Heat pump unit and thermal energy utilization system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a heat pump unit and a thermal energy utilization system. The heat pump unit comprises a compression device, a condenser, a first throttling element, an evaporator, and a first heat exchanger. The compression device, the condenser, the first throttling element, and the evaporator are connected by means of refrigerant piping to form a refrigerant circulation loop, and the condenser is used for using a refrigerant to heat a first heat exchange medium. A hot side inlet and a hot side outlet of the first heat exchanger are respectively connected to a lubricating medium inlet and a lubricating medium outlet of the compression device, a cold side inlet and a cold side outlet of the first heat exchanger are respectively connected to the refrigerant circulation loop, and the first heat exchanger is used for using the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation loop to cool a lubricating medium of the compressor. In this way, the present application is conducive to improving the energy efficiency ratio and the heating temperature of a heat pump system.

Description

Heat pump units and thermal energy utilization systems Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments of this application generally relate to the field of heat pumps, and particularly to a heat pump unit and a thermal energy utilization system. Background Technology

[0002] A heat pump (HP) is used to convert low-grade heat energy into high-grade heat energy to achieve efficient utilization of thermal energy. A conventional heat pump typically consists of a compression refrigeration system composed of a compressor, condenser, throttling element, and evaporator. The refrigerant circulates within the compression refrigeration system to achieve the conversion and transfer of heat energy. However, the energy efficiency and heating temperature of conventional heat pumps still need improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a heat pump unit and a heat energy utilization system to solve or at least partially solve the above-mentioned problems and / or other potential problems existing in conventional heat pump units.

[0004] In a first aspect of this application, a heat pump unit is provided. The heat pump unit includes a compressor, a condenser, a first throttling element, an evaporator, and a first heat exchanger.

[0005] The compressor, condenser, first throttling element and evaporator are connected by refrigerant piping to form a refrigerant circulation loop. The condenser is used to heat the first heat exchange medium using refrigerant.

[0006] The hot-side inlet and hot-side outlet of the first heat exchanger are connected to the lubricating medium outlet and lubricating medium inlet of the compressor, respectively. The cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger are connected to the refrigerant circulation loop, respectively. The first heat exchanger is used to cool the lubricating medium of the compressor using the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation loop.

[0007] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit further includes an economizer and a second throttling element, wherein the cold-side inlet of the economizer is connected to the hot-side outlet of the condenser through the second throttling element, and the hot-side outlet of the economizer is connected to the inlet of the first throttling element.

[0008] The economizer is used to cool the refrigerant in its hot-side passage using the refrigerant in its cold-side passage, and then delivers the cooled refrigerant to the first throttling element.

[0009] In some embodiments, the cold-side inlet of the first heat exchanger is connected to the cold-side outlet of the economizer, and the cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger is connected to the hot-side inlet of the economizer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the hot-side inlet of the economizer is connected to the hot-side outlet of the condenser, the cold-side inlet of the first heat exchanger is connected to the cold-side outlet of the economizer, and the cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger is connected to the gas supply port of the compressor.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first heat exchanger includes a first flow channel, a second flow channel, and a third flow channel capable of heat exchange; the inlet and outlet of the first flow channel are respectively connected to a condenser and a first throttling element; the inlet of the second flow channel is connected to the condenser through a second throttling element, and the outlet of the second flow channel is connected to the compressor's air inlet; the inlet and outlet of the third flow channel are respectively connected to the compressor's lubrication outlet and lubrication medium inlet.

[0012] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit further includes a second heat exchanger, the hot-side inlet and the hot-side outlet of which are connected to the hot-side outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the first throttling element, respectively; the second heat exchanger is configured to cool the refrigerant in its hot-side channel using a second heat exchange medium flowing through its cold-side channel.

[0013] In some embodiments, the compressor is a screw compressor.

[0014] In some embodiments, the compressor and the first heat exchanger are integrated into one unit.

[0015] In a second aspect of this application, a thermal energy utilization system is provided. This thermal energy utilization system includes a heat pump unit as described above, as well as heat-consuming equipment and a heat source device; the heat-consuming equipment is connected to the cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the condenser in the heat pump unit to form a first heat exchange medium circulation loop; the heat source device is connected to the hot-side inlet and hot-side outlet of the evaporator to form a second heat exchange medium circulation loop.

