser that receives a first working fluid flow from a vapor compression circuit and a second working fluid flow from an ORC circuit. For example, the condenser may include a first inlet configured to receive a first working fluid flow (e.g., from the vapor compression compressor) and a second inlet configured to receive a second working fluid flow (e.g., from the ORC turbine). The condenser may reject heat from both working fluid flows and discharge the cooled working fluid flows, such as to their respective circuit flow paths. Indeed, the single condenser may have multiple inlets configured to receive respective working fluid flows that may be at different intake pressures. Such a system with a single condenser may operate with similar efficiency compared to a system with individual condensers for each flow of working fluid. That is, combining the chiller circuit and the ORC circuit to make use of a shared condenser is efficient with respect to heat transfer. In addition to eliminating a separate condenser structure, the shared condenser also allows the combined chiller and ORC system to limit the number of fluid connections needed. Instead of a first cooling fluid connection for a first cooling fluid flow through a first condenser (e.g., which may include a first cooling fluid inlet and a first cooling fluid outlet) and a second cooling fluid connection for a second cooling fluid flow through a second condenser (e.g., which may include a second cooling fluid inlet and a second cooling fluid outlet), only a single cooling fluid connection is needed to reject heat from both the chiller unit and the ORC unit. For example, as discussed herein, a "single cooling fluid connection" may refer to a connection in which only a single cooling fluid inlet and a single cooling fluid outlet are utilized to direct cooling fluid into and out of an internal volume (e.g., reservoir) of the joint condenser, thereby placing the cooling fluid in a heat exchange relationship with each flow of working fluid directed through the joint condenser. Therefore, the system may have a more compact design and a smaller footprint for installation. Thus, manufacture, installation, and/or maintenance of the HVAC&R system may be improved.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an environment for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system 10 in a building 12 for a typical commercial setting. The HVAC&R system 10 may include a vapor compression system 14 (e.g., a chiller, a vapor compression circuit) that supplies a chilled liquid, which may be used to cool the building 12. The HVAC&R system 10 may also include a boiler 16 to supply warm liquid to heat the building 12 and an air distribution system which circulates air through the building 12. The air distribution system can also include an air return duct 18, an air supply duct 20, and/or an air handler 22. In some embodiments, the air handler 22 may include a heat exchanger that is connected to the boiler 16 and the vapor compression system 14 by conduits 24. The heat exchanger in the air handler 22 may receive either heated liquid from the boiler 16 or chilled liquid from the vapor compression system 14, depending on the mode of operation of the HVAC&R system 10. The HVAC&R system 10 is shown with a separate air handler on each floor of the building 12, but in other embodiments, the HVAC&R system 10 may include air handlers 22 and/or other components that may be shared between or among floors.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are embodiments of the vapor compression system 14 that can be used in the HVAC&R system 10. The vapor compression system 14 may circulate a refrigerant through a circuit starting with a compressor 32. The circuit may also include a condenser 34, an expansion valve(s) or device(s) 36, and a liquid chiller or an evaporator 38. The vapor compression system 14 may further include a control panel 40 that has an analog to digital (A/D) converter 42, a microprocessor 44, a non-volatile memory 46, and/or an interface board 48.

Some examples of fluids that may be used as refrigerants in the vapor compression system 14 are hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) based refrigerants, for example, R-410A, R-407, R-134a, R-1234ze, R1233zd, hydrofluoro olefin (HFO), "natural" refrigerants like ammonia (NH3), R-717, carbon dioxide (CO2), R-744, or hydrocarbon based refrigerants, water vapor, or any other suitable refrigerant. In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may be configured to efficiently utilize refrigerants having a normal boiling point of about 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) at one atmosphere of pressure, also referred to as low pressure refrigerants, versus a medium pressure refrigerant, such as R- 134a. As used herein, "normal boiling point" may refer to a boiling point temperature measured at one atmosphere of pressure.

In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSDs) 52, a motor 50, the compressor 32, the condenser 34, the expansion valve or device 36, and/or the evaporator 38. The motor 50 may drive the compressor 32 and may be powered by a variable speed drive (VSD) 52. The VSD 52 receives alternating current (AC) power having a particular fixed line voltage and fixed line frequency from an AC power source, and provides power having a variable voltage and frequency to the motor 50. In other embodiments, the motor 50 may be powered directly from an AC or direct current (DC) power source. The motor 50 may include any type of motor that can be powered by a VSD or directly from an AC or DC power source, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically commutated permanent magnet motor, or another suitable motor. The compressor 32 compresses a refrigerant vapor and delivers the vapor to the condenser 34 through a discharge passage. In some embodiments, the compressor 32 may be a centrifugal compressor. The refrigerant vapor delivered by the compressor 32 to the condenser 34 may transfer heat to a cooling fluid (e.g., water or air) in the condenser 34. The refrigerant vapor may condense to a refrigerant liquid in the condenser 34 as a result of thermal heat transfer with the cooling fluid. The liquid refrigerant from the condenser 34 may flow through the expansion device 36 to the evaporator 38. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the condenser 34 is water cooled and includes a tube bundle 54 connected to a cooling tower 56, which supplies the cooling fluid to the condenser 34.

