Bidirectional Cold-Heat Network for Flexible Thermal Energy Exchange
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional supply networks are inefficient and inflexible in meeting the diverse heat and volume flow requirements of a large number of subscribers, limiting energy utilization and smart grid management.
Innovation Solution
A bidirectional cold-temperature fluid-cooling-heating network with bi-directional subscriber interfaces, a central controller, sensors for energy data recording, and a main memory for energy storage, allowing participants to act as both energy consumers and suppliers, with a frost-protected heat transfer fluid and standardized connections for efficient energy management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional unidirectional supply networks are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but energy utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional unidirectional energy flow by implementing bidirectional interfaces that allow energy to flow both into and out of participant systems. This enables participants to export excess heat to the network, transforming them from pure consumers to potential suppliers, thereby dramatically improving overall energy utilization efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The bidirectional interfaces are designed to perform multiple functions: they can import heat when participants need heating, export heat when participants have excess heat, and modulate heat flow based on network conditions. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the system adaptable to various operational scenarios.
2Loss of energy
If high temperature fluid is used in supply network, then heat loss to environment is increased, but cooling capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the heat transfer fluid from conventional high temperatures to cold temperatures (below +10°C, preferably between -10°C and +10°C). This parameter change simultaneously reduces heat loss to the environment and enables cooling capability, as the cold fluid can absorb heat from buildings during summer while minimizing thermal losses during circulation.
3Loss of energy
If consumer-only system is used, then system complexity is minimized, but energy utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables participant systems to serve the network by exporting their excess heat through bidirectional interfaces. This self-service approach allows waste heat from one participant to be utilized by another, improving overall energy utilization without requiring a centralized heat recovery system, thus limiting the increase in system complexity.
4Extent of automation
If centralized control without data recording is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but smart grid regulation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements sensors at bidirectional interfaces that continuously record heat flow data and energy consumption data. This feedback mechanism provides the central control system with real-time information about network conditions, enabling automatic regulation of heat pumps and optimization of energy distribution, thereby achieving smart grid regulation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual or mechanical control systems with electronic sensors and data processing systems. The sensors automatically measure heat flow and energy consumption, and the central control system uses this data to automatically regulate the network, substituting physical control mechanisms with electronic information processing to achieve higher automation.
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 network enhances energy utilization by allowing flexible energy exchange, minimizing heat loss, and enabling smart grid regulation, ensuring efficient energy supply and demand management while maintaining optimal operating temperatures for heat pumps.
Implementation Method 1
a connection for thermal fluid energy transfer, which is a cold transfer or a heat transfer
Implementation Method 2
a main memory is provided with a bidirectional main memory interface to the network
Implementation Method 3
a frost-protected heat transfer fluid
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a supply network (10) to which a large number of subscribers (16-22) are to be connected, the subscribers (16-22) having different heat and volumetric flow requirements. The invention is characterized in that the supply network (10) is a bidirectional, cold-tempered fluid cold-heat network that bidirectional subscriber interfaces (24a - 24i) at the subscribers (16-22) and additional device interfaces for additional devices (40 - 44) connected to the network are provided with energy consumption or energy supply properties, the bidirectional subscriber interfaces (24a - 24i) each having a connection for thermal fluid energy transfer, which can be a cold transfer or a heat transfer, that the network is a cold-heat bus system with bus connections for connecting the subscriber interfaces (24a - 24i) to the subscribers (16-22) and the additional device interfaces to the additional devices (40 - 44) that a Main memory (30) is provided with a bidirectional main memory interface to the network, to which various external energy sources (32 - 38) are directly connected, that the network has sensors for recording energy data at all interfaces and at the connected devices as well as data interfaces for Sharing the energy data includes; and that a central controller (50) is provided for controlling the bidirectional interfaces and devices at the participants (16-22) and at the main memory (30).