Heat Pump Heating Circuit With Accumulator-Based Subcooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating installations inefficiently utilize surplus heat from heat pumps, leading to energy wastage and suboptimal operation, particularly in maintaining temperature stability and energy recovery.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a third heat pump and an accumulator tank in the heating installation to facilitate efficient subcooling of the working medium and optimal energy recovery by utilizing surplus heat from the first heat pump, while ensuring temperature stability and efficient cooling before re-entering the heat exchanger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the heat exchanger is used to transfer heat from the working medium of the first heat pump to the medium in the second circuit, then the efficiency of the first heat pump is improved by utilizing surplus heat, but the temperature of the medium in the second circuit may fluctuate rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator tank is positioned in the circuit before the heat exchanger to pre-stabilize the medium temperature. By accumulating the medium and allowing thermal equilibrium to establish before the medium enters the heat exchanger, rapid temperature fluctuations are prevented while still enabling efficient heat transfer from the first heat pump's working medium.
2Loss of energy
If the second heat pump operates to absorb heat energy from the medium in the second circuit, then energy recovery is optimized, but the operation must be continuously adapted to maintain desired temperature reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator tank automatically performs temperature stabilization without requiring external control intervention. The thermal mass in the accumulator naturally buffers temperature changes, allowing the second heat pump to operate in a self-regulating manner where the system's thermal inertia maintains temperature within optimal ranges without continuous adaptation.
3Productivity
If the medium is rapidly cooled in the heat exchanger, then subcooling efficiency is improved, but rapid temperature changes occur that affect system stability
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator tank pre-cools and stabilizes the medium temperature before it enters the heat exchanger. This preliminary thermal conditioning allows the heat exchanger to operate at high subcooling efficiency while the accumulator's thermal mass prevents excessive temperature drops, maintaining overall system stability.
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
Enhances the efficiency of the first heat pump by utilizing surplus heat, prevents rapid temperature changes, and optimizes energy recovery in the second heat pump, allowing for efficient subcooling and heating purposes.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger which is arranged in the second circuit and which is connected between a condenser and an expansion valve of the first heat pump in order to transfer heat from a working medium of the first heat pump to the medium in the second circuit
Implementation Method 2
a second heat pump arranged for heating a medium by absorbing heat energy from the medium in the second circuit, wherein the second heat pump has its input side connected to the second circuit so that heat exchange between the medium in the second circuit and a working medium of the second heat pump is possible via an evaporator of the second heat pump
Implementation Method 3
a third heat pump arranged for heating a medium by absorbing heat energy from the medium in the second circuit. The first accumulator tank is connected to an evaporator of the third heat pump in order to allow medium to circulate between the first accumulator tank and the evaporator of the third heat pump so that heat exchange between the medium in the second circuit and a working medium of the third heat pump is possible via the evaporator of the third heat pump
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A heating installation comprising: a first circuit (C1); a second circuit (C2); a first heat pump (4) for heating the medium in the first circuit; a heat exchanger (10) which is arranged in the second circuit and connected between a condenser (4b) and an expansion valve (4d) of the first heat pump; second and third heat pumps (11, 13) arranged for heating a medium by absorbing heat energy from the medium in the second circuit; and an accumulator tank (12) arranged in the second circuit downstream of the second heat pump (11). The accumulator tank is connected to an evaporator ( 13a) of the third heat pump (13) in order to allow medium to circulate between the accumulator tank and this evaporator so that heat exchange between the medium in the second circuit and a working medium of the third heat pump is possible via the evaporator of the third heat pump.