[0016] In some embodiments, the device further includes: a first medium pump and / or a second medium pump, wherein the first medium pump is connected between the heat-using device and the cold-side inlet of the condenser; and the second medium pump is connected between the heat source device and the hot-side inlet of the evaporator.

[0017] The heat pump unit of this application embodiment can not only reduce the temperature of the lubricating medium and maintain the working efficiency and stability of the compression device, but also recover heat into the refrigerant circulation loop. This helps to maintain the heat contained in the refrigerant circulation loop and avoids the heat being ineffectively dissipated to the outside of the system, thereby improving the energy efficiency ratio of the heat pump unit and the heating temperature of the first heat exchange medium. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this application will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0019] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to a first embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to a second embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to a third embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to a fourth embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a thermal energy utilization system according to a first embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a thermal energy utilization system according to a second embodiment of this application; and

[0025] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of a thermal energy utilization system according to a third embodiment of this application.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 11-Compressor; 12-Condenser; 13-First throttling element; 14-Evaporator; 15-First heat exchanger; 16-Economizer; 17-Second throttling element; 18-Heat source equipment; 19-Second medium pump; 20-Second heat exchanger; 21-Third medium pump; 22-Heat-using equipment; 23-First medium pump; 24-Drier filter; 25-Stop valve; 26, 27, 28-Solenoid valves. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Preferred embodiments of the present application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present application may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present application more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present application to those skilled in the art.

[0028] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein signify open inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The terms "one example embodiment" and "one embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects.

[0029] This application provides a heat pump unit. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to a first embodiment of this application. Referring to Figure 1, the heat pump unit of this application includes a compressor 11, a condenser 12, a first throttling element 13, an evaporator 14, and a first heat exchanger 15.

[0030] The compressor 11, condenser 12, first throttling element 13 and evaporator 14 are connected by refrigerant pipeline to form a refrigerant circulation loop. The condenser 12 is used to heat the first heat exchange medium using refrigerant.

[0031] Specifically, the compressor 11 may have a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet, a gas supply port, a lubricating medium inlet, and a lubricating medium outlet. The refrigerant outlet of the compressor 11 can be connected to the hot-side inlet of the condenser 12 via a refrigerant pipeline, and the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 can be connected to the inlet of the first throttling element 13 via a refrigerant pipeline. The cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the condenser 12 can be connected to a medium delivery pipeline used to deliver the first heat exchange medium. The compressor 11 is used to compress gaseous refrigerant, increasing its pressure and temperature to form a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is delivered to the hot-side channel of the condenser 12, where it exchanges heat with the first heat exchange medium flowing through the cold-side channel of the condenser 12, increasing the temperature of the first heat exchange medium to form a high-grade heat source for use. At the same time, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is converted into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant and delivered to the first throttling element 13.

[0032] Alternatively or additionally, compressor 11 may include a screw compressor, such as an oil-lubricated screw compressor, a water-lubricated screw compressor, a dry screw compressor, etc. Of course, the compressor 11 described above is merely exemplary, and in actual applications, various known or unknown screw compressors can be flexibly selected according to actual needs.

[0033] The outlet of the first throttling element 13 can be connected to the cold side inlet of the evaporator 14 via a refrigerant pipeline. The first throttling element 13 can be used to throttle and cool the medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant, forming a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant that enters the cold side channel of the evaporator 14.

[0034] The cold-side outlet of the evaporator 14 can be connected to the refrigerant inlet of the compressor 11 via a refrigerant line. Alternatively or additionally, the evaporator 14 may have a hot-side passage capable of exchanging heat with the cold-side passage. The hot-side inlet and hot-side outlet of the evaporator 14 can be connected to a medium delivery line for conveying the second heat exchange medium, respectively. The low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant can exchange heat with the second heat exchange medium, transferring cooling capacity to the second heat exchange medium and absorbing heat from it, forming a low-pressure, low-temperature gaseous refrigerant that flows back to the compressor 11, completing the refrigerant cycle.

[0035] Alternatively or additionally, the evaporator 14 may not have a hot-side passage. For example, the evaporator 14 may be equipped with a fan or blower to guide airflow through the evaporator 14, and the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant may also exchange heat with the air, absorbing heat from the air.

[0036] The first and second heat exchange media can be selected from various suitable gaseous or liquid heat transfer media according to actual needs. For example, both the first and second heat exchange media can be water. Alternatively, the first heat exchange media can be heat transfer oil, and the second heat exchange media can be water, etc.

