KR20090021213A - Bio-renewable thermal energy heating and cooling system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a bio-renewable thermal energy heating and cooling system which is capable of rejection, reclamation and cogeneration. The refrigeration system of the present invention utilizes one or more evaporators and one or more condensers to transform thermal energy in the form of waste heat in one environment for use in another environment. The hot and cold sides of the refrigeration process may be split for multiple applications for increased utilization of the system energy. The environmental variables are balanced so as to optimize the properties of the refrigerant and the capabilities of the system compressor.

Description

Bio-renewable thermal energy heating and cooling system and method {BIO-RENEWABLE THERMAL ENERGY HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM AND METHOD}

Cross Reference to Related Application

This application claims 35 U.S.C. Provisional Application No. 60 / 804,148, filed June 6, 2006. Claims priority under § 119, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

U.S. Patent 7,040,108 ('108) describes a method for recovering thermal energy from various environments and storing it for use in a process or for subsequent use. The basic construction in the '108 patent used a single evaporator and a water cooled condenser with a compressor, expansion device, exhaust chamber, circulation pump and heated storage tank. The patent emphasized the heating capacity of the refrigeration process and extended the use of refrigeration technology to the maximum utilization of the refrigeration cycle for its heating action in the provided applications. Refrigeration cycles have been defined as processes involving compressors, heat exchangers (condensers), expansion devices, and evaporators. Thermal energy is collected from air or from liquids or slurries in an evaporator and is generally placed in a liquid stream or storage device that can be used to heat a space or process. The '108 system operates in single mode, namely reclamation.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention includes a scheme or method for the application of a refrigeration process to further enhance or optimize the utilization and control of refrigeration to convert thermal energy available in one environment / medium to another environment / medium. Extends the teaching of US Pat. No. 7,040,108. This is not a simple transfer of thermal energy from one location to another, but an effective conversion of energy from one condition to one or more conditions desired for a given application. This is done by balancing the nature of the refrigerant, the performance of the compressor and the environmental parameters.

For example, in meat processing plants, chillers are used to maintain suitable workplace temperatures for safe processing of meat, and boilers are used to heat sterile process water and wash water. The system of the present invention will provide cooling, while also providing a fixed temperature liquid refrigerant to the expansion device, and forming heated water for sterilization processes and wash down. The fixed liquid refrigerant temperature helps to optimize the performance of the compressor, where most chiller condensers help to optimize the performance of the compressor, which is exposed to variability in ambient air temperature that causes the compressor performance to change out of optimum conditions. .

The combination of compressor configuration, refrigerant, condenser configuration, expansion device / configuration, and evaporator configuration is adjusted by the characteristics of the chosen refrigerant and the requirements for its application. One purpose of the system configuration is to optimally use the heat energy sinks and heat energy sources available in the application while achieving the most desirable balance of refrigerant and lubricant conditions in the compressor.

In connection with these teachings and methods, the use of refrigeration for heating and cooling extends to a new range, whereby in connection with the construction of new refrigerants and refrigeration systems, the Applicant has established a worldwide combustion based furnace or boiler. Having the ability to replace a substantial portion of the capacity will provide refrigeration or cooling for the same application. This technique also results in the co-location of complementary energy-intensive applications to help reduce or eliminate dependence on external fuel sources.

One aspect of the present invention is the use of multiple condensers and multiple evaporators connected to a single compressor to increase the utilization of waste heat.

In another aspect of the invention, the refrigerant heat is separated for multiple use. For example, heat can be used to generate water, liquid or steam that is hotter than the condensation temperature of the refrigerant. The production of steam represents the use of a hot path to form a phase change in the environmental aspects of the refrigeration process.

In another aspect of the invention, a circulation loop with a water tank, a pump and a condenser / heat exchanger provides for the control and storage of higher temperature fluids, adjusts the supercooling temperature to improve evaporator heat collection capacity, and To significantly improve the efficiency, it provides control over head pressure. As long as subcooling is used in the prior art, its use is provided by drawing off a portion of the system refrigerant and cooling the remaining liquid refrigerant prior to introduction into the expansion device to help improve heat collection capacity in the evaporator. In comparison, the present invention uses water or process streams rather than refrigerants to accomplish this subcooling. This not only collects additional useful heat in the process stream through subcooling of the refrigerant, but also improves performance by improving the heat collection efficiency of the evaporator. The circulation loop provides the basis for the regulation of subcooling conditions to maintain higher compressor efficiency.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to the desuperheating known in the art, but for the purpose of extracting the heat available from the superheat in the hot refrigerant vapor to heat the water, wherein the remaining heat Is released. The present invention uses the entire heat path to allow the ejection and to heat the liquid before switching from the second priority to the heating application, which is unique and specifically the circulation used for process control. And not with the storage loop. The present invention uses the entire heat path as a prior art and uses superheated inhibitory pieces to form and / or store water or fluid at temperatures above the condensation temperature of the refrigerant before allowing release or lower prior use. Separation of the refrigerant hot side for various applications or controls significantly improves energy use compared to the prior art, which focuses on the release of refrigeration heat.

Another aspect of the invention is the separation of the cold side of the refrigeration process with regard to the separation of the hot parts. Evaporators in series or in parallel provide specific control, for example, pressure regulation in the suction line when two parallel evaporators operate at different temperatures and pressures. There is a need to supply cooling at a suitable temperature for both environments, because the series evaporators adjust the regulation of the temperature of the refrigerant in all evaporators.

In connection with the system of the present invention operating in the reclamation and cogeneration modes, a significant reduction in heat emissions is provided, since previously discarded thermal energy is recycled back to the bio-renewable process. The scheme developed to adjust the environmental balance presupposes the first and second laws of thermodynamics, in order to balance the energy of the system of the present invention from both refrigerant and environmental perspectives, whereby Process results and process control are achieved.

The system heats drinking water, cools the inner space region, uses hot water to heat the inner space region, recycles thermal energy by cooling the first region while heating the second region, and accomplishes this task significantly. Has the ability to save a large amount of energy.

A three-way reclaim valve is used to switch between the water cooled condenser and the external condenser. Together with the check valve this valve allows the refrigerant to flow back from the external condenser to the system and keeps the refrigerant from pooling in the external condenser. This allows the system to provide heating, cooling and water heating.

The ability to adjust the condensation temperature at the temperature of the water tank by the circulation system is a unique feature. The use of water for conditioning is also unique while using heat for useful heating. The temperature of the water in the tank sets the head pressure of the compressor (ie, corresponds to the condensation temperature of the refrigerant).

The limitation of a single condenser is overcome by a system using two condenser in series, each with its own tank and circulation system. This allows the first condenser to absorb all the energy before the second exchanger begins to absorb the energy. When the first heat exchanger system reaches the maximum condensation temperature, most of the heat is obtained by the second heat exchanger. When the system is operated continuously, the water in the first circulation loop becomes hotter than the condensation temperature, and the refrigerant entering the second heat exchanger receives some superheated steam refrigerant. The temperature of the first loop is higher than the condensation temperature of the refrigerant. This may allow the system to heat water above 20 ° C. in batch mode operation.

For continuous mode operation, cold water is introduced at the inlet of the circulation pump of the second circulation loop such that the system can operate at a condensation temperature that can contribute to the temperature of the mixture of hot water in the tank and the cold water entering the system. This allows the system to operate at lower head pressures while generating higher temperatures. Reciprocating compressors operating at R22 can operate in continuous flow mode at temperatures as high as 130F without exceeding acceptable head pressure. This will be the result of whether the system has one or two condensers. Applicant refers to development tempering.

The same flow strategy also applies to hot water entering the first circulation loop. When hot water is introduced at the suction of the circulation pump, the first condenser exhibits a mixture temperature lower than the tank temperature. Thus, such a system can absorb more heat at the provided conditions in the first condenser due to the larger temperature difference. The first circulation loop regulates the head pressure of the compressor, thereby increasing the compressor efficiency.

Such a system performs better when the first condenser circulation loop is below the maximum condensation temperature of the refrigerant in the system, ie approximately 125 F for the provided system, and when the second circulation loop is relatively cold. The second loop removes additional heat and supercools the liquid refrigerant. The second circulation loop regulates the refrigerant subcooling, which also improves the efficiency of the compressor.

Subcooling offers two advantages:

1. This system obtains the heat of photocooling for useful heating of the water.

2. When the refrigerant expands in the TX valve, it loses less flash gas (ie, boils more liquid refrigerant in the mixture inside the evaporator and heat transfer to the evaporator can be increased).

A third circulation loop can be provided to control overheating suppression.

Thus, a second use for dual condenser mode operation is to provide subcooling to increase the capacity of the system. A third condenser can then be used to provide both the ability to heat the liquid to a higher temperature and to supercool the refrigerant for the same system, which can result in improved system performance.

The use of multiple evaporators and multiple condensers in a parallel circuit to provide any combination of heating and / or cooling, and the use of multiple condensers and circulation loops in series within the circuit, depends on how much capacity is required. It can be extended to the use of the configuration. Any number of circuits can be applied, or any number of condensers or evaporators can be applied to meet the requirements of any application, as well as to maximize the utilization of the refrigeration system and to maximize the cost benefits of the system installation for the given application. Can be.

Thus, a way of describing the specificity of the system in terms of both its physical and economic variables has been developed. Since refrigeration systems have never been applied in this way, this approach is unique and characterizes the system for a wide range of applications. This modality parameter allows the system to be evaluated as a viable substitute for thermal energy infrastructure around the world.

The thermodynamic approach balances the recycled energy and the ambient capacity of the refrigerant and compressor by first applying energy to the application and releasing the remaining energy to balance the refrigerant and compressor capacity at a new level. Provides bioenergy in the form of air.

As used herein, "environmental heat energy" is defined as heat energy available and naturally present or released to the environment by an exothermic process.

Brief description of the drawings

1 is a schematic diagram of a basic prior art heating, cooling, and hot water configuration according to the '108 patent.

2 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a basic heating, cooling and hot water configuration of the prior art according to the '108 patent.

3 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a basic heating, cooling and hot water configuration according to the present invention.

4 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention showing heating, cooling, and hot water using multiple heat sinks.

5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating another embodiment of a heating, cooling and hot water system having a hot water heat sink according to the present invention.

6 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a heating, cooling and hot water system having a thermal loop and a thermal reservoir according to the present invention.

7 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a heating, cooling and hot water system with mixed superheat cogeneration and discharge according to the present invention.

8 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a heating, cooling and hot water system using superheated liquid according to the present invention.

9 and 10 are schematic diagrams of another embodiment of a heating, cooling and hot water system with a subcooled liquid according to the present invention.

11 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a heating, cooling and hot water system with superheated heating liquid and subcooling according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Refrigeration cycles and ways to adjust environmental balance

Applicant has developed a universal approach that is essential for balancing the cogeneration of heat and cold within a refrigeration cycle with two (or more) environmental constraints that can be influenced or controlled by the refrigeration process. It was.

