WO2015121743A1

WO2015121743A1 - Thermal energy storage and delivery device

Info

Publication number: WO2015121743A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/000169
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernard Amrhein
Original assignee: Trisol
Priority date: 2014-02-17
Filing date: 2015-02-16
Publication date: 2015-08-20
Also published as: FR3017699A1; FR3017699B1; EP3108196A1; FR3017694A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for storage of thermal energy coming from, for example, thermal solar panels and for later delivery of this energy for the heating of domestic hot water, radiators, underfloor heating, etc. The device comprises: - a first fluid that is a heat-transfer fluid; - a second fluid; - a chemical that is soluble in the second fluid, dilution of which in the second fluid is exothermic; - a heat exchanger (1) comprising an inlet and an outlet for the second fluid; and - a tank of second fluid (14). The device is characterised in that the second fluid inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger (1) are combined in a single port (11). The invention also relates to a thermal energy storage and delivery method using the said device, as well as to a heat exchanger.

Description

DEVICE FOR STORAGE AND RESTITUTION OF THERMAL ENERGY

The invention relates to a storage device for storing thermal energy from, for example, solar thermal panels and to restore this energy later for heating domestic water, radiators, a heated floor, a heated ceiling, etc. The invention also relates to a method for storing and restoring thermal energy using the aforementioned device as well as to heat exchangers.

Background of the invention

US Patent No. 4,467,958 relates to a solar heating system using an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide. The heating of this solution evaporates the water and concentrates the solution, thus storing energy, because the concentration process is endothermic. To then recover the stored thermal energy, the sodium hydroxide solution is diluted. The dilution process being exothermic, there is release of thermal energy.

This system has the major disadvantage of being complex and using a large number of elements: a boiler, a condenser, three tanks, an absorber, an evaporator and pumps to circulate the fluids, an associated electronics to order the set, etc.

European patent application published under No. 307297 discloses a method for conducting a thermochemical reaction and an installation for carrying out this method. This installation comprises a first reactor in which a reaction takes place between a solid and a gas in the presence of a coolant circulating in an exchanger. This first reactor is connected by a tubing to a second reactor or vessel in which a reaction takes place between the gas and its liquid phase. This tank comprises only one orifice for the passage of gas. No dissolution, dilution or concentration process takes place during the implementation of the process.

The German patent application published under No. 43 33 829 proposes a method and a thermal energy storage facility involving an exothermic adsorption / endothermic desorption phase on microporous solids such as zeolites. No dissolution, dilution or concentration process takes place during the implementation of the process.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003004331 relates to a complex heat pump system. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8 of this application, the system is connected to boreholes or uses groundwater. All embodiments of this application describe complex systems employing at least two heat exchangers as well as a main tank and a secondary tank. No dissolution, dilution or concentration process takes place during the implementation of the process.

British Patent Application Publication No. 2,058,334 relates to a terrestrial heat extraction process and an apparatus for carrying out this method. In short, cold water is injected into the ground where it heats up and is recovered hot on the surface. In particular, the first embodiment describes how water is injected cold around a central tube, then enters the central tube and rises to the surface. No change in water phase is mentioned in this document. Summary of the invention

The major object of the invention is to provide a device for storing and returning thermal energy that is notably simpler, more efficient, less expensive, easier to produce, install and operate than the aforementioned heating system. .

According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a device comprising:

a first fluid which is a heat transfer fluid;

a second fluid;

a chemical that is soluble in the second fluid and whose dilution in the latter is exothermic;

a heat exchanger comprising an inlet and an outlet for the first fluid as well as an inlet and an outlet for the second fluid and allowing a heat exchange between these fluids;

- a second fluid tank connected to the heat exchanger and having an inlet and an outlet for the second fluid, these inlet and outlet being separate from one another;

this device having the particular feature that the inlet and the outlet of the second fluid of the heat exchanger are combined into a single orifice.

This surprising particularity reflects the fact that the second fluid can flow through the single orifice only in the gaseous state and therefore without causing the chemical.

The invention also relates to a method for storing and restoring thermal energy, a high temperature heat exchanger comprising at least one tube equipped with a stirrer and a low temperature heat exchanger comprising two concentric tubes, namely, an outer tube and a central tube, the latter being pierced with holes distributed along its longitudinal axis.