[0037] The hot-side inlet and hot-side outlet of the first heat exchanger 15 are connected to the lubricating medium outlet and lubricating medium inlet of the compressor 11, respectively. The cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger 15 are connected to the refrigerant circulation loop, respectively. The first heat exchanger 15 is used to cool the lubricating medium of the compressor 11 using the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation loop. The lubricating medium here may include lubricating oil, water, or other media capable of lubricating the compressor 11.

[0038] Specifically, the lubricating medium of compressor 11 is delivered to the hot side passage of the first heat exchanger 15, and the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation loop is delivered to the cold side passage of the first heat exchanger 15. The refrigerant can transfer cooling capacity to the lubricating medium to lower its temperature. The refrigerant can also absorb heat from the lubricating medium and carry the absorbed heat back to the refrigerant circulation loop.

[0039] In this way, not only can the temperature of the lubricating medium be reduced, maintaining the working efficiency and stability of the compressor 11, but also the heat can be recovered into the refrigerant circulation loop. This helps to maintain the heat contained in the refrigerant circulation loop, preventing the heat from being ineffectively dissipated to the outside of the system or causing the compressor 11 to shut down due to internal overheating. This, in turn, helps to improve the energy efficiency ratio and heating temperature of the heat pump unit.

[0040] It should be understood that the cold-side inlet of the first heat exchanger 15 can be connected to any location on the refrigerant circulation loop that can receive refrigerant from the refrigerant circulation loop and use the received refrigerant to cool the lubricating medium. The cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger 15 can be connected to any location on the refrigerant circulation loop suitable for transporting the refrigerant after heat absorption back to the refrigerant circulation loop. The connection position and method of the cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger 15 are not limited here; the connection position and method between the cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger 15 and the refrigerant circulation loop will be exemplarily described later in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0041] Alternatively or additionally, the compressor 11 and the first heat exchanger 15 may be of an integral structure. For example, the compressor 11 and the first heat exchanger 15 may be assembled into a single structure, which may have an integral appearance. Alternatively, the first heat exchanger 15 may be disposed inside or adjacent to the housing of the compressor 11. Alternatively or additionally, the compressor 11 and the first heat exchanger 15 may also be of a separate structure. For example, the compressor 11 and the first heat exchanger 15 may be connected via an oil pipeline.

[0042] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit may further include an economizer 16 and a second throttling element 17. The cold-side inlet of the economizer 16 is connected to the condenser 12 via the second throttling element 17, and the hot-side outlet of the economizer 16 is connected to the inlet of the first throttling element 13. The second throttling element 17 can throttle and cool at least a portion of the refrigerant output from the condenser 12, thereby reducing the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant. This at least a portion of the refrigerant can flow into the cold-side passage of the economizer 16, whereby the economizer 16 can use this at least a portion of the refrigerant to cool the refrigerant in the hot-side passage. Subsequently, the cooled refrigerant in the hot-side passage of the economizer 16 is delivered to the first throttling element 13, which can increase the cooling capacity of the refrigerant output from the first throttling element 13, thereby increasing the heat absorption efficiency of the evaporator 14 and thus improving the heating temperature of the first heat exchange medium.

[0043] The following description, in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3, illustrates the specific connection relationship between the economizer 16 and the first heat exchanger 15. However, it should not be construed as the connection relationship between the economizer 16 and the first heat exchanger 15 being limited to that shown below.

[0044] For example, as shown in FIG2, FIG2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to a second embodiment of the present application. The second embodiment shown in FIG2 differs from the first embodiment shown in FIG1 mainly in the addition of an economizer 16 and a second throttling element 17, as well as the connection structure between the condenser 12, the second throttling element 17, the economizer 16, the first throttling element 13, and the first heat exchanger 15.

[0045] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the cold-side inlet of the economizer 16 can be connected to the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 via the second throttling element 17, and the cold-side outlet of the economizer 16 can be connected to the cold-side inlet of the first heat exchanger 15. The cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger 15 is connected to the hot-side inlet of the economizer 16, and the cold-side outlet of the economizer 16 can be connected to the first throttling element 13.

[0046] The refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 12 is first throttled and cooled by the second throttling element 17, and then flows into the cold side channel of the economizer 16. The first heat exchanger 15 can receive refrigerant from the cold side channel of the economizer 16, and after cooling the lubricating medium with the refrigerant, the refrigerant that has absorbed heat flows into the hot side channel of the economizer 16. After exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the cold side channel of the economizer 16, it flows into the first throttling element 13. The pipeline structure is simple, which helps to simplify the refrigerant flow control logic.