These variables should be balanced against the requirements of the provided application of the system. The first consideration is the selection of refrigerants with physical properties that allow evaporation and condensation at temperatures that meet the requirements of the application within the compression ratios and operating temperature limits of the available compressors and compressor oils. There are numerous materials and mixtures of materials that have refrigerant characteristics. Given the wider batch of application conditions, new refrigerants will be selected or produced to take advantage of the efficiency of the refrigeration cycle. Once a suitable refrigerant has been selected, this approach can be applied with appropriate engineering principles to select or design refrigeration system components that balance the refrigeration cycle properly and withstand the strict application of the application.

The basic scheme may be described in several formats. For refrigeration processes with direct expansion in terms of application environment and electricity use:

(1) desired change in environmental conditions at the location of the evaporator-evaporator side piping loss and heat gain + electricity consumed-compressor and motor losses = desired change in environmental conditions at the location of the condenser-condenser side piping and Heat loss.

This relationship can also be expressed in terms of the refrigeration cycle itself. For example, equation (1) can be described as follows:

(2) Evaporator Energy Collected-Evaporator Side Piping Loss and Heat Gain + Compressor Work = Condenser Energy Released-Condenser Side Piping and Heat Loss.

These relationships are divided into the following sub-relationships:

(3) Collected evaporation energy = desired change in environmental conditions at the location of the evaporator.

(4) Condensed energy released = desired change in environmental conditions at the location of the condenser.

(5) Compressor work = electricity consumed-compressor and motor losses.

The generic term used in the above equations will be derived from the term of the particular application or refrigeration cycle and will conform to the law of conservation of mass and energy, taking into account significant losses. These equations are used to determine the actual scale and configuration of the refrigeration system that maximizes the utilization of both heating and cooling resources during the refrigeration cycle operation, thus maximizing the overall benefits of the installed system.

This approach provides the basis for designing the system to match refrigeration system requirements and environmental requirements and to optimize operating efficiency for simultaneous use in both the heating and cooling aspects of the refrigeration cycle. In comparison, the purpose of prior art systems was to maximize performance while generally meeting the heating or cooling side.

Bracket of Refrigeration Applications

Based on the utilization and efficiency of the refrigeration process, there are three classes of refrigeration applications: release, regeneration, and cogeneration.

A. Rejection

So far, most refrigeration applications belong to the release class. Upon release, one aspect of the refrigeration process is always discarded. For example, air conditioners transfer heat from the interior of the building to the exterior. The desired benefit is the cooling of the space, and heat (including electricity used to drive the machine) is transferred or released to the environment. Similarly, most freezers, chillers, and freezers simply dissipate heat, and this heat is collected in an environment where the condenser is positioned without any consideration of heat utilization for any useful purpose. An air to air heat pump is similar in that it cools the space while releasing heat in summer and heats the space while releasing cold air in winter. Emission refrigeration systems are at least effective systems because they use energy to heat or cool, but this is not for both heating and cooling. Emission systems have their place because they provide value for the processes they spend on their own either through product protection or production. However, in many applications, discharge systems such as chillers and freezers exist along the sides of boilers or furnaces that provide space and process heating based on combustion. This application is a candidate for conversion to regenerative or cogeneration refrigeration.

B. Reclamation

With regard to the instability of energy prices and the uncertainty regarding the balance between energy supply and energy demand, more and more refrigeration systems use some form of regeneration. In regeneration, some of the heating or cooling that can ever be released is obtained and reused for some useful purpose. Heat collection from the waste of the application and its use to heat water, space or some other process stream in the application is regeneration, as described in US Pat. No. 7,040,108. The collection of heat from the animal cage exhaust to heat the animal cages or the collection of heat from the wastewater or dryer exhaust of the laundry to heat the wastewater is a specific example. In regeneration, refrigeration systems are often designed or optimized for the use of one side of the refrigeration cycle, while the other side is used as much as possible, but not necessarily at all times or in the full range possible.

Many of the time dependent characteristics and seasonal variations of the process are accommodated by the present invention, where the refrigeration process provides for a given application, including the need for multiple evaporators and multiple condensers to utilize them more effectively and to meet the priority and time dependent requirements of the application. It is designed with additional flexibility to be used within a wider range. Regeneration applications may include a period of operation in which priority requires release and may sometimes operate in cogeneration mode (discussed below). For example, the system of the present invention installed at home will operate in cogeneration mode when heating drinking water while providing comfort cooling. However, the same system will switch to the release mode when drinking water is heated to its limit and more comfortable cooling is required. In the same home application, if the external evaporator is positioned to take advantage of the dryer exhaust and bathroom and oven exhaust fans, this system is regenerated while heating water during the heating season or during the cooling season when comfort cooling is not required. Will work in mode. Since these systems can operate in these different modes, they have the potential for annual performance that exceeds the performance of many conventional refrigeration basal heating or cooling systems. Examples of various reproduction configurations are described below with reference to the drawings. A unique feature of each of these systems is that when operating in regeneration mode, it uses 100% of the heating side of the refrigeration cycle. Most regeneration systems use only part of the heating capacity. Home heating and cooling systems fall into the regeneration category because sometimes release, regeneration or cogeneration can be used, which is better than pure release but not better than pure cogeneration.

Cogeneration

When both the cooling and heating sides of the refrigeration cycle are used in-process, this application refers to cogeneration. As mentioned in the regeneration section above, an example of cogeneration is when a refrigeration system is used to provide comfortable cooling while heating drinking water. This effective use of resources can be extended to housing or hotel applications where the same system can be used to heat swimming pools and / or hot tubs. However, due to daily and seasonal variability in external atmospheric conditions, housing applications are rare pure cogeneration applications. Pure cogeneration applications will be found mostly in agricultural, commercial and industrial applications where both cooling and heating are used to produce the product. For example, in an ethanol plant, the heat released from the cooked mash for fermentation or from the fermentation process itself is collected to heat cook water or to heat the condensate regeneration for the boiler. Can be used. In the future, an advantage in refrigerants and refrigeration units may be to operate the refrigeration system at a temperature where the refrigeration system can replace the boiler. Power plants, bio-diesel plants, chemical and crude refineries, commercial laundries / dry cleaners, and many other industry-oriented energy-intensive processes provide opportunities for cogeneration with refrigeration systems.

The configuration shown in the figures is an example of a refrigeration system in which the above described scheme is used to maximize regeneration and cogeneration opportunities in the application.

The aim is to maximize the use of balanced refrigeration cycles in configurations that minimize energy consumption and maximize efficiency and value for application. The system can use the optimal combination of release, regeneration and cogeneration as adjusted by the requirements and restrictions imposed by the application. The system can utilize all three classes of operation in the same facility.

Bio-renewable reverse thermal energy characteristics of the system

So far, refrigeration processes have been taught as simple energy transfer from one location to another using electricity to operate a compressor. The present invention attempts to modify the thermal energy to its most desired conditions in certain applications that provide constraints and capacities for refrigerants, compressor oils and devices, rather than simply transferring thermal energy, through regulation and system design. This is demonstrated, for example, in the ethanol process previously described as an example of cogeneration. The fermentation process requires a fixed 95 ° F. and the treated mash is maintained at 180 ° F. Fermentation releases heat as bacteria metabolize sugar to alcohol. The mash is maintained by the system (excess heat is collected) and converted to 130 ° F. To 180 ° F. Water depending on the design of the refrigeration process.

The present invention is capable of transforming electricity from any source into thermal “bio-energy” through the reuse of thermal energy so far discarded into the environment, and through the reduction of toxic emissions associated with conventional combustion based heating systems. For example, in a conventional ethanol plant, the treated water is heated using natural gas, coal, or biomass ignition boilers. Excess heat in the treated mash must be removed before it is ready for the fermentation process. This has so far included the use of heat exchangers to provide heat to other parts of the process, but also required additional cooling from the chiller or cooling tower to terminate the cooling process, which caused the mash to be the most different in the ethanol production process. This is because it must be cooled more than a step. It also appears to maintain the fermentation process at 95 ° F. Thus, the fuel is burned to heat the process stream, and heat is then released to the environment, or excess heat is generated from which biological processes are released to the environment. This mode of operation is widespread in most industries today, as conventional energy prices and energy supplies allow this and there has been no economical way to use low grade "waste" heat. However, with respect to Applicant's system, the waste energy can be regenerated to provide the desired cooling and heating effects simultaneously. In addition, technology and refrigerant development will allow more precise matching of the desired operating conditions on both sides of the refrigeration cycle.

Such systems change the direct ignited source of heat and their associated emissions. Since waste energy and solid and gaseous emissions are released to the environment otherwise, the thermal energy recovered by the new and advanced systems is bio-energy. Bio-energy systems also exist when renewable energy is derived from living organisms (eg, animal houses, alcohol producing bacteria or incubated eggs). Such a system would essentially replace carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NO _x ) emissions from all carbon-based combustion processes, which would result in sulfur dioxide, oil, coal, solid waste or biomass combustion. Mercury and ash emissions will be substituted. Regarding providing a system replacement or reduction of CO ₂ , SO ₂ , and other emissions, emissions caps with marketable figures in the US cap and trade emissions reduction strategy in the future (currently, SO ₂ , Plans for the formation of NO _x , Hg, and CO ₂ ) may be quantified. The substitution range and ecological impact of the emissions are measured in comparison to the renewable energy characteristics of the system in the application at the particular location.

This renewable characteristic of bio-energy can be derived by comparing the efficiency of the system with the efficiency of the thermal power plant generating electricity for the application site. Thermal plants include fossil fuel ignition plants, nuclear plants, biomass ignition plants, solar plants and geothermal plants. All these types of generations release significant amounts of waste heat into the environment, and combustion-based systems produce significant amounts of combustion products that contribute to air and water pollution. The efficiency of a heat generating plant is characterized by the amount of heat defined as the Btu input of fuel (or thermal energy) per 1 kWh of electricity output. System operation in regenerative or discharge mode can similarly be characterized as Btu of heat emissions per 1 kWh of electricity input (reverse heat feature). If the system performance (Btu emissions / kWh input) is greater than the average heat output (Btu emissions / kWh input) of the thermal electricity generating system, the two ratios represent the regeneration contribution of the system operation.

For example, if the system of the present invention is operating at 12,000 Btu heat emissions per kWh electricity while the heat generating system is producing electricity at 9,000 Btu / kWh, the system of the present invention is (12,000 / 9,000 -1) * 100 = Contributes to 33% renewable thermal energy (ie 1 unit of energy provides 1.33 units of energy for the desired purpose). The average regional Btu / kWh calories of the generating system will change as different generating units, and different efficiencies are used to meet the load. Thus, the renewable energy contribution will change over time as the calorific value of the generating system changes. However, the system may appear to be a new stimulus to work towards inducing heat generation system calories to lower values.

