2032results about "Machines using waste heat" patented technology

A heat engine (10) achieves operational efficiencies by: 1) recovering waste heat from heat engine expander (14) to preheat heat-engine working fluid, 2) using super-heated working fluid from compressor (402) to pre-heat heat-engine working fluid, and 3) using reject heat from condenser (93) and absorber (95) to heat the heat-engine boiler (12). A dual heat-exchange generator (72) affords continuous operation by using gas-fired heat exchanger (212) to heat generator (72) when intermittent heat source (40), e.g., solar, is incapable of heating generator (72). The combination of heat engine (10) and absorption and compression heat transfer devices (60, 410) allows use of low-temperature heat sources such as solar, bio-mass, and waste heat to provide refrigeration, heating, work output including pumping and heating of subterranean water and electrical generation.

The invention relates to a system for comprehensively utilizing LNG cold energy for power generation and cold supply. The system comprises a LNG supercharging gasification direct expansion power generation system, a mixed working medium Rankine cycle power generation system, a liquid ammonia refrigeration house cold supply system and an ethylene glycol ice storage bath air conditioner cold supplycirculation system. The cold energy released in the LNG gasification process is utilized; high-grade electric energy is generated through LNG supercharging gasification direct expansion power generation and mixed working medium Rankine cycle power generation; cold is supplied to a refrigeration house through the cold energy released in the LNG gasification process for ammonia recycling; and cold is supplied to an air conditioner through the cold energy released in the LNG gasification process for ethylene glycol ice storage bath recycling. By means of the system, gradient utilization of the LNG cold energy is achieved, and the cold energy utilization efficiency is high.

Disclosed is a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system for a vehicle that operates in a heating mode, a cooling mode or a demisting mode. The system includes a first circuit having first pump for circulating a first medium therein, a second circuit having a second pump for circulating a second medium therein and a thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal contact with the first medium and a second surface in thermal contact with the second medium.

The present invention relates to a refrigeration or air-conditioning apparatus which utilizes a vapor compression refrigeration system having a refrigerant circulating therethrough that comprises a compressor powered by an engine exhaust gas driven turbine. A mini centrifugal compressor may advantageously be used with such an apparatus, thus allowing the use of low GWP refrigerants. The present invention further relates to methods for powering a compressor, such as a mini-centrifugal compressor, in a refrigeration or air-conditioning apparatus, and methods for controlling compressor surge, impeller speed and cooling capacity.

There is herein described energy storage systems. More particularly, there is herein described thermal energy storage systems and use of energy storable material such as phase change material in the provision of heating and/or cooling systems in, for example, domestic dwellings.

A system for chilling the pressurized charge air to a reciprocating engine is disclosed wherein the chilling is provided by a thermally activated refrigeration cycle powered by waste heat from the engine system. This reduces the required compression power, and also retards knock, making higher compression ratios possible. The chilling system is designed to minimize the amount of chilling required, and also to enable use of compression heat to power the chiller. The disclosed improvement also accommodates exhaust gas recirculation, plus providing activation heat from the exhaust gas, plus Miller cycle timing of the intake valves. Referring to FIG. 1, the charge air from turbocharger 5 is cooled in three stages: heat recovery stage 10; ambient-cooled stage 11; and chilling stage 12. Condensed moisture is removed from the charge air by valve 14 before the charge is supplied to inlet manifold 2.

A liquid-based cooling system provides a method of supplying a heated coolant fluid at a relatively constant temperature and pressure to one or more heat driven engines, such as adsorption chillers or heat pumps, by utilizing a proportional flow control device in association with each of a plurality of heat-producing electronic components to optimize the output of a plurality of liquid-cooled cold plates operatively mounted on such plurality of heat-producing electronic components. The proportional flow control devices may be electro-mechanical or solid state proportional control valves for water flow control. The proportion flow control devices are operatively connected to be actuated based upon the electrical signals typically generated to control the variable cooling fans of the electronic components.

A cogeneration system is disclosed which includes a generator, a drive source for driving the generator, a waste heat supplying heat exchanger for enhancing the heating performance of a heat pump type air conditioner, an auxiliary heating heat exchanger using the waste heat of the drive source as a heat source for heating indoor air, and a regeneration heat supplying heat exchanger using the waste heat of the drive source as a heat source for regenerating a dehumidifier. The cogeneration system can use the waste heat of the drive source for diverse purposes in accordance with the indoor environment, and can have a maximal efficiency.

A refrigeration system having a refrigeration unit (22) for providing temperature conditioned air to a temperature controlled space, an engine (26) and an electric generation device (24) driven by the engine, is provided with a battery system (28) for supplying electric power. A method of operating the transport refrigeration includes, during a high cooling demand mode, operating the engine (26) to drive the electric generation device (24) for supplying electric power and simultaneously employing the battery system (28) for supplying electric power to jointly power the plurality of power demand loads (50, 42, 46, 48) of the refrigerant unit.

