System and method, to extract water from the environment and regulate temperature with low energy use using a thermal heat exchange cascade
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies for extracting water from the environment and controlling temperature suffer from high energy consumption and inefficiency, particularly in using the specific heat of thermal working fluids for phase change materials (PCMs) during compression and expansion.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a closed circuit with two or more heat exchangers connected through a fluid recirculation system, balancing temperatures and pressures to efficiently transfer heat between thermal working fluids with different phase change temperatures, reducing energy consumption by minimizing temperature differences and optimizing the use of PCM heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional water extraction and temperature control technologies are used, then water can be extracted from the environment and temperature can be controlled, but energy consumption is high and efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of thermal working fluids (specifically latent heat of vaporization and condensation) to transfer heat between environments. The system employs fluids that change phase at different temperatures to create a cascade heat exchange effect, extracting water from air through condensation while controlling temperature with minimal energy input, achieving COP values over 10-20
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces thermal working fluids as intermediary substances to facilitate heat transfer between the environment and the system. These fluids act as mediators that absorb and release latent heat during phase changes, enabling efficient heat exchange without direct thermal contact between hot and cold reservoirs, thereby reducing energy consumption
2Device complexity
If a single thermal working fluid is used in a closed chamber system, then the system structure is simple, but temperature equalization between chambers is inefficient and energy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of thermal working fluid by using multiple fluids with different phase change temperatures in a cascade configuration. This allows optimization of heat transfer at different temperature levels, improving temperature equalization efficiency between chambers and reducing energy loss while maintaining reasonable system complexity
3Power
If temperature differences between chambers are large to enable heat transfer, then heat exchange is driven, but energy efficiency decreases due to excessive temperature gradients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heat exchange process into multiple stages using a cascade of chambers with progressively different phase change temperatures. This segmentation creates smaller, optimized temperature gradients at each stage rather than one large gradient, maintaining adequate heat exchange drive while improving overall energy efficiency through the cumulative effect of multiple efficient heat transfer steps
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 approach achieves a significant reduction in energy consumption, with a coefficient of performance (COP) over 10, even up to 20, allowing for efficient water extraction and temperature control with low energy input, making it suitable for domestic, commercial, or industrial use.
Implementation Method 1
the fluid in the closed chamber is sensitive to the change of temperature outside that chamber, wherein that fluid changes state when it absorbs or surrenders heat
Implementation Method 2
efficiently uses the latent heat use of the compressed liquid inside a closed chamber contained in a radiator
Implementation Method 3
which equalize the temperatures in an intermediate step between compression and decompression
Implementation Method 4
through the recirculation of fluids between chambers
Implementation Method 5
with it, the condensation of the water contained in the air. The fluid in the closed chamber is sensitive to the change of temperature outside that chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A system to extract water from the environment and control temperature through heat transfer between two or more environments, with low energy consumption, for domestic, commercial, or industrial use, which comprises: at least one force unit (10), capable of increasing or decreasing the pressure of the thermal working fluid, wherein the force unit (10) comprises one cylinder (1), which comprises within at least one plunger (2) joined to a piston (27), wherein the piston (27) moves alternately through the activation of a directional control valve (29) that receives hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump (32); at least one closed chamber connected to the cylinder (1), wherein that closed chamber comprises at least one tube (12) joined with at least one closed radiator (8a, 8b) wherein thermal working fluid is compressed inside that closed chamber, wherein the change from liquid to solid state or vice versa occurs, or from solid to another solid state or vice versa; and a control unit (11) that regulates the operation of the directional control valve (29) according to the temperature and pressure obtained from the closed chamber; a first (92) and a second (93) heat transfer circuit, wherein the valves (37as, 37ai, 37bs, 37bi; 81ai, 81bs, 81bi; 81as, 81ai, 81bs, 81bi) are operated by a control unit (11) and associated method.