slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump

Abstract

SLOW-ACTUATING MECHANICAL-LIQUID PISTON HEAT PUMP The slow-acting mechanical-liquid piston heat pump (1) comprises a blind liquid cylinder (8) in which translates a double-acting hydraulic piston (10) which is integral with a connecting rod (11) connected to connecting rod actuating means (144), said piston (10) forming with said cylinder (8) a compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) which communicates with a compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) in which heat exchange and accumulation means (16) are housed to form a compressor (3), and an expander hydraulic variable volume (134) which communicates with an expander gas and liquid reservoir (137) in which expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) are housed to form an expander (4). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 6

Description

Title of the invention: Slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump

[0001] The present invention relates to a slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump, which is reversible, and whose main purpose is to air-condition and heat residential, commercial or industrial buildings.

[0002] As part of the ecological transition, heat pumps occupy a strategic place because they can heat buildings at lower energy costs by extracting renewable heat from the environment.

[0003] Building heating alone absorbs more than twenty percent of the world's primary energy, and this is why the market for low-temperature heat pumps, the most efficient, is set to grow strongly in the coming years, as is that of high-temperature heat pumps, better suited to the renovation of old buildings, which remain in the majority.

[0004] As global warming worsens and lifestyles evolve, air conditioning in buildings already consumes more than ten percent of the electricity produced worldwide.

[0005] This share is intended to grow significantly both in proportion and in volume, to the point that the efficiency of reversible heat pumps represents a major energy and economic challenge.

[0006] The principle of heat pumps currently used in the world is based mainly on the change of state, from vapor to liquid or vice versa, of a refrigerant fluid whose saturated vapor pressure is adapted to the targeted heating or refrigeration temperature range, and to the pressures that the installations can withstand.

[0007] State change or phase change refrigeration cycles have the advantage of a high heat or refrigeration power density because they exploit the latent heat of evaporation or condensation of a refrigerant fluid by modulating the pressure and temperature of said fluid so that it evaporates or condenses at the appropriate time.

[0008] In the current state of the art and technology and taking into account the economic, technological, physical and production constraints of heat pumps, state change refrigeration cycles remain by far the most efficient.

[0009] However, not all refrigeration cycles involve changing the state of a specially formulated refrigerant.

[0010] For example, the Brayton-Joule cycle, also called the Bell-Coleman cycle, is based on the isentropic compression and expansion of a gas without change of state, with, after said compression, transfer of heat by said gas to a colder environment at constant pressure and with, after said expansion, removal of heat by said gas from an enclosure to be cooled, also at constant pressure.

[0011] However, the practical efficiency of the Bell-Coleman cycle remains low, with in practice a coefficient of performance barely higher than one and often even lower than one, unlike heat pumps with change of state and refrigerant fluid, whose coefficient of performance can peak at four, or even five to one, which means that for one unit of energy invested, up to four to five units of energy are recovered in the form of heat or refrigeration.

[0012] Due to its low practical energy efficiency, the Bell-Coleman cycle is primarily used only when compressed air is naturally available, which may be the case in airplanes, and on board some trains.

[0013] Unlike Bell-Coleman cycle heat pumps, due to their high efficiency, refrigerant and change of state heat pumps are widely used for heating or cooling buildings.

[0014] And yet, the efficiency of refrigerant heat pumps remains well below the ideal Carnot efficiency which, taking the temperature differences usually used to carry out the measurements, would give a coefficient of performance greater than twenty while the best heat pumps currently on the market deliver a coefficient of performance of five.

[0015] But the ideal Carnot efficiency is only an indicator of the maximum efficiency theoretically accessible because it does not take into account the temperature differences necessary for heat exchanges to take place, nor the mechanical and practical constraints of the construction of heat pumps.

[0016] Clearly, there would be a significant advantage, due to the scarcity of energy and the climatic and ecological issues linked to said energy, in maximizing the efficiency coefficient of heat pumps used to produce heating, air conditioning or even refrigeration, as close as possible to the ideal Carnot efficiency.

[0017] Provided that a high energy efficiency compression and expansion machine is available, it would indeed be possible to approach the efficiency of the ideal Carnot cycle by using a fluid remaining entirely in the gaseous state, i.e. without any change of state.

[0018] To achieve this objective, the compressor of said machine must compress a gas in two successive stages.

[0019] The first stage consists of an adiabatic compression which takes place until the temperature of said gas is high enough for the latter to be able to release heat, for example, to a building heating circuit, while the second step is an isothermal compression during which the temperature reached by said gas at the end of adiabatic compression is maintained during the remainder of the compression of said gas, gradually releasing to said heating circuit the heat produced by said isothermal compression, until said gas is discharged from said compressor.

[0020] Then, the expander of said machine must expand the gas which has been previously compressed according to the reverse process to that which has just been described, also in two successive stages.

[0021] The first stage consists of an adiabatic expansion which occurs until the temperature of said gas is sufficiently low for the latter to be able to draw heat for example from the environment outside said building, while the second stage is an isothermal expansion during which the temperature reached by said gas at the end of adiabatic expansion is maintained during the remainder of the expansion of said gas, by gradually drawing from said environment the heat necessary to maintain said temperature during the remainder of said isothermal expansion and this, until said gas is discharged from said expander.

[0022] One of the advantages of such a heat pump is that it no longer requires the use of polluting, toxic or combustible refrigerants, some of which destroy the ozone layer or produce a powerful greenhouse effect.

[0023] No longer depending on refrigerants is all the more important since European regulations, as well as those of many countries, plan to ban, as early as the year 2030, refrigerants whose global warming potential is greater than or equal to one hundred and fifty times that of carbon dioxide.

[0024] These regulatory provisions will reduce the number of refrigerants that can be used in conventional heat pumps, and will significantly impact the technology of said pumps, or even increase the cost price of said pumps.

[0025] The most likely substitute for the refrigerants currently used in conventional heat pumps is carbon dioxide, which is a non-polluting gas with a low specific global warming potential, but which has the main disadvantage of high operating pressures of more than one hundred atmospheres, which makes the tightness and safety of the installations more difficult to guarantee.

[0026] Other fluids considered are propane, which remains a flammable gas, or ammonia, which is corrosive and toxic.

[0027] We therefore understand the interest in reproducing as faithfully as possible the ideal heat pump cycle of Sadi Carnot, by producing a quasi-isothermal volumetric compressor and expander which use a fluid which remains in the gaseous state during the entirety of the said cycle.

[0028] This route is only possible by imposing a stable set temperature on the gas during its compression or isothermal expansion, which can be achieved with a medium which stores heat directly in a compression or expansion chamber, said medium being associated with means which export said heat during the compression phase, or which import said heat during the expansion phase.

[0029] Several concepts are based on single-phase compressors or expanders, close to isothermal, integrating means of storage and import or export of heat.

[0030] This is the case, for example, of the quasi-isothermal machine described in patent GB2534244, said machine comprising a piston which is oriented downwards and which has a structure for absorbing and restoring heat, said piston compressing a gas in a variable volume in the bottom of which resides a constant volume of fluid.

[0031] According to the invention of patent GB2534244, said piston compresses or expands said gas while forcing the latter to cool or heat up in contact with the heat absorption and restitution structure, said structure being able to be made up of metal sheets which, when they are outside the liquid, exchange heat with the gas, while when they are immersed in said liquid, they exchange heat with the latter.

[0032] According to the invention of patent GB2534244, the liquid remains approximately immobile unlike liquid piston compressors in which the liquid is on the contrary mobile, which implies that said liquid is not subjected to decelerations too greater than that of Earth's gravity under penalty of causing cavitation and panic of said liquid.

[0033] On the contrary, the invention of patent GB2534244 thus makes it possible to manufacture a compressor or a rapidly rotating expander without driving the liquid into motion, which has the advantage of giving said compressor or said expander a high volumetric power density.

[0034] It is noted that the particular configuration of patent GB2534244 proposes a relatively conventional connecting rod and crank system for actuating the piston carrying the heat absorption and restitution structure.

[0035] Another approach is to move a liquid via a piston which translates in a cylinder as provided in patent CN111734604, said liquid, unlike patent GB2534244, submerging a static heat sink.

[0036] Like patent CN111734604, numerous publications also report liquid pistons which alternately force a gas and a liquid to pass through a porous medium or a heat accumulation and restitution system.

[0037] This technical approach is notably adopted by various research programs dedicated to energy storage systems in the form of compressed air, for example intended to accumulate renewable energy produced by offshore wind turbines.

[0038] It is clear from most of these devices that the compression or expansion efficiency depends strongly on the total heat exchange surface between the gas, the liquid and the heat absorption and restitution structures, whatever their nature, but also on the time allowed for said exchanges to take place.

[0039] To promote said exchanges, it is therefore preferable to produce slow-rotating compressors or expanders, in return for a lower power volume.

[0040] In addition to the time allowed for heat exchanges to occur, the advantage of slow-rotating compressors or expanders is that they allow time for the gas transfer to take place, so as to limit pressure losses at the inlet and outlet ports of said compressors and expanders.

[0041] Indeed, if the latter rotate slowly, their effective thermodynamic pressure-volume diagram will be close to the ideal theoretical diagram because it is less distorted by the transfer of gases, and the practical efficiency of a heat pump integrating said compressors and expanders will be closer to the maximum theoretical efficiency accessible according to the ideal Carnot cycle.

[0042] Because in fact, the inertial forces which reduce the performance of the controlled valves and flaps responsible for transferring gases into or out of a compressor or an expander evolve more or less with the square of the rotation speed of said compressor or said expander.

[0043] This results in a delay in the opening and / or closing of said flaps and valves which is detrimental to the efficiency of the thermodynamic cycle.

[0044] As a consequence of the above, a slow-rotating single-phase heat pump which compresses and expands a gas according to the Carnot cycle will a priori occupy more volume than its conventional equivalent whose refrigerant fluid successively passes from the gaseous state to the liquid state and vice versa, and whose compressor operates at high speed.

[0045] The problem with slow-rotating compressors and expanders is that at the same power, the mechanical parts that constitute them are subjected to higher forces than those that constitute their faster equivalent, and that the large dimensions of said parts that result from said forces generate high energy losses through friction.

[0046] In addition to the large size of said parts, the disadvantage of the slow rotation of said compressors or expanders is that it is unfavorable to the establishment of a hydrodynamic lubrication regime between said parts, whether for example at the friction interface of a piston in a cylinder, or at the pivot connections between said piston and a connecting rod, between said connecting rod and the crank of a crankshaft, and between the latter and a crankcase.

[0047] It would therefore be very advantageous to implement liquid pistons coupled with means of exchange, storage, restitution, import and export of heat, by means of slow machines with very high mechanical efficiency which allow a sufficiently long time on the one hand, for thermal exchanges to maximize their efficiency, and on the other hand, for the transfer of gases to minimize energy losses.

[0048] Such a configuration would make it possible to produce high energy performance heat pumps, delivering an efficiency closer to that of the ideal Carnot cycle than their conventional counterparts which operate a refrigerant fluid with a change of state, and requiring for example only atmospheric air and water to operate.

[0049] It would for example be possible to obtain from said configuration a coefficient of performance of the order of seven, where under the same measurement conditions and in the same environment the coefficient of performance of the best refrigerant heat pump on the market would be of the order of five.

[0050] However, as previously described, to obtain such a difference in efficiency, it is necessary to achieve quasi-isothermal compression and expansion by promoting thermal exchanges as much as possible during said compression and said expansion, limiting as much as possible losses by transfer, losses by internal or external gas leaks, and limiting as much as possible losses by friction.

[0051] For example, the coefficient of performance of a single-phase Carnot cycle heat pump, given its need to compress a greater quantity of gas than its counterpart with a refrigerant fluid with a change of state, is necessarily very sensitive to the energy efficiency of its mechanical transmission device, said efficiency, if it is insufficient, having the consequence of giving said single-phase Carnot cycle heat pump a lower efficiency than that of its said counterpart.

[0052] Indeed, as a single-phase Carnot cycle heat pump must compress a greater quantity of gas than its counterpart with a changing-of-state refrigerant, the coefficient of performance of said single-phase heat pump is very dependent on the energy efficiency of its mechanical transmission device for compression and expansion of the gas.

[0053] If said efficiency is insufficient, said single-phase heat pump will have a lower coefficient of performance than that of its refrigerant counterpart.

[0054] This sensitivity to the mechanical compression and expansion efficiency of a single-phase Carnot cycle heat pump is all the greater when, for example, a coefficient of performance greater than five is targeted.

[0055] For example, a single-phase Carnot cycle heat pump that delivers ten kilowatts of thermal power with a coefficient of performance of five requires an external energy input of two kilowatts in the form of mechanical work.

[0056] If the mechanical efficiency of said single-phase heat pump is poor and forms a mechanical loss of one kilowatt, the coefficient of performance of said pump drops from five to three point three, and the energy bill of the owner of said pump increases by fifty percent.

[0057] In this case, said single-phase heat pump loses all or almost all of its interest compared to its conventional equivalent with a changing-state refrigerant fluid.

[0058] This is why the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention provides an innovative configuration with very high mechanical and volumetric efficiency, coupled with efficient heat exchanges and flows, so as to confer, in particular on the resulting single-phase Carnot cycle heat pumps, a coefficient of performance significantly higher than that of their conventional equivalent with a changing-of-state refrigerant.

[0059] Thus, the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention is mainly intended for producing heat pumps with a high coefficient of performance.

[0060] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention results in particular in a heat pump: • Which delivers a higher coefficient of performance than that of conventional heat pumps using a changing-state refrigerant fluid, said pump according to the invention therefore reducing, all other things being equal, the energy required to produce heat or cold; • Whose thermodynamic efficiency is close to that of the ideal Carnot cycle which is by definition unsurpassable, to the point that in all likelihood, the replacement of said heat pump by another concept can hardly be motivated by an additional improvement in efficiency; • Which does not use any refrigerant that is flammable, corrosive, or harmful to health or the environment, said pump being able to operate, for example, with atmospheric air or nitrogen and escaping any regulatory or safety constraints relating to the handling, storage or recycling of refrigerants; • Whose operating temperature range is very wide due to the non-dependence of said pump on any refrigerant fluid whatsoever, said pump being able to operate in heating or air conditioning mode in any region of the world without prejudice to its performance; • Simple in design, to the point that the pump can be produced in practically any country in the world in workshops with a modest technical level, in particular by assembling low-cost components, easily produced, or widely available on the market; • Whose simple mechanical configuration allows maintenance without great technical skill, and at low cost; • Which allows any qualified plumber-heating engineer to create a heating and air conditioning network in a simple and accessible way which is easily integrated into buildings and the environment of said buildings, without requiring approval or certification linked to the handling of gases which are dangerous for health and the environment; • Whose robust mechanism gives it a lifespan which can reach, subject to the replacement of minor parts, several decades without deterioration in the operation or performance of said pump, such a lifespan constituting an additional advantage of said pump for the environment in comparison with conventional refrigerant heat pumps when analyzing the entire life cycle of said pumps, including manufacturing and recycling; • Which is silent and can be integrated into buildings while producing minimal noise pollution; • The layout of which allows large heat exchange surfaces to be exposed to the environment at low cost, using low-speed, low-energy-consumption, and low-noise motor fans; • Whose manufacturing does not require rare or strategic materials, nor high-tech know-how and knowledge;

[0061] It is understood that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention is intended, in addition to heat pumps, for any other application similar in concept and principle which could advantageously take advantage of the particular characteristics and functionalities of said liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention.