Other features and advantages of the invention will now be described in detail in the following description which is given with reference to the appended figures, which schematically represent:

- Figure 1: a device according to the invention;

- Figure 2: a section of a tube of a first exchanger according to the invention;

- Figure 3: a section of an exchanger according to

The invention;

FIG. 4: an illustration of the operation of the device according to the invention, in the energy storage phase;

FIG. 5: an illustration of the operation of the device according to the invention, in the energy destocking phase; and

FIG. 6: an example of use of the device according to the invention.

Detailed statement of the invention

Device according to the invention

FIG. 1 shows a device for storing and restoring thermal energy according to the invention. This device comprises a heat exchanger 1 having an inlet 3 and an outlet 2.

The output 2 is connected to a four-way valve 8 which can put it into fluid communication:

or with a thermal energy source 27 which may be a solar thermal panel, a cooling circuit of an engine, or any other source of thermal energy, via a connection 31 and an inlet 4 of the energy source thermal; or with an inlet duct 6 of a thermal energy receiver 28 which may be a sanitary water heating installation, radiators, a floor heating, etc., via a four-way valve 8; in this case, the four-way valve 8 also makes fluid communication with the output pipe 7 of the energy receiver with the connection 31.

The inlet 3 of the heat exchanger 1 is in fluid communication both with an outlet 5 of the thermal energy source and with a three-way valve 9 situated between the inlet 4 of the thermal energy source and the connection 31. This three-way valve 9 is configured to allow either communication between the connection 31 and the inlet 3, or a communication between the connection 31 and the inlet 4 of the thermal energy source 27.

According to the invention, the first fluid is a heat transfer fluid, that is to say a substance or a mixture of substances in the fluid, liquid or gaseous state, generally between -50 and + 150 ° C. that is, within a temperature range encompassing those that may be known by the thermal energy source and the heat exchanger.

The second fluid may be composed of a single substance or a mixture of substances, it may be for example water, ethanol, acetone or acetic acid. It usually has the following properties:

it must be capable of passing from the liquid state to the gaseous state under the working conditions provided for the device according to the invention, that is to say that its boiling temperature must generally be between - 50 and 150 ° C; - in the liquid state, it must be able to dissolve the chemical.

This chemical is preferentially very soluble in the second fluid, its dilution in this fluid must be exothermic and therefore its endothermic concentration. Its dissolution, that is to say, its passage from the solid state (not dissolved) to the dissolved state in the second fluid can also be exothermic.

In practice, the second fluid is called "refrigerant" and the chemical "absorbent".

The amounts of coolant, refrigerant and absorbent are generally constant because there is no loss of material.

For example, the first fluid may be brine.

The refrigerant used is preferably water and the absorbent is preferably calcium chloride, both compounds being inexpensive. In addition, calcium chloride is particularly advantageous, in particular for the following reasons:

- unlike soda (sodium hydroxide), it is not dangerous for humans (it is also used in the human food industry);

- it is not harmful for the soil or plants;

- it emits a lot of heat during its dissolution;

it is very soluble in water, which makes it possible to have a very wide working range in concentration.

Inside the heat exchanger 1 is thus a solution of the absorbent in the refrigerant. Thus, as the concentration of the absorbent solution increases, energy absorption occurs. Specifically, when the inlet 2 and the outlet 3 are respectively in fluid communication with the inlet 4 and the outlet 5 of the thermal energy source, the thermal energy supplied is absorbed by the solution. The temperature of the latter increases, which leads to evaporation of the refrigerant and therefore to an endothermic concentration of the solution.

According to the invention, inside the heat exchanger 1, there is at least one container, in particular a tube 10, which contains the solution of the absorbent in the refrigerant and whose inlet and outlet are merged, that is to say that this tube 10 has only one orifice 11 connected by a refrigerant vapor connection duct 12 to the inlet 13 of a refrigerant storage tank 14.

The use of a tube 10 offers the advantage that a tube is resistant to depression without deformation, whereas in conventional exchangers, planar plates are used which have the disadvantage of being deformed under the action of one side, vacuum (solution or absorbent side) and the other, atmospheric pressure (coolant side).