[0047] Alternatively or additionally, the first throttling element 13 and / or the second throttling element 17 may be selected from, but is not limited to, expansion valves, throttle valves, capillary tubes, venturi tubes, orifice plates, nozzles, etc. For example, the first throttling element 13 may include a first expansion valve, and the second throttling element 17 may include a second expansion valve.

[0048] For example, as shown in FIG3, FIG3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to a third embodiment of the present application. The main difference between the third embodiment shown in FIG3 and the first embodiment shown in FIG1 is the addition of an economizer 16 and a second throttling element 17, as well as the connection structure between the condenser 12, the second throttling element 17, the economizer 16, the first throttling element 13, the first heat exchanger 15, and the compressor 11.

[0049] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 can be connected to two refrigerant branches respectively. The hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 is connected to the inlet of the second throttling element 17 through one refrigerant branch, and the outlet of the second throttling element 17 is connected to the cold-side inlet of the economizer 16. The hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 is connected to the hot-side inlet of the economizer 16 through the other refrigerant branch.

[0050] The refrigerant flowing out of the hot-side channel of the condenser 12 is split into two streams. One stream of refrigerant is throttled and cooled by the second throttling element 17 before flowing into the cold-side channel of the economizer 16. The other stream of refrigerant flows directly into the hot-side channel of the economizer 16, where the first stream of refrigerant is used to cool the second stream. After being cooled, the second stream of refrigerant flows into the first throttling element 13.

[0051] The cold-side inlet of the first heat exchanger 15 is connected to the cold-side outlet of the economizer 16, and the cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger 15 is connected to the gas supply port of the compressor 11. A stream of refrigerant flowing out of the cold-side passage of the economizer 16 flows into the cold-side passage of the first heat exchanger 15 to cool the lubricating medium. Afterward, this stream of refrigerant flows back to the refrigerant circulation loop through the gas supply port of the compressor 11. In this way, after absorbing heat from the other stream of refrigerant and the lubricating medium, this stream of refrigerant does not flow through the first throttling element 13 and the evaporator 14, which helps to maintain a relatively low temperature for the other stream of refrigerant, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 14.

[0052] As shown in Figure 4, Figure 4 illustrates a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to a fourth embodiment of this application. The main difference between the fourth embodiment shown in Figure 4 and the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 is the addition of a second throttling element 17, and the connection structure between the condenser 12, the second throttling element 17, the first heat exchanger 15, the first throttling element 13, and the compressor 11.

[0053] The fourth embodiment shown in Figure 4 is similar to the third embodiment shown in Figure 3 in that the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 can be connected to two refrigerant branches respectively, and the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 is connected to the inlet of the second throttling element 17 through one refrigerant branch. The difference from the third embodiment shown in Figure 3 is that the first heat exchanger 15 in this fourth embodiment includes a first flow channel, a second flow channel, and a third flow channel capable of heat exchange. That is, in this example, the first heat exchanger 15 is a three-flow-channel heat exchanger.

[0054] The hot-side outlet of condenser 12 is connected to the inlet of the first flow channel of the first heat exchanger 15 via another refrigerant branch. The outlet of the first flow channel is connected to the first throttling element 13. The outlet of the second throttling element 17 is connected to the inlet of the second flow channel, and the outlet of the second flow channel is connected to the gas supply port of compressor 11. The inlet of the third flow channel is connected to the lubricating medium outlet of compressor 11, and the outlet of the third flow channel is connected to the lubricating medium inlet of compressor 11.

[0055] The refrigerant flowing out of the hot-side channel of the condenser 12 is split into two streams. One stream flows through this branch into the second throttling element 17, where it is throttled and cooled before flowing into the second channel of the first heat exchanger 15. The other stream flows directly into the first channel of the first heat exchanger 15. Simultaneously, the lubricating medium flowing out of the compressor 11 flows into the third channel of the first heat exchanger 15. The two streams of refrigerant and the lubricating medium exchange heat synchronously in the first heat exchanger 15. The cooler stream of refrigerant absorbs heat from both the other stream and the lubricating medium. By simultaneously cooling the other stream of refrigerant and the lubricating medium through the first heat exchanger 15, the system structure is simplified, and production costs are reduced.

