Multi-Adsorbent Adsorber Layout for Variable-Temperature Heat Pumps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Adsorption heat pumps face challenges in maintaining high coolant adsorption efficiency due to varying temperatures of hot discharge water and cooling water flowing through adsorbers, which affects the adsorption characteristics of the adsorbent, leading to reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an adsorber system with multiple adsorbents arranged in series, each with different coolant vapor-pressure conditions and temperature ranges, allowing for improved coolant desorption efficiency by optimizing the adsorption amount within specific relative vapor pressure ranges, and reversing the flow directions of hot discharge water and cooling water between adsorbers to maintain efficient operation across temperature changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single type of adsorbent is used in the adsorber, then the structure is simple, but the coolant adsorption efficiency decreases when temperature varies
Solution Approach 1:
The adsorber is divided into multiple zones, each containing a different type of adsorbent optimized for specific temperature ranges. The first adsorbent handles higher temperature regions while the second adsorbent handles lower temperature regions, ensuring optimal adsorption efficiency across the entire temperature spectrum.
Solution Approach 2:
The adsorber is segmented into multiple sections with different adsorbent materials arranged in series. This segmentation allows each section to operate within its optimal temperature range, preventing the temperature variation problem that affects single-adsorbent systems.
2Temperature
If hot discharge water temperature is high, then desorption performance is improved, but cooling water temperature increases reducing adsorption efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
Different adsorbent materials are selected for different temperature zones within the adsorber. The first adsorbent is optimized for high-temperature desorption using hot discharge water, while the second adsorbent is optimized for low-temperature adsorption using cooler water, allowing each material to operate at its peak efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the adsorbent material parameter along the flow path to match the changing temperature parameter. As temperature decreases from inlet to outlet, the adsorbent material transitions from one type optimized for high temperature to another type optimized for low temperature, maintaining optimal adsorption characteristics throughout.
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 enhances coolant desorption efficiency and overall performance of the adsorption heat pump by maintaining optimal adsorption characteristics across varying temperatures, resulting in improved temperature changes and efficiency in both hot discharge water and cooling water processing.
Implementation Method 1
A typical adsorption heat pump includes an adsorber that adsorbs and desorbs a coolant, such as water, by using an adsorbent
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An adsorber includes: two or more adsorbents with different coolant vapor-pressure conditions and different coolant temperature conditions corresponding to a lower limit value for a coolant adsorption amount and an upper limit value for the coolant adsorption amount; a container that contains at least one of the adsorbents and in which a coolant is sealable; and a channel pipe that extends through the container, is thermally in contact with the two or more adsorbents, and functions as a channel.