The tube 10 is intended to bathe in the coolant.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, in the heat exchanger 1 shown in Figure 2, the tube 10 is equipped with a stirrer 15. Such a stirrer has the function of stirring the absorbent. This provides a significant advantage when the absorbent precipitates, as the stirring then prevents it from forming a compact and hard block. The concentration of the solution can thus be allowed to reach very high values. In addition, the stirring improves the heat exchange of the tube 10 and its contents with the coolant present all around it in the heat exchanger 1.

The stirrer 15 may be rotated by a motor located inside the tube 10 or by a motor 25 located outside the tube 10, the rotary drive of the stirrer then being provided by a magnetic coupling.

Preferably, the stirrer 15 has a shape enabling it to achieve maximum stirring of the solution and, where appropriate, of the precipitated absorbent inside the tube 10, for example a substantially sinusoidal shape, such as that visible in FIG. 2 which comprises a blade having a width equal to the diameter of the tube 10 and of a length substantially equal to that of the tube 10. This tube fulfills several functions:

1. Vacuum insulation of the absorbent

1 'together)

2. Mass storage of the absorbent (volume)

3. Heat exchange with heat transfer fluid (exchange surface, wall thickness, improved by the brewer)

4. Homogenization of the absorbent (by the brewer)

5. Exchange between absorbent and refrigerant (Absorbent-coolant interface surface, improved by stirring)

One of the novel features of the invention is that the absorbent is found only in the heat exchanger 1, precisely in the tube 10.

Only the refrigerant in vapor form is discharged from the heat exchanger 1.

Thus, according to the invention, the second fluid consists only of refrigerant and the second fluid tank (14) is a tank or a tank of refrigerant. The refrigerant can be corrosive, the fact that it is confined the heat exchanger 1 reduces corrosion and the consequences in case of leakage in the piping are minimal.

It is preferable to provide filter means (not shown) between the orifice 11 and the inlet 13 of the vessel 14 (see Fig. 1) to prevent the absorbent from being accidentally driven out of the tank. heat exchanger 1.

These means may include baffles or a vortex system.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention which is also visible in Figure 1, the heat exchanger 1 comprises a plurality of tubes 10 each of which is equipped with a stirrer 15 and which are preferably arranged horizontally.

Figure 3 shows an example of arrangement of the tubes 10 inside the exchanger 1. The tubes 10 extend parallel to each other while bathing in the heat transfer fluid.

Whatever the number of tubes used, to reduce the absorbent concentration of the solution contained in the tube or tubes, it is necessary to bring him refrigerant.

Thus, according to one embodiment of the invention, the orifice 11 of the first heat exchanger 1 also communicates by means of a connecting pipe 21 with a second heat exchanger 18 which has the particularity of alternately acting as an evaporator and condenser.

Preferably, the bottom of the refrigerant tank 14 has an outlet 16 connected to a drain conduit 17 which communicates with the inlet 19 of the second heat exchanger

18.

The tank 14 has the sole function of storing the refrigerant. The temperature of the latter in the tank is less than or equal to the temperature of the evaporator-condenser. Indeed, if it were higher, the refrigerant of the tank would evaporate which would cause the decrease of its temperature.

The second heat exchanger is used directly as a heat exchanger by vaporizing the refrigerant therein.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the second heat exchanger performs a heat exchange with the earth. This has the advantage of making it possible to dispense with heat transfer fluid in the second heat exchanger because the heat exchange is then carried out directly between the refrigerant and the earth through a wall of the heat exchanger.

It is necessary that the exchange between the liquid and the gas is perfect to maintain the pressure in the entire device, this pressure being related to the temperature of the refrigerant.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the second heat exchanger 18 comprises two concentric tubes visible in Figures 1, 4 and 5, namely, an outer tube 22 and a central tube 23, the latter being pierced with holes 24 advantageously distributed along of its longitudinal axis, preferably in a regular manner. These holes 24 are preferably very fine so as to cause misting or vaporization of the refrigerant during the passage of the central tube 23 to the outer tube 22.

