KR20090122157A - Air source heat exchange system and method utilizing temperature gradient and water - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A heat exchange system and method of an air source using a temperature grade and water is provided to efficiently exchange the heat of the surrounding air with the heat exchange liquid by using a plurality of heat depots. CONSTITUTION: The heat exchange system and method of the air source using the temperature grade and water includes a plurality of heat depots(11) of the air source. The heat depot is comprised of the sealed container filled with the heat exchange liquid. The sealed container makes the heat exchange liquid and the external air efficiently exchange with each other. The heat depots are connected with each other in order that the heat exchange liquid passing through the heat pump successively passes through the heat depots and revolves to the heat pump.

Description

Heat source heat exchange system and method utilizing temperature gradient and water

The present invention relates to a heat exchange system and method using a temperature gradient and heat depot of the air source, and more particularly, heat depot using water for more efficient heat exchange between the heat exchange plate and the air of the refrigerating facility or heat pump. It relates to a heat exchange system and method using the heat exchange medium.

The exchange of air sources has been used for some time. A typical heat exchange method for an air source is to use air to take heat from the user's heat exchanger and absorb or dissipate heat.

The heat exchange method of the air source is known to be the easiest way to heat exchange when applying the type of heat pump in the air conditioning equipment. This is based on the fact that the heat exchange method of the air source requires a minimum of labor, equipment and space for its installation.

Air is a material with very low specific gravity, low calorific value and low thermal conductivity compared to water. In order to increase the heat exchange performance, a cooling method using evaporative heat of water has been developed, which is about 60-70% higher than the conventional cooling method (http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory). / HVAC / water-cooled-evaporative-air-conditioning). However, in the heating using this method, there is a problem that the sprayed water can be frozen quickly. In addition, even if the antifreeze is used here, various technical problems, such as collection problems after water is evaporated, occur.

In general, the air heat exchange method is applied to refrigeration, cooling, heat pump and the like has the following peculiarities.

First, the heat exchange efficiency is proportional to the surface area of the heat exchange coil in contact with air.

In addition, when the air temperature near the freezing point during heating, heat exchange performance is extremely limited due to the problem that the moisture in the air is frozen. For example, if the air temperature is cooled below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, a separate electric heating wire may be needed to supply the required heat.

In addition, the specific heat of air is low as 6 × 10-6 cal / g, the specific gravity is also small as 0.001184 g / cm ² , there is also a limit in the heat exchange content. In general, the heat content of a volume of air, such as water, is proportional to the product of specific heat and specific gravity.

The heat exchange performance is proportional to the thermal conductivity of the heat transfer material near the coil of the heat exchanger. The thermal conductivity of air is 0.026 kW / m · K, which corresponds to the thermal conductivity of water (0.60 kW / m · 1/23).

One solution is geothermal heat pumps, which are the highest efficiency heat pumps, according to the US Department of Energy. However, although heat exchange using geothermal heat is limited by the heat conduction performance and heat exchange surface area of geothermal heat near the heat exchanger, the heat exchange method using an air source is not limited to this.

Therefore, in a heat exchange system using an air source, it is necessary to increase the thermal contact area so as to increase the overall efficiency of the system.

In particular during heating, there is a need for the heat exchange system of the air source to work well even at low temperatures. Therefore, during heating, it is necessary to increase the heat conduction performance in order to improve the heat exchange performance in the heat exchange system of the air source. In addition, it is necessary to take advantage of the advantage of the heat convection phenomenon by the air of the heat exchange system of the air source.

US Pat. Nos. 4,545,214 and 5,904,052 describe a configuration in which water is stored in a tank and a plurality of refrigerant heat exchangers are passed therethrough, but the method of efficiently recharging the temperature of the water and the heat exchange area by expanding the surface area It does not describe to secure.

In addition, US Pat. No. 4,796,439 successfully exploits the advantages of installing large water tanks on the upper and lower floors of the building to complement the heating and cooling of the building. This patent invention can be used mainly for complementary heating and cooling of large buildings. Therefore, as an efficient heat pump used for cooling or heating, development of an air-cooled water source heat pump is required. This patent invention also does not describe a method of efficiently refilling the temperature of water and expanding the heat exchange area by expanding the surface area.

US Pat. No. 6,595,011, on the other hand, discloses a method of evaporation by air after water absorbs heat from the heat exchanger plates, but this is limited to cooling systems.

