Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration system, and method of operating such a system
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
HVAC/R systems face challenges in reducing the size and energy usage of refrigerant compressors due to low suction pressure of refrigerant during regeneration, necessitating large and energy-intensive compressors.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a sorption circuit with a sorption heat exchanger using sorbent materials like strontium chloride or barium chloride, which adsorb or absorb the primary fluid flow, generating thermal energy transferred to a tertiary fluid flow, and includes a tertiary fluid compressor to reduce the pressure ratio and compressor size, along with a heat exchange circuit with control valves to direct fluid flows through conditioning and ambient heat exchangers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a refrigerant compressor is used to compress refrigerant at low suction pressure during regeneration, then the refrigerant can be compressed and circulated, but the compressor size and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A tertiary fluid flow is introduced as an intermediary medium to transfer thermal energy from the sorption heat exchanger to the refrigerant. This mediator enables heat transfer at more favorable temperature differentials, improving the efficiency of refrigerant regeneration without requiring excessive compressor energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the thermal parameters by introducing a tertiary fluid flow that can be heated to higher temperatures before transferring heat to the refrigerant. This parameter transformation allows for more efficient heat transfer and reduces the energy penalty associated with low suction pressure compression.
2Reliability
If a refrigerant compressor with high pressure ratio is used to handle low suction pressure during regeneration, then the refrigerant can be compressed, but the compressor size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tertiary fluid flow acts as a thermal intermediary that decouples the heat transfer process from direct refrigerant heating. This allows for more efficient thermal energy transfer and reduces the workload on the compressor, enabling a smaller compressor size to achieve the same regeneration effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces direct mechanical compression of low-pressure refrigerant with a thermal field approach using tertiary fluid flow. By substituting the mechanical compression task with a thermal transfer process, the compressor's mechanical workload is reduced, allowing for a smaller compressor design.
3Productivity
If thermal energy is generated at the sorption heat exchanger and transferred to a tertiary fluid flow, then thermal energy management is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tertiary fluid flow serves multiple functions: it absorbs thermal energy from the sorption heat exchanger, transports this energy through the heat exchange circuit, and delivers it to the refrigerant for regeneration. This multi-functionality consolidates several thermal management tasks into a single fluid stream, improving efficiency while managing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal energy management system is segmented into distinct functional zones: the sorption heat exchanger for thermal energy generation, the heat exchange circuit for energy transport, and the refrigerant processing section for regeneration. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system efficiency.
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 reduces the size and energy consumption of the compressor by an order of magnitude, allowing for more efficient thermal energy management and reduced system size, while utilizing waste heat for regeneration, thereby improving overall HVAC/R system performance.
Implementation Method 1
a sorption heat exchanger including a volume of sorbent material to adsorb or absorb the primary fluid flow, generating thermal energy at the sorption heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
a sorption heat exchanger including a volume of sorbent material to adsorb or absorb the primary fluid flow, generating thermal energy at the sorption heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
The heat absorption heat exchanger is configured to exchange thermal energy between the primary fluid flow and a secondary fluid flow through the heat absorption heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
The sorption heat exchanger is configured to transfer the generated thermal energy to a tertiary fluid flow through the sorption heat exchanger
Implementation Method 5
a tertiary fluid flow compressor compresses the tertiary fluid flow before the tertiary fluid flow proceeds through the sorption heat exchanger
Implementation Method 6
a heat rejection heat exchanger cools the primary fluid flow, the tertiary fluid flow selectably directed through the heat rejection heat exchanger
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) system includes a sorption circuit including a heat absorption heat exchanger in fluid communication with a primary fluid flow source such that a primary fluid flow from is directed therethrough. The heat absorption heat exchanger is configured to exchange thermal energy between the primary fluid flow and a secondary fluid flow. A sorption heat exchanger includes a sorbent material to adsorb or absorb the primary fluid flow, generating thermal energy. The sorption heat exchanger is configured to transfer the generated thermal energy to a tertiary fluid flow. A heat exchange circuit is in fluid communication with the sorption circuit and includes a control valves connected to both the secondary fluid flow and the tertiary fluid flow configured to selectably direct the secondary fluid flow and/or the tertiary fluid flow to a conditioning heat exchanger or an ambient heat exchanger.