Reversible Water Heat Pump Cooling With Power-Generating Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pumps face inefficiencies due to irreversible processes, overheating, and the use of harmful working substances like R134a, leading to high energy consumption and environmental concerns, with efficiency factors typically not exceeding 3 and requiring additional costs for closed cycle encapsulation and combustion systems.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump system that operates in both heating and cooling modes using water as the working fluid, employing a dynamic-type compressor and an open cycle, where the evaporator is used as a cooling liquefier and the liquefier as a cooling evaporator, generating electrical energy by reversing the compressor operation, and utilizing ground water or other aqueous sources for efficient heat exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional heat pump uses a closed cycle with harmful working substances like R134a, then the heat transfer efficiency is maintained, but environmental harm increases and additional encapsulation costs are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful working substance (R134a) from the system and replaces it with water, eliminating environmental harm and the need for specialized encapsulation. The open cycle design allows direct contact with the environment, removing containment requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the previously harmful working substance into a beneficial resource by using water - an abundant, non-harmful substance - that provides the same heat transfer function without environmental damage, turning a problematic requirement into an advantage.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a heat pump operates with traditional compression and heat exchange processes, then heating function is provided, but efficiency factors are limited to approximately 3 due to irreversible processes and overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional heat pump cycle by using evaporation at high pressure and condensation at low pressure, reversing the conventional pressure-temperature relationship. This inversion eliminates irreversible losses and overheating, achieving efficiency factors of at least 6.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters fundamentally by using water as the working substance with specific pressure and temperature conditions (evaporation at 10-20 bar and 100-120°C, condensation at lower pressure), optimizing the thermodynamic cycle for maximum efficiency.
3Power
If a heat pump uses a piston compressor with oil lubrication, then compression function is achieved, but overheating occurs and energy efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical piston compressor with a dynamic compressor that uses dynamic compression principles, eliminating the oil lubrication system and associated overheating problems while maintaining effective compression function.
4Ease of operation
If a heat pump operates in cooling mode using conventional methods, then cooling function is provided, but additional mechanical energy input is required, increasing energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal system that provides both heating and cooling functions using the same open cycle water evaporation-condensation process, eliminating the need for separate cooling systems and reducing overall energy consumption.
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 efficiency factors of at least 6, allowing for the extraction of five times the electric energy spent on compression, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and eliminating the need for harmful substances, while generating electrical energy from excess heat, thus providing cost-effective and environmentally friendly heating and cooling solutions.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling evaporator being configured to be able to be brought to such a pressure that a vaporization temperature is below a temperature of an object to be cooled
Implementation Method 2
a dynamic-type compressor configured to operate, in the heat-pump mode, as a motor-driven compressor, the dynamic-type compressor having a rotatable wheel, and the dynamic-type compressor in the cooling mode being operable as a generator
Implementation Method 3
a cooling liquefier coupled to the dynamic-type compressor, the cooling liquefier having a temperature which is lower than the temperature of the heating backflow, and the cooling liquefier being configured to be able to be brought to a pressure which is smaller than the pressure to which the cooling evaporator may be brought
Data Source
AI summary
A heat pump having a cooling mode includes a cooling evaporator coupled to an advance flow and a backflow. The cooling evaporator is brought to a pressure such that a vaporization temperature of the working liquid in the backflow is below a temperature of an object to be cooled to which the backflow may be thermally coupled. In this manner, an area having vapor at high pressure is generated. This vapor is fed into a dynamic-type compressor which outputs the vapor at a low pressure and provides electrical energy in the process. The vapor at low pressure is fed to a cooling liquefier which provides vapor liquefaction at a low temperature, this temperature being lower than the temperature of the object to be cooled. The working liquid removed from the cooling evaporator due to the vaporization is refilled by a filling pump. The heat pump having a cooling mode also results when a specific heat pump is operated in the reverse direction, and provides cooling without any net use of electrical energy. Instead, the cooling even generates electrical energy.