To meet these requirements of air sources, air source and source based heat pumps and refrigeration facilities have been developed that use heat depots with air sources. Conventional closed-tube water source heat pumps perform heat exchange using geothermal sources. The present invention uses air heat instead of geothermal heat to supply or dissipate heat to the heat depot. Compared with the geothermal heat utilization method, the air heat utilization mode is required due to the infinite convection of air, but the volume of the heat depot used is small, but a large surface area is required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchange system that can efficiently exchange heat between a heat exchange liquid and surrounding air by using a plurality of heat depots filled with heat exchange liquid and positioned in the air.

A heat exchange apparatus using water as an intermediate medium and using an air source, comprising: heat depots of a plurality of air sources, the heat depots comprising a sealed container filled with a heat exchange liquid, wherein the sealed container is external to the heat exchange liquid. The heat depots are filled to allow efficient heat exchange between the air, and the heat depots are connected to each other so that the heat exchange liquid passing through the heat pumps may sequentially pass through the heat depots and return to the heat pumps again.

By utilizing infinite heat convection, high heat exchange capacity of water, and heat exchange of an air source using a temperature gradient, it can be usefully used for heat pumps or refrigerators in places other than extreme regions.

This invention claims the priority of US Provisional Application 61/055912, filed May 23, 2008.

The temperature difference between hot or cold water and air in thin bottles disappears within tens of minutes or hours due to convection from wind and other effects. If you keep something hot in the water, the temperature will drop much faster than in air. Conversely, placing a cold object in water raises the temperature much faster than placing it in the air. The present invention takes advantage of this phenomenon.

 At the time of heating, when the temperature of air falls below a certain temperature by the temperature difference between air and a heat exchange plate, the temperature of a heat exchange coil will fall to about -40 degree F, and a freezing phenomenon will arise. At this time, this freezing shape can be reduced by using water as an intermediate medium to reduce the temperature difference.

In one aspect of the invention, a heat exchange system and method of an air source using heat depot are provided. In the system and method, in particular, several heat depots located in the air can be used. Heat depot is an airtight container filled with heat exchange liquid, and is composed of a material capable of efficient heat exchange between the heat exchange liquid and the surrounding air. In order to increase the contact area with air, various methods may be used to bend, deflect or widen the contact area with the air of the heat depot.

This method does not provide a significant advantage over geothermal heat exchange, because it depends on the limited thermal conductivity of the geologic formation. However, since air has a very strong convection tendency, the expansion of the air contact area has a great influence on the improvement of heat exchange performance. Each heat depot has an inlet and an outlet of the heat exchange liquid, which is the moving line of the heat exchange, with the inlet beginning at one corner of the heat depot and the outlet at the other corner (preferably the farthest corner).

Since a plurality of hit depots are continuously connected from the first to the last, the outlet of one hit depot becomes the inlet of the other hit depot, the inlet of the first heat depot starts at the outlet of the user heat exchanger, and the last hit depot The outlet of is connected to the inlet of the user heat exchanger device. In one embodiment of the invention, the array of heat depots is located in air. The heat exchange liquid enters through the inlet of one heat depot, and when it is filled repeats the flow into the next heat depot. If the heat exchange liquid flows into the last heat depot and then flows back into the inlet of the user heat exchanger, the cycle of circulation may reach approximately tens of minutes or more, considering the general flow rate. In one embodiment of the present invention, an air fan may be used to cause forced convection. The air fan can be selectively operated when the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the user heat exchanger is less than the temperature difference of the system setting (eg 10 degrees Fahrenheit). During this cycle, water absorbs heat from the air or releases heat to the air.

In another aspect of the invention, a heat depot utilizing heat exchange system of an air source may be used for refrigeration applications. In one embodiment, the compressor and heat exchanger plate are located at the bottom of the user's refrigeration facility, the back, side or bottom face of which is comprised of latticeless lattice plates and is encased in a water or refrigerant reservoir. When refrigeration is required, heat is discharged into the water from a heat exchanger plate located at the bottom of the refrigeration unit. The warmed water moves upward by natural convection and the cold water descends. At this time, the large surface area of the thin plate serves as a heat exchange surface between air and water in the interior.

In another aspect of the invention, the heat depot utilizing heat exchange system of this air source is used for refrigeration applications. In one embodiment, the compressor and heat exchanger plate are located at the bottom of the user's refrigeration facility, the back, side or bottom face of which consists of a thin plate divided into connected compartments and is filled with water or refrigerant storage. It is wrapped in a thing. When refrigeration is required, heat is discharged into the water from a heat exchanger plate located at the bottom of the refrigeration unit. This warmed water is transported to a compartment connected by a pump. At this time, the large surface area of the thin plate serves as a heat exchange surface between air and water in the interior.

