JP2001272133A - Engine heat pump system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of a conventional system such that the energy efficiency is bad, because the engine is operated in condition that the efficiency has dropped as compared with rated operation during most of the working time of an engine heat pump, since the high load condition arising at the operation staring time or the like when the engine is operated with rated output of high efficiency lasts for an extremely short time, in a conventional heat pump. SOLUTION: In the engine heat pump where a compressor 4 is driven with an engine 1, the engine heat pump system, which accumulates positional energy by providing itself with a generator 2 driven by the engine 1, and driving a pump device P with that generator 2 thereby enabling the engine output to be converted into the positional energy of water, and pumping up water to a water storage tank 25 arranged in a higher position such as on the rooftop or the like of a building, is constituted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an engine heat pump system for improving energy efficiency of an engine heat pump in which a compressor is driven by an engine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An engine heat pump in which a compressor is driven by an engine has been known. In addition, a generator is connected to the engine to generate power, and the electric power is used to drive the motor. In addition to driving the engine,
There has been a so-called hybrid-type engine heat pump in which a compressor is driven by the motor. Also, in an engine heat pump, since the air conditioning load changes depending on the outside air temperature and the like, when the compressor is driven by the engine, control is performed so as to increase or decrease the rotation speed of the engine that drives the compressor according to the magnitude of the load. ing. For example, at the start of operation, when the number of operating indoor units increases, or when the outside air temperature increases during cooling, the engine is operated at the rated output because the load is large. Is smaller than the rated output, the engine was controlled to operate at a state considerably lower than the rated output.

[0003]

When the engine is operated at the rated output, the engine is operated at a high efficiency. When the engine is operated at a low load state lower than the rated output, the engine is operated. Although the operating efficiency is reduced, as described above, the high load state such as the start of operation when the engine is operated at the rated output is extremely short, so the efficiency of the engine heat pump is almost the same as the rated operation for most of the operating time. It is assumed that the engine is operated in a state in which the engine pressure has decreased. Therefore, the present invention provides an engine heat pump system that maintains the operation of the engine in a high efficiency state and improves energy efficiency.

[0004]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above. Next, means for solving the problem will be described. That is, in the first aspect, in the engine heat pump in which the compressor is driven by the engine, a power generation device driven by the engine is provided, and the pump device is driven by the power generation device to convert the engine output into potential energy of water. And

According to a second aspect of the present invention, potential energy is stored by pumping and storing water in a water storage tank arranged at a high position such as a rooftop of a building by the pump device.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, electric power is generated by using the water stored in the water storage tank, and the electric power is supplied to an engine heat pump.

[0007]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a refrigerant circuit of an engine heat pump constituting an engine heat pump system of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example in which a surplus output of an engine is used for driving a pump for pumping water.

The configuration of the engine heat pump constituting the engine heat pump system of the present invention will be described. Explaining the cooling cycle of the engine heat pump system shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 4 is pumped to the outdoor heat exchanger 5 via the four-way valve 14 as a high-temperature high-pressure supersaturated vapor refrigerant. The refrigerant is cooled by the cooling fan 5f while passing through the cooling fins of the outdoor heat exchanger 5, and is converted from a high-temperature high-pressure superheated state to a high-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant.

The refrigerant converted to the high-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 5 is separated into gas and liquid by the receiver 6 and
It is cooled by a supercooler (not shown). Then, the refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit 10 to the indoor unit 9 is reduced to a pressure at which the refrigerant is easily evaporated by the cooling expansion valve 13, and then the indoor heat exchanger 7 absorbs heat from the indoor air and evaporates. Thus, the indoor air is cooled, and the air is blown into the room by the cooler fan 7f to provide a cooling effect. Thereafter, the refrigerant vaporized in the indoor heat exchanger 7 passes through the return circuit via the four-way valve 14, returns to the compressor 4 via the accumulator 8, and repeats the above-described cycle.

Next, the heating cycle will be described. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 4 is converted into a state of high-temperature and high-pressure superheated steam by the four-way valve 14 switched to the heating direction.
To the indoor heat exchanger 7 via In the indoor heat exchanger 7, heat is released from the refrigerant in the high-temperature and high-pressure superheated vapor state to the indoor air, and the refrigerant becomes a high-pressure liquid state. This heat release heats the room.

After passing through the receiver 6, the refrigerant in the high-pressure liquid state rapidly expands in the heating expansion valve 12, becomes a low-temperature low-pressure vapor state refrigerant, and passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 5 while passing through the outdoor heat exchanger 5. More heat is obtained to produce a heated steam. And
The steam in the heated state returns to the accumulator 8 via the four-way valve 14, and is guided to the compressor 4 as a complete gas phase, and the above-described cycle is repeated.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the compressor 4 is of a hybrid type driven by the engine 1 or the motor 3. A power generator 2 driven by the engine 1 is connected to the engine 1, and the power generated by the power generator 2 can be stored in a battery 11, and power is supplied from the battery 11 to the motor 3.

The outdoor unit 10 accommodates the engine 1, the power generator 2, the motor 3, the battery 11, the outdoor heat exchanger 5, the cooling fan 5f, the receiver 6, and the like. 7, a cooler fan 7f and the like are accommodated.

