Energy saving unit

Abstract

Energy saving unit "HPZTECH" includes: a lower tank having an inlet orifice connected to temperature regulating valve outlet which is connected to the heating source outlet, the lower tank outlet orifices is connected to heating source inlet, the lower tank upper surface is formed with chambers; an upper tank with outlet orifice connected to a 3-way control valve controlling flow direction between either an inner short circuit or a heating load circuit, each of the inner short circuit and the heat load circuit is provided with a single direction valve towards the circulation pump inlet, the outlet of the circulation pump is connected to the upper tank inlet orifice, the upper tank lower surface formed with chambers; a set of heat pipes fitted between the lower tank and the upper tank penetrating the corresponding chambers in the lower and upper tanks.

Description

DESCRIPTIONENERGY SAVING UNITTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention energy saving unit HPZTECH relates to energy saving to reduce energy consumption, which can be used with almost all heating systems sources to increase heating efficiency without additional energy usage in a sustainable technique, and it works as an energy saving unit.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Heating temperature and demand varies between different consumers according to their needs. It is well known that the present heating sources consumes large amount of energy leading to high energy production, and in turn produces large amount of greenhouse gases (GHG). Also, increasing the temperature for heating purposes for any reason requires more energy consumption, increases GHG emission, and additional cost. Decreasing the existing heating systems heating temperature below a certain level is not recommended, and it will cause to increase the humidity level which encourages mold growth.LIST OF PRIOR ART

[0003] I refer to the patent application DK 3628958 T3 as the closest prior art related to this field. The citation is related to energy storage system, where Phase Change Material PCM used to store energy by passing a heated fluid in a submerged heat exchanger while the PCM change phase from solid to liquid. Additionally, the system requires a circulating gas and with its additional circuit accessories to assist in PCM liquidation / crystallization and vice versa phase. The unit or the system in the referred prior art require completing the charge phase, then the heat can be recovered from the PCM to be discharged for use when needed. None of the above-mentioned prior art states any reduction in energy consumption; increasing the efficiency; or decreasing the temperature of the heating source.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to reduce energy consumption by most heating source, and increases heating efficiency of the heating source.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to maintain the same level of heating temperature or higher.

[0007] It is an obj ective of the present invention to use a sustainable technique for rising fluid temperature without the need for additional energy usage.

[0008] Energy saving unit HPZTECH according to aspects of the present invention that rise heat to a working fluids includes: a lower tank; the tank has an inlet and an outlet orifice on each end of the tank; each orifice is provided with pipe fitting; a temperature regulating valve connected at the inlet fitting of the lower tank; a circulation pump connected to the regulating valve for circulating the heated fluid from the heating source; the lower tank including the regulating valve with the circulation pumpincluding connecting pipes and the heating source represents a closed circuit; this circuit represents the primary heating stage.

[0009] An upper tank having an inlet and an outlet orifice on each end of the tank; each orifice is provided with pipe fitting; a 3-way motorized control valve is connected to the outlet pipe fitting in the upper tank; a circulation pump is connected to the inlet fitting of the upper tank for circulating the heated fluid either to the inner short circuit, or to the heating load; the upper tank including 3 -way motorized control valve with the circulation pump including connecting pipes and the heating load represents a closed circuit; this circuit represents the secondary heating stage.

[0010] The upper surface of the lower tank and the lower surface of the upper tank are formed with chambers used for heat pipes penetration; a set of heat pipes installed between the lower and the upper tanks inside the corresponding chambers; the top end of heat pipes set fitted in the chambers of the upper tank; while the lower end of the heat pipes fitted in chambers of the upper surface of the lower tank; the heat pipes function called the intermediate sustainable heating stage.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 a diagram illustrating the placement of energy saving unit HPZTECH connecting the heating source circuit, and the heating load circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of energy saving unit HPZTECH according to an embodiment of the present invention.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

[0013] The embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings described in details as below.

[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates the energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 according to the embodiment, the energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 works with any heating source for any fluid heating system. As shown in FIG. 1 according to the embodiment, a diagram illustrating the heating system consists of two separated closed circuits. The first closed circuit 10 between the heating source 18 and the lower tank 4 of energy saving unit HPZTECH 19. The second closed circuit between the upper tank 6 of energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 and the heating load 11 (not shown) supplied to the user heating load units.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows the energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 according to the embodiment, the lower tank 4 receives hot fluid from the heating source 18 by means of a circulation pump 5 inside the heating source 18 (if not available an additional circulation pump 5 is required) as in FIG. 1. The fluid in the primary heating circuit 1 flows from the circulating pump 5 (FIG. 1) and circulates the fluid from the heating source 18 to a temperature regulating valve 22 toward the lower tank 4 inlet 4a, the fluid inside the primary heating circuit 1 returns to heating source 18 from the lower tank 4 outlet 4b. When the temperature of the fluid inside the primary heating circuit 1 reaches the set temperature of the heating source 18, it turns-off the heating source 18 automatically, whereas the hot fluid inside the primary heating circuit 1 remains in circulation.