Reversible vapor compression system including a compressor (1), an interior heat exchanger (2), an expansion device (6) and an exterior heat exchanger (3) connected by means of conduits in an operable relationship to form an integral main circuit. A first means is provided in the main circuit between the compressor and the interior heat exchanger, and a second means is provided on the opposite side of the main circuit between the interior and exterior heat exchangers to enable reversing of the system from cooling mode to heat pump mode and vice versa.

An energy recovery system for hybrid automobile. The energy recovery system generates electricity by utilizing the temperature difference between a high temperature thermal medium and a low temperature thermal medium. As the high temperature thermal medium, engine coolant for cooling an engine is used. As the low temperature thermal medium, pump refrigerant for cooling by a heat pump is used. The heat pump maintains the pump refrigerant at a low temperature by using heat from the engine coolant. Therefore, while electricity is reliably generated at a thermoelectric converter, energy is efficiently used for cooling the pump refrigerant.

The invention belongs to the technical field of energy management of distributed generation energy supply systems of electric power systems. The control method comprises the following steps: before running a combined system on every workday, extracting history cooling load data and power load data of a terminal user from a historical data base and obtaining the delay variation curve of the coolingload and the power load of the terminal user during the whole workday by lone-term load predicting; according to load predicting results, working out the optimal generated output plan of the combinedsystem by adopting optimization control mathematical model; during the running of the combined system, carrying out optimization control calculation again by utilizing the terminal user real-time cooling and power load need obtained from the distributed control system, and modifying the generating capacity and the refrigerating capacity of the combined system. The invention utilizes a distributedmonitoring system to monitor the actual cooling and power load need of the terminal user and can modify the load forecasting result in real time and adjusting the respective controlled variable of the combined system.

A heat pump system including a water-cooled type heat exchanger, which is a heat supply means, mounted on a first bypass line bypassing a second indoor heat exchanger to collect waste heat of vehicle electric devices to thereby enhance a heating efficiency of the heat pump system. The heat pump system for a vehicle includes: a branch line for connecting a refrigerant circulation line of the second indoor heat exchanger and the first bypass line with each other; a second bypass line, which bypasses an outdoor heat exchanger; and a control part that controls a flow of the indoor air to be introduced into an air-conditioning case, whereby the heat pump system can minimize influences of the outdoor air of low temperature even when the outdoor temperature is below zero, enhance the operation and the heating performance of the heat pump system by collecting waste heat of the vehicle electric devices and heat sources of the indoor air, and increase the mileage of the vehicle by minimizing operation of an electric heater.

The present invention provides an apparatus for utilizing waste heat to power a reconfigurable thermodynamic cycle that can be used to selectively cool or heat an environmentally controlled space, such as a room, building, or vehicle. The present invention also integrates an electric machine, which may operate as a motor or generator, or both, and an additional prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine. Different combinations of these components are preferable for different applications. The system provides a design which reasonably balances the need to maximize efficiency, while also keeping the design cost-effective.

An air conditioner that comprises an exhaust heat recovery unit 3 for recovering exhaust heat in a heat transfer medium, a heat transfer medium passage 5a in which the heat transfer medium outputted from the exhaust heat recovery unit 3 flows, an auxiliary heating device 7, which is provided in the heat transfer medium passage 5a, for heating the heat transfer medium, an absorption chiller 9, to which the heat transfer medium passage 5a is connected, to be driven by heat of the heat transfer medium, a refrigerant passage 11a, through which a refrigerant outputted from the absorption chiller 9 flows, an indoor unit 13 to which the refrigerant is supplied through the refrigerant passage 11a, a heat transfer medium temperature detecting means 15 for detecting the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing through the heat transfer medium passage 5a, a refrigerant temperature detecting means 17 for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant passage 11a, and a control portion 19 for controlling an operation of driving the auxiliary heating device 7. With this configuration, on startup, the control portion 19 controls an operation of driving the auxiliary heating device 7 according to the temperature of the heat transfer medium, which is detected by the heat transfer medium temperature detecting means 15, that when the temperature of the refrigerant, which is detected by the refrigerant temperature detecting means 17, is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, the control portion 19 decides that a startup operation is completed. Upon completion of the startup operation, the control portion 19 controls an operation of driving the auxiliary heating device 7 according to the temperature of the refrigerant, which is detected by the refrigerant temperature detecting means 17.

A fluid machine has a scroll type expansion device which is operated by a high temperature high pressure refrigerant. The refrigerant is heated by use of waste heat from an engine for a vehicle. The fluid machine further has a motor generator for generating electric power when it is driven by a rotational force produced at the expansion device, wherein a rotating shaft of the motor generator is coupled to a movable scroll of the expansion device via a crank mechanism. A biasing member is provided for biasing the crank mechanism in a direction that the movable scroll wrap is separated from a contact in a circumferential direction with a fixed scroll wrap. Pressure of the refrigerant in a working chamber in the center portion is thereby equalized to the pressure in the outer peripheral portion, at a startup period of the expansion mode.