To describe the effect of reducing heat on a heat generating system, for example, apply 7000 Btu / kWh heat generating heat. This is in the range of newer combined cycle natural gas fired power plants. The renewable energy contribution of the system of the present invention is (12000/7000 -1) * 100 = 71.4% (ie, 1 Btu of energy provides 1.714 Btu of thermal energy). By moving the use of natural gas and propane from direct combustion in residential, commercial and industrial applications, and using it in a combined cycle power generation system, as well as by applying the system technology of the present invention, the applicant is directed to the amount of waste heat energy and to the environment. It is possible to significantly reduce the amount of combustion products. To further derive this, suppose, for example, that a renewable energy contribution alternative to the system of the present invention will operate at 100% efficiency (ie, subtract 1.0 from the ratio). In practice, direct combustion systems will usually have conversion efficiencies in the range of 80% to 93%, meaning that an additional 7% to 20% of the thermal energy used (and their associated emissions) are lost to the environment compared to the use of the system. . Another way of saying here is that 1 Btu of natural gas or propane provides useful heat of 0.8 to 0.93 Btu. Therefore, to compare with the alternative, we subtract the efficiency of the direct combustion system from the efficiency of the applicant's combustion / combined cycle generation system to determine the adjusted renewable energy contribution to the competitive alternative. If the alternative is a 93% efficient boiler, the renewable contribution is (12000/7000 -0.93) * 100 = 78.4%). This includes that the system will produce 1.784 Btu of useful heat per Btu of useful heat, which is provided by a 93% efficient direct ignition boiler.

The system of the present invention in a regeneration or cogeneration scenario will typically operate in the range of 11260 Btu / kWh to 13650 Btu / kWh, and new developments are expected to increase the upper limit. As the reverse calorific value increases, the effect of the entire bio-renewable system will increase proportionally. A system running at 13650 Btu / kWh driving on electricity from a gas firing combined cycle replacing a 93% efficient gas firing boiler will produce a (13650/7000-0.93) * 100 = 102% recyclable contribution (I.e. useful heat of 2.02 Btu will be generated from Btu of gas fired in the combined cycle plant, and will be amplified by the system compared to useful heat of 0.93 Btu if the same Btu is fired directly in a 93% efficient boiler. ).

Since not all electricity generation is beneficial from the heat source, some corrections will be made to the effect of the non-thermal electricity source. Non-thermal renewable energy sources are very small if any airborne or thermal emissions include technologies such as wind, waves, hydrogen and solar-electric power. The effect of non-thermal renewable generation on the system renewable contribution of the present invention will be proportional to the proportion of the total mix of generations generated from non-thermal sources. However, the contribution of Applicant's reverse thermal process and system to the non-thermal electricity source is better described based on the coefficient of performance (COP) or heat release Btu per Btu used by the system of the present invention. Units operating in regenerative and cogeneration modes can generally operate at 3.3 or higher COPs. However, while this level of COP is also possible in the emission mode, the temperature of a heat source, such as outside air, on a very cold winter day during the heating season can drop the COP to a level as low as 1.0 when the system is operating in the emission mode. For example, suppose the system is operating at a COP of 3.3 to 4.0 in regeneration mode. A COP of 3.3 corresponds to reverse calories at 11262 Btu / kWh, and a COP of 4.0 corresponds to reverse calories at 13650 Btu / kWh (ie, 11262/3413 = 3.3 and 13652/3413 = 4.0, where 3413 is Btu to kWh). Switching constant between (ie 1 kWh of electricity will provide 3413 Btu of thermal heating from the resistive heater). At a COP of 4.0, the unit in the regeneration mode will generate thermal energy for the process of 4 Btu for 1 Btu of electricity consumed. Thus, the system of the present invention multiplies the heat capacity of electricity generated from a nonthermal source by an even ratio to COP.

The total renewable contribution of the system of the present invention in developmental mixing, including nonthermal generation, is shown by way of example below. Use 13562 Btu / kWh RASERS, a combined cycle power plant that operates at 7000 Btu / kWh calories and 10% nonthermal renewable energy contribution comparable to a 93% efficient direct ignition boiler. The renewable energy contribution of this system is (13562 / (0.9 * 7000 + 0.1 * 3413)-0.93) * 100 = 112.56%. This approach will reduce the COP of the system as the amount of heat generated is reduced and the nonthermal contribution is increased. The minimum possible heat capacity of a thermal energy system is 3413 Btu / kWh, which means that they operate at 100% conversion efficiency (ie 1 kWh = 3413 Btu).

When the system of the present invention operates in a cogeneration mode, the renewable contributions will almost certainly be the same as COP, since a cooling effect is required regardless of whether the thermal heating effect is used or not. In other words, when energy is produced and used for the cooling effect of the system, the heating effect is automatically obtained when fully used.

The above discussion allows the thermal energy based electricity generation system to generate bio-renewable thermal energy when the conversion efficiency (calories) of the electricity generation system is combined with the conversion efficiency (reverse calories) of the system of the present invention. To indicate. It has also been shown that the system of the present invention effectively doubles the renewable contribution of the nonthermal renewable renewable electricity source by the COP of the applicant's system. In addition, the system of the present invention operating in cogeneration mode has the same bio-renewable thermal energy as the COP of the system.

Assumptions made in terms of calories and efficiency are within the range of nominal performance for the thermal system in operation. Renewable contributions can estimate that the efficiency of the combined system exceeds 100%. However, the system of the present invention does not generate energy and usually converts thermal energy that is discarded or exhausted into the environment into useful thermal energy. Through proper use of refrigerants and control of phase change properties, the refrigeration cycle amplifies small amounts of energy (electricity) into larger amounts of thermal energy available for use in many applications.

In addition to reducing the emission of thermal energy and combustion products, there will be additional ecological benefits of replacing direct fired thermal heating systems with the system of the present invention. One example is the reduction of the use of makeup water for boilers and cooling towers or evaporative coolers. Another example is the reduction of scale and biological water treatment chemical usage for boilers and cooling towers. In view of all this, the environmental and economic scope of fossil fuel use can be significantly reduced through the implementation of the system of the present invention. As natural gas and propane used for direct thermal heating of industrial, commercial, agricultural, and residential applications in the field are replaced by the system technology of the present invention, additional natural gas and propane are combined for cleaner and more efficient combined cycles. It will be available for gas fired electricity generation. Since the system technology of the present invention generates bio-renewable thermal energy, it can be classified according to its bio-renewable properties in order to have at least the following advantages in the renewable energy promotion program and renewable energy rights market:

(1) It is possible to reduce emissions of combustion products and waste heat energy obtained from fuels used for thermal heating processes at a defined rate as renewable energy contributions. Renewable energy contributions are derived according to the following formula:

Renewable Energy Contribution% = (RTHR / (REFTH * THPHR-REFNTH * 3413)-CompEff) * 100

Where RTHR is the system's reverse thermal load, Btu heat output / kWh electricity input

THPHR is the heat output of thermal regeneration plant, Btu heat input / kWh electricity output

REFTH is the fraction of occurrence of mixing provided by the thermal plant

REFNTH is the generation mix fraction created by the nonthermal generation system

The 3413 is 100% efficient in converting Btu to THPHR or kW in thermally generated plants

CompEff shows the system's conversion efficiency for thermal energy systems comparable to Btu heat output / Btu's fired fuel.

(2) Thermal energy of greater than 100% when the efficiency of system regeneration is considered in combination with the efficiency of the thermal generation plant.

(3) Generate thermal energy at the maximum efficiency specified as the coefficient of performance of the system. This occurs when electricity derived from a nonthermal source is used, when the efficiency of the thermally generated source reaches 100%, and when the system is operating in cogeneration mode. The coefficient of performance is defined as Btu of the yield of energy divided by the electrical input Btu.

(4) Operation in cogeneration mode forms both heating and cooling at the sum of the operating costs of the refrigeration system and any additional fan, pump or conditioning costs required to manage the heating side of the process.

Three commercial applications of the system

There is a wide range of application arrangements in which the system of the present invention can be applied to take advantage of its bio-renewable features and its flexibility to operate efficiently in three classes of refrigeration applications. From the prospect of commercialization, there are three broadly defined markets that benefit from this system. Several specific market fragments are identified for each (the list is not intended to be all identified).

a. Housing and commercial heating and cooling

● single family

● multiple families

● living room and dormitory

● office

● Retailer

● Warehouse / Storage

● Non-processing equipment (manufacturing, assembly, laboratory, etc.)

● animal stall

● Greenhouse and Plant Nursery

b. Industrial heating and cooling

● Coated and baked powder for painting operations

● Food processing equipment (meat, dairy, baking, frozen food, etc.)

● casting

c. Inline process

● Ethanol and Biodiesel Process

● power plant

Applications with both boilers and chillers or cooling towers

● A wide variety of chemical, crude oil, drug and agricultural byproduct purification processes

● Hatchery / Incubator Climate Control System

● Hair, fiber, or product drying process

A new and unique feature of system technology in this market is its flexibility to take advantage of regeneration and cogeneration opportunities in each application. The use of the system of the present invention in place of combustion based techniques also appears to provide the remaining benefits in certain applications. For example, humidity can be better adjusted to help reduce the likelihood of disease, and pests or various process components can be significantly reduced with the use of fresh water to cool the incubator. The system will also provide additional or incremental effects in combination with renewable energy systems or energy storage systems with respect to other energy efficiency solutions. For example, in a hotel, hospital, or other commercial facility, two pipe heating and cooling systems operate with each unit operating between the boiler and the chiller to significantly reduce the discharge mode operation of the chiller and the combustion of the boiler. It may be a newly installed device for including a water source heat pump in the system of. The system of the present invention will use cogeneration to obtain excess heat in the loop and apply it to heating drinking water or swimming pools and hot tubs. If the loop requires additional heat, the system will use regeneration to obtain waste heat from the continuous exhaust system, wastewater and other heat sources in the installation to provide the required heating. The system of the present invention has the unique market potential of a wide range of applications, some of which are described in the sections below.

Thus, the system of the present invention provides the flexibility to use emissions, regeneration and cogeneration in an optimal manner to maximize energy savings and emission reductions for a wide range of application arrangements. Claims for specific applications are described at the end of the description of the invention. The system of the present invention may provide other benefits, such as reduced humidity or reduced water use, in some valuable applications, such as energy saving and emission reduction benefits.

Specific applications and configurations that account for the three classes of refrigeration applications and the bio-renewable energy characteristics of the system

Multi-heat source / multi-heat sink configuration

In order for the system of the present invention to take advantage of regeneration and cogeneration opportunities, it is essential to extend the definition of the system described in US Pat. No. 7,040,108 for using one or more evaporators and one or more condensers for a given refrigeration cycle. In most basic configurations, this may allow the system of the present invention to provide space heating, comfort cooling and drinking water heating in any installation. The configuration of the evaporator and condenser can be adjusted according to the application. Some applications may require only one evaporator and one condenser. Some applications may require two or three evaporators and one or two condensers. The number and type of evaporators is determined by the availability and type of excess, waste or ambient heat resources and the need for heating or cooling for the application. The number and type of condensers is determined by the number and type of heating and cooling demands required of the application. The number of evaporators and condensers combined with the provided units is also driven by the economics of the installation and the timing of the available heat sources and the timing of the heating and cooling requirements. When heat resources and heating and cooling demands do not occur at the same time, it is often necessary to consider thermal storage as a way to maintain heat or cold for subsequent use. In some instances, the cooling demand consistently exceeds the heating demand, in which case the storage capacity for heat can be reduced by using higher storage temperatures. This concept is described in more detail in the following description with respect to FIGS.

