Extreme temperature solid-state heat pump

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a heating module, in particular for a heat pump, such as an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, wherein the heating module comprises at least one solid-state heat transport element having a cold side and a warm side, wherein the heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of at least 150 °C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side.

Description

[0001] EXTREME TEMPERATURE SOLID-STATE HEAT PUMP

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a heating module operating at an extreme temperature, a solid-state heat pump comprising a heating module and a corresponding method relating to its usage.

[0003] BACKGROUND

[0004] Many applications and especially industrial processes require heat at a temperature above 150°C. The presently known energetically most efficient way to produce such heat is by vapor compression heat pumps, which utilize the waste heat as a heat source and upgrade it to a desired temperature level. For this purpose, several studies and also products on the market exist. However, the vapor compression is limited by the properties and environmental aspects of refrigerants, and today’s highest temperatures targeted by the vapor compression heat pump technologies are up to 150°C. This restriction holds also for up-to-presently developed sorption heat pumps. One alternative is to use gas cycle heat pumps, such as reversible Brayton gas cycle heat pumps, however these have a low efficiency compared to vapor compression heat pumps. Other technologies for providing heat above 150°C include electrical heaters or combustion heaters such as gas heaters, however these technologies have the drawback of a large carbon footprint and a worse energy efficiency.

[0005] This disclosure aims at providing a heating module and a heat pump comprising said heating module operating at a temperature of at least 150°C to provide heat at a temperature of at least 150°C to applications, industrial processes or a consumer device requiring heat. More precisely, this disclosure aims at providing solid-state heat pumps or heating modules for heat pumps operating in the range from 150°C to 400°C (extreme temperature heat pump ETHP), in the range from 400°C to 700°C (beyond extreme temperature heat pump BETHP) and / or in the range above 700°C (far beyond extreme temperature heat pump FBETHP).

[0006] SUMMARY

[0007] In some aspects, the present invention relates to a heating module, in particular for a heat pump, such as an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, the heating module comprising: at least one solid-state heat transport element having a cold side and a warm side, wherein the heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of at least 150 °C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side. In some embodiments, the at least one solid-state heat transport element is electrically powered. Further examples of electrically powered solid-state heat transport elements are described below. In some embodiments, the at least one solid-state heat transport element is configured to transport heat from the cold side to the warm side. The heating module operating at a temperature of at least 150°C is suitable for providing heat to operations requiring temperatures higher than 150°C, which is not possible with other heating modules and heat pumps known in the art. Further, the efficiency of the heating module operating at a temperature of at least 150°C is higher than the efficiency of known heating module and heat pumps at lower temperatures. In comparison with other solutions, such as combustion heaters, the carbon footprint of the heating modules is much lower as it does not require to bum fossil fuels such as coal or gas, greatly reducing the environmental impact of operating the heating module and providing the heat to the industrial process or the consumer device, which is requiring the heat for operation.

[0008] In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 150°C to 400°C or 400°C to 700°C or at a temperature above 700°C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of 160°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of 180°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of 220°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of 240°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of 280°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of 400°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of 700°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of 1000°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 700°C to 1000°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 150°C to 700°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 150°C to 1000°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 200°C to 700°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 200°C to 1000°C. In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 300°C to 500°C.

[0009] In some embodiments, the at least one heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 500°C to 800°C.

[0010] Depending on the temperature required by the industrial process or the consumer device being connected to the heating module or heat pump comprising the heating module, the heating module may operate in different temperature ranges. In some embodiments, multiple heat transport elements operating at different temperatures may be comprised by the heating module.

[0011] In some embodiments, the at least one solid-state heat transport element operates on at least one of the following or any combination of the following: magnetocaloric heat pump principle based on magnetocaloric effect, electrocaloric heat pump principle based on electrocaloric effect, thermoelectric heat pump principle based on Peltier effect, spin-caloritronic heat pump principle based on spin-Peltier effect, elastocaloric heat pump principle based on elastocaloric effect, barocaloric heat pump principle based on barocaloric effect, multicaloric heat pump principle based on the combination of caloric effects, or hybrid heat pump principle as the combination of any aforementioned. Depending on the choice of materials or the principle the heat transport element is operating on, the heat transport elements may have a maximum efficiency at different temperatures, For a selected industrial process or consumer device, heat at a selected temperature is required, therefore selection of a heating module comprising a heat transport element, which has a maximum efficiency at the desired operating temperature, is possible. Selecting a suitable heat transport element may further improve the efficiency for the selected industrial process or providing heat to the selected consumer device.

[0012] In some embodiments, the heat transport element operates on the basis of the magnetocaloric, or electrocaloric, or barocaloric, or elastocaloric, or multicaloric heat pump, or hybrid heat pump principle and / or wherein the heat transport element comprises a material, which has a caloric effect that is at a maximum at temperatures of at least 150 °C. Again, selection of a suitable heat transport element for the selected industrial process or consumer device, which require heat at a desired temperature, may increase the efficiency. Utilizing a heat transport element, which comprises a material that has a maximum caloric effect at the desired temperature, may increase the efficiency of the heating module.

[0013] In some embodiments, the heat transport element operates on the basis of a thermoelectric heat pump or hybrid heat pump principle and / or wherein the heat transport element comprises a thermoelectric p- and n- semiconductor material, which has the figure of merit ZT larger than 0.8 at temperatures of at least 150 °C. Again, selection of a suitable heat transport element for the selected industrial process or consumer device, which require heat at a desired temperature, may increase the efficiency. The figure of merit ZT determines the maximum efficiency of the energy conversion process for thermoelectric materials, i.e. the efficiency for transporting heat from the cold side to the warm side of the heat transport element. Utilizing a heat transport element, which comprises a material that has a large figure of merit ZT at the desired temperature, may increase the efficiency of the heating module.

[0014] In some embodiments, at least two heat transport elements are arranged as a stack, wherein the warm side of a heat transport element faces the cold side of a neighbouring heat transport element. Arranging multiple heat transport elements as a stack may increase the maximum temperature difference that may be reached between the cold side of the first heat transport element and the warm side of the last heat transport element. Thereby, the operating temperature of each heat transport element in the stack will gradually increase from the cold side to the warm side of the stack. The cold side of the stack is the cold side of the first heat transport element of the stack, whereat the temperature is the lowest. The warm side of the stack is the warm side of the last heat transport element of the stack, whereat the temperature is the highest. Both the cold side and the warm side of the stack are not facing another of the heat transport elements, but are the outer faces of the stacked heat transport elements. Each heat transport element may be operated to create a selected temperature difference between its cold side and its warm side. Arranging multiple heat transport elements as a stack may increase the total temperature difference obtainable between the cold side of the first and the warm side of the last heat transport element.

[0015] In some embodiments, the operating principle and / or the operating temperature of each heat transport element of the stack may be selected individually. As described, the multiple heat transport elements arranged in the stack will have increasing operating temperatures as they are receiving heat from the previous heat transport element and are upgrading the heat to a higher temperature. Individually selecting a material and / or operating principle, which has a maximum efficiency at the temperature range that each heat transport element is operating on, may increase the efficiency of stack as a whole and of the heating module.

[0016] In some embodiments, at least one layer of a caloric or multicaloric or thermoelectric material or a material comprising a combination thereof is arranged between the cold side and the warm side of each of the neighbouring stacked heat transport elements. The caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material is arranged between sets of two neighbouring heat transport elements, more precisely between the warm side of a first heat transport element and the cold side of a second heat transport element, thus there is a layer of the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material on both sides of the heat transport element. In these embodiments, the heat transport elements are configured to operate as thermal switches, i.e. to be selectively activated to enable heat transport from a first caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material on the cold side of the heat transport element to a second caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material on the warm side of the heat transport element. Selectively enabling heat transport from the first caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material on the cold side of the heat transport element to the second caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material on the warm side of the heat transport element may improve the efficiency of the heating module, as the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric materials are operated in heating cycles, which are beneficially operated if heat is selectively provided to or removed from the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material by the heat transport elements.

[0017] Preferably, the layers of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material are selected to have a maximum efficiency at gradually increasing temperatures from the cold side to the warm side of the stack. Similar to the heat transport elements, the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric materials have a maximum efficiency at a temperature depending on the material choice. As the operating temperature is gradually increasing in the stack of heat transport elements as described, the efficiency of the heating module may be increase by selecting suitable materials for the layers of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric materials having a maximum efficiency at the respective operating temperatures in the stack.

[0018] In some embodiments, the heating module comprises a heat source heat exchanger arranged at the cold side of the stack, and a heat sink heat exchanger arranged at the warm side of the stack, and wherein the stack of heat transport elements is configured for transporting heat from the heat source heat exchanger to the heat sink heat exchanger.

[0019] In some embodiments, the heating module comprises a heat source heat exchanger arranged at the cold side of the heat transport element, and a heat sink heat exchanger arranged at the warm side of the heat transport element, and wherein the heat transport element is configured for transporting heat from the heat source heat exchanger to the heat sink heat exchanger.

[0020] The heat source heat exchanger may be in thermal connection with a heat source, e.g. directly thermal or via a heat transport fluid transporting heat, to provide heat to the heat source heat exchanger, which may then be utilized by the heating module. Correspondingly, the heat sink heat exchanger may be in thermal connection with a heat sink for an industrial process or a consumer device requiring heat, e.g. directly thermal or via a heat transport fluid transporting heat, to provide the heat from the heating module to the heat sink or consumer device.

[0021] In some embodiments, either the heat source heat exchanger or the heat sink heat exchanger comprises a first fluid channel for transport of a first fluid, which is nonaqueous. Preferably, the fluid is non-aqueous as the operating temperature of the heat transport element is at least 150°C and water is a not a useful fluid for heat transport in this temperature range. The first fluid may be utilized to transport heat to or away from the heating module, which may facilitate to transport the heat to a consumer device or to provide heat from a heat source.

[0022] In some embodiments, the other of the heat source heat exchanger and the heat sink heat exchanger, which does not comprise the first fluid channel, comprises a second fluid channel for transport of a second fluid, which is non-aqueous. Preferably, the fluid is non-aqueous as the operating temperature of the heat transport element is at least 150°C and water is a not a useful fluid for heat transport in this temperature range. Similarly to the first fluid, the second fluid may be utilized to transport heat to or away from the heating module, which may facilitate to transport the heat to a consumer device or to provide heat from a heat source.

[0023] In some embodiments, the first and / or second fluid comprise or consist of: a) Liquids (preferably oils, metals in liquid state, molten salts, refrigerants, hydrocarbons, liquid polymers, alcohols and acids). b) Gases (preferably NOBLE GASES, CO2, NOx, SO2, CO, NH3, refrigerants, ionized gases, other types of effluent gases, or air with temperatures beyond 150°C). c) Particulate or colloidal suspensions with high thermal conductivity (preferably ferrofluids, magnetorheological fluids, electrorheological fluids, nanofluids).

[0024] The first and / or second fluid preferably comprises or consists of a material or substance, which is utilizable for heat transport in the desired temperature range.

[0025] In some embodiments, the heat sink heat exchanger and / or the heat source heat exchanger comprise any or a combination of the following: a) ceramic materials, or high temperature polymers, or metals, or non-metallic compounds, or graphite, or a combination thereof, b) heat spreaders or heat conduits, c) fluid channels.

[0026] In some embodiments, the heating module further comprises a closed fluid circuit around the at least one heat transport element, wherein the closed fluid circuit comprises the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel. In some embodiments, this arrangement improves the energy efficiency and enables to upgrade heat from a waste heat source to a desired temperature for usage in an industrial process or by a consumer device. Some examples of these embodiments are described in this disclosure.

[0027] In some embodiments, the closed fluid circuit comprises an outward heat source heat exchanger arranged between the heat source heat exchanger at the cold side and the heat sink heat exchanger at the warm side, when seen in a flow direction, and an outward heat sink heat exchanger arranged between the heat sink heat exchanger at the warm side and the heat source heat exchanger at the cold side, also when seen in the flow direction.

[0028] In some embodiments, the outward heat sink heat exchanger and the outward heat source heat exchanger are configured for connecting the heating module to another heating module and / or a heat sink and / or a heat source and / or a consumer device. In some embodiments, the outward heat source heat exchanger and outward heat sink heat exchanger may provide heat to the closed fluid circuit and transport the upgraded heat from the closed fluid circuit to another closed fluid circuit for further upgrading or to a heat sink or a consumer device.

[0029] In some embodiments, the outward heat sink heat exchanger and the outward heat source heat exchanger comprise any or a combination of the following: a) ceramic materials, or high temperature polymers, or metals, or non-metallic compounds, or graphite, or a combination thereof, b) heat spreaders or heat conduits, c) fluid channels.

[0030] In some embodiments, the heating module comprises a propulsion device for driving a fluid through at least one of the following: the first fluid channel, a second fluid channel on the opposite side of the heat transport element as the first fluid channel, a closed fluid circuit including the first and second channel.

[0031] In some embodiments, the propulsion device is based on any single or a combination of: a) mechanical pumps or fans, b) mechanical compressors, c) piezo-fans or piezo pumps, d) magnetohydrodynamic propulsion, e) electrohydrodynamic propulsion, f) propulsion based on wetting principles of surfaces, g) ionic propulsion.

[0032] Driving the fluid through any of the first fluid channel, second fluid channel or closed fluid circuit enables to provide heat to the heating module or transport heat away from the heating module. In some embodiments, the heating module comprises one closed fluid circuit, which includes only one of the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel or two closed fluid circuits, whereof a first fluid circuit comprises the first fluid channel and a second fluid circuit comprises the second fluid channel, and a propulsion device for each fluid channel to drive the fluid in the respective closed fluid circuit. In these embodiments, there may e.g. be a first closed fluid circuit to transport heat from a heat source to the heat source heat exchangers to provide the heating module with heat and a second closed fluid circuit to transport heat from the heating module via the heat sink heat exchanger to a heat sink or a consumer device, which requires the heat for operation or an industrial process. Having at least one closed fluid circuit configured for transporting heat to or from the heating module may facilitate to connect the heating module to the heat source or the heat sink or a consumer device as the closed fluid circuits are very versatile and easy to install. Further, the enable to arrange the heating module at a distance from the heat source, heat sink and / or consumer device as the heat may be transported to them from the heating module or from them to the heating module.

[0033] In some embodiments, the heat source heat exchanger at the cold side and / or the heat sink heat exchanger at the warm side are preferably casted, welded, extruded, or manufactured with additive manufacturing, or less preferably, assembled.

[0034] In some embodiments, the heating module comprises a controller for operating the at least one heat transport element of the at least one heating module such that its temperature reaches at least 150 °C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side. In some embodiments, the controller may be required to power the heat transport element, e.g. by providing electricity to the heat transport element.

[0035] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to selectively activate the heating modules. Selectively activating the heating modules may be advantageous for operation, e.g. in case the consumer device or industrial activity provided with heat by the heat pump does not require a constant supply of heat, but rather heat provided in batches. In some embodiments comprising multiple heating modules, it may be advantageous to selectively activate the heating modules after one another or in relation to the activation of a caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material arranged at the heating modules, which is described in more detail below.

[0036] In some aspects, the present invention relates to a heat pump comprising at least one heating module as described in this disclosure, wherein the at least one heat transport element of different heating modules are operable at different temperatures such that the operating temperatures of neighbouring heating modules differ by a temperature difference from each other. In some embodiments, the temperature difference between various neighbouring heating modules may be the same or may be different temperature differences. Arranging multiple heating modules in the heat pump may be advantageous to increase the heat transport flux in the heat pump and to increase the heat that the heat pump may provide to a consumer device or an industrial activity. In some embodiments, the heat pump comprises multiple heating modules comprising a heat sink heat exchanger and a heat source heat exchanger, wherein neighbouring heating modules are interconnected via their heat sink heat exchangers and heat source heat exchangers, and wherein the heat transport elements of different heating modules are operated at different temperatures. Arranging the heating modules next to one another and interconnecting them or arranging the heating modules in different closed fluid circuits comprising a heating module each, may result in a different operating temperature for each of the heating modules. Preferably, the heat transport elements of the different heating modules are configured to be operated at different temperatures, e.g. by selecting heat transport elements being made of different materials.

[0037] In some embodiments, there is a heat pump provided, which comprises at least two heating modules as described in this disclosure, wherein each heating module comprises a heat source heat exchanger arranged at the cold side of the heat transport element, and a heat sink heat exchanger arranged at the warm side of the heat transport element, and wherein each heat transport element is configured to transport heat from the respective heat source heat exchanger to the respective heat sink heat exchanger, and wherein the at least two heating modules are arranged next to one another forming an arrangement of heating modules, such that the heat sink heat exchangers of the at least two heating modules are connected to form a single heat sink heat exchanger, and such that the heat source heat exchangers of the at least two heating modules are connected to form a single heat source heat exchanger. Arranging the at least two heating modules next to one another may reduce the loss of heat, as there is no requirement for insulation in between the heat sink heat exchangers, and in between the heat source heat exchangers. Further, the dimensions of the heat pump may be smaller, which is advantageous for shipping the heat pump and installing the heat pump in narrow spaces. As the dimensions of the closed fluid circuit are smaller, less pressure is required to drive the heat transport fluid through the closed fluid circuit. Further, the arrangement of the heat transport elements and the fluid circuit is very simple, with reduces the installation complexity and installation time and facilitates maintenance. Further, the control of the at least two heating modules is simple as the temperature difference between the hot and cold side of the heat transport elements of the different heating modules can be adjusted easily.

