Adsorption system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Climate control systems in electric vehicles are inefficient, placing a significant demand on the vehicle's battery and reducing the driving range due to high energy consumption by resistive heaters and vapor compression cycles, which have low coefficients of performance (COP).
Innovation Solution
An adsorptive thermal system using an adsorbent bed with layers of metallic or carbon-based foam infiltrated with materials like zeolite, activated carbon, or metal organic frameworks, which can store thermal energy efficiently, allowing for high cooling and heating rates with minimal electrical input, thereby increasing the driving range by achieving a high coefficient of performance (COP).
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a vapor compression cycle with an electric motor-driven compressor is used in an electric vehicle, then climate control functionality is provided, but battery power consumption increases significantly, reducing driving range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical vapor compression cycle with an adsorption-based thermal system. Instead of using an electric motor-driven compressor to circulate refrigerant, the system uses adsorbent materials (zeolite, activated carbon, or metal organic frameworks) that naturally absorb and release refrigerant vapor through thermal cycles, eliminating the need for high-power compression machinery and significantly reducing battery power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exploits phase transitions of the refrigerant (evaporation and condensation) combined with adsorption-desorption cycles of the refrigerant vapor on the adsorbent material surfaces. During cooling, refrigerant evaporates and is adsorbed by the cold adsorbent; during heating, the adsorbent is regenerated by heat input and releases the refrigerant vapor which then condenses, providing continuous climate control without mechanical compression.
2Use of energy by moving object
If resistive heaters are used for cabin heating, then heating functionality is provided, but energy efficiency is low due to poor coefficient of performance (COP)
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the condensation phase transition of refrigerant vapor on the adsorbent material during the heating cycle. When the adsorbent releases stored refrigerant vapor (after thermal regeneration), the vapor condenses on the adsorbent surfaces, releasing latent heat directly into the cabin air. This phase-change heat release provides highly efficient heating with COP significantly greater than 1, unlike resistive heating which has COP close to 1.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes thermal expansion and contraction of the refrigerant and heat transfer through the adsorbent structure. During heating operation, thermal energy stored in the adsorbent bed during cooling mode is released through controlled thermal expansion processes, transferring heat to the cabin air efficiently without direct electrical resistance heating.
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 provides continuous climate control with a high COP of 16.7 for steady-state operation, using less battery power than conventional systems, and can maintain vehicle cabin temperature over extended periods with minimal electrical input, significantly enhancing the electric vehicle's range.
Implementation Method 1
an adsorbent bed with layers of metallic or carbon-based foam infiltrated with materials like zeolite, activated carbon, or metal organic frameworks, which can store thermal energy efficiently
Implementation Method 2
releasing a fluid from a reservoir through an evaporator and into an adsorbent bed, thereby causing the temperature of the evaporator to decrease
Implementation Method 3
an output of an adsorbent bed fluidly connected to an input of a condenser, an output of the condenser inside of a reservoir including a refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
An adsorption system can be used as part of a climate control system in a vehicle or in any other space requiring heating or cooling. The adsorbent system can include an enclosure, a plurality of layers arranged in a stack inside the enclosure, and a vapor channel inside the enclosure.