The liquid refrigerant delivered to the evaporator 38 may absorb heat from another cooling fluid, which may or may not be the same cooling fluid used in the condenser 34. The liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 38 may undergo a phase change from the liquid refrigerant to a refrigerant vapor. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the evaporator 38 may include a tube bundle 58 having a supply line 60S and a return line 60R connected to a cooling load 62. The cooling fluid of the evaporator 38 (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) enters the evaporator 38 via return line 60R and exits the evaporator 38 via supply line 60S. The evaporator 38 may reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid in the tube bundle 58 via thermal heat transfer with the refrigerant. The tube bundle 58 in the evaporator 38 can include a plurality of tubes and/or a plurality of tube bundles. In any case, the vapor refrigerant exits the evaporator 38 and returns to the compressor 32 by a suction line to complete the cycle.

In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may include an ORC unit 63 coupled to the condenser 34. The ORC unit 63 may be configured to direct a second working fluid through the ORC unit 63 and through the condenser 34 to capture heat energy from a heat source and convert the heat energy into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both. For example, the ORC unit 63 may include a heat exchanger (e.g., evaporator) coupled to a heat source, and the evaporator may be configured to receive and direct a second working fluid therethrough to heat the second working fluid (e.g., via heat exchange with the heat source) before directing the second working fluid toward a turbine of the ORC unit 63. The heated working fluid may be directed through the turbine, and the turbine may be configured to convert the heat energy of the working fluid into mechanical energy (e.g., rotational energy, kinetic energy). The second working fluid may then be discharged toward the condenser 34 to reject excess heat not converted into mechanical energy via the turbine, as described in greater detail below.

FIG. 4 is a schematic of the vapor compression system 14 with an intermediate circuit 64 incorporated between condenser 34 and the expansion device 36. The intermediate circuit 64 may have an inlet line 68 that is directly fluidly connected to the condenser 34. In other embodiments, the inlet line 68 may be indirectly fluidly coupled to the condenser 34. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4, the inlet line 68 includes a first expansion device 66 positioned upstream of an intermediate vessel 70, which is incorporated into the vapor compression systems 14 described above to provide efficient operation. In some embodiments, the intermediate vessel 70 may be a flash tank (e.g., a flash intercooler, an economizer). In other embodiments, the intermediate vessel 70 may be configured as a heat exchanger or a "surface economizer." In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4, the intermediate vessel 70 is used as a flash tank, and the first expansion device 66 is configured to lower the pressure of (e.g., expand) the liquid refrigerant received from the condenser 34. During the expansion process, a portion of the liquid may vaporize, and thus, the intermediate vessel 70 may be used to separate the vapor from the liquid received from the first expansion device 66.

Additionally, the intermediate vessel 70 may provide for further expansion of the liquid refrigerant because of a pressure drop experienced by the liquid refrigerant when entering the intermediate vessel 70 (e.g., due to a rapid increase in volume experienced when entering the intermediate vessel 70). The vapor in the intermediate vessel 70 may be drawn by the compressor 32 through a suction line 74 of the compressor 32. For example, the compressor 32 may include a single compressor stage configured to receive and pressurize both the vapor from the evaporator 38 and the vapor from the intermediate vessel 70 to a particular pressure. The liquid that collects in the intermediate vessel 70 may be at a lower enthalpy than the liquid refrigerant exiting the condenser 34 because of the expansion in the expansion device 66 and/or the intermediate vessel 70. The liquid from intermediate vessel 70 may then flow in line 72 through a second expansion device 36 to the evaporator 38. In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may include an ORC unit 63 coupled to the condenser 34. As briefly discussed above, the ORC unit 63 may be configured to direct a second working fluid through the ORC unit 63 and through the condenser 34 to capture heat energy from a heat source and convert the heat energy into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both. For example, the ORC unit 63 may include a heat exchanger (e.g., evaporator) coupled to a heat source, and the evaporator may be configured to receive and direct a second working fluid flow therethrough to heat the second working fluid (e.g., via heat exchange with the heat source) before directing the second working fluid flow toward a turbine of the ORC unit 63. The heated working fluid may be directed through the turbine, and the turbine may be configured to convert the heat energy of the working fluid into mechanical energy (e.g., rotational energy, kinetic energy). The second working fluid flow may then be discharged toward the condenser 34 to reject excess heat not converted into mechanical energy via the turbine, as described in greater detail below.

It should be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be incorporated with the vapor compression system 14 or any other suitable HVAC&R systems. For example, the present techniques may be incorporated with any HVAC&R system having an economizer, such as the intermediate vessel 70, and a compressor, such as the compressor 32. The discussion below describes the present techniques incorporated with embodiments of the compressor 32 configured as a single stage compressor. However, it should be noted that the systems and methods described herein may be incorporated with other embodiments of the compressor 32 (e.g., multi-stage compressors) and HVAC&R system 10.

