Heat transfer system
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing use of energy for heating and cooling in large cities is negatively impacting the environment, and there is a need to improve the utilization of energy distributed in energy distribution grids.
Innovation Solution
A heat transfer system comprising a heating circuit, a cooling circuit, and a heat pump with interconnected heat exchangers that allow heat absorbed by the cooling circuit to be reused for heating, reducing the need for both district heating and cooling grids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If separate district heating and cooling grids are operated independently, then each system can be optimized for its specific function, but energy utilization efficiency deteriorates due to wasted thermal energy in both systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the district heating grid and district cooling grid into a single integrated system where the heat pump connects the two circuits. The cooling circuit's thermal energy is transferred to the heating circuit, merging previously separate energy flows into a unified system that shares common infrastructure and control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides both heating and cooling services to different buildings, recovers and redistributes thermal energy across the network, and enables flexible energy routing based on real-time demand patterns. The heat pump system acts as a universal energy transfer mechanism serving both heating and cooling objectives.
2Loss of energy
If heat from the cooling circuit is discarded, then the cooling system operates simply, but energy utilization deteriorates due to loss of recoverable thermal energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the previously harmful waste heat from the cooling circuit into a beneficial resource for the heating circuit. The heat pump captures thermal energy that would otherwise be discarded and transforms it into useful heating energy, turning an environmental liability into an energy asset.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pump acts as an intermediary device between the cooling and heating circuits. It mediates the transfer of thermal energy from the cooling circuit's return flow to the heating circuit's feed flow, enabling energy recovery without direct thermal contact between the two circuits.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional separate heating and cooling systems are used, then system design is straightforward, but environmental impact worsens due to increased energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the heating and cooling grids into an integrated system, the patent reduces the total energy demand on external energy sources. The shared infrastructure and thermal energy recovery mechanisms decrease overall energy consumption, thereby reducing environmental impact related to energy production and distribution.
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 energy utilization by reusing heat from the cooling circuit for heating, thereby lowering the demand on both district heating and cooling systems, thus minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pump having: a first heat exchanger having a first circuit for circulating heat transfer fluid and a second circuit for circulating heat transfer fluid, wherein the first circuit has an inlet and an outlet connected to the cooling circuit
Implementation Method 2
a first heat exchanger having a first circuit for circulating heat transfer fluid and a second circuit for circulating heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 3
heat absorbed by the heat transfer fluid in the cooling circuit
Implementation Method 4
a feed conduit for an incoming flow of heat transfer fluid having a first temperature, and a return conduit for a return flow of heat transfer fluid having a second temperature
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a heat transfer system. The heat transfer system comprises a heating circuit (30) having: a feed conduit (34) for an incoming flow of heat transfer fluid having a first temperature, and a return conduit (36) for a return flow of heat transfer fluid having a second temperature, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature; a cooling circuit (40) having: a feed conduit (44) for an incoming flow of heat transfer fluid having a third temperature, and a return conduit (46) for a return flow of heat transfer fluid having a fourth temperature, the fourth temperature being higher than the third temperature; and a heat pump (50) having: a first heat exchanger (51) having a first circuit (52a) for circulating heat transfer fluid and a second circuit (52b) for circulating heat transfer fluid, wherein the first circuit (52a) has an inlet (53a) and an outlet (53b) connected to the cooling circuit (40), a second heat exchanger (54) having a third circuit (52c) for circulating heat transfer fluid and a fourth circuit (52d) for circulating heat transfer fluid, wherein the fourth circuit (52d) has an inlet (55a) and an outlet (55b) connected to the heating circuit (30), wherein the second circuit (52b) and the third circuit (52c) is a common circuit (56) of the first and second heat exchangers (51, 54); wherein the fourth temperature is lower than the second temperature.