JP4430363B2 - Combined air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermoelectric output device (also referred to as a distributed power supply device) that simultaneously outputs heat and electricity, such as a fuel cell, and a vapor compression heat pump device and adsorption refrigeration using electric power and heat output from the thermoelectric output device. The present invention relates to a composite air conditioner composed of a machine.

  In recent years, development and improvement of fuel cells have been actively performed. This fuel cell converts the energy when hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water into electricity, and can generate electricity as long as hydrogen as a fuel is continuously supplied, and the conversion efficiency from fuel to electricity There are also high advantages. And development of making an air conditioning operation using this power generation system by a fuel cell is also performed.

For example, [Patent Document 1] discloses a fuel cell power generation system that includes a fuel cell and an operating device that uses the energy of the fuel cell, and controls the fuel cell or the operating device. There is an air conditioner that uses heat as an example of an operating device, and an air conditioner is an absorption refrigerator that regenerates an absorbing liquid by the heat of a heat storage device, or an adsorption refrigerator that regenerates an adsorbent. .
JP 2001-68126 A

  Thus, as the air conditioning system using the thermal output by the thermoelectric output device such as a fuel cell, the above-described absorption refrigerator and adsorption refrigerator (generically referred to as AHP) are generally used, Alternatively, an application of a vapor compression heat pump device (also called EHP) capable of switching between a cooling operation and a heating operation is also conceivable.

  However, the absorption chiller has a refrigeration capacity that decreases as the temperature of the thermal output decreases, and the current situation is that it cannot be used at a thermal output of 80 ° C. or less. The adsorption refrigerator can be used up to a relatively low temperature of about 70 ° C., but has a low coefficient of performance (COP = cool output / heat input) for converting the heat into cold. Moreover, the thermoelectric ratio (thermal output / electric output) of the fuel cell is small compared to other distributed power supply devices, and if AHP is selected according to the cold output required for air conditioning, the output required for the fuel cell increases. As a result, the total cost of the system increases.

  On the other hand, in the combination of the fuel cell and the vapor compression heat pump device, there are few uses for the thermal output other than hot water supply, particularly in the cooling season. There is a situation in which the fuel cell itself is difficult to spread because the overall efficiency of the system is worse than that of a general air conditioner or hot water heater that uses a city power supply. In addition, the temperature of the hot water supply is relatively low, around 60 ° C, the hot water storage tank becomes large, additional cooking equipment is required, and there are many problems in terms of cost and space. .

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above circumstances, and the object of the present invention is to comprise a thermoelectric output device such as a fuel cell, a vapor compression heat pump device, and an adsorption refrigeration machine. Thus, an increase in output can be obtained and an attempt is made to provide a composite air conditioner that improves overall efficiency.

The composite air conditioner of the present invention is made to satisfy the above-described object, and includes a thermoelectric output device such as a fuel cell, a compressor driven by an electric output from the thermoelectric output device, a four-way switching valve, A vapor compression heat pump device that includes a condenser, a decompression device, and an evaporator and that can be switched between a cooling operation and a heating operation, and an adsorbent that guides the thermal output of the thermoelectric output device during the cooling operation by the vapor compression heat pump device Adsorption refrigerating machine composed of an adsorber, an evaporator and a condenser for regenerating and desorbing the refrigerant, the cold output generated in the evaporator of this adsorption refrigerating machine, and the refrigerant downstream of the condenser of the vapor compression heat pump device Heat exchange means for cooling the refrigerant downstream of the condenser, an air-cooled heat exchanger for cooling the refrigerant guided from the condenser of the adsorption refrigeration machine, and this air-cooled heat Exchange And a refrigerant sucked into the compressor of the refrigerant and vapor heat pump apparatus of the outlet of the vessel to heat exchange, the refrigerant in the air-cooled heat exchanger outlet for cooling (fourth); and a heat exchange means.

  According to the present invention, the vapor compression heat pump device is driven by the electric output of the thermoelectric output device, and the output of the vapor compression heat pump device is increased by the thermal output of the thermoelectric output device via the adsorption refrigeration machine. There are effects such as improving the overall efficiency of the system.

[Example 1]
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a system diagram of the composite air conditioner and shows a cooling operation state. This composite air conditioner includes a fuel cell 1 that is a thermoelectric output device, a hot water storage tank 2, an adsorption refrigeration machine (AHP) 3, and a vapor compression heat pump apparatus (EHP) 4.