The present disclosure is directed to an HVAC&R system having a condenser system that includes a condenser configured to receive and cool separate working fluid flows. For example, the condenser may include a first inlet configured to receive a first working fluid flow, such as from a compressor (e.g., a chiller compressor). The compressor may include a second inlet configured to receive a second working fluid flow, such as from a turbine (e.g., an ORC turbine). The condenser may reject heat from the first and second working fluid flows and discharge the respective cooled working fluid flows (e.g., to a chiller expansion device, to an ORC fluid pump). In this manner, a single condenser of the HVAC&R system may be utilized to reject heat from multiple, separate working fluid flows. Thus, the HVAC&R system in accordance with present embodiments may include fewer condensers as compared to a HVAC&R system having condenser embodiments configured to receive and reject heat from a single working fluid flow. As such, the HVAC&R system in accordance with present embodiments may reject heat from separate working fluid flows, including a working fluid flow received from an ORC unit, at a reduced cost and/or complexity associated with manufacture, installation, and/or operation of the HVAC&R system in accordance with present embodiments.

With the foregoing in mind, FIG. 5 is a schematic of an embodiment of a combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system 100 or circuit having a joint condenser 102. The combined chiller and ORC system 100 may include a chiller circuit 104 (e.g., chiller system) configured to direct a first working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system 100 and an ORC circuit 106 configured to direct a second working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system 100.

The chiller circuit 104 may include an evaporator 108 (e.g., a first evaporator, the evaporator 38) configured to place the first working fluid flow in a heat exchange relationship with a load 110 to absorb heat from the load 110, and a compressor 112 (e.g., the compressor 32) configured to pressurize the first working fluid flow. The chiller circuit 104 may also include the joint condenser 102 (e.g., the condenser 34) configured to cool a working fluid (e.g., the first working fluid flow and/or the second working fluid flow). Furthermore, the chiller circuit 104 may include an expansion device 114 (e.g., the expansion device 36) configured to expand the working fluid and reduce the pressure of the working fluid in the first working fluid flow. For example, the chiller circuit 104 may direct the first working fluid flow toward the compressor 112 from the evaporator 108, pressurize the working fluid in the first working fluid flow via the compressor 112, direct the high-pressure working fluid to the joint condenser 102, reduce the pressure of the first working fluid flow via the expansion device 114, and direct the low-pressure first working fluid flow back to the evaporator 108.

In some embodiments, the load 110 may be an element of an HVAC&R system (e.g., HVAC&R system 10) that is being cooled. For illustrative purposes, the load 110 is shown as a separate element from the first working fluid flow of the chiller circuit 104. In some embodiments, the load 110 may be an element of the combined chiller and ORC system 100. For example, the load 110 may be a compressor motor used to drive the compressor 112 of the chiller circuit 104. The components of the element that is being cooled (e.g., the compressor motor) may increase in temperature and may impact the efficiency at which the element (e.g., the compressor 112) operates within the HVAC&R system 10. Following the previous example, if components of the compressor motor (e.g., the stator, the rotor, the electromagnetic bearings) are excessively warm, the compressor 112 may not operate at a same efficiency as if the compressor motor components were at a reduced temperature.

In some embodiments, a first cooling flow path 116 (e.g., first cooling fluid flow circuit) may be disposed between the load 110 and the evaporator 108 so as to transfer heat from the load 110 to the evaporator 108. For example, cooling fluid may be directed from the evaporator 108 through the first cooling flow path 116 (e.g., a first leg of the cooling flow path 116) and may contact components of the load 110 and conduct heat from the load 110 (e.g., load components) into the cooling fluid, thereby reducing the overall temperature of the load 110 and increasing the temperature of the cooling fluid. The heated cooling fluid may then go back through the first cooling flow path (e.g., a second leg of the cooling flow path 116) to be put into a heat exchange relationship with the working fluid directed through the evaporator 108 so as to transfer the heat energy from the cooling fluid to the working fluid (e.g., transfer heat energy into the chiller circuit 104). The cooling fluid (e.g., cooled cooling fluid) may then be directed along the first cooling flow path 116 (e.g., the first leg of the cooling flow path 116) back to the load 110 in order to conduct more heat. Thus, the evaporator 108 may be configured to place the first working fluid flow in a heat exchange relationship with a motor that drives the compressor 112 via the first cooling flow path 116 disposed between (e.g., fluidly coupling) the load 110 and the evaporator 108.

Similarly, the ORC circuit 106 may include an evaporator 120 (e.g., second evaporator) configured to place the second working fluid flow in a heat exchange relationship with a heat source 122 to absorb heat from the heat source 122. The ORC circuit 106 may also include a turbine 124 configured to convert heat energy from the second working fluid flow into other forms of energy (e.g., mechanical energy, electrical energy, kinetic energy, potential energy). In some embodiments, the turbine 124 may include a generator used to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. The ORC circuit 106 may also include the joint condenser 102 configured to cool the second working fluid flow. Furthermore, the ORC circuit 106 may include a working fluid pump 126 to induce fluid movement of working fluid (e.g., second working fluid flow) through the ORC circuit 106. For example, the ORC circuit 106 may direct working fluid towards the turbine 124 from the evaporator 120, convert a portion of the heat energy within the working fluid into other forms of energy via the turbine 124, direct the working fluid to the joint condenser 102 to reject excess heat, and back through the fluid pump 126 to continue producing fluid flow.

