Closed-Loop Heat Pipe Cooling for Low-Energy Building Heat Rejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling methods in buildings during summer, such as those using refrigerant or chilled water with mechanical fans, inefficiently remove heat and require additional fans to dissipate heat into the atmosphere.
Innovation Solution
A closed loop system utilizing mechanical fans, heat tubes, and circulating water to transfer heat from hot air to cold water and then to the atmosphere, with a variable speed pump controlling the water flow based on temperature needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If refrigerant or chilled water cooling systems with mechanical fans are used, then heat removal from rooms is achieved, but additional fans are required to dissipate heat into the atmosphere and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heat dissipation function from the room cooling system. The heat pipes transfer heat from the indoor air stream to water, and the water circulates to an outdoor heat exchanger where heat is dissipated to the atmosphere. This separates the cooling function (indoor) from the heat rejection function (outdoor), eliminating the need for additional fans in the room while reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces water as an intermediary medium to transfer heat from the indoor air to the outdoor environment. The circulating water absorbs heat from the indoor air via heat pipes, transports it outdoors, and releases it to the atmosphere through an outdoor heat exchanger. This intermediary approach eliminates the need for direct mechanical fan-driven heat rejection in the room.
2Temperature
If refrigerant or chilled water cooling systems are used, then heat removal from rooms is achieved, but device complexity increases due to compressors and additional fans
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the compressor component from the cooling system. By using heat pipes for heat transfer and a simple circulation pump for water movement, the system removes the complex compression mechanism while maintaining effective heat removal capability. The outdoor heat exchanger handles heat rejection without requiring additional fans or complex control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical compression system with a thermodynamic heat pipe system. Instead of using a compressor to circulate refrigerant and manage phase changes, the system uses heat pipes that rely on passive thermodynamic principles for heat transfer, significantly reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
3Productivity
If multiple fans are used for cooling and heat dissipation, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but the number of moving parts increases leading to higher maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heat dissipation function from the indoor environment and relocates it outdoors. The single fan in the indoor unit only needs to move air across the heat pipes for cooling, while heat rejection occurs outdoors through a separate heat exchanger. This separation eliminates the need for multiple fans in the room, reducing moving parts and maintenance requirements while maintaining heat removal efficiency.
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
Effectively removes heat from rooms while minimizing the need for additional fans, maintaining comfort by efficiently cycling water temperature and reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
passes it over a set of heat pipes which have one end in the hot air stream and one end in a sealed circulating pipe of cold water. The heat pipes remove heat from the hot air stream and transfer it to the cold water
Implementation Method 2
The cold water which is now hot is pumped to an outside box where another set of heat pipes
Implementation Method 3
another set of heat pipes with one end in the sealed circulating pipe of now hot water remove heat from the hot water and transfer it to air
Data Source
AI summary
Transfer of heat energy from within a building to the outside air by means of fans, heat pipes and circulating water in a closed loop system.