The inlet 19 of the second heat exchanger 18 preferably communicates with a longitudinal end of the central tube 23 and the outlet 20 of the second heat exchanger preferably communicates with a longitudinal end of the outer tube 22, these two ends being preferably located on a same side of the second heat exchanger 18. Thus, the refrigerant enters the second heat exchanger 18 through the inlet 19 and the central tube 23, out through the holes 24 in the form of mist or fine droplets that are received in the outer tube 24 and driven through the outlet 20 and the connecting duct 21 to the tube (s) 10.

The central tube 23 serves both to raise the excess water to the coolant storage tank 14 and mist. The misting of the refrigerant droplets increases the exchange surface between the liquid refrigerant and the refrigerant vapor in an extremely efficient manner.

For example, the second heat exchanger 18 may have a length of 50 to 100 m.

Preferably, a submersible watertight pump 32 is provided to assist in raising the refrigerant to the refrigerant storage tank 14.

As shown in Figure 1, the second heat exchanger 18 may be vertical and be in the form of a well. It is also possible to provide a plurality of heat exchangers 18 all operating in the same manner and preferably in parallel. The number of second heat exchangers 18 depends on the maximum power desired for the operation of the device.

Alternatively (not shown), the second heat exchanger can be horizontal, then spacers are preferably provided between the central tube 23 and the outer tube 22, to maintain the concentricity of these tubes.

A particularly interesting feature of the device according to the invention is that the second heat exchanger 18 can be underground, that is to say buried underground so as to take energy from the earth, energy which is used for evaporation of the refrigerant. In the case of calcium chloride, the total destocking power is obtained for 1/3, the dissolution and / or dilution of the absorbent in the refrigerant and, for 2/3, the phase change of the refrigerant. Thus the power of the evaporator is only 2/3 of the maximum total power.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, when the first heat exchanger 1 comprises several tubes 10, each tube 10 is equipped with an individual valve 26 allowing or preventing the arrival and departure of the refrigerant. Preferably, the filter means are then disposed between the orifice 11 and the valve 26. Operation - Method according to the invention

The operating principle of the device is totally different from that of the devices of the prior art because, in the invention, the boiler and the absorber are combined into a single refrigerant / absorbent tank (the first heat exchanger 1).

By thus reducing the number of independent tanks, latent heat losses are avoided.

The device is equipped with pumps and valves and an electronics capable of controlling these elements, such as the valves 30 enabling the liquid refrigerant to be raised or lowered in the refrigerant tank 14 or in the tube 23.

The valve 8 is preferably a proportional valve which regulates the temperature of the coolant for heating.

As for the operation of the device, it generally comprises 3 modes, which can be detailed as follows in the case where the thermal energy source consists of solar panels: 1. Solar panels do not provide any energy (at night, for example). The valve 9 sends the coolant directly into the heat exchanger 1. The dissolution / dilution of the absorbent in the tubes 10 provides all the necessary energy.

2. The solar panels provide energy and the valve 9 sends the heat transfer fluid into the solar panels:

at. If the energy provided by the solar panels is less than the demand, the tubes 10 provide the additional energy, or

b. If the energy provided by the solar panels is greater than the demand, the extra energy is stored by concentration / precipitation of the absorbent.

These modes of operation are determined by means of the temperatures of the different elements:

- Tr the return temperature of the coolant in the fitting 31;

either Ts the temperature of the coolant at the outlet 5 of the solar panels;

either Te the temperature at the outlet 2 of the heat exchanger;

Case 1: Tr> = Ts

Case 2:

a) Tr <Ts and Ts <Te

b) Tr <Ts and Ts> Te

Another notable feature of the invention is that the refrigerant is in the form of steam at the inlet / outlet 11 of the heat exchanger 1, in the connecting duct 12 and in the connecting duct 21, while it is under liquid form in the drain conduit 17 and the tube 23. In addition, there is also some amount of refrigerant between the inner tube 23 and the outer tube 22 of the second heat exchanger 18. In Figure 1, there can be seen a pump 32 involved in the regulation of the refrigerant level between these two tubes.

The fact that the connecting duct 21 communicates with the connecting duct 12 allows a better balancing of the pressure in the device. a) Storage of thermal energy

During the storage phase, the solution releases refrigerant

(eg water) in vapor form. The temperature of the solution is higher than the equilibrium temperature. The pressure tends to increase. The temperature of the second heat exchanger 18 is kept constant, the pressure, increasing, triggers the condensation of the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger 18 which acts as a condenser.

