Modular High-Performance Turbo-Compression Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional waste heat recovery systems are large, cumbersome, and expensive, and face unique challenges across various industries, with a need for more efficient methods to capture and utilize low-grade waste heat to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Innovation Solution
The development of an ultra-efficient turbo-compression cooling system that integrates an organic Rankine-vapor compression cycle using a next-generation low global warming potential refrigerant, R1234ze(E), with heat recuperation schemes such as a recuperator, suction line heat exchanger, and cross-cycle economizer, coupled with a turbine and compressor sharing a single shaft, to enhance the coefficient of performance and reduce system costs and volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional waste heat recovery systems are used, then waste heat can be recovered, but the systems become large, cumbersome, and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the power generation cycle and cooling cycle into a single integrated turbo-compression system. The turbine and compressor share a common shaft, allowing waste heat to simultaneously drive power generation and cooling operations. This merging eliminates the need for separate waste heat recovery systems and cooling systems, dramatically reducing overall system volume and complexity while maintaining effective waste heat utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated turbo-compression system performs multiple functions: it generates power from waste heat, provides cooling, and recovers heat through multiple heat recuperation schemes. The single system serves as both a power generation device and a cooling device, replacing what would traditionally require separate systems. This multi-functionality reduces the total volume of equipment needed while effectively recovering waste heat.
2Loss of energy
If conventional waste heat recovery systems are used, then waste heat can be recovered, but the systems become expensive
Solution Approach 1:
By merging power generation and cooling functions into a single integrated system, the patent eliminates the need for separate waste heat recovery equipment and cooling equipment. This consolidation reduces the total number of components, simplifies manufacturing, and lowers overall system cost while maintaining effective waste heat recovery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses waste heat from industrial processes to self-power both the turbine for power generation and the compressor for cooling operations. The waste heat essentially serves the system itself, eliminating the need for external energy inputs and reducing operational costs. The heat recuperation schemes further enhance self-sufficiency by recovering heat internally within the system.
3Use of energy by moving object
If heat recuperation schemes are added to improve COP, then system efficiency increases, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple heat recuperation schemes (recuperator, suction line heat exchanger, and cross-cycle economizer) into the single turbo-compression system. Rather than adding these as separate external systems, they are incorporated as internal components of the integrated power-cooling cycle. This merging approach enhances COP by maximizing heat recovery while minimizing the complexity increase that would result from separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat recuperation schemes operate continuously throughout the system cycle, recovering heat at multiple stages (turbine exhaust, suction line, and cross-cycle). This continuous heat recovery maintains high COP throughout operation without requiring intermittent or complex control mechanisms, thereby improving efficiency while keeping the system relatively simple.
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 system effectively captures low-grade waste heat, improving energy efficiency, reducing fossil fuel consumption, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions, while being more compact and cost-effective compared to traditional systems, with a thermal COP competitive with state-of-the-art absorption chillers.
Implementation Method 1
a turbine configured to receive the evaporated working fluid. The turbine has a plurality of vanes disposed around a central shaft and configured to rotate as the first working fluid expands to a lower pressure within the turbine
Implementation Method 2
A condenser then condenses the first working fluid to a saturated liquid
Implementation Method 3
a mechanical pump pumps the saturated liquid to reenter the waste heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
a compressor configured to increase the pressure of a second working fluid
Implementation Method 5
an evaporator rejecting heat from a circulating fluid to the second working fluid, thereby cooling the circulating fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An ultra-efficient turbo-compression cooling system links an organic Rankine power cycle and a vapor compression cooling cycle using a turbine and compressor that shares a single shaft and further linked to an evaporative condenser. The power cycle implements a waste heat exchanger configured to evaporate a working fluid and a turbine configured to receive the evaporated working fluid. The turbine has a plurality of vanes disposed around a central shaft and configured to rotate as the working fluid expands to a lower pressure within the turbine. An evaporative condenser then condenses the working fluid to a saturated liquid and a mechanical pump pumps the saturated liquid to reenter the waste heat waste heat exchanger. The cooling cycle implements a compressor configured to increase the pressure of the working fluid, with the evaporative condenser (shared with the power cycle) configured to condense the working fluid to a saturated liquid upon exiting the compressor, an expansion valve wherein the working fluid expands to a lower pressure, and an evaporator rejecting heat from a circulating fluid to the working fluid, thereby cooling the circulating fluid.