Gas Heat Pump Supercharging for Low-Pressure Cooling Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas heat pump systems face challenges with low output due to low air supply pressure and high-temperature gas, leading to cooling failures, especially during high outdoor temperatures, and struggle to efficiently supercharge mixtures regardless of rotation speed, posing safety risks and efficiency issues.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a supercharging unit, such as a turbocharger or supercharger, to compress the mixture to higher pressures, with an intercooler to cool and increase mixture density, and uses multiple supercharging units with different capacities to manage varying operation regions, ensuring efficient operation across a wider range and preventing safety hazards by controlling mixture flow during engine shutdown.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a large-capacity compressor is used for air conditioning in industrial or large buildings, then the cooling capacity is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cooling load into two parts: a large-capacity compressor handles the base cooling load, while an electric auxiliary compressor provides additional cooling capacity when needed. This segmentation allows the system to meet high cooling demands without requiring a single oversized compressor, thereby reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining high productivity.
2Device complexity
If air is supplied to the gas engine using natural aspiration method, then the device complexity is reduced, but the engine output decreases due to low supply pressure
Solution Approach 1:
A supercharger is introduced as an intermediary device between the air supply and the gas engine. The supercharger compresses the air before it enters the engine, increasing the air supply pressure and density. This intermediary component enables the engine to receive sufficient oxygen for complete combustion, thereby maintaining high engine output while keeping the overall device complexity manageable.
3Productivity
If the gas heat pump operates in cooling mode during high outdoor temperatures, then the cooling function is provided, but the engine output decreases due to low-density air
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the naturally aspirated air intake with a supercharged air intake system. The supercharger mechanically compresses the hot, low-density outdoor air before it enters the engine, increasing its density. This substitution ensures that the engine receives sufficient oxygen even during high outdoor temperatures, maintaining engine output and preventing cooling failure.
4Power
If supercharging pressure is increased to about 30 kPa, then the engine output is improved, but the fuel supply pressure becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the pressure parameter of the fuel supply by introducing a fuel pump that can deliver fuel at high pressure (30 kPa or higher). This parameter change ensures that fuel can be supplied at sufficient pressure even when the supercharging pressure is increased to 30 kPa, thereby maintaining both high engine output and adequate fuel supply pressure.
5Device complexity
If a single supercharging unit is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to supercharge across different rotation speeds is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a dynamic supercharging configuration where the supercharger's operation can be adjusted based on engine rotation speed. The control unit dynamically controls the supercharger to provide appropriate boost pressure across different rotation speeds, ensuring optimal engine performance whether the engine is operating at low, medium, or high speeds. This dynamic approach enhances adaptability without significantly increasing device 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
This configuration enhances engine volumetric efficiency, increases output without enlarging the engine, prevents safety accidents, and ensures smooth supercharging across different rotation speeds, effectively addressing cooling failures and safety concerns.
Implementation Method 1
a supercharger disposed between the mixer and the engine to compress the mixture discharged from the mixer and discharge the mixture to the engine
Implementation Method 2
an intercooler configured to cool the compressed mixture discharged from the supercharger to improve density
Implementation Method 3
an engine configured to burn a mixture of fuel and air and provide power for operation of the compressor
Data Source
AI summary
A gas heat pump system is disclosed. The gas heat pump system includes an air conditioning module including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, an indoor heat exchanger and a refrigerant pipe, an engine module including an engine configured to burn a mixture of fuel and air and provide power for operation of the compressor, a cooling module including a cooling water pump configured to generate flow of cooling water for cooling the engine and a cooling water pipe connected to the cooling water pump to guide flow of cooling water. The engine module includes a mixer configured to discharge the mixture of air and fuel to the engine, a supercharger disposed between the mixer and the engine to compress the mixture discharged from the mixer and discharge the mixture to the engine, and an adjuster disposed between the supercharger and the engine to adjust an amount of compressed mixture supplied to the engine.