This storage of thermal energy is illustrated in FIG. 4 where:

the arrows A symbolize the circulation of the hot coolant;

the arrows B symbolize the circulation of the cold heat transfer fluid;

the arrows C symbolize the circulation of the hot refrigerant, that is to say in the form of steam; and

the arrows D symbolize the circulation of the cold refrigerant, that is to say in liquid form.

Thus, during the storage of thermal energy, the coolant heated by the thermal energy source circulates in the first heat exchanger 1 and heats the inside of the tubes 10, all the better that the Brewers 15 are operated. Under the effect of heat, the refrigerant evaporates.

The evaporation of the refrigerant leads to a concentration of the solution which can result in the precipitation of the absorbent, or even in obtaining a solid composed of the absorbent (possibly hydrated if the refrigerant is water). It is this concentrated solution or this powdery solid which potentially contains thermal energy which will be released during the dilution / dissolution by addition of refrigerant. b) Destocking of thermal energy

In destocking phase, the absorbent (eg salt) absorbs the refrigerant (eg water vapor). The pressure tends to decrease. The temperature of the evaporator is kept constant. The pressure, decreasing, triggers evaporation in the second heat exchanger 18 which then acts as an evaporator.

The destocking of the thermal energy is illustrated in FIG. 7 where:

the arrows E symbolize the circulation of the hot heat transfer fluid;

the arrows F symbolize the circulation of the cold heat transfer fluid;

the arrows G symbolize the circulation of the hot refrigerant, that is to say in the form of steam; and

- The arrows H symbolize the circulation of cold refrigerant, that is to say in liquid form. Thus, during the destocking of the thermal energy, the refrigerant is brought, by gravity in the case of one or more vertical geothermal wells, or by a circulation pump in the case of geothermal sensors horizontal through the drain pipe 17 in the tube 23, where it vaporizes or atomizes passing through the holes or mist 24, the steam is then driven through the connecting conduit 21 and the valves 26 open, in the tubes 10 where it comes dilute the solution (or brine) or dissolve the absorbent therein, which produces a release of heat that heats the coolant present in the first heat exchanger 1. The heat transfer fluid can then heat the thermal energy receiver 28. The rotation of the stirrers 15 greatly improves this process.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, several devices are cascaded, for example as follows: a first device provides a heat transfer fluid at 40 ° C and provides heating of a house, a second device according to the invention. The invention ensures the heating of domestic hot water to 60 °. The cold source of this second device is provided by the first device. The overall efficiency is then improved at the cost of a small complexity of the installation.

Whatever the embodiment of the device, in its version comprising a first heat exchanger 1 equipped with stirrer 15, the stirring speed is controlled by the requested heating power. This is a function of the refrigerant absorption temperature (water in the example above) and it is maximum when the concentration of the absorbent (salt) is maximum, which generates the dilution temperature. higher.

It will be noted that the energy required by the brewing is to avoid the efficiency of storage. It is therefore advisable to limit the use of brewing to a minimum.

To increase the time during which the total available power is maximum, one or more valves 26 it is possible to cut off the arrival of the refrigerant in the vapor state (steam) in one or more tubes 10. The energy stored is then stored and remains available at the maximum storage temperature.

When the requested power is low, one or a few tube (s) 10 are sufficient to supply power to the installation. At low power, the operating temperature is not very high. The operation of the tubes 10 in use can then be pushed to the maximum of the destocking in other words, at the maximum of the dilution of the absorbent. But the absorbent once diluted can no longer provide temperatures as high as when it is concentrated, hence the interest of keeping tubes with all their power potential to keep maximum power.

In the case where the second vertical exchanger 18 is used as defined above, the height of the level of the refrigerant between the central tube 23 and the outer tube 22 is preferably regulated.

The regulation can be refined by measuring and taking into account, on the one hand, the temperature of the outer tube 22 or the pressure of the vapor between the outer tube 22 and the central tube 23 and, on the other hand, the pressure of the liquid in the central tube 23.