[0062] The other characteristics of the present invention have been described in the description and in the secondary claims directly or indirectly dependent on the main claim.

[0063] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump which comprises a compressor in which a pneumatic variable compressor volume is formed, and an expander in which a pneumatic variable expander volume is formed, each said volume, comprising on the one hand, an inlet port through which a working gas can enter and on the other hand, an outlet port through which said gas can exit, comprises • At least one blind liquid cylinder which is formed of one or more coaxial cylindrical sections, which is directly or indirectly secured to a static frame, at least two ends of which are each closed by a sealed cylinder termination, and in which at least one double-acting hydraulic piston comprising one or more coaxial sealed discs can translate in a sealed manner, said piston having, on the one hand, at least one axial piston face on the compressor side which forms with said cylinder and a sealed cylinder termination a variable hydraulic compressor volume, and on the other hand, at least one axial piston face on the expander side which forms with said cylinder and another sealed cylinder termination a variable hydraulic expander volume, both said variable hydraulic volumes being wholly or partly filled with a working liquid; • A compressor gas and liquid reservoir which is connected to the compressor hydraulic variable volume by a communication conduit, so that said reservoir fills mainly or completely with working liquid when the compressor hydraulic variable volume is minimal, said reservoir filling partially or completely with working gas when the compressor hydraulic variable volume is maximal, the variation in the volume of the working gas contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir defining, on the one hand, the compressor pneumatic variable volume and being, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in the volume of the working liquid contained in the compressor hydraulic variable volume; • A gas and liquid tank of the expander which is connected to the hydraulic variable volume of the expander by a communication conduit, so that said tank fills mainly or completely with working liquid when the hydraulic variable volume of the expander is minimal, said tank filling partially or completely with working gas when the hydraulic variable volume of the expander is maximal, the variation in the volume of the working gas contained in the gas and liquid tank of the expander defining, on the one hand, the pneumatic variable volume of the expander and being, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in the volume of the working liquid contained in the hydraulic variable volume of the expander; Compressor heat exchange and accumulation means which are housed in the compressor gas and liquid tank, said means being able mainly to take heat from the working gas contained in said tank and temporarily store said heat, this before transferring the latter to the working liquid also contained in said tank; Expander heat exchange and accumulation means which are housed in the expander gas and liquid tank, said means being able mainly to take heat from the working liquid contained in said tank and temporarily store said heat, this before transferring the latter to the working gas also contained in said tank; Heat export means housed inside and / or outside the compressor gas and liquid tank, said means taking heat directly or indirectly from the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means on the one hand, and / or from the working liquid and / or working gas contained in whole or in part in said tank on the other hand, said heat then being transferred to heating means external to the compressor gas and liquid tank; Heat import means housed inside and / or outside the gas and liquid tank of the expander, said means directly or indirectly supplying heat to the heat exchange and accumulation means of the expander on the one hand, and / or to the working liquid and / or to the working gas which is contained in whole or in part in said tank on the other hand, said heat having been previously taken from cooling means external to the gas and liquid tank of the expander; Compressor filling means that permit or prohibit the passage of working gas from a compressor inlet plenum to the compressor gas and liquid receiver via the compressor inlet port; Compressor drain means that permit or prohibit the passage of working gas from the compressor gas and liquid receiver to a compressor discharge plenum via the compressor outlet port; Regulator filling means that permit or prohibit the passage of working gas from a regulator inlet plenum to the regulator gas and liquid reservoir via the regulator inlet port; Regulator drain means that permit or prohibit the passage of working gas from the regulator gas and liquid reservoir to a regulator discharge plenum via the regulator outlet port; • A connecting rod which is integral with the double-acting hydraulic piston, which passes in a sealed manner through at least one of the ends of the blind liquid cylinder, and which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said piston and of the blind liquid cylinder; • Piston guide means which keep the hydraulic piston and the connecting rod parallel to the blind liquid cylinder, regardless of the position of said piston in said cylinder; • Connecting rod actuating means by means of which a drive motor imparts to the connecting rod an alternating longitudinal translational movement parallel to the axis of the blind liquid cylinder; • Mechanical energy storage means which are directly or indirectly connected to the connecting rod actuating means and / or to the connecting rod itself, said storage means being able to alternately take and release mechanical energy to said actuating means and / or to said rod.

[0064] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises connecting rod actuation means which consist of a crank shaft which is oriented perpendicular to the blind liquid cylinder, and which can rotate in at least one shaft bearing which is directly or indirectly secured to the static frame, said crank shaft having at least one crank around which a connecting rod head of an actuating connecting rod is articulated, the latter also comprising a connecting rod foot which is articulated with the connecting rod, the latter passing in a sealed manner through at least one of the sealed cylinder terminations.

[0065] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a connecting rod foot which is articulated with the connecting rod by means of a connecting cross which is integral with said rod.

[0066] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a connecting crosshead which comprises a crosshead yoke which is crossed by a crosshead axis which is perpendicular to the connecting rod and around which are articulated on the one hand, a connecting rod foot bearing which comprises the connecting rod foot, and at least one crosshead roller which rolls on at least one crosshead rolling track which is parallel to the blind liquid cylinder, and which is directly or indirectly secured to said cylinder.

[0067] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a double-acting hydraulic piston which is made up of two coaxial sealed discs which are axially sufficiently distant from each other to leave a portion of the blind liquid cylinder not swept by said piston.

[0068] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises compressor heat exchange and accumulation means and / or the expander heat exchange and accumulation means which are made up of a porous medium which has porosities into which working liquid and working gas enter and exit alternately.

[0069] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises heat export means which consist of a circulating portion of the working liquid which leaves the compressor hydraulic variable volume and / or the compressor gas and liquid reservoir via a liquid outlet conduit to then return to said volume and / or to said reservoir via a liquid inlet conduit, this after having directly or indirectly transferred heat to the heating means.

[0070] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a circulating part of the working liquid which transfers heat to the heating means via a secondary heating heat exchanger.

[0071] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises heat import means which consist of a circulating portion of the working liquid which leaves the hydraulic variable volume of the expander and / or the gas and liquid reservoir of the expander via a liquid outlet conduit to return to said volume and / or to said reservoir via a liquid inlet conduit, this after having directly or indirectly taken heat from the cooling means.

[0072] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a circulating part of the working liquid which takes heat from the cooling means via a secondary cooling heat exchanger.

[0073] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises heat export means which consist of at least one heat exchanger conduit housed in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir and in which circulates a heat transfer fluid which exports heat taken from the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means on the one hand, and / or from the working liquid and / or the working gas contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir on the other hand, to the heating means, via heat transport conduits.

[0074] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises heat import means which consist of at least one heat exchanger conduit housed in the gas and liquid tank of the expansion valve and in which a heat transfer fluid circulates which imports heat from the cooling means to the heat exchange and accumulation means of the expander on the one hand, and / or the working liquid and / or the working gas contained in the compressor gas and liquid tank on the other hand, via heat transport conduits.

[0075] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises compressor heat exchange and accumulation means which consist of at least one liquid spray nozzle supplied by a liquid spray pump, said nozzle being able to atomize working liquid into fine droplets in the internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir.

[0076] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises expander heat exchange and accumulation means which consist of at least one liquid spray nozzle supplied by a liquid spray pump, said nozzle being able to atomize working liquid into fine droplets in the internal volume of the expander gas and liquid reservoir.

[0077] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises compressor heat exchange and accumulation means which consist of a rotating liquid atomizer which comprises a rotating atomization cylinder pierced with radial atomization orifices, an atomizer motor driving said cylinder in rapid rotation so that the latter sucks in working liquid at its axial end by centrifugal effect and / or by means of a pumping turbine, and radially discharges said liquid in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir, via the radial atomization orifices.

[0078] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises expander heat exchange and accumulation means which consist of a rotating liquid atomizer which comprises a rotating atomization cylinder pierced with radial atomization orifices, an atomizer motor driving said cylinder in rapid rotation so that the latter sucks in working liquid at its axial end by centrifugal effect and / or by means of a pumping turbine, and radially discharges said liquid in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the expander gas and liquid reservoir, via the radial atomization orifices.

[0079] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises piston guide means which consist of a sliding pivot connection formed between an external cylindrical surface presented by the connecting rod and a guide orifice which is integrally connected to the liquid cylinder. one-eyed.

[0080] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises piston guide means which consist of a guide skirt arranged on the periphery of the double-acting hydraulic piston, said skirt being able to translate with little play in the blind liquid cylinder.

[0081] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises compressor filling means and / or compressor emptying means which consist of at least one compressor valve and / or at least one compressor pilot valve, while in operation, the working gas is expelled from the compressor gas and liquid reservoir via the compressor discharge plenum under a pressure higher than that under which it was previously introduced into said reservoir via the compressor inlet plenum.

[0082] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises expansion valve filling means and / or expansion valve emptying means which consist of at least one pilot-controlled expansion valve, whereas in operation, the working gas is expelled from the expansion valve gas and liquid tank via the expansion valve discharge plenum under a pressure lower than that under which it was previously introduced into said tank via the expansion valve inlet plenum.

[0083] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a compressor discharge plenum which is connected to the expander inlet plenum by a high-pressure gas conduit so that the working gas leaving the compressor pneumatic variable volume via said compressor discharge plenum is introduced into the expander pneumatic variable volume via said expander inlet plenum, while the expander discharge plenum is connected to the compressor inlet plenum by a low-pressure gas conduit so that the working gas leaving the expander pneumatic variable volume via said expander discharge plenum is introduced into the compressor pneumatic variable volume via said compressor inlet plenum.

[0084] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a high-pressure gas conduit which communicates with at least one high-pressure gas reservoir.

[0085] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a low-pressure gas conduit which communicates with at least one low-pressure gas reservoir.

[0086] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a working gas which circulates in the high-pressure gas duct pressure which gives up its heat to the working gas which circulates in the low pressure gas duct via a regeneration heat exchanger.

[0087] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a compressor inlet plenum and a compressor discharge plenum which are located in the upper part of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir, the latter itself being positioned above the blind liquid cylinder, so that, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, the working gas always leaves said reservoir as a priority via said discharge plenum, and the working liquid always enters said reservoir as a priority via said inlet plenum.

[0088] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises an expander inlet plenum and an expander discharge plenum which are located in the upper part of the expander gas and liquid tank, the latter itself being positioned above the blind liquid cylinder, so that, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, the working gas always leaves said tank as a priority via said discharge plenum, and the working liquid always enters said tank as a priority via said inlet plenum.

[0089] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises mechanical energy storage means which consist of a flywheel made integral in rotation with the crank shaft by a transmission multiplier.

[0090] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a crank shaft which comprises a toothed crown which the drive motor drives in rotation by means of at least one crown drive pinion whose primitive diameter is smaller than that of said crown, the latter and said pinion forming a multiplication gear system.

[0091] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises an overflow pump which can transfer working liquid from an overflow tank to, and directly or indirectly, the compressor gas and liquid tank and / or the compressor hydraulic variable volume and / or the communication conduit which connects said tank to said variable volume, said overflow tank communicating with the compressor discharge plenum so that the working gas pressure prevailing in said tank is close to or identical to that prevailing in said plenum.

[0092] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises an overflow pump which can transfer liquid from work from an overflow tank to and directly or indirectly, the gas and liquid tank of the regulator and / or the hydraulic variable volume of the regulator and / or the communication conduit which connects said tank to said variable volume, said overflow tank communicating with the discharge plenum of the regulator so that the working gas pressure which prevails in said tank is close to or identical to that which prevails in said plenum.

[0093] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises an overflow pump which comprises a blind pump cylinder in which an overflow pump piston can translate in a sealed manner, the latter and said cylinder forming a variable overflow pump volume which, when it increases, fills with working liquid from the overflow tank via at least one overflow pump inlet valve and which, when it decreases, discharges said liquid successively via a discharge valve and a discharge conduit.

[0094] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises an overflow pump piston which is a two-body stepped piston which comprises a large-diameter body which has a large-section face which forms one of the walls of the variable volume of the overflow pump, said stepped piston also comprising, axially opposite the large-section face, a small-diameter body which can translate in a sealed manner in an actuating cylinder whose internal volume is connected directly or indirectly to the discharge duct, said small-diameter body having a small-section face on which the pressure prevailing in the discharge duct is exerted, said stepped piston also offering, at the junction between the large-diameter body and the small-diameter body, a medium-section face from which the small-diameter body emerges, which is connected to the overflow tank,and which is subjected to the pressure prevailing in said reservoir, while a stepped piston stop fixes the maximum volume of the variable overflow pump volume and a two-body piston return spring tends to push the two-body stepped piston back towards its large section face.

[0095] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a discharge valve which comprises a valve actuator piston which can translate in a sealed manner in a valve actuator cylinder and which has, firstly, an axial valve actuator face which communicates with the overflow tank and on which the pressure prevailing in said tank is exerted, said face being able to lift an overflow valve from an overflow valve seat when the valve actuator piston moves towards said face, which has the effect of putting the volume in communication variable overflow pump with the discharge duct, and secondly, an axial face on the discharge duct side which communicates with the discharge duct, on which the pressure prevailing in said duct is exerted, and which can come into contact with a stop on the discharge duct side when the valve actuator piston moves towards said axial face on the discharge duct side, while an actuating piston return spring tends to push the valve actuator piston back towards its axial valve actuating face, and an overflow valve return spring tends to bring the overflow valve back into contact with the overflow valve seat with which it cooperates, the force produced by the actuating piston return spring being greater than the force produced by the overflow valve return spring.

[0096] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises an overflow pump piston which is a two-body stepped piston which comprises a large-diameter body which has a large-section face which is connected to the overflow tank and which is subjected to the pressure prevailing in said tank, said stepped piston also comprising, axially opposite the large-section face, a small-diameter body which can translate in a sealed manner in an actuating cylinder whose internal volume is connected directly or indirectly to the discharge duct, said small-diameter body having a small-section face on which the pressure prevailing in the discharge duct is exerted, said stepped piston also offering, at the junction between the large-diameter body and the small-diameter body,a medium-section face from which emerges the small-diameter body, said face forming one of the walls of the variable volume of the overflow pump, while a stepped piston stop fixes the maximum volume of the variable volume of the overflow pump and a two-body piston return spring tends to push the two-body stepped piston towards its small-section face.