[0038] In some examples, the heat sink heat exchangers may be arranged next to one another so that they have a thermal contact. In some examples, the heat sink heat exchangers may be integrally formed as a single heat sink heat exchanger. In some examples, the heat source heat exchangers may be arranged next to one another so that they have a thermal contact. In some examples, the heat source heat exchangers may be integrally formed as a single heat source heat exchanger.

[0039] In some embodiments, the different heating modules are operable at different temperatures such that the operating temperatures of neighbouring heating modules differ by a temperature difference from each other, and such that there is a gradient of the operating temperature along the arrangement of the at least two heating modules. In some examples, the different heating modules may comprises differing materials to reflect the different operating temperature and enable an improved efficiency at the respective operating temperature of the heating modules.

[0040] In some embodiments, the heating module or heat pump comprises a housing, in which the at least one heating module and optionally the controller are arranged, and a thermal insulation for insulating the housing. In some embodiments, the thermal insulation comprises one or multiple of the following: a gas or a mixture of gases, at least one vacuum chamber, mineral or glass wool, aerogels, polymers and related products. A housing may prevent the heat pump from damage and / or may facilitate transport of the heat pump. A thermal insulation may reduce the temperature that is irradiated by the heating module and / or heat pump and is lost to the environment, thereby improving the efficiency of the heating module and / or heat pump.

[0041] In some aspects, the present invention relates to an industrial processing apparatus comprising a device for carrying out an industrial process and a heat source configured for proving heat for the industrial process, wherein the heat source comprises a heating module or a heat pump according to any of the embodiments described herein.

[0042] In some aspects, the present invention relates to a method of carrying out an industrial process, wherein the industrial process comprises a heating step in which the heat is provided by a heating module or a heat pump according to any of the embodiments described herein.

[0043] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] These and other characteristics will become clear from the following description of illustrative embodiments, given as non-restrictive examples, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0045] FIG 1 A illustrates a first example of a heat pump.

[0046] FIG 1 B illustrates a second example of a heat pump.

[0047] FIG 2A illustrates a third example of a heat pump.

[0048] FIG 2B illustrates a fourth example of a heat pump.

[0049] FIG 3A illustrates a fifth example of a heat pump.

[0050] FIG 3B illustrates a sixth example of a heat pump.

[0051] FIG 4A illustrates a seventh example of a heat pump.

[0052] FIG 4B illustrates an eighth example of a heat pump.

[0053] FIG 4C illustrates a ninth example of a heat pump.

[0054] FIG 5A illustrates a tenth example of a heat pump.

[0055] FIG 5B illustrates an eleventh example of a heat pump.

[0056] FIG 5C illustrates a twelfth example of a heat pump.

[0057] FIG 5D illustrates a thirteenth example of a heat pump.

[0058] FIG 6A illustrates a fourteenth example of a heat pump.

[0059] FIG 6B illustrates a fifteenth example of a heat pump.

[0060] FIG 7A illustrates a sixteenth example of a heat pump. FIG 7B illustrates a seventeenth example of a heat pump.

[0061] FIG 8A illustrates an eighteenth example of a heat pump.

[0062] FIG 8B illustrates a nineteenth example of a heat pump.

[0063] FIG 9 illustrates a first example of a heating module for a heat pump.

[0064] FIG 10 illustrates a second example of a heating module for a heat pump.

[0065] FIG 11 illustrates a twentieth example of a heat pump.

[0066] FIG 12 illustrates multiple examples of a heat exchanger.

[0067] FIG 13 and FIG 14 illustrated preferred operational parameters and preferred properties or material properties of the heat transport elements.

[0068] FIGs 15A-D illustrate a third example of a heating module for a heat pump.

[0069] FIG 16 illustrates a preferable operational area for use of a thermoelectric ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP

[0070] FIGs 17A and 17B illustrate a fourth example of a heating module for a heat pump. FIGs 18A and 18B and FIGs 19A and 19B illustrate a fifth example of a heating module for a heat pump.

[0071] FIG 20 illustrates another example of a heat pump comprising multiple heating modules.

[0072] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] The following description may use terms such as “horizontal”, “vertical”, “lateral”, “back and forth”, “up and down”, ’’upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “forward”, “rear”, etc. These terms generally refer to the views and orientations as shown in the drawings and that are associated with a normal use of the invention. The terms are used for the reader’s convenience only and shall not be limiting.

[0074] Many applications and especially industrial processes require heat at a temperature above 150°C. A heat pump is a system, which utilizes heat from a heat source and upgrades it to a desired temperature level and provides the heat at the desired temperature level to a heat sink and / or directly to a consumer device. Depending on the desired operating temperature range, various technologies may be used for a heat pump, e.g. vapor compression or gas cycle heat pumps. This disclosure aims at providing solid-state heat pumps or solid-state heating modules for solid-state heat pumps operating in the range from 150°C to 400°C (extreme temperature heat pump ETHP), in the range from 400°C to 700°C (beyond extreme temperature heat pump BETHP) and / or in the range above 700°C (far beyond extreme temperature heat pump FBETHP).

[0075] FIG 1A illustrates an example of a heat pump 100 for providing heat to an industrial process, which herein is injection moulding, in a sectional view. The injection moulding is carried out with an injection moulding apparatus 150 and a mould 140 to create a moulded part. The mould 140 comprises a movable mould 142 and a mould cavity 141 , wherein the moulded part is formed. The injection moulding apparatus 150 may comprise a hopper 112 for providing a moulding material and an injection ram 111 for pushing the moulding material into the mould cavity through a nozzle 113. For operation, the injection moulding apparatus 150 requires heat, which is provided by the heat pump 100.

[0076] The heat pump 100 utilizes heat provided by a heat source being a mould 140 and comprises a heating module 900 configured to upgrade the heat to the temperature required by the moulding apparatus 150 and the heat pump then provides the heat to the moulding apparatus 150. Examples of the heating module 900 will be described in closer detail with reference to FIG 9, FIG 10 and FIG 17A and FIG 17B. The heat pump in this example utilizes waste heat from the mould 140, which is transported to the heating module 900 by a fluid circulating in a fluid circuit 131. The mould 140 comprises fluid channels 130 being part of the fluid circuit 131 for transporting the waste heat from the mould 140 to the fluid in the fluid circuit 131 . Preferably, the fluid channels 130 comprise thermally conductive materials and / or a high surface area in contact with the fluid to increase the heat transfer. The heating module 900 comprises at least one solid state heat transport element 910 having a warm and a cold side configured to transport heat from the cold side to the warm side. In this example, the heat source heat exchanger 930 is arranged on the cold side and the heat sink heat exchanger 920 is arranged on the warm side of the heat transport element 910. The heat source heat exchanger 930 in this example comprises a second fluid channel 932, which is part of the fluid circuit 131 , and is configured for transporting heat from the fluid in the second fluid channel 932 to the heating module 900. The heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or second fluid channel 932 may comprise thermally conductive materials and / or a high surface area in contact with the fluid to increase the heat transfer. The heating module 900 transports heat from the heat source heat exchanger 930 to a heat sink heat exchanger 920 comprised by the heating module 900. The heating module 900 will be described in closer detail further below as mentioned above. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 comprises a first fluid channel 922. The first fluid channel 922 is part of the fluid circuit 121 , in which a fluid for heat transport is circulating. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 is configured to transport heat from the heating module 900 to the fluid in the fluid circuit 121 and may comprise thermally conductive materials and / or a high surface area in contact with the fluid to increase the heat transfer. The fluid circuit 121 comprises an outward heat sink heat exchanger 120 comprising at least one fluid channel, which is in thermal contact with the moulding apparatus 150 and which is configured to transport heat from the fluid in the fluid circuit 121 to the moulding apparatus 150. The outward heat sink heat exchanger 120 may comprise thermally conductive materials and / or a high surface area in contact with the fluid to increase the heat transfer.

[0077] FIG 1 B illustrates another example of a heat pump 101 , being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP. Most of the features are the same as in the example shown in FIG 1 A, thus the same reference numerals are used. In contrast to the example illustrated in FIG 1A, the heat pump 101 of FIG 1 B does not comprise a fluid circuit 121 and the heating module 900 does not comprise the fluid channel 922, but the heating module 900 is in direct thermal contact with the moulding apparatus 150 via a heat sink heat exchanger 920. The heating module 900 receives the heat from the mould 142 via the heat source heat exchanger 930, which is arranged at the cold side of the heat transport element 910, the heat being transported by the fluid circulating in the fluid channel 932 by means of the propulsion device 133. The heat transport element 910 then transports the heat from the fluid in the fluid circuit 131 at the cold side to its warm side. On the warm side of the heat transport element 910, there is a heat sink heat exchanger 920 arranged, which is configured to receive the heat from the heat transport element 910 and to distribute it to the moulding apparatus 150. In another example, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 may be integrally formed with the moulding apparatus 150. In some examples, the heating module 900 may comprise a heat source heat exchanger 930, which does not comprise a fluid channel 932, but is directly thermally connected to the heat source similar to the configuration of the heat sink heat exchanger 920 shown in the example in FIG 1 B.

[0078] FIGs 2A and 2B illustrate further examples of heat pumps 200,201 being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, which are utilized to provide heat for a process of thermal oxidization.

[0079] In the example of FIG 2A, the heat pump 200 comprises a gas conduit 250 for transport of gas and a propulsion device 253, which is a supply fan in this example, to drive the gas through the gas conduit 250. The gas conduit 250 is a specific example of the fluid circuit introduced in other examples of this application. The gas conduit 250 comprises a gas inlet 251 for providing an exhaust gas to the heat pump 200. The gas conduit 250 further comprises a heat sink heat exchanger 920, in which the exhaust gas is heated to a certain temperature level by transport of heat from the heat source heat exchanger 930 by the heat transport element 910. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 in this example may be referred to as a direct contact heat sink heat exchanger 920 as it directly heats the gas therein. Similarly, the heat source heat exchanger 930 may be referred to as a direct contact heat source heat exchanger 930. If the temperature level of the exhaust gas is not sufficiently high for the process of catalysis, the heat pump 200 may optionally comprise a combustion or electrical heater 254 configured to boost the temperature to the desired temperature level. The combustion or electrical heater 254 may comprise a fluid inlet 255 configured for inlet of a combustion fuel and / or gas and / or air. The heated exhaust gas flows then to the catalyst chamber 256, where it is utilized for catalysis, and therefrom flows to the heat pump’s indirect heat source heat exchanger 930 where heat is transferred from the gas therein to the heat sink heat exchanger 920 to heat the gas therein. The cooled gas may then be exhausted to ambient via an exhaust 258.

[0080] In the example illustrated in FIG 2B, the heat pump 201 comprises a similar setup as the heat pump 200 illustrated in FIG 2A. The heat pump 200 comprises a gas circuit 250 comprising a gas inlet 251 for providing an exhaust gas to the heat pump 201 . The gas conduit 250 further comprises an outward heat sink heat exchanger 220, in which the exhaust gas is heated to a certain temperature level by transport of heat from a heat transfer fluid. If the temperature level of the exhaust gas is not sufficiently high for the process of catalysis, the heat pump 201 may optionally comprise a combustion or electrical heater 254 configured to boost the temperature to the desired temperature level. The combustion or electrical heater 254 may comprise a fluid inlet 255 configured for inlet of a combustion fuel and / or gas and / or air. The heated exhaust gas flows then to the catalyst chamber 256, where it is utilized for catalysis, and therefrom flows to an outward heat source heat exchanger 230, where heat is transferred from the exhaust gas to a heat transfer fluid. The cooled gas may then be exhausted to ambient via an exhaust 258. In some embodiments of this disclosure, not limited to the example of FIG 2B, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 220 and the other outward heat sink heat exchangers introduced throughout this disclosure and the outward heat source heat exchanger 230 and the other outward heat sink heat exchangers introduced throughout this disclosure are configured for connecting the heating module 910 to another heating module 910 and / or a heat sink and / or a heat source and / or a consumer device requiring heat. The heat pump 201 further comprises at least one heat transport element 910 comprising a heat source heat exchanger 930 and a heat sink heat exchanger 920. In contrast to the example of FIG 2A, the at least one heat transport element 910 is not arranged in direct contact with the outward heat sink heat exchanger 220 and the outward heat source heat exchanger 230 transporting heat from one to the other. In the example of FIG 2B, the outward heat source heat exchanger 230 is part of a fluid circuit 231 having a propulsion device 933 for driving a heat transport fluid through the fluid circuit 231 . The fluid circuit 231 further comprises the heat source heat exchanger 930 being connected to the heat transport element 910. The heat transport fluid in the fluid circuit 231 is utilized to transport heat from the outward heat source heat exchanger 230 to the heat source heat exchanger 930. Then the heat is transported from the heat transport fluid in the heat source heat exchanger 930 to a fluid in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 via the at least one heat transport element 910. Similarly to the heat source heat exchanger 930, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 is part of a fluid circuit 221 , which further comprises the outward heat sink heat exchanger 220, and is configured to transport heat from the heat sink heat exchanger 920 to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 220 via a heat transport fluid, which is driven through the fluid circuit 221 by a propulsion device 923. The outward heat sink heat exchanger 220 and the heat sink heat exchanger 920 in this example may be referred to as an outward indirect contact heat sink heat exchanger 220 and as indirect contact heat sink heat exchanger 920 as the heat from the heat transport element 910 is not directly transported to the exhaust gas, but rather is transported to the gas indirectly via the heat transport fluid in the fluid circuit 221. Similarly, the outward heat source heat exchanger 230 and the heat source heat exchanger 930 may be referred to as an outward indirect contact heat source heat exchanger 230 and an indirect contact heat source heat exchanger 930. In some examples, the examples of FIG 2A and / or FIG 2B may be utilized with other fluids than exhaust gases. Preferably, the heat transport fluids are non-aqueous.

[0081] FIGs 3A and 3B illustrate further examples of heat pumps 300,301 being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, which in these examples are utilized for processes of waste heat recovery in the production of cement or for improvement of energy efficiency or heat recovery in the heating / cooling processes in the cement production.

[0082] In the example of FIG 3A, a cement production machine 303 is illustrated. In this cement production machine 303, hot clinker 315 from a kiln 316 is falling onto a movable grate plate 317 and is cooled thereon before being transported to a cement mill, the transport to the cement mill not being illustrated in FIG 3A, but the exit 318 of the movable grate plate thereto being arranged at the right side of the figure. From left to right, the clinker 315 is having a lower temperature due to cooling by an air flow 319. On the right side of FIG 3A, in a first compartment 327, the clinker 315 is cooled by an air flow. In this example, the air is exhausted through an exhaust 328. Further compartments 328,329,330 are arranged from the right side to the left side, wherein the air is not exhausted but fed to the next compartment 329,330 to be reused. The temperature of the air is increasing from each compartment to the next, which is advantageous as the temperature of the clinker 315 is also increasing and a too large temperature between the clinker 315 and the cooling air increases the production of entropy, which is not desired in this industrial process. The hot air from the last compartment 330 may be utilized to heat the kiln 316 via a secondary air flow. The hot air from the last compartment 330 in this example is utilized to upgrade the hot air to a desired temperature and to feed the upgraded hot air to a consumer device or another application via a tertiary air flow, e.g. to a thermal oxidization as shown in FIGs 2A and 2B.

[0083] In this example, the hot air from the last compartment 330 is partly transported to a heat source heat exchanger 930, which is arranged at at least one heat transport element 910. On the other side of the at least one heat transport element 910, a heat sink heat exchanger 920 is arranged, which is provided with another part of the hot air from the last compartment 330. In this example, the hot air is divided and provided to the heat source heat exchanger 930 and the heat sink heat exchanger 920 by a flow divider. The at least one heat transport element 910 is configured to transport heat from the hot air in the heat source heat exchanger 930 to the hot air in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 to upgrade the heat in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 to a desired temperature level. The upgraded hot air in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 may be provided to a consumer device or another application via an exhaust port 331 as a tertiary air flow, e.g. it may be used in calcination or in preheaters of the cement production machine 303. The air in the heat source heat exchanger 930, which is cooled down due to the heat transport, may be reintroduced to one of the compartments 327,328,329,330 or may be exhausted. In this example, the air is reintroduced to the compartment 329. In some examples, the heat pump 300 may comprise at least one closed fluid circuit and indirect contact heat exchangers as described in the previous examples, i.e. the heat pump 300 may comprise a fluid circuit in which a heat transport fluid is circulating to transport heat from the hot air to the heat transport element 910 and / or may comprise a fluid circuit in which a heat transport fluid is circulating to transport heat from the heat transport element 910 to the hot air to upgrade the hot air to a desired temperature level. As will be understood, the heat pump 300 utilized in the cement production machine 303 reuses waste heat and may improve the overall efficiency of the cement production.