Indeed, by measuring both the pressure and the temperature in the tube 22, the sealing condition of the system is checked, thus, if air has been introduced, the pressure is higher (addition of the partial pressures gases) at the pressure correlated with the temperature. The parasitic air slows the absorption-cooling reaction and drastically reduces the destocking power.

The regulation can also be refined by checking the quality of the vacuum between the outer tube 22 and the tube central 23, control performed by measuring the temperature of the outer tube 22 and the pressure between the outer tube 22 and the central tube 23.

During the operation of the device according to the invention, the absorbent is present only in the tubes 10, in which it is in a form ranging from a powdery solid state without water (apart from the water of hydration) and optionally crystallized, to a completely dissolved state and very diluted in water. Between these two states corresponding to extremely different absorbent concentrations, the absorbent can be partially dissolved or completely dissolved and more or less concentrated.

The completely solid state corresponds to the maximum energy storage, the device according to the invention then being comparable to a "thermal battery" fully charged.

Conversely, in the state of maximum dilution, which is a function of the technical parameters of the device (amounts of refrigerant and absorbent, etc.), the device according to the invention is comparable to a completely discharged battery.

Of course, the device according to the invention can very well work without the concentration of the absorbent being pushed to the transition to the solid state, the heat being then released / absorbed by simple dilution / concentration of the solution of absorbent in the refrigerant.

Examples

Example 1

In Figure 6 is shown a specific embodiment of the device according to the invention in a house. The device according to the invention is connected to solar thermal panels 27 as a source of thermal energy and to a heating floor 28 as a thermal energy receiver.

In this example, the second heat exchanger 29 plays the role of "cold source", which is used:

during the storage of the thermal energy, to evacuate the energy released by the condensation of the water;

during the destocking of the thermal energy, to supply the energy necessary for evaporation of the water, the water vapor then being sent into the first heat exchanger 1.

This so-called "cold" source may be a vertical well geothermal sensor, a geothermal sensor consisting of a shallow horizontal network or a water table.

It is also possible to use as heat sink any heat exchanger with a constant or semi-constant temperature, for example air coming from outside the house.

The cold source does not provide or receive energy in the long run. The energy it provides or receives is always less than the energy supplied by the thermal energy source (here, the solar thermal panels 27) or the energy received by the thermal energy receiver (here, the underfloor heating 28).

As for the temperatures coming into play, they are generally the following:

- water from solar panels: 30 and 95 degrees Celsius;

- water for the underfloor heating: from 25 to 45 ° C. Alternatively, if the water of the device for heating the domestic hot water of the house is used, the installation is configured to heat this water to 60 ° C.

For the heating of a swimming pool, the water temperature can vary from 5 to 30 ° C.

The temperature of the second heat exchanger 29 is decisive for the operation of the installation because it sets the working concentrations. Geothermal studies show that for low temperature geothermal energy, this temperature is around 10 ° C to 14 ° C depending on the depth and location.

Example 2

The heating demand of an installation similar to that shown in FIG. 6 requires a temperature of 30 °.

The temperature of the cold source is 10 ° C.

To keep a minimum temperature of 30 ° C, the concentration of the absorbent (calcium chloride) can decrease to 45%, below this percentage, the outlet temperature drops and we can say that the tube is discharged. It then suffices to close the valve 26 to isolate it from operation, leaving it to use it again for lower operating temperatures.

If the demand passes for example at 40 ° C, it is desirable to have tubes 10 still having all their energy potential. To obtain this temperature, the minimum necessary concentration of the absorbent in the refrigerant (water) is then 55%. Example 3 - concrete case

The device according to the invention has been studied in a village house located in Saint -Gervais (France) at an altitude of 800 meters.

The house has a total area of 120 m ² spread equally over two floors. The roof is oriented west-southwest and has an inclination of approximately 10% to the ground.

The sizing calculations of the device according to the invention are based on the heating system already in place, consisting of an oil boiler ensuring both the heating of the rooms of the house and that of domestic hot water.

Energy consumption

The consumption averaged 1,700 liters of fuel oil per year, or 19,740 kilowatts consumed with a thermal efficiency of 90%. The energy needs of this house are 17 766 kWh per year or about 18 kWh.