[0097] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a discharge valve which comprises a valve actuator piston which can translate in a sealed manner in a valve actuator cylinder and which has, firstly, an axial valve actuator face which communicates with the discharge conduit and on which the pressure prevailing in said conduit is exerted, said face being able to lift an overflow valve from an overflow valve seat when the valve actuator piston moves towards said face, which has the effect of putting the variable volume of the overflow pump into communication with the discharge conduit, and secondly, an axial face on the reservoir side which communicates with the overflow reservoir, on which the pressure prevailing in said reservoir is exerted, and which can enter into contact with a stop on the overflow tank side when the valve actuator piston moves towards said axial face on the tank side, while an actuating piston return spring tends to push the valve actuator piston back towards its axial valve actuating face, and an overflow valve return spring tends to bring the overflow valve back into contact with the overflow valve seat with which it cooperates, the force produced by the actuating piston return spring being greater than the force produced by the overflow valve return spring.

[0098] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention comprises a double-acting hydraulic piston which comprises at least two coaxial sealed discs which each have an axial piston face on the low pressure side which communicates with the low pressure gas conduit.

[0099] The description which follows with reference to the appended drawings given as non-limiting examples will allow a better understanding of the invention, the characteristics which it presents, and the advantages which it is likely to provide:

[0100] [Fig-1] is a pressure-volume diagram of the thermodynamic cycle carried out by the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention when said pump is not equipped with a regeneration heat exchanger.

[0101] [Fig.2] is a pressure-volume diagram of the thermodynamic cycle carried out by the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention when said pump is equipped with a regeneration heat exchanger.

[0102] [Fig.3] is a schematic sectional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention, the blind liquid cylinder of which is formed of two coaxial cylindrical sections, each of which houses a coaxial sealed disc of the double-acting hydraulic piston, and the connecting rod of which is connected to the connecting rod actuating means by the end of said rod, while a partitioned heat-insulating enclosure separates the compressor, the connecting rod actuating means, the drive motor and the mechanical energy storage means on the one hand, from the expansion valve on the other hand, said enclosure also thermally separating said heat pump from the external environment.

[0103] [Fig.4] is a schematic sectional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention, the blind liquid cylinder of which is formed of two coaxial cylindrical sections, each of which houses a coaxial sealed disc of the double-acting hydraulic piston and the connecting rod of which is articulated with the connecting rod actuating means approximately in the middle of its length.

[0104] [Fig.5] is a schematic sectional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention, the blind liquid cylinder of which is formed from a single cylindrical section which houses a double-acting hydraulic piston which comprises a single coaxial sealed disc, the connecting rod being connected to the connecting rod actuating means by its end while the heat export means consist of a circulating part of the working liquid which leaves the compressor hydraulic variable volume and the heat import means consist of a circulating part of the working liquid which leaves the expander hydraulic variable volume, the expander heat exchange and accumulation means and the expander heat exchange and accumulation means consisting of a rotating liquid atomizer.

[0105] [Fig.6] is a schematic sectional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention and according to the variant shown in [Fig.5], except that the blind liquid cylinder houses a double-acting hydraulic piston which comprises two coaxial sealed discs which each have an axial piston face on the low pressure side which communicates with the low pressure gas conduit, and which comprises a secondary heating heat exchanger and a secondary cooling heat exchanger made of a copper pipe winding.

[0106] [Fig.7] is a three-dimensional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention and according to the variant shown in [Fig.6], with the difference in particular that the inlet ports and the outlet ports are reversed.

[0107] [Fig.8] is a three-dimensional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention and according to the variant shown in [Fig.7] in which in particular the blind liquid cylinder, the compressor gas and liquid reservoir and the expander gas and liquid reservoir are cut away to show their contents.

[0108] [Fig.9] is a three-dimensional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention and according to the variant shown in [Fig.7], seen from the other side, so as to clearly show the compressor overflow pump and that of the expansion valve.

[0109] [Fig. 10] is a three-dimensional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention and according to the variant shown in [Fig.9], shown from another viewing angle.

[0110] [Fig. 11] is an exploded three-dimensional view of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention and according to the variant shown in [Fig.7],

[0111] [Fig. 12] is a three-dimensional sectional view of an overflow pump such as may be provided for the compressor of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention.

[0112] [Fig. 13] is a schematic sectional view of the overflow pump shown in [Fig. 12] of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention, the pressure prevailing in the overflow tank of said pump being greater than the pressure prevailing in the discharge conduit of said pump, which has the effect of filling the variable volume of the overflow pump with working liquid coming from said overflow tank.

[0113] [Fig. 14] is a schematic sectional view showing what happens after [Fig. 13] when the pressure in the overflow tank of the overflow pump becomes substantially equal to the pressure in the discharge conduit of said pump, which allows the two-body piston return spring to move the overflow pump piston to expel the working liquid previously admitted into the variable volume of the overflow pump towards said discharge conduit.

[0114] [Fig. 15] is a schematic sectional view of an overflow pump such as may be provided for the expansion valve of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to the invention, the pressure prevailing in the overflow tank of said pump being lower than the pressure prevailing in the discharge conduit of said pump, which has the effect of filling the variable volume of the overflow pump with working liquid coming from said overflow tank.

[0115] [Fig. 16] is a schematic sectional view showing what happens after [Fig. 15] when the pressure in the overflow tank of the overflow pump becomes substantially equal to the pressure in the discharge conduit of said pump, which allows the two-body piston return spring to move the overflow pump piston to expel the working liquid previously admitted into the variable volume of the overflow pump towards said discharge conduit.

[0116] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

[0117] Figures 1 to 16 show the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, various details of its components, its variants, and its accessories.

[0118] As seen in Figures 3 to 11, the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises a compressor 3 in which a pneumatic variable compressor volume 2 is formed, and an expander 4 in which a pneumatic variable expander volume 136 is formed.

[0119] Each said volume 2, 136 comprises on the one hand, an inlet port 6 through which a working gas 5 can enter and on the other hand, an outlet port 7 through which said gas 5 can exit.

[0120] Furthermore, Figures 3 to 11 illustrate that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises at least one cylinder blind liquid cylinder 8 which is formed of one or more coaxial cylindrical sections 63.

[0121] The blind liquid cylinder 8 is directly or indirectly secured to a static frame 40 and comprises at least two ends which are each closed by a sealed cylinder termination 135.

[0122] A double-acting hydraulic piston 10 shown in Figures 3 to 6 and in Figures 8 and 11 can translate in a sealed manner in the blind liquid cylinder 8, said piston 10 comprising one or more coaxial sealed discs 64 and having, on the one hand, at least one axial piston face on the compressor side 132 which forms with said cylinder 8 and a sealed cylinder termination 135 a compressor hydraulic variable volume 12, and on the other hand, at least one axial piston face on the expander side 133 which forms with said cylinder 8 and another sealed cylinder termination 135 a expander hydraulic variable volume 134, both said hydraulic variable volumes 12, 133 being wholly or partly filled with a working liquid 13.

[0123] It can be seen in Figures 3 to 6 and in Figures 8 and 11 that the coaxial sealed disc 64 can advantageously comprise at least one seal 51, whether the latter is toric, lip, composite, or of any type known to those skilled in the art, said seal 51 preventing the working liquid 13 from leaking between said piston 10 and the blind liquid cylinder 8.

[0124] Alternatively, to said seal 51, at least one cutting or continuous segment can form a seal between the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 and the blind liquid cylinder 8.

[0125] The double-acting hydraulic piston 10 may also comprise an anti-friction guide ring 76 preferably made of an abrasion-resistant material such as polytetrafluoroethylene loaded with anti-friction particles such as graphite, said ring 76 guiding and centering said piston 10 in the blind liquid cylinder 8.

[0126] By way of example, the working liquid 13 may consist of pure water, or water with added glycol to lower the solidification temperature of said water.

[0127] It will be noted that the static frame 40 can be fixed or placed on the floor of a residential, commercial or industrial building 121, while the working gas 5 can be atmospheric air and be made up of any element or molecule such as pure nitrogen, helium, argon, or carbon dioxide, said element or molecule being chosen according to its chemical reactivity, its thermodynamic performance, and its ability to promote heat exchanges, in particular with the working liquid 13 and with the heat exchange and accumulation means of the compressor 16 and the heat exchange and accumulation means of the expander 139.

[0128] This also makes it possible to prevent corrosion of the internal components of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, and the development of micro-organisms.

[0129] As shown in Figures 3 to 11, the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises a compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 which is connected to the compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 by a communication conduit 15, so that said reservoir 14 fills mainly or completely with working liquid 13 when the compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 is minimal, said reservoir 14 filling partially or completely with working gas 5 when the compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 is maximal.

[0130] The variation in the volume of the working gas 5 contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 defines, on the one hand, the pneumatic variable volume of the compressor 2 and is, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in the volume of the working liquid 13 contained in the hydraulic variable volume of the compressor 12 according to the principle of communicating vessels.

[0131] In the same figures 3 to 11, it has also been shown that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises an expander gas and liquid reservoir 137 which is connected to the expander hydraulic variable volume 134 by a communication conduit 15, so that said reservoir 137 fills mainly or completely with working liquid 13 when the expander hydraulic variable volume 134 is minimal, said reservoir 137 filling partially or completely with working gas 5 when the expander hydraulic variable volume 134 is maximal.

[0132] The variation in the volume of the working gas 5 contained in the gas and liquid reservoir of the expander 137 defines, on the one hand, the pneumatic variable volume of the expander 136 and is, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in the volume of the working liquid 13 contained in the hydraulic variable volume of the expander 134.

[0133] It is noted that the maximum acceleration and deceleration to which the working liquid 13 contained in the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 and the expander gas and liquid tank 137 is subjected must preferably remain lower than that of Earth's gravity, this so that said liquid 13 is not subjected to any phenomenon of cavitation or excessive mixing with the working gas 5 which is also contained in said tanks 14, 137.

[0134] It is also noted that a passivator taking the form of an openwork or folded sheet or a solid structure, permeable or not, can be provided in the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 and / or the expander gas and liquid tank 137, this to avoid excessive turbulence of the working liquid 13 contained in said tanks 14, 137.

[0135] As seen in Figures 3 to 6 and in Figures 8 and 11, the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention further comprises compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 which are housed in the compressor gas and liquid tank 14, said means 16 being able mainly to take heat from the working gas 5 contained in said tank 14 and temporarily store said heat, this before releasing the latter to the working liquid 13 also contained in said tank 14.

[0136] In the same said figures, it is noted that said heat pump 1 also comprises means for exchanging and accumulating heat from the expander 139 which are housed in the gas and liquid expander tank 137, said means 139 being able mainly to take heat from the working liquid 13 contained in said tank 137 and temporarily store said heat, this before transferring the latter to the working gas 5 which also contains said tank 137.

[0137] Particularly in Figures 3 to 6, it is noted that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises heat export means 17 housed inside and / or outside the compressor gas and liquid tank 14, said means 17 taking heat directly or indirectly from the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 on the one hand, and / or from the working liquid 13 and / or from the working gas 5 which is contained in whole or in part in said tank 14 on the other hand, said heat then being transferred to heating means 18 external to the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 which can take the form of a heating-cooling floor 106 arranged in a commercial or residential building 121, or a fan coil known per se, or an air-water exchanger 107 placed at exterior 122 of said building 121,and through which atmospheric air is forced to pass through at least one motor-fan 108, ground-water or water-water arranged outside 122, according to the principles usually adopted for aero-thermal or geothermal heat pumps.

[0138] Similarly, the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises heat import means 138 housed inside and / or outside the expansion valve gas and liquid tank 137, said means 138 directly or indirectly supplying heat to the expansion valve heat exchange and accumulation means 139 on the one hand, and / or to the working liquid 13 and / or to the working gas 5 which is wholly or partly contained in said tank 137 on the other hand, said heat having been previously taken from cooling means 19 external to the expansion valve gas and liquid tank 137 which may take the form of a heating-cooling floor 106 arranged in a commercial or residential building 121, or a fan coil known per se, or an air-water exchanger 107, ground-water or water-water arranged outdoors 122,according to the principles usually adopted for aerothermal or geothermal heat pumps.

[0139] It can be seen in Figures 3 to 6 and in [Fig.8] that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises compressor filling means 20 which allow or prevent the passage of working gas 5 from a compressor inlet plenum 21 to the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 via the inlet port 6 of the compressor 3.

[0140] In the same said figures, it is noted that said heat pump 1 also comprises compressor draining means 22 which allow or prevent the passage of working gas 5 from the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 to a compressor discharge plenum 62 via the outlet port 7 of the compressor 3.

[0141] Still in figures 3 to 6 and in [Fig.8], it is noted that regulator filling means 140 allow or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from a regulator inlet plenum 142 to the regulator gas and liquid reservoir 137 via the inlet port 6 of the regulator 4.

[0142] The same said figures also show that regulator draining means 141 allow or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from the regulator gas and liquid reservoir 137 to a regulator discharge plenum 143 via the outlet port 7 of the regulator 4.

[0143] In Figures 3 to 6 and in Figures 8 and 11, it has been shown that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises a connecting rod 11 which is integral with the double-acting hydraulic piston 10, which passes in a sealed manner through at least one of the ends of the blind liquid cylinder 8, and which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said piston 10 and of the blind liquid cylinder 8.

[0144] Figures 3 to 6 and [Fig.8] show that piston guide means 23 keep the hydraulic piston 10 and the connecting rod 11 parallel to the blind liquid cylinder 8, regardless of the position of said piston 10 in said cylinder 8.

[0145] In Figures 3 to 11, it has been illustrated that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises connecting rod actuation means 144 by means of which a drive motor 27 imparts to the connecting rod 11 an alternating longitudinal translational movement parallel to the axis of the blind liquid cylinder 8, said motor 27 being able to be electric, thermal with internal or external combustion, hydraulic, pneumatic, or of any type known to those skilled in the art.

[0146] Figures 3 to 11 finally show that said piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises mechanical energy storage means 28, inertial, pneumatic, electrical, gravitational, or of any known or future type, which are directly or indirectly connected to the connecting rod actuating means 144 and / or to the connecting rod 11 itself, said storage means 28 able to alternately take and transfer mechanical energy to said actuating means 144 and / or to said rod 11.