In some embodiments, the heat source 122 may be an engine (e.g., a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, and electric engine, etc.). The engine may be used to convert chemical energy from fuel into mechanical motion in order to create movement for a vehicle (e.g., an automobile, a train, a boat, a submarine, a plane, etc.). During operation, the engine may release energy in the form of excess heat. The temperature of components of the engine (e.g., a rotor, a stator, windings, electromagnetic bearings, etc.) may increase and excess heat may be lost to the surrounding environment. The combined chiller and ORC system 100 may capture a portion of the excess heat so as to warm the second working fluid flow using a second cooling fluid flow passing through a heat source cooling path 128 (e.g., heat source cooling circuit). For example, the second cooling fluid flow may be directed from the evaporator 120 along the heat source cooling path 128 (e.g., a first leg of the heat source cooling path 128) through the heat source 122, and may make physical contact with the various components of the heat source 122 (e.g., engine). As the second cooling fluid flow contacts the various components of the heat source 122, the heat source 122 may deposit heat to the second cooling fluid flow, thereby increasing a temperature of the second cooling fluid flow. After passing through the heat source 122, the heated second cooling fluid flow may be directed along the heat source cooling path 128 (e.g., a second leg of the heat source cooling path 128) toward the evaporator 120 in order to conduct heat from the heat source 122 to the second working fluid directed through the evaporator 120. That is, the heated cooling flow may then be put into a heat exchange relationship with the second working fluid flow directed through the evaporator 120 so as to transfer the heat energy from the second cooling fluid flow to the working fluid. The second cooling fluid may then be directed along the heat source cooling path 128 back toward the heat source 122 in order to recapture additional excess heat. Thus, the evaporator 120 may be configured to place the second working fluid flow in a heat exchange relationship with heat source 122 via the heat source cooling path 128 disposed between (e.g., fluidly coupling) the heat source 122 and the evaporator 120. In this way, the second cooling flow may reduce the temperature of the various components of the heat source 122 (e.g., engine) and cool the heat source 122 as a result of transferring excess heat away from the heat source 122.

In certain embodiments, the joint condenser 102 may be disposed between the chiller circuit 104 and the ORC circuit 106, and the joint condenser 102 may include a first working fluid inlet 130 configured to receive the first working fluid flow and a second working fluid inlet 132 configured to receive the second working fluid flow. In certain embodiments, the first working fluid inlet 130 and the second working fluid inlet 132 may be disposed on opposite sides of the joint condenser 102. The joint condenser 102 may also include a first working fluid outlet 134 configured to direct the first working fluid flow towards the expansion device 114 and a second working fluid outlet 136 configured to direct the second working fluid flow towards the fluid pump 126. In some embodiments, the joint condenser 102 may include a cooling fluid system 139 (e.g., single cooling fluid connection) configured to place a cooling fluid (e.g., water, glycol, brine) in a heat exchange relationship with the first working fluid flow and the second working fluid flow directed through the joint condenser 102, thereby enabling the joint condenser 102 to reject excess heat from the first working fluid flow and the second working fluid flow. The cooling fluid system 139 may include a cooling fluid inlet 140 and a cooling fluid outlet 142 fluidly coupled to an internal volume 103 (e.g., reservoir) of the joint condenser 102. The cooling fluid inlet 140 may be configured to receive a cooling fluid inflow and direct the cooling fluid inflow into the internal volume 103 of the joint condenser 102. After flowing through the interior volume 103 and across the tubes of the joint condenser 102, the cooling fluid may be directed through the cooling fluid outlet 142, which may be configured to discharge a cooling fluid outflow from the internal volume 103. Cooling fluid directed into the joint condenser 102 (e.g., into the internal volume 103 of the joint condenser 102 via the cooling fluid system 139) may be put into a heat exchange relationship with the working fluid of the chiller circuit 104 (e.g., first working fluid flow), the working fluid of the ORC circuit 106 (e.g., second working fluid flow), or both. For example, tubes of the joint condenser 102 may carry the first working fluid flow and the second working fluid flow therethrough, and as the cooling fluid flow is directed across the tubes, the cooling fluid may reject (e.g., carry away) excess heat from the first working fluid flow, the second working fluid flow, or both. In some embodiments, the joint condenser 102 may include a single cooling fluid inlet 140 and a single cooling fluid outlet 142. In this way, the combined chiller and ORC system 100 may only require a single connection to a cooling fluid source (e.g., the cooling tower 56, a cooling fluid reservoir, a sea water network, etc.).

In some embodiments, the working fluid directed into the joint condenser 102 via the chiller circuit 104 and the working fluid directed into the joint condenser 102 via the ORC circuit 106 remain separate. For example, the working fluid (e.g., first working fluid flow) flowing through the chiller circuit 104 may be directed along a first working fluid flow path 146 (e.g., first working fluid circuit) and the working fluid (e.g., second working fluid flow) flowing through the ORC circuit 106 may be directed along a second working fluid flow path 148 (e.g., second working fluid circuit). In this way, working fluid from the first working fluid flow path 146 and working fluid from the second working fluid flow path 148 may remain separated as the working fluid from each respective flow path 146, 148 is directed through the joint condenser 102. In some other embodiments, the working fluid from each working fluid flow path may join and form a collective working fluid flow through the joint condenser 102 so as to reduce the size and fluid conduits needed to manufacture and implement the joint condenser 102. In these embodiments, the first working fluid inlet 130 and the second working fluid inlet 132 may direct working fluid towards a common working fluid space so that the working fluid from the ORC circuit 106 and the working fluid from the chiller circuit 104 may be put into a heat exchange relationship with the cooling fluid of the joint condenser 102.