[0016] A set of heat pipes 8 mounted on the upper surface of the lower tank 4 penetrating the chambers 20. The fluid inside the primary heating circuit 1 starts to heat up the lower tank 4, and thereby the lower tank 4 starts to transfer the heat to thelower segment of the heat pipes 8. The heat pipes 8 fluid, for example water, receives the heat at their lower segment from the lower tank 4. Then the fluid inside the heat pipes 8, for example water, starts to boil and change phase generating hot steam inside the heat pipes 8, and this stage called intermediate heating stage 2. The intermediate heating stage 2 inside the heat pipes 8 allow the steam to rise upwards toward the upper segment of the heat pipes 8, and the upper segment of the heat pipes 8 becomes hot. Depending upon the type of fluid inside the heat pipes 8, for example water, the boiling temperature can be 30 °C since the water inside the heat pipes 8 is under vacuum, and starts to change phase to steam. According to the embodiment, the generated steam as a working fluid has a temperature of 100°C or below. According to the embodiment, the liquid and the generated steam as a working fluid inside the heat pipes 8 has a temperature range 30 °C to 100 °C. The upper segment of the heat pipes 8 penetrates the lower surface of the upper tank 6 chambers 21.

[0017] The upper tank 6 starts to heats up, then the upper tank 6 transfers the heat to another cold heat fluid inside, for example diluted ethylene glycol, the upper tank 6 allowing the inside fluid temperature to rise, while the steam inside the heat pipes 8 in the intermediate heating stage 2 starts to condense flowing downwards toward the lower segment of the heat pipes 8, and it is a continuous sustainable cycle. The circulation pump 16 connected to upper tank 6 inlet 6a to circulate the heated fluid either to an inner short circuit 13, or to the heating load circuit 11 (heating load items are not shown). The inner short circuit 13 and the heating load circuit 11 called the secondary heating stage 3.

[0018] The outlet 6b of the upper tank 6 is connected to a 3-way motorized control valve 17, and the 3-way motorized control valve 17 controls the direction of the fluid circulation. At first, the circulation pump 16 circulates the heated fluid from the upper tank 6 inlet 6a towards the upper tank 6 outlet 6b and through the 3 -way motorized control valve 17 to the inner short circuit 13. The fluid continues to circulate inside an inner short circuit 13 until it reaches the required setting temperature of the 3 -way motorized control 17 to open the flow toward the direction of the heating load circuit 11, and the 3-way motorized control valve 17 closes the inner short circuit 13. When the temperature of the fluid inside the upper tank 6 decrease below the setting temperature of the 3 -way motorized control valve 17, the 3 -way motorized control valve 17 closes the heat load circuit 11, and open inner short circuit 13 for reheating the fluid.

[0019] The inner short circuit 13 is provided with a single direction valve 14 as well as the heating load circuit 11 having a single direction valve 15, each one of the single direction valves 14 and 15 is connected to the circulation pump 16 inlet. The fluid remains in a continues circulating state, and the 3 -way motorized control valve 17 continue to control the direction of the flow between the heat load circuit 11 or the inner short circuit 13.

[0020] The fluid in the intermediate heating stage 2 in the heat pipes 8 fluid continues to change phases from liquid to steam and vice versa, whereas the hot fluid inside the primary heating circuit 1 remains circulating inside the primary heating circuit 1, until the temperature of the fluid in the primary heating circuit 1 decreases below the set temperature of the heating source 18, or it become below the required boiling temperature of the fluid inside the heat pipes 8, at these conditions, the heating source 18 turns on and starts the primary heating stage 1 once again.

[0021] According to the embodiment of the invention, an insulator 12 covers the lower tank 4 the middle segment of the heat pipes 8 as well as the upper tank 6. A frame 9 connecting the lower tank 4 and the upper tank 6 and keeps the full unit componentstogether. A casing 7 covers all the components in energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 from the outside environment to minimize heat losses from energy saving unit HPZTECH 19.

[0022] According to the embodiment as described earlier for energy saving unit HPZTECH 19, the components configured in such a way that the heat pipes 8 fitted between the upper tank 6 and the lower tank 4. The material of the upper tank 6 and the lower tank 4 as well as the heat pipes 8 are made of copper or copper alloy. On the other hand, the frame 9 and the casing 7 made of steel. The linear thermal expansion of the frame 9 and the casing 7 is lower in the vertical direction. The energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 during operation rises the temperature by means of the heat pips 8 as well as the heat absorbed by upper tank 6, and they expand by more volume than the lower tank 6, while the frame 9 as well as the covering casing 7 thermal expansion is much lower. Therefore, suitable tolerances are considered to compensate for the difference in expansion of heat pips 8 and the upper tank 6.