In the following detailed description, specific numbers, materials, or configurations have been used to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to use it without these details. As an example, well-known shapes may be omitted or simplified to clearly depict the invention. In addition, one embodiment or any embodiment depicts a particular shape, structure, or characteristic associated with an embodiment that is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. One embodiment in each phrase appears in many places, which does not necessarily mean the same embodiment.

The present invention preferentially provides a heat exchange apparatus and method for an air source that allows for more efficient and easier installation and manufacture.

The present invention provides a heat exchange system of an air source utilizing the characteristics of high heat conduction and high heat content of water in the heat exchange device of the air source.

The present invention provides a method for lowering the critical temperature at which the heat exchange apparatus and method of the air source can operate in winter so that the heat pump of the air source can be used even in cold areas.

The present invention provides a heat exchange system of an air source that can maximize the convection of the air even if the heat exchange device of the air source without the air fan or using only a small amount of the air fan.

By using the heat depot, the present invention can exhibit an efficiency comparable to a geothermal heat pump without significantly increasing the installation cost of the heat pump of the air source.

The heat exchange efficiency or thermal conductivity depends on the temperature difference with the heat provider, the total heat exchange area and the thermal conductivity. Equation 1 below is based on thermal conductivity, and Equation 2 is about heat convection.

q = kAdT / s

q = kAdT

Where q is the amount of heat transferred per unit time (W, BTU / hr), A is the heat transfer area (m ² , ft ² ), k is the thermal conductivity of the material (W / mK or W / m · ° C, Btu / (hr ℉ ft ² / ft)). And dT is the temperature difference between the materials (K or C, ° F) and S is the thickness of the material (m, ft).

The heat pump heat exchange system of an air source in the present invention is designed to exploit the properties of water, which has a high thermal conductivity compared to air, in a limited surface area of the heat exchange chamber. In one embodiment of the invention, the heat exchange area is greatly expanded by the sum of the surface area of the metal of the heat exchange chamber and the outer surface area of the plurality of heat depots.

In the present invention, the heat depot of the air source provides an appropriate heat exchange by the temperature difference gradient. The heat exchange performance is proportional to the temperature difference between the heat provider and the recipient. As shown throughout the present invention, the heat depot of an air source consists of the heat depots of a plurality of air sources connected in sequence. Therefore, the temperature difference between the heat supplier (air for heating, water in the heat depot for cooling) and the heat supplier (water for heat depot for heating, air for cooling) is the highest in the heat pump connected from the supplier heat pump. Lowest in heat depot connected to beneficiary heat pump. Therefore, in the present invention, water returns to the heat pump after exchanging heat in air for several tens of minutes or more.

In the present invention, the heat exchange area is greatly expanded, which does not necessarily require an air circulation fan, which in turn can improve the exchange efficiency of the air source.

1 shows an exemplary hit depot 11. In one embodiment of the invention, the heat depot 11 of the air source consists of a small radius and several feet of height, having a large area for heat exchange, and furthermore having a bend across the water layer horizontally, Expand more. Reference numerals 2 and 3 refer to the entrance and exit of the heat depot material. Based on the sequence of multiple hit depots, the exit and inlet can be reversed.

2 shows an exemplary hit depot 21. Integral to the present invention, the heat depot 21 of the air source consists of a small radius and several feet of height, having a large area for heat exchange, and furthermore having a vertical curvature, thus further extending the heat exchange area. Reference numerals 2 and 3 refer to the entrance and exit of the heat depot material. Based on the sequence of multiple hit depots, the exit and inlet can be reversed.

3 shows an exemplary hit depot 31. In one embodiment of the invention, the heat depot 21 of the air source consists of a small radius and several feet of height, having a large area for heat exchange. Reference numerals 2 and 3 refer to the entrance and exit of the heat depot material. Based on the sequence of multiple hit depots, the exit and inlet can be reversed.

4 is a diagram in which a heat depot of an air source is connected in a circle. The heat depot of the air source may be comprised of one or more of the heat depots 40 or a variant thereof. Reference numerals 41 to 43 correspond to the pipes connected to adjacent heat depots, the inlet and the outlet to the user heat exchanger, respectively. According to the present invention, the water flowing out of the heat pump through the pipe 42 passes through several heat depots through the pipe 41 and enters the heat pump again through the pipe 43. The size of the heat depot of the air source recommended in the present invention is 0.5 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height, having a total volume of 4 gallons. If five heat depots are used, a one-ton heat pump has a travel time of about 10 minutes in the heat depot. One ton heat pump requires a flow rate of 2 gallons per minute when the temperature difference between the input and output is 10 degrees Fahrenheit. As such, in one embodiment of the present invention, an appropriate number of heat depots are required to allow for sufficient heat to be absorbed or released during water passing through the heat depot.