Basic heating, cooling and hot water composition

1 and 2 show the basic configuration of the '108 patent. FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, adding the concept of using a heat exchanger and a circulation pump to remove heat from the storage tank for the purpose of heating the space or heating the second stream. 1 and 2 are practical configurations for the applications required for heating based on heat collected from a single ambient source or stream. However, such a configuration is inadequate, for example, to provide heating and cooling throughout the year at home, since the heat source is changed from the inside of the home to the outside during the heating season during the comfort cooling season. In addition, the cooling load in comfort cooling applications exceeds drinking water heating requirements, and thus there is a need for a method of releasing excess heat generated by the comfort cooling process.

3 shows the use of a three-way return valve and a return check valve to switch between a water cooled condenser and an air cooled condenser. It also describes the addition of two two-way solenoid valves used to supply liquid refrigerant to two evaporators labeled "A-coil evaporator" and "evaporator." Multiple two-way valves or three-way valves may alternatively be used to switch between multiple condenser paths or to switch between multiple evaporator paths as required in the application. If such a path maintains a sufficient volume of liquid refrigerant to deplete the unit while using other paths, it may provide a means for regenerating the refrigerant in a given path that is not used. This is especially a problem for the condenser path. Without this adjustment, when the ambient temperature around the condenser drops, the refrigerant tends to move to the condenser (inside the condenser of the condenser), depleting the unit of refrigerant. Regeneration is not critical for the evaporator path because all evaporators are directly coupled to the suction of the compressor. The three-way return valve provides a convenient way to regenerate the refrigerant for suction of the compressor from the regeneration port on the valve. In general, the use of an open two-way solenoid valve (if used) is also important to prevent valve failure in the closed state and to cause a return situation to the compressor. The use of a three-way valve is also excellent, which will always have one port open and will not open for only one port.

This configuration provides the basic configuration necessary to provide heating and comfort cooling for any facility (home, office, warehouse, factory, etc.) while heating drinking water. The cogeneration capability by heating of drinking water provides significant advantages while providing comfortable cooling. If the external evaporator can be positioned to enable regeneration from the heated stream away from the installation, the overall performance of the system can be further improved during the heating season and during the heating of the water when there is no cooling demand.

In addition, a second condenser (or third or fourth, etc.) and two evaporators (or third or fourth, etc.) may be placed in locations to provide the heat of the process or processes with the advantage of a particular heat source. It has many applications beyond simple spatial conditioning and drinking water heating. The application of multiple evaporators and multiple condensers in this manner allows these systems to be configured to obtain the maximum benefits of regeneration and cogeneration opportunities in any application. Driving to maximize performance requires that certain configurations be adjusted in terms of economy and remaining cost / benefit.

Heating, cooling and hot water in multiple heat sinks

In some instances, the application represents an opportunity to provide useful heating of multiple locations or processes, such as heating of spaces, and heating of large heat sinks, such as swimming pools or process streams. US Pat. No. 7,040,108 describes the use of one loop for heating the space, but does not describe the possibility of multi-circuit. 4 illustrates the use of more than one heating circuit coupled to a hot water tank to allow the system to provide heating for multiple needs below the regulated temperature of the hot water tank. The desired temperature of the heat sink should be below the operating temperature of the system of the present invention, and operation on the provided coolant may transfer heat to the heat sink. In housing or parlor applications, including swimming pools, such a configuration can, if not eliminated, allow the system to maximize cogeneration and reduce release mode operation during either a comfortable cooling operation or a continuous process cooling operation. The second heating circuit is used in place of the second water cooling condenser when the heat demand is at a significantly lower temperature than the system's typical refrigerant condensation temperature (heat tank set point). This will allow the system of the present invention to control refrigeration system operation and, in some instances, to prevent excessive frost formation on the evaporator (s) and suction piping. Each heating loop will have a solenoid valve to control the flow of water through the loop based on application requirements and priorities. The flow control valve may also allow heat transfer out of the tank in each loop to be limited to heat entering the tank from the water cooling condenser. Each loop may have a circulation pump as shown in FIG. 4, or a single pump may be used to supply circulation for all loops.

Heating, cooling and hot water in hot water heat sinks

Some variations of the multiple heat sink concept developed in FIG. 4 are shown in FIG. 5. In such a configuration, the hot water is supplied to a cooling feed that installs the fixture throughout the facility except for the water used for beverage, ice making and food making purposes. This scheme is intended to provide additional heating loads during the cooling season to help avoid the need for emission mode operation with air cooled condensers. Such a system will not be used during the heating season if it does not provide value for some processes in the application. The fact that the cold water feed is heated will reduce the need for hot water, which will be more inclined towards colder than usual to achieve the same level of comfort for the user. There is also a humidification system for commercial applications such as laundry operation, dairy milk supply and incubators, where water of 70 ° C. to 90 ° C. is preferred at conventional groundwater temperatures. The use of 70 ° C. to 80 ° C. water in toilets and cold water piping to limit condensation and sweating helps to reduce mold formation in walls and ceilings and tends to people's slipping on wet floors in public restrooms Can be reduced. The restaurant may use a hot water supply to prevent release mode operation of the air cooling condenser during the comfort cooling season.

5 shows two configurations, a cold water supply with a mixing valve and a cold water supply with an independent tank. Both choices reduce energy consumption by reducing the need for release mode operation during the cooling process and can be used in certain applications where hot water is desired. The hot control valve is opened and the cold control valve is opened only when the hot water tank is satisfied, and the system performs cooling. As soon as the hot water tank performs heating, the valve will return to its de-energize position (the hot water control valve will close and the cold water control valve will open).

The mixing valve configuration allows hot water to be generated on demand to help reduce the relationship to bacterium growth in the hot water storage tank. This method is best used when there is a continuous demand for cold water, which must be required for cold water to provide a continuous support of the comfort cooling demand. Independent tank selection allows a larger supply of heated water to be stored and made available for use, and to ensure that the cooling is extended for periods when no cold water is required or for longer periods after water use. An additional advantage of the tank associated with the mixing valve is that when the hot and cold water regulating valves operate the water supply temperature to the user does not suddenly change from cold to cool, or from cool to cold. When the temperature of the cold water tank reaches this set point, the system will switch to the heat release mode if available until the cooling process is stopped or until the water is used to continuously generate hot or cold water. When a mixing valve is added to the tank configuration, the tank can be heated to a higher temperature while controlling the cold water temperature at the faucet.

Cold water bypass valves in independent tank selection are used to allow cold water tanks to be used to store hot water during the heating season. Bypass valve 1 is closed and bypass valve 2 is open when the system performs cooling. Bypass valve 1 is opened and bypass valve 2 is closed when the system performs heating. Such valves may be manually operated valves or may be automated in response to a system thermostat. During the heating season, if the bypass valve is set appropriately for the bypass mode, the thermostat of the cooling tank can be set to reach the hot water temperature. During the comfort cooling season, the thermostat of the cooling tank can be set to maintain the temperature at the warmest acceptable temperature for cold water supply.

Heating, cooling and hot water to the thermal loop and heat reservoir

The system of the present invention having a flexible configuration provides a unique capability to support heating and cooling operations including a thermofluid loop and a thermal energy reservoir. The heat loop or storage system can be operated to provide cooling or heating on demand. 6 shows a basic thermal system with both a fluid loop and a heat reservoir. The fluid and reservoir medium can be water, a mixture of glycol and water, or one of a number of thermal fluids available on the market. The storage system can also use phase change or phase change material to increase the energy density in the storage device.

The system refrigeration cycle configuration of the present invention is identical to any multi-heat source / multi-heat sink configuration shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 except that this configuration clearly uses a chiller as one of its evaporators. Although only one condenser is shown, certain applications may require additional condensers. For example, a second condenser can be used to dissipate heat to a cooling tower or an air cooling condenser when the heating needs of the plant are satisfactory and require good cooling. If the system is only used for cooling, the heat exchanger combined with the piping and fluid control valve can be omitted from the configuration. If the system is only used for heating, it will have the configuration of the system shown in FIG. 4 except that the hot water tank includes a phase change mechanism to increase the storage capacity of the system.

The circulation loop between the water cooled condenser and the hot water tank adds a heat exchanger to the loop rather than using a separate circulation loop. This offers the advantage of providing the highest temperature for heat exchange to the heat loop / storage system and prevents the operation of additional pumps. However, it is meant that the circulation pump is connected for operation depending on whether it requires heat from the thermal system or the water storage tank. It is also emphasized that the configuration of the thermal system has cooling device fluid control and heating fluid control valves to prevent heating of the loop during the cooling operation when the system is operating. An alternative is to provide an independent thermal circulation loop between the hot water tank and the thermal system loop as shown in FIG. 4. This eliminates the need for chiller fluid control and heating fluid control valves and places the chiller and heating heat exchanger on the same loop, but adds to the operating cost of an additional pump. Both methods will work and will be chosen primarily based on cost versus effect on system energy efficiency. The number of pumps and the configuration of the heat loop system will vary depending on the application. The thermal system loop may or may not include a heat storage device (heating / cooling fluid tank) depending on the requirements of the application. This includes, in some instances, no one of the tank, and the pump, in the thermal system. Backup heating and cooling can be from any economically valuable source connected to the heat loop. In today's most thermal loop systems like this, backup heating and cooling will be provided by boilers and chillers or cooling towers.

This system configuration of the present invention provides only vaporization for using regeneration and / or cogeneration to significantly improve the efficiency of thermal loop systems present in a number of installations and thermal energy (heating or cooling) is effectively stored for subsequent use. It provides an opportunity for a number of new applications that can be made. For example, consider the two pipe heating and cooling system examples discussed above relating to the commercial application of the system of the present invention in a hotel. The two pipe system is represented by a thermal loop system with or without a tank. Tanks will often be used in such applications because they provide a buffering effect on the loop to help reduce variability in the loop temperature. The chiller is used in cogeneration mode operation to provide cooling to the heat loop system while heating portable water for showers and laundries or heating the pool. Evaporators (one or more of these) operated in regenerative mode to provide heating to the heat loop system may be equipped with various exhaust streams, for example, continuous component air system exhaust, restaurant restaurant exhaust, laundry dryer exhaust, or shower and laundry. May be located in the wastewater from. The system of the present invention is sized to match conventional base load heating and cooling for a facility within the constraints of available heat sources and heat sinks. The backup heating and cooling system can then be sized to make up the difference between the maximum and normal operating conditions. Other sizing methods are to size the system to meet the needs that are usually experienced during spring and fall, and to size the boiler and chiller during extreme winters and summers. The loop can be operated in heating and cooling mode to provide heating and cooling through poor fan coils in each hotel room, or the loop is heated by a water source heat pump in a temperature controlled space provided by each hotel room or loop. And at a provided temperature, such as 55 ° F., to provide cooling. It would also be possible to provide backup heating and cooling from a floor connected heat pump system as opposed to boilers and chillers if sufficient floor connection capacity can be obtained economically in an economically acceptable manner at the application site. In the context of the system of the present invention, the scale of the floor-connected system can be reduced to help keep the overall running cost low.

