Heat pump, method for operating a heat pump, and transportation vehicle with a heat pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pumps, particularly in transportation vehicles, face inefficiencies due to large installation space requirements and difficulties in coolant conduction, and they struggle to achieve significant temperature rises.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump system with a cascade arrangement of heat accumulators and caloric accumulator elements that alternately position between heat accumulators, utilizing external energy exchanges to create temperature differences and move accumulator elements to achieve desired temperature control, with at least one accumulator in contact with a component and the last one in heat exchange with surroundings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional heat pumps are used in transportation vehicles, then temperature control function is provided, but installation space requirements are large and temperature rise is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pump system is divided into multiple heat accumulators arranged in cascade, with each accumulator handling a specific temperature stage. This segmentation allows for more efficient heat transfer and greater temperature rise within a compact overall volume, as each segment can be optimized for its specific function rather than requiring a single large component to handle the entire temperature range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional two-dimensional heat exchanger surfaces to a three-dimensional cascade arrangement of heat accumulators. This dimensional change enables more effective utilization of available space, allowing heat to be transferred through multiple stages in vertical or stacked configuration, thereby achieving higher temperature rise in a smaller footprint suitable for transportation vehicles.
2Reliability
If conventional heat pumps are used in transportation vehicles, then temperature control function is provided, but coolant conduction is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The heat accumulators serve as intermediary elements between the coolant and the components requiring temperature control. Each heat accumulator in the cascade receives coolant, performs heat exchange, and transfers thermal energy to the next stage. This intermediary approach simplifies coolant conduction by breaking down the complex task of direct coolant distribution into manageable sequential steps, improving reliability while reducing system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If heat accumulators are arranged in cascade with alternating caloric accumulator elements, then temperature control precision is improved, but device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the heat accumulator units: heat storage, heat exchange with coolant, and interaction with caloric accumulator elements. By merging these functions into integrated modules arranged in cascade, the system achieves precise temperature control through cumulative heat transfer across stages, while the modular design prevents excessive complexity by using repeated standardized units rather than custom-designed components for each function.
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 allows for increased temperature rise and efficient temperature control, reducing installation space needs and improving coolant conduction, enabling effective temperature management in transportation vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing external energy exchanges to create temperature differences and move accumulator elements to achieve desired temperature control
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the heat accumulators is in contact with a component to control the temperature of this component, and wherein a last one of the heat accumulators in the cascade being in heat exchange with surroundings
Data Source
AI summary
A heat pump in which an increased temperature rise is achieved, including heat accumulators behind one another in a cascade; caloric accumulator elements positioned alternatingly in thermally conducting contact with one of the heat accumulators; and at least one drive method or mechanism for changing the position of the accumulator elements between the heat accumulators, at least one of the heat accumulators is in contact with a component to control the temperature of this component, a last one of the heat accumulators in the cascade is in heat exchange with surroundings. An intermediate accumulator is formed from at least one of the heat accumulators for transmitting heat between a heat accumulator in contact with a component to be temperature-controlled and the last heat accumulator.