Cascade Heat Pump with Intermediate Thermal Storage for Wider Lift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat pumps face challenges in achieving an increased temperature range efficiently and cost-effectively, particularly in motor vehicles, due to large installation space requirements and inefficient coolant management.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump system with a cascade arrangement of heat accumulators and caloric storage elements, where at least one heat store acts as an intermediate store for transferring heat between a component to be tempered and the last heat store, using external energy exchanges to adjust the temperature of caloric storage elements and move them between heat storage devices to achieve a desired temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If elastocaloric heat pumps are used to increase efficiency, then temperature transfer efficiency is improved, but installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pump system is divided into multiple heat storage units (first, second, third heat storage units) that are connected in series. Each unit contains caloric storage elements that can be independently positioned, allowing the system to achieve efficient temperature transfer through staged heat exchange while maintaining a compact overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The second heat storage unit acts as an intermediate storage device between the first heat storage unit (in contact with component to be tempered) and the third heat storage unit (in contact with environment). This intermediate unit facilitates efficient heat transfer through caloric storage elements that can be positioned to optimize thermal exchange, reducing the overall space requirement while maintaining high productivity.
2Use of energy by moving object
If thermoelectric or magnetocaloric materials are used to achieve temperature change, then energy conversion efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The caloric storage elements are designed to work within a universal cascade architecture that can accommodate different types of caloric materials (elastocaloric, thermoelectric, magnetocaloric, electrocaloric). The same basic structure of heat storage units and positioning mechanisms serves multiple functions: heat exchange, temperature regulation, and adaptation to different material types, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high energy conversion efficiency.
3Temperature
If a cascade arrangement of heat storage units is used to achieve wider temperature range, then temperature regulation capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature regulation system is segmented into multiple heat storage units arranged in a cascade, where each unit handles a specific temperature level. The first unit contacts the component to be tempered, the second unit serves as an intermediate stage, and the third unit contacts the environment. This segmentation allows the system to achieve a wider overall temperature range while keeping each individual unit relatively simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The caloric storage elements are periodically positioned between different heat storage units to facilitate heat exchange. This periodic positioning action allows the system to cycle through different thermal states, achieving wide temperature regulation capability through repeated simple actions rather than complex continuous control mechanisms.
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
This solution allows for efficient temperature regulation within a wider range by effectively transferring heat through the movement of caloric storage elements between heat storage devices, reducing the need for extensive installation space and improving coolant management.
Implementation Method 1
elastocaloric heat pumps can be used. In an elastocaloric heat pump, the elastocaloric effect is utilized, whereby the cyclic deformation of an elastocaloric material induces a reversible temperature change.
Implementation Method 2
a thermoelectric material (for example, known as a Peltier element or TEC) can be used, in which a temperature change due to the Seebeck effect leads to an electric current.
Implementation Method 3
an electrocaloric material can be used, in which a temperature change leads to a voltage change due to the pyroelectric effect.
Implementation Method 4
a magnetocaloric material can be used, in which a temperature change alters the (magnetic) field strength as a result of spin-lattice relaxation.
Implementation Method 5
at least one of the heat storage units is in contact with a component in order to temper that component, wherein a last of the heat storage units in the cascade is in heat exchange with an environment
Implementation Method 6
efficient coolant flow is difficult
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a heat pump (100) in which an increased temperature lift can be achieved, a heat pump (100) is proposed comprising: - a plurality of heat storage units (10, 11, 12, 13) which are connected in series in a cascade (20); - a plurality of thermal storage elements (30, 31, 32) which are alternately positioned in thermally conductive contact with each of the heat storage units (10, 11, 12, 13); and - at least one driving means (40) for changing the position of the storage elements (30, 31, 32) between the heat storages (10, 11, 12, 13), wherein at least one of the heat storages (10) is in contact with a component (50, 51) to temper this component, wherein a last of the heat storages (13) in the cascade (20) is in heat exchange with an environment (E).The heat pump (100) is characterized in particular by the fact that at least one of the heat storage units (11, 12) forms an intermediate storage unit (S) for transferring heat between a heat storage unit (10) in contact with a component (50) to be tempered and the last heat storage unit (13).