[0084] In the example illustrated in FIG 3B, a cement production machine 304 comprises an inlet 340 for air and an inlet 341 for raw material. The air is heated to a desired temperature in an outward heat sink heat exchanger 320 and mixed with the raw material to heat the raw material in a riser duct 342. The raw material and the air are separated in a cyclone 343 having an outlet 344 for the heated raw material and an outlet 345 for the air. The air is fed from the outlet 345 to an outward heat source heat exchanger 330, which is connected to a fluid circuit 331 and which is configured to transport heat from the air to a heat transport fluid being driven through the fluid circuit 331 by a propulsion device 933. The fluid circuit 331 comprises a heat source heat exchanger 930, which is arranged at a heat transport element 910. On the other side of the heat transport element 910 a heat sink heat exchanger 920 is arranged and the heat transport element 910 is configured for transporting heat from a heat transport fluid in the heat source heat exchanger 930 to a heat transport fluid in the heat sink heat exchanger 920. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 is part of a fluid circuit 921 being connected to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 320 and comprising a propulsion device 923 for driving the heat transport fluid therethrough. Preferably, the heat transport fluids are non-aqueous. As will be understood, the heat pump 301 utilized in the cement production machine 304 reuses waste heat and may improve the overall efficiency of the cement production.

[0085] FIGs 4A and 4B and 4C illustrate further examples of heat pumps 400,401 a, 401 b, 402 being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, which may be utilized in a process of annealing and / or a tempering process.

[0086] In the example of FIG 4A, heat pump 400 is utilized for cooling and heating in the continuous annealing and / or tempering process. The reference numerals of corresponding features have been amended to have a hundred digit matching the number of the figure, which herein is four. The reference numerals of the features inherited from the heating module 900 illustrated in FIG 9 have not been amended as in the previous figures 1 A to 3B.

[0087] In this example, the layout of the heat pump 400 is similar to the heat pumps 100,201 ,301 of FIGs 1A,2B and 3B, i.e. the heat pump 400 comprises fluid circuits 421 ,431 comprising propulsion devices 923,933 for driving heat transport fluids therethrough to transport heat to or from a heat transport element 910 utilizing heat exchangers 420,430,920,930.

[0088] In the example of FIG 4, there is an inlet 460 of a working material for providing a working material to the process, and an outlet 461 of the working material for transporting the working material from the process. The working material passes three different zones 463,464,465 having different functions, first a heating zone 463 for heating the material, second an isothermal or soaking zone 464 and last a cooling zone 465 for cooling the material. The temperature curve corresponding to the temperature in the various zones 463,464,465 is illustrated in a graph underneath the different zones 463,464,465. In some examples, there may be only two zones 463,465 having different functions, first a heating zone 463 for heating the material, and last a cooling zone 465 for cooling the material, i.e. the isothermal or soaking zone 464 is optional. The isothermal or soaking zone 464 may in some examples be comprised in embodiments for an industrial process, which requires material to be kept at isothermal conditions. In the heating zone 463, the working material is heated by heat transport from a heat transport fluid via a heat sink heat exchanger 420. In the isothermal or soaking zone 464, the working material is kept at a constant temperature by heat transport from a heat transport fluid via a heat sink heat exchanger 420. In the cooling zone 465, the working material is cooled by heat transport to a heat transport fluid via a heat source heat exchanger 430. In some examples, the heating zone 463 and / or the isothermal or soaking zone 464 may comprise additional electrical or combustion heaters to provide further heating.

[0089] In the example of FIG 4B, two heat pumps 401 a, b are utilized for cooling of exhaust gases and preheating of air for stationary batch for annealing and / or tempering. In this example, two heat pumps 401 a, b and two combustion chambers 405a, b are symmetrically arranged around a batch 468 to provide heat of a desired temperature to the batch 468. Symmetrically arranging the heat pumps 401 a, b and combustion chambers 405a, b around the batch may enable to provide the batch with heat from multiple directions as illustrated in FIG 4B, which may yield symmetrical temperature levels inside the batch.

[0090] In some examples, one of them being illustrated in FIG 4C, a single heat pump 402 and / or combustion chamber 405 may be utilized. The reference numerals of corresponding features have been amended to have a hundred digit matching the number of the figure, which herein is four. The reference numerals of the features inherited from the heating module 900 illustrated in FIG 9 have not been amended as in the previous figures 1 A to 3B.

[0091] In the examples of FIG 4B and 4C, the layout of the heat pumps 401 a, 401 b, 402 is similar to the heat pumps 200,300 of FIGs 2A and 3A, i.e. the at least one heat transport elements 910a,b of the heat pumps 401 a, 401 b,402 are directly receiving heat from the exhaust gases via heat source heat exchangers 930a, b and are directly transporting heat to the exhaust gases via heat sink heat exchangers 920a, b. In the examples of FIG 4B and 40, the exhaust air is provided to the heat sink heat exchangers 920, 920a, 920b via an inlet 567, 567a, 567b and preheated to a desired temperature. The exhaust air is transported to a combustion chamber 405, 405a, 405b or an electrical heater configured to provide heating of the incoming air. The combustion chamber 405, 405a, 405b or electrical heater is connected to a batch 468 to provide combustion flow products thereto. The batch 468 comprises an internal reservoir 469 comprising internal gas. The internal reservoir 469 may further comprises a process material, which in the examples of FIG 4B and FIG 4C is arranged as a stack or coils. The internal reservoir may comprise a propulsion device 453 to drive the internal gas through the internal reservoir 469, which in these examples is a fan. The flow products of combustion from the combustion chamber 467 or the electrical heater flow through fluid channels comprised by the batch 468 and are heating the internal gas in the internal reservoir 469. When the combustion products exit the batch 468, they are provided to the heat source heat exchangers 930, 930a, 930b, wherefrom heat is transported to the exhaust air in the heat sink heat exchangers 920, 920a, 920b by the heat transport elements 910,910a, 910b.

[0092] FIGs 5A to 5D illustrate further examples of heat pumps 500,501 ,502,503 being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, which may be utilized in a catalysis process. In some examples, the heat pumps 500,501 ,502,503 may comprise an electrical heater, which is not shown in the figures.

[0093] In the example of FIG 5A, heat pump 500 for a catalysis process is illustrated. The reference numerals of corresponding features have been amended to have a hundred digit matching the number of the figure, which herein is five. The reference numerals of the features inherited from the heating module 900 illustrated in FIG 9 have not been amended as in the previous figures 1 A to 4B.

[0094] In this example, the layout of the heat pump 500 is similar to the heat pumps 200,300 of FIGs 2A and 3A, i.e. the at least one heat transport element 910 of the heat pump 500 is directly receiving heat from the exhaust gases via heat source heat exchanger 930 and is directly transporting heat to the exhaust gases via heat sink heat exchangers 920.

[0095] A feed of educts are provided to a catalytic bed 506 and are heated by heat provided via the heat sink heat exchanger 920, the educts are then reacting to form the products of the catalysis reaction. The products of the catalysis are transported to the heat source heat exchanger 930, where heat is transported from the products in the heat source heat exchanger 930 to the educts in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 by the at least one heat transport element 910. The cooled products of the catalysis may then be exhausted via an outlet 507.

[0096] In the example of FIG 5B, the setup of the heat pump 501 is essentially the same as that of the heat pump 500 in FIG 5A. In the example of FIG 5B, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 comprises heat spreaders 570, which herein are fins, to increase the heat transport flux to the educts. More generally phrased, any of the heat exchangers described in this disclosure may comprise any number of heat spreaders 570 to increase the heat transport flux to the fluid that the heat exchanger is configured to transport the heat to or from.

[0097] In the example of FIG 5C, the layout of the heat pump 502 is similar to the heat pumps 100,201 ,301 of FIGs 1A,2B and 3B, i.e. the heat pump 502 comprises fluid circuits 521 ,531 comprising propulsion devices 523,533 for driving heat transport fluids therethrough to transport heat to or from a heat transport element 910 utilizing heat exchangers 520,530,920,930.

[0098] The feed of the educts is heated by the outward heat sink heat exchanger 520, the educts then performing the catalysis reaction in the catalytic bed 506 resulting in products, which are provided to the outward heat source heat exchanger 530 and further transported to an outlet 507. The outward heat source heat exchanger 530 is configured to transport heat from the products to fluid in the fluid circuit 531 . The fluid in the fluid circuit 531 transports the heat to the heat source heat exchanger 930. The at least one heat transport element 910 transports heat from the fluid in the heat source heat exchanger 930 to the fluid in the heat sink heat exchanger 920, which is driven through the fluid circuit 921 to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 520 to the heat the educts. The cooled products of the catalysis may then be exhausted via an outlet 507 as described above. The educts and / or products are not mixing with the fluids in the fluid circuits 521 ,531 , but are rather only heat is transferred between them at the outward heat source heat exchanger 530 and the outward heat sink heat exchanger 520.

[0099] In the example illustrated in FIG 5D, an alternative setup is shown, in which only one fluid circuit 537 is utilized to transport the heat to or from the heat transport element 910. The fluid circuit 537 comprises a propulsion device 933 to drive a heat transport fluid therethrough. Preferably, the heat transport fluid is non-aqueous. The fluid circuit 537 is a closed fluid circuit connecting the heat source heat exchanger 930 and the heat sink heat exchanger 920 of the heat transport element 910. Further, when seen in a flow direction, the fluid circuit 537 is connected to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 520 between the heat sink heat exchanger 920 and the heat source heat exchanger 930. Further, when seen in a flow direction, the fluid circuit 537 is connected to the outward heat source heat exchanger 530 between the heat source heat exchanger 930 and the heat sink heat exchanger 920. The fluid circuit 537 transports heat from the heat sink heat exchanger 920 to the outward heat source heat exchanger 520. The waste heat therefrom is transported to the heat source heat exchanger 930 to provide a heat source for the heat transport of the heat transport element 910. The heat transport fluid is then transported to the heat source heat exchanger 530 to be preheated and to the heat sink heat exchanger 920 to upgrade the heat of the heat transport fluid to a desired temperature level, which is required by the educts for the catalysis reaction in the catalytic bed 506. The cooled products of the catalysis may then be exhausted via an outlet 507.

[0100] FIGs 6A and 6B illustrate further examples of heat pumps 600,601 being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, which may be utilized in a process of energy production which utilizes fuels. In the examples of FIG 6A and 6B, the layout of the heat pumps 600,601 are similar to the heat pumps 200,300 of FIGs 2A and 3A, i.e. the at least one heat transport element 910 of the heat pumps 600,601 is directly receiving heat from the exhaust gases via heat source heat exchanger 930 and is directly transporting heat to the input air via heat sink heat exchanger 920.

[0101] FIG 6A illustrates a simplified example of the process in a SOFC 672 (solid oxide fuel cell). The heat pump 600 comprises a heat sink heat exchanger 920, which is provided with air. The SOFC 672 comprises an anode 673 and a cathode 674 and hot air from the heat sink heat exchanger 920 is provided to the cathode 674 for operation of the SOFC 672. A mixture of fuel and water or steam is provided to a heat recuperator 675 and to a prereformer 676 before it is provided to the anode 673 of the SOFC 672 for operation of the SOFC 672. The hot air from the cathode 674 and the output of the anode 673 is then fed to an afterburner 677. The output of the afterburner 677 may in some examples be fed to the heat recuperator 675. In some examples, the output of the afterburner 677 may directly be fed to the heat source heat exchanger 930. The heat source heat exchanger 930 may exhaust the cooled output of the afterburner, i.e. after having transported heat therefrom via the heat transport element 910, via an exhaust 681 .

[0102] FIG 6B illustrates an example, where the air required for combustion process is preheated in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 of the heat pump 601 . The preheated air is mixed with a fuel and burned in a burner 679 and a furnace 680. The exhaust air is provided to the heat source heat exchanger 930 of the heat pump 601 to enable heat transport via the heat transport element 910 to the air in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 for preheating. The exhaust air may then be exhausted via an exhaust 681.

[0103] In some examples, any or both of the heat pumps 600,601 may comprise fluid circuits comprising heat transport fluids and dislocated heat source or heat sink heat exchangers as described with respect to the heat pumps of 100,201 ,301 of FIGs 1A,2B and 3B.

[0104] FIGs 7A and 7B illustrate further examples of heat pumps 700,701 being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, which may be utilized in the processes in the production of steel. FIG 7A shows an example of heat pump 700 being utilized in preheating or heating a furnace 782 of billets, slabs, blooms and / or ingots in the steel industry. Air is preheated in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 of the heat pump 700 and enters the combustion chamber 778 of the furnace 782. Billets or slabs or blooms or ingots are entering the furnace 782 and are heated up during their process of movement through the furnace 782. The furnace may comprise a fluid port 783 for providing a fuel to the furnace 782. The exhaust gases from the furnace 782 are provided to the heat source heat exchanger 920 where they transfer heat via at least one heat transfer element 910 and are exhausted at an exhaust 784 afterwards. In some examples, the heat pump 700 may comprise at least one propulsion device, such as a fan, to drive the air or exhaust gases.

[0105] FIG 7B illustrates another example of a heat pump 701 for providing heat to a furnace 782 for the processes in the production of steel. The layout of the heat pump 701 is similar to the heat pumps 100,201 ,301 of FIGs 1A,2B and 3B, i.e. the heat pump 701 comprises fluid circuits 721 ,731 comprising propulsion devices 723,733 for driving heat transport fluids therethrough to transport heat to or from a heat transport element 910 utilizing heat exchangers 720,730,920,930. The exhaust gas is provided to an outward heat source heat exchanger 730, which is connected to the fluid circuit 731 and transports heat to the fluid in the fluid circuit 731 . The fluid circuit 731 is connected to the heat source heat exchanger 930, wherefrom heat is transported to the fluid in the heat sink heat exchanger 920 via the heat transport element 910. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 is connected to the fluid circuit 921 , which forms a connection to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 720 and which enables circulation of a heat transport fluid therein. The outward heat sink heat exchanger 720 is configured to transport heat from the heat transport fluid to the provided air to heat the air.

[0106] FIGs 8A and 8B illustrate further examples of heat pumps 800,801 being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, which may be utilized in processes where heating above 150°C is required.

[0107] Figure 8A illustrates a heat pump 800, wherein at least one heat transport element 910 is in direct contact with the fluids that are to be heated or which are providing heat to the heat transport element 910 via a heat source heat exchanger 930 and a heat sink heat exchanger 920. Preferably, the fluids are non-aqueous. Preferably, as described in this example, the fluid provided to the heat source heat exchanger 930 has a temperature of more than 150°C. More preferably, the temperature of the fluid being provided to the heat source heat exchanger 930 is a temperature such that the temperature of the fluid exiting the heat source heat exchanger 930, after the heat transport by the heat transport element 910 has taken place, is still more than 150°C. Figure 8B illustrates a heat pump 801 , comprising a heat transport element 910, a heat sink heat exchanger 920 arranged at the warm side of the heat transport element 910 and a heat source heat exchanger 930 arranged at the cold side of the heat transport element 910. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 comprises a fluid channel, which is part of a closed fluid circuit 821 comprising a propulsion device 823 for driving a, preferably non-aqueous, fluid through the fluid circuit 821. The fluid circuit 821 is connected to an outward heat sink heat exchanger 820, which is configured to transport heat from the heat transport fluid to a fluid, which requires heat, e.g. one of the fluids described in the example applications of FIG 1A to 7B. The heat source heat exchanger 930 comprises a fluid channel, which is part of a closed fluid circuit 831 comprising a propulsion device 833 for driving a, preferably non-aqueous, fluid through the fluid circuit 831 . The fluid circuit 831 is connected to an outward heat sink heat exchanger 830, which is configured to transport heat from a fluid, which provides heat, e.g. one of the fluids or waste energy sources described in the example applications of FIG 1 A to 7B, to the fluid in the closed fluid circuit 831 . The outward heat sink heat exchanger 820 and the heat sink heat exchanger 920 in this example may be referred to as an outward indirect contact heat sink heat exchanger 820 and as indirect contact heat sink heat exchanger 920 as the heat from the at least one heat transport element 910 is not directly transported to the fluid to be heated, but rather is transported to the fluid to be heated indirectly via the heat transport fluid in the fluid circuit 821 . Similarly, the outward heat source heat exchanger 830 and the heat source heat exchanger 930 may be referred to as an outward indirect contact heat source heat exchanger 830 and an indirect contact heat source heat exchanger 930.

[0108] FIG 9 illustrates an example of a heat pump, being an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, comprising a heating module 900 shown in a sectional view. The example illustrated in FIG 9 corresponds to the setup of a heat pump 100 illustrated in FIG 1A with the reference numerals of FIG 9 matching the corresponding features shown in FIG 1A. The heating module 900 comprises at least one solid state heat transport element 910 having a warm and a cold side. The at least one heat transport element 910 is configured to be operated at a temperature of at least 150°C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side. In some examples, the at least one heat transport element 910 may be configured to be operated at a higher temperature, e.g. at 200°C or at 400°C or at 700°C. In some examples, the at least one heat transport element 910 may be configured to be operated in a temperature range, such as above 150°C, above 200°C, above 700°C, in the range from 150°C to 400°C, in the range from 400°C to 700°C or in the range from 300°C to 500°C. However, the operational temperature that the at least one heat transport element 910 is configured to be operated at may comprise other temperature values or ranges. The at least one heat transport element 910 is configured to transport heat or thermal energy from the cold side to the warm side thereby heating the warm side and cooling the cold side. In some examples, the heating module 900 may comprise a heat source heat exchanger 930 arranged at the cold side of the at least one heat transport element 910. The heat source heat exchanger 930 may comprise a fluid channel or may provide a thermal connection to a heat source. The heat source heat exchanger 930 may e.g. provide a thermal connection by being integrally formed or casted in one piece with the heat source or by a thermally conductive element connecting the heat source and the heat source heat exchanger 930. The heat source may e.g. be any of the heat sources shown in the examples of FIG 1A to FIG 8. In some examples, the heating module 900 may comprise a heat sink heat exchanger 920 arranged at the warm side of the at least one heat transport element 910. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 may comprise a fluid channel or may provide a thermal connection to a heat sink or a consumer device. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 may e.g. provide a thermal connection by being integrally formed or casted in one piece with the heat sink or the consumer device or by a thermally conductive element connecting the heat sink heat exchanger 920 and the heat sink or the consumer device. The consumer device may e.g. be any of the consumer devices shown in the examples of FIG 1A to FIG 8. In some examples, the heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or the heat sink heat exchanger 920 are casted, welded, extruded, manufactured with additive manufacturing, or assembled. In some examples, the warm and / or cold side of the heat transport element 910 may be directly connected to the heat source, heat sink and / or consumer device. In some examples, the heat transport element 910 is configured for transporting heat from the heat source heat exchanger 930 to the heat sink heat exchanger 920.