[0147] In Figures 3 to 11, it has been shown that according to a variant of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the connecting rod actuating means 144 can consist of a crank shaft 24 which is oriented perpendicular to the blind liquid cylinder 8, and which can rotate in at least one shaft bearing 25 which is directly or indirectly secured to the static frame 40.

[0148] According to said variant, the crank shaft 24 may have at least one crank 26 around which a connecting rod head 145 of an actuating connecting rod 165 is articulated, the latter also comprising a connecting rod foot 146 which is articulated with the connecting rod 11, the latter passing in a sealed manner through at least one of the sealed cylinder terminations 135.

[0149] It is noted that the shaft bearing 25, the connecting rod head 145, and the connecting rod foot 146 can receive a roller bearing 105, ball bearing or needle bearing known per se.

[0150] In the context of the variant which has just been described, it is noted in figures 3 to 11 that the connecting rod foot 146 can be articulated with the connecting rod 11 by means of a low-friction connecting crosshead 147, which is integral with said rod 11.

[0151] In this case, the connecting crosshead 147 may comprise a crosshead yoke 148 which is crossed by a crosshead axis 155 which is perpendicular to the connecting rod 11 and around which are articulated on the one hand, a connecting rod foot bearing 149 which comprises the connecting rod foot 146 and which may advantageously consist of a ball or roller bearing known per se, and at least one crosshead roller 150 with balls or rollers known per se which rolls on at least one crosshead rolling track 41 which is parallel to the blind liquid cylinder 8, and which is directly or indirectly integral with said cylinder 8.

[0152] As a technological equivalent, the yoke can be integral with the actuating connecting rod 146 in place of the connecting rod foot 146, while the connecting rod 11 can receive a bearing or a rolling bearing.

[0153] It is noted that the radial forces to which the cross roller 150 is subjected are worth a part of the axial force received by the actuating connecting rod 165 when the latter is not perfectly parallel to the blind liquid cylinder 8.

[0154] According to another variant of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 may consist of two coaxial sealed discs 64 which are axially sufficiently distant from each other to leave a portion of the blind liquid cylinder 8 not swept by said piston 10 as clearly shown in Figures 6 and 8.

[0155] It has been shown in [Fig.3] that the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 and / or the expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139 may consist of a porous medium 32 which has porosities 33 into which working liquid 13 and working gas 5 alternately enter and exit.

[0156] For example, said porous media 32 may be made of porous ceramic, a ceramic or metal structure, or a metal straw made of copper or aluminum.

[0157] As a variant of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6, the heat export means 17 may consist of a circulating portion of the working liquid 13 which leaves the compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 and / or the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 via a liquid outlet conduit 34 to then return to said volume 12 and / or to said reservoir 14 via a liquid inlet conduit 35, this after having directly or indirectly transferred heat to the heating means 18.

[0158] According to this last variant, the circulating part of the working liquid 13 can transfer heat to the heating means 18 via a secondary heating heat exchanger 153 which can be plate, tubular, or of any type known to those skilled in the art.

[0159] Similarly and as also shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6, the heat import means 138 may consist of a circulating portion of the working liquid 13 which leaves the hydraulic variable volume of the expander 134 and / or the gas and liquid reservoir of the expander 137 via a liquid outlet conduit 34 to return to said volume 134 and / or to said reservoir 137 via a liquid inlet conduit 35, this after having directly or indirectly taken heat from the cooling means 19.

[0160] In this case, the circulating part of the working liquid 13 can take heat from the cooling means 19 via a secondary cooling heat exchanger 154 which can be plate, tubular, or of any type known to those skilled in the art.

[0161] In [Fig.4] and according to another variant of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, it has been shown that the heat export means 17 may consist of at least one heat exchanger conduit 36 ​​housed in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and in which a heat transfer fluid 37 circulates which exports heat taken from the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 on the one hand, and / or from the working liquid 13 and / or from the working gas 5 contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 on the other hand, to the heating means 18, via heat transport conduits 38.

[0162] In the same [Fig.4], we see that similarly, the heat import means 138 may consist of at least one heat exchanger conduit 36 ​​housed in the expansion valve gas and liquid reservoir 137 and in which a heat transfer fluid 37 circulates which imports heat from the cooling means 19 to the expansion valve heat exchange and accumulation means 139 on the one hand, and / or the working liquid 13 and / or the working gas 5 contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 on the other hand, via heat transport conduits 38.

[0163] It is noted that the heat exchanger conduit 36 ​​can, depending on the case, form in itself the heat exchange and accumulation means of compressor 16 or the heat exchange and accumulation means of expander 139.

[0164] As a non-limiting example, the heat exchanger conduit 36 ​​may take the form of a coil of copper 109 or aluminum pipe, while the heat transport conduits 38 may be coated with thermal insulation.

[0165] It is noted that the turns or layers that the heat exchanger conduit 36 ​​may constitute may be held in place in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 or in the expander gas and liquid reservoir 137 and relative to each other by holding plates or by separating baffles that may constitute baffles and / or passage restrictions creating jets of working liquid 13 and / or working gas 5 during the passage of said liquid 13 and / or said gas 5 through said restrictions.

[0166] Furthermore, the heat exchanger conduit 36 ​​may receive external fins which increase its contact surface with the working liquid 13 or the working gas 5.

[0167] In [Fig.4], it has been shown that according to another variant of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 may consist of at least one liquid spray nozzle 71 supplied by a liquid spray pump 72, said nozzle 71 being able to atomize working liquid 13 into fine droplets in the internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14.

[0168] Still in [Fig.4], it is noted that in a similar manner, the heat exchange and accumulation means of the expander 139 can consist of at least one liquid spray nozzle 71 supplied by a liquid spray pump 72, said nozzle 71 being able to atomize working liquid 13 into fine droplets in the internal volume of the gas and liquid reservoir of the expander 137.

[0169] It is noted that, whether it is the compressor 3 or the expander 4, the number, position, and orientation of the nozzles 71 are not limited and are provided so that the atomized working liquid 13 exposes to the working gas 5 a large developed heat exchange surface, while the speed of entrainment of said gas 5 by said liquid 13 also favors as much as possible the heat exchanges between said gas 5 and said liquid 13.

[0170] It is also noted that the liquid spray pump 72 may be of one or more pistons, gear, turbine or of a type known to those skilled in the art, and be housed inside or outside the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 or the expander gas and liquid tank 137.

[0171] The liquid spray pump 72 may for example consist of a piston which is directly or indirectly driven by a cam driven in rotation by the crank shaft 24, the profile of said cam being calculated so that the atomization of the working liquid 13 begins at the appropriate angular moment of rotation of said shaft 24, and for an optimal angular duration and according to an optimal intensity variation law.

[0172] It is noted that preferably, the liquid spray pump 72 draws working liquid 13 from the same volume as that into which it delivers said liquid 13 via the liquid spray nozzle 71, so that the pressure difference between the inlet and the discharge of said pump 72 is minimal.

[0173] As a particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, it has been visibly shown in Figures 5, 6, 8 and 11 that the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 may consist of a rotary liquid atomizer 158 which comprises a rotary atomizing cylinder 159 pierced with radial atomizing orifices 160, an atomizer motor 161 driving said cylinder 159 in rapid rotation so that the latter sucks in working liquid 13 at its axial end by centrifugal effect and / or by means of a pumping turbine 162, and radially discharges said liquid 13 in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, via the radial atomizing orifices 160.

[0174] Still in Figures 5, 6, 8 and 11, it has also been shown that the heat exchange and accumulation means of the expander 139 can consist of a rotary liquid atomizer 158 which comprises a rotary atomization cylinder 159 pierced with radial atomization orifices 160, an atomizer motor 161 driving said cylinder 159 in rapid rotation so that the latter sucks in working liquid 13 at its axial end by centrifugation effect and / or by means of a pumping turbine 162, and radially discharges said liquid 13 in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the expander gas and liquid reservoir 137, via the radial atomization orifices 160.

[0175] As can be seen in Figures 5, 6 and 8, a portion of the working liquid 13 sucked in by the axial end of the rotating atomizing cylinder 159 may come from a suction sleeve 163 connected, as the case may be, either to a secondary heating heat exchanger 153 or to a secondary cooling heat exchanger 154.

[0176] This particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention avoids the need for an additional circulator. to circulate the working liquid 13 through said secondary exchangers 153, 154, and makes it possible to increase the temperature difference between said liquid 13 and the working gas 5 at the time of atomization of said liquid 13 either in the internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid tank 14, or in the internal volume of the expander gas and liquid tank 137.

[0177] As seen in Figures 3 to 6 and in [Fig.8], the piston guide means 23 may consist of a sliding pivot connection 47 formed between an external cylindrical surface 48 that the connecting rod 11 has and a guide orifice 49 which is securely connected to the blind liquid cylinder 8 by means of a ring-bearing structure or not.

[0178] In figures 3 to 6 and in [Fig.8] and 11, it has been shown that the piston guide means 23 can consist of a guide skirt 57 arranged on the periphery of the double-acting hydraulic piston 10, said skirt 57 being able to translate with little play in the blind liquid cylinder 8.

[0179] Figures 3 to 6 and [Fig.8] illustrate that the compressor filling means 20 and / or the compressor emptying means 22 may consist of at least one compressor valve 52 and / or at least one compressor pilot valve 53, while in operation, the working gas 5 is expelled from the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 via the compressor discharge plenum 62 under a pressure higher than that under which it was previously introduced into said reservoir 14 via the compressor inlet plenum 21.

[0180] It is noted that the compressor valve 52 can be formed of a simple strip or contact part returned to a sealed seat by a spring of any type, or be formed of a valve assisted by an electromechanical actuator which cooperates with at least one pressure switch or with a pressure sensor coupled to a computer 120.

[0181] It is also noted that a valve open-hold actuator 81 may be provided which prevents the closing of at least one compressor valve 52 to allow the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention to start.

[0182] In Figures 3 to 6 and in [Fig.8], it has been shown that the regulator filling means 140 and / or the regulator emptying means 141 may consist of at least one regulator pilot valve 54, while in operation, the working gas 5 is expelled from the regulator gas and liquid tank 137 via the regulator discharge plenum 143 under a pressure lower than that under which it was previously introduced into said tank 137 via the regulator inlet plenum 142.

[0183] It is noted that the outlet ports 7 of the compressor 3 and / or the expander 4 can advance ably form a small working liquid reservoir 13 so that the compressor valves 52, the compressor pilot valves 53 and the expansion valves 54 remain partially or completely submerged in working liquid 13 when they are closed.

[0184] As seen particularly in Figures 3 to 6, the compressor discharge plenum 62 may be connected to the expander inlet plenum 142 by a high-pressure gas conduit 56 so that the working gas 5 exiting the compressor pneumatic variable volume 2 via said compressor discharge plenum 62 is introduced into the expander pneumatic variable volume 136 via said expander inlet plenum 142, while the expander discharge plenum 143 may be connected to the compressor inlet plenum 21 by a low-pressure gas conduit 61 so that the working gas 5 exiting the expander pneumatic variable volume 136 via said expander discharge plenum 143 is introduced into the compressor pneumatic variable volume 2 via said compressor inlet plenum 21.

[0185] In Figures 3 to 6, it is clearly seen that the high pressure gas conduit 56 can communicate with at least one high pressure gas reservoir 58.

[0186] As an alternative shown in Figures 3 to 6, the low pressure gas conduit 61 may similarly communicate with at least one low pressure gas reservoir 60.

[0187] It is noted that a regeneration heat exchanger 152 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 may constitute in itself all or part of the high-pressure gas reservoir 58 and / or the low-pressure gas reservoir 60, while according to a particular embodiment of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the volume of said reservoirs 58, 60 may be adjustable by intrusion of a solid or a liquid into said reservoirs 58, 60.

[0188] According to a variant of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the working gas 5 which circulates in the high-pressure gas conduit 56 can transfer its heat to the working gas 5 which circulates in the low-pressure gas conduit 61 via a regeneration heat exchanger 152, preferably counter-current, said exchanger 152 being able to be plate-type, tube-type, or of any type known to those skilled in the art.

[0189] It is noted that the internal volume of the regeneration heat exchanger 152 may constitute in itself a high pressure gas reservoir 58 and / or a low pressure gas reservoir 60.

[0190] As clearly illustrated in Figures 3 to 6, the compressor inlet plenum 21 and the compressor discharge plenum 62 may advantageously be located in the upper portion of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14. the latter being itself positioned above the blind liquid cylinder 8, so that, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, the working gas 5 always leaves said reservoir 14 as a priority via said discharge plenum 62, and the working liquid 13 always enters said reservoir 14 as a priority via said inlet plenum 21.

[0191] Thus, the working liquid 13 always remains essentially below the working gas 5 in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, even if said liquid 13 may contain a certain proportion of said gas 5 dissolved or in the form of bubbles.

[0192] Similarly, Figures 3 to 6 illustrate that the regulator inlet plenum 142 and the regulator discharge plenum 143 can advantageously be located in the upper part of the regulator gas and liquid tank 137, the latter itself being positioned above the blind liquid cylinder 8, so that, under the effect of Earth's gravity, the working gas 5 always leaves said tank 137 as a priority via said discharge plenum 143, and the working liquid 13 always enters said tank 137 as a priority via said inlet plenum 142.

[0193] Thus, the working liquid 13 always remains essentially below the working gas 5 in the expander gas and liquid reservoir 137, even if said liquid 13 may contain a certain proportion of said gas 5 dissolved or in the form of bubbles.

[0194] As shown in Figures 3 to 11, the mechanical energy storage means 28 may consist of a flywheel 66 made integral in rotation with the crank shaft 24 by a transmission multiplier 156 with gear, chain, belt, hydraulic, electric or any type known to those skilled in the art, so that said flywheel 66 rotates significantly faster than the crank shaft 24.

[0195] According to this particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the variations in instantaneous torque imposed on the crank shaft 24 by the compression or expansion of the working gas 5 in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and in the expander gas and liquid reservoir 137 are mainly absorbed by the inertia of the flywheel 66, so that the torque which resists or drives the drive motor 27 is smoothed out, said motor 27 then being mainly subjected to the sole average resisting torque necessary to maintain regular rotation of the crank shaft 24.

[0196] It will be noted that the flywheel 66 may optionally be enclosed in a vacuum housing.

[0197] In this case, the transmission of power to said flywheel 66 can be carried out by contactless magnetic coupling.

[0198] It will also be noted that to facilitate the rotation of the crank shaft 24, the drive motor 27 can be fixedly secured in rotation to the flywheel. 66 however that a disengageable coupler can be inserted between the assembly formed by said motor 27 and said flywheel 66 on the one hand, and the crank shaft 24 on the other hand, said coupler being able to be magnetic, hydraulic, or of any other type.