  The fuel cell 1 communicates with a hot water storage tank 2 as a heat storage device for recovering the exhaust heat of the fuel cell 1 via a water pipe P1 and constitutes a circulation circuit. The hot water storage tank 2 is filled with water and a heating pipe (not shown) provided with a heating unit is accommodated, and the exhaust heat of the fuel cell 1 is given to the heating pipe so that the water in the hot water storage tank 2 is drained. It comes to heat. Further, the water pipe P1 is provided with a pump (not shown) that circulates the water in the hot water storage tank 2 or hot water.

  The adsorption refrigeration machine 3 accommodates and arranges an adsorber A filled with an adsorbent such as silica gel or zeolite, and a condenser B and an evaporator C composed of heat exchange pipes in a refrigerator main body 3A. An air-cooled heat exchanger D is arranged outside the main body 3A.

  The adsorber A and the condenser B are communicated with each other through a circuit having a switching valve (not shown). The adsorbent in the adsorber A is heated by means to be described later, and adsorbate (also called vapor refrigerant) such as water and alcohol adsorbed on the adsorbent is desorbed to regenerate the adsorbent. The desorbed adsorbate is guided to the condenser B, cooled by means described later, and condensed and liquefied.

  The evaporator C is communicated with the condenser B and the adsorber A through a circuit having a switching valve (not shown), guides the adsorbate liquefied by the condenser B, evaporates it by means described later, and removes the evaporated adsorbate. It leads to the adsorber A and is adsorbed by the adsorbent. Accordingly, when the adsorbate evaporates in the evaporator C, cold heat due to latent heat of vaporization is output. In the air-cooled heat exchanger D, the heat of the cooling water (refrigerant) is radiated to assist the condensing action in the condenser B.

  In the vapor compression heat pump device 4, a compressor 4a, a four-way switching valve 4b, an outdoor heat exchanger 4c, a decompression device (expansion valve) 4d, and an indoor heat exchanger 4e are sequentially connected via a refrigerant pipe Pa. A heat pump refrigeration cycle is configured that can be switched between a cooling operation and a heating operation by a switching action on the four-way switching valve 4b.

  Between the outdoor heat exchanger 4c and the decompression device 4d in the vapor compression heat pump device 4, the liquid refrigerant guided between the outdoor heat exchanger 4c and the decompression device 4d and the evaporation of the adsorption refrigerator 3 are provided. A first heat exchanger (first heat exchanging means) 6 for exchanging heat with the cold output generated in the vessel C is provided.

  Between the discharge part of the said compressor 4a and the four-way switching valve 4b, the 2nd heat exchanger (with which heat exchange of the refrigerant | coolant gas discharged from the compressor 4a and the thermal output produced | generated by the fuel cell 1 is carried out. Second heat exchange means) 5 is provided. Further, between the suction part of the compressor 4a and the four-way switching valve 4b, the evaporated refrigerant gas guided to the suction part and the adsorbent filled in the adsorber A by the adsorption refrigeration machine 3 are regenerated and desorbed. A third heat exchanger (third heat exchanging means) 7 for exchanging heat with the heat is provided.

  The first heat exchanger 6, the second heat exchanger 5, and the third heat exchanger 7 are in communication with each other via the fuel cell 1 and the second water pipe P2. Between the first heat exchanger 6 and the second heat exchanger 5 in the water pipe P2, a flow path switching valve 8 having a three-way switching valve structure is provided.

  In the composite air conditioner configured as described above, the flow path switching valve 8 is switched to the side of the adsorber A constituting the adsorption refrigeration machine 3 during the cooling operation. The compressor 4a of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 is driven with the electrical output obtained from the fuel cell 1. At the same time, the heat output that has been heated by the exhaust heat of the fuel cell 1 and increased in temperature is led to the second heat exchanger 5 and further heated by the high-temperature and high-pressure gas discharged from the compressor 4a.

  The high-temperature water whose temperature has risen is led to the adsorber A of the adsorption refrigerator 3, and the adsorbent filled in the adsorber A is heated to desorb the adsorbate adsorbed on the adsorbent from the adsorbent. The desorbed adsorbate is guided to the condenser B, and is heat-exchanged with the low-temperature water radiated by the air-cooled heat exchanger D to be condensed and liquefied. The adsorbate liquefied by the condenser B is led to the evaporator C, where it is evaporated and cold heat is output. The adsorbate evaporated in the evaporator C is guided to the adsorber A and is adsorbed by the adsorbent filled therein.