[0109] Either the heat source heat exchanger 930 or the heat sink heat exchanger 920 may comprise a first fluid channel 922 for transport of a first fluid on the warm side or on the cold side of the at least one heat transport element 910. The other of the heat source heat exchanger 930930, which does not comprise the first fluid channel, may comprise a second fluid channel 932 for transport of a second fluid on the opposite side of the heat transport element 910 as the first fluid channel 922, such that the at least one heat transport element 910 is arranged between the first fluid channel 922 and the second fluid channel 932 and configured to transport heat between the fluids in the first and second fluid channels 922,932.

[0110] In some examples, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 and / or the heat source heat exchanger 930 may comprise thermally conductive materials and / or a high surface area in contact with the fluid / material to be heated to increase the heat transfer. In some examples, the heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or the heat sink heat exchanger 920 may be casted, welded, extruded or additively manufactured with the at least one heat transport element 910 to form an integral part being the heating module 900. In the example of FIG 9, the heating module 900 comprises a heat sink heat exchanger 920, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 comprising a first fluid channel 922. In the cross- sectional view illustrated in FIG 9, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 is shown in the middle of the figure, being a pipe section. The heating module 900 comprises a plurality of heat transport elements 910 being arranged radially around the heat sink heat exchanger 920 facing the heat sink heat exchanger 920 with their warm side. On the other, outward facing side being the cold side, the heat transport elements 910 are connected to a heat source heat exchanger 930, which comprises a second fluid channel 932, The heat transport elements 910 are configured to transport heat from the heat source heat exchanger 930 to the heat sink heat exchanger 920, more precisely from the fluid in the second fluid channel 932 of the heat source heat exchanger 930 to the fluid in the first fluid channel 922 of the heat sink heat exchanger 920. In other words, the first and second fluid channel 922,932 are arranged similarly to a concentric tube heat exchanger with a plurality heat transport elements 910 being arranged in between the fluid channels 922,932. The heating module 900 comprises a first fluid channel 922 being an inner pipe section, which is part of a heat sink heat exchanger 920, and a plurality of heat transport elements 910 arranged around the first fluid channel 922. The second fluid channel 932 is arranged around the heat transport elements 910, forming an outer pipe section and being part of a heat source heat exchanger 930. The heat transport elements 910 are configured to transport heat radially inward from the fluid in the second fluid channel 932 to the fluid in the first fluid channel 922. In some examples, the heat transport elements 910 may be arranged the other way round to transport heat from the fluid in the first fluid channel 922 to the fluid in the second fluid channel 910. In some examples, other configurations of the first and second fluid channel 922,932 and of the at least one heat transport element 910 may be envisaged. In some examples, the first and second fluid channel 922,932 may be tubings arranged close to one another with the heat transport elements 910 arranged in between. Preferably, the first and second fluid channel 922,932 are straight tubings being arranged parallelly.

[0111] The heat source heat exchanger 930 and the heat sink heat exchanger 920 in the example illustrated in FIG 9 are configured to provide heat from a fluid to the heating module 900 or to transport heat from the heating module 900 to a consumer device or a heat sink via a fluid. As the heat source heat exchanger 930 and the heat sink heat exchanger 920 are not in direct thermal contact with the heat source or the heat sink or consumer device, but are indirectly receiving the heat from the heat source via a fluid or transporting the heat to the heat sink or consumer device via a fluid, the heat source heat exchanger 930 and heat sink heat exchanger 920 may be referred to as indirect contact heat source heat exchanger 930 or indirect contact heat sink heat exchanger 920, respectively.

[0112] The first and / or second fluid channel 922,932 may comprise a propulsion device 923,933 for driving the first and / or second fluid through the first and / or second fluid channel 922,932. In the example illustrated in FIG 9, the heating module 900 comprises a propulsion device 923 for driving the first fluid through the first fluid channel 922. The heating module 900 further comprises a corresponding propulsion device 933 for driving the second fluid through the second fluid channel 932. The propulsion devices 923,933 to drive fluid through the fluid channels 922,932 may be based on any single or a combination of: a) mechanical pumps or fans, b) mechanical compressors, c) piezo-fans or piezo pumps, d) magnetohydrodynamic propulsion, e) electrohydrodynamic propulsion, f) propulsion based on wetting principles of surfaces, g) ionic propulsion.

[0113] In the example illustrated in FIG 9, the heating module 900 transports heat from the second fluid in the second fluid channel 932 to the first fluid in the first fluid channel 922. The second fluid channel 932 may be part of a fluid circuit connected to a heat source, e.g. a machine producing waste heat, which is heating up the second fluid. In FIG 9, the provided heated second fluid 935 is moved through the second fluid channel 932 of the heating module 900 by the propulsion device 933. The heat transport elements 910 are transporting heat from the second fluid to the first fluid and the then cooled second fluid 936 is moved to the heat source to be reheated by the propulsion device 933. In the first fluid channel 922, the first fluid receives the heat transported by the heat transport elements 910 and is thereby heated to a desired temperature. The heated first fluid 926 is moved to a heat sink or a consumer device, which requires or consumes the produced heat, by the propulsion device 923. After consuming heat from the first fluid by the heat sink or consumer device, the cooled first fluid 925 is moved to the first fluid channel 922 of the heating module 900 to be reheated once again.

[0114] Preferably, the at least one heat transport element 910 is configured to be operated at a temperature of at least 150°C on both the cold and the warm side. In some examples, the at least one heat transport element 910 is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 150°C to 400°C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side. In some examples, the at least one heat transport element 910 is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 400°C to 700°C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side. In some examples, the at least one heat transport element 910 is configured to be operated at a temperature above 700°C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side. As the person skilled in the art will understand, the temperature the heat transport element 910 is operating on relates to the temperature, which is reached on the warm or cold side of the heat transport element 910 during operation. I.e. relating to the example of FIG 9, if the heating module 900 is provided with a second fluid having a temperature of 100°C and a first fluid having a temperature of 150°C and transports heat from the second fluid to the first fluid to heat the first fluid to an effective temperature of 250°C, then the heat transport element 910 operates at a temperature of 250°C on the warm side and a temperature of 100°C on the cold side. Due to the operating temperature of at least 150°C being larger than the boiling point of 100°C, water is not a suitable choice as the first and / or second fluid. Preferably, the first and / or the second fluid are non-aqueous. In some examples, the first and / or second fluid comprise or consist of: a) Liquids (preferably oils, metals in liquid state, molten salts, refrigerants, hydrocarbons, liquid polymers, alcohols and acids). b) Gases (preferably NOBLE GASES, CO2, NOx, SO2, CO, NH3, refrigerants, ionized gases, other types of effluent gases, or air with temperatures beyond 150°C). c) Particulate or colloidal suspensions with high thermal conductivity (preferably ferrofluids, magnetorheological fluids, electrorheological fluids, nanofluids).

[0115] In the example of FIG 9, the heat transport elements 910 operate on the basis of the thermoelectric heat pump principle. In the example of FIG 9, each of the multiple heat transport elements 910 comprises a thermoelectric p-n semiconductor material, which is operated to transport the heat from the cold to the warm side, more precisely from the heat source heat exchanger 930 to the heat sink heat exchanger 920. The thermoelectric p-n semiconductors are configured to transport heat from the second fluid in the second fluid channel 932 to the first fluid in the first fluid channel 922, when they are powered with electricity. The heat transport elements 910 may comprise a thermally conductive, electrical insulator 913, which comprises electrodes for the p-n legs to enable the heat transport when powered with electricity. In some examples, the electrical insulator 913 may be integrated in the heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or the heat sink heat exchanger 920 to increase the heat flux thereto / therefrom.

[0116] In some examples, e.g. in the examples described with respect to FIGs 15A-B and FIGS 17A-19B, the heat transport elements 910 may operate on another heat pump principle. Some examples of other heat pump principles are given below, however, other types of heat transport elements 910 may be utilized. In the example of FIG 9, there are p-n semiconductors used as thermoelectric material for utilizing the thermoelectric heat pump principle. In the case of usage of a caloric material to utilize the caloric heat pump principle, there is no semiconductor material required.

[0117] The heat sink heat exchanger 920 and / or the heat source heat exchanger 930 may further comprise a heat spreader 938 to distribute the heat over the whole extent of the heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or heat sink heat exchanger 920 to increase the heat transfer. The heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or the heat sink heat exchanger 920 may comprise a protective layer 939 to protect the heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or the heat sink heat exchanger 920 from damage, e.g. from damage caused by a heat transport fluid circulating in the fluid channels 922,932, which is aggressive towards the material the heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or the heat sink heat exchanger 920 or any of their optional components, e.g. such as the heat spreader 938, are made of. Preferably, the protective layer 939 further has thermal insulation properties to reduce heat dissipation. In some examples, including the example of FIG 9, the heating module 900 may comprise a housing 905. Preferably, the housing 905 comprises a thermal insulation to reduce the heat being irradiated from the heating module 900. In some examples, the thermal insulation may comprise one or multiple of the following: a) a gas or a mixture of gases, b) at least one vacuum chamber, c) mineral or glass wool, d) aerogels, e) polymers and related products.

[0118] In other examples, the at least one heat transport element 910 may comprise another material to enable transport of heat from its cold side to the warm side.

[0119] In some examples, the at least one solid-state heat transport element 910 operates on the caloric or thermoelectric technologies or a combination of those. The at least one heat transport element 910 may operate on at least one of the following or any combination of the following: a) magnetocaloric heat pump principle based on the magnetocaloric effect, b) electrocaloric heat pump principle based on the electrocaloric effect, c) thermoelectric heat pump principle based on the Peltier effect, d) spin-caloritronic heat pump principle based on the spin-Peltier effect, e) elastocaloric heat pump principle based on the elastocaloric effect, f) barocaloric heat pump principle based on the barocaloric effect, g) multicaloric heat pump principle based on a combination of caloric effects, or h) hybrid heat pump principle as a combination of any aforementioned.

[0120] The at least one heat transport element 910 may operate on the basis of the magnetocaloric, or electrocaloric, or barocaloric, or elastocaloric, or multicaloric heat pump, or a hybrid heat pump principle and / or wherein the heat transport element comprises a material, which has a caloric effect that is at a maximum at temperatures of at least 150 °C. Preferably, the at least one heat transport element 910 comprises a material, which has a maximum caloric effect in the desired temperature range. For example, when utilizing the heating module 900 to provide heat for an industrial moulding process at 500°C, the at least one heat transport element 910 preferably comprises a material, which has a maximum caloric effect at roughly 500°C to increase the efficiency of the at least one heat transport element 910 and the heating module 900.

[0121] In some examples, the at least one heat transport element 910 may operate on the basis of a thermoelectric heat pump or the hybrid heat pump principle and the heat transport element 910 may comprise a thermoelectric p- and n- semiconductor material. Preferably, the at least one heat transport element 910 operates on the basis of a thermoelectric heat pump or the hybrid heat pump principle and the heat transport element 910 comprises a thermoelectric p- and n- semiconductor material, which has the figure of merit ZT larger than 0.8 at temperatures of at least 150 °C. More preferably, the figure of merit ZT is larger than 0.8 at the operating temperature of the heat transport element 910.

[0122] The figure of merit in thermoelectrics, denoted as ZT, is a dimensionless parameter that characterizes the efficiency of thermoelectric materials in converting electricity into heat. It is calculated from the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical resistivity (p), and thermal conductivity (K) using the formula ZT = S2OT / K, where o is the electrical conductivity and T is the absolute temperature. A higher ZT value indicates a more efficient thermoelectric material. The ZT value is an important metric for evaluating the performance of thermoelectric materials, with higher values being desirable for practical applications.

[0123] With respect to FIG 13 and FIG 14, there are multiple examples of preferable material properties, such as the figure of merit ZT described in more detail. However, other materials, which are not described in closer detail herein, may be utilized for the embodiments described in this disclosure.

[0124] In some examples, the at least one heat transport element 910 may be in direct thermal contact with the heat sink or the heat source. For example, instead of transporting the heat from the heat sink to the heating module 900 and the heat transport elements 910 via a second fluid as in the example of FIG 9, the cold side of the heat transport element 910 may be in direct thermal contact with the heat source. Correspondingly, the warm side of the heat transport element 910 may be in direct thermal contact with the heat sink. The heat source heat exchanger 930 and / or the heat sink heat exchanger 920 may then be referred to as a direct contact heat source heat exchanger 930 or direct contact heat sink heat exchanger 920, respectively.

[0125] FIG 10 illustrates an example of a heating module 1000, which is similar to the example of the heating module 900 shown in FIG 9, but herein, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 is in direct thermal contact with the consumer device 1050 or a substance 1050 for an industrial process, which in this example is a substance that requires heat. The example illustrated in FIG 10 corresponds to the setup of a heat pump 101 illustrated in FIG 1 B with the reference numerals of FIG 10 matching the corresponding features shown in FIG 1 B. In the example illustrated in FIG 10, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 is in direct contact with the consumer device, which e.g. may be an injection moulding apparatus 150 as referred to in FIG 1 B or a substance, that shall be heated for an industrial application, e.g. a gas as described in any of the examples of FIGs 2A, 3A, 4B, 4C, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, 8A. In the example of FIG 10, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 does not comprise a fluid channel as it is a direct contact heat sink heat exchanger 920, in contrast to the heat sink heat exchanger 920 in the examples of FIG 9 and 1A. The heat source heat exchanger 930 receives heat from a fluid circulating through the fluid channel 931. The fluid is driven through the fluid channel 931 by a propulsion device 933. Examples, features and advantages described with respect to FIG 9 relating to the heat source heat exchanger 930 or heat sink heat exchanger 920 may in some examples also apply to the direct contact heat sink heat exchanger 920 of FIG 10. The other features of the heating module 1000 are the same as in the heating module 900 of FIG 9 and thus have received the same reference numerals as in FIG 9.

[0126] FIG 11 illustrates an example of a heat pump 1101 which receives heat from a heat source via an outward heat source heat exchanger 1140 and provides heat to a heat sink or consumer via an outward heat sink heat exchanger 1141. The heat pump 1101 comprises multiple heating modules 1100a-h, which are arranged in series to enable to obtain a larger temperature span between the outward heat source heat exchanger 1140 and the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1141. In this example, each heating module 1100a-h comprises a first fluid channel 1122a and a second fluid channel 1132a, which are comprised by the heat sink heat exchanger and the heat source heat exchanger arranged at the warm and the cold side of at least one heat transport element 1110a of the heating module 1100a. Further, the heating module 1100a comprises a closed fluid circuit 1131 a around the at least one heat transport element 1110a, wherein the closed fluid circuit 1131 a comprises the first fluid channel 1122a and the second fluid channel 1132a. The heating module 1100a further comprises a propulsion device 1123a for driving a fluid through the closed fluid circuit 1131 a. The closed fluid circuit 1131 a further comprises an outward heat sink heat exchanger 1150 between the first fluid channel 1122a and the second fluid channel 1132a, when seen in a flow direction, and an outward heat source heat exchanger 1140 between the second fluid channel 1132a and the first fluid channel 1122a, also when seen in the flow direction. The outward heat source heat exchanger 1140 is in thermal contact with a heat source and is configured for providing heat from outward the heat pump 1101 thereto. The outward heat source 1140 heat exchanger is configured for thermally connecting the heating module 1100a and the closed fluid circuit 1131 a to the heat source 1140 and for transporting the heat from the heat source 1140 to the fluid in the closed fluid circuit 1131 a. The outward heat sink heat exchanger 1150 is configured for connecting the heating module 1100a to the next heating module 1100b. In the heating module 1100h, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1141 is in thermal contact with a heat sink or a consumer device to provide heat thereto. The heating modules 1100b-h comprise similar closed fluid circuits 1131 b-h, fluid channels 1122b- h,1132b-h, propulsion devices 1123b-h and heat transport elements 1110b-h, which are not described again in full detail for the sake of brevity. The outward heat sink heat exchanger 1150 of the heating module 1100a is the same as the outward heat source heat exchanger 1150 of the heating module 1100b forming a heat exchanger for connecting the heating modules 1100a,b to enable transport of heat from one to the other. In this example, the heat exchanger formed by the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1150 and the outward heat source heat exchanger 1150 is referred to as an intermediate heat exchanger 1150 as it is transporting heat between the closed fluid circuits 1131 a, b of the heat pump 1101 and not providing the heat from a heat source or transporting it to a heat sink, in contrast to the outward heat source heat exchanger 1140 and the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1141. Thus the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1150 of the heating module 1100a and the outward heat source heat exchanger 1150 of the heating module 1100b have received the same reference numeral and are in fact the same heat exchanger 1150. In some examples, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1150 of the heating module 1100a and the outward heat source heat exchanger 1150 of the heating module 1100b may be distinct parts, e.g. when there is another fluid circuit for heat transport arranged in between or if there is a material for heat conductivity arranged in between to thermally connect the two heat exchangers. However, in some examples including the one illustrated in FIG 11 , the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1150 of the heating module 1100a and the outward heat source heat exchanger 1150 of the heating module 1100b may share the same two fluid channels of the heating modules 1100a,b and therefore be the same intermediate heat exchanger 1150, which transports heat from the heating module 1100a and provides heat to the heating module 1100b. The heating module 1100b with its closed fluid circuit 1131 b is connected to the heat exchanger 1150 on one side and to the heat exchanger 1151 on the other side. The heating module 1100c with its closed fluid circuit 1131 c is connected to the heat exchanger 1151 on one side and to the heat exchanger 1152 on the other side. Correspondingly, the heating modules 1100d-h are connected to the heat exchangers 1152-1156 and to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1141 , forming the heat pump 1101 , wherein the heating modules 1100a-h are connected in series by the heat exchangers 1152-1156, which are transporting heat between the heating modules 1100a-h.