[0199] It has been shown in Figures 3 to 11 that the crank shaft 24 may comprise a toothed crown 67 that the drive motor 27 drives in rotation by means of at least one crown drive pinion 68 whose primitive diameter is smaller than that of said crown 67, the latter 67 and said pinion 68 forming a multiplication gear system 69.

[0200] As a variant of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention shown in Figures 5 to 11, an overflow pump 82 can transfer working liquid 13 from an overflow tank 83 to, directly or indirectly, the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 and / or the compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 and / or the communication conduit 15 which connects said tank 14 to said variable volume 12, said overflow tank 83 communicating with the compressor discharge plenum 62 so that the working gas pressure 5 which prevails in said tank 83 is close to or identical to that which prevails in said plenum 62.

[0201] Advantageously, the overflow pump 82 can transfer a little working liquid 13 with each alternating longitudinal translation movement of the connecting rod 11.

[0202] Thus, when the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 performs reciprocating movements in the blind liquid cylinder 8 and when the compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 is minimal, the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 is completely filled with working liquid 13, the small quantity of working liquid 13 introduced by the overflow pump 82 into the gas and liquid reservoir 14 overflowing with each revolution of the crank shaft 24 of said reservoir 14 to return to the overflow reservoir 83 via the outlet port 7 and the discharge plenum 62 of the compressor.

[0203] This particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention allows all of the working gas 5 contained in the pneumatic variable volume of compressor 2 to be expelled from said volume 2 when the hydraulic variable volume of compressor 12 is minimal, which gives said volume 2 an infinite volumetric ratio, and a volumetric efficiency close to one hundred percent.

[0204] Similarly and as shown in Figures 5 to 11, an overflow pump 82 can transfer working liquid 13 from an overflow tank 83 to, and directly or indirectly, the expander gas and liquid tank 137 and / or the expander hydraulic variable volume 134 and / or the communication conduit 15 which connects said reservoir 137 to said variable volume 134, said overflow reservoir 83 communicating with the pressure regulator discharge plenum 143 so that the working gas pressure 5 which prevails in said reservoir 83 is close to or identical to that which prevails in said plenum 143.

[0205] Advantageously and similarly to the case of the compressor 3, the overflow pump 82 transfers a little working liquid 13 with each alternating longitudinal translational movement of the connecting rod 11, and its effect is identical to that which it produces on the compressor 3.

[0206] Whether it is the compressor 3 or the expander 4, the overflow tank 83 is advantageously located below the compressor discharge plenum 62 or the expander discharge plenum 143 so that, due to the Earth's gravity, the working liquid 13 which overflows from said tanks 14, 137 via the compressor discharge plenum 62 or the expander discharge plenum 143 naturally returns to the corresponding overflow tank 83.

[0207] Whether applied to the compressor 3 or to the expander 4, the overflow pump 82 may comprise a blind pump cylinder 84 in which an overflow pump piston 85 can translate in a sealed manner, the latter and said cylinder 84 forming a variable overflow pump volume 86 which, when it increases, fills with working liquid 13 coming from the overflow tank 83 via at least one overflow pump inlet valve 87 and which, when it decreases, discharges said liquid 13 successively via a discharge valve 88 and a discharge conduit 157.

[0208] It is noted that the blind pump cylinder 84 can be assembled or not, that is to say that it can be made from a single piece, or receive a cylinder head which closes the end opposite to that closed by the overflow pump piston 85.

[0209] As shown in Figures 12 to 14, the overflow pump piston 85 may be a two-body stepped piston 89 which comprises a large-diameter body 93 which has a large-section face 90 which forms one of the walls of the variable overflow pump volume 86, said stepped piston 89 also comprising, axially opposite the large-section face 90, a small-diameter body 94 which can translate in a sealed manner in an actuating cylinder 92 whose internal volume is connected directly or indirectly to the discharge duct 157, said small-diameter body 94 having a small-section face 91 on which the pressure prevailing in the discharge duct 157 is exerted, said stepped piston 89 also offering, at the junction between the large-diameter body 93 and the small-diameter body 94, a medium-section face 95 from which emerges the small-diameter body 94. diameter 94, which is connected to the overflow tank 83,and which is subjected to the pressure prevailing in said reservoir 83, while a stepped piston stop 117 fixes the, maximum volume of the variable volume of overflow pump 86 and that a two-body piston return spring 96 tends to push the two-body stepped piston 89 towards its large section face 90.

[0210] In this case, the discharge valve 88 may comprise a valve actuator piston 97 which can translate in a sealed manner in a valve actuator cylinder 98 and which has, firstly, an axial valve actuator face 99 which communicates with the overflow reservoir 83 and on which the pressure prevailing in said reservoir 83 is exerted, said face 99 being able to lift an overflow valve 100 from an overflow valve seat 104 when the valve actuator piston 97 moves towards said face 99 which has the effect of putting the variable volume of the overflow pump 86 into communication with the discharge conduit 157, and secondly, an axial face on the discharge conduit side 102 which communicates with the discharge conduit 157, on which the pressure prevailing in said conduit 157 is exerted,and which can come into contact with a discharge duct-side stop 118 when the valve actuator piston 97 moves towards said discharge duct-side axial face 102, while an actuating piston return spring 103 tends to push the valve actuator piston 97 back towards its valve actuating axial face 99, and an overflow valve return spring 128 tends to bring the overflow valve 100 back into contact with the overflow valve seat 104 with which it cooperates, the force produced by the actuating piston return spring 103 being greater than the force produced by the overflow valve return spring 128.

[0211] As an alternative not shown, the discharge valve 88 may comprise a cylindrical slide valve on the external surface of which a slide valve groove is arranged, said slide valve being able to translate in a sealed manner in a slide valve cylinder into which an inlet port connected to the variable volume of the overflow pump 86 and an exhaust port which communicates with the discharge duct 157 open, while depending on the axial position of the cylindrical slide valve in the slide valve cylinder, the slide valve groove may or may not connect the inlet port with the exhaust port, the cylindrical slide valve having an axial face on the reservoir side which communicates with the overflow reservoir 83 and on which the pressure prevailing in said reservoir 83 is exerted, and an axial face on the discharge duct side which may rest on a slide valve stop on the discharge duct side,which communicates with the discharge duct 157 and on which the pressure prevailing in said duct 157 is exerted, while a slide return spring tends to push the cylindrical slide towards its axial face on the reservoir side up to a slide stop on the reservoir side which, when reached by said slide, puts the intake port into communication with the exhaust port, via the drawer groove.

[0212] As shown in Figures 15 and 16 and in the particular context of the pressure reducer 4, the overflow pump piston 85 may be a two-body stepped piston 89 which comprises a large-diameter body 93 which has a large-section face 90 which is connected to the overflow reservoir 83 and which is subjected to the pressure prevailing in said reservoir 83, said stepped piston 89 also comprising, axially opposite the large-section face 90, a small-diameter body 94 which can translate in a sealed manner in an actuating cylinder 92 whose internal volume is connected directly or indirectly to the discharge duct 157, said small-diameter body 94 having a small-section face 91 on which the pressure prevailing in the discharge duct 157 is exerted, said stepped piston 89 also offering, at the junction between the large-diameter body 93 and the small-diameter body diameter 94,a medium-section face 95 from which emerges the small-diameter body 94, said face 95 forming one of the walls of the variable volume of the overflow pump 86, while a stepped piston stop 117 fixes the maximum volume of the variable volume of the overflow pump 86 and a two-body piston return spring 96 tends to push the two-body stepped piston 89 towards its small-section face 91.,

[0213] In the latter case, the discharge valve 88 may comprise a valve actuator piston 97 which can translate in a sealed manner in a valve actuator cylinder 98 and which has, firstly, an axial valve actuator face 99 which communicates with the discharge conduit 157 and on which the pressure prevailing in said conduit 157 is exerted, said face 99 being able to lift an overflow valve 100 from an overflow valve seat 104 when the valve actuator piston 97 moves towards said face 99 which has the effect of putting the variable volume of the overflow pump 86 into communication with the discharge conduit 157, and secondly, a reservoir-side axial face 101 which communicates with the overflow reservoir 83, on which the pressure prevailing in said reservoir 83 is exerted,and which can come into contact with an overflow tank-side stop 130 when the valve actuator piston 97 moves towards said tank-side axial face 101, while an actuating piston return spring 103 tends to push the valve actuator piston 97 back towards its valve actuating axial face 99, and an overflow valve return spring 128 tends to bring the overflow valve 100 back into contact with the overflow valve seat 104 with which it cooperates, the force produced by the actuating piston return spring 103 being greater than the force produced by the overflow valve return spring 128.

[0214] As an alternative not shown, the discharge valve 88 may comprise a cylindrical slide valve on the external surface of which a slide valve groove is arranged, said slide valve being able to translate in a slide valve cylinder into which open an inlet port connected to the variable volume of the overflow pump 86, and an exhaust port connected to the discharge conduit 157, while depending on the axial position of the cylindrical slide valve in the slide valve cylinder, the slide valve groove may or may not connect the inlet port with the exhaust port, the cylindrical slide valve having an axial face on the reservoir side which may rest on a slide valve stop on the reservoir side, which communicates with the overflow reservoir 83, and on which the pressure prevailing in said reservoir 83 is exerted, and an axial face on the liquid cylinder side which communicates with the discharge conduit 157 and on which the pressure prevailing in said conduit 157 is exerted,while a slide return spring tends to push the cylindrical slide towards its axial face on the liquid cylinder side up to a slide stop on the liquid cylinder side which, when reached by said slide, puts the intake port into communication with the exhaust port via the slide groove.

[0215] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, and in [Fig.8], the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 may comprise at least two coaxial sealed discs 64 which each have a low-pressure side axial piston face 65 which communicates with the low-pressure gas conduit 61.

[0216] Alternatively, the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 may also comprise at least two coaxial sealed discs 64, each of which has an axial piston face on the high-pressure side (not shown), which communicates with the high-pressure gas conduit 56.

[0217] OPERATION OF THE INVENTION:

[0218] The operation of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention is easily understood from Figures 1 to 16.

[0219] The objective of said heat pump 1 is in particular to constitute a pneumatic variable volume of compressor 2 and a pneumatic variable volume of expander 136 in which the heat exchanges are maximized between a working gas 5, for example atmospheric air, and a working liquid 13, for example water, during the compression or expansion of said gas 5 and this, so that said compression or said expansion is as isothermal as possible, the working liquid 13 which has a high volumetric heat capacity mainly imposing its temperature on the working gas 5 whose volumetric heat capacity is lower.

[0220] The pressure-volume principle diagrams represented in [Fig.l] show the Carnot heat pump cycle executed by the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, and according to a particular embodiment of said pump 1, said cycle being operated in part by the compressor 3 with regard to the heat emission Ql, and partly by the expansion valve 4 with regard to the heat absorption Q2.

[0221] As is easily understood, the upper diagram of [Fig. 1] is executed by the compressor 3 which is also shown in figures 3 to 11, while the lower diagram of said [Fig. 1] is executed by the expander 4 which is also shown in figures 3 to 11, the two said diagrams being virtually linked in [Fig. 1] by dotted arrows in order to reconstruct the complete thermodynamic cycle of the heat pump.

[0222] The dotted arrows illustrate that the hot working gas 5 at temperature T2 discharged by the compressor 3 under high pressure via its compressor discharge plenum 62 is admitted by the expander 4 via its expander inlet plenum 142, while the cold working gas 5 at temperature T1 discharged by the expander 4 at low pressure via its expander discharge plenum 143 is admitted by the compressor via its compressor inlet plenum 21.

[0223] The heat pump cycle shown in [Fig.l], shows that the compressor 3 therefore admits cold working gas 5 at temperature Tl during its intake stroke EA.

[0224] Once this is done, the compressor 3 performs an adiabatic compression AB of the working gas 5 to change the temperature of said gas 5 from cold T1 to hot T2.

[0225] Said adiabatic compression AB is followed by an isothermal compression BC during which the work provided by the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 visible in figures 3 to 6 and in figures 8 and 11, is converted into heat Ql which is exported to the heating means 18 via the heat export means 17, said means 18, 17 being clearly visible in figures 3 to 6.

[0226] This is followed by the discharge CD of the compressed and hot working gas 5 at temperature T2 at the end of the compression stroke, followed by the admission EA of cold working gas 5 at temperature T1 and at low pressure from the expander 4, said admission forming the starting point of a new compression cycle.

[0227] The regulator 4 for its part admits compressed and hot working gas 5 at temperature T2 during its admission stroke FG.

[0228] This done, the expander 4 operates an adiabatic expansion GH of the working gas 5 to change the temperature from hot T2 to cold T1 and to restore to the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 part of the work consumed by said piston 10 during the adiabatic compression AB carried out in the compressor 3.

[0229] Said adiabatic expansion GH is followed by an isothermal expansion HI during which the working gas 5 at cold temperature Tl still provides work to the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 visible in figures 3 to 6 and in figures 8 and 11, this while maintaining the temperature of said gas 5 at value Tl by capturing heat Q2 which is imported from the cooling means 19 via the heat import means 138, said means 19, 138 being clearly visible in figures 3 to 6.

[0230] [The isothermal expansion stroke being completed, there follows the discharge LJ of the working gas 5 at low pressure and cold at temperature T1, followed by the admission FG of working gas 5 compressed and hot at temperature T2 from the compressor 3, which forms the starting point of a new expansion cycle.

[0231] [Fig.2] shows a variant of the thermodynamic heat pump cycle shown in [Fig.l] and which has just been described, said variant allowing a more relevant implementation of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention as shown in figures 3 to 16.

[0232] In [Fig.2], the adiabatic compression of the working gas 5 carried out by the compressor 3 to go from the cold temperature T1 to the hot temperature T2 is replaced by the heat supply Q3 to the working gas 5 admitted by the compressor 3 coming from the expander 4, said supply coming from the regeneration heat exchanger 152 shown in figures 3 to 6.

[0233] Thanks to said heat exchanger 152, the working gas 5 which circulates in the high-pressure gas conduit 56 transfers its heat to the working gas 5 which circulates in the low-pressure gas conduit 61.

[0234] Thus, the working gas 5 admitted by the compressor 3 during its stroke DA is already hot at temperature T2, while the working gas 5 admitted by the expander 4 during its stroke EF is already cold at temperature TL

[0235] It results from this particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention that the entire compression and discharge stroke of the working gas 5 of the compressor 3 can take place isothermally, without prior heating of said gas 5 by adiabatic compression since said gas 5 is already at hot temperature T2.

[0236] The stroke AB therefore forms from its start an isothermal compression during which the work provided by the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 is entirely converted into heat Q1 exported to the heating means 18 via the heat export means 17, said means 18, 17 being represented in figures 3 to 6.