In some embodiments, the combined chiller and ORC system 100 may be implemented on existing chiller systems (e.g., the vapor compression system 14). An existing chiller system may have an additional evaporator added for connection to the cooling loops of a heat source (e.g., an engine) on the working fluid side. Similarly, a turbine with its generator may be added to the existing chiller system. The size of the condenser of the existing chiller system may be increased so as to accommodate an additional flow of working fluid. The condenser of the chiller system may be configured to receive an additional working fluid flow (e.g., the second working fluid flow) so as to reject heat from the working fluid of the ORC circuit. In this way, the condenser of the chiller system may be refitted and repurposed as the joint condenser of the combined chiller and ORC system. In some embodiments, the combined chiller and ORC system 100 may include a VSD cabinet 200 (e.g., VSD 52) configured to provide power to the compressor 112 (e.g., compressor motor 50, load 110) of the combined chiller and ORC system 100. The VSD cabinet 200 may also receive power from the turbine 124 of the combined chiller and ORC system 100. In this way, the VSD cabinet 200 may direct electrical energy via the chiller circuit 104 and receive electrical energy via the ORC circuit 106. Electrical energy directed into the VSD cabinet 200 via the turbine 124 may be directed into a turbine generator rectifier 202 to convert an alternating current (AC) of electricity into a direct current (DC) of electricity. Converted electrical energy may be directed towards a DC bus 204 that serves as a common communications pathway between several components of the VSD cabinet 200. The DC flow may be directed towards a compressor motor inverter 206 from the DC bus 204 that may then convert the DC flow into an AC flow. The AC flow of electricity may then be directed towards the compressor 112 so as to provide electrical energy to the compressor motor and drive the compression of the chiller circuit 104. The VSD cabinet 200 may represent one or more variable speed drives. Further, the VSD cabinet 200 may also represent related controls (e.g., a controller).

In some embodiments, the DC flow from the DC bus 204 may be directed towards an Electrical Network Rectifier (ENR) 208 that may then convert the DC flow of electricity into an AC flow of electricity. The AC flow of electricity directed from the ENR 208 may then be used by other components of the HVAC&R system 10 not shown in the illustrative example or for other applications in the surrounding environment. For example, electrical energy generated via the turbine 124 of the ORC circuit 106 may be directed into the VSD cabinet 200 and then repurposed into powering the compressor 112 (e.g., compressor motor) of the chiller circuit 104, powering other components of the HVAC&R system 10 (e.g., the fluid pump 126, the heat source 122, the load 110, etc.), providing power to applications in the surrounding environment (e.g., lighting systems, navigation systems, communication systems, etc.).

In some embodiments, the flow of electrical energy through the ENR 208 may flow in multiple directions. AC flow may be directed into the VSD cabinet 200 from an electrical network 210 and the ENR 208 may convert the AC flow into a DC flow directed toward the DC bus 204. Electrical energy may flow out of the VSD cabinet 200 to provide power to external systems, and electrical energy may flow into the VSD cabinet 200 to provide power to the combined chiller and ORC system 100. For example, the electrical network 210 may include a power supply (e.g., an engine, a battery, a generator, etc.) that may provide additional electrical energy to the combined chiller and ORC system 100. In this way, the ORC circuit 106 and the chiller circuit 104 may operate independently from one another. For example, when the ORC circuit 106 is in a lower operational mode (e.g., turned off, operating minimally, etc.), electrical energy from the electrical network 210 may supplement the electrical energy generated via the ORC circuit 106 so as to operate the compressor 112 (e.g., compressor motor) of the chiller circuit 104 at a higher operational mode (e.g., turned on, operating maximally, etc.).

In some embodiments, electrical energy generated via the ORC circuit 106 may provide a majority of the electrical energy used to power the compressor 112 of the chiller circuit 104. In some other embodiments, electrical energy generated via the ORC circuit 106 may provide a minority of the electrical energy used to power the compressor 112 of the chiller circuit 104. The operational capacity of the ORC circuit 106 may not substantially influence the operation of the chiller circuit 104. Similarly, in some embodiments, a majority of the electrical energy generated via the ORC circuit 106 may be directed towards the compressor 112 and a minority of electrical energy may be directed into the electrical network 210. In some other embodiments, a minority of the electrical energy generated via the ORC circuit 106 may be directed towards the compressor 112 and a majority of the electrical energy may be directed into the electrical network 210. The chiller circuit 104 and the ORC circuit 106 may both operate at an optimum efficiency based on the amount of electrical energy generated and required by each respective circuit. In some embodiments, the combined chiller and ORC system 100 may operate with both the ORC circuit 106 and the chiller circuit 104, with just the ORC circuit 106, or with just the chiller circuit 104, depending on the desired application. In some embodiments, the VSD cabinet 200 may be a single VSD configured to provide a single connection to the electrical network 210 of the HVAC&R system 10.

