Heat Pump Electronics Cooling via Refrigerant Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat engines, such as heat pumps, suffer from efficiency losses due to heat generation and overheating of electronic components, leading to reduced service life.
Innovation Solution
A heat engine design incorporating a heat-transfer mechanism that absorbs thermal energy from electronics and transfers it to the refrigerant or system medium, enhancing the thermodynamic process and cooling the electronics, using a heat sink or heat-transfer unit integrated with the refrigerant line to re-evaporate refrigerant and prevent compressor damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electronics are used to control and power the heat engine, then the heat engine can be controlled and powered, but thermal energy is emitted by the electronics leading to heat losses and overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful thermal energy emitted by electronics into a beneficial resource by directing it to preheat the refrigerant before it enters the evaporator. This resolves the contradiction by transforming waste heat into useful energy that improves system efficiency and reduces the energy required from the compressor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary heat transfer mechanism (heat exchanger) between the electronics and the refrigerant. This intermediary captures thermal energy from the electronics and transfers it to the refrigerant, preventing direct overheating of electronic components while utilizing the waste heat for refrigerant preheating.
2Power
If thermal energy is emitted by electronics, then electronic components function, but overheating occurs reducing service life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the harmful effect of thermal energy emission from electronics into a beneficial preheating function for the refrigerant. By capturing and redirecting this heat, the electronic components are prevented from overheating, thereby extending their service life while maintaining their operational power.
3Power
If refrigerant is compressed in the compressor, then thermal energy is generated, but efficiency of the overall system is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the thermal energy generated during compression and uses it to preheat the refrigerant before it enters the evaporator. This converts what would be wasted heat into a useful energy source, improving overall system efficiency while maintaining the necessary compression function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a feedback loop where thermal energy from compression is captured and fed back into the system to preheat the refrigerant. This feedback mechanism improves efficiency by reducing the energy gap between the evaporator and compressor, making the thermodynamic cycle more effective.
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 design improves energy efficiency, extends the service life of electronic components, and reduces power losses by recycling waste heat into the thermodynamic process, achieving a higher coefficient of performance and cost savings through improved cooling.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-transfer mechanism 24 which is designed to absorb at least a thermal energy emitted by the electronics and to transfer it to the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
transfer it to the refrigerant or—insofar as one exists—to another system medium that is present in the heat engine
Implementation Method 3
the liquid refrigerant is decompressed, evaporates, and becomes very cold
Implementation Method 4
In a variant where the second heat exchanger is a liquefier, a provision is made that the refrigerant condenses in the liquefier
Data Source
AI summary
A heat engine (10), particularly a heat pump, has a first heat exchanger (11), a compressor (12), a second heat exchanger (13), and a throttle device (14) connected by a refrigerant line (15), through which a refrigerant flows, and electronics (21, 22, 23) with power electronics for supplying power to and/or control electronics for controlling the heat engine (10). A heat transfer mechanism (24) absorb at least thermal energy emitted by the electronics (21, 22, 23) and transfer it to the refrigerant and/or, insofar as one exists, to a system medium flowing through the first or second heat exchanger.