[0056] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit may further include a second heat exchanger 20, the hot-side inlet of which is connected to the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12, and the hot-side outlet of which is connected to the inlet of the first throttling element 13. The second heat exchanger 20 is configured to cool the refrigerant in its hot-side channel using a second heat exchange medium flowing through its cold-side channel. Thus, at least a portion of the refrigerant can flow into the second heat exchanger 20 before flowing into the first throttling element 13, where it is cooled by the second heat exchange medium, thereby reducing the inlet temperature of the first throttling element 13. This, in turn, reduces the temperature of the refrigerant delivered from the first throttling element 13 to the evaporator 14, which is beneficial for improving the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 14 and consequently for improving the energy efficiency ratio of the heat pump system.

[0057] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit may further include a dryer filter 24, and the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 can be connected to the inlet of the first throttling element 13 through the dryer filter 24. In this way, the refrigerant flowing out of the hot-side passage of the condenser 12 flows through the dryer filter 24 to remove moisture and impurities, which helps to maintain the quality of the refrigerant, can delay the refrigerant replacement cycle, and thus helps to reduce the operating cost of the heat pump unit.

[0058] This application also provides a thermal energy utilization system. Referring to Figure 5, the thermal energy utilization system includes a heat pump unit as described in any of the above embodiments, a heat-using device 22, and a heat source device 18. The heat-using device 22 is connected to the cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the condenser 12 in the heat pump unit to form a first heat exchange medium circulation loop. The heat source device 18 is connected to the hot-side inlet and hot-side outlet of the evaporator 14 to form a second heat exchange medium circulation loop.

[0059] In evaporator 14, low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs heat energy from the second heat exchange medium, transforming into low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which then flows into compressor 11. After compression by compressor 11, it forms high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which flows into condenser 12. In condenser 12, the first heat exchange medium absorbs heat energy from other high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerants, flowing through the first heat exchange medium circulation loop into the heat-using equipment, providing heat energy to the equipment. Because the above-mentioned heat pump unit has a high energy efficiency ratio, the heat energy utilization system using the above-mentioned heat pump unit also has a high energy efficiency ratio and can output a first heat exchange medium with a relatively high temperature.

[0060] In practical applications, various devices that require the use of thermal energy and devices that can generate thermal energy can be flexibly selected as heat-using devices 22 and heat source devices 18, respectively.

[0061] In some embodiments, the thermal energy utilization system may further include a first medium pump 23 and / or a second medium pump 19. The first medium pump 23 is disposed in the first heat exchange medium circulation loop to provide power for the flow of the first heat exchange medium. The second medium pump 19 is disposed in the second heat exchange medium circulation loop to provide power for the flow of the second heat exchange medium.

[0062] Alternatively or additionally, the first medium pump 23 may be connected between the heat-using device 22 and the cold-side inlet of the condenser 12. Obviously, the first medium pump 23 may also be located between the cold-side outlet of the condenser 12 and the heat-using device 22, or it may be located at other locations in the first heat exchange medium circulation loop, as long as it can provide power to the first heat exchange medium flowing through the first heat exchange medium circulation loop. The type of the first medium pump 23 can be flexibly selected according to actual needs, and the type of the first medium pump 23 is not limited here.

[0063] Alternatively or additionally, the second medium pump 19 may be connected between the heat source device 18 and the hot-side inlet of the evaporator 14. Obviously, the second medium pump 19 may also be connected between the hot-side outlet of the evaporator 14 and the heat source device 18, or the second medium pump 19 may be located at other locations in the second heat exchange medium circulation loop, as long as it can provide power for the flow of the second heat exchange medium in the second heat exchange medium circulation loop. The type of the second medium pump 19 can be flexibly selected according to actual needs, and the type of the second medium pump 19 is not limited here.

[0064] The following description, in conjunction with Figures 5 to 7, illustrates the specific structure and connection relationships of the thermal energy utilization equipment. However, it should not be construed as the thermal energy utilization equipment being limited to the connection relationships shown below.

[0065] For example, as shown in FIG5, FIG5 illustrates a schematic diagram of a thermal energy utilization system according to a first embodiment of the present application. The heat pump unit used in the example shown in FIG5 is similar to the heat pump unit shown in FIG2. Specific connections already shown in the example of FIG2 will not be repeated here; however, the following provides an exemplary description of structures and connections not shown in FIG2 included in the example shown in FIG5.

