Distributed Heat Pump Layout for Low-Loss Multi-Unit Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat loss occurs in heat pump systems when distributing heat to multiple residential units, as the refrigerant circuit must transport heat over long distances, leading to inefficiencies and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump system with a single environmental heat source circuit connects multiple refrigerant circuits in parallel to minimize heat loss by routing the environmental heat source directly to individual units, eliminating the need for insulation and allowing for flexible use of various heat sources like air-brine exchangers, geothermal probes, and solar absorbers, which can be deactivated based on demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the refrigerant circuit is located in the basement and distributes heat to multiple residential units via heating circuits, then multiple units can be supplied with heat, but heat losses occur during transport over long distances
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the heat pump function into separate modular units distributed to each residential unit. Each unit has its own evaporator connected to the environmental heat source circuit, eliminating the need for long-distance heat transport through insulated pipes. The segmentation allows each unit to receive heat directly at the point of consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The environmental heat source circuit acts as an intermediary medium (brine solution) that collects heat from environmental sources and distributes it to multiple evaporators. This mediator enables heat transfer without requiring direct connection between a central heat pump and all consumer units, reducing transport losses.
2Length of stationary object
If heating circuits with insulated pipes are used to transport heat from the heat pump to residential units, then heat can be distributed over long distances, but insulation is required and heat losses still occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heat transfer function from the centralized heat pump and places it at the consumer units through distributed evaporators. By taking out the evaporation function and placing it at each unit, the system eliminates the need for insulated heating circuits and reduces heat losses during transport.
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 configuration reduces heat loss and energy consumption by delivering heat only where needed, optimizing temperature usage and allowing for regenerative base load coverage, with optional support from auxiliary heaters for increased demands.
Implementation Method 1
evaporators of at least two refrigerant circuits of heat pumps that are structurally separate from one another are connected in parallel to the one environmental heat source circuit
Implementation Method 2
the environmental heat is only raised to a higher level there at the point where the heat is required
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
In a heat pump system with exactly one environmental heat source circuit (9), in which at least one environmental heat source (1, 2, 3, 8) is integrated as a heat source, the evaporators (14) of at least two refrigerant circuits (11) are structurally separate heat pumps (6) connected to an environmental heat source circuit (9).