[0237] This is followed by the discharge BC of the working gas 5 compressed and hot at temperature T2 at the end of the compression stroke, followed by the admission DA of working gas 5 also hot at temperature T2 and at low pressure, coming from the expander 4, said admission forming the starting point of a new compression cycle.

[0238] As occurs in the compressor 3, the principle of [Fig.2] also applies to the expander 4, that is to say that the entire expansion and discharge stroke of the working gas 5 of the expander 4 can take place isothermally, without prior cooling of said gas 5 by adiabatic expansion since said gas 5 is already at cold temperature Tl at the inlet of said regulator 4.

[0239] The FG stroke therefore forms from its start an isothermal expansion during which part of the work provided by the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 during the compression AB is returned to it, this by maintaining the temperature of the working gas 5 at value Tl by supplying heat Q2 imported from the cooling means 19 via the heat import means 138.

[0240] This is followed by the discharge GH of the cold working gas 5 at temperature Tl and low pressure at the end of the expansion stroke, followed by the admission EF of compressed and cold working gas 5 at temperature Tl from the compressor 3 via the regeneration heat exchanger 152, which forms the starting point of a new expansion cycle.

[0241] In addition to carrying out the thermodynamic cycles shown in Figures 1 and 2, the objective of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention is to meet the conditions necessary for obtaining a significantly higher efficiency than that of conventional refrigerant gas heat pumps.

[0242] For this, the efficiency of the heat exchanges must be maximum, whether for example in the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 and in the expander gas and liquid tank 137 between the working gas 5 and the working liquid 13, in the regeneration heat exchanger 152 between the working gas 5 which circulates in the high-pressure gas conduit 56 and that which circulates in the low-pressure gas conduit 61, between the heat export means 17 and the heating means 18, or between the heat import means 138 and the cooling means 19.

[0243] It is to maximize the heat exchanges between the working gas 5 and the working liquid 13 that in figures 5, 6, 8, and 11, it has been shown that the heat exchange and accumulation means of compressor 16 can advantageously be constituted by a rotary liquid atomizer 158 which comprises a rotary atomization cylinder 159 pierced with radial atomization orifices 160, an atomizer motor 161 driving said cylinder 159 in rapid rotation so that the latter sucks working liquid 13 at its axial end by centrifugation effect of said liquid 13, and by means of a pumping turbine 162.

[0244] Said rotating liquid atomizer 158 radially discharges working liquid 13 in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, via the radial atomizing orifices 160, and fills the space with a mixture of working gas 5 and moving droplets of working liquid 13.

[0245] The efficiency of the exchanges depends in particular on the time devoted to them, which explains why the slow-acting mechanical-liquid piston heat pump 1 is operated at low frequency, for example at one Hertz for a round trip of the piston hy double-acting hydraulic cylinder 10 in the blind liquid cylinder 8, which also leaves all the time necessary for the transfers to take place via the inlet port 6 and the outlet port 7 of the compressor 3 and the regulator 4 in order to limit the losses by lamination of the working gas 5 when passing through said ports 6, 7.

[0246] This low actuation frequency justifies the use of a flywheel 66 rotating at high speed, for example at three thousand revolutions per minute, as shown in figures 3 to 11, the variations in instantaneous torque imposed on the crank shaft 24 by the compression or expansion of the working gas 5 in the compressor 3 and in the expander 4 being mainly absorbed by the inertia of said flywheel 66, so that the torque which resists or which drives the drive motor 27 is smoothed out, said motor 27 then being mainly subjected to the average resisting torque necessary to maintain regular rotation of the crank shaft 24.

[0247] Said exchange efficiency also depends on the pressure and density of the working gas 5, which is why we will take here as an example a slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention whose low pressure found at the start of compression and end of expansion is fifty bars, and whose high pressure found at the end of compression and start of expansion is one hundred and twenty bars.

[0248] The low compression ratio of two point four in question here and the high operational pressures of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, are favorable to a high compactness of said pump, and to a good regularity of heat power absorbed or emitted respectively by the expander 4 and by the compressor 3 during their expansion or compression stroke.

[0249] The efficiency of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also depends on the volumetric ratio of its compressor 3 and its expander 4.

[0250] The higher said volumetric ratio, the higher the volumetric efficiency of said compressor 3 and said expander 4, which explains among other things the choice of a liquid piston formed by the working liquid 13 with the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and with the expander gas and liquid reservoir 137.

[0251] To benefit from a volumetric ratio close to infinity, as shown in Figures 5 to 16, the compressor 3 and the expander 4 of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention each comprise an overflow pump 82 which guarantees that a minimum of residual working gas 15 does not remain in the gas and liquid reservoirs 14, 137 at the end of the discharge stroke of said compressor 3 and said expander 4.

[0252] Obtaining slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, a breakthrough in efficiency compared to conventional refrigerant gas heat pumps also involves minimizing mechanical friction.

[0253] As seen in figures 4 to 6 and in [Fig.8], regardless of the number of coaxial sealed discs 64 that it comprises, the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 always has an axial piston face on the compressor side 132 exposed to the pressure which prevails in the variable hydraulic volume of the compressor 12, and an axial piston face on the expander side 133 exposed to the pressure which prevails in the variable hydraulic volume of the expander 134.

[0254] This particular configuration ensures that a minimum of force is applied to the connecting rod actuating means 144 which in this case consist of a crank shaft 24 and an actuating connecting rod 165.

[0255] In fact, the connecting rod-crank system formed of said shaft 24 and said connecting rod 165 is only subject to the difference between the force exerted on the connecting rod 11 by the axial face of the piston on the compressor side 132 and that exerted on said rod 11 by the axial face of the piston on the expander side 133.

[0256] To minimize the mechanical friction generated by the operation of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention and according to the configurations of said pump 1 shown in FIGS. 3 to 11, the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 is not subjected to any radial force despite the high axial forces to which it is subjected, resulting from a maximum pressure of, for example, one hundred and twenty bars according to this non-limiting example.

[0257] This is all the more necessary since the low translation speed of the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 in the blind liquid cylinder 8 does not promote the establishment of a hydrodynamic lubrication regime at the contact interface between said piston 10 and said cylinder 8.

[0258] This is all the more necessary if the working liquid which enters between the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 and the blind liquid cylinder 8 is water, the latter being of low viscosity and having limited lubricating properties, which is also unfavorable to the establishment of a hydrodynamic lift regime between said piston 10 and said cylinder 8.

[0259] To avoid subjecting the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 to any radial force, as seen in Figures 3 to 11, the connecting rod actuating means 144 by means of which the drive motor 27 imparts to the connecting rod 11 an alternating longitudinal translational movement are advantageously constituted by a crank shaft 24 which has a crank 26 around which the connecting rod head 145 of an actuating connecting rod 165 is articulated, the latter also comprising a connecting rod foot 146 which is articulated around with the connecting rod 11 via a connecting cross 147.

[0260] As can be seen particularly in [Fig. 11], the crosshead yoke 148 is crossed by a crosshead axis 155 which is perpendicular to the connecting rod 11 and around which are articulated on the one hand, a connecting rod foot bearing 149 which the connecting rod foot 146 comprises by means of a roller bearing 105, and two crosshead rollers 150 which each roll alternately on two crosshead rolling tracks 41 parallel to the blind liquid cylinder 8.

[0261] According to this particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the radial forces which result from the obliquity of the actuating connecting rod 165 during the rotation of the crank shaft 24 are supported by the two cross rollers 150 positioned on either side of the cross yoke 148, which limits the friction losses which result from said radial forces.

[0262] It will also be noted in figures 7 to 11 that the crank shaft 24 is also mounted on roller bearings 105, as is the shaft which supports the flywheel 66 and the shaft which supports on the one hand, the rotor not visible in the figures of the drive motor 27, and on the other hand, the crown drive pinion 68 secured to said rotor.

[0263] The effective coefficient of friction of the roller bearings 105 being very low, they dissipate little energy and have little negative impact on the energy efficiency of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention.

[0264] It will also be noted that the gears comprising the various crowns and pinions which form a transmission multiplier 156 between the flywheel 66 and the crank shaft 24 are advantageously precise and have a high transmission efficiency of more than ninety-nine percent.

[0265] It is also noted, for example in figures 6 and 8, that the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 comprises two coaxial sealed discs 64 which each have an axial piston face on the low pressure side 65 which communicates with the low pressure gas conduit 61.

[0266] This particular configuration greatly limits the friction of the sealing joints 51 that comprise the two said coaxial sealed discs 64, because during the entire low-pressure transfer stroke of the compressor 3 and the expander 4, said joints 51 are subjected to practically no pressure differential, which limits as much as possible the energy losses by friction produced by said joints 51, and maximizes the service life of the latter.

[0267] This limitation of the pressure differential applied to the seals 51 of the two said coaxial sealed discs 64 also limits the leaks of working liquid 13. at the level of said joints 51.

[0268] It is also noted that the two said coaxial sealed discs 64 are axially sufficiently distant from each other to leave a portion of the blind liquid cylinder 8 not swept by the double-acting hydraulic piston 10, which limits the heat exchanges by conduction through the blind liquid cylinder 8 between the compressor 3 which is hot, and the expander 4 which is cold.

[0269] To further limit said exchanges between the compressor 3 and the expander 4, the space between the two coaxial sealed discs 64 can be occupied by an air passivator or an insulating mass not shown.

[0270] It can be seen in [Fig.3] that advantageously, a partitioned thermally insulating enclosure 164 separates the compressor 3, the connecting rod actuating means 144, the drive motor 27 and the mechanical energy storage means 28 on the one hand, from the expander 4 on the other hand, said enclosure 164 also thermally separating said heat pump 1 from its external environment.

[0271] It is understood that according to this particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, almost all of the heat emitted as friction or electromechanical energy losses generated by the compressor 3, the connecting rod actuating means 144, the drive motor 27 and the mechanical energy storage means 28 are reinjected into the heating means 18 consisting in this case of a heating-cooling floor 106.

[0272] Particularly in figures 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10, it is noted that the compressor discharge plenum 62 and the expander discharge plenum 143 are each connected to an overflow tank 83, the lower part of which comprises an overflow pump 82.

[0273] According to this particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, at each revolution of the crank shaft 24, the overflow pumps 82 transfer, as the case may be, a small quantity of working liquid 13 from their overflow tank 83 either to the compressor gas and liquid tank 14, or to the expander gas and liquid tank 137.

[0274] Said configuration allows that, when the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 performs reciprocating movements in the blind liquid cylinder 8 and when the compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 or the expander hydraulic variable volume 134 is minimal, the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 or the corresponding expander gas and liquid tank 137 is completely filled with working liquid 13, the small quantity of working liquid 13 introduced by the corresponding overflow pump 82 into said gas and liquid tank 14, 137 overflowing at each turn of crank shaft 24 of said reservoir 14, 137 to return to the overflow reservoir 83 via the corresponding outlet port 7.

[0275] This particular embodiment of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention allows all of the working gas 5 contained in the pneumatic variable volume of compressor 2 or the pneumatic variable volume of expander 136 to be expelled from said volume 2, 136 when the hydraulic variable volume of compressor 12 or the hydraulic variable volume of expander 134 is minimal, which gives said pneumatic variable volume 2, 136 an infinite volumetric ratio, and a volumetric efficiency close to one hundred percent.

[0276] As can easily be deduced from Figures 5 to 11, the pressure of the working gas 5 contained in the overflow tank 83 of the compressor 3 is similar to that which prevails in the compressor discharge plenum 62, while the pressure of the working gas 5 contained in the overflow tank 83 of the expander 4 is similar to that which prevails in the expander discharge plenum 143.

[0277] It can be seen in Figures 5 to 11 that the overflow tanks 83 are located below the discharge plenum 62, 143 with which they cooperate so that, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, the working liquid 13 which overflows for example from the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 via the compressor discharge plenum 62 naturally returns to the corresponding overflow tank 83, the configuration being identical with regard to the expander 3.

[0278] Figures 12 to 14 show the overflow pump 82 as it can be provided for the compressor 3, according to a particular configuration of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention.

[0279] As seen in said figures 12 to 14, the overflow pump piston 85 is a two-body stepped piston 89 which comprises a large diameter body 93 which has a large section face 90, the latter forming one of the walls of a variable overflow pump volume 86.

[0280] Figures 12 to 14 show that said stepped piston 89 also comprises, axially opposite the large section face 90, a small diameter body 94 which can translate in a sealed manner in an actuating cylinder 92 whose internal volume is connected directly or indirectly to the discharge conduit 157, said small diameter body 94 having a small section face 91 on which the pressure prevailing in said conduit 157 is exerted, said pressure being noted P2 in Figures 13 and 14.

[0281] It is also noted in figures 12 to 14 that said stepped piston 89 has, at the junction between the large diameter body 93 and the small diameter body 94, a medium section face 95 from which the small diameter body 94 emerges, said face 95 being connected to the overflow reservoir 83 and being subjected to the pressure prevailing in said reservoir 83 denoted PI in figures 13 and 14, while a stepped piston stop 117 fixes the maximum volume of the variable volume of the overflow pump 86 and that a two-body piston return spring 96 tends to push the two-body stepped piston 89 towards its large section face 90.

[0282] Thus and as is easily understood from [Fig. 13], when the pressure P2 which prevails in the discharge conduit 157 is lower than the pressure PI, which prevails in the overflow tank 83, the two-body stepped piston 89 is kept pressed against the stepped piston stop 117 while the two-body piston return spring 96 is compressed by the force produced by the pressure differential PI minus P2 exerted on the entire surface of the small section face 91, the discharge valve 88 being closed.

[0283] When the pressure P2 which prevails in the pneumatic variable volume of compressor 2 and therefore, in the discharge conduit 157 becomes substantially equal to the pressure PI which prevails in the overflow tank 83, there is no longer any force exerted on the small section face 91, and the two-body piston return spring 96 pushes back the two-body stepped piston 89 as shown in [Fig. 14], which has the effect of expelling working liquid 13 from the variable volume of overflow pump 86 towards the discharge conduit 157 via the open discharge valve 88, the effective energy consumption of the transfer of said liquid 13 from said volume 86 towards said conduit 157 being very low.

[0284] When the pressure of the working gas 5 in the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 drops suddenly, which corresponds to section CD of the pressure-volume diagram of [Fig.2], the discharge valve 88 is calculated to close immediately while the pressure P2 prevailing in the discharge conduit 157 becomes lower than the pressure PI prevailing in the overflow tank 83.

[0285] This is followed by the compression of the two-body piston return spring 96 by the two-body stepped piston 89, the latter moving under the effect of the pressure differential PI minus P2 which is exerted on the small section face 91 with, in parallel, the increase in the variable volume of the overflow pump 86 into which a new charge of working liquid 13 is admitted from the overflow tank 83 and via the overflow pump inlet valve 87.