Although the VSD cabinet 200 of the illustrated combined chiller and ORC system 100 includes a separate compressor motor inverter 206 and turbine generator rectifier 202, the combined chiller and ORC system 100 may have any suitable number of devices configured to convert an AC flow of electricity into a DC flow of electricity, and vice versa. In some embodiments, the VSD cabinet 200 may include a number of conversion devices based on an independence between the chiller circuit 104 and the ORC circuit 106. For example, if a plurality of ORC circuits 106 are configured to generate electrical energy from recaptured excess heat, a number of turbine generator rectifiers 202 associated with a number of ORC circuits 106 may be configured to convert the flow of electricity for each respective turbine 124. In some embodiments, energy converted from the heat of the working fluid of the second fluid flow path via the turbine 124 may be directed immediately toward the compressor 112 without first passing through the VSD cabinet 200.

Additionally, in certain embodiments, the combined chiller and ORC system 100 includes one or more sensors 220 configured to detect one or more operating parameters of the combined chiller and ORC system 100. For example, the one or more sensors 220 may be disposed throughout the combined chiller and ORC system 100 and may be configured to detect data indicative of a temperature and/or a pressure of the first working fluid flow at various locations along the chiller circuit 104 (e.g., various locations along the first working fluid flow path 146), a temperature and/or pressure of the second working fluid flow at various locations along the ORC circuit 106 (e.g., various locations along the second working fluid flow path), a temperature and/or pressure of the cooling fluid directed into the joint condenser 102, a temperature and/or pressure of the cooling fluid flow directed along the first cooling flow path 116, a temperature and/or pressure of the cooling fluid flow directed along the heat source cooling path 128, a saturation temperature of the evaporator 108, a saturation temperature of the evaporator 120, a demand associated with the load 110, a temperature associated with the heat source 122, and the like. The one or more sensors 220 may communicate such data to a controller 230 (e.g., control system, automation system, control panel 40), thereby enabling the controller 230 to control operation of the combined chiller and ORC system 100. That is, in certain embodiments, certain components of the combined chiller and ORC system 100 may be communicatively coupled to the controller 230 (e.g., control panel 40), thereby enabling the controller 230 to control operation of the combined chiller and ORC system 100, as described in greater detail below.

In certain embodiments, the controller 230 may include processing circuitry 232

(e.g., one or more microprocessors) and a memory 234. For example, the controller 230 may include non-transitory code or instructions stored in a machine-readable medium (e.g., the memory 234) that is used by the processing circuitry to implement the techniques described herein. The memory 234 may include volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), optical drives, hard disc drives, solid-state drives, or any other non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, control operation of the combined chiller and ORC system 100. The controller 230 may monitor and control operation of the combined chiller and ORC system 100, for example, by adjusting a speed of the compressor 112, controlling operation of the VSD cabinet 200, controlling distribution of the power generated via operation of the turbine 124 (e.g., controlling an amount of power generated by the turbine 124 and directed to the compressor 112), and the like. For example, upon receiving sensor data indicative of a temperature of the heat source 122, the controller 230 may determine an amount of power (e.g., electrical power) that may be generated by the turbine 124 using the excess heat from the heat source 122. In turn, the controller 230 may control the VSD cabinet 200 to control the distribution of the power generated via operation of the turbine 124 between the compressor 112 and the electrical network 210.

FIG. 6 is a schematic of an embodiment of an HVAC&R system (e.g., the HVAC&R system 10) that includes a combined chiller and ORC system 300 that may include a shared rotor shaft 150. It should be appreciated that the combined chiller and ORC system 300 may include similar components to the combined chiller and ORC system 100 described above. Thus, certain features and/or components may include the same element numbers and may function as discussed above with respect to FIG. 5. Further, in certain embodiments, the combined chiller and ORC system 300 may include the sensors 220 and the controller 230 discussed above, thereby enabling the controller 230 to control operation of the combined chiller and ORC system 300 (e.g., based on the data from the one or more sensors 220).

A compressor impeller of the compressor 112 may be disposed along a first end 152 of the shaft 150 and a turbine impeller of the turbine 124 may be disposed along a second end 154 of the shaft 150. As the turbine 124 converts heat energy into mechanical energy, the rotor of the turbine 124 may rotate about a fixed axis. The rotation of the rotor may cause the rotor shaft 150 to rotate and direct the rotational mechanical energy of the shaft 150 toward the impeller of the compressor 112. As the impeller of the compressor 112 rotates with the mechanical energy via the turbine 124, the compressor rotor of the compressor 112 (e.g., compressor rotor of the compressor motor) may rotate so as to drive the operation of the compressor 112. In this way, mechanical energy generated via the turbine 124 of the ORC circuit 106 may be directly used to drive the compressor 112 and generate the flow of working fluid through the chiller circuit 104. In some embodiments, a single driveline 160 may be used to both generate mechanical energy and utilize the mechanical energy to directly pressurize the first working fluid flow.