A good example of a system in which this configuration is used for heat storage is a greenhouse. Greenhouses provide significant solar power on sunny days even when the outside temperature is cold. This provides an opportunity to collect excess heat during the day and uses it to heat the space during the night. Ideally, the phase change material will be used in the storage tank to increase the energy density of the storage tank, and the phase change material will be selected to allow storage at the normal condensation temperature (hot water tank set point) of the system of the present invention. . The benefit of removing excess heat from the greenhouse (beyond the obvious benefits to the plant) will increase the total amount of heat that can be collected, which means that lower temperatures in the plant will reduce losses to the outside, This is because a large amount of solar energy will be obtained in the cooled space in the heated space. This may be achieved in any solar collection system when combined with the system of the present invention. As the collector cools down, it will collect more heat. The collected heat can be used directly by circulating the heated storage fluid, and if the storage system temperature drops below a useful heating temperature, the system extracts additional heat from the storage tank until it reaches a temperature that prevents proper efficient operation. Can be used to

Heating, cooling and hot water to parallel units

In some applications, more than one energy regeneration unit with various components is required to meet heating and / or cooling requirements. In such applications, especially in commercial and industrial settings, it would be more economical to use a conventional hot water tank and / or one circulation pump for more than one unit. A more easily controlled multi-unit configuration in terms of water circulation is a parallel configuration such that each unit exhibits the same operating conditions or water temperature in the water cooled condenser. The use of a tandem configuration will result in the downstream units being represented at higher temperatures in the water cooled condenser and consequently will result in higher compressor head pressure and refrigerant temperature. As long as this temperature difference can be used as a means of starting and stopping the unit, it may be difficult to simultaneously cause adjustments to the heating tank thermostat. Each unit will have its own heat source and will be adjusted independently for this source. Attempts may be made to group units with appropriately similar heat sources to operate the unit at relatively similar operating conditions in terms of refrigerant. For example, one unit may provide a coolant loop at 40 ° F. and another unit recovers heat from the waste water tank at 125 ° F. The compression ratio of the two compressors can be quite different compared to the condensation temperature controlled by the temperature of the hot water tank. Units operating in colder environments may reach compression ratio conditions that exceed the recommendations for the compressor before the hot water tank thermostat is met, and these units will be at risk of failure or reduced operating life.

A disadvantage of using conventional pumps and conventional tanks for groups of units operating in parallel is that if the pump, tank or conventional header fails, all units will not work. The use of a circulating pump or parallel spare pump supply for each unit is probably required in some applications to minimize the risk or cost associated with shutdown.

Overview of advantages for multi-heat source / multi-heat sink configurations

(1) The system of the present invention may independently use one or more evaporators or one or more condensers to optimize the use of available heat sources and heat demands over time within a given application process. This extends the use of one evaporator and one condenser as described in US Pat. No. 7,040,108.

(2) The system of the present invention can be used to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for any application.

(3) The system of the present invention will use one or more three-way or two or more two-way valves and regulators to switch between evaporators and between condensers in accordance with the priority of application defined in the regulation system.

(4) Such a system may provide circulating water to one or more heat sinks by means of a circulating water heating loop.

(5) Such a system can provide both cooled water and heated water for purified water heating and cooling systems.

(6) Such a system can provide temperature controlled water instead of cold water as a way to avoid the use of an air cooling condenser during the comfort cooling season. This reduces energy consumption, increases heat storage capacity, and reduces moisture from pipes and fixtures by preventing fan operation.

(7) The units can be installed in parallel to use conventional circulation pumps and storage tanks to increase capacity while reducing installation costs.

(8) These systems can be used with phase change materials to effectively store heat and cold air for subsequent use in a process or facility.

(9) The system of the present invention can be used in conjunction with a solar collection system or greenhouse to maximize thermal energy gain, which increases the amount of energy that can be collected by continuously cooling the regulator and reducing losses to the surroundings. Because.

Multilevel heat dissipation configuration

The condensation path or heat dissipation surface of the refrigerant cycle may be separated into useful subcomponents for the purpose of converting the environment or process stream from one state to the desired state. For example, a portion of the heat cycle of the refrigeration cycle can be used to heat the process stream, while another portion of the heat dissipation path produces steam. The refrigerant passes through three physical phases (steam, vapor / liquid mixture, and liquid) during heat dissipation. Refrigeration processes associated with each phase include superheat suppression (vapor), condensation (vapor / liquid mixture), and supercooling (liquid). Superheat suppression and supercooling occur over a temperature range, and condensation occurs over a small temperature range or at a single temperature if the refrigerant is a mixture of refrigerants. Each process takes place at approximately the same pressure, except that it affects the pressure loss in the piping and system components. In general, each piece of the heat dissipation path can be used to perform a specific task, and each piece can be separated to further meet application requirements. Since the refrigerant undergoes a phase change and cause a significant change in density, it would be desirable to select a heat exchanger that best accommodates the particular phase of the refrigerant being treated. For example, the heat exchanger and associated piping to operate superheated steam will be designed and sized differently than the heat exchanger and piping to treat supercooled liquids, all of which are heat exchangers that process steam / liquid mixtures and It may be different from piping. The physical state of the application space or process stream may also pass through or be present in various phases, for example when water is heated to produce steam which further affects the device and process design.

In the prior art, it is assumed that the water cooled condenser or external condenser of the system receives or releases all the energy associated with superheat suppression and condensation. With regard to multiple water cooled condensers, two or more heated conditions can be adjusted at the desired temperature. In the prior art, little attention is paid to the energy of subcooling, although subcooling is an important factor in claims related to frost formation on evaporators and is an important consideration for process efficiency for some refrigerants. When subcooling is applied, a second or third water cooled condenser (technically referred to as subcooler) will be required as described in the sections below. When the universal formulas and principles of the refrigeration class are applied for the application, the best configuration and separation of the calcining path will be determined to balance the refrigeration process and application requirements.

The following sections along with FIGS. 7-11 describe several basic configurations and applications in which the heat dissipation path of the refrigerant can be separated to meet the requirements of the application. In connection with any embodiment of the system of the present invention, a multistage heating configuration can be designed for a continuous heating process, batch heating, or both, depending on the application requirements. The configuration described below extends the multi-heat source / multi-heat sink method described above to include multiple heat exchangers in the provided heat dissipation path and provides the ability to regulate operation to heat process liquids to higher temperatures. It is an extension.

Heating, cooling, and hot water with mixed superheat cogeneration and discharge

Certain refrigeration configurations have been developed for applications where the cooling demand exceeds the heating demand, but this application will benefit from thermal energy stored at temperatures above the normal condensation temperature (hot water tank set point temperature). This configuration is shown in FIG. The configuration on the freezing surface is similar to other multi-heat source / multi-heat sink configurations, except that they have two three-way valves on the condenser side of the compressor and these valves are arranged and regulated in a particular direction. The three-way valve C3V1 supplies the extruded refrigerant to a water cooled condenser or an external condenser. The valve C3V1 is not a three-way return valve, as shown, but may be a three-way return valve, because a check valve 1 is required. Valve C3V1 may allow the system to operate in normal water heating mode or in heat dissipation mode (if the second condenser is not used for some specific heating applications). The second three-way valve C3V2 is located downstream of the water cooled condenser and discharged to the exhaust chamber or external condenser. Valve C3V2 should be a three-way return valve because the water-cooled condenser is used to drain the refrigerant from the external condenser when it is used to heat the hot water tank to a temperature below the hot water tank set point (i.e., the refrigerant is Condensation in a water-cooled condenser). When the two valves are energized, this system will continue to heat the hot water tank above the normal hot water set point (normal refrigerant condensation temperature) when performing further cooling. The water-cooled condenser will operate in superheat suppression mode (ie the refrigerant will remain as vapor in the water-cooled condenser and sent to an external condenser to complete the condensation). Thus, such a system provides mixed cogeneration and release mode operation when used for comfortable cooling and water heating. The refrigerant remaining in the water cooled condenser at a temperature higher than the condensation temperature is still steam and will be transferred to an external condenser to condense. It is important to isolate the heated refrigerant line between the water cooled condenser and the external condenser to help keep the refrigerant from condensation in the line before it reaches the condenser. Preferably, the external condenser is physically located below the cooling condenser such that any refrigerant which condenses into liquid prior to the external condenser is carried out by gravity with the external condenser. In connection with any refrigerant cycle, the exhaust chamber will be located below all condensers to force the refrigerant to flow from the condenser to the exhaust chamber by gravity.

As the temperature in the hot water tank increases, the temperature of the refrigerant vapor going to the external condenser will increase. As this temperature increases, the amount of energy obtained in the water will decrease. For many refrigerants, the amount of energy obtained in the water will be 10% to 20% of the amount obtained while operating the hot water tank below the refrigerant agglomeration temperature (ie, 10% to 20% of normal cogeneration capacity and 80% to 90%). % Release). However, the amount of thermal energy stored in the hot water tank will be more than if the system was simply switched to discharge mode when the hot water tank reached the refrigerant's maximum condensation temperature or normal set point. Since the tank temperature is higher than the condensation temperature of the refrigerant, the system cannot return to the simple water heating mode until the temperature in the tank is reduced to the condensation temperature of the refrigerant.

This configuration is ideal for any installation with a high cooling load that can use a limited amount of higher temperature water. An example is a car wash located with a restaurant. The cooling demands at the restaurant (especially from the kitchen) will coincide with the meal time, and the heating demands at the car wash will usually coincide with the largest car wash cycles after working hours on weekends or on all days of the week. The heat released from the kitchen will be stored in the heating tank at the highest temperature allowed for the installed device, and the water traveling from the heating tank to the car wash will be adjusted to the acceptable conditions for use in the car wash by the use of a mixing valve. . At the point where the car wash demand reduces the heating tank temperature to the normal set point temperature, the system will return to normal water heating mode to eliminate the discharge mode operation of the external condenser and maximize heat gain to the water.

The examples assume that the external condenser operates to dissipate heat. Such condensers are not necessarily used only for discharge. For example, a laundry with a combination dry cleaner / small laundry load can use this configuration to provide comfort cooling for the dry cleaning process, which occurs at 80 ° F, 125 ° F, and 180 ° F. 125 ° F. water would only be generated using a water cooled condenser, and 80 ° F. and 180 ° F. water would be generated using both a water cooled condenser and an external condenser, which would be another water cooled condenser in this case. Thus, an external condenser is used to heat the incoming cold water to 80 ° F., which adds value to the washing process, but this is usually not provided when heating water with fuel. Heat release goes through a useful optional heating process.

The use of this configuration should be evaluated for the use of larger reservoirs at normal condensation temperatures, and improved efficiency is provided through reduced release mode operation, which provides greater storage capacity. One of the following configurations may also provide a more effective solution for some applications.

