GB2044907A

GB2044907A - Heat pump, particularly vapour- compressing jet type heat pump

Info

Publication number: GB2044907A
Application number: GB8008684A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Vaillant GmbH
Current assignee: Vaillant GmbH
Priority date: 1979-03-15
Filing date: 1980-03-14
Publication date: 1980-10-22
Also published as: FR2451557A1; FR2451556A1; DE2910288A1; JPS55126775A

Abstract

An adsorption or re-adsorption vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump particularly for generating heat for heating a building comprises a generator (1) which under the action of heat supplied from a burner (2) causes refrigerant to be driven out of a solvent. Means to feed the refrigerant or the strong solution coming for absorber (52) into the generator, feed the weak solution coming from a degasifier to the generator, or feed the condensed refrigerant from condenser (11) into the generator comprises a pump chamber, which is adapted to be heated by the generator and to be cooled by a consumer (33) and which is connected by check valves (7, 16) to the condenser and the generator. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Heat pump, particularlyvapour-compressing jettype heat pump The present invention relates to a heat pump, particularly a vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump for generating heat/or refrigeration in accordance with the preamble of the main claim.

Vapour-compressing jet-type heat pumps as well as absorption and reabsorption heat pumps have been disclosed, in which circulating pumps supply the refrigerant or the strong solution coming from the absorber into the generator or the weak solution coming from the degasifier into the reabsorber or feed the refrigerant which has been liquefied in the condenser into the generator.

According to th.e present invention we provide a heat pump comprising a generator, an absorber and pumping means for pumping strong solution or liquid refrigerant into the generator, characterized by the provision of a pump chamber, which is adapted to be heated by the generator and to be cooled by a consumer and is connected to the absorber or condenser and the generator by check valves.

Thus we eliminate the pump for handling the refrigerant and,'or the refrigerant solutions.

Finally, the utilization of the waste heat of the generator of a steam-jet or sorption heat pump can be improved in that such heat is used to heat the returning entraining fluid. Besides, the fluid flowing to the consumer can be additionally heated where the pump is used to generate heat. Additional advantages reside in the elimination of leakage problems in the refrigerant circuit adjacent to the pumping means and in novel possibilities for the control of the circulation rate.

Numerous desirable additional features and further developments have been recited in the sub-claims and are apparent from the following description with reference to the drawings, which show illustrative embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump, Figure 2 shows an absorption heat pump and Figures 3 and 4 show a reabsorption heat pump.

The jet-type heat pump shown in Figure 1 comprises a reboiler 1, which is supplied with heat by an oil burner 2. The iower portion of the reboiler 1 consists of a heat exchanger 3 and the upper portion defines a flue gas chamber 4, from which flue gas is withdrawn through a chimney 5. Liquefied refrigerant is supplied to the heat exchanger 3 in a conduit 6, which incorporates a check valve 7. The heat supplied from the burner 2 causes the liquid refrigerant to evaporate and to flow in a vapour conduit 8 to a jet nozzle 9, which is succeeded by a conical or frustopyramidal diffuser 10, which is followed by a condenser 11. A conduit 12 leads from the bottom of the condenser 11 to a receiver 13. A pipe 14 extends into the receiver 12 and terminates above the bottom 15 of the receiver.A check valve 16 is incorporated in the pipe 14, which leads to a pump chamber 17. The return conduit 6 leading to the boiler 1 terminates above the bottom 18 of the pump chamber 17.

A conduit 20 opens in the bottom 15 of the reservoir 13 and leads to a heat exchanger 21 and further to an expansion valve 22, which is succeeded by an evaporator 23. The evaporator 23 consists of a heat exchanger, which is contacted on one side by through-flowing liquid refrigerant from the receiver 13 and on the other side by air which is conducted in a duct 24 and driven by a blower 25 through the heat exchanger evaporator. A vapour conduit 26 extends from the evaporator back to the heat exchanger 21. A conduit 27 leads from the heat exchanger 21 to the suction end of the diffuser on the level of the ejector nozzle 9.