  The adsorbate is heated by the thermal output of the fuel cell 1 guided to the adsorber A, and circulates the cycle described above again. On the other hand, the cold output generated in the evaporator C is guided to the first heat exchanger 6 to exchange heat with the downstream refrigerant of the outdoor heat exchanger (condenser) 4c of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 and downstream. The side refrigerant is cooled.

  The heat after the adsorbate is desorbed from the adsorbent by the adsorber A of the adsorption refrigerator 3 is guided to the third heat exchanger 7, where it exchanges heat with the evaporated refrigerant gas flowing through the suction portion of the compressor 4a. To do. The heat after desorption of the adsorbate is cooled, and the cooled heat returns to the fuel cell 1 and is heated again in the fuel cell 1, and further circulates through the second water pipe P2.

  In this way, the combined air conditioner is configured by the combination of the fuel cell 1, the vapor compression heat pump device 4, and the adsorption refrigeration machine 3, and the vapor compression heat pump device according to the electric output of the fuel cell 1. 4 is driven to increase the cold output in the evaporator C of the adsorption refrigerator 3 by the hot output of the fuel cell 1. As a result, the output of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 is increased, and the overall efficiency can be improved as a combined air conditioner.

  The first heat exchanger 6 is provided to heat the cold output from the evaporator C of the adsorption refrigeration machine 3 and the downstream refrigerant of the condenser (outdoor heat exchanger 4c) of the vapor compression heat pump device 4. I exchanged it. Therefore, in the vapor compression heat pump device 4, as shown in the Mollier diagram of FIG. 6, a supercooling temperature (ΔH1) equal to or lower than the outside air temperature can be realized, and the degree of supercooling can be increased. Can be improved and the capacity can be increased.

  At the same time, in order to cool the refrigerant on the downstream side of the outdoor heat exchanger (condenser) 4c of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 by the cold heat of the evaporator C of the adsorption refrigerator 3, the cold heat of the evaporator C in the adsorption refrigerator 3 Can be set higher (about 20 to 30 ° C.) than the method (10 to 15 ° C.) that directly uses for cooling, and the COP can be improved as the refrigeration capacity increases.

  In particular, in the case of a variable capacity type compressor, a reduction in operating frequency can be obtained, and COP improvement can be realized with the same capacity standard. It is also possible to bring the DC output of the fuel cell 1 directly to the inverter. In this case, it is possible to reduce DC-AC conversion and power conversion loss when performing AC-DC conversion. Overall, a highly efficient cogeneration system can be constructed.

  Since the second heat exchanger 5 is provided to exchange heat between the refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor 4a constituting the vapor compression heat pump device 4 and the thermal output of the fuel cell 1, the fuel cell 1 As a result, it is possible to increase the refrigeration capacity and the efficiency of the adsorption refrigeration machine 3.

  The third heat exchanger 7 is provided, and the heat after the adsorbate is desorbed from the adsorbent by the adsorber A of the adsorption refrigeration machine 3, and the evaporative refrigerant sucked into the compressor 4a of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 Since the heat exchange with the gas is performed, the heat after the adsorbate is desorbed by the adsorber A can be cooled, and the temperature of the fuel cell 1 can be increased while the cycle COP of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 is maintained. It becomes possible. And since the return water temperature of the adsorption type refrigerator 3 is cooled, it can be reused for cooling the fuel cell 1.

  In the above-described configuration, the thermal output of the fuel cell 1 is directly guided to the adsorber A of the adsorption refrigeration machine 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown by a broken line in FIG. A circuit P3 that guides the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 heated with a thermal output of 1 to the adsorber A may be provided.

  2A and 2B show a specific configuration of the adsorption refrigerator 3 and different states. Here, the first adsorber A1, the first condenser B1 and the first evaporator C1 are accommodated, and the first adsorber E1, which is filled with the adsorbate, the second adsorber A2, and the second adsorber. A second adsorption tower E2 that houses the condenser B2 and the second evaporator C2 and is filled with an adsorbate is provided, and an air-cooled heat exchanger D is disposed separately. Furthermore, the above-described components are communicated with each other by a water circuit W. The water circuit W is provided with four-way switching valves F1 and F2 and three-way switching valves F3 to F6 for switching the components. A pump 9 is connected.