[0066] One difference between the example shown in Figure 5 and the example shown in Figure 2 is that the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 is connected to the inlet of the dryer filter 24 via a shut-off valve 25, the outlet of the dryer filter 24 is connected to the inlet of the second throttling element 17 via a solenoid valve 26, and the outlet of the dryer filter 24 is also connected to the hot-side inlet of the second heat exchanger 20 via a solenoid valve 27. The hot-side outlet of the second heat exchanger 20 can be connected to the inlet of the first throttling element 13. The cold-side inlet of the second heat exchanger 20 can be connected to the outlet of the second medium pump 19, and the cold-side outlet of the second heat exchanger 20 can be connected to the inlet of the second medium pump 19 via a third medium pump 21.

[0067] The refrigerant flowing out of the hot side outlet of the condenser 12 first flows through the dryer filter 24. The dryer filter 24 can dry and filter the refrigerant flowing out of the hot side channel of the condenser 12, removing moisture and impurities from the refrigerant, which is beneficial to maintaining the quality of the refrigerant and the energy efficiency ratio of the heat pump system.

[0068] The refrigerant flowing out of the dryer filter 24 is divided into two streams. One stream flows through the solenoid valve 26, the second throttling element 17, the economizer 16, and the first heat exchanger 15. The other stream flows through the solenoid valve 27 into the hot-side passage of the second heat exchanger 20. In the second heat exchanger 20, this other stream of refrigerant exchanges heat with the second heat exchange medium (e.g., medium-temperature water), absorbing cold energy from the second heat exchange medium and transferring heat to it. Afterward, this other stream of refrigerant flows out through the hot-side outlet of the second heat exchanger 20. The two streams of refrigerant merge at the first throttling element 13 and flow into it. After being throttled and cooled by the first throttling element 13, they flow into the cold-side passage of the evaporator 14.

[0069] The second heat exchange medium flowing out of the cold side channel of the second heat exchanger 20 mixes with the second heat exchange medium supplied by the heat source device 18 and flows into the hot side channel of the evaporator 14. The second heat exchange medium and the refrigerant after throttling and cooling exchange heat in the evaporator 14 to achieve the purpose of absorbing heat from the heat source device 18. In the improved embodiment of this example, by pre-exchanging heat between the second heat exchange medium and the refrigerant through the second heat exchanger 20, the thermal energy contained in the second heat exchange medium can be increased, and the cold energy contained in the refrigerant can be increased, which is beneficial to improving the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 14, thereby improving the energy efficiency ratio of the heat pump system, and also beneficial to increasing the heating temperature of the first heat exchange medium.

[0070] Another difference between the example shown in Figure 5 and the example shown in Figure 2 is that the heat pump system also includes a heat-using device 22 and a first medium pump 23. The cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the condenser 12 are respectively connected to the heat-using device 22 to form a first heat exchange medium circulation loop, and the first medium pump 23 is installed on this first heat exchange medium circulation loop. In this way, the heat pump system can absorb heat from the heat source device 18, transfer and convert the absorbed heat, and transfer it to the heat-using device 22 through the first heat exchange medium (e.g., water). Conversely, the heat pump system also absorbs cold energy from the heat-using device 22, transfers and converts the cold energy, and transfers it to the heat source device 18 through the second heat exchange medium (e.g., water) to cool the heat source device 18, thus achieving bidirectional regulation of cold and heat.

[0071] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a thermal energy utilization system according to a second embodiment of this application. The heat pump unit used in the example shown in Figure 6 is similar to the heat pump unit shown in Figure 3. However, one difference between the sixth embodiment shown in Figure 6 and the third embodiment shown in Figure 3 is that the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 branches into three refrigerant branches. One refrigerant branch is connected to the inlet of the second throttling element 17 via solenoid valve 26, another refrigerant branch is connected to the hot-side inlet of the economizer 16 via solenoid valve 28, and yet another refrigerant branch is connected to the hot-side inlet of the second heat exchanger 20 via solenoid valve 27. The refrigerant flowing out of the hot-side outlet of the second heat exchanger 20 merges with the refrigerant flowing out of the hot-side outlet of the economizer 16 at the first throttling element 13. Thus, one of the three refrigerant streams absorbs heat from another refrigerant stream and the lubricating medium, and flows back to the compressor 11. The other refrigerant absorbs cold energy and flows into the first throttling element 13. Another stream of refrigerant absorbs cold energy from the second heat exchange medium through the second heat exchanger 20 and flows into the first throttling element 13, which helps to improve the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 14, and thus helps to improve the energy efficiency ratio of the heat pump system.