Heating, cooling and hot water by superheated liquid

In some applications, it is important to include a series of two or more water or liquid cooled condensers to achieve one or more purposes as in the dry cleaner / laundry embodiment described in the previous section. Such condensers can provide desuperheating, condensation or subcooling of the refrigerant while heating the liquid to the desired state or operating the cooling system stably and effectively.

The two water cooled condenser configurations shown in FIG. 8 are similar to FIG. 7 except for including a second water cooled condenser WCC2 and its own circulation loop and storage tank in addition to the external condenser EC. This system can exhibit two temperatures of water or liquid, mixed cogeneration / release mode operation as described in the previous section, and heat release through an external condenser. The first water cooled condenser WCC1 is used to produce water or liquid at a temperature higher than the normal condensation temperature of the refrigerant. The condenser will operate in condensation mode until the water temperature in its circulation loop exceeds the condensation temperature of the refrigerant. At this point, the WCC1 will handle the superheated refrigerant vapor and can heat the water in its circulation loop and storage tank to a temperature similar to the temperature of the superheated steam entering the WCC1. Tanks, pumps, valves, piping, insulation, etc., associated with these loops should all be chosen to withstand the temperatures desired by the desired or overheating operation. Testing with R22 on a 5 ton reciprocating extruder showed water temperatures of around 200 ° F. in batch mode operation. The temperature range of the refrigerant vapor entering WCC1 may range from 220 ° F to 260 ° F. This implies that R22 can be used to produce steam at atmospheric and low pressure conditions. This was demonstrated in the test by vapor-locking the system several times due to steam formation in WCC1. Different heat exchangers and piping arrangements were required to separate steam and water for the steam generation process.

WCC2 is used to heat water or liquid in its circulation loop below the maximum condensation temperature of the refrigerant controlled by the thermostat in the hot water tank of WCC2. Such water can be supplied to the circulation loop of WCC1 or to a hot water supply system for application. When using such a system, it is advantageous to use hot liquid at the condensation temperature imparted by WCC2 and at higher temperatures imparted by WCC1. If WCC1 is in superheat suppression mode for the R22 system, 80 to 90% of the available heat will come from WCC2 and 10 to 20% will come through WCC1. This ratio will depend on the refrigerant used in the system.

Cooling water is introduced into the WCC2 loop on the suction side of the circulation pump to take advantage of tempering. If the system is controlled to produce a continuous flow at a certain temperature, the coolant will mix with the hot water entering WCC2. This allows the tank in the WCC2 loop to operate at temperatures between 5 ° F. and 8 ° F. above the generally acceptable condensation temperature of the refrigerant, because the compressor has an upper pressure that corresponds to the mixed water temperature rather than the water temperature in the tank. For it will appear. The flow rate in the circulation loop of the WCC2 is controlled using a hot circulation flow control valve, and the tempered water flow rate can be controlled by the tempering flow control valve. This flow rate can be adjusted to obtain the desired temperature control level. This tempering effect can only be used if there is continuous water flow through the system. Similarly, hot water discharged from the WCC2 tank is delivered to the intake side of the circulation pump of WCC1. This causes the overheat suppression process to exhibit lower temperatures at the water side inlet to WCC1, which increases the amount of heat transfer that can be obtained for a given temperature in the tank of WCC1. The HT feed flow control valve is used to regulate the flow of water so that the system maintains the setpoint temperature discharged from the tank. If no hot feed line is present (ie, the system heats water based on the perfusion type), the HT feed flow control valve can also provide the same effect as a tempering flow control valve for the WCC2 circulation loop. The number, style and location of flow control valves will vary depending on the application requirements or opportunities. For example, if the hot feed and HT feed are exposed to atmospheric pressure, the flow control valve would be best positioned in the hot feed and HT feed lines. Another example is where a three-way proportional control valve can be arranged in the circulation line between the tank and the tempering feed. The three-way valve will release water in an amount sufficient to keep the temperature in the tank relatively constant. The priority in any combination of flow control valves is to ensure that the compressor head pressure is controlled within acceptable limits while meeting temperature application requirements. It may be helpful to impart a temperature difference across the water side of WCC1 to promote better heat transfer, but there is no need to limit the circulating flow rate in the circulation loop of WCC1.

Theoretical analysis shows that the refrigerant condensation temperature (WCC2) can be kept as high as 150 ° F. when vertical evaporator conditions and suitable device selection have been made while using existing refrigerants. The maximum constraint on the use of this configuration is the temperature of the superheated refrigerant vapor, or more importantly the temperature of the oil in the superheated steam entering WCC1. This temperature should be kept below the temperature at which the oil will begin to degrade and lose its lubrication capacity. The choice of refrigerant and the efficiency of the compressor can greatly affect these temperatures. If a suitable plant is selected, this configuration can be used to produce saturated steam at low pressure. Additional heat exchangers of suitable design may be required to produce superheated steam.

A circulating water heating loop can be applied to either tank. The return from the loop loop originating in the WCC1 tank can be returned to the same tank or to the WCC2 tank. An important factor in determining which tank to be returned to is the conveying temperature associated with the temperature of the tank. If the conveyance is hotter than the temperature in the WCC2 tank, the conveyance must be conveyed to the WCC1 tank and the conveyance from the circulating water heating loop originating from the WCC2 loop must be conveyed to the WCC2 tank.

In order to produce liquids or vapors at temperatures above the nominal refrigerant condensation temperature, using such a configuration is useful for any application needed for washing or sterilization of clothing, and for equipment such as in the laundry, agricultural, food processing, and medical fields. something to do. For example, hatcheries have significant cooling loads to keep eggs from heat. Hatcheries also need to sterilize the facilities used to hold eggs and chicks several times a week. This configuration can be used to generate and store hot water used for cleaning while maintaining cooling for the eggs.

Heating, cooling, and hot water with subcooled liquid

9 is the same as FIG. 8 except that the configuration is very versatile. The purpose of this use is to provide liquid heated at the condensation temperature in WCC1 and warm water from subcooling in WCC2. The circulation loop for WCC2 is used to maintain the average temperature in the tank for subcooling. This is useful when water usage through the system is intermittent or when the temperature of the water returned from the circulating water heating loop is variable. The tank helps to keep the operation of the cooling system more stable. If the state of the cooling liquid entering the WCC2 is constant as in the case with the once-through heating system, the circulation loop and the tank may not be necessary as shown in FIG. 10. In this case, the warmed water is introduced directly to the suction side of the WCC1 circulation loop pump. There may be applications where heated water or liquid may be useful.

This configuration will be important for using refrigerants such as R410A and R422B. The added subcooling is important to get maximum efficiency from the cooling cycle. When the refrigerant is expanded through the TX valve, a portion of the refrigerant is converted to steam and the remainder remains liquid. The expansion process is considered to be isenthalpic or occurs with a constant enthalpy. Enthalpy is the unit of energy of a refrigerant in Btu / lb. The enthalpy of the liquid refrigerant exiting the condenser WCC2 will be greater than the enthalpy of the liquid exiting the WCC2 because some energy will be given to the water or liquid. This subcooling will lower the vapor portion of the mixture after the TX valve and raise the liquid portion of the mixture. Since the cooling effect is created by the boiling of the remaining liquid portion of the liquid / vapor mixture in the evaporator, the mixture resulting from the supercooled refrigerant will be able to capture more heat in the evaporator. As the evaporator captures more heat, the cooling effect is increased and the system's COP is enhanced. The maximum cooling effect occurs when the liquid refrigerant is supercooled to a temperature corresponding to the saturated liquid at the suction pressure or at the pressure at the evaporator inlet. For certain refrigerants such as R410A and R410B, the system may lose around 40% to 50% of the cooling efficiency while expanding in the TX valve. By using subcooling, the cooling effect and system efficiency will be greatly increased.

This use of the above configuration can be applied anywhere that the system can be used in view of the problems associated with using perfusion type supercooling as in FIG. 10 or using tanks and circulation loops as shown in FIG. To take advantage of supercooling, the system is best applied in situations where a constant flow of water or liquid has to be heated or in the case of a circulating water heating system which is intended to reheat.

Heating, cooling and hot water with superheated liquids, and supercooling

FIG. 11 illustrates a system configured to provide subcooling through WCC3, condensation through WCC2, and overheating through WCC1. The arrangement basically combines the concepts of the two previous sections to reach a way to produce higher liquid temperatures while maintaining higher efficiency through the use of subcooling. The concepts of overheating and subcooling apply equally, but differ in that they are combined in the same system. If the system had to be used to generate superheated steam, a fourth heat exchanger would be required before WCC1 in the cooling path.

If multiple heat exchangers are connected in series, the designer should be careful to size the installation to control the pressure drop on both sides of the heat exchanger or water-cooled condenser. The pressure drop on the refrigerant side should be kept to a minimum to limit compressor power conditions and to help maximize capacity. The pressure and pressure drop on the water or liquid side should be controlled to avoid creating low pressure points (which are undesirable) where heated liquids can easily become boiling. If boiling occurs, cavitation and vapor lock of the feed pump will be likely to occur in the system.

Summary of the benefits of multi-level heat dissipation:

(1) A series of two heat exchangers (referred to as water-cooled condensers WCC1 and WCC2) can be used in the refrigerant path to heat water or liquid to a temperature above the normal maximum condensation temperature of the refrigerant at the system's upper pressure. Let's do it. WCC1 suppresses the refrigerant from overheating and WCC2 condenses the refrigerant.

(2) A series of two heat exchangers can be used in the refrigerant heat dissipation path to supercool the refrigerant to improve system cooling and heating effects, overall system capacity and coefficient of performance. WCC1 superheats the refrigerant and condenses it, and WCC2 supercools the refrigerant.

(3) A series of three heat exchangers can be used in the refrigerant heat dissipation path to supercool the refrigerant and heat the water or liquid to a temperature above the normal maximum condensation temperature of the refrigerant. This provides improved performance as well as improved system flexibility and increased application opportunities. WCC1 superheats the refrigerant, WCC2 condenses the refrigerant, and WCC3 supercools the refrigerant.

(4) Any refrigerant can be applied to claims for this section, thereby permitting equipment needed to accommodate specific cooling characteristics that may not be specifically described herein. For example, equipment used for refrigerant R410A should be able to handle the higher pressures required to operate using R410A.

(5) The use of any suitable number of heat exchangers in the refrigerant heat dissipation path can be used to achieve the object of heating one or more liquids to a desired state.

(6) Boil water or liquid to be heated by using any suitable number of suitable heat exchangers in the refrigerant heat dissipation path.

(7) Thermostatically controlled tanks and circulation pumps can be used with each series of heat exchangers to provide heated liquid storage and consistent or controlled process temperatures.

(8) Heated water can be produced batchwise or continuously. For continuous flow, any different water flow control scheme can be applied to obtain the desired amount of water heated to the desired temperature while providing compressor top pressure control or subcooling control. Flow control may include, but is not limited to, manually operated valves or any number of automatic valves operated to vary the flow to maintain a desired circulation loop and desired temperature of the storage system.