  By switching the flow paths of the four-way switching valves F1 and F2 and the three-way switching valves F3 to F6, high-temperature water as the thermal output of the fuel cell 1 can be alternately guided to the first adsorber A1 and the second adsorber A2. Thus, the adsorbing action is alternately performed in the adsorbers A1 and A2, thereby enabling continuous refrigeration output.

  2A, the thermal output of the fuel cell 1 is guided to the first adsorber A1 and heated to desorb and regenerate the adsorbent. Further, the cooling water cooled by the air-cooled heat exchanger D is guided to the first condenser B1 to exchange heat and condense the adsorbed desorbed. At the same time, the cooling water cooled by the air-cooled heat exchanger D is guided to the second adsorber A2, the adsorbent is cooled to adsorb the adsorbate, and the adsorbate is evaporated by the second evaporator C2. Cold heat is output to the cooling water led to the first heat exchanger 6.

  In FIG. 2B, by switching the four-way switching valves F1 and F2 and the three-way switching valves F3 to F6, a state completely opposite to that in FIG. That is, the thermal output of the fuel cell 1 is guided to the second adsorber A2 and heated to desorb and regenerate the adsorbent. The cooling water cooled by the air-cooling heat exchanger D is guided to the second condenser B2 to exchange heat and condense the adsorbate. At the same time, the cooling water cooled by the air-cooled heat exchanger D is led to the first adsorber A1, the adsorbent is cooled to adsorb the adsorbate, and the adsorbate is evaporated by the first evaporator C1. Cold heat is output to the cooling water led to the first heat exchanger 6.

  Here, the first and second adsorbers A1 and A2, the first and second condensers B1 and B2, and the first and second evaporators C1 and C2 are the same as the first and second adsorption towers. Although arranged in E1 and E2, a method of storing in separate adsorption towers and connecting with valves may be adopted.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the four-way switching valve 4b is switched to the heating operation in the vapor compression heat pump device 4 with the same cycle configuration as that of the combined air conditioner shown in FIG. During this heating operation, the adsorption refrigeration machine 3 is not operated, and the flow path switching valve 8 is switched to the evaporator C side of the adsorption refrigeration machine 3 as necessary, such as during a defrosting operation.

  Thus, the heat output of the fuel cell 1 and the gas discharged from the compressor 4a of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 are heat-exchanged in the second heat exchanger 5, and the heat output is heated. The heated thermal output is guided to the evaporator C side of the adsorption refrigeration machine 3 through the flow path switching valve 8, and passes through the pressure reducing device 4d through the indoor heat exchanger 4e that becomes a condenser during heating operation. Heat exchange is performed in the first heat exchanger 6 with the refrigerant on the upstream side of the outdoor heat exchanger 4c, which becomes the evaporator.

  The refrigerant that has passed through the decompression device 4d through the indoor heat exchanger 4e is heated by the thermal output that has risen in temperature in the first heat exchanger 6, and is guided to the outdoor heat exchanger 4c in a state in which the temperature has risen. Therefore, even when frost is attached to the outdoor heat exchanger 4c, the refrigerant whose temperature has increased can heat the outdoor heat exchanger 4c to perform defrosting and shorten the defrosting time. Unlike the normal defrosting operation, it is not necessary to switch the four-way switching valve 4b to the cooling operation cycle, and noise reduction at the time of switching and room temperature fluctuation can be reduced, thereby improving comfort.

  Specifically, the low temperature output (about 60 ° C.) of the fuel cell 1 is heated and heated (up to about 80 ° C.) by the discharge gas temperature (about 105 ° C.) of the compressor 4a in the second heat exchanger 5 and adsorbed. Output to the refrigerating machine 3, the refrigerating capacity of the adsorption refrigerating machine 3 is increased, the performance of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 is improved, and hot water can be supplied even during heating operation. The frost time is shortened.

  On the vapor compression heat pump device 4 side, as shown by ΔH2 in the Mollier diagram of FIG. 6, the superheat amount of the suction temperature increases, the discharge temperature also rises, and the heating capacity is increased and the hot water supply is increased without increasing the compression work. It can be used for cooking.

[Example 2]
Next, Example 2 will be described with reference to FIG. Except for the parts to be described later, all other configurations are the same, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a new description is omitted.

Here, the evaporative refrigerant gas sucked into the suction portion of the compressor 4a constituting the vapor compression heat pump device 4 and the refrigerant (cold water) after releasing heat in the air-cooled heat exchanger D of the adsorption refrigerator 3 A fourth heat exchanger (fourth heat exchange means) 10 is provided for heat exchange .