A waste heat source (100) is used to heat a high temperature heat transfer fluid which is used to heat an absorption heat transfer machine (10) having a generator (20), an absorber (30), a condenser (40), and an evaporator (50) operatively connected together. The high temperature heat transfer fluid can also be used to heat a load (190) such as a room space or a process. The waste heat source (100) can also be used to heat an intermediate heat transfer fluid, which can be used to heat a second load (175) such as a space, a process, or an absorption heat transfer machine. Novel flow control devices (70, 60) for controlling the flow of weak solution from generator (20) to absorber (30) or of refrigerant from condenser (40) to evaporator (50), respectively, are also described.

The present invention relates to novel energy efficient sorption processes and systems for cooling, dehumidifying and heating using multistage liquid desiccant regenerators, or hybrid cooling systems or adsorption cooling systems involving appropriate combinations of rotating contacting devises, adsorption modules with heat transfer passages in thermal contact with the adsorption module wall and switchable heat pipes. The sorption processes of this invention help in flexible designing of compact cooling, dehumidifing, heating systems easy operability. The adsorption module of this invention leads to lower cycle times as low as 5 minutes; makes it possible to achieve high system Coefficient of Performance (COP) up to 0.9 due to reduced thermal mass; offers high specific cooling power in the range of 50 to 750 W/kg of AC; is easy to manufacture and operates at low costs. The refrigeration cum heating system of this invention with heat pipe in thermal contact with the adsorption modules increase the heat transfer rates without increasing the thermal mass leading to increase of COP and the single or multistage pressure equalisation increases the internal regeneration of heat thereby increasing the COP, reducing the cycle time resulting in increased specific cooling power (SCP), reducing the required quantity of adsorbent/refrigerant making the module compact and cost effective.

An adsorber unit has an outer shell, a plurality of internal tubes extending through the shell for carrying heat transfer fluid, each tube having outwardly projecting fins along its entire length, and a solid adsorbent material in the shell surrounding the tubes such that the fins project into the adsorbent material, the fins being of a material (e.g., metal) of higher thermal conductivity than the adsorbent material. Metal wool loosely packed inside the tubes, or internal radial fins swaged into the tubes, increase internal surface area thereby enhancing convective heat transfer. Metal wool loosely packed between the external fins, or fine wire metal coils lightly squeezed between the external fins, further increase external surface area of the heat exchanger in contact with the adsorbent thereby enhancing contact heat transfer. Performance is enhanced because the external fins and wool or wire coils transport heat more efficiently to all regions of the adsorbent, and permit less non-adsorbent heat exchanger material (e.g., metal) to be used for a given amount of adsorbent. Two or more such units are used in an adsorption heat pump. This design utilizes existing components (e.g., shell-&-tube heat exchanger, internally and externally finned tubing, and metal wool or wire coils) in a novel manner heretofore untried. In one exemplary embodiment, automobile air conditioning, exhaust heat is used to power such an air conditioner. The significant additional power used by the mechanical compressor of an automobile (12%-17% during commuting for subcompact to midsize cars) can be nearly eliminated by powering the air conditioner with otherwise wasted exhaust heat. The adsorbent is heated and cooled by light oil (called Heat Transfer Fluid, HTF) which in turn is heated and cooled by exhaust and fresh air. Such indirect heating and cooling achieves the required efficiency, and allows using phase change material (e.g., wax) to store and therefore fully utilize exhaust heat. A refrigerant reservoir is included which provides immediate cooling after start-up of a cold engine, while the exhaust system and heat pump are still heating up in order to start pumping refrigerant. Eliminating the mechanical compressor increases fuel mileage by 14-18% for midsize, compact, MS and subcompact cars, or 4.6-6.0% annually, given a four-month cooling season.

The invention relates to an electric generation, air conditioning and heating device which can use natural working substance, solar energy or waste heat. It comprises a solar energy collector or a waste heat collector, a pump, a turbine, a generator, a refrigerator, a heat exchanger and the pipeline. Wherein, the inlet and outlet of solar energy collector or waste heat collector are individually connected to the outlet of pump and the inlet of turbine to form the natural working substance circuit; the liquid natural working substance with low boiling point via the pressurizing of pump can reach hypercritical pressure condition and via the heating of solar energy collector or waste heat collector to form hypercritical liquid with high temperature and high pressure, then via the thermal insulation expanding, to form low pressure gas, and via the heat recycle to be cooled into liquid, at last via the pump to be feedback to the solar energy collector or the waste heat collector to realize the thermodynamics cycle. The hypercritical liquid with high temperature and high pressure can drive the turbine generator to generate electricity; and the heat recycle process uses the adsorption refrigerator to supply the cool and warm air conditioner as well as supply the hot water.