A heat transfer tube 30 is disposed in the flue gas chamber 4 of reboiler 1 and comprises a heatreceiving portion 31, which extends through the flue gas chamber whereas the heat-delivering portion 32 of the tube 30 protrudes into the pump chamber 17 and is disposed therein below the end of the pipe 6.

Heat transfer tubes are gastight components which are filled with a liquid which evaporates in the heat-receiving portion and condenses in the heatdelivering portion so that heat is transferred. The condensate in the heat transfer tube is returned to the heat-absorbing portion by capillary action.

The heat pump feeds a consumer 33, which consists of a plurality of radiators and/or a heater for water for consumption and which is connected to the heat pump by a return main 34, which incorporates a circulating pump 35, and by a flow main 36.

The return main 34 leads to a three-way valve 37, which can be actuated by an actuating motor 38. The actuator 38 is controlled by a controller 39, which has a sensor 40 that protrudes into the pump chamber 17 adjacent to the end of pipe 6. A conduit 41 leads from the three-way valve into the pump chamber 17 and in the latter constitutes a fin tube heat exchanger. A second conduit 42 extends from another outlet of the three-way valve. Both conduits are joined at 43 to form a conduit 44 leading into condenser 11, in which conduit 44 constitutes also a fin tube heat exchanger. The flow main 36 extends from the condenser.

The heat pump just described operates as follows.

When heat is required by the consumer 33, energy is supplied to the reboiler 1 by means which are not shown and the reboiler 1 is thus heated. The refrigerant which has been evaporated in reboilder 1 flows off in conduit 8 in the direction of the arrow and reaches the ejector nozzle 9, where the refrigerant vapour expands and sucks cold refrigerant vapour from evaporator 23 and then enters the diffuser 10 and condenses in condenser 11, from which heat is delivered to the consumer through the heat exchanger in conduit 44.

The liquefied refrigerant flows through conduit 12 into the receiver 13 and leaves the latter through conduit 20. Heat is extracted from the liquid refrigerant in the heat exchanger 21. The liquid refrigerant evaporates in the expansion valve 22 as a result of the pressure drop and in the evaporator 23 as a result of a supply of heat by ambient air, which is delivered through air duct 24 by the blower 25.

Refrigerant vapour is withdrawn from the evaporator in conduit 26 in the direction of the arrow and is heated in the heat exchanger 21 by the liquid refrigerant. Refrigerant vapour flows through conduit 27 into the suction range of the ejector nozzle 9 and is sucked there and entrained into condenser 11 by the refrigerant vapour, which is supplied from the reboiler via conduit 8. When the surface of the liquid refrigerant in the receiver 13 rises above the end of the pipe 14, the liquid refrigerant will flow off into the pump chamber 17 in the direction of the arrow through the check valve 16, which is open in that direction. As a result, the surface of the liquid refrigerant in the receiver 13 may drop to a minimum level at the end of pipe 6 disposed above the bottom 18.

Because the reboiler 1 heats the refrigerant as well as the heat-absorbing portion 31 of heat transfer tube 30, heat is supplied to pump chamber 17 by the heat-delivering portion 32 of the heat transfer tube.

As a result, the liquid refrigerant is heated and is partly evaporated and pressurizes the pump chamber 17. The pressure cannot propagate in the reverse direction, opposite to the arrow because the check valve 16 is closed in that direction. When the threshold value of check valve 7 is exceeded, liquid refrigerant is supplied underthe action of its own pressure into the reboiler through conduit 6. The liquid level in the pump vessel can never drop blow the end of the pipe 6. In order to open the check valve 16, the pressure in pump chamber 17 must be decreased. To that end, the three-way valve is actuated so that th return main 34 is connected to conduit 41. This results in a cooling of the pump chamber. The arrangement is such that the cooling action that is due to the heat exchange action of conduit 41 is much stronger than the heating by heat transfer tube 30.As the pump chamber is cooled, the pressure therein decreases so that additional liquid refrigerant can be delivered by the pipe 14. The reboiler 1 cannot be pressure-relieved because the check valve 7 prevents a backflow of refrigerant from the reboiler 3 through pipe 6. The temperature sensor 40 ensures that three-way valve 37 will be periodically actuated when preset limits are reached so that the return main is connected to conduit 41 and to conduit 42 in different periods of time. When the return main is connected to conduit 42, the heat transfer tube 30 can heat up the pump chamber 17 in preparation of the next discharge of liquid refrigerant. As a result, the consumer 33 ist heated by means of a heating fluid which is heated in certain intervals of time in the heat exchanger 41 and thereafter is continuously heated in the heat exchanger 44.During othertimes, the consumer 33 is heated only in one stage by the heat exchanger 44 when the return main is directly connected to conduit 42. The temperature sensor 40 may be replaced by a level control multiple electrode, which causes the three-way valve 37 to be actuated when the surface of the refrigerant in the pump chamber 17 rises above or decreases below a certain value.