The consumption of domestic hot water being of the order of 150 l of water at 60 ° C / day, knowing that the cold water was at 10 ° C, it can therefore be estimated that the annual thermal energy to be supplied is breaks down as follows:

- for heating: 14,600 kWh

- for domestic hot water: 3,400 kWh.

Calculated total house losses are approximately 145 W / ° C, which gives 3.48 k h / ° C / day, using the meteorologists' ° C / day definition. Climate data

According to Chamonix weather station:

- the lowest air temperature is -22.7 ° C;

- the highest air temperature of 35.1 ° C; and - the annual number of hours of sunshine is 18,000 hours / year.

The maximum power that the device according to the invention must provide depends on the lowest temperature (-22.7 ° C.) and the power required to obtain hot water (in 4 hours), ie 6.2 k ( heating house) + 2.2 kW (water heating) is about 9 kW.

However, after a shutdown of the heating (for example in the absence of the occupant), the temperature of the house may have dropped considerably (in winter), more power will be needed to warm it up. Therefore, it is important to maintain a power margin.

The total power required of the device according to the invention is therefore estimated at 15 kW.

Solar equipment

It was decided to use solar panels under vacuum, because they allow to reach high temperatures of heat transfer fluid. In addition, this type of panel has a higher sensitivity to low radiation in medium or milky weather. Their yield is 0.7 (70%).

The roof of the house being practically flat, it is desirable to use a frame fixing and tilting the panels with a south orientation of 60 degrees, so as to have a maximum of yield in winter.

Since these panels are fixed, they are associated with a coefficient of 0.6 (60%) taking into account notably the sidereal (sun) considerations and implying that in winter, the yield loss is 17%, in the spring and in autumn it is 28% and in summer 50%.

The minimum area of the solar panels is equal to the total energy required / number of hours sunshine / panel efficiency / sidereal coefficient = 18000/1800 / 0.7 / 0.6 = about 24 m ² .

However, it is customary to provide a safety margin of 50%, which also makes it possible to reduce the storage volume of the solution (absorbent in the refrigerant).

Thus, in practice, the required area of solar panels at 36 m ² is estimated. Energy storage

The amount of refrigerant used by the device according to the invention must make it possible to compensate for the deficits of sunshine. These occur during certain months (November, December, January) and when the heating works at night.

The maximum thermal energy deficit measured over one year is 2,681 kWh, or about 3 MWh.

The absorbent used being a salt, calcium chloride and water coolant, based on the enthalpy of dissolution and the enthalpy of dilution of this salt, we deduce that 3 tons of salt and 3.7 m ³ of water are needed.

Given the volumes lost (stirrer, exchanger), the volume of the tubes 10 to the number of 7 of the first heat exchanger was sized to 4 m ³ . A sinusoidal stirrer 15 shown in FIG. 2 was used in each tube 10.

The water tank was also sized at 4 m ³ . Second heat exchanger 18

Geothermal wells such as those shown in Figure 1 have been installed. As indicated above, the total power required of the device according to the invention is 15 kW.

However, it is generally considered that 2/3 of this power is provided by the geothermal wells acting as a cold source because the remaining 1/3 is provided by the dissolution / dilution of the refrigerant in the absorbent.

Therefore, the maximum power that geothermal wells must provide is 10 kW.

Since each geothermal well provides 50 W per linear meter, 200 linear meters of well are required, ie each of the two wells must have a depth of 100 m.

It should be noted that the house being located at 800 meters of altitude, its need for heating is important. If it was located in the plain, its heating requirement would be about 25% lower.

Alternatively, the surface of the solar panels could be decreased by increasing storage volumes (salt and water).

Claims

claims

1.- device for storing and restoring thermal energy, comprising:

a first fluid which is a heat transfer fluid;

a second fluid;

- a heat exchanger (1) having an inlet (3) and an outlet (2) for the first fluid and an inlet and an outlet for the second fluid and allowing a heat exchange between these fluids;

a second fluid vessel (14) connected to the heat exchanger (1) and having a separate inlet (13) and outlet (16) for the second fluid;

characterized in that the inlet and the outlet of the second fluid of the heat exchanger (1) merge into a single orifice (11).

2.- Device according to claim 1, wherein the chemical is present only in the heat exchanger (1).