The electric power generated by the power generation device 2 is supplied to the fan motors 5M and 7M for driving the cooling fans 5f and 7f, the electronic expansion valves 12 and 13 for heating and cooling,
And an outdoor unit 10 such as a starter motor for starting the engine 1.
And, it can be supplied to each electric component in the indoor unit 9. Normally, these electric components are configured to receive power supply from a commercial power supply in an initial state before the engine is started, and are configured to receive power supply from the power generation device 2 after the engine 1 is started. Further, by storing the generated power in the battery 11 connected to the power generation device 2, it is possible to minimize the need to supply power from a commercial power supply.

Next, the configuration of the engine heat pump system will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the battery 11 accommodated in the outdoor unit 10 includes a motor / generator 2.
1 is connected, and a pump device P driven by the motor / generator 21 is connected to the motor / generator 21.

When driven by electric power from the battery 11, the motor / generator 21 drives the pump device P as a motor, and is driven by the pump device P to operate as a generator. . Pump device P
Is a water storage tank 25 disposed at a high position such as the roof of a building.
The water is pumped up from a low position and stored.
Note that the outdoor unit 10 and the pump device P are arranged at low positions such as above the ground and underground.

Further, in the present engine heat pump system, the engine 1 is always operated at the rated output, and the engine output mainly drives the compressor 4 when operating under a high load state such as at the start of operation. To be consumed. Conversely, when the engine 1 is operated under a low load state such as a steady operation, the output of the engine 1 operated at the rated output is not completely consumed by driving the compressor 4 alone, and the surplus output generated in the engine 1 generates power. The device 2 is driven to generate electric power, and the electric power is charged in the battery 11. Then, the motor / generator 21 is driven by using the electric power charged in the battery 11, and the water is pumped up by the pump device P and stored in the water storage tank 25.

As described above, the surplus output of the engine 1 is generated by the power generator 2 using the surplus output of the engine 1, and the pump device P pumps water to a high position and stores the water. It can be converted and saved. Accordingly, the surplus output from the engine 1 can be effectively used while the engine 1 is constantly operated in a highly efficient state, and an engine heat pump system with high energy efficiency can be configured.

Further, by storing water in the water storage tank 25, power for pumping water in a water supply system of a building or the like is not required, and an engine heat pump system and a water supply system are integrated to reduce energy consumption of the whole building or the like. Can be reduced. In the present embodiment, the power generated by driving the power generator 2 by the output from the engine 1 is temporarily charged in the battery 11, and the power is supplied from the battery 11 to the pump device P. Alternatively, the power generated by the power generation device 2 may be directly supplied to the pump device P.

The water storage tank 25 arranged at a high position
Pump device P that arranges water stored in a low position
To the motor / generator 2 by the pump device P.
The battery 11 can also be charged by driving the battery 1 as a power generator to generate power. That is, the potential energy of the water stored in the water storage tank 25 is converted into electric power and supplied to the engine heat pump.

As described above, the electric power generated by using the output of the engine 1 can be converted into the potential energy of water, and the potential energy of the water stored in the water storage tank 25 can be converted into electric power and supplied to the engine heat pump. By doing so, it becomes possible to mutually convert the electric energy and the potential energy of water in the engine heat pump system, and appropriately convert the surplus of the output energy of the engine 1 into electric energy and potential energy of water. And energy efficiency of buildings and the like can be improved as a whole.

[0022]

As described above, the present invention has the following advantages. That is, in an engine heat pump in which a compressor is driven by an engine, a power generating device driven by the engine is provided, and the pump device is driven by the power generating device.
Since the engine output can be converted into the potential energy of water, the surplus output of the engine can be converted into the potential energy of water and stored. Accordingly, the surplus output from the engine can be effectively used while the engine is constantly operated in a highly efficient state, and an engine heat pump system with high energy efficiency can be configured.

Further, as described in claim 2, water is pumped and stored in a water storage tank arranged at a high position such as a rooftop of the building by the pump device, thereby storing potential energy, so that a water supply system for a building or the like is provided. In this case, electric power for pumping water is not required, and the engine heat pump system and the water supply system can be integrated to reduce the energy consumption of the entire building or the like.

Further, the electric power is generated by using the water stored in the water storage tank and this electric power is supplied to the engine heat pump, so that the electric energy and the potential energy of the water are mutually exchanged in the engine heat pump system. It is possible to convert the surplus of the output energy of the engine into electric energy or potential energy of water as appropriate and store it, thereby improving the energy efficiency of a building or the like as a whole.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a refrigerant circuit of an engine heat pump constituting an engine heat pump system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example in which a surplus output of an engine is used to drive a pump for pumping water.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Engine 2 Power generator 3 Motor 4 Compressor 10 Outdoor unit 11 Battery 21 Motor / generator 25 Water storage tank P Pump device

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Claims (3)

[Claims] In an engine heat pump in which a compressor is driven by an engine, a power generator driven by the engine is provided, and the pump device is driven by the power generator to convert the engine output into potential energy of water. An engine heat pump system characterized by the following. 2. The engine heat pump system according to claim 1, wherein the pump device stores the potential energy by pumping and storing water in a water storage tank disposed at a high position such as a rooftop of a building. . 3. The engine heat pump system according to claim 2, wherein electric power is generated using the water stored in the water storage tank, and the electric power is supplied to the engine heat pump.