Pumps, air conditioning systems, and methods for extracting heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerants used in air conditioning systems pose environmental concerns, such as greenhouse gas emissions and stratospheric ozone layer impact, and require significant water consumption, which is a limitation in water-scarce regions.
Innovation Solution
A pump system with chambers and pistons that utilize adiabatic compression and expansion to separate gases into high-temperature and low-temperature streams, eliminating the need for conventional refrigerants and reducing water usage by using a controlled gas flow system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional refrigerants (CFCs, HCFCs) are used in air conditioning systems, then cooling function is achieved, but environmental harm occurs (greenhouse gas emission, ozone layer damage)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates harmful refrigerants from the system entirely. Instead of using CFCs or HCFCs that cause environmental damage, the invention uses a refrigerant-free compression-expansion system with separate high-temperature and low-temperature gas flow paths, achieving cooling without harmful substances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary heat exchange mechanism using heat exchangers to transfer thermal energy between high-temperature and low-temperature gas streams. This mediator enables cooling functionality without requiring conventional harmful refrigerants, replacing their thermal transfer function with a refrigerant-free approach.
2Temperature
If liquid-cooling systems are used for heat dissipation, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but water consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the water consumption requirement from liquid-cooling systems. By using air-based heat exchange and refrigerant-free compression-expansion cycles, the system achieves effective heat dissipation and cooling without requiring continuous circulation of water through heat exchangers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from hydraulic cooling (liquid-cooling systems requiring water circulation) to pneumatic cooling (air-based heat exchange). The system uses gas flow through heat exchangers and air-cooled condensers to achieve heat dissipation, eliminating the need for water while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
3Temperature
If conventional refrigeration cycles are used, then cooling is achieved, but energy efficiency and coefficient of performance are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gas flow into separate high-temperature and low-temperature paths, allowing independent optimization of each stream. The compression and expansion processes are separated into distinct chambers and cycles, enabling more efficient heat recovery and reducing energy losses associated with conventional mixed-flow refrigeration cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers thermal energy that would otherwise be discarded in conventional systems. By using heat exchangers to transfer heat from high-temperature gas streams to low-temperature streams, the system recovers waste heat and improves overall energy efficiency, reducing the energy input required for cooling.
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 system effectively extracts heat to produce gases with different temperatures, reducing environmental impact and water consumption, while improving energy efficiency and coefficient of performance in air conditioning systems.
Implementation Method 1
opening a first passage between a first chamber and a third chamber to compress gas in the third chamber
Implementation Method 2
opening a second passage between a second chamber and a fourth chamber to decompress gas in the fourth chamber
Implementation Method 3
The system effectively extracts heat to produce gases with different temperatures
Data Source
AI summary
A method for extracting heat includes: during a first period: opening a first passage between a first chamber and a third chamber to compress gas in the third chamber; and opening a second passage between a second chamber and a fourth chamber to decompress gas in the fourth chamber. The method further includes during a second period following the first period: closing the first passage and the second passage; enabling a gas flow into the first chamber, the gas flow comprising gas having a first temperature; and outputting gas having a temperature that is lower than the first temperature of the gas in the second chamber.