For the operation ofthis illustrative embodiment it is essential that the pump chamber 17 is always being heated and is periodically cooled so that the resulting pressure rise and pressure drop results in an intermittent delivery of liquid refrigerant from a receiver or the condenser into a boiler. If the heat transfer tube were interrupted, an intermittent heating could be effected, and if the three-way valve 37 and the conduit 42 were omitted the thermal pump 17 could be cooled continuously so that the heat liberation rate would then be much higher than the refrigeration rate.

It is emphasized that the embodiment shown by way of example need not be used to generate heat but may also be used for refrigeration. In that case the consumer must be connected to the evaporator, where heat is extracted from a fluid. The problems involved in the handling of the liquid refrigerant vapor are not affected by the purpose for which the heat pump is used.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2 consists of an absorption heat pump. There is also a reboiler 1, which is supplied by a gas burner 1 and comprises a heat exchanger 3 and a flue gas chamber 4. Evaporated refrigerant can be withdrawn from the reboiler 1 through conduit 8. Hot weak solution is withdrawn from the reboilerthrough a conduit 50. The directions of flow are indicated by arrows. Conduit 8 leads to the condenser 11, which is succeeded by conduit 20, heat exchanger 21, expansion valve 22 and evaporator 23. The return conduit 26 leads to heat exchanger 21, which at its upper end is connected by a conduit 51 to jet nozzle 9. The latter is fed through conduit 50 with entraining fluid consisting of the hot solution and by means of said solution discharges refrigerant vapour into an absorber 52. In this case the jet nozzle 9 constitutes a specially designed expansion valve.Absorber 52 is succeeded by a pipe 53, which incorporates the check valve 16. The latter opens in the direction of the arrow and is connected by a pipe 14 to pump chamber 17. Pipe 6 extends from pump chamber 17 through the second check valve 7 to the reboiler 1. Another difference between the illustrative embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2 resides in that the pump chamber 17 of the thermal pump is disposed directly in the flue gas chamber 4 of the reboiler so that the heat transfer tube can be omitted. Pump 35 is incorporated in the return main 34, which leads from the consumer 33 to the three-way valve 37, which is connected either via to the heat exchanger in conduit 41 or to conduit 42.

The heat exchanger in conduit 41 is connected to another heat exchanger 56, which is accomodated inside the absorber 52 and fed by a conduit 57, which is connected to junction 43. A conduit 58 leads from heat exchanger 56 to a heat exchanger 59, which is provided inside the condenser 11 and is connected by the flow main 36 to the consumer.

This illustrative embodiment operates as follows: In the reboiler 1, strong solution is heated and separated into hot weak solution and refrigerant vapor. The latter is cooled in condenser 11. The hot weak solution is fed through conduit 50 directly to jet nozzle 9. The liquid refrigerant is withdrawn from condenser 11 through conduit 20 and is cooled in heat exchanger 21. The liquid refrigerant is pressurerelieved as it flows through expansion valve 22 into evaporator 23, which is supplied with ambient air through air duct 24 by the blower 25. The refrigerant vapour is withdrawn from the evaporator through conduit 26 and is heated in heat exchanger 21 and is subsequently supplied to the suction chamber through conduit 51, which terminates on the level of jet nozzle 9.The refrigerant vapor is sucked adjacent to jet nozzle 9 and fed to the absorber 52 by the hot weak solution and is absorbed by the weak solution in the absorber. Heat is supplied to the consumer by heat exchanger 56. Cooled strong solution flows from the absorber through pipe 53 and check valve 16 into pump chamber 17. The latter is supplied with heat by the flue gases in flue gas chamber 4. Heat can be extracted from chamber 17 in that the return main 34 from the consumer is connected by threeway valve 37 to the heat exchanger in conduit 41.

