High performance heat pump unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pumps face challenges in achieving high energy efficiency and flexibility, particularly in high heating/cooling power applications, with existing solutions often resulting in low Coefficient of Performance (COP) and limited adaptability to varying thermal user requirements and operating temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump unit design that utilizes the undercooling heat power from the condensation process to preheat the heat carrier fluid before it reaches the main condenser, with a modulating valve allowing partial or total bypass of the undercooling heat exchanger, enabling efficient heat transfer and increased COP through optimized thermal gradients and heat power utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional heat pump cycles are used without undercooling, then the system is simpler to operate, but the COP is lower and energy efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The undercooling heat exchanger performs preliminary cooling of the refrigerant liquid after condensation but before expansion. This preliminary action increases the temperature difference across the evaporator, improving heat transfer efficiency and COP without requiring fundamental changes to the heat pump cycle architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The undercooling heat exchanger acts as an intermediary component between the condenser and expansion device. It recovers heat from the subcooled refrigerant liquid and uses it to preheat the refrigerant entering the evaporator, creating a heat exchange bridge that improves overall system efficiency.
2Loss of energy
If the undercooling heat exchanger is always active, then energy efficiency is maximized, but the system loses flexibility in adapting to different thermal user requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a modulating valve that dynamically adjusts the flow rate of refrigerant through the undercooling heat exchanger based on real-time thermal user requirements. This dynamic control allows the system to optimize energy efficiency when conditions favor undercooling while maintaining flexibility to adapt to varying heating/cooling loads and temperature requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The undercooling heat exchanger is designed to serve multiple functions: it can operate as an undercooling device to improve COP, as a bypass component when full undercooling is not needed, and can be modulated to provide partial undercooling. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address various operational scenarios.
3Loss of energy
If the modulating valve is set to allow maximum flow through the undercooling heat exchanger, then COP increases by up to 20%, but the heat carrier fluid flow rate to the main condenser is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The modulating valve changes the flow parameters of the refrigerant through the undercooling heat exchanger. By adjusting the flow rate parameter, the system can optimize COP when thermal user requirements are met, while the control system compensates for any reduction in heating/cooling power by modulating other system parameters such as compressor speed or heat carrier fluid flow rate.
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
The solution achieves a significant increase in COP by up to 20% compared to conventional heat pumps, enhancing energy efficiency across a wider range of operating conditions, especially in high-temperature heating plants with varying thermal gradients.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger, connected downstream of said main condenser and upstream of expansion means of said at least one main circuit, adapted to perform an undercooling of the operating fluid of said main heat pump cycle after the condensation of the same in said main condenser
Implementation Method 2
The heat power obtained is transferred to a carrier fluid circulating in an external circuit of a thermal user plant
Implementation Method 3
a main condenser adapted to perform the condensation of the operating fluid of said main heat pump cycle
Implementation Method 4
a main evaporator adapted to perform the evaporation of the operating fluid of said main heat pump cycle
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6A
AI summary
A heat pump unit (1) comprises at least one main circuit (2) adapted to perform a main heat pump cycle with a respective operating fluid, which comprises: a main condenser (S4) adapted to perform the condensation of the operating fluid of the main heat pump cycle and intended to be connected to an external circuit of a first thermal user plant (10) in a heating operating mode of said heat pump unit (1); a first heat exchanger (S3), connected downstream of the main condenser (S4) and upstream of expansion means (L2) of said the main circuit (2), adapted to perform an undercooling of the operating fluid of the main heat pump cycle after the condensation of the same in the main condenser (S4), and a main evaporator (S8) adapted to perform the evaporation of the operating fluid of the main heat pump cycle and intended to be connected to an external circuit of a heat sink (20) in a heating operating mode of said heat pump unit (1). The first heat exchanger (S3) is selectively connectable to the external circuit of the first thermal user plant (10) so as to be in series with the main condenser (S4) in said external circuit.