[0127] The first heating module 1100a is provided with heat from the heat source 1140, the fluid is circulating through the fluid circuit 1131 a as is indicated with an arrow in FIG 11. The fluid then passes through the first fluid channel 1122a and is heated by the heat transport element 1110a as the heat transport element 1110a transports heat from the fluid in the second fluid channel 1132a to the fluid in the first fluid channel 1122a. The heated fluid then reaches the heat exchanger 1150. The heat exchanger 1150 is configured to transport heat from the fluid in the fluid circuit 1131 a to the fluid in the fluid circuit 1 131 b. The cooled fluid in the fluid circuit 1131 a is moved from the heat exchanger 1150 through the second fluid channel 1132a, where it is further cooled as the heat is transported away by the heat transport element 1110a, to the heat source 1140, where it is reheated again. For example, the heat transport element 1110 may be provided with a fluid at the temperature of 150°C at the heat source 1140. The heat transport by the heat transport element 1110a increases the heat of the fluid to 240°C, which is the heat the fluid also has upon reaching the heat exchanger 1150 and which is the temperature, which is transported to the fluid in the fluid circuit 1131 b of the heating module 1100b. The heating module 1100b with the fluid circuit 1131 b and the heating module 1110b then further increases the temperature, providing the heating module 1100c and the fluid in the fluid circuit 1131c with a temperature of 280°C at the heat exchanger 1151 . As will be understood, every consecutive heating module 1100a- h increases the temperature enabling to realize a larger temperature difference between the outward heat source heat exchanger 1140 and the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1141. Additionally, it will be understood, that the individual temperatures that each of the heating modules 1100a-h are operating on are increasing with every consecutive heating module 1100a-h. Preferably, the heat transport elements 1110a- h of different heating modules 1100a-h are operable at different temperatures such that the operating temperatures of neighbouring heating modules 1100a-h differ by a temperature difference from each other. The temperature difference can be different or the same between different two neighbouring heating modules 1100a-h. Rephrasing the functionality of the heating modules 1100a-h arranged in series of the example of FIG 11 , the multiple closed fluid circuits 1131 a-h of the heating modules 110Oa-h are interconnected by use of the heat exchangers 1150-1156 of the heating modules 1100a-h. The closed fluid circuits 1131 a-h are thereby arranged in series, in particular such that a heat sink heat exchanger 1150-1156 of one closed fluid circuit 1131 a-h is thermally connected to a heat source heat exchanger 1150-1156 of a neighbouring closed fluid circuit 1131 a-h forming an intermediate heat exchanger 1150-1156, and the heat transport elements 1110a-h of the multiple closed fluid circuits 1131 a-h are operable at different temperatures. Preferably, the heat transport elements 1110a-h are made of a material, which has the maximum efficiency at their intended operating temperature. As the heat transport elements 1110a-h are intended to be operated at different temperatures as described above, the heat transport elements 1110a-h are preferably made of different materials. Further details to the materials for the heat transport elements 1110a-h have been introduced with respect to the heat transport elements 910 of FIG 9.

[0128] The heat pump 1101 may comprise a controller 1142 for operating the at least one heat transport element 1110a-h of the at least one heating module 1100a-h. The controller may be configured to operate the at least one heat transport element 1110a- h of the at least one heating module 110Oa-h such that its temperature reaches at least 150°C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side of the at least one heat transport element 1110a-h. The controller 1142 may further be configured to operate the propulsion device 1131 a-h of the at least one heating module 1100a-h. Preferably, the controller 1142 is configured to selectively activate any, multiple or all of the heating modules 1100a-h. In some examples, the heat pump 1101 may comprise a housing. Preferably, the heating modules 1 100a-h and the controller 1142 are arranged in the housing. More preferably, the housing comprises a thermal insulation for insulating the housing and reducing thermal energy loss of the heat pump 1101 , thereby increasing its efficiency. In some examples, the thermal insulation may comprise one or multiple of the following: f) a gas or a mixture of gases, g) at least one vacuum chamber, h) mineral or glass wool, i) aerogels, j) polymers and related products.

[0129] Any of the outward heat source heat exchanger 1140 or the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1141 or any of the intermediate heat exchangers 1150-1156 of the heating module 1100a or any of the heat exchangers mentioned in this disclosure are configured to transport heat from one part or medium to another, e.g. from or to a fluid for heat transport, a heating module 900,901 ,1100a-h or heat transport element 910, a heat source, a heat sink or a consumer device. Preferably, the heat exchanger is designed to increase the heat transport flux, e.g. by comprising a material having a large thermal conductivity or a large contact surface area. In some examples, the first and / or second heat exchanger comprises any or a combination of the following: a) ceramic materials, or high temperature polymers, or metals, or non-metallic compounds, or graphite, or a combination thereof, b) heat spreaders or heat conduits, c) fluid channels.

[0130] FIG 12 illustrates multiple examples of a heat exchanger 1150, which is configured for heat transport between a first closed fluid circuit 1131 a and a second closed fluid circuit 1131 b. The first closed fluid circuit 1131 a is not illustrated in FIG 12, but is connected to the heat exchanger 1150, e.g. as illustrated in FIG 11 . At the bottom of FIG 12, there are four examples of a heat exchanger 1150 illustrated. In each of the four examples, the heat exchanger 1150 comprises a first fluid inlet 1148a and a first fluid outlet 1149a, which are in this example related to the closed fluid circuit 1131a, which is comprising the heat exchanger 1150 as described in FIG 11 . The first fluid inlet 1148a and the first fluid outlet 1149a are connected by a tubing system inside the heat exchanger 1150, the tubing system being part of the closed fluid circuit 1131 a. The fluid in the closed fluid circuit 1131 a enters the heat exchanger 1150 through the first fluid inlet 1148a and exits the heat exchanger 1150 through the first fluid outlet 1149a. The heat exchanger 1150 further comprises a second fluid inlet 1148b and a second fluid outlet 1149b, which are in this example related to the closed fluid circuit 1131 b, which is comprising the heat exchanger 1150 as described in FIG 11. The second fluid inlet 1148b and the second fluid outlet 1149b are connected by a tubing system inside the heat exchanger 1150, the tubing system being part of the closed fluid circuit 1131 b.The fluid in the closed fluid circuit 1131 b enters the heat exchanger 1150 through the second fluid inlet 1148b and exits the heat exchanger 1150 through the second fluid outlet 1149b. In each of the examples illustrated in FIG 12, the first fluid inlet 1148a and the first fluid outlet 1149a are connected by a tubing system to enable the flux of the fluid as described above. The second fluid inlet 1148b and the second fluid outlet 1149b are connected by a tubing system as well. The heat exchanger 1150 is configured to transport heat from the fluid in the closed fluid circuit 1131 a to the fluid in the closed fluid circuit 1131 b. Preferably, the heat exchanger 1150 is made of a material that has a high heat conductivity and / or comprises a large contact surface between the closed fluid circuit 1131a and the closed fluid circuit 1131 b to increase the heat transport flux.

[0131] In the first example shown on the left, the second fluid inlet 1148b and the second fluid outlet 1149b are connected by a tubing system being part of the closed fluid circuit 1131 b, wherein the single tubing at the second fluid inlet 1148b is split up in several tubings to increase the contact surface. The several tubings are then merged into a single tubing at the second fluid outlet 1149b. The first fluid inlet 1148a and the first fluid outlet 1149a are connected by a similar tubing system being part of the closed fluid circuit 1131 a, which is not shown in FIG 12 as it is behind the tubing system of the closed fluid circuit 1131 b, and which formed between the second fluid inlet 1148b and the second fluid outlet 1149b and arranged in a way to have a large overlapping area of the tubing systems of the closed fluid circuits 1131a and 1131 b to increase the heat transport flux therebetween. In some examples, the arrangement of the tubing systems may differ, e.g. the first and second fluid inlet 1148a, b may be arranged at the same side of the heat exchanger resulting in a parallel flow heat exchanger. In some examples, the tubing system of any or both of the closed fluid circuits 1131 a,b may comprise another number of tubings or may comprise tubing arranged in another shape, e.g. not all tubings being parallelly aligned.

[0132] In the second example being illustrated in the middle left, the tubing systems of the closed fluid circuits 1131 a and 1131 b each comprise a tubing, which are connecting the first fluid inlet 1148a to the first fluid outlet 1149a and the second fluid inlet 1148b to the second fluid outlet 1149b, respectively. In this example, the tubings are bent and the fluids are flowing in opposite directions forming a counterflow heat exchanger. In some examples, the tubings may have another shape, preferably, the shape of the tubings of the closed fluid circuits 1131 a and 1131 b are corresponding to one another to create a large contact surface to increase the heat transport flux therebetween. In some examples, the flow directions in any of the closed fluid circuits 1131 a, b may differ, e.g. forming a parallel flow heat exchanger.

[0133] In the third example being illustrated in the middle right, the tubing system of the closed fluid circuit 1131 b comprises a tubing having multiple bents to increase the contact surface area. The tubing system of the closed fluid circuit 1131 a comprises multiple tubings similar to the first example on the left of FIG 12. Both tubing systems are arranged on top of one another as in the first example on the left of FIG 12 to increase the contact surface for heat transport.

[0134] In the fourth example on the right of FIG 12, both of the tubing systems of the closed fluid circuits 1131 a and 1131 b comprise an elongated tubing having a considerable width compared to their length. The tubings are having a large width to form a large contact surface area. In this example, the length of the tubings in the heat exchanger equals the width of the tubing thus forming a square contact surface. Both of the tubings are arranged on top of one another to bring the tubings in thermal contact. In some examples, only one of the tubings may have an elongated tubing and the other tubing comprises any shape introduced in another example herein. The features of the heat exchanger 1150 described above may also be comprised by any of the other heat exchangers described throughout this application, e.g. the heat exchangers 1151 -1156 described in FIG 11 .

[0135] FIG 13 and FIG 14 illustrated preferred operational parameters and preferred properties or material properties of the heat transport elements 910 of the heating modules described in this disclosure. In some examples, the heat transport elements 910 of the heat pumps described in this disclosure may be operated or selected based on the criterions described in FIGs 13 and 14. In some examples, other materials, which are not satisfying the criterions described in FIGs 13 and / or 14 or other operational parameters may be utilized for operation of the heat transport elements 910.

[0136] FIG 13 shows a preferable operational area for use of the thermoelectric ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP depending on the COPheating (the ratio between the heating power of thermoelectric heating modules and the input electric power to thermoelectric heating modules, such as Peltier modules) and the temperature ratio between the hot and the cold side of a heat transport element 910 of a single heating module 900. This preferable area comprises those p- and n- thermoelectric materials, in which the figure of merit ZT of their thermoelectric p- and n- semiconductors is at least 0.8. The preferable area comprises a value of COPheating being larger than 1 . The diagram in FIG 13 illustrates with a thick black lines the lower limit of preferred operation being at ZT larger than 0.8. Further, two curves are illustrating the performance curves of heating modules 900 comprising heat transport elements 910 being made of materials with ZT equalling 1 and 2, respectively. The upper limit of performance is described by the Carnot limit, being at ZT equalling infinity.

[0137] FIG 14 illustrates a preferable operational area for use of the thermoelectric ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP depending on the ratio between the applied electrical current and the maximum applicable current of a single thermoelectric heating module 900 in relation to COPheating. This particular area is on one hand limited by the lowest allowable COPheating being larger than 1 . Any value of the COPheating above COPheating equalling 1 is preferable. On the other hand, this particular area is limited by the ratio between the electrical current applied to a single heating module 900 versus the maximum possible electrical current, which can be applied to the heating module 900. In this example, the particular area is limited by the ratio of applied electrical current versus the maximum electrical current being less than 0.5. FIG 14 shows multiple curves, which are corresponding to the temperature difference between the hot and cold side of the heat transport elements 910 of the thermoelectric heating module 900. The thickest curve on top shows a temperature difference being zero, which is the limit of operation as the temperature difference has to be larger than zero for the heating module 900 to transport heat. The other curves are illustrating further examples of temperature differences between the hot and the cold side of the heat transport element 910 of the thermoelectric heating module 900 during operation, with larger temperature differences that the curves are corresponding to increasing from the top to the bottom of the figure.

[0138] FIGs 15A-D illustrate examples of heating modules 1500,1501 comprising at least one heat transport elements 910. In the illustrated examples, each heating module 1500,1501 comprises seven heat transport elements 910, however, in further examples, other numbers may be present, e.g. one or two. A larger number of heat transport elements 910 may increase the heat transported therethrough resulting in a larger temperature difference between the cold and the warm side thereof. The layout of the heating modules 1500, 1501 is similar to the layout of any of the heating modules 1100a-h shown in FIG 11. In the examples of FIGs 15A-D, each heating module 1500,1501 comprises seven heat transport elements 910, which comprise a heat sink heat exchanger 920 arranged at their warm side and a heat source heat exchanger 930 arranged at their cold side. In some examples, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 of each of the heat transport elements 910 may be integrally formed as a single heat sink heat exchanger 920, as is illustrated in the examples of FIGs 15A-D. In some examples, the heat source heat exchanger 930 of each of the heat transport elements 910 may be integrally formed as a single heat source heat exchanger 930, as is illustrated in the examples of FIGs 15A-D. In some examples, the heat source heat exchanger 930, heat sink heat exchanger 920 and heat transport elements 910 are arranged in a housing 905 of the respective heating module 1500,1501 as illustrated in the examples of FIGs 15A-D. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 comprises a first fluid channel 922 and the heat sink heat exchanger 930 comprises a second fluid channel 932. Further, the heating modules 1500,1501 comprise a closed fluid circuit 1531 arranged around the heat transport elements 910, wherein the closed fluid circuit 1531 comprises the first fluid channel 922 and the second fluid channel 932. The heating modules 1500,1501 further comprise a propulsion device 1523 for driving a fluid through the closed fluid circuit 1531. The closed fluid circuit 1531 further comprises an outward heat sink heat exchanger 1520 between the first fluid channel 922 and the second fluid channel 932, when seen in a flow direction, and an outward heat source heat exchanger 1530 between the second fluid channel 932 and the first fluid channel 922, also when seen in the flow direction. The outward heat source heat exchanger 1530 is configured for providing heat from a heat source to the closed fluid circuit 1531 . In these examples, the outward heat source heat exchanger receives heat from the heat source via a heat transfer fluid. The outward heat sink heat exchanger 1520 is configured for providing heat from the closed fluid circuit 1531 to a heat source. In the example of FIGs 15A-B, the outward heat sink heat exchanger transports heat to the heat sink via a heat transfer fluid. Preferably, any of the heat transfer fluids are non-aqueous. In the example of FIGs 15C-D, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1520 is in direct contact with the material to be heated, i.e. it is a direct contact outward heat sink heat exchanger 1520. In the examples of FIGs 15A-D, the heat transport elements 910 are operating on the basis of any of the caloric heat pump principles, e.g. magnetocaloric, or electrocaloric, or barocaloric, or elastocaloric, or multicaloric heat pump principles. The heat transport elements 910 comprise a caloric regenerator, which comprises a caloric or multicaloric material. The heating modules 1500,1501 comprise an external field source, which is not illustrated in the drawings. The external field source provides a field or a force to power the heat transport elements 910. The caloric material of the heat transport elements 910 requires an external field or an external force to produce the caloric effect, e.g. a magnetocaloric material requires a magnetic field. The external field source is configured to provide the external fields and / or forces required by the caloric or multicaloric material of the heat transport elements 910 to produce the caloric effect. The heat transport elements 910 further each comprise a fluid channel and a hydraulic system 911 , which is configured to transport a heat transfer fluid through the fluid channel. The movement of the heat transfer fluid is preferably dependent on the on or off state of the provided external field as is described in more detail below. In some examples, the hydraulic system 911 may be a pump. The fluid channel is arranged in the heat transport element 910 from the cold side to the warm side. Preferably, the heat transfer fluid is non-aqueous.