[0286] As noted in Figures 13 and 14, the discharge valve 88 includes a valve actuator piston 97 which is sealingly translatable in a valve actuator cylinder 98.

[0287] Said piston 97 has an axial valve actuating face 99 which communicates with the overflow reservoir 83 and on which the pressure PI prevailing in said reservoir 83 is exerted.

[0288] As seen in [Fig. 14], said axial face 99 may contact an overflow valve 100 to lift the latter from a relief valve seat. edge 104 when the valve actuator piston 97 moves towards said face 99.

[0289] In this case and taking into account the particular position of the overflow pump 82 shown in figures 7 to 10, the variable volume of the overflow pump 86 is put into communication with the discharge conduit 157 via said overflow valve 100.

[0290] It is also noted in Figures 13 and 14 that the valve actuator piston 97 also has an axial face on the discharge duct side 102 which communicates with the discharge duct 157 and on which the pressure P2 prevailing in said duct 157 is exerted, said face 102 being able to come into contact, as shown in [Fig. 12], with a stop on the liquid cylinder side 118 when the valve actuator piston 97 moves towards said axial face on the discharge duct side 102.

[0291] In Figures 13 and 14, it is noted that an actuating piston return spring 103 tends to push the valve actuator piston 97 towards its axial valve actuating face 99, and that an overflow valve return spring 128 tends to bring the overflow valve 100 back into contact with the overflow valve seat 104 with which it cooperates.

[0292] As can be easily deduced from Figures 13 and 14, for the discharge valve 88 to operate, the force produced by the actuating piston return spring 103 must be greater than the force produced by the overflow valve return spring 128.

[0293] Thus and as is easily understood from Figures 13 and 14, when the pressure P2 which prevails in the discharge conduit 157 is lower than the pressure PI which prevails in the overflow tank 83, the axial face on the discharge conduit side 102 of the valve actuator piston 97 is kept pressed against the stop on the liquid cylinder side 118 while the actuating piston return spring 103 is compressed by the force produced by the pressure differential PI minus P2 between that which is exerted on the axial valve actuating face 99 and that which is exerted on the axial face on the discharge conduit side 102.

[0294] In this case, the overflow valve 100 rests on its overflow valve seat 104, and the working liquid 13 cannot circulate between the variable volume overflow pump 86 and the discharge conduit 157.

[0295] When the pressure P2 which prevails in the pneumatic variable volume of compressor 2 and therefore, in the discharge duct 157 becomes substantially equal to the pressure PI which prevails in the overflow tank 83, the pressure which is exerted on the axial face of valve actuation 99 is equivalent to that which is exerted on the axial face on the discharge duct side 102.

[0296] It results from this situation that the actuating piston return spring 103 pushes the valve actuator piston 97 towards the overflow valve 100, until the axial valve actuating face 99 comes into contact with said valve 100 then lifts the latter from its overflow valve seat 104 and this, until said valve 100 reaches a maximum valve opening stop 131.

[0297] With the overflow valve 100 moved away from its overflow valve seat 104, the two-body stepped piston 89 can move under the action of its two-body piston return spring 96, and expel working liquid 13 from the variable overflow pump volume 86 to the discharge conduit 157.

[0298] When the pressure of the working gas 5 in the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 drops suddenly, which corresponds to section CD of the pressure-volume diagram of [Fig.2], the pressure P2 prevailing in the discharge conduit 157 becomes lower than the pressure PI prevailing in the overflow tank 83.

[0299] This situation results in the compression of the actuating piston return spring 103 by the valve actuator piston 97, the latter moving under the effect of the pressure differential PI minus P2 between that which is exerted on its axial valve actuating face 99 and that which is exerted on its axial face on the discharge conduit side 102, said piston 97 allowing the overflow valve return spring 128 to bring the overflow valve 100 back into contact with its overflow valve seat 104.

[0300] It can be seen in Figures 15 and 16 that the overflow pump 82 of the regulator 4 is based on the same principles as those which have just been described, with the difference that the transfer of working liquid 13 from the overflow tank 83 to the discharge conduit 157 takes place not when the pressure prevailing in the pneumatic variable volume of the regulator 136 is high, one hundred and twenty bars according to this example, but on the contrary when said pressure is low, still fifty bars according to this example.

[0301] This is because the cycle of the compressor 3 operates on average at a lower pressure than that prevailing in the compressor discharge plenum 62, while the cycle of the expander 4 operates on average at a higher pressure than that prevailing in the expander discharge plenum 143.

[0302] Therefore, in order for the filling of the variable volume of the overflow pump 86 to take place, the operation with respect to the pressure differences of the overflow pump 82 of the compressor 3 must be reversed with respect to that of the overflow pump 82 of the expander 4.

[0303] As can easily be deduced from [Fig.6], the adjustment of the power of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention can be achieved either by varying the rotation speed of the crank shaft 24, or by acting on the compression ratio of compressor 3 and the expansion ratio of expander 4.

[0304] This latter mode of adjusting the power of said pump 1 is carried out by adapting the lifting laws of the controlled pressure reducing valves 54, the latter each being actuated in opening and / or closing by a valve actuator 119.

[0305] Said control of the rotation speed of the crank shaft 24, of the compression ratio of the compressor 3, and of the expansion ratio of the expander 4, are ensured by a computer 120.

[0306] Because in fact, all other things being equal, the power of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention is proportional to the rotation speed of its crank shaft 24, which is a first adjustment which allows the computer 120 to adjust said power.

[0307] But in addition to the rotation speed of its crank shaft 24, the more or less late and more or less spread out lifting of the pilot-controlled pressure reducer valves 54 makes it possible in particular to adjust the pressure which prevails in the low-pressure gas reservoir 60 shown in figures 3 to 6, relative to that which prevails in the high-pressure gas reservoir 58 also shown in figures 3 to 6.

[0308] This adjustment is of great importance in that the pressure differential in question determines in particular the quantity of heat produced by the heat pump 1 at each revolution of the crank shaft 24.

[0309] This adjustment is carried out for example by having the regulator 4 transfer less working gas 5 from the high-pressure gas reservoir 58 to the regulator gas and liquid reservoir 137 during section EF of the diagram of said regulator 4 in [Fig. 2], than the compressor 3 transfers during section BC of said diagram, which has the effect of increasing the pressure in the high-pressure gas reservoir 58 while decreasing the pressure in the low-pressure gas reservoir 60.

[0310] If, on the contrary, the regulator 4 transfers more working gas 5 from the high-pressure gas reservoir 58 to the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 during section EF of the diagram of said regulator 4 in [Fig.2], than the compressor 3 transfers during section BC of said diagram, the pressure in the high-pressure gas reservoir 58 drops while the pressure in the low-pressure gas reservoir 60 rises.

[0311] It will be noted that advantageously, the pilot-operated pressure reducing valves 54 can behave both as valves and as flaps, that is to say that they can open under the effect of a pressure differential, in addition to being actuated in opening by their valve actuator 119.

[0312] As such, said valves 54 are preferably autoclaved, that is to say that during the majority of the time of the thermodynamic cycle of the expander 4, the difference in pressure between the regulator inlet plenum 142 and the regulator gas and liquid reservoir 137, or that between the regulator discharge plenum 143 and said reservoir 137, tends to keep said valves 54 pressed against their seat, the latter being able for example to be made up of an elastomer or polymer O-ring housed in a groove.

[0313] If, on the other hand, the pressure prevailing in the gas and liquid reservoir of the regulator 137 becomes higher than that prevailing in the regulator inlet plenum 142, the pilot-operated regulator valve 54 can open without intervention of its valve actuator 119.

[0314] The same applies to the pilot-operated pressure regulator valve 54 which communicates with the pressure regulator discharge plenum 143 via its outlet port 7, said valve 54 being able to open without intervention of its valve actuator 119 if the pressure prevailing in said plenum 143 becomes greater than that prevailing in the pressure regulator gas and liquid reservoir 137.

[0315] It is easily deduced from Figures 3 to 6 that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention can operate in “heating” mode when the heating-cooling floor 106 placed inside a building 121 forms the heating means 18 which are connected to the heat export means 17, while the air-water exchanger 107 placed outside 122 of said building 121 constitutes the cooling means 19 which are connected to the heat import means 138.

[0316] If said heat pump 1 operates in “air conditioning” mode, the heating-cooling floor 106 placed inside said building 121 forms the cooling means 19 which are connected to the heat import means 138, while the air-water exchanger 107 placed outside 122 of said building 121 constitutes the heating means 18 which are connected to the heat export means 17.

[0317] The change of mode can easily be carried out by reversing the heat transport conduits 38 using one or more manual or motorized valves, whatever the type, said conduits 38 initially connected to the compressor 3 becoming connected to the expansion valve 4, and vice versa.

[0318] It will be noted that the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention may, in addition to the various components and accessories shown in FIGS. 3 to 16, include various other devices and accessories such as pressure and / or temperature sensors, a frequency converter for regulating the electrical supply of the electric drive motor 27 sequentially as a function of the angle of the crank shaft 24 or continuously, at least one angular encoder and / or a passage detection sensor which returns to the computer 120 the speed and / or the angular position of the crank shaft 24, one or more pumps and / or compressors and / or valves for transferring working gas 5 or liquid from work 13 from external sources to the high pressure gas tank 58 or the low pressure gas tank 60 or between said tanks 58, 60 in particular to balance the glycol level in the water between that contained in the compressor 3 and that contained in the regulator 4, purges, safety elements for people, pressure limiters or relief valves, or any other apparatus known to those skilled in the art.

[0319] For example, [Fig.6] will show a condensate tank 42 which collects the condensates at the outlet of the high-pressure gas conduit 56, after the working gas 5 leaving at high temperature from the compressor 3 has been cooled in the regeneration heat exchanger 152.

[0320] Said condensate tank 42 cooperates with a condensate return valve 31 controlled by the computer 120 to cyclically return the working liquid condensates 13 to the compressor gas and liquid tank 14 using the pressure differences.

[0321] The slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention may also include a layer of thermal insulation on all the necessary components, and whatever the nature of said layer which may take the form of flexible or rigid insulating foam or wool, insulating bricks, plates or screens which reflect radiation of any nature.

[0322] The thermal insulation layer can insulate said heat pump 1 and its constituents from the external environment and / or insulate the compressor 3 which is hot, from the expansion valve 4 which is colder.

[0323] Said heat pump 1 can also receive an acoustic insulation envelope, and its static frame 40 can rest on the ground by means of elastic anti-vibration pads.

[0324] It will also be noted that suspended droplet collectors made of steel wool or stainless steel may be provided in the compressor discharge plenum 62 and / or in the expander discharge plenum 143.

[0325] It is understood that many architectures are applicable to the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, with a vertical blind liquid cylinder 8, a compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and / or an expander gas and liquid reservoir 137 remote and connected to the blind liquid cylinder 8 by a communication conduit 15 of any geometry and any length whatsoever.

[0326] It is also noted that several blind liquid cylinders 8 can cooperate, the double-acting hydraulic pistons 10 of which are set in motion by connecting rod actuating means 144, common or not, phased or angularly offset, synchronized or not, said cylinders 8 being able to be juxtaposed, superimposed, mounted head to tail, in opposition or in any relative position and orientation whatsoever.

[0327] The possibilities of the slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump 1 according to the invention are not limited to the applications which have just been described and it must also be understood that the preceding description has been given only by way of example and that it in no way limits the scope of said invention, which would not be departed from by replacing the execution details described by any other equivalent.

Claims

Claims

1. Slow-acting liquid-mechanical piston heat pump (1) comprising a compressor (3) in which a compressor pneumatic variable volume (2) is formed, and an expander (4) in which a expander pneumatic variable volume (136) is formed, each said volume (2, 136) comprising on the one hand, an inlet port (6) through which a working gas (5) can enter and on the other hand, an outlet port (7) through which said gas (5) can exit, characterized in that it comprises: • At least one blind liquid cylinder (8) which is formed of one or more coaxial cylindrical sections (63), which is directly or indirectly secured to a static frame (40), at least two ends of which are each closed by a sealed cylinder termination (135), and in which at least one double-acting hydraulic piston (10) comprising one or more coaxial sealed discs (64) can translate in a sealed manner, said piston (10) having, on the one hand, at least one axial piston face on the compressor side (132) which forms with said cylinder (8) and a sealed cylinder termination (135) a variable hydraulic compressor volume (12), and on the other hand, at least one axial piston face on the expander side (133) which forms with said cylinder (8) and another sealed cylinder termination (135) a variable hydraulic expander volume (134), both said hydraulic variable volumes (12, 133) being wholly or partly filled with a liquid work (13); • A compressor gas and liquid tank (14) which is connected to the compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) by a communication conduit (15), so that said tank (14) fills mainly or completely with working liquid (13) when the compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) is minimal, said tank (14) filling partially or completely with working gas (5) when the compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) is maximal, the variation in the volume of the working gas (5) contained in the compressor gas and liquid tank (14) defining, on the one hand, the compressor pneumatic variable volume (12) and ... and the working gas (5) contained in the compressor gas and liquid tank (14) and the working gas (5) contained in the compressor gas and liquid tank (14) and the working gas ( presser (2) and being, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in volume of the working liquid (13) contained in the variable hydraulic compressor volume (12); An expander gas and liquid reservoir (137) which is connected to the expander hydraulic variable volume (134) by a communication conduit (15), so that said reservoir (137) fills mainly or completely with working liquid (13) when the expander hydraulic variable volume (134) is minimal, said reservoir (137) filling partially or completely with working gas (5) when the expander hydraulic variable volume (134) is maximal, the variation in the volume of the working gas (5) contained in the expander gas and liquid reservoir (137) defining, on the one hand, the expander pneumatic variable volume (136) and being, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in the volume of the working liquid (13) contained in the expander hydraulic variable volume (134); Compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) which are housed in the compressor gas and liquid tank (14), said means (16) being able mainly to take heat from the working gas (5) contained in said tank (14) and temporarily store said heat, this before releasing the latter to the working liquid (13) also contained in said tank (14); Expansion valve heat exchange and accumulation means (139) which are housed in the expansion valve gas and liquid tank (137), said means (139) being able mainly to take heat from the working liquid (13) contained in said tank (137) and temporarily store said heat, this before releasing the latter to the working gas (5) also contained in said tank (137); Heat export means (17) housed inside and / or outside the compressor gas and liquid tank (14), said means (17) directly or indirectly taking heat from the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) on the one hand, and / or from the working liquid (13) and / or from the working gas (5) which is wholly or partly contained in said reservoir (14) on the other hand, said heat then being transferred to heating means (18) external to the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14); Heat import means (138) housed inside and / or outside the expander gas and liquid tank (137), said means (138) directly or indirectly supplying heat to the expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) on the one hand, and / or to the working liquid (13) and / or to the working gas (5) which is wholly or partly contained in said tank (137) on the other hand, said heat having been previously taken from cooling means (19) external to the expander gas and liquid tank (137); Compressor filling means (20) which allow or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from a compressor inlet plenum (21) to the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) via the inlet port (6) of the compressor (3); Compressor drain means (22) which permit or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) to a compressor discharge plenum (62) via the outlet port (7) of the compressor (3); Regulator filling means (140) which permit or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from a regulator inlet plenum (142) to the regulator gas and liquid reservoir (137) via the inlet port (6) of the regulator (4); Regulator drain means (141) which permit or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from the regulator gas and liquid reservoir (137) to a regulator discharge plenum (143) via the outlet port (7) of the regulator (4); A connecting rod (11) which is integral with the double-acting hydraulic piston (10), which passes in a sealed manner through at least one of the ends of the blind liquid cylinder (8), and which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said piston (10) and of the blind liquid cylinder (8); Piston guide means (23) which hold the hydraulic piston (10) and the connecting rod (11) parallel to the blind liquid cylinder (8), regardless of the position of said piston (10) in said cylinder (8); • Connecting rod actuating means (144) by means of which a drive motor (27) imparts to the connecting rod (11) an alternating longitudinal translational movement parallel to the axis of the blind liquid cylinder (8); • Mechanical energy storage means (28) which are directly or indirectly connected to the connecting rod actuating means (144) and / or to the connecting rod (11) itself, said storage means (28) being able to alternately take and give mechanical energy to said actuating means (144) and / or to said rod (11).

2. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting rod actuating means (144) consist of a crank shaft (24) which is oriented perpendicular to the blind liquid cylinder (8), and which can rotate in at least one shaft bearing (25) which is directly or indirectly secured to the static frame (40), said crank shaft (24) having at least one crank (26) around which a connecting rod head (145) of an actuating connecting rod (165) is articulated, the latter also comprising a connecting rod foot (146) which is articulated with the connecting rod (11), the latter passing in a sealed manner through at least one of the sealed cylinder terminations (135).

3. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 2, characterized in that the connecting rod foot (146) is articulated with the connecting rod (11) by means of a connecting cross (147) which is integral with said rod (11).

4. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 3, characterized in that the connecting cross (147) comprises a cross yoke (148) which is crossed by a cross axis (155) which is perpendicular to the connecting rod (11) and around which are articulated on the one hand, a connecting rod foot bearing (149) which comprises the connecting rod foot (146), and at least one cross roller (150) which rolls on at least one cross rolling track (41) which is parallel to the liquid cylinder. blind (8), and which is directly or indirectly secured to said cylinder (8).

5. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the double-acting hydraulic piston (10) consists of two coaxial sealed discs (64) which are axially sufficiently distant from each other to leave a portion of the blind liquid cylinder (8) not swept by said piston (10).

6. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) and / or the expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) consist of a porous medium (32) which has porosities (33) into which working liquid (13) and working gas (5) alternately enter and exit.

7. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat export means (17) consist of a circulating portion of the working liquid (13) which leaves the compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) and / or the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) via a liquid outlet conduit (34) and then returns to said volume (12) and / or to said reservoir (14) via a liquid inlet conduit (35), this after having directly or indirectly transferred heat to the heating means (18).

8. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 7, characterized in that the circulating part of the working liquid (13) transfers heat to the heating means (18) via a secondary heating heat exchanger (153).

9. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat import means (138) consist of a circulating portion of the working liquid (13) which leaves the hydraulic variable volume of the expander (134) and / or the gas and liquid reservoir of the expander (137) via a liquid outlet conduit (34) to return to said volume (134) and / or to said reservoir (137) via a liquid inlet conduit (35), this after having directly or indirectly taken heat from the cooling means (19).

10. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 9, characterized in that the circulating part of the working liquid (13) takes heat from the cooling means (19) by through a secondary cooling heat exchanger (154).

11. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat export means (17) consist of at least one heat exchanger conduit (36) housed in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) and in which a heat transfer fluid (37) circulates which exports heat taken from the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) on the one hand, and / or from the working liquid (13) and / or from the working gas (5) contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) on the other hand, to the heating means (18), via heat transport conduits (38).

12. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 2, characterized in that the heat import means (138) consist of at least one heat exchanger conduit (36) housed in the expansion valve gas and liquid reservoir (137) and in which a heat transfer fluid (37) circulates which imports heat from the cooling means (19) to the expansion valve heat exchange and accumulation means (139) on the one hand, and / or the working liquid (13) and / or the working gas (5) contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) on the other hand, via heat transport conduits (38).

13. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) consist of at least one liquid spray nozzle (71) supplied by a liquid spray pump (72), said nozzle (71) being capable of atomizing working liquid (13) into fine droplets in the internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14).

14. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) consist of at least one liquid spray nozzle (71) supplied by a liquid spray pump (72), said nozzle (71) being capable of atomizing working liquid (13) into fine droplets in the internal volume of the expander gas and liquid reservoir (137).

15. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) consist of a rotary atomizer of liquid (158) which comprises a rotating atomizing cylinder (159) pierced with radial atomizing orifices (160), an atomizer motor (161) driving said cylinder (159) in rapid rotation so that the latter sucks in working liquid (13) at its axial end by centrifugal effect and / or by means of a pumping turbine (162), and radially discharges said liquid (13) in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14), via the radial atomizing orifices (160).

16. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the expansion valve heat exchange and accumulation means (139) consist of a rotating liquid atomizer (158) which comprises a rotating atomizing cylinder (159) pierced with radial atomizing orifices (160), an atomizer motor (161) driving said cylinder (159) in rapid rotation so that the latter sucks in working liquid (13) at its axial end by centrifugal effect and / or by means of a pumping turbine (162), and radially discharges said liquid (13) in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the expansion valve gas and liquid reservoir (137), via the radial atomizing orifices (160).

17. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston guide means (23) consist of a sliding pivot connection (47) formed between an external cylindrical surface (48) presented by the connecting rod (11) and a guide orifice (49) which is integrally connected to the blind liquid cylinder (8).

18. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston guide means (23) consist of a guide skirt (57) arranged on the periphery of the double-acting hydraulic piston (10), said skirt (57) being able to translate with little play in the blind liquid cylinder (8).

19. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor filling means (20) and / or the compressor emptying means (22) consist of at least one compressor valve (52) and / or at least one compressor pilot valve (53), while in operation, the working gas (5) is expelled from the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) via the compressor discharge plenum (62) under a pressure higher than that under which it was previously introduced into said tank (14) via the compressor inlet plenum (21).

20. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the expansion valve filling means (140) and / or the expansion valve emptying means (141) consist of at least one pilot-controlled expansion valve (54) while in operation, the working gas (5) is expelled from the expansion valve gas and liquid tank (137) via the expansion valve discharge plenum (143) under a pressure lower than that under which it was previously introduced into said tank (137) via the expansion valve inlet plenum (142).

21. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor discharge plenum (62) is connected to the expander inlet plenum (142) by a high-pressure gas conduit (56) so that the working gas (5) exiting the compressor pneumatic variable volume (2) via said compressor discharge plenum (62) is introduced into the expander pneumatic variable volume (136) via said expander inlet plenum (142), while the expander discharge plenum (143) is connected to the compressor inlet plenum (21) by a low-pressure gas conduit (61) so that the working gas (5) exiting the expander pneumatic variable volume (136) via said expander discharge plenum (143) is introduced into the compressor pneumatic variable volume (2) via said compressor inlet plenum (21).

22. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 21, characterized in that the high-pressure gas conduit (56) communicates with at least one high-pressure gas reservoir (58).

23. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 21, characterized in that the low-pressure gas conduit (61) communicates with at least one low-pressure gas reservoir (60).

24. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 21, characterized in that the working gas (5) circulating in the high-pressure gas duct (56) transfers its heat to the working gas (5) circulating in the low-pressure gas duct (61) via a regeneration heat exchanger (152).

25. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor inlet plenum (21) and the compressor discharge plenum (62) are located in the part upper part of the compressor gas and liquid tank (14), the latter itself being positioned above the blind liquid cylinder (8), so that, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, the working gas (5) always leaves said tank (14) as a priority via said discharge plenum (62), and the working liquid (13) always enters said tank (14) as a priority via said inlet plenum (21).

26. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the expander inlet plenum (142) and the expander discharge plenum (143) are located in the upper part of the expander gas and liquid tank (137), the latter itself being positioned above the blind liquid cylinder (8), so that, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, the working gas (5) always leaves said tank (137) as a priority via said discharge plenum (143), and the working liquid (13) always enters said tank (137) as a priority via said inlet plenum (142).

27. ​​A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 2, characterized in that the mechanical energy storage means (28) consist of a flywheel (66) made integral in rotation with the crank shaft (24) by a transmission multiplier (156).

28. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 2, characterized in that the crank shaft (24) comprises a toothed crown (67) which the drive motor (27) drives in rotation by means of at least one crown drive pinion (68) whose primitive diameter is smaller than that of said crown (67), the latter (67) and said pinion (68) forming a multiplication gear system (69).

29. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that an overflow pump (82) can transfer working liquid (13) from an overflow tank (83) to, and directly or indirectly, the compressor gas and liquid tank (14) and / or the compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) and / or the communication conduit (15) which connects said tank (14) to said variable volume (12), said overflow tank (83) communicating with the compressor discharge plenum (62) so that the working gas pressure (5) prevailing in said tank (83) is close to or identical to that prevailing in said plenum (62).

30. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that an overflow pump (82) can transfer working liquid (13) from an overflow tank (83) to and directly or not, the gas and liquid tank of the expander (137) and / or the hydraulic variable volume of the expander (134) and / or the communication conduit (15) which connects said tank (137) to said variable volume (134), said overflow tank (83) communicating with the discharge plenum of the expander (143) so that the working gas pressure (5) which prevails in said tank (83) is close to or identical to that which prevails in said plenum (143).

31. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to any one of claims 29 or 30, characterized in that the overflow pump (82) comprises a blind pump cylinder (84) in which an overflow pump piston (85) can translate in a sealed manner, the latter and said cylinder (84) forming a variable overflow pump volume (86) which, when it increases, fills with working liquid (13) from the overflow tank (83) via at least one overflow pump inlet valve (87) and which, when it decreases, discharges said liquid (13) successively via a discharge valve (88) and a discharge conduit (157).

32. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claims 29 and 31, characterized in that the overflow pump piston (85) is a two-body stepped piston (89) which comprises a large-diameter body (93) which has a large-section face (90) which forms one of the walls of the variable overflow pump volume (86), said stepped piston (89) also comprising, axially opposite the large-section face (90), a small-diameter body (94) which can translate in a sealed manner in an actuating cylinder (92) whose internal volume is connected directly or indirectly to the discharge duct (157), said small-diameter body (94) having a small-section face (91) on which the pressure prevailing in the discharge duct (157) is exerted, said stepped piston (89) also providing, at the junction between the large-diameter body (93) and the body small diameter (94),a medium-section face (95) from which emerges the small-diameter body (94), which is connected to the overflow tank (83), and which is subjected to the pressure prevailing in said tank (83), while a stepped piston stop (117) fixes the maximum volume of the variable overflow pump volume (86) and a two-body piston return spring (96) tends to push the two-body stepped piston (89) towards its large-section face (90).,

33. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 32, characterized in that the discharge valve (88) comprises a valve actuator piston (97) which can translate in a sealed manner in a valve actuator cylinder (98) and which has, firstly, an axial valve actuator face (99) which communicates with the overflow tank (83) and on which the pressure prevailing in said tank (83) is exerted, said face (99) being able to lift an overflow valve (100) from an overflow valve seat (104) when the valve actuator piston (97) moves towards said face (99) which has the effect of putting the variable volume of the overflow pump (86) into communication with the discharge duct (157), and secondly, an axial face on the discharge duct side (102) which communicates with the discharge duct (157), on which the pressure prevailing in said conduit (157) is exerted,and which can come into contact with a discharge duct-side stop (118) when the valve actuator piston (97) moves towards said discharge duct-side axial face (102), while an actuating piston return spring (103) tends to push the valve actuator piston (97) back towards its valve actuating axial face (99), and an overflow valve return spring (128) tends to bring the overflow valve (100) back into contact with the overflow valve seat (104) with which it cooperates, the force produced by the actuating piston return spring (103) being greater than the force produced by the overflow valve return spring (128).,

34. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claims 30 and 31, characterized in that the overflow pump piston (85) is a two-body stepped piston (89) which comprises a large-diameter body (93) which has a large-section face (90) which is connected to the overflow tank (83) and which is subjected to the pressure prevailing in said tank (83), said stepped piston (89) also comprising, axially opposite the large-section face (90), a small-diameter body (94) which can translate in a sealed manner in an actuating cylinder (92) whose internal volume is connected directly or indirectly to the discharge duct (157), said small-diameter body (94) having a small-section face (91) on which the pressure prevailing in the discharge duct (157) is exerted, said stepped piston (89) also providing, at the junction between the large diameter body (93) and the small diameter body (94), a medium section face (95) from which emerges the small diameter body (94), said face (95) forming one of the walls of the variable volume of the overflow pump (86), while a stepped piston stop (117) fixes the maximum volume of the variable volume of the overflow pump (86) and a two-body piston return spring (96) tends to push the two-body stepped piston (89) towards its small section face (91).

35. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 34, characterized in that the discharge valve (88) comprises a valve actuator piston (97) which can translate in a sealed manner in a valve actuator cylinder (98) and which has, firstly, an axial valve actuator face (99) which communicates with the discharge conduit (157) and on which the pressure prevailing in said conduit (157) is exerted, said face (99) being able to lift an overflow valve (100) from an overflow valve seat (104) when the valve actuator piston (97) moves towards said face (99) which has the effect of putting the variable volume of the overflow pump (86) into communication with the discharge conduit (157), and secondly, a reservoir-side axial face (101) which communicates with the overflow reservoir (83), on which the pressure prevailing in said reservoir (83) is exerted,and which can come into contact with an overflow tank-side stop (130) when the valve actuator piston (97) moves towards said tank-side axial face (101), while an actuating piston return spring (103) tends to push the valve actuator piston (97) back towards its valve actuating axial face (99), and an overflow valve return spring (128) tends to bring the overflow valve (100) back into contact with the overflow valve seat (104) with which it cooperates, the force produced by the actuating piston return spring (103) being greater than the force produced by the overflow valve return spring (128).,

36. A liquid-mechanical piston heat pump according to claim 21, characterized in that the double-acting hydraulic piston (10) comprises at least two coaxial sealed discs (64) which each have a low-pressure-side axial piston face (65) which communicates with the low-pressure gas conduit (61).

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