FIG. 5 is a view in which a heat depot of an air source is connected in a circle, and an auxiliary fan exists. The heat depot of the air source may be comprised of one or a plurality of heat depots 40 of FIGS. Reference numerals 41-43 correspond to pipes connected to adjacent heat depots, inlet and outlet to a user heat exchanger, respectively. According to the present invention, water from the heat pump through the tube 42 passes through several heat depots through the tube 41 and enters the heat pump again through the tube 43. The heat depot of the air source recommended in the present invention is 0.5 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height, having a total volume of 4 gallons. Using five heat depots, a one-ton heat pump would have a travel time of about 10 minutes in the heat depot. One ton heat pump requires a flow rate of 2 gallons per minute when the temperature difference between the input and output is 10 degrees Fahrenheit. As such, embodiments of the present invention require an appropriate number of heat depots to be able to absorb or release sufficient heat while water passes through the heat depot. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fan may be operated to facilitate air circulation when the temperature difference between the water inlet and the outlet is less than a predetermined temperature (eg 10 degrees Fahrenheit).

6 shows an example in which the heat depots 61 of the air source having a thin plate shape are arranged in the vertical direction. Reference numerals 61, 62, 63, and 64 each denote a thin plate-shaped heat depot main body, a heat depot connecting portion, an inlet of water flowing into the heat depot, and a water outlet flowing out of the heat depot. Water flowing out of the heat pump flows through the pipe 63 to the heat depot 61 and circulates through the connection portion 62 and then returns to the heat pump through the pipe 64. In this circulation process, heat exchange with air occurs. The heat depot recommended here is in the form of a thin sheet. As an example, a single heat pump having an area of 3 square feet and a thickness of 1 inch can hold about 5.7 gallons of water. In this case, if water is circulated in a heat pump of about 1 ton for 20 minutes, a total of seven thin plates are required.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram listing the heat depots 61 of a thin air source in a multi-layered fashion. Reference numerals 61, 62, 63, and 64 each denote a thin plate-shaped heat depot main body, a heat depot connecting portion, an inlet of water flowing into the heat depot, and an outlet of water flowing out of the heat depot. Water flowing out of the heat pump enters the heat depot 62 via the tube 63, circulates through the connection portion 62, and then returns to the heat pump through the tube 64. In this circulation, heat exchange with air occurs. The recommended heat depot here is a thin sheet. As an example, one heat pump with a thickness of 3 square feet and 1 inch holds about 5.7 gallons of water. If water is circulated in a 1 ton heat pump for 20 minutes, a total of seven thin plates will be required.

8 is a diagram in which the heat depots 61 are connected in parallel. According to the present invention, the heat depot 61 of the air source may have various forms such as FIGS. 1 to 3 and variations thereof. Reference numerals 41 to 43 denote the surrounding heat depots, their inlets and outlets, respectively. According to the present invention, the water exiting the heat pump flows into the pipe 41, passes through a plurality of heat depots in turn, and flows back into the heat pump through the pipe 43. The minimum heat depot required for the present invention is about 0.5 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height, about 4 gallons in total. A 1 ton (12,000 BTU) heat pump requires 2 gallons of water to circulate with a temperature difference of 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Using five hit depots takes about 10 minutes of circulation time. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention require a sufficient number of heat depots to absorb or dissipate sufficient heat through the heat depot of the air source. As an embodiment of the present invention it can be applied to air conditioners and the like mounted on the wall.

9 is a view of connecting the heat depot 73 of the air source and the heat pump 72 in the house 71 with tubes 742 and 743. According to the present invention, during heating, the water flowing out from the heat depot 73 of the air source flows into the user's heat pump 72 through the tube 742, and releases heat from the heat pump 72. Discharged through 743 and back to the hit depot 73. Upon cooling, the water absorbs heat from the heat pump 72 and releases heat into the air at the heat depot 73 of the air source. In this case, the total cycle time may take 20-30 minutes. As an embodiment of the present invention, when the temperature difference of water between the inlets and outlets 742 and 743 is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature (eg, 10 degrees Fahrenheit), the fan may be operated to facilitate air circulation.