(9) help control the ice on the evaporator by controlling the temperature of the liquid refrigerant discharged from the last heat exchanger in the refrigerant heat dissipation path through the use of a thermostatically controlled tank and circulation pump at a predetermined temperature; It allows the compressor to operate at more efficient operating points, improving the performance of the cooling system.

(10) It is possible to apply multiple sets or circuits of a series of heat exchangers in parallel from the same compressor using three-way or two-way valves to take advantage of different operating opportunities in the application.

(11) Condensers may be applied for use in dissipating heat in parallel for a series of heat exchangers in a refrigerant heat dissipation path.

(12) A portion of the available heat may be used to heat the liquid to a temperature above the normal refrigerant condensation temperature and the remainder of the heat may be released or used in an optional heating process.

(13) It is possible to form a cooling system using two or more three-way or two-way motorized valves to control the cooling process depending on the thermostat associated with the various states of operation or modes of operation. For example, the controllable component 7 of the system shown in FIG. 8 is labeled with the six modes of operation of the system in a green table on the drawing. The mode of operation involves the use of two different evaporators to collect heat to heat the hot tank WCC2 or the hot tank WCC1. Also included are modes for cogeneration and discharge through an external condenser (EC) for mixed hot tanks and modes for pure heat release operation using an external condenser (EC).

(14) It is possible to apply multiple compressors each having a series of multiple heat exchangers in the refrigerant heat dissipation path in a parallel configuration with circulation and tank systems. That is, the circulation pump, tank and associated circulating water heating system can be shared for multiple RASERS units, each with its own evaporator and heat source.

(15) It is possible to carry out refrigerant subcooling through a direct water (liquid) source, or return from the circulating water heating system, so that the mixture of water (liquid) entering the subcooler will be relatively constant in quantity and temperature (Fig. 10).

(16) Refrigerant subcooling through a circulating system with a tank can be performed, helping to stabilize the operation of the cooling system when the feed and return waters are variable (figure).

(17) When a heat exchanger is selected in relation to the nature of the liquid, it is possible to heat water, glycol, oil, ethanol or any liquid in the liquid cooled heat exchanger.

(18) When the heat exchanger is selected in terms of the nature of the gas or vapor, it is possible to heat the air or any gas or vapor in the heat exchanger.

Multi-level heat collection configuration

Applicant's system may use any evaporator or evaporator configuration that provides application requirements while satisfying cooling cycle requirements. The present application has already described the use of one or more evaporator circuits such that thermal energy is collected from different locations where only one evaporator circuit is used at a time. In this section, the Applicant extends the definition of a circuit that includes the simultaneous use of one or more evaporators of the circuit as specified by the requirements or opportunities of the application. Some applications may require a series of multiple evaporators, and some applications may require multiple evaporators in parallel for a given mode of operation. In general, the evaporator circuit may be divided into more than one evaporator if the application provides multiple heat sources that are smaller than the normal capacity of the applicant's system selected to meet the thermal energy requirements of the application.

The basic parallel configuration involves the use of an expansion configuration at each evaporator. The high pressure liquid refrigerant exiting the exhaust chamber is passed through a set of valves (2-way or 3-way) to select the desired evaporator circuit based on environmental variables. After the valve, the refrigerant is split by using a tee or distribution device to provide each parallel evaporator path in the circuit. It is important to be designed to avoid expansion of the refrigerant until the splitting process leads to an expansion configuration. After splitting, the liquid refrigerant will pass through expansion configurations (TX valves, orifices, distributors, etc.) while being directed to the evaporator. Following the evaporator, the superheated refrigerant will be recombined to the suction line provided to the compressor using a tee or other means of bringing together a plurality of refrigerant streams. In the case of a parallel evaporator, it may be necessary to use a pressure control device between the evaporator and the compressor to ensure the same pressure discharged from the evaporator. An example where a parallel evaporator can be used is in a pig barn. Two or more evaporators are placed in front of a separate exhaust fan to allow the unit to capture sufficient thermal energy to operate at nominal capacity.

The basic set of configurations uses only one expansion configuration, but splits the evaporator into two or more parts to provide cooling effects in two or more environments while satisfying the overheating requirements of the cooling cycle. Multiple evaporators will generally be properly adjacent to each other and the pipes connecting the evaporators will generally be well insulated so as not to lose the cooling effect between the evaporators. The refrigerant can pass between the evaporators through a single pipe or through a multi-pipe or multi-port mixing device. An example of where a set of configurations is useful is when the environment may require a small or controlled amount of cooling for the total cooling capacity. The evaporator will be sized to support controlled cooling activity and can be made from any material controlled by the environment provided by the evaporator.

The temperature of the refrigerant (liquid / vapor mixture) during evaporation is constant, or for the refrigerant mixture, the temperature will vary slightly as the refrigerant boils in the evaporator (ie, as water boils at 212 ° F. at standard atmospheric pressure). . After all the refrigerant has boiled, the temperature will begin to rise as more thermal energy is applied to the evaporator (this is called superheating). The temperature rise (degree of overheating) is limited only to the amount necessary to prevent liquid refrigerant from being introduced into the compressor. It is also advantageous to limit the amount of overheating because the compressor capacity decreases as the amount of superheat increases due to a decrease in the density of superheated steam as the temperature increases. Thermal expansion (TX) valves generally provide a means for controlling the degree of overheating. Expansion and evaporator configurations should be chosen to meet the cooling requirements of the environment provided while providing the best possible system capacity.

The evaporator should be chosen taking into account differences in environmental conditions. For example, if two evaporators operating in succession encounter different environmental temperatures, the evaporators may or may not be the same size, depending on how many evaporation processes each evaporator will process. In contrast, two evaporators operating in parallel will be sized differently, helping to match the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant exiting each evaporator when they are exposed to different temperature environments. Parallel and series evaporator configurations are very easily applied in many similar environments. A series of evaporator configurations can be more easily applied to multiple environments with different operating conditions or to multiple environments with similar operating conditions.

Summary of Multilevel Heat Collection Claims

1. More than one evaporator may be used in the evaporator circuit.

2. You can connect multiple evaporators in series or in parallel on a single circuit.

3. One or more evaporators may be used to provide a number of controlled cooling activities for air, water, glycol mixtures, oils, ethanol or any liquid, vapor or gas to be cooled.

4. Multiple elements may be used in expansion configurations such as TX valves, orifices and distributors.

5. The use of an evaporator made from any material affected by the environment provided by the evaporator (copper, stainless steel, aluminum, etc.) can be used to protect the evaporator from failure due to corrosion, erosion, thermal fatigue or other phenomena. do.

6. The evaporator can be sized for different environmental conditions while obtaining the desired cooling system operation.

Summary of Example Use of the System

Laundromat -In a launderette, the system recovers waste heat from the dryer exhaust, or recovers waste heat from the wastewater, thereby heating fresh water for the wash cycle while providing comfortable cooling for the operator / customer.

Dry Cleaner / Laundry Combination -The system recovers waste heat from the dryer exhaust or recovers waste heat from the wastewater to provide fresh cooling for the operator / customer while heating the fresh or tempered water from the dry cleaner cooling system.

District heating -The system utilizes excess thermal energy from launderettes, dry cleaners, or other energy-intensive workplaces located in commercial or residential areas to utilize water, which is used directly as hot water, space or process It can be plumbed and metered to neighboring businesses or residents for use in heating them.

Meat Processing (Slaughter and Product) -Meat processing processes generally require significant amounts of hot water for cleaning and sterilization. The system is required for quenching several sources, namely waste heat from a single process, excess ambient heat (comfortable cooling) from sterilization or cooking process, animal body and facility cleanup wastewater, and animal body before or after cutting. The water can be heated from the heat extracted from the cooling step. The use of a forced draft air handler with a coil-supplied environment can provide comfortable cooling, thereby reducing the likelihood of contamination. Finless evaporators can be used to recover waste heat from a single wastewater to minimize contamination and facilitate purification. In addition, the evaporator can be used to recover the heat extracted by the cooling process from the exhaust of the condenser. The system can provide cooling directly and simultaneously heat water. This is the most economical mode of heat collection because both activities are performed using the same kW of power, which is used for cooling regardless of how the water is heated.

Car Wash -The system heats the wash water in the bottom hot water loop used for car wash and for office heating and removes ice formation in the proximity of the wash bay. It is derived from various heat sources, ie excess heat from waste water, offices or machine rooms, excess heat from nearby convenience stores or restaurants, hot and humid air exhausted from the washing bay or outdoor ambient air.

Restaurant -The restaurant benefits from both the heating and cooling effects of the system. The kitchen is cooled all year round, and the water is heated for washing dishes and restaurant heating. The restaurant can heat the water for washing while being able to be cooled during the high occupancy and during the cooling season. Since cooling loads generally exceed hot water requirements, an air cooling condenser, hot water supply, or local hot water system will be required during summer.

Swimming Pool -The system can heat the swimming pool water using ambient heat or from excess heat in an office, shower room or machine room (comfortable cooling).

Camp Shower Stalls-The shower stall water may be heated by the system using heat from ambient air or from excess heat and moisture in the shower stall or machine room (comfortable cooling). Pleasant cooling in the shower stall can help extend the life of equipment and components that are generally affected by the high humidity found in the shower stall.

Animal stalls (animals and poultry, including but not limited to pigs, cows, beef cattle, chickens, turkeys, etc.). The system can heat the living space using exhaust heat from the ventilation of the ventilation system or from comfortable cooling in critical areas, such as a kennel or boar study area. The heating may be in the form of heating of indoor air or in the form of ubiquitous heating for small animals in the first few days or weeks after weaning or hatching or hatching in a farrowing crate. Some animals may also benefit from heating drinking water using waste heat from the exhaust or heat from comfortable cooling. Some stages of animal housing will be particularly advantageous by providing comfortable cooling during hot, humid summer days (weight gain, survival, conception rate, sensitivity to stress / disease ...). Excess heat from comfortable cooling is generally used to heat wash water or drinking water or is removed from an air cooled condenser. If the animal house is coexisting properly, the system can use the excess heat generated by the larger animal to heat the space for the smaller animal. Heating spaces using Applicant's circulating water heating system can reduce humidity and toxic gas loads in the space as compared to direct propane or gas heaters. The system can use excess heat (heat and humidity generated by the animal) from the animal house to heat the anaerobic digester all year round. The system may also transform waste heat energy to heat homes, shops / offices, or input certain heat for low temperature grain drying in storage or drying processes via a suitable district heating system. In some specialized animal research facilities, the system can heat water for sterilization processes using waste heat from vented exhaust, waste heat from waste water, and excess heat in rooms with sterilization equipment (comfortable for workers). heating).

Milking stations -dairy farms offer specific possibilities. The system can refrigerate milk and can be used to cool offices, and greasehouses. Cooled whey can comfort cows and increase milk yield. The obtained heat can be used to heat clean in place (CIP) water and drinking water. Warm drinking water can also help increase the amount of cow drinking water that can contribute to increased milk yield. Since dairy fertilizers are very suitable as digesters, excess heat from various additional cooling activities can also be used to support the onsite digesters.

