A heating system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water heating systems, particularly air source heat pumps, face inefficiencies at low ambient temperatures, requiring significant refurbishment and additional electrical power, and struggle to achieve the desired water temperature of 60° C. to 75° C. due to limitations in heat delivery efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid heating system combining a turbine for fuel combustion, flue gas and air heat exchangers, and heat pumps to recover and utilize latent heat energy efficiently, with a high air-to-fuel ratio and multiple heat exchanger stages to deliver high-temperature water without excessive back pressure, integrating an air source and water source heat pump for enhanced efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an air source heat pump is used to heat water to 60°C to 75°C, then water heating function is provided, but efficiency deteriorates at low ambient temperatures and additional electrical power is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a turbine-driven generator with heat pump systems (both air-source and water-source heat pumps) into an integrated hybrid heating system. The turbine provides electrical power to drive the heat pumps, while waste heat from the turbine exhaust is recovered through heat exchangers to pre-heat water and ambient air, creating a synergistic system that reduces overall electrical power consumption from the grid.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts waste heat from turbine exhaust gases, which would otherwise be discarded, into useful thermal energy through heat exchangers. This recovered heat is used to pre-heat water and ambient air, turning a harmful waste product into a beneficial resource that improves system efficiency and reduces the electrical power burden on the heat pumps.
2Use of energy by moving object
If flue gas heat exchanger recovers latent heat energy, then water heating efficiency is improved, but excessive back pressure on turbine deteriorates electrical efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The heat recovery system is divided into multiple stages and separate heat exchangers that process different portions of the turbine exhaust stream. This segmentation allows heat recovery at various temperature levels without creating excessive back pressure on the turbine, as each heat exchanger operates independently with optimized flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
Different heat exchangers are positioned at different locations in the system to recover heat at different temperature levels. The flue gas heat exchanger recovers heat from turbine exhaust, while the air heat exchanger recovers heat from ambient air, allowing localized optimization of heat recovery without compromising overall turbine performance.
3Productivity
If air source heat pump operates at low ambient temperature, then heating demand is met, but inherent inefficiencies increase electrical power demand from grid
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of ambient air using waste heat from the turbine exhaust through the air heat exchanger. This pre-heated air is then fed to the air-source heat pump, reducing the temperature lift required and improving the heat pump's coefficient of performance, especially during low ambient temperature operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own waste heat to pre-condition the ambient air and water, making the system self-sufficient. The turbine exhaust heat serves the dual purpose of driving the generator and pre-heating the inputs to the heat pumps, reducing the external electrical power demand from the grid.
4Quantity of substance
If high air to fuel ratio is used in turbine, then latent heat from water vapour condensation is increased, but excessive back pressure on turbine is created
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust gas flow is divided into multiple streams that pass through separate heat exchangers. This segmentation reduces the back pressure on the turbine while still allowing condensation of water vapor in each stream, as the pressure drop is distributed across multiple components rather than concentrated in a single heat exchanger.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves efficient water heating with higher temperature outputs than traditional boilers, using ambient air as a heat source, reducing electrical power consumption, and maintaining efficiency at low ambient temperatures by recovering latent heat energy without compromising turbine performance.
Implementation Method 1
a turbine for burning a fuel to provide flue gas and electrical energy
Implementation Method 2
a flue gas heat exchanger for receiving the flue gas and using the flue gas to heat water
Implementation Method 3
an air conduit for receiving inlet air and gases from secondary inlets from within the system to elevate the temperature in the main conduit above ambient
Implementation Method 4
an air heat exchanger for recovering heat from the air flow of the main conduit
Implementation Method 5
a water source heat pump WSHP to receive a water feed at an elevated temperature from the ASHP, in which at least one stage of the heat exchanger and the WSHP provide process hot water
Implementation Method 6
the system is adapted to recover latent heat energy without creating excessive back pressure on the turbine... the system is adapted to provide condensation of water vapour in the flue gas in the flue gas heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
A heating system (1) has a turbine (20) for burning a fuel to provide flue gas and electrical energy. A flue gas heat exchanger (25) receives the flue gas and uses it to heat water in three of stages. An air conduit (2) receives inlet air (3) and gases from secondary inlets (5, 26) from within the system to elevate the temperature in the main conduit (2) above ambient. An evaporator (8) recovering heat from the air flow of the main conduit, and provides energy via an evaporator coil to an air source heat pump ASHP (50). A water source heat pump WSHP (60) receives a water feed at an elevated temperature from the ASHP (50), and it cools the flue gas in a third heat exchanger stage (25(c)). Hence, WSW efficiency is high and it provides product water, as do the first and second stages of the flue gas heat exchanger (25)