Three-way valve 37 can be actuated in response to a temperature sensor or a liquid level sensor 40 in the pump chamber. The arrangement is that the cooling action of heat exchanger 41 exceeds the heating action of the flue gases in flue gas chamber 4. When the level of the cool strong solution rises, the liquid level sensor 40 causes the three-way valve to connect return main 34 to conduit 42 so that pump chamber 17 is heated by the flue gases from reboiler 1. This results in a pressure which causes the check valve to close. When the supply of additional heat from the flue gases of the reboiler causes the pressure in pump chamber 17 to rise above a certain threshold value, the check valve 7 will open so that the contents of pump chamber 17 is automatically discharged through pipe 6 into the reboiler.This results in a drop of the liquid level in pump chamber 17 so that three-way valve 37 is actuated to connect return main 34 to heat exchanger conduit 41. Pump chamber 17 will thus be strongly cooled so that the pressure therein drops strongly. As a result, check valve 7 closes so that the reboiler cannot be relieved on the return side via conduit 6. Check valve 16 opens at the same time so that another batch of cool strong solution is withdrawn from absorber 52.

In this way there is also a periodic transfer of volumes of solution from pump chamber 17 into reboiler 1.

The embodiment shown by way of example in Figure 3 constitutes a reabsorption heat pump, which comprises a reboiler 101, to which energy is supplied by a burner 102. There are also an absorber 103, a reabsorber 104 and a degasifier 105. The reboiler and absorber are connected in a solvent circuit 60. The reabsorber and degasifier are included in another circuit 61. Thermal pumps 106 and 109 are included in the respective circuits 60 and 61 and correspond to the pump chamber 17 of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 and are cyclically heated and cooled. The first and second check valves 16 and 7 are incorporated in each of the circuits 60 and 61 and respectively precede and succeed the pump chamber. Expansion valves 112 and 113 are incorporated in solvent circuit 60 and in circuit 61, respectively.A pipe 114 for hot weak solution extends from reboiler 101 through a solenoid valve 124 and expansion valve 112 to absorber 103. A conduit 115 leads from absorber 103 through check valve 16, pump chamber 17, check valve 7 and back to reboiler 101.

A conduit 116 for refrigerant vapour leads to reabsorber 104. A conduit 117 leads from reabsorber 104through expansion valve 113to degasifier 105.A conduit 118 leads from degasifier 105 through check valve 16, pump chamber 17, checkvalve7and back to reabsorber 104. Another pipe 119 for refrigerant vapour is connected between the degasifier and the absorber.

Thermal pump 106 comprises a heat exchanger pipe coil 120, which is disposed in pump chamber 17 and incorporated in a conduit 62, which also incorporates a solenoid valve 122 and comes from a conduit 63. The latter is connected to a junction 64 where the conduit 114 branches. On the rear side, heat exchanger coil 120 is connected by a conduit 65 to a conduit 66, which opens into conduit 114 at a junction 67 disposed between expansion valve 112 and solenoid valve 124. Conduit 63 leads through a solenoid valve 123 to a heating pipe coil 121 disposed inside the other thermal pump 109. That heating pipe coil is connected on the return side to conduit 66.

A consumer 125 may consist, e.g., of a plurality of radiators connected parallel or in series and possibly of a heater forwaterfor consumption, which may be connected in parallel to the radiators, or of a floor-heating pipe coil, and is connected to the heat pump by a flow main 127, which incorporates a pump 128, and by a return main 126. Return main 126 leads to a junction 68, from which a conduit 69 extends, which incorporates a solenoid valve 133.

The latter may consist of a bypass valve. Solenoid valve 124 may also consist of a bypass valve. A conduit 70 leads from junction 68 to a solenoid valve 135.