[0139] FIGs 15A-B illustrate a heating module 1500, wherein the caloric material of the heat transport elements 910 is subjected to the external field or force, therefore it is heated. Simultaneously, the heat transfer fluid is driven by the hydraulic system 911 to move in the direction of the black arrow, i.e. towards the heat sink heat exchanger 920 arranged at the warm side of the heat transport element 910. By this, the heat transfer fluid in the fluid channel is moving from the heat source heat exchanger 930 through the caloric regenerator, where it is heated, and passes towards the heat sink heat exchanger 920. The heat provided from the heat transfer fluid to the heat sink heat exchanger 920 is then transported to the heat transport fluid circulating in the closed fluid circuit 1531 and is transported to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1520.

[0140] In FIG 15B, the caloric material is not subjected to the field or force, therefore it is cooled. Simultaneously, the heat transfer fluid is driven by the hydraulic system 911 to move in the direction of the black arrow, i.e. towards the heat source heat exchanger 930 arranged at the cold side of the heat transport element 910. By this, the heat transfer fluid in the fluid channel is moving from the heat sink heat exchanger 920 through the caloric regenerator, where it is cooled, and passes towards the heat source heat exchanger 930. The cooled heat transfer fluid reaches the heat source heat exchanger 930, where it is heated by heat from the heat transport fluid in the closed fluid circuit 1531 to start the cycle for another round. The heat transport fluid in the closed fluid circuit 1531 is transported to the outward heat source heat exchanger 1530 to be heated and then is transported to the heat sink heat exchanger 920 for further upgrading to a desired temperature level.

[0141] FIGs 15C and 15D illustrate a similar embodiment as FIGs 15A and 15B, but as mentioned above, in the example of FIGs 15C-D, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1520 is in direct contact with the material or device to be heated, i.e. it is a direct contact outward heat sink heat exchanger 1520.

[0142] FIG 16 illustrates a preferable operational area for use of the thermoelectric ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP comprising at least one heat transport element 910 operating on the basis of any caloric or multicaloric principle. The efficiency of usage of the caloric or multicaloric effect is dependent on the adiabatic temperature change, which is illustrated on the left y-axis of the graph. The efficiency of usage of the caloric or multicaloric effect is dependent on the isothermal entropy change, which is illustrated on the right y-axis of the graph. The efficiency of usage of the caloric or multicaloric effect is dependent on the operating temperature of the heat transport element 910, which is illustrated on the x-axis of the graph. In this example, the whole temperature range above 150°C with an adiabatic temperature change of at least 1 K and / or an isothermal entropy change of at least 1 J / kgK may be advantageous for operation. In some examples, other operational parameters or material properties may be selected for the heat transport elements 910.

[0143] FIGs 17A, 17B and FIG 18A, 18B and FIG 19A, 19B illustrate examples of heat pumps 1701 ,1702,1801 ,1802,1901 ,1902 comprising three heating modules 1700a,b,c, which are similar to the setup illustrated in FIGS 15C and 15D, but comprises another arrangement of heat transport elements 910. For the sake of brevity, the reference numerals of matching features have been increased by 200 to start with the digits “17” to resemble the figure number FIG 17 or utilize the same reference numerals such as utilized for earlier drawings of this disclosure. The already described features will not be introduced in detail again, but the difference are pointed out below. As the embodiments of FIGs 17A,B and 18A,B and 19A,B differ slightly, the same reference numerals are used for all figures and the description is merged.

[0144] The heating modules 1700a-c are arranged close to one another, such that their heat sink heat exchangers 920 are interconnected one after another by the closed fluid circuit 1731 and their heat source heat exchangers 930 are interconnected one after another by the closed fluid circuit 1731 , respectively. In this example, the heating modules 1700a-c are arranged next to one another and share a common heat sink heat exchanger 920 and a common heat source heat exchanger 930. In some examples, the heating modules 1700a-c may be spatially distinct and each have their own heat source heat exchanger 930 and heat sink heat exchanger 920 being connected by the closed fluid circuit 1731. In some examples, another number of heating modules 1700a-c may be comprised by the heat pump, e.g. two heating modules or four or five.

[0145] In some examples, the heating modules 1700a-c may comprise various types of heat transport elements 910, e.g. a heat transport element 910 operating on the thermoelectric heat pump principle as introduced in FIG 9 or a heat transport element 910 operating on a caloric heat pump principle as introduced in FIG 17 or a combination thereof. Arranging multiple heating modules 1700a-c close to one another and connecting their heat source heat exchangers 930 and heat sink heat exchangers 920 by a closed fluid circuit 1731 may increase the temperature difference obtainable between the outward heat source heat exchanger 1730 and the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720. E.g. in the example of FIG 17, the heating modules 1700a-c may be operated at an increasing operating temperature from the left to the right side of the figure, increasing the output temperature of the fluid, which transports the heat to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720.

[0146] The heating modules 1700a-c each comprise a plurality of heat transport elements 910. In this example, the heating modules 1700a-c each comprise three heat transport elements 910a,b,c. In some examples, the heating modules 1700a-c may comprise a different number of heat transport elements 910, i.e. they may not all comprise the same number of heat transport elements 910. In FIGs 17A-B, the heat transport elements 910a-c of the heating module 1700a are provided with reference numerals, the corresponding heat transport elements 910a-c of the heating modules 1700b-c have not been provided with reference numerals to keep the picture of figure clear. The reader will understand, that the heating modules 1700b-c of the embodiment shown in FIG 17A-B are comprising similar features and are configured to be operated in the same way. In some examples including the illustrated one, the heat transport elements 910a-c are arranged as a stack, i.e. they are having the same orientation of their cold and warm sides. In other words, all the warm sides of the heat transport elements 91 Oa-c are facing in one direction, towards the heat sink heat exchanger 920. Arranging multiple heat transport elements 91 Oa-c as a stack may increase the maximum temperature difference that may be reached between the cold side of the first heat transport element 910a and the warm side of the last heat transport element 910c. Thereby, the operating temperature of each heat transport element 91 Oa-c in the stack will gradually increase from the cold side to the warm side of the stack. The cold side of the stack is the cold side of the first heat transport element 910a of the stack, whereat the temperature is the lowest. The warm side of the stack is the warm side of the last heat transport element 910c of the stack, whereat the temperature is the highest. Both the cold side and the warm side of the stack are not facing another of the heat transport elements 91 Oa-c, but are the outer faces of the stacked heat transport elements 91 Oa-c. Each heat transport element 91 Oa-c may be operated to create a selected temperature difference between its cold side and its warm side. Arranging multiple heat transport elements 91 Oa-c as a stack may increase the total temperature difference obtainable between the cold side of the first heat transport element 910a and the warm side of the last heat transport element 910c. In more detail, the warm side of a first heat transport element 910a is facing the cold side of the second heat transport element 910b. The warm side of the second heat transport element 910b is facing the cold side of the third heat transport element 910c. The cold side of the first heat transport element 910a is connected to the heat source heat exchanger 930. The warm side of the third heat transport element 910c, which is the last heat transport element 91 Oa-c, is connected to the heat sink heat exchanger 920. In other examples, another number of heat transport elements 91 Oa-c may be present, e.g. two.

[0147] In some embodiments, the operating principle and / or the operating temperature of each heat transport element 91 Oa-c of the stack may be selected individually. As described, the multiple heat transport elements 91 Oa-c arranged in the stack will have increasing operating temperatures as they are receiving heat from the previous heat transport element 91 Oa-c and are upgrading the heat to a higher temperature. Individually selecting a material and / or operating principle, which has a maximum efficiency at the temperature range that each heat transport element 91 Oa-c is operating on, may increase the efficiency of stack as a whole and of the heating module 1700a-c.

[0148] In some examples, e.g. in the example illustrated in FIGs 17A, 17B, 18A, 18B, 19A, 19B, at least one layer of a caloric or multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912 or a material comprising a combination thereof is arranged between the cold side and the warm side of each of the neighbouring stacked heat transport elements 910a-c. The caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912 is arranged between sets of two neighbouring heat transport elements 910a-c, more precisely between the warm side of a first heat transport element 910a-c and the cold side of a second, neighbouring heat transport element 910a-c, thus there is a layer of the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912 on both sides of the heat transport element 910a-c, optionally, but not in this example, the layer of the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912 may be on the cold side of the first heat transport element 910a and / or on the warm side of the last heat transport element 910c.

[0149] In some embodiments, e.g. in the example of FIGs 17A, 17B, 18A, 18B, 19A, 19B, the heat transport elements 910a-c are configured to operate as thermal switches, i.e. to be selectively activated to enable heat transport from a first caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a on the cold side of the heat transport element 910b to a second caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912b on the warm side of the heat transport element 910b. Selectively enabling heat transport from the first caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a on the cold side of the heat transport element 910b to the second caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912b on the warm side of the heat transport element 910b may improve the efficiency of the heating module 1700a-c, as the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric materials are operated in heating cycles, which are beneficially operated if heat is selectively provided to or removed from the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material by the heat transport elements 910a-c.

[0150] Preferably, the layers of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a-b are selected to have a maximum efficiency at gradually increasing temperatures from the cold side to the warm side of the stack. Similar to the heat transport elements 91 Oa-c, the caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric materials 912a-b have a maximum efficiency at a temperature depending on the material choice. As the operating temperature is gradually increasing in the stack of heat transport elements 91 Oa-c as described, the efficiency of the heating module 1700a-c may be increase by selecting suitable materials for the layers of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric materials 912 having a maximum efficiency at the respective operating temperatures in the stack.

[0151] The heating modules 1700a-c comprise an external field source, which is not illustrated in the drawings. The external field source provides a field or a force to power the layers of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric materials 912a-b. The caloric or multicaloric material 912 requires an external field or an external force to produce the caloric effect, e.g. a magnetocaloric material requires a magnetic field. The external field source is configured to provide the external fields and / or forces required by the caloric or multicaloric material to produce the caloric effect.

[0152] Preferably, in operation, the heat transport element 910a is activated to transport heat from the heat source heat exchanger 930 to the first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a. The external field source is activated to provide the field or force to the first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a to further heat the first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a. The second heat transport element 910b may be activated to transport heat from the first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a to the second layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912b. After the heat is transferred to the second layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912b, the first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a may now not be provided with the external field for the caloric effect, i.e. the first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a may now be cooled. As the first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a is cooling down, the heat transport element 910b may be deactivated to not transport any cold from the cooling first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a to the second layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912b. Thereby, the heat transport elements 910a-c may be selectively activated to improve the heating and cooling cycles of the layers of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric materials 912a-b. As will be understood, the second layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912b or any further layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912 and its respectively neighbouring heat transport elements 910b-c,910 may be operated accordingly as described with respect to the first layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a and the heat transport elements 910a,b. In this example, the heat from the second layer of caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912b is transported to the heat sink heat exchanger 920 via a third heat transport element 910c. The heat source heat exchanger 930 and heat sink heat exchanger 920 are connected to an outward heat source heat exchanger 1730 and an outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720 via the closed fluid circuit 1731 comprising a propulsion device 1723 as has been described in similar embodiment throughout this disclosure.

[0153] In the example of FIG 17A, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720 is a direct contact outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720, which is in direct contact with the substance or device to be heated.

[0154] In the example of FIG 17B showing heat pump 1702, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720 is an indirect contact outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720, which heats a heat transport fluid to transport the heat to a consumer device.

[0155] FIG 18A, FIG 18B and FIG 19A, FIG 19B illustrate further examples being similar to FIGs 17A and 17B. In these examples, there is a stack comprising a first and a second heat transport element 910a,b and one layer of a caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a arranged in between. In this example, the second heat transport element 910b is configured to transport heat from the layer of a caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a to the heat sink heat exchanger 920.

[0156] In the example of FIG 18A showing heat pump 1801 , the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720 is a direct contact outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720, which is in direct contact with the substance or device to be heated.

[0157] In the example of FIG 18B showing heat pump 1802, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720 is an indirect contact outward heat sink heat exchanger 1720, which heats a heat transport fluid to transport the heat to a consumer device.

[0158] In the example of FIGs 19A and 19B, the stack of the first and second heat transport element 910a,b and the one layer of a caloric, multicaloric or thermoelectric material 912a arranged in between is the same as in FIGs 18A and 18B, but in contrast thereto, there is no closed fluid circuit 1731. Instead, in some examples including the example of FIGs 19A,B, the heating modules 1700a-c may be arranged in a setup as shown in the example of FIG 1 A and FIG 1 B.

[0159] The example of FIG 19A showing heat pump 1901 corresponds to the example of FIG 1 B, comprising a closed fluid circuit 1931 comprising a propulsion device 1933 for providing heat from an outward heat source heat exchanger 1930 to the heat source heat exchanger 930 via a heat transport fluid. The closed fluid circuit 1931 comprises the fluid channel 932 of the heat source heat exchanger 930. The heat sink heat exchanger 920 in this example is a direct contact heat sink heat exchanger as e.g. illustrated in the example of FIG 1 B. In the example of FIG 19A, the outward heat source heat exchanger 1930 comprises a fluid circuit 1998 for receiving heat from a heat source.

[0160] The example of FIG 19B showing heat pump 1902 corresponds to the example of FIG 1A, comprising a closed fluid circuit 1931 comprising a propulsion device 1933 for providing heat from an outward heat source heat exchanger 1930 to the heat source heat exchanger 930 via a heat transport fluid. The closed fluid circuit 1931 comprises the fluid channel 932 of the heat source heat exchanger 930. The heat pump 1901 further comprises a closed fluid circuit 1921 comprising a propulsion device 1923 for providing heat from an outward heat source heat exchanger 1920 to the heat source heat exchanger 920 via a heat transport fluid. The closed fluid circuit 1921 comprises the fluid channel 922 of the heat source heat exchanger 920.

[0161] In the example of FIG 19B, the outward heat source heat exchanger 1930 comprises a fluid circuit 1998 for receiving heat from a heat source. In the example of FIG 19B, the outward heat sink heat exchanger 1920 comprises a fluid circuit 1999 for transporting heat to a heat sink.

[0162] Preferably, any of the heat transport fluids are non-aqueous.

[0163] In some examples, the heat source heat exchanger 930 may be a direct contact heat sink heat exchanger. In some examples, the heat sink heat exchanger 920 may be a direct contact heat sink heat exchanger 920.

[0164] FIG 20 illustrates a further example of a heat pump 2001 , which comprises at least two heating modules 2000. The example of FIG 20 is similar to the examples of FIGs 17A,B to 19A,B. In the example illustrated in FIG 20, the heat pump 2001 comprises three heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c. In some examples, the heat pump 2001 may comprise another number of heating modules 2000, e.g. four, five or another number. The heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c may be heating modules as described with respect to any other Figure, claim or in another section of this disclosure, and comprise at least one heat transport element 910. Each heating module 2000a, 2000b, 2000c comprises a heat source heat exchanger 930a, 930b, 930c arranged at the cold side of at least one heat transport element 910, and a heat sink heat exchanger 920a, 920b, 920c arranged at the warm side of the at least one heat transport element 910. The heat transport elements 910 of the heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c are configured to transport heat from the respective heat source heat exchanger 930a, 930b, 930c to the respective heat sink heat exchanger 920a, 920b, 920c. In this example, the at least two heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c are arranged next to one forming an arrangement of heating modules, such that the heat sink heat exchangers 920a, 920b, 920c of the at least two heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c are connected to form a single heat sink heat exchanger 2024, and such that the heat source heat exchangers 930a, 930b, 930c of the at least two heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c are connected to form a single heat source heat exchanger 2034. Arranging the at least two heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c next to one another may reduce the loss of heat, as there is no requirement for insulation in between the heat sink heat exchangers 920a, 920b, 920c, and in between the heat source heat exchangers 930a, 930b, 930c. Further, the dimensions of the heat pump 2001 may be smaller, which is advantageous for shipping the heat pump and installing the heat pump in narrow spaces. As the dimensions of the closed fluid circuit 2031 are smaller, less pressure is required to drive the heat transport fluid through the closed fluid circuit 2031 . Further, the arrangement of the heat transport elements 910 and the fluid circuit 2031 is very simple, with reduces the installation complexity and installation time and facilitates maintenance. Further, the control of the at least two heating modules

[0165] 2000a, 2000b, 2000c is simple as the temperature difference between the hot and cold side of the heat transport elements 910 of the different heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c can be adjusted easily.