  Then, the refrigerant (cold water) after radiating heat in the air-cooled heat exchanger D is guided to the fourth heat exchanger 10 to exchange heat with the evaporated refrigerant gas sucked into the suction portion of the compressor 4a, and then The circuit P4 led to the condenser B constituting the adsorption refrigerator 3 is provided.

  With this configuration, the refrigerant (cold water) after radiating heat in the air-cooled heat exchanger D is cooled by the evaporated refrigerant gas sucked into the suction portion of the compressor 4a in the fourth heat exchanger 10. Is done. Since the cooled refrigerant (cold water) is guided to the condenser B constituting the adsorption refrigeration machine 3, the condensing capacity in the adsorption refrigeration machine 3 is improved even under a high outside air temperature condition. This leads to an increase in the refrigerating capacity, and at the same time, the air-cooled heat exchanger D can be downsized.

[Example 3]
Next, Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the fuel cell 1, the hot water storage tank 2, and the vapor compression heat pump device 4 constitute a combined air conditioner, and the above-described adsorption refrigeration machine is not provided.

  And it is provided with a fifth heat exchanger (fifth heat exchanging means) 20 for exchanging heat between the refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor 4a of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 and the thermal output of the fuel cell 1. In addition, a sixth heat exchanger (sixth heat exchange means) 30 that exchanges heat between the evaporated refrigerant gas sucked into the compressor 4a and the warm output of the fuel cell 1 is provided.

  Therefore, the refrigerant sucked into the compressor 4a using the thermal output of the fuel cell 1 in the sixth heat exchanger 30 can be heated as shown by ΔH3 in the Mollier diagram of FIG. 6, and as a result, the compressor The temperature rise of the refrigerant gas discharged from 4a can be obtained. And in the 5th heat exchanger 20, the thermal output from the fuel cell 1 is reheated and heated up with the refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor 4a. In this way, the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 2 can be reheated, and the efficiency of the vapor compression heat pump device 4 is not affected.

  Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The cooling operation state is represented by the cycle configuration diagram of the composite air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the specific structure of an adsorption | suction type refrigerator based on the Example 1, and an action state which is mutually different. The figure showing the heating operation state based on the Example 1. FIG. The cycle block diagram of the composite air conditioner based on Example 2 of this invention. The cycle block diagram of the composite air conditioner based on Example 3 of this invention. The Mollier diagram which concerns on the composite air conditioner of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fuel cell (thermoelectric output device), 4a ... Compressor, 4 ... Vapor compression heat pump device, A ... Adsorber, 3 ... Adsorption refrigeration machine, C ... Evaporator, 4c ... Outdoor heat exchanger (at the time of cooling operation) ), 6... 1st heat exchanger (first heat exchanging means), 4 e... Indoor heat exchanger (condenser during heating operation), 5... Second heat exchanger (second heat) Exchange means), 7 ... third heat exchanger (third heat exchange means), D ... air-cooled heat exchanger, 10 ... fourth heat exchanger (fourth heat exchange means), 2 ... hot water storage tank , 20 ... fifth heat exchanger (fifth heat exchange means), 30 ... sixth heat exchanger (sixth heat exchange means).

Claims (1)

A thermoelectric output device such as a fuel cell;
A vapor compression heat pump device that includes a compressor driven by an electric output by the thermoelectric output device, a four-way switching valve, a condenser, a decompression device, and an evaporator, and capable of switching between a cooling operation and a heating operation;
An adsorber for desorbing the adsorbate adsorbed on the adsorbent by guiding the thermal output of the thermoelectric output device, a condenser for guiding the adsorbate desorbed by this adsorber to condense and liquefying, and an adsorbate for liquefying the adsorbate An adsorption refrigeration machine composed of an evaporator that outputs cold heat and
During the cooling operation by the vapor compression heat pump device, the cold output generated in the evaporator of the adsorption refrigeration machine and the downstream refrigerant of the condenser of the vapor compression heat pump device are heat-exchanged, and the downstream refrigerant of the condenser Heat exchange means for cooling ,
An air-cooled heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant led from the condenser of the adsorption refrigerator,
Heat exchange means for exchanging heat between the refrigerant at the outlet of the air-cooled heat exchanger and the refrigerant sucked into the compressor of the steam heat pump device to cool the refrigerant at the outlet of the air-cooled heat exchanger. A combined air conditioner.

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