Fig. 10 is a view of using heat depot of an air source for refrigeration. According to the present invention, reference numerals 82, 83, 84, and 87 denote a heat dissipation plate, a refrigerator bottom surface, a rear face, and a compressor, respectively. The contenting device is not shown. Arrows indicate convection of water due to temperature differences. When the refrigerator is in operation, the compressor 87 discharges the refrigerant to the heat dissipation plate 82. The hot refrigerant releases heat from the heat dissipation plate 82 into the water in the lower water box. The hot water located in the lower part of the refrigerator moves to the location 84 of the refrigerated back as a natural phenomenon. The water which released heat to air cools and descends to the lower surface 83, and heat exchange with hot water there occurs.

The total volume of the refrigerated lower surface 83 and the back 84 can be such that the refrigerator can be operated for one hour at 10 degrees Fahrenheit, without heat exchange with outside air. Most refrigerators require less than 5 gallons of water.

11 is a view of using heat depot of an air source for refrigeration. According to the present invention, reference numerals 81, 82, 83, 84, 87 and 88 denote the flow of water, the heat dissipation plate, the lower surface of the refrigerator, the back, the compressor and the water circulation pump, respectively. The contenting device is not shown. Arrows indicate convection of water due to temperature differences. When the refrigerator is in operation, the compressor 87 discharges the refrigerant to the heat dissipation plate 82. The hot refrigerant releases heat from the heat dissipation plate 82 into the water in the lower water box. Hot water located at the bottom of the refrigerator is moved to a location 84 on the refrigerated back by a water pump 88. In this structure, the rear surface 84 of the refrigerator with water is divided into cells to form a stepwise temperature difference. The water which released heat to air cools and descends to the lower surface 83, and heat exchange with hot water there occurs. The total volume of the refrigerated lower surface 83 and the back 84 can be such that the refrigerator can be operated for one hour at 10 degrees Fahrenheit, without heat exchange with outside air. Most refrigerators require less than 5 gallons of water.

Although the invention has been described herein with reference to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments herein are intended to illustrate the principles and applications of the invention. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the claims of this patent.

1 depicts the heat depot of an air source having a curved surface horizontally in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 depicts that the heat depot of the air source has a vertically curved surface, according to one embodiment of the invention.

3 depicts that the heat depot of an air source does not have a horizontal curve in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

4 depicts a circular arrangement of heat depots of an air source, according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a circular arrangement of heat depots of an air source, according to one embodiment of the invention, with the aid of an air fan.

FIG. 6 depicts a multi-layered arrangement of the heat depot of an air source in the form of a thin, thin board.

FIG. 7 depicts a parallel arrangement of the heat depots of an air source in the form of a thin thin board according to one embodiment of the invention.

8 depicts a linear arrangement of the heat depot of an air source, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 9 depicts the connection of a heat pump with a heat depot of an air source, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 10 depicts the use of the refrigeration of the heat depot of the air source, according to one embodiment of the invention.

11 depicts the use of a circulation pump to utilize heat depot of an air source for refrigeration, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (9)

As a heat exchanger using water as an intermediate medium and using an air source, A heat depot comprising a plurality of air sources, wherein the heat depot is a sealed container filled with a heat exchange liquid, the sealed container is filled for efficient heat exchange between the heat exchange liquid and the outside air, the heat depot And the heat exchangers passing through the heat pumps are connected to each other so as to sequentially pass through the heat depots and return to the heat pumps. The heat exchange apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface area of the heat depot is exposed to air. The heat exchange apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange is performed by convection of water or air. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air fan for forcibly providing air to the heat depot. 5. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 4, wherein the air fan is operated when the temperature difference between the inlet and the outlet of the heat pump is below the system set temperature. A refrigeration apparatus using a heat depot of an air source, A thin plate container filled with a liquid capable of efficient heat exchange with air, and located on either the lower surface, the side surface or the upper surface of the refrigerating device, A heat exchange plate is located at the bottom of the thin plate container, and during operation of the refrigerating device, heat is released to the bottom of the thin plate container, whereby the heated water is automatically raised, and the cooled water is supplied to the lower layer plate. , Refrigeration unit. 7. The refrigerating device of claim 6, wherein the thin plate container has a volume of approximately 3 gallons. A refrigeration apparatus using a heat depot of an air source, A thin plate container filled with a liquid capable of efficient heat exchange with air, and positioned on either the lower surface, the side surface or the upper surface of the refrigerating device, A heat exchange plate is located at the bottom of the thin plate vessel, and during operation of the refrigerator, heat is released to the bottom of the thin plate vessel, and thus the heated water is moved through the membrane by a water pump. The method of claim 8, The width of the membrane is 1-2 inches, the thickness of the thin plates is 0.5-1 inch, and the thin vessel has a volume of approximately 3 gallons.

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