[0166] In some examples, the heat sink heat exchangers 920a, 920b, 920c may be arranged next to one another so that they have a thermal contact. In some examples, the heat sink heat exchangers 920a, 920b, 920c may be integrally formed as a single heat sink heat exchanger 2024. In some examples, the heat source heat exchangers 930a, 930b, 930c may be arranged next to one another so that they have a thermal contact. In some examples, the heat source heat exchangers 930a, 930b, 930c may be integrally formed as a single heat source heat exchanger 2034. In this example, the heat sink heat exchangers 920a, 920b, 920c, or rather the single heat sink heat exchanger 2024, comprises a first fluid channel 922 and the heat sink heat exchangers 930a, 930b, 930c, or rather the single heat source heat exchanger 2034 comprises a second fluid channel 932. Further, the heat pump 2001 may comprise a closed fluid circuit 2031 arranged around the heat transport elements 910, wherein the closed fluid circuit 2031 comprises the first fluid channel 922 and the second fluid channel 932. The heat pump 2001 may further comprise a propulsion device for driving a fluid through the closed fluid circuit 2031 (not shown). The closed fluid circuit 2031 may further comprise an outward heat sink heat exchanger 2020 arranged between the first fluid channel 922 and the second fluid channel 932, when seen in a flow direction, and an outward heat source heat exchanger 2030 arranged between the second fluid channel 932 and the first fluid channel 922, also when seen in the flow direction. The outward heat source heat exchanger 2030 is configured for providing heat from a heat source to the closed fluid circuit 2031 . In these examples, the outward heat source heat exchanger 2030 receives heat from the heat source via a heat transfer fluid. The outward heat sink heat exchanger 2020 is configured for providing heat from the closed fluid circuit 2031 and from the heat pump 2001 to a heat source.

[0167] In some examples, the different heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c are operable at different temperatures such that the operating temperatures of neighbouring heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c differ by a temperature difference from each other, and such that there is a gradient of the operating temperature along the arrangement of the at least two heating modules 2000a, 2000b, 2000c. In the example of FIG 20, the heating module 2000a is closest to the outward heat source heat exchanger 2030 and may operate at the lowest temperature. The heating module 2000c is closest to the outward heat sink heat exchanger 2020, thus the heat transfer fluid in the closed fluid circuit 1531 moving towards the outward heat sink heat exchanger 2020 has been preheated by the heating modules 2000a, 2000b. The operating temperature of the heating module 2000c may be higher than the operating temperature of the heating module 2000a. The heating module 2000b is arranged in the middle and thus may operate at a temperature, which is higher than the operating temperature of the heating module 2000a, but lower than the operating temperature of the heating module 2000c. Similarly, the heat transfer fluid is cooled down after passing through the outward heat source heat exchanger 2020. The temperature of the heat transfer fluid drops as the heat transfer fluid passes through the heat source heat exchangers 930c, b, a as the heat transport elements 910 are transferring heat from the heat transfer fluid in the heat source heat exchangers 930c, b, a.

[0168] Thus, the temperature of the heat transfer fluid is higher in the heat sink heat exchanger 920c than in the heat sink heat exchangers 920a, b, but also the temperature of the heat transfer fluid is higher in the heat source heat exchanger 930c than in the heat source heat exchangers 930a, b. The operating temperature of the heating module 2000c may thus be higher than the operating temperature of the heating modules 2000a, b. Preferably, the heating module 2000c comprises other materials than the heating modules 2000a, b to reflect the different operating temperature and enable an improved efficiency at the operating temperature.

[0169] Further examples of this disclosure relate to an industrial processing apparatus comprising a device for carrying out an industrial process and a heat source configured for proving heat for the industrial process, wherein the heat source comprises a heating module or a heat pump as described in this disclosure.

[0170] Further examples of this disclosure relate to a method of carrying out an industrial process, wherein the industrial process comprises a heating step in which the heat is provided by a heating module or a heat pump as described in this disclosure.

[0171] Further embodiments and examples are described in the following addendum.

[0172] EXTREME, BEYOND EXTREME, AND FAR BEYOND EXTREME TEMPERATURE HEAT PUMP FOR ABSORPTION AND TRANSPORT OF HEAT FROM-OR-TO NONAQUEOUS SUBSTANCES FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES AND APPLICATIONS

[0173] Inventors: Andrej Kitanovski and Katja Klinar, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

[0174] Abstract: Large number of different industrial processes require heat. Many processes require heat at temperature above 150°. The presently known energetically most efficient way to produce such heat is by vapor compression heat pumps, which utilize the waste heat as the heat source and upgrade it to a desired temperature level. For this purpose, several studies and also products on the market exist. However, the vapor compression is limited by the properties and environmental aspects of refrigerants, and today’s highest temperatures targeted by the vapor compression heat pump technologies are up to 150°C. This restriction holds also for up-to-presently developed sorption heat pumps.

[0175] It is an object of the patent invention to provide solid-state heat pumps whose temperature levels of the heat recovery are preferably extreme temperatures between 150°C and 400 °C, beyond extreme temperature between 400 °C to 700 °C, and far beyond extreme temperatures above 700°C. Our investigation reveals that there exists no such heat pump technology today. Compared to electrical or gas high-to-ultra high temperature heaters for any temperature level, the proposed technology represents better energy efficiency and smaller carbon footprint.

[0176] Among the solid-state technologies, which concern extreme, beyond extreme, and far beyond extreme temperature solid-state heat pumps, this invention concerns the caloric (magnetocaloric, electrocaloric, elastocaloric, barocaloric, and multicaloric), and thermoelectric (Peltier, spin-Peltier) technologies or combinations of those.

[0177] There exists no publication, patent, report, or presentation for extreme, beyond extreme, and far beyond extreme temperature solid-state heat pumps, as presented in this invention.

[0178] 1. INTRODUCTION

[0179] In the recent years, large efforts of the research community and industry has been put to develop heat pumps, which are capable of recovering heat from different industrial processes, as well as to provide heat at the certain temperature level for those processes (1 ,2).

[0180] The industrial processes, which require temperature levels above 150°C, are the following, among the others: Chemical industry, Mining, Non-metallic mineral industry, Iron and steel industry, Plastic industry, and of course industry of different products, related to vehicles, household and professional appliances, among the others. Vapor compression is a mature technology which for the large-scale devices can reach the second law efficiency up to 65%. However, the technology suffers the lack of environmentally friendly refrigerants (6), and it is based on moving parts, vibration and noise, which, despite the devices are well optimized, to a certain level restricts their use in certain environments or restricts their life span. Moreover, the availability of environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and non-flammable refrigerants is further and substantially narrowed when dealing with the potential applications up to 200°C (7,8). However, the potential to exploit waste heat and / or to provide heat to different processes without using the direct conversion of fuels or electricity is enormous (9- 12).

[0181] This invention here concerns solid state heat pump technologies for the applications with heat sink temperatures above 150°C. Since there exists no definition for such heat pumps, we denote new definition here:

[0182] - Extreme temperature heat pumps (ETHP) operating at heat sink temperatures between 150°C and 400°C,

[0183] - Beyond extreme temperature heat pumps (BETHP) operating at heat sink temperatures between 400°C and 700°C,

[0184] - Far beyond extreme temperature heat pumps (FBETHP) operating at heat sink temperatures above 700°C.

[0185] The solid-state heat pumps of this invention, which concern ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP solid-state heat pumps, regard thermoelectric technologies and caloric or multicaloric technologies and their combination. These are based on Peltier and spin- Peltier effect, and on caloric technologies, the magnetocaloric, electrocaloric, elastocaloric, barocaloric, and multicaloric effect, respectively. There is no evidence or scientific paper, report, patent application or patent, or conference paper on a solid- state heat pump, operating above 150°C.

[0186] About existing caloric heat pumps

[0187] In caloric or multicaloric technologies, that are the subject of investigations today and concern heat pumps, researchers mostly focus on applications near room temperature, i.e. consider heat pumps up to maximum 60°C (low temperature heat pumps), which is evident from the following references (13-19), and also evident from the review papers that consider caloric materials or caloric heat pumps (20-33). In general, the caloric technologies focus today on cryogenics, refrigeration, cooling above room temperatures, low temperature heat pumping, and energy harvesting (20,25,34).

[0188] Our research reveals, that despite there was a minor number of investigations on caloric materials with Curie temperatures close or above 150°C, there are indications that the caloric effect (especially magnetocaloric, electrocaloric and multicaloric effect, respectively), may be significant for such temperatures. As an example, we refer to the following references in electrocalorics (35-44), barocalorics (45,46) and magnetocalorics (47-55). Therefore, in some particular materials the caloric effects for temperatures near or above 150°C, may be substantially higher also when comparing them to any existing caloric effects at or near room temperature or in cryogenics.

[0189] There is no evidence that any paper, report, patent, or presentation was regarding caloric heat pumps operating at extreme, beyond extreme, and far beyond extreme temperatures as denoted in this invention. Furthermore, no investigation on caloric materials, as solid refrigerants for heat pumping for extreme, beyond extreme, and far beyond extreme temperatures have ever been made or published.

[0190] The differences of ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP caloric heat pumps, operating near or above 150°C, compared to vapor-compression, are the following:

[0191] • No moving parts in the case of magnetocaloric and electrocaloric technologies, or some of multicaloric technologies (the refrigerant is solid material).

[0192] • No leakage of the refrigerant to the environment and the possibility for circular economy.

[0193] • Silent operation without vibrations of magnetocaloric and electrocaloric technologies.

[0194] • Possible operation up to near or above 1000 °C.

[0195] • Simple and variable control.

[0196] • Simple maintenance.

[0197] • Potential higher Carnot (Exergy) efficiency of caloric heat pumps compared to vapor compression.

[0198] • Possible material dependence when using rare earth or other types of caloric materials. • Possible to cast, sinter, additively manufacture, solder, clade, use chemical or physical deposition and other methods to develop films or bulk refrigerant materials.

[0199] Other differences between the solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pumps of this invention, versus any known caloric heat pumps are the following:

[0200] • Water cannot be used as the medium, but other types of liquids near or above 150 °C can be used, including metals in liquid state at those temperatures.

[0201] • Possible use of abundant or partially abundant materials or non-abundant caloric materials with the caloric effect being up to more than two times higher compared to caloric materials in caloric heat pumps used or documented in any existing paper, report, presentation, patent application or patent.

[0202] • Very hot air near or above 150 °C as the heat source of heat sink posses’ higher thermal conductivity compared to air at lower temperatures, if used as heat transfer fluid.

[0203] • Other gases, pressurized or not pressurized near or above 150 °C, represent substantially higher thermal conductivity compared to room temperature, which substantially improves the performance of heat transfer.

[0204] There is no evidence in the literature, reports, and patents, that the above-mentioned fluids with their temperature levels have ever been denoted as potential heat transfer medium(s) in caloric heat pumps. There is no evidence that abundant, partially abundant, and non-abundant caloric materials for extreme, beyond extreme, and far beyond extreme temperatures, have ever been denoted as potential materials for caloric heat pump. Caloric materials with the maximum adiabatic temperature change at temperatures >150°C were never a subject of the investigation for caloric heat pumps. The materials used for those temperatures cannot be the same as those which fit temperature levels of any existing caloric heat pump.

[0205] About existing thermoelectric heat pumps

[0206] Thermoelectric, in particular Peltier, heat pump technology is marked today as energy inefficient because of its low second law (exergy) efficiency at or near room temperatures. However, the figure of merit of this technology, which has a direct relation to the second law efficiency, is defined by ZT, where the last term represents temperature. Therefore, ZT values for thermoelectric materials (i.e. p- , and n- sem iconductors) will increase by the temperature.

[0207] The thermoelectric heat pumps are at present the subject of research activities, and they mostly concern applications for cooling and heating well below 60°C, where they are mostly dedicated to HVAC systems in buildings (56-58), or for household appliances (59).

[0208] For temperature levels near or above 150°C, the thermoelectric technology today serves only for energy harvesting (60-62).

[0209] The figure of merit for thermoelectric devices is denoted by ZT, where this dimensionless figure of merit, ZT = S2p-1k-1T, is calculated from the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical resistivity (p), the thermal conductivity (k) and the temperature T. As the ZT approaches infinity, the efficiency of the thermoelectric devices approaches the Carnot limit.

[0210] It is well known to the expert in the field, that ZT for near room temperature applications, such concern also any globally available document on thermoelectric heat pumps, is lower or close to the maximum value of ZT=1 (63). However, for high temperature levels, to which any existing literature concerns power generation, the ZT can be substantially higher (64-66). This may be evident from a large number of different publications, which consider thermoelectric materials mostly for energy harvesting, but never for ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP (65,67,76-78,68-75).

[0211] Therefore, thermoelectric heat pumps, operating above 150°C, can reach substantially higher ZT than those known for room or near room temperature, which shows, that extreme, beyond extreme, and far beyond extreme temperature thermoelectric heat pumps can represent efficient method for heating in industrial processes.

[0212] There is no evidence of scientific paper, report, patent application or patent, or conference paper on the thermoelectric heat pumps, using the thermoelectric materials, which have the figure of merit ZT>1 , except for materials based on Bi-Sb- Te and Bi-Te-Se. However, at temperature levels corresponding to our invention, i.e. ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, the two material group perform with ZT«1.

[0213] The differences of solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, operating near or above 150°C, compared to vapor-compression, are the following:

[0214] • No moving parts (the refrigerant is solid material).

[0215] • No leakage to the environment and the possibility for circular economy.

[0216] • Silent operation without vibrations. • Possible operation up to near or above 1000 °C.

[0217] • Simple and variable control.

[0218] • Simple maintenance.

[0219] • Lower Carnot (Exergy) efficiency of Peltier heat pumps compared to vapor compression, especially for ZT’s lower than about ZT<3.

[0220] • Possible material dependence when using rare earth or other types of semiconductor p- and n- materials.

[0221] • Only thermoelectric p- and n- materials, which have the maximum value of ZT above 150 °C, are the subject of the proposed ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP.

[0222] • Possible to cast, sinter, additively manufacture, solder, clade, use chemical or physical deposition and other methods to develop films or bulk refrigerant materials.

[0223] Differences between the solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pumps of this invention, versus known thermoelectric heat pumps are the following:

[0224] • Water cannot be used as the medium, but other types of liquids near or above 150 °C can, including metals in liquid state.

[0225] • Possible use of abundant or partially abundant p- and n- semiconductor materials with the ZT from 10 % to more than 100 % higher compared to p- and n- semiconductor materials used in any of existing thermoelectric heat pumps, used or documented in any existing paper, report, presentation, patent application or patent.

[0226] • Very hot air near or above 150 °C as the heat source of heat sink posses’ higher thermal conductivity compared to air at lower temperatures, if used as heat transfer fluid.

[0227] • Other gases, pressurized or not pressurized near or above 150 °C, represent substantially higher thermal conductivity compared to room temperature, which substantially improves the performance of heat transfer.

[0228] There is no evidence in the literature, reports, and patents, that the above-mentioned fluids with their temperature levels have ever been denoted as potential heat transfer medium(s) in thermoelectric heat pumps.

[0229] There is no evidence that abundant, partially abundant, and non-abundant thermoelectric materials for extreme, beyond extreme, and far beyond extreme temperatures, have ever been denoted as potential materials for any known thermoelectric pump.

[0230] FIG 1 shows an illustrative example, where the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, as disclosed in this disclosure, can be used for injection molding. The example shows the use of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pump, which is one of the subjects of this disclosure.

[0231] FIG 1 shows an illustrative example of applying solid state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP as the heater in the injection molding process; FIG 1A shows indirect contact application of the solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP; FIG 1 B shows direct contact application of the solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP.

[0232] FIGs 2A-B show a second illustrative example, where the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, as disclosed in this disclosure, can be used in the process of thermal oxidizer. The example shows the use of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pump, which is one of the subjects of this disclosure.

[0233] FIGs 3A-B show a third illustrative example, where the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, as disclosed in this disclosure, can be used for process of waste heat recovery in the production of cement. The example shows the use of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pump, which is one of the subjects of this disclosure.

[0234] FIGs 4A-B shows the fourth illustrative example, where the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, as disclosed in this disclosure, can be used in the process of annealing. The example shows the use of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pump, which is one of the subjects of this disclosure.

[0235] FIG 4:

[0236] FIGs 5A-D shows the fifth illustrative example, where the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, as disclosed in this disclosure, can be used in the process of catalysis. The example shows the use of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pump, which is one of the subjects of this disclosure.

[0237] FIG 5: FIGs 6A-B shows the sixth illustrative example, where the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, as disclosed in this disclosure, can be used in the processes of energy production which utilize fuels. The example shows the use of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pump, which is one of the subjects of this disclosure.

[0238] FIG 6:

[0239] FIGs 7A-B shows the seventh illustrative example, where the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, as disclosed in this disclosure, can be used in the processes of production of steel. The example shows the use of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pump, which is one of the subjects of this disclosure.

[0240] FIG 7:

[0241] FIGs 8A-B shows the eighth illustrative and general example, where the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, as disclosed in this disclosure, can be used in any other process where heating above 150°C is required. The example shows the use of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP heat pump, which is one of the subjects of this disclosure.

[0242] FIG 8:

[0243] FIG 9 shows an embodiment of the solid state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP in which an indirect contact with the heated element is established. In this particular case, the thermoelectric materials serve as the refrigerant of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP.

[0244] FIG 9: Embodiment of the solid state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP in which an indirect contact with the heated element is established

[0245] FIG 10 shows an embodiment of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP in which a direct contact with the heated element is established. In this particular case, the thermoelectric materials serve as the refrigerant of the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP.

[0246] FIG 10: Embodiment of the solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP in which a direct contact with the heated element is established FIG 11 shows an example where multiple solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP modules are connected in the embodiment, which enables larger temperature span between the heat source and heat sink.

[0247] FIG 11 : An example where multiple solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP modules are connected in the embodiment, which enables larger temperature span between the heat source and heat sink.

[0248] FIG 12 shows an example of the connecting heat exchangers between different solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP embodiments.

[0249] FIG 12: An example of the connecting heat exchangers between different solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP units.

