Sorption heat pump and sorption circuit process
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing sorption heat pumps, the lean solution entering the absorber reaches at most the temperature level of the rich solution exiting, limiting the temperature increase of the useful heat.
Innovation Solution
A second absorber is arranged parallel to the primary absorber for a partial flow of the lean solution to absorb a partial flow of the refrigerant, and a solution heat exchanger is used to increase the temperature of the poor solution before it enters the absorber, along with additional heat exchangers and compressors to enhance temperature levels and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a second absorber is added to the system to pre-absorb refrigerant, then the temperature level of useful heat increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The absorption function is segmented across two absorbers, with the second absorber serving as a preliminary absorption stage. This segmentation enables the first absorber to operate at higher temperatures by receiving lean solution that has already absorbed some refrigerant in the second absorber, thereby increasing the useful heat temperature level while distributing the absorption load across multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The second absorber performs preliminary absorption of refrigerant from the lean solution before it enters the first absorber. This preliminary action pre-cools the lean solution and pre-absorbs some refrigerant, allowing the first absorber to operate more efficiently at a higher temperature level and emit useful heat at a higher temperature.
2Temperature
If the lean solution temperature is increased before entering the absorber, then the useful heat temperature level increases, but the energy efficiency may be compromised due to additional heat exchangers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat exchange functions by using the rich solution as both a heat source for the lean solution in the solution heat exchanger and as a refrigerant-absorbing medium in the second absorber. This merging allows the system to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously: preheating the lean solution, pre-absorbing refrigerant, and recovering heat from the rich solution, thereby improving overall energy efficiency while increasing the useful heat temperature level.
Solution Approach 2:
The rich solution serves multiple functions within the system: it absorbs refrigerant in the absorber, provides heat to the lean solution in the solution heat exchanger, and absorbs additional refrigerant in the second absorber. This self-service approach allows the rich solution to contribute to its own cooling and the heating of the lean solution without requiring external energy inputs, thereby maintaining energy efficiency while achieving higher useful heat temperatures.
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 temperature level of the useful heat is increased, enhancing the energetic efficiency and effectiveness of the sorption heat pump by preheating the lean solution and precooling the rich solution, thereby improving refrigerant expulsion and absorption processes.
Implementation Method 1
an absorber in which the poor solution contains the refrigerant absorbs and emits heat
Implementation Method 2
a solution heat exchanger in which the poor solution absorbs heat from the rich solution between the absorber and the throttle element before it enters the absorber
Implementation Method 3
a throttling element that expands the rich solution after exiting the absorber
Implementation Method 4
an expeller in which the rich solution, after exiting the throttling element, absorbs a heat flow supplied from outside and thereby expels the refrigerant
Implementation Method 5
a pump that pumps the poor solution after exiting the expeller into the absorber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A sorption heat pump (1) is disclosed, comprising a gaseous refrigerant and a liquid solvent, a poor and a rich solution (the poor and rich solutions being single-phase mixtures of the solvent and the refrigerant), an absorber (2) in which the poor solution absorbs the refrigerant and releases heat, a throttling element (8) that expands the rich solution after it exits the absorber (2), a desorber (4) in which the rich solution, after exiting the throttling element (8), absorbs an externally supplied heat flux and thereby expels the refrigerant, a conveying element that conveys the refrigerant into the absorber (2) after it exits the desorber (4), and a pump that pumps the poor solution into the absorber (2) after it exits the desorber (4). A sorption cycle process to be carried out with such a sorption heat pump (1) is also disclosed.To increase the temperature of the poor solution at the inlet to the absorber (2), it is proposed to arrange a second absorber (11) in parallel to the absorber (2), in which a partial stream of the poor solution absorbs a partial stream of the refrigerant before entering the absorber (2) and thereby releases heat to the poor solution before entering the absorber (2).