System for supplying a plurality of consumer units arranged in a building with exergy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for supplying consumer units in buildings with exergy via high-temperature circuits suffer from exergy losses due to long transport routes, requiring continuous high-temperature supply to meet the highest demand, and inefficient low-temperature circuit designs.
Innovation Solution
A decentralized system with branch lines containing control valves and heat pumps, allowing precise control of low-temperature heat distribution to individual consumer units, minimizing flow resistance and exergy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a central high-temperature supply circuit is used to provide heat to consumer units, then exergy can be supplied to multiple units, but exergy losses increase due to transport over long distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the building into multiple zones, each with its own heat pump unit. Instead of one central supply circuit serving all consumers, the system segments the heat supply into decentralized local units, reducing transport distance and exergy losses for each segment
2Adaptability or versatility
If the high-temperature supply circuit is extended to reach more consumer units, then more units can be supplied, but heat losses increase due to larger temperature difference with surroundings
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the building into multiple independent thermal zones, each served by its own heat pump. This allows the building to be served in smaller segments rather than requiring one long high-temperature circuit, reducing heat losses while maintaining the ability to supply multiple units
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces low-temperature heat as an intermediary medium that is transported through the building to decentralized heat pumps, which then convert it to high-temperature heat locally. This avoids the need for long high-temperature transport circuits while still enabling supply to multiple consumer units
3Loss of energy
If the high-temperature supply circuit is well-insulated to minimize heat losses, then energy efficiency improves, but system complexity and insulation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses low-temperature heat as an intermediary that is transported through the building to decentralized heat pumps. Since low-temperature transport requires less insulation than high-temperature transport, this reduces the insulation complexity while still achieving low heat losses
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the heat transport medium from high-temperature to low-temperature for the distribution circuit. This parameter change reduces the temperature difference with surroundings, thereby reducing heat losses and insulation requirements
4Reliability
If sufficient exergy is constantly supplied via the high-temperature circuit to meet peak demand, then consumer units with highest temperature requirements are always supplied, but exergy is wasted when individual units do not need it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heat supply into independent decentralized units, allowing each consumer unit to receive heat only when needed. This eliminates the waste of constantly supplying high-temperature heat to the entire building while maintaining reliability for peak demand at individual units
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts heat supply to each consumer unit based on actual demand through independent control of decentralized heat pumps. Instead of constant supply to all units, the system adapts supply to match real-time needs, reducing exergy waste while ensuring reliability when needed
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
Reduces exergy losses and consumption by optimizing low-temperature heat distribution, ensuring efficient operation and flexibility in meeting varying consumer unit demands.
Implementation Method 1
the low-temperature circuit is designed to extract energy in the form of low-temperature heat from a low-temperature energy source
Implementation Method 2
each consumer unit is assigned a heat pump which is designed to supply the first high-temperature circuit of the consumer unit with exergy in the form of heat or cold, and wherein the low-temperature circuit is designed to supply the primary side of each heat pump with low-temperature heat
Implementation Method 3
extract low-temperature heat from a low-temperature energy source by means of a heat transfer medium circulating in a low-temperature circuit
Data Source
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AI summary
System for supplying several consumer units (1) arranged in a building (6) with exergy for heating and/or cooling, the system comprising the several consumer units (1), wherein each consumer unit has a first high-temperature circuit (5) and a low-temperature circuit (3) with a heat transfer medium, which low-temperature circuit (3) is capable of extracting energy in the form of low-temperature heat from a low-temperature energy source (2), and wherein each consumer unit (1) is assigned a heat pump (4) which is configured to supply the first high-temperature circuit (5) of the consumer unit (1) with exergy in the form of heat, and wherein the low-temperature circuit (3) is configured to supply the primary side of each heat pump (4) with low-temperature heat.