[0023] Energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 according to the embodiment provided with a set of heat pipes 8, the temperature range of the fluid inside the upper tank 6 e.g., in the range of 50 to 70 °C or below. Energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 can be expanded with plural numbers of heat pipes 8 without any additional changes in the size of energy saving unit HPZTECH 19, and extra empty chambers (20 & 21) in both the lower tank 4 and the upper tank 6 are available for plural sets of heat pips 8 in order to accommodate the heating load 11 requirements. When energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 is provided with plural number of heat pipes 8, the temperature of the fluid in tank 6 will have a temperature range of 55 to 85 °C or below, hence it leads to an increase in the fluid temperature inside tank 6 at a faster rate, consequently the circulation pump 16 is capable to provide a higher flowrate of the fluid to the heating load circuit 11 and keeping the fluid temperature within the required setting range.

[0024] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and hence, various changes and modifications and the like can be expected without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the embodiment shows energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 used for heating load purposes, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 may be configured as heating source used for heating the return refrigerant from an evaporator used in many applications (adding superheat).

[0025] In addition, in the embodiment, the heat pipes 8 arranged in a parallel column set, but the present invention is not limited to this, energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 may have up to 5 sets columns of heat pipes 8 without any additional modifications in the size or design.

[0026] An outline of the above embodiment is described as below

[0027] Energy saving unit HPZTECH according the above-mentioned embodiment configured in such a way that the heat received from the heating source is converted to a higher heat range produced by the heat pipes. Hence, there is no need to increase the temperature of the fluid flowing from the heating source to compensate for a higher temperature demand required by a consumer, in fact the consumers can lower the temperature of the heating source, while the energy saving unit HPZTECH can resolve and meets these requirements by rising the supplementary heating temperature demand in a clean sustainable process.

[0028] The fluid from the heating source passes through the lower tank at a relatively certain fluid temperature i.e. 35 °C or below to heat the lower tank material temperature while in circulation between the heating source and the lower tank of energy saving unit HPZTECH, when the temperature from the heating source reaches its settemperature, the heating source turns off automatically, and the fluid inside the primary heating circuit between the heating source and the lower tank of energy saving unit HPZTECH remains in circulation. When the temperature of the fluid inside the heating source circuit decreases below a certain level of the set temperature of the heating source, the heating source turns on automatically to start heating the fluid inside the primary heating circuit, and this stage called the primary heating stage.

[0029] The lower tank transfers the heat through metallic contact to the lower segment of the heat pipes placed at certain positions without contacting the fluid received from the heating source, then, another fluid inside the heat pipes starts to boil depending upon the heat pipes specifications and the fluid used inside, this stage called the intermediate heating stage. According to the embodiment, the fluid inside the heat pipes temperature starts rises to the boiling temperature, and the fluid partially change phase to steam, the generated steam inside the heat pipe rises upward reaching the upper segment of the heat pipes.

[0030] Hereafter, the upper segment of the heat pipes transfers the heat to the upper tank material through metallic direct contact without contacting the fluid inside the upper tank. Hence, the upper tank material temperature starts to increase, and the heat is transferred to the fluid inside the upper tank allowing the fluid temperature increase too. The fluid inside the upper tank remains in a closed short circuit circulation state until reaching the required temperature, and it is called the secondary heating stage 3.

[0031] Once the fluid exiting from the upper tank reaches the set temperature of the 3- way motorized control valve, the 3 -way motorized control valve open the flow towards the heat load circuit and closes the short circuit circulation. Then, the fluid inside the upper tank in energy saving unit HPZTECH starts to flow toward the heating load circuit. The 3-way motorized control valve having adjustable temperature setting according to the consumer requirements. The fluid from the upper tank streaming through a set of heating load units used for heating purposes including hot water storage tank. Then, the fluid returns to the upper tank via a circulation pump.

[0032] The circulation pump connected to the upper tank inlet to supply the flow either to the heating short circuit or to the heating load circuit. The low temperature fluid return from the heating load units to the upper tank via the circulation pump to the inlet pipe in the upper tank to continue the additional secondary heating cycle, and the full circulation of heated fluid by the energy saving unit HPZTECH runs in a closed circuit.

