Adsorption heat pump and method for operating an adsorption heat pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Adsorption heat pumps face performance limitations due to the limited evaporation capacity of operating media in evaporators, with alternative media often being flammable, toxic, or causing corrosion, and the use of additives increasing energy expenditure and reducing system performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a functional medium with a low vapor pressure into the operating medium's liquid half-circuit to lower vapor pressure without the drawbacks of additives, enhancing evaporation performance while improving corrosion resistance and heat transfer in the evaporator and condenser.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If alternative operating media (methanol or ammonia) are used to increase evaporation performance, then evaporation performance is improved, but safety and environmental hazards increase (flammability and toxicity)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a functional medium as an intermediary substance that mixes with the operating medium in the liquid half-circuit. This functional medium acts as a mediator to lower the vapor pressure of the operating medium without requiring the use of hazardous alternative operating media like methanol or ammonia, thus maintaining safety while improving evaporation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the operating medium by adding a functional medium with specific properties (low vapor pressure). This parameter change allows the system to achieve better evaporation performance without switching to flammable or toxic substances, resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety.
2Productivity
If salts are added to water to lower vapor pressure and enhance evaporation performance, then evaporation performance is improved, but corrosion and crystal formation increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using salts as an intermediary to lower vapor pressure, the patent employs a functional medium that does not cause corrosion or crystal formation. The functional medium serves as a superior intermediary substance that achieves the desired vapor pressure reduction without the harmful side effects associated with salt addition.
Solution Approach 2:
The functional medium is designed to remain in the liquid half-circuit and can be easily replaced or regenerated if needed, unlike salts that accumulate and cause permanent damage through corrosion and crystal formation. This approach allows for maintenance of system performance without long-term degradation.
3Productivity
If the evaporator size is increased to improve evaporation capacity, then evaporation performance is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent improves evaporation capacity by changing the physical-chemical parameters of the operating medium through addition of functional medium. This allows enhanced evaporation performance within the existing evaporator size, avoiding the need to increase device dimensions and associated complexity.
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 solution effectively reduces vapor pressure, enhances evaporation performance, and improves the resistance to corrosion and wetting behavior, thereby increasing the efficiency and reliability of adsorption heat pumps without the disadvantages of using alternative media.
Implementation Method 1
The liquid half-circuit contains a liquid functional medium which can be mixed with the operating medium and lowers the vapor pressure of the operating medium
Implementation Method 2
The operating medium is adsorbed in the adsorber in a first step. Thereby, it passes over into the gaseous phase within the evaporator, whereby heat from the environment is taken up at the evaporator
Implementation Method 3
The expelled operating medium is liquefied again in the condenser and thereby releases heat
Implementation Method 4
an adsorber device, comprising a solid absorbant... The operating medium is adsorbed in the adsorber in a first step
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an adsorption heat pump, having an adsorber device, comprising a solid adsorbent, an evaporator, a condenser or an evaporator/condenser and an operating medium in an operating circuit, wherein the operating circuit has a gaseous half-circuit between the evaporator, the adsorber device and the condenser or the evaporator/condenser and the adsorber device, in which gaseous half-circuit the operating medium is gaseous, and a liquid half-circuit which is configured between the evaporator and the condenser and in which the operating medium is liquid, wherein the liquid half-circuit contains a liquid functional medium which can be mixed with the operating medium and lowers the vapor pressure of the operating medium, with a vapor pressure at 25° C. of below 0.2 mbar. In a method for operating an absorption heat pump with an operating circuit comprising an adsorber, an evaporator and a condenser or an evaporator/condenser and an operating medium which is circulated between the adsorber, the evaporator and the condenser, the operating medium is mixed, when running through the operating circuit, within the liquid half-circuit with a liquid functional medium which lowers the vapor pressure, and the operating medium is separated from the functional medium before the transfer into the gaseous half-circuit of the operating circuit.