[0250] FIG 13 shows the criterion for thermoelectric ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP to be meaningful for the application versus the gas or electrical heaters, based on COP (Coefficient of Performance). Out of this range the use of solid-state ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP is less preferable. However, in some examples, operation may be performed outside the range shown in FIG 13.

[0251] FIG 13: The criterion for thermoelectric ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP to be meaningful for the application versus the gas or electrical heaters.

[0252] FIG 14 shows the preferable operation of a single Peltier module in order to match the meaningful application versus the gas or electrical heaters.

[0253] FIG 14: Preferable operation of a single Peltier module in order to match the meaningful application versus the gas or electrical heaters.

[0254] FIGs 15A-D show two examples, where caloric or multicaloric regenerators operate in the ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP. The caloric and multicaloric materials in these regenerators are tuned to a particular Curie (operating) temperature. In this particular case, the heat transfer fluid hydraulic system enables forth and back flow of the heat transfer fluid inside each of the regenerators. The heat transfer propulsion system serves for continuous propulsion of the non-aqueous substance between heat source and heat sink heat exchanger. When caloric or multicaloric regenerators are subjected to external field or force (FIG 15A and FIG 150)), the heat transfer fluid hydraulic system operates in a direction which is shown by the black arrow of the heat transfer fluid hydraulic system. When caloric or multicaloric regenerators are not subjected to external field or force (FIG 15B and FIG 15D)), the heat transfer fluid hydraulic system operates in a direction which is shown by the black arrow of the heat transfer fluid hydraulic system.

[0255] FIGs 15A-D: Second example of different configurations for ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP based on caloric or multicaloric effects; FIGs 15A-B) Alternative example of the Caloric ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, which enables direct contact heating with the heated system or device; FIG 15A) represents one state of caloric or multicaloric materials, FIG 15B)represents another state of caloric or multicaloric materials; FIGs 15C-D) Alternative example of the Caloric ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, which enables indirect contact heating with the heated system or device, FIG 15C) represents one state of caloric or multicaloric materials, FIG 15D)represents another state of caloric or multicaloric materials.

[0256] FIG 16 shows the preferable properties (performance) of the caloric and multicaloric materials, suitable for the efficient operation of the ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP.

[0257] FIG 16: Preferable properties (adiabatic temperature change and isothermal entropy change) of caloric or multicaloric materials, suitable for ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP. FIGs 17A-B shows an assembly of the combined thermoelectric-caloric or thermoelectric-multicaloric materials which serve as the refrigerants in the ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP. In this particular case, both, the thermoelectric and caloric or multicaloric materials can have properties, which according to the temperature of their operation, posses high ZT (thermoelectric materials), and high caloric effect (caloric or multicaloric materials). In the ON state, the caloric or multicaloric materials are subjected to the influence of the external field or force. Simultaneously the thermoelectric materials are activated by the Peltier effect in order to transport heat from the heat source towards the heat sink. In the OFF state, the caloric or multicaloric materials are NOT subjected to the influence of the external field or force. Simultaneously the thermoelectric materials are NOT activated by the Peltier effect. Simultaneously to the both ON and OFF processes, the heat transfer fluid continuously circulates between the heat source and heat sink heat exchangers for non-aqueous substances. In the particular situation of the FIGs 17A-B, the connections between the plural number of caloric or multicaloric materials and the plural number of Peltier modules, are arranged in the cascade system.

[0258] FIGs 17A-B: First example of different configurations for ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP based on combined caloric or multicaloric and thermoelectric effects; FIG 17A) Combined effect ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, which enables direct contact heating with the heated system or device; FIG 17B) Combined effect ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, which enables indirect contact heating with the heated system or device;

[0259] FIGs 18A-B shows an assembly of the combined thermoelectric-caloric or thermoelectric-multicaloric materials which serve as the refrigerants in the ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP. The difference between the configuration in FIGs 17A-B and the configuration in the FIGs 18A-B is in the combination between the caloric or multicaloric and thermoelectric materials. The assembly shown in the FIGs 18A-B shows a non-cascade configuration.

[0260] FIGs 18A-B: Second example of different configurations for ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP based on caloric or multicaloric effects and thermoelectric effects; FIG 18A) Combined effect ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, which enables direct contact heating with the heated system or device; FIG 18B) Combined effect ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, which enables indirect contact heating with the heated system or device

[0261] FIGs 19A-B shows another non-cascade configuration for ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP based on caloric or multicaloric effects and thermoelectric effects. In this particular case, the difference between FIGs 17A-B and 18A-B, and the FIGs 19A-B, is in the way how the heat transfer fluid is applied to the heat source or heat sink heat exchanger for non-aqueous substances.

[0262] FIGs 19A-B: Third example of different configurations for ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP based on caloric or multicaloric effects and thermoelectric effects; FIG 19A) Combined effect ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, which enables direct contact heating with the heated system or device; FIG 19B) Combined effect ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP, which enables indirect contact heating with the heated system or device;

[0263] Some preferable embodiments of this disclosure are described in the following clauses. Clause A:

[0264] ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP for absorption and transport of heat from-or-to nonaqueous substances, where the ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP comprises: a) A single or plural number of extreme, beyond extreme, and far beyond extreme temperature heating modules. b) Heat sink heat exchanger for non-aqueous substances, casted, extruded or manufactured with additive manufacturing. c) Heat source heat exchanger for non-aqueous substances, casted, extruded or manufactured with additive manufacturing. d) Propulsion device for heat transfer fluid for nonaqueous heat source and heat sink heat exchanger. e) Single or plural number of non-aqueous heat transfer fluids. f) Heat transfer connections to nonaqueous heat source and heat sink exchanger. g) Thermal insulation for ETHP, BETHP, FBETHP body.

[0265] Clause B:

[0266] ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP for absorption and transport of heat from-or-to nonaqueous substances, according to Clause A, where heating modules can operate on the basis of: a) Magnetocaloric heat pump principle based on magnetocaloric effect. b) Electrocaloric heat pump heat pump principle based on electrocaloric effect. c) Thermoelectric heat pump heat pump principle based on Peltier effect. d) Spin-caloritronic heat pump principle based on spin-Peltier effect. e) Elastocaloric heat pump principle based on elastocaloric effect. f) Barocaloric heat pump principle based on barocaloric effect. g) Multicaloric heat pump principle based on the combination of caloric effects. h) Any combination of above principles of caloric and thermoelectric effects.

[0267] Clause C:

[0268] ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP for absorption and transport of heat from-or-to nonaqueous substances, according to any preceding clause, where single or plural number of non-aqueous heat transfer fluids belong to the groups of: a) Liquids (preferably oils, metals in liquid state, molten salts, refrigerants, hydrocarbons, alcohols and acids). b) Gases (preferably NOBLE GASES, CO2, NOx, SO2, CO, NH3, refrigerants, other types of effluent gases, or air with temperatures beyond 150°C). c) Particulate or colloidal suspensions with high thermal conductivity (preferably ferrofluids, magnetorheological fluids, electrorheological fluids, nanofluids).

[0269] Clause D:

[0270] ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP for absorption and transport of heat from-or-to nonaqueous substances, according to any preceding clause, where the heat source and / or heat sink heat exchanger for nonaqueous substances comprise: a) ceramic materials, or high temperature polymers, or metals, or non-metallic compounds, or graphite, or a combination of those. b) heat spreaders or heat conduits which are embodied in each of the heat sink or heat source heat exchangers for nonaqueous fluids. c) fluid channels.

[0271] Clause E:

[0272] ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP for absorption and transport of heat from-or-to nonaqueous substances according to any preceding clause, where the propulsion device for heat transfer fluid for nonaqueous heat source and heat sink heat exchanger can be based on the following principles: a) mechanical pumps or fans. b) mechanical compressors. c) piezo-fans or piezo pumps. d) magnetohydrodynamic propulsion. e) electrohydrodynamic propulsion. f) propulsion based on wetting on dielectric. g) ionic propulsion. h) a combination of the above.

[0273] Clause F: ETHP, BETHP, and FBETHP for absorption and transport of heat from-or-to nonaqueous substances according to any preceding clause, where the thermal insulation can be one of the following or a combination of the following materials: a) Gases. b) Vacuum. c) Mineral or glass wool. d) Aerogels. e) Polymers and related products.

[0274] Clause G:

[0275] Heating modules as described in Clause B, where Magnetocaloric, Electrocaloric, Barocaloric, Elastocaloric, or Multicaloric heat pump principle comprise single or plural number of materials and alloys or composites, which have the maximum caloric effect at temperatures above 150°C.

[0276] Clause H:

[0277] Heating modules as described in Clause B, where Thermoelectric heat pump principle comprise single or plural number of thermoelectric p- and n- semiconductor materials, which at temperatures above 150°C have the figure of merit ZT>0.8

[0278] Clause I:

[0279] An industrial processing apparatus comprising a device for carrying out an industrial process and a heat source for proving heat for the industrial process, wherein the heat source is a heat source as in any of the preceding Clauses.

[0280] Clause J:

[0281] A method of carrying out an industrial process, wherein the industrial process comprises a heating step in which the heat is provided by a heat source according to any one of the Clauses A-H.

[0282] References

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[0287] 2023. Available from: https: / / doi.org / 10.1007 / s10853-023-09028-8

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A heating module, in particular for a heat pump, such as an ETHP, BETHP or FBETHP, the heating module comprising: at least one solid-state heat transport element having a cold side and a warm side, wherein the heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature of at least 150 °C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side.

2. The heating module according to claim 1 , wherein the heat transport element is configured to be operated at a temperature in the range of 150 °C to 400 °C or 400 °C to 700 °C or at a temperature above 700 °C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side.

3. The heating module according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one solid-state heat transport element operates on at least one of the following or any combination of the following: magnetocaloric heat pump principle based on magnetocaloric effect, electrocaloric heat pump principle based on electrocaloric effect, thermoelectric heat pump principle based on Peltier effect, spin-caloritronic heat pump principle based on spin-Peltier effect, elastocaloric heat pump principle based on elastocaloric effect, barocaloric heat pump principle based on barocaloric effect, multicaloric heat pump principle based on the combination of caloric effects, or hybrid heat pump principle as the combination of any aforementioned.

4. The heating module according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the heat transport element operates on the basis of the magnetocaloric, or electrocaloric, or barocaloric, or elastocaloric, or multicaloric heat pump, or hybrid heat pump principle and / or wherein the heat transport element comprises a material, which has a caloric effect that is at a maximum at temperatures of at least 150 °C.

5. The heating module according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat transport element operates on the basis of a thermoelectric heat pump or hybrid heat pump principle and / or wherein the heat transport element comprises a thermoelectric p- and n- semiconductor material, which has the figure of merit ZT larger than 0.8 at temperatures of at least 150 °C.

6. The heating module according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein at least two heat transport elements are arranged as a stack, wherein the warm side of a heat transport element faces the cold side of a neighbouring heat transport element, and wherein the stack has a cold side being the cold side of the first heat transport element of the stack and a warm side being the warm side of a last heat transport element of the stack, and wherein, optionally, at least one layer of a caloric or multicaloric or thermoelectric material or a material comprising a combination thereof is arranged between the cold side and the warm side of each of the neighbouring stacked heat transport elements.

7. The heating module according to claim 6, wherein the heating module comprises a heat source heat exchanger arranged at the cold side of the stack, and a heat sink heat exchanger arranged at the warm side of the stack, and wherein the stack of heat transport elements is configured for transporting heat from the heat source heat exchanger to the heat sink heat exchanger.

8. The heating module according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heating module comprises a heat source heat exchanger arranged at the cold side of the heat transport element, and a heat sink heat exchanger arranged at the warm side of the heat transport element, and wherein the heat transport element is configured for transporting heat from the heat source heat exchanger to the heat sink heat exchanger.

9. The heating module according to anyone of claims 7 to 8, wherein either the heat source heat exchanger or the heat sink heat exchanger comprises a first fluid channel for transport of a first fluid, which is non-aqueous.

10. The heating module according to claim 9, wherein the other of the heat source heat exchanger, which does not comprise the first fluid channel, comprises a second fluid channel for transport of a second fluid, which is non-aqueous, wherein, optionally, the first and / or second fluid comprise or consist of: d) Liquids (preferably oils, metals in liquid state, molten salts, refrigerants, hydrocarbons, liquid polymers, alcohols and acids).e) Gases (preferably NOBLE GASES, CO2, NOx, SO2, CO, NH3, refrigerants, ionized gases, other types of effluent gases, or air with temperatures beyond 150°C). f) Particulate or colloidal suspensions with high thermal conductivity (preferably ferrofluids, magnetorheological fluids, electrorheological fluids, nanofluids).

11. The heating module according to anyone of claims 9 to 10, wherein the heat source heat exchanger and / or heat sink heat exchanger comprises any or a combination of the following: a) ceramic materials, or high temperature polymers, or metals, or non-metallic compounds, or graphite, or a combination thereof, b) heat spreaders or heat conduits, c) fluid channels.

12. The heating module according to claim 11 , further comprising a closed fluid circuit around the at least one heat transport element, wherein the closed fluid circuit comprises the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel.

13. The heating module according to claim 12, wherein the closed fluid circuit further comprises an outward heat source heat exchanger arranged between the heat source heat exchanger at the cold side and the heat sink heat exchanger at the warm side, when seen in a flow direction, and an outward heat sink heat exchanger arranged between the heat sink heat exchanger at the warm side and the heat source heat exchanger at the cold side, also when seen in the flow direction.

14. The heating module according to claim 13, wherein the outward heat sink heat exchanger and the outward heat source heat exchanger are configured for connecting the heating module to another heating module and / or a heat sink and / or a heat source and / or a consumer device, and / or wherein the heat source heat exchanger and / or heat sink heat exchanger comprises any or a combination of the following: a) ceramic materials, or high temperature polymers, or metals, or non-metallic compounds, or graphite, or a combination thereof, b) heat spreaders or heat conduits, c) fluid channels.

15. The heating module according to any one of the claims 9 to 14, further comprising a propulsion device for driving a fluid through at least one of the following: the first fluid channel, a second fluid channel on the opposite side of the heat transport element as the first fluid channel, a closed fluid circuit including the first and second channel.

16. The heating module according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising one closed fluid circuit, which includes only one of the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel or two closed fluid circuits, whereof a first fluid circuit comprises the first fluid channel and a second fluid circuit comprises the second fluid channel, and a propulsion device for each fluid channel to drive the fluid in the respective closed fluid circuit.

17. The heating module according to anyone of claims 15 to 16, wherein the propulsion device is based on any single or a combination of: a) mechanical pumps or fans, b) mechanical compressors, c) piezo-fans or piezo pumps, d) magnetohydrodynamic propulsion, e) electrohydrodynamic propulsion, f) propulsion based on wetting principles of surfaces, g) ionic propulsion.

18. The heating module according to anyone of claims 7 to 17, wherein the heat source heat exchanger at the cold side and / or the heat sink heat exchanger at the warm side are preferably casted, welded, extruded, or manufactured with additive manufacturing, or less preferably, assembled.

19. The heating module according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a controller for operating the at least one heat transport element of the heating module such that its temperature reaches at least 150 °C on at least one of the cold side or the warm side.

20. The heating module according to claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the at least one heat transport element.21 . A heat pump comprising at least one heating module according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one heat transport element of different heating modules are operable at different temperatures such that the operating temperatures of neighbouring heating modules differ by a temperature difference from each other.

22. A heat pump according to claim 21 comprising multiple heating modules according to any one of the claims 7 to 18, wherein neighbouring heating modules are interconnected via their heat sink heat exchangers and heat source heat exchangers, and wherein the heat transport elements of different heating modules are operated at different temperatures.

23. A heat pump comprising at least two heating modules according to anyone of claims 1 to 20, wherein each heating module comprises a heat source heat exchanger arranged at the cold side of the heat transport element, and a heat sink heat exchanger arranged at the warm side of the heat transport element, and wherein each heat transport element is configured to transport heat from the respective heat source heat exchanger to the respective heat sink heat exchanger, and wherein the at least two heating modules are arranged next to one another forming an arrangement of heating modules, such that the heat sink heat exchangers of the at least two heating modules are connected to form a single heat sink heat exchanger, and such that the heat source heat exchangers of the at least two heating modules are connected to form a single heat source heat exchanger.

24. The heat pump according to claim 23, wherein the different heating modules are operable at different temperatures such that the operating temperatures of neighbouring heating modules differ by a temperature difference from each other, and such that there is a gradient of the operating temperature along the arrangement of the at least two heating modules.

25. The heating module or heat pump according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the heat pump comprises a housing, in which the at least one heating module and optionally the controller are arranged, and a thermal insulation for insulating the housing.

26. The heating module or heat pump according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal insulation comprises one or multiple of the following: f) a gas or a mixture of gases, g) at least one vacuum chamber, h) mineral or glass wool, i) aerogels, j) polymers and related products.

27. An industrial processing apparatus comprising a device for carrying out an industrial process and a heat source configured for proving heat for the industrial process, wherein the heat source comprises a heating module according to anyone of the claims 1 to 20 or 25 to 26 or a heat pump according to anyone of the claims 21 to 26.

28. A method of carrying out an industrial process, wherein the industrial process comprises a heating step in which the heat is provided by a heating module according to anyone of the claims 1 to 20 or 25 to 26 or a heat pump according to anyone of the claims 21 to 26.

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