Conduit 70 is continued from solenoid valve 135 to a heat exchange pipe coil 131 disposed in the pump chamber 17 of thermal pump 106. The pipe coil is succeeded by a conduit 71, which forms a junction 72 with conduit 69. A conduit 74 branches at a junction 73 from conduit 70 and extends through a solenoid valve 134 to heat exchange pipe coil 132, which is disposed in the pump chamber 17 of thermal pump 109. A conduit 75 extends from pipe coil 132 to a junction'76, which communicates with junction 72 and from which a conduit 77 leads to a reabsorber cooling pipe coil 130. The latter is connected by a conduit 78 to an absorber cooling pipe 129, which is succeeded by flow main 127 leading to the cosumer.

This heat pump has the following mode for operation: Weak solution must be pumped from degasifier 105 into reabsorber 104 and strong solution must be pumped from absorber 103 into reboiler 101. For this purpose the thermal pumps 106 and 109 are incorporated in the respective transfer conduits 118 and 115.

Each solution flows through the first check valve 16 by gravity into pump chamber 17. The positions of solenoid valves 124 and 123 and 122 are changed when the weak or strong solution has reached a predetermined level in the pump chamber in such a manner that solenoid valve 124 is open when solenoid valves 122 and 123 are closed. When solenoid valve 124 is then closed as the liquid surface reaches a predetermined level, the two other solenoid valves 122 and 123 will be opened so that hot weak solution from the reboiler is supplied through conduit 1 14to the parallel heating pipe coils 120 and 121. This results in a heating of the weak and strong solutions in the respective pump chambers so that the solution is pressurized.As its pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the check valve 7 in the respective circuit 60 or 61 opens and the respective pump chamber discharges liquid under its own pressure into conduit 115 or 118. The solution is thus supplied to reboiler 101 or reabsorber 104 on the return side. When the liquid volume has been discharged from a pump chamber 17, the latter must be pressure-relieved. For this purpose the positions of solenoid valves 122,123 and 124 are changed in that solenoid valves 122 and 123 are closed and solenoid valve 124 is opened. The normal circulation of the solution is interrupted for the pumping operation just described. Thereafter, the continuous circulation is continued. For this purpose, the pump chambers 17 are not cooled by the consumer circuit fluid. Solenoid valves 134 and 135 are normally closed.Pump 128 discharges consumer circuit fluid through the return main 126 and normally open solenoid valve 133 into conduit 77 so that the consumer circuitfluid is heated in reabsorbercool- ing pipe coil 130 and is discharged through conduit 78 and in a second heating stage is heated to the final temperature in absorber cooling pipe coil 129 before it is returned to consumer 125 through flow main 127. The circulating solutions are thus cooled in the absorber and reabsorber. When it is desired to cool the pump chambers 17, the positions of solenoid valves 133, 134 and 135 are changed in that solenoid valve 133 is closed and solenoid valves 134 and 135 are opened. Cooled the consumer circuit fluid is now fed through conduit 126 to pipe coils 132 131 so that each pump chamber 17 is cooled.As a result, the consumer circuit fluid is slightly heated and is supplied through conduits 71 and 75to the junction 76 from which conduit 77 leads to reabsorber 104 as just described. It is apparent that the consumer circuit fluid is heated.in three stages as the pump chambers 17 are cooled. Solenoid valves 133, 134 and 135 are returned to their original state when the pump chambers have been cooled.

It is seen that the six solenoid valves 122 to 124 and 133 to 135 are actuated in alternation. One control position is established when it is desired to heat pump chambers 17 and the other to cool the same pump chambers.

In one case the connections of circuit 60 and in the other case the connections of the consumer are changed. The temperature or pressure or liquid level values at which the change-over is effected will entierly depend on the individual conditions.

It is apparent that the thermal pump is intermittently heated and intermittently cooled in the embodiment of Figure 3.

If solenoid valves 124 and particularly 133 consist of bypass valves, the advantage will be afforded that pump 128 in the consumer circuit 125-127 may be smaller or may be relieved because in case of a high heat requirement by the consumer the flow rate in the consumer branch is divided into parallel paths.

Besides, the normal operation of the circuit 60 is assisted.