3. - Device according to claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger (1) includes at least one tube (10) containing said chemical.

4. - Device according to claim 3, wherein the tube (10) is equipped with a stirrer (15).

5. - Device according to claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger (1) comprises a plurality of tubes (10) containing said chemical and each of which is equipped with a stirrer (15).

6. - Device according to claim 5, wherein each tube (10) is equipped with an individual valve (26).

7. - Device according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the or each stirrer (15) is rotated by a motor located inside the tube (10) or by a motor (25) located at the outside the tube (10), the rotational drive of the stirrer then being provided by magnetic coupling.

8. - Device according to one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the or each stirrer (15) has substantially the shape of a sinusoid.

9. - Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein means are provided between the first heat exchanger (1) and the second fluid tank (14) to prevent the chemical to be driven by the second fluid towards this tank.

10. - Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a second heat exchanger (18) connected to the orifice (11) of the heat exchanger (1).

11. - Device according to claim 10, wherein the second heat exchanger (18) comprises two concentric tubes (22,23), namely, an outer tube (22) and a central tube (23), the latter being pierced with holes (24) distributed along its longitudinal axis.

12. - Device according to claim 11, wherein the central tube (23) is connected to the second fluid tank (14) and the outer tube (22) is connected to the orifice (11) of the heat exchanger ( 1).

13. - Device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the size of the holes (24) is provided so that the second fluid can exit the central tube (23) only in the form of mist or droplets.

14. - Device according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the second heat exchanger (18) is vertical.

15. - Device according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the second heat exchanger (18) is horizontal and spacers are provided between the central tube (23) and the outer tube (22), to maintain their concentricity .

16.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the second fluid is water and the chemical is calcium chloride.

17. - A method for storing and returning thermal energy in which a device according to one of claims 1 to 16 is used.

18. - Method according to claim 17, wherein using a device according to claim 5 or according to one of claims 6 to 16 dependent on claim 5 and wherein, during the return of the thermal energy, it is used a number of tubes (10) of the heat exchanger (1) which is a function of the requested power.

19. - Method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein using a device according to one of claims 11 to 15 or claim 16 directly or indirectly attached to claim 11 and wherein the height of the level of the refrigerant is regulated between the central tube (23) and the outer tube (22) of the second heat exchanger (18).

20. - The method of claim 19, wherein the regulation is refined by measuring and taking into account firstly, the temperature of the outer tube (22) or the pressure between the outer tube (22) and the central tube (23). ) and, on the other hand, the pressure in the central tube (23).

21. - A method according to claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the regulation is refined by a control of the quality of the vacuum between the outer tube (22) and the central tube (23) made by measuring the temperature of the outer tube (22) and the pressure between the outer tube (22) and the central tube (23).

22. - Device for storing and returning thermal energy, comprising:

a first fluid which is a heat transfer fluid;

a second fluid;

a heat exchanger (1) comprising an inlet (3) and an outlet (2) for the first fluid as well as an inlet and an outlet for the second fluid and allowing a heat exchange between these fluids;

a second heat exchanger (18);

characterized in that said second heat exchanger (18) comprises two concentric tubes (22,23), namely, an outer tube (22) and a central tube (23), the latter being pierced with holes (24) distributed along of its longitudinal axis.

23. - Device according to claim 22, wherein the inlet and the second fluid outlet of the heat exchanger (1) are combined into a single orifice (11).

24. - Device according to claim 23, wherein the central tube (23) is connected to the second fluid tank (14) and the outer tube (22) is connected to the orifice (11) of the heat exchanger ( 1).

25. - Device according to claim 24, wherein the size of the holes (24) is provided so that the second fluid can exit the central tube (23) only in the form of haze or droplets.

26. A method for storing and restoring thermal energy in which a device according to one of claims 22 to 25 is used.

27. - The method of claim 26, wherein using a device according to claim 25, the second fluid exiting the holes (24) to enter the outer tube (22) in the form of mist or droplets.

28.- Heat exchanger (1) comprising at least one tube (10) equipped with a stirrer (15).

29. - heat exchanger (1) according to claim 28, further comprising a motor adapted to drive in rotation the stirrer (15).