In some embodiments, a generator disposed along the single driveline may convert a portion of the mechanical energy of the rotation of the driveline 160 into electrical energy. The VSD cabinet 200 may receive the converted electrical energy via the turbine generator rectifier 202 so as to repurpose a portion of the mechanical energy generated for use in the electrical network 210 as well as in other components of the HVAC&R system 10. In some embodiments, the turbine generator rectifier 202 may also act as an inverter. Electrical energy flowing from the generator disposed along the driveline 160 into the VSD cabinet 200 may be converted from an AC flow to a DC flow, and electrical energy flowing from the VSD cabinet 200 toward the driveline 160 may be converted from a DC flow to an AC flow. The number of inverters/rectifiers disposed within the VSD cabinet 200 may be associated with the number of drivelines 160 of the combined chiller and ORC system 300. For example, in the embodiments in which a single driveline 160 is disposed between the turbine 124 and the compressor 112, a single inverter/rectifier (e.g., turbine generator rectifier 202) may be disposed with in the VSD cabinet 200 so as to convert electrical energy between types of current. In some embodiments, the space taken up by the VSD cabinet 200 may be associated with the number of rectifiers/inverters disposed within the VSD cabinet 200. As such, in the embodiments that include a fewer number of rectifiers/inverters, the VSD cabinet 200 may require a smaller space to occupy compared to those embodiments that include a higher number of rectifiers/inverters.

In some embodiments, the heat rejected by the heat source 122 may generally be greater than the nominal evaporator capacity of the ORC circuit 106. During normal operation, the evaporator 120 (e.g., second evaporator) may be at a nominal power level soon following the combined chiller and ORC system 300 being in operation. The required capacity of the chiller circuit 104 may be associated with the temperature of the cooling fluid directed into and out of the joint condenser 102. For example, the required capacity of the chiller circuit 104 may be higher with a higher temperature of the cooling fluid. At a lower temperature of the cooling fluid, the required capacity of the chiller circuit 104 may be lower. Similarly, at a lower temperature of cooling fluid, the electrical energy generated via the turbine 124 of the ORC circuit 106 may increase due to a higher expansion ratio in the turbine 124. The speed of the single driveline 160 may be configured to remain high in order to maximize electrical energy generation. The capacity of the evaporator 108 of the chiller circuit 104 may be reduced using Pre-rotation Vane (PRV) or Variable Geometry Diffuser (VGD) technology with lower compressor isentropic efficiency. In some embodiments, the reduced compressor isentropic efficiency may be associated with a shaft speed of the driveline 160 higher than a desired speed.

As set forth above, the present disclosure may provide one or more technical effects useful in operating HVAC&R systems. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include HVAC&R systems having a combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system configured to recapture and repurpose excess heat from a heat source, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing costs associated with operating the HVAC&R system. For example, the combined chiller and ORC systems discussed herein include a chiller circuit configured to direct a first working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system to transfer heat away from a component to be cooled and an ORC circuit configured to direct a second working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system to capture heat energy from a heat source and convert the heat energy into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both. The mechanical and/or electrical energy produced by a turbine of the ORC circuit may then be utilized by the combined chiller and ORC system to drive a compressor of the chiller circuit and/or other components (e.g., an electrical network) coupled to the combined chiller and ORC system.

Additionally, the combined chiller and ORC system may include a single, joint condenser configured to receive the first working fluid flow from the chiller circuit and the second working fluid flow from the ORC circuit, reject heat from both working fluid flows, and discharge the cooled working fluid flows, such as to their respective circuit flow paths. In this way, heat transfer efficiency may be increased. Additionally, because a single condenser is used by both the chiller circuit and the ORC circuit, fewer components (e.g., structural components, a separate condenser associated with each of the chiller circuit and the ORC circuit) may be utilized, thereby reducing a footprint of the combined chiller and ORC system. Further still, the joint condenser enables a reduction in the number of fluid connections needed between the various components of the combined chiller and ORC systems discussed herein. Thus, manufacture, installation, assembly, and/or maintenance of HVAC&R systems employing the combined chiller and ORC systems discussed herein may be improved. The technical effects and technical problems in the specification are examples and are not limiting. It should be noted that the embodiments described in the specification may have other technical effects and can solve other technical problems.

While only certain features and embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters (e.g., temperatures, pressures, etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be noted that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not have been described (i.e., those unrelated to the presently contemplated best mode of carrying out the present disclosure, or those unrelated to enabling the claimed embodiments). It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, without undue experimentation.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as "means for [perform]ing [a function]..." or "step for [perform]ing [a function]...", it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system comprising: a combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system comprising: a chiller circuit configured to direct a first working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system to transfer heat away from a component to be cooled; an ORC circuit configured to direct a second working fluid flow through the combined chiller and ORC system to capture heat energy from a heat source and convert the heat energy into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both; and a joint condenser comprising: a first inlet configured to receive the first working fluid flow; a second inlet configured to receive the second working fluid flow; and a cooling fluid system configured to place a cooling fluid in a heat exchange relationship with the first working fluid flow and the second working fluid flow, wherein the joint condenser is configured to reject excess heat from the first working fluid flow and the second working fluid flow.

2. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, wherein the chiller circuit comprises: an evaporator configured to place the first working fluid flow in a second heat exchange relationship with the component to be cooled; and a compressor configured to pressurize and circulate the first working fluid flow through the chiller circuit.

3. The HVAC&R system of claim 2, wherein the compressor is disposed downstream of the evaporator and upstream of the joint condenser relative to a flow direction of the first working fluid flow through the chiller circuit.