In-Line Process ( General ) -An in-line process involves integrating a system into a process that simultaneously uses cooling and heating effects. Most in-line processes will use cogeneration continuously if the process is running. The introduction of the system will take part if not all of the independent heat and cooling sources are used. Any manufacturing process that requires both heating and cooling provides an opportunity to apply the system.

Hatchery -The system can also recover heat from the cooling water used to cool the incubator and from the vented exhaust. The returned heat can be used for heating the space and for heating the wash water and the humidifying spray water. By recirculating the cooling water, the cost of water and wastewater treatment can be significantly reduced. Integrating the system into an incubator will provide both in-box heating and cooling through a finned circulating water system.

Anaerobic Digesters -Anaerobic digesters require careful monitoring of temperatures at which bacterial activity is evident. These fertilizers must be heated as they are introduced into the digester and the temperature must be maintained throughout the anaerobic conversion process. The system can recover heat from the fertilizer discharged from the digester, and this heat is used to preheat the fertilizer introduced into the digester. In addition, digester-related gas treatment systems and energy conversion systems often generate excess heat, which can be collected to preheat fertilizers and maintain the temperature of the fertilizer in the digester. Waste heat from nearby animal houses as well as heat from ambient air can also be collected and used.

Bio-diesel production -Bio-diesel production requires crude oil to be heated and several process streams to be heated and cooled at various points along the path. Most processes use a boiler to heat crude oil and a cooling tower to help cool the process stream. Many processes also use chillers at certain points in the process. The quench may be replaced with Applicant's stem providing both quench and process heating. In addition, the heat remaining in the bio-diesel after conversion can be extracted for use in the process. The heat of cooling water going to the cooling tower can also be used to heat makeup water or condensate for the boiler. Excess heat in the boiler / machine room (including waste heat produced by the compressor) and waste heat from the boiler exhaust can also be collected and introduced into the process. Prior to the bio-diesel process, crude oil is generally produced in the extrusion process. Extrusion produces a significant amount of heat, which can also be collected and reintroduced into the process at suitable points.

Ethanol Production -Ethanol production has some similarities with bio-diesel treatment. The process includes a boiler and a cooling tower, and may include a quencher. The process stream is heated and cooled for various stages of the process. Some ethanol processes use significant amounts of fresh water to wet, cook, and replenish water for boilers. All of this water must be heated. The present invention can heat the water used for the cooking process and preheat the condensate and make-up water for the boiler. Heat may be recovered from the cooling water line before or after the cooling process. In retrofit applications, the system can help to complement small cooling towers. In addition, excess heat from the boiler / machine room and boiler exhaust can be used for heating. It may also be possible to design a condensation system to cool the exhaust from the grain dryer of the still. In addition to recycling heat, the condensed water can be treated and reused in the process. Seasonal applications such as space heating or comfortable cooling can also be incorporated into the plant, but the payback for seasonal applications takes longer than a refund from supporting the process.

Cans or Frozen Vegetables or Processed Food Processing —Canned food processes generally require high temperatures for cooking and vacuum sealing containers. Excess heat and waste heat from the process can be recycled to the heating process to wash the water using the system. Frozen food processes generally require quenching and may include cooking or bleaching. Excess heat or waste heat from this process can be used to heat the process or wash water. For the present system, the quench process can perform both quench and water heating. In addition, excess heat may be used to heat other parts of the installation, or for district heating systems.

Paint process —Powder coat and baked paint processes use an oven to cure the paint, producing a significant amount of excess heat and waste heat. The system can use this excess heat energy to heat the wash water, to heat other parts of the manufacturing facility, or to heat the water for the district heating system.

Extrusion and Molding Process —The extrusion process produces a significant amount of excess heat, which can be used to heat other parts of the plant or to heat the process and wash water. Some molding processes, such as forming foam pallets, use significant amounts of heated water / steam and produce large amounts of sensible and latent heat in the plant. The system produces preheated water that is allowed to cool down the plant and cooling water while going to the boiler.

Boilers and Machinery Rooms -Boilers and machinery rooms provide the opportunity to recover excess or waste heat and to heat water. Air and cooling compressors produce a noticeable amount of heat, and boilers have exhaust as well as ambient radiation and convective losses. Other types of equipment also generate heat. The system benefits the compressor by cooling the air and the environment around the compressor. The cooler air will increase the density of the air, thereby improving the compressor capacity, and the operating conditions will reduce the wear and tear of equipment and lubricants resulting from excess heat. In boilers, excess heat or waste heat may be returned by the system to preheat make-up or condensate return water or to preheat combustion air. The size of these systems can range from thousands of Btu / hr to larger plant-scale power plants. Heat extraction from boiler exhaust requires a special evaporator configuration and will use materials such as stainless steel that are suitable for corrosive boiler exhaust.

Greenhouses -Greenhouses provide a significant source of heat during the day. Even on cold winter days with sunny days, the temperature in the greenhouse can rise to produce a warmer temperature than desired. During the summer, temperatures in the greenhouse are choked. This heat source can be used for many settings. In a practical functional greenhouse, excess heat generated during the day can be captured by the system, stored as hot water, and then distributed to the facility at night. During summer, when excess heat inhibits plant culture, the excess heat can be used to heat water for nearby processes. Greenhouses may also be used in commercial offices, buildings, apartments, hotels, concrete plants, hospitals, or in any building that requires heat without a waste heat source. Greenhouses can be used to recover ventilation exhaust and solar heat absorption (not necessarily necessary for growing plants). Heat collected from the greenhouse by the system can be used to heat water for shower rooms, laundry, swimming pools, cold concrete mixing, and the like. The amount of thermal energy that can be collected by cooling the space will increase. Moisture in building exhaust that is collected in the greenhouse can be recovered and reused for unqualified use or treated for proper use.

Skyscrapers, apartments, hotels -The system can be combined with large refrigeration and hot water systems for large skyscrapers. Using a loop loop and a localized hot water pump / fan unit, heating and cooling can be achieved at different parts of the building at the same time by collecting excess solar heat from the sunny side of the building and transferring it to the shaded side of the building. Can be. The system of the present invention is used to quench the loop during the summer, and excess heat is used to heat the appropriate water in showers / bathrooms, laundries, swimming pools, etc., and also for continuous ventilation exhaust to supplement the heat with the circulating water heating loop. And to replenish heat from the wastewater, and to heat other spaces such as runner windows, replenishment air during the heating season.

Grain and Hay Drying -Heat from the warm humid air exhausted from the drying process can be returned by the system to preheat incoming dry air to improve the efficiency of the drying process.

Oil Conversion Systems of Hydrocarbons-A number of systems have recently been developed for the conversion of wet hydrocarbon materials to crude oil via processes involving high pressure and high temperature (hydrothermal depolymerization). The system may be integrated in the process to preheat the hydrocarbon-water slurry based on heat recovered from the waste oil and heat dissipation from the process.

Claims (48)

A bio-renewable thermal energy system comprising a refrigeration system having a first evaporator, a compressor, and a first condenser operable in a mode of rejection, recycling and cogeneration. The thermal energy system of claim 1, further comprising a second evaporator operating independently of the first evaporator. 3. The thermal energy system of claim 2, further comprising a second condenser operating independently of the first condenser. The thermal energy system of claim 1, wherein the refrigeration system is operable for both heating and cooling. The thermal energy system of claim 1 further comprising a hydronic heating loop. The thermal energy system of claim 1, wherein the refrigeration system can provide both a heated liquid or gas and a cooled liquid or gas. The thermal energy system of claim 1, wherein the refrigeration system uses environmental thermal energy from one source to heat another body of fluid or air. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a meat processing plant. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a car wash. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a restaurant. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is an ethanol plant. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a laundromat. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a dry cleaner. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a swimming pool. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a shower house. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is an animal confinement building. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a milking station. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is an in-line process. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is hatchery. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is an anaerobic digester. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a bio-diesel production facility. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a food processing facility. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a paint coating installation. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is an extrusion processing facility. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a molding process. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a boiler. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a greenhouse. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein any one source is a human living facility. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a grain drying facility. 8. The thermal energy system of claim 7, wherein either source is a hydrocarbon-oil processor. An improved method of using heat energy having a refrigeration system having a hot side and a cold side, the method comprising separating heat from the hot side for use in multiple heating applications. 32. The improved method of claim 31 further comprising separating the cold portion for use in multiple cooling applications. 32. The improved method of claim 31 wherein a refrigerant having a condensation temperature is used and one of the heating applications heats the liquid to a temperature above the condensation temperature of the refrigerant. 32. The improved method of claim 31 wherein one of the heating applications boils the liquid. 32. The improved method of claim 31 wherein the separated heat proceeds through multiple heat exchangers. 32. The improved method of claim 31 further comprising using environmental thermal energy from either source to heat another body of fluid or air. 37. The process of claim 36 wherein any source is a meat processing plant, car wash, restaurant, ethanol plant, launderette, dry cleaner, swimming pool, shower, animal barn building, milking station, inline process, hatchery, anaerobic digester, bio-diesel production Improved method selected from the group consisting of equipment, food processing equipment, paint coating equipment, extrusion processing equipment, molding process, boiler, greenhouse, human living equipment, grain drying equipment and hydrocarbon-oil processor. Improvements using refrigeration systems with water tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, and compressors, including adjusting the head pressure of the compressors using fluids in the first circulation loop to protect the compressors and maintain acceptable compressor efficiency How to use heat energy. 39. The improved method of claim 38 further comprising adjusting refrigerant subcooling with a fluid in a second circulation loop to increase compressor efficiency and increase cooling and heating capacity. 39. The improved method of claim 38 further comprising a thermal path used to heat the liquid before any heat is released from the process. 39. The improved method of claim 38 wherein the method comprises a superheat inhibiting piece used to heat the fluid to a temperature above the condensation temperature of the refrigerant. 42. The improved method of claim 41 further comprising using a third circulation loop to control superheat suppression. Improved use of refrigeration systems with water tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, and compressors, including adjusting refrigerant subcooling with fluids in the first circulation loop to increase compressor efficiency and increase cooling and heating capacity. How to use heat energy. 44. The improved method of claim 43 further comprising adjusting the head pressure of the compressor using a fluid in a second circulation loop to protect the compressor and maintain acceptable compressor efficiency. 44. The improved method of claim 43 further comprising a thermal path used to heat the liquid before any heat is released from the process. 44. The improved method of claim 43 wherein the method comprises a superheat inhibitor piece used to heat the fluid to a temperature above the condensation temperature of the refrigerant. 47. The improved method of claim 46 further comprising using a third circulation loop to control superheat suppression. Determine a desired level of thermal energy change at a particular location; Selecting a refrigerant for use in the refrigeration system; Determine how many evaporators will be used in the system; Determine how many condensers will be used in the system; Selecting a compressor for the refrigeration system; Calculate energy loss from evaporator, condenser and compressor; A method of balancing a thermal energy recovery system, comprising maximizing the utilization of both heating and cooling resources during operation of the refrigeration system.

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