Method of operating a heating and cooling system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating and cooling systems, particularly those using heat pumps and geothermal fluid circuits, face inefficiencies in fluid flow control and balancing heating and cooling loads, which limits their ability to simultaneously provide both heating and cooling efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A conduit module with four three-way valves is introduced to couple heating/cooling modules with hot, cold, and source fluid circuits, allowing for simultaneous supply of heated and chilled fluids, and enabling selective control of fluid flows to manage both heating and cooling demands through a system of conduits and valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional heating and cooling systems are used with separate fluid circuits, then heating or cooling can be provided, but the system cannot efficiently provide both heating and cooling simultaneously with unbalanced loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines hot fluid circuit and cold fluid circuit into a single integrated fluid circuit that can operate in multiple modes. The fluid circuit is configured to allow the same fluid to serve both heating and cooling functions by selectively connecting different components (heat pump, thermal storage tank, heat exchangers) through valve arrangements, enabling simultaneous or sequential provision of both heating and cooling without requiring completely separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid circuit is designed as a multi-functional system that can operate in heating mode, cooling mode, or both simultaneously. The thermal storage tank and heat pump serve multiple purposes: the tank can store both hot and cold fluid, the heat pump can act as both heater and cooler depending on configuration, and the same fluid circuit delivers both heated and chilled fluid to different zones. This universal design eliminates the need for separate dedicated systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a complex valve system is used to control fluid flow for simultaneous heating and cooling, then both heating and cooling demands can be met, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the fluid circuit into distinct segments or loops: a hot fluid loop and a cold fluid loop that share common components. Each loop can be independently controlled through dedicated valve arrangements. The thermal storage tank is segmented into hot and cold zones. This segmentation allows independent control of heating and cooling functions while using shared infrastructure, reducing overall complexity compared to completely separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal storage tank acts as an intermediary component that mediates between the heat pump and the heating/cooling distribution system. It buffers and stores thermal energy, allowing the heat pump to operate efficiently while meeting varying heating and cooling demands. The tank's ability to store both hot and cold fluid serves as a mediating function that simplifies the overall control architecture by decoupling the heat pump operation from the immediate heating/cooling demands.
3Loss of energy
If separate heating and cooling systems are used, then each function can be optimized, but the overall system efficiency decreases when both functions are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers waste heat or cold from one part of the system and utilizes it in another part. When the heat pump provides cooling, the rejected heat is captured and stored in the thermal storage tank for later heating use. Conversely, when the heat pump provides heating, the extracted cold is stored for later cooling use. This heat recovery and reuse mechanism significantly improves overall energy efficiency by eliminating the waste that would occur in separate heating and cooling systems.
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 solution enables efficient and flexible management of fluid flows, allowing the system to meet both heating and cooling demands simultaneously, even when loads are unbalanced, and optimizes energy utilization by utilizing the output of both heat exchangers, enhancing the overall efficiency of the heating/cooling module.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger adapted to heat the fluid being conveyed by the first inlet and first outlet conduits
Implementation Method 2
a second heat exchanger adapted to chill the fluid being conveyed by the second inlet and second outlet conduits
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a heating and cooling system includes (1) providing a heating and/or cooling apparatus having first and second heat exchangers, (2) providing a conduit module modularly coupled to the heating and/or cooling apparatus and adapted to be coupled to a plurality of fluid circuits for heating or cooling loads, and (3) operating a control system configured to operate the conduit module in a heating or cooling mode. The conduit module is positioned between the heating and/or cooling apparatus and the plurality of fluid circuits. The conduit module includes first, second, and third supply conduits and first, second, and third return conduits, to convey first, second, and source fluids to and from respective first, second, and source fluid circuits. The conduit module includes first, second, third, and fourth three-way valves to selectively regulate flow of the first, second, and source fluids.