4. The HVAC&R system of claim 2 or 3, wherein the component to be cooled comprises a motor configured to drive operation of the compressor and the evaporator is configured to place the first working fluid flow in the second heat exchange relationship with the motor via a first cooling fluid circuit disposed between the evaporator and the motor.

5. The HVAC&R system of one of claims 2 to 4, comprising a first cooling flow path disposed between the component to be cooled and the evaporator, wherein the first cooling flow path is configured to: direct a second cooling fluid through the component to be cooled to generate a heated cooling fluid; and direct the heated cooling fluid through the evaporator to place the heated cooling fluid in the second heat exchange relationship with the first working fluid flow.

6. The HVAC&R system of one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ORC circuit comprises: an evaporator configured to place the second working fluid flow in a second heat exchange relationship with the heat source; and a turbine configured to convert the heat energy from the heat source into the mechanical energy, the electrical energy, or both.

7. The HVAC&R system of claim 6, wherein the turbine is disposed downstream of the evaporator and upstream of the joint condenser relative to a flow direction of the second working fluid flow through the ORC circuit.

8. The HVAC&R system of claim 6 or 7, wherein the heat source comprises an engine or a component of the engine.

9. The HVAC&R system of one of claims 6 to 8, comprising a heat source cooling path disposed between the heat source and the evaporator, wherein the heat source cooling path is configured to: direct a second cooling fluid through the heat source to generate a heated cooling fluid; and direct the heated cooling fluid through the evaporator to place the heated cooling fluid in the second heat exchange relationship with the second working fluid flow.

10. The HVAC&R system of one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the joint condenser comprises: a first working fluid outlet configured to direct the first working fluid flow toward an expansion device of the chiller circuit; and a second working fluid outlet configured to direct the second working fluid flow toward a fluid pump of the ORC circuit.

11. The HVAC&R system of one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cooling fluid system comprises a single cooling fluid inlet and a single cooling fluid outlet fluidly coupled to a cooling fluid source.

12. A combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system, comprising: a chiller circuit configured to direct a first working fluid therethrough, the chiller circuit comprising: a compressor configured to pressurize and circulate the first working fluid through the chiller circuit; and a first evaporator configured to place the first working fluid in a first heat exchange relationship with a load to be cooled; an ORC circuit configured to direct a second working fluid therethrough, the ORC circuit comprising: a second evaporator configured to place the second working fluid in a second heat exchange relationship with a heat source to capture heat energy from the heat source; and a turbine configured to: receive the second working fluid from the second evaporator; and convert the heat energy imparted to the second working fluid from the heat source via the second evaporator into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both; and a joint condenser disposed between the chiller circuit and the ORC circuit and configured to reject excess heat from the first working fluid and the second working fluid.

13. The combined chiller and ORC system of claim 12, wherein the joint condenser comprises: a first inlet configured to receive the first working fluid; a second inlet configured to receive the second working fluid; and a cooling fluid system configured to place a cooling fluid in a third heat exchange relationship with the first working fluid and the second working fluid to reject the excess heat from the first working fluid and the second working fluid.

14. The combined chiller and ORC system of claim 12 or 13, wherein the compressor of the chiller circuit is coupled to the turbine of the ORC circuit via a shared rotor shaft.

15. The combined chiller and ORC system of claim 14, wherein the shared rotor shaft is configured to rotate to drive operation of the compressor using the mechanical energy generated by the turbine.

16. The combined chiller and ORC system of one of claims 12 to 15, wherein at least a portion of the electrical energy generated by the turbine of the ORC circuit is directed toward an electrical network configured to at least partially drive operation of the compressor.

17. A combined chiller and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system comprising: a chiller circuit having a compressor configured to direct a first working fluid through the combined chiller and ORC system to transfer heat away from a component to be cooled; an ORC circuit configured to direct a second working fluid through the combined chiller and ORC system to capture heat energy from a heat source, wherein the ORC circuit includes a turbine configured to convert the heat energy into mechanical energy, electrical energy, or both; a joint condenser configured to receive the first working fluid and the second working fluid and reject excess heat from the first working fluid and the second working fluid; and a variable speed drive (VSD) communicatively coupled to the turbine and the compressor, wherein the VSD is configured to provide power to drive operation of the compressor.

18. The combined chiller and ORC system of claim 16, wherein the VSD is configured to: receive the mechanical energy, the electrical energy, or both from the turbine of the ORC circuit; and provide the power to drive the operation of the compressor using at least a portion of the mechanical energy, the electrical energy, or both.

19. The combined chiller and ORC system of claim 17, wherein the VSD is a component of a VSD cabinet that comprises: a turbine generator rectifier configured to receive the electrical energy from the turbine and convert the electrical energy from a first alternating current (AC) of electricity into a first direct current (DC) of electricity; a compressor motor inverter configured to convert the first DC current of electricity into a second AC current of electricity and provide the second AC current of electricity to the compressor.

20. The combined chiller and ORC system of one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the chiller circuit and the ORC circuit are configured to operate independently of one another, and wherein the VSD is a component of a VSD cabinet that comprises: - an electrical network rectifier (ENR) communicatively coupled to an electrical network, wherein the ENR is configured to receive the power used to drive the operation of the compressor from the electrical network.