The effective orifice areas of valves 122, 123 and 124, on the one hand, and of valves 133,134 and 135, on the other hand could be controlled in dependence on the temperatures in the pump chambers 17.

The embodiment shown in Figure 4 is also a reabsorption heat pump, in which a reboiler 80 is heated by a burner 81. An absorber 82 is disposed above the reboiler. A reabsorber 83 is mounted on top of absorber 82 and a degasifier 84 is disposed at the very top. These components are mounted one on top of the other. The arrangement is such that heat rising from the reboiler can be utilized in the absorber, reabsorber and degasifier. The reboiler is succeeded by a flue gas shaft 85, in which pump chambers 17 are accommodated. One pump chamber 17 is incorporated in a conduit 86 by which the absorber is connected to the reboiler and which corresponds to conduit 115 in Figure 3. Conduit 86 incorporates check valves 16 and 7 on opposite sides of pump chamber 17. A heat exchange pipe coil 89 extends through pump chamber 17 and is connected to conduits 88 and 89.A solenoid valve 90 is incorporated in conduit 87 and actuated by an actuator 91 that is controlled by a temperature sensor 92. The reabsorber 83 and degasifier 84 communicate with each otherthrough a conduit 93, in which check valves 16 and 7 are incorporated on opposite sides of the pump chamber. A heat exchange pipe coil 94 extends through pump chamber 17 and is connected to conduits 95 and 86. A solenoid valve 97 is incorporated in conduit 96 and is actuated by an actuator 98, which is associated with a temperature sensor 99 disposed inside reabsorber 83.

Absorber 82 is connected by a flow main 136 to a consumer 100. A return main 137 from the consumer incorporates a pump 138 and is then continued to a junction 139, to which conduits 89 and 140 are connected. A conduit 96 is connected to a junction 141 in conduit 140,which is continued through a bypass valve 142 to a conduit 143, to which conduits 95 and 88 are connected. Conduit 143 is then continued to a heat exchanger 146, which is disposed inside reabsorber 83 and connected by a conduit 145 to a heat exchanger 144 disposed inside absorber 82. Heat exchanger 144 is connected by flow main 136 to the consumer. The solutions used in the embodiment of Figure 4 are also periodically heated and discharged and the pump chambers are subsequently cooled by consumer circuit fluid. The specific mode of operation is as follows: Weak solution must be fed from degasifier 84 through conduit 83 into reabsorber 83. Strong solution must be fed from absorber 82 through conduit 86 into reboiler 80. This feeding of solutions is effected at the same time by the thermal pumps 17, which are continuously heated by the flue gas which is generated by burner 81 and escapes through the chimney 85. By gravity, the weak and strong solutions flow into the respective pump chambers 17 through the respective check valves 16, which are open in that direction. The temperature in pump chambers 17 is raised by the flue gas so that the solutions are pressurized and check valves 16 close. When the pressure rises above a predetermined threshold value, check valves 7 open so that the pump chambers discharge into reabsorber83 and reboiler 80, respectively.This discharge is accompanied by a temperature drop in the reboiler and in the reabsorber so that temperature sensors 92 and 99 deliver corresponding signals to actuators 91 and 98. In response to these control signals, valves 97 and 90 are opened so that fluid that has just been cooled by consumer 100 is forced by pump 138 from return main 137 through conduits 89 and 96 and pump chambers 17. This results in a temperature drop in the thermal pump so that the pressure therein is also decreased. Check valves 7 close and check valves 16 open in response to the pressure drop so that another batch of each of the weak and strong solutions can flow into the associated pump chamber.

Valves 90 and 97 are normally closed. Valve 142 is open under the pressure generated by pump 138 because the circulation through the consumer must be maintained also when valves 97 and 90 are closed. When these valves are closed, the consumer circuit fluid is heated in two stages, namely, by heat exchanger 146 in reabsorber 83 and thereafter by heat exchanger 144 in absorber 82. When valves 90 and 97 are open, the consumer circuit fluid will be heated in three stages. The first heating stage is then constituted by heat exchangers 87 and 94 and will be succeeded by the two above-mentioned stages in absorber and resorber.