[0033] The heated fluid between the upper tank and the heating load circuit remains in circulation via a 3 -way motorized control valve either to the heating load and return to the upper tank via the circulation pump, or to the heating inner short circuit via the circulation pump and return to the upper tank. When the heated fluid temperature starts to decrease below the set temperature of the 3 -way motorized control valve, the 3 -way motorized control valve closes the heating load circuit and open the inner short circuit to repeat fluid heating in the upper tank throughout the closed heating short circuit.

[0034] According to the embodiment for the present invention, the primary heating stage with the intermediate heating stage and the secondary heating stage represents energy saving unit HPZTECH are the heating stages.

[0035] In addition, according the above-mentioned aspects in the embodiment for this invention, the energy saving unit HPZTECH is capable in increasing heating efficiency by rising the temperature that can be used in many other applications in a sustainable process without using additional energy, as well as energy saving unit HPZTECH assists in reducing the fluid temperature supplied by existing heating source, and this in turn reduces the energy consumed by the heating source leading to cost reduction, as well as leads to reduce the GHG emitted to the environment.EXPLINATION OF CODES

[0036] 1 Primary heating stage Lower tank circuit

[0037] 2 Intermediate heating stage Heat pipes

[0038] 3 Secondary heating stage Upper tank circuit

[0039] 4 Lower Tank

[0040] 6 Upper tank

[0041] 17 3 -way motorized control

[0042] 16 Circulation pump

Claims

CLAIMS:1- The energy saving unit HPZTECH 19 is used to reduce the energy consumption for any heating source as well as increasing its efficiency. This is achieved by decreasing the temperature of the heating source to 35 °C or below, while delivering a higher temperature to the heat load fluids by means of a set of heat pipes 8, as well as maintaining the heating load temperature to the required level. The energy saving unit19 uses a set of heat pipes 8 configured between a lower tank 4 upper surface chambers 20 and an upper tank 6 lower surface chambers 21. The said set of heat pipes 8 function is to rise the temperature and transfer energy from the said lower tank 4 having low temperature fluid to the said upper tank 6 fluid at a higher temperature and rate using the well-known characteristics of the said heat pipes 8 in a continuous sustainable process between the said lower tank 4 and the said upper tank 6, comprising; the said lower tank 4 having an inlet orifice 4a connected to temperature regulating valve 22 outlet, and the inlet of the temperature regulating valve 22 is connected to the heating source circuit 1 outlet, while the lower tank outlet orifice 4b is connected to heating source circuit 1 inlet, the lower tank 4 upper surface is formed with chambers 20; the said upper tank 6 outlet orifice 6b is connected to a 3-way motorized control valve 17 controlling flow direction between either an inner short circuit 13 or a heating load circuit 11, each of the inner short circuit 13 and the heat load circuit 11 is provided with a single direction valve (14 and 15) permitting the fluid to flow in one direction towards the inlet of a circulation pump 16, and the outlet of the circulation pump is connected to the upper tank 6 inlet orifice 6a, the upper tank 6 lower surface formed with chambers 21; the said sets of heat pipes 8 are fitted between the lower tank 4 upper surface chambers20 and the upper tank 6 lower surface chambers 21, and the heat pipes 8 function is used for rising the fluid temperature in the upper tank 6 to a higher temperature and at a higher rate in a sustainable continuous process between the low temperature lower tank 4 fluid and the upper tank 6 fluid; a connecting frame 9; an insulator 12; and a cover casing 7.2- Energy Saving unit HPZTECH according to claim 1, where the lower segment of the heat pipes 8 placed through metallic surface contact chambers only (20 & 21) between the upper surface of the lower tank 4 and the lower surface of the upper tank 6.3- Energy Saving unit HPZTECH according to claims 1, and 2, wherein the heating circuits are three separated closed circuits 1, 11 and 13 representing the heating stages for three fluids.4- Energy Saving unit HPZTECH according to claim 1, and 3, wherein the fluids can be of different types serving the three heating stages 1, 11 and 13.5- Energy Saving unit HPZTECH according to claim 1, wherein the material of the heat pipes 8 is copper, copper alloy, or aluminium and aluminium alloy depending upon the fluid used inside.6- Energy Saving unit HPZTECH according to claim 1, wherein the lower tank 4 and the upper tank 6 material is copper or copper alloys.7- Energy Saving unit HPZTECH according to claims 1 ,2, 3 and 4, wherein the lower tank 4 and the upper tank 6 are capable in adapting plurality of heat pipes 8 without any modifications in the size or the said Energy saving unit HPZTECH design 19.8- Energy Saving unit HPZTECH according to claim 1, wherein the full unit can be installed in a horizontal, or in a vertical direction.9- Energy Saving unit HPZTECH according to claim 1, 3, 7, and 8, wherein the full unit is installed between the heating source 18 and the heating load circuit’s units 11.

Images