[0072] Of course, the differences between the example shown in Figure 6 and the example shown in Figure 3 include the addition of heat source device 18 and heat-using device 22, etc. However, the structure and connection relationship of heat source device 18 and heat-using device 22 are similar to those in the example shown in Figure 5. The details have been described in the example shown in Figure 5 above, and will not be repeated here. Please refer to the above description.

[0073] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of a thermal energy utilization system according to a third embodiment of this application. The heat pump unit used in the example shown in Figure 7 is similar to the heat pump unit shown in Figure 4. However, one difference between the seventh embodiment shown in Figure 7 and the fourth embodiment shown in Figure 4 is that the hot-side outlet of the condenser 12 branches into three refrigerant branches. One refrigerant branch is connected to the inlet of the second throttling element 17 via solenoid valve 26, another refrigerant branch is connected to the inlet of the first flow channel of the first heat exchanger 15 via solenoid valve 28, and yet another refrigerant branch is connected to the hot-side inlet of the second heat exchanger 20 via solenoid valve 27. Here, the connection method between the second heat exchanger 20 and the first throttling element 13 and the second medium pump 19 is similar to that shown in Figures 5 and 6, and will not be repeated here. Please refer to the foregoing description for details.

[0074] The various embodiments of this application have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A heat pump unit, comprising a compressor, a condenser, a first throttling element, an evaporator, and a first heat exchanger; The compressor, the condenser, the first throttling element and the evaporator are connected by a refrigerant pipeline to form a refrigerant circulation loop. The condenser is used to heat the first heat exchange medium using the refrigerant. The hot-side inlet and hot-side outlet of the first heat exchanger are connected to the lubricating medium outlet and lubricating medium inlet of the compressor, respectively. The cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger are connected to the refrigerant circulation loop, respectively. The first heat exchanger is used to cool the lubricating medium of the compressor using the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation loop.

2. The heat pump unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat pump unit further includes an economizer and a second throttling element, the cold-side inlet of the economizer is connected to the hot-side outlet of the condenser through the second throttling element, and the hot-side outlet of the economizer is connected to the inlet of the first throttling element; The economizer is used to cool the refrigerant in its hot-side channel using the refrigerant in its cold-side channel, and then delivers the cooled refrigerant to the first throttling element.

3. The heat pump unit according to claim 2, wherein the cold-side inlet of the first heat exchanger is connected to the cold-side outlet of the economizer, and the cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger is connected to the hot-side inlet of the economizer.

4. The heat pump unit according to claim 2, wherein the hot-side inlet of the economizer is connected to the hot-side outlet of the condenser, the cold-side inlet of the first heat exchanger is connected to the cold-side outlet of the economizer, and the cold-side outlet of the first heat exchanger is connected to the gas supply port of the compressor.

5. The heat pump unit according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger includes a first flow channel, a second flow channel, and a third flow channel capable of heat exchange; the inlet and outlet of the first flow channel are respectively connected to the condenser and the first throttling element; the inlet of the second flow channel is connected to the condenser through a second throttling element, and the outlet of the second flow channel is connected to the gas inlet of the compressor; the inlet and outlet of the third flow channel are respectively connected to the lubrication outlet and the lubricating medium inlet of the compressor.

6. The heat pump unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat pump unit further comprises a second heat exchanger, wherein the hot-side inlet and hot-side outlet of the second heat exchanger are respectively connected to the hot-side outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the first throttling element; the second heat exchanger is configured to cool the refrigerant in its hot-side channel by using a second heat exchange medium flowing through its cold-side channel.

7. The heat pump unit according to claim 1, wherein the compressor is a screw compressor.

8. The heat pump unit according to claim 1, wherein the compressor and the first heat exchanger adopt an integrated structure.

9. A thermal energy utilization system, comprising a heat pump unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, as well as heat-using equipment and heat source equipment; the heat-using equipment is respectively connected to the cold-side inlet and cold-side outlet of the condenser in the heat pump unit to form a first heat exchange medium circulation loop; the heat source equipment is respectively connected to the hot-side inlet and hot-side outlet of the evaporator to form a second heat exchange medium circulation loop.

10. The thermal energy utilization system according to claim 9, further comprising: A first medium pump and / or a second medium pump, wherein the first medium pump is connected between the heat-using equipment and the cold-side inlet of the condenser; The second medium pump is connected between the heat source device and the hot-side inlet of the evaporator.

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