It is apparent that in the embodiment shown in Figure 4 the thermal pumps are continuously heated and intermittently cooled. As a result, the cooling action of the consumer circuit fluid in heat exchangers 87 and 94 is much higher than the continuous heating action of the flue gas flowing in duct 85.

Claims

1. A heat pump comprising a generator, an absorber and pumping means for pumping strong solution or liquid refrigerant into the generator, characterized by the provision of a pump chamber, which is adapted to be heated by the generator and to be cooled by a consumer and is connected to the absorber or condenser and the generator by check valves.

2. Vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump comprising a generator and a condenser and pumping means for feeding liquid refrigerant from the condenser into the generator, characterized by the provision of a pump chamber, which is adapted to be heated by the generator and to be cooled by a consumer and is connected to the condenser and generator by check valve action.

3. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to claim 2, characterized in that the pump chamber is directly accommodated in the generator and heated by the heat of the latter.

4. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the pump chamber is disposed in an exhaust gas flow path of the generator.

5. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the pump chamber is continuously heated by the exhaust gas from the generator.

6. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to claim 2, characterized in that the pump chamber is intermittently cooled by consumer circuit fluid.

7. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to claim 6, characterized in that a heat exchanger is accommodated in the pump chamber and is adapted to be connected to a consumer by a three-way valve.

8. The vapour-compressing jet-type pump according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the position of the three-way valve is controlled by a liquid level sensor, which scans the level in the pump chamber.

9. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to claim 2, characterized in that the pump chamber is indirectly heated by the generator.

10. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to claim 9, characterized in that the pump chamber is heated by exhaust gases of the generator through the intermediary of a heat transfer tube.

11. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the pump chamber is continuously heated and the rate at which heat is supplied to the pump chamber is less than the rate at which the pump rate is intermittently cooled by the consumer.

12. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to any of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that a tube connecting the pump chamber to the generator is inserted into the bottom of the pump chamber and the end of said tube is spaced from the bottom.

13. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to any of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that a temperature sensor or a liquid level sensor is provided to define lower and upper limits for the liquid level in the pump chamber.

14. The vapour-compressing jet-type heat pump according to any one of claims 2 to 13, characterized in that the condenser is disposed on a higher level than the generator.

15. An absorption heat pump comprising a generator, an absorber and pumping means for pumping strong solution from the absorber into the generator, characterized by the provision of a pump chamber which is adapted to be heated by the generator and to be cooled by the consumer and is connected to the absorber and the generator by check valves.

16. An absorption heat pump comprising a generator and an absorber, characterized in that hot weak solution coming from the generator is used as an entraining fluid in a jet nozzle connected between the generator and the absorber, refrigerant vapour is thus sucked from an evaporator and the resulting mixture is fed to the absorber after a pressure increase in the diffuser.

17. A reabsorption heat pump comprising a generator, an absorber, a reabsorber, a degasifier and pumping means for feeding the refrigerant solutions from the absorber into the generator and from the degasifier into the reabsorber, characterized by the provision of chamber which are respectively adapted to be heated with hot weak solution from the generator and to be cooled from the consumer and are respectively connected to the absorber and generator and to the reabsorber and degasifier by check valves.

18. A sorption heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that each of the two refrigerant circuits of the heat pump incorporates a thermal pump and both thermal pumps are heated in common by the hot weak solution from the generator.

19. A reabsorption heat pump according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that the consumer is heated in three stages in a series circuit, the two pump chambers constitute the first stage, and the second and third stages are constituted by the reabsorber and absorber, respectively.

20. A reabsorption heat pump according to any one of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that the timing of the cooling and heating periods of the thermal pumps is effected by solenoid valves.

21. A sorption heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the valves consist of bypass valves.

22. A sorption heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the thermal pumps are connected to a common flue gas chimney.

23. A sorption heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the timing of the pumping operation in the pump chambers is effected by temperature sensors in the generator and reabsorber.

24. A heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that the initiation and termination of a pumping operation in the pump chamber is effected in response to a reversion ofthetempera- ture change in the generator and or reabsorber.

25. A heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the threshold values for the response of the check valves are adjustable.

26. A heat pump constructed and arranged substantially as described above and as shown in the figures of the accompanying drawings.