U.S. patent application number 12/863143 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-05 for apparatus and method for removing a gas from a system, system for vaporizing and heat pump.
Invention is credited to Oliver Kniffler, Holger Sedlak.
Application Number | 20110100032 12/863143 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40552078 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110100032 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sedlak; Holger ; et
al. |
May 5, 2011 |
Apparatus and Method for Removing a Gas from a System, System for
Vaporizing and Heat Pump
Abstract
An apparatus for removing a first gas from a system including a
second different gas, includes a collecting basin for collecting
the first gas, wherein the collecting basin includes a variable
inlet opening for letting in the first gas into the collecting
basin, wherein the inlet opening can be brought into communication
with the system, and a variable outlet opening for letting out the
first gas from the collecting basin, wherein the variable outlet
opening is not in communication with the system, and a generator
for generating a pressure within the collecting basin, which is
higher than the pressure of an atmosphere outside the variable
outlet opening, wherein the inlet opening and the outlet opening
are implemented such that in a discharge mode at a pressure within
the collecting basin which is higher than the pressure in the
atmosphere, the inlet opening has a higher fluid resistance than
the outlet opening, such that the second gas can be output from the
collecting basin via the outlet opening, and that in a collecting
mode the outlet opening has a higher fluid resistance than the
inlet opening.
Inventors: |
Sedlak; Holger; (Lochhofen,
DE) ; Kniffler; Oliver; (Sauerlach, DE) |
Family ID: |
40552078 |
Appl. No.: |
12/863143 |
Filed: |
January 15, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
January 15, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2009/000220 |
371 Date: |
January 19, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/85 ; 62/324.1;
62/475; 62/529 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 30/00 20130101;
F25B 9/002 20130101; F25B 43/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/85 ; 62/475;
62/324.1; 62/529 |
International
Class: |
F25B 43/04 20060101
F25B043/04; F25B 9/00 20060101 F25B009/00; F25B 30/02 20060101
F25B030/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 18, 2008 |
DE |
102008005060.1 |
Jul 2, 2008 |
DE |
102008031300.9 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for removing a first gas from a system comprising a
second different gas, comprising: a collecting basin for collecting
the first gas, the collecting basin comprising: a variable inlet
opening for letting in the first gas into the collecting basin,
wherein the inlet opening can be brought into communication with
the system; a variable outlet opening for letting out the first gas
from the collecting basin, wherein the variable outlet opening is
not in communication with the system; and a generator for
generating a pressure in the collecting basin that is higher than
the pressure of an atmosphere outside the variable outlet opening;
the inlet opening and the outlet opening being implemented such
that in a discharge mode, at a pressure in the collecting basin
that is higher than the pressure in the atmosphere, the inlet
opening comprises a higher fluid resistance than the outlet
opening, such that the second gas can be output from the collecting
basin via the outlet opening, and that in a collecting mode the
outlet opening comprises a higher fluid resistance than the inlet
opening.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generator for
increasing comprises a heater, which is implemented to vaporize a
liquid representing, in a gaseous state, the second gas.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second gas is
water vapor, and the first gas is a different gas than water vapor,
such as air, O.sub.2, N.sub.2, CO.sub.2 and wherein the liquid is
water.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlet opening is
a one-way valve unit, which is implemented to load gas from the
system into the collecting basin with a fluid resistance that is
smaller than a fluid resistance that the gas has to overcome for
reaching the system from the collecting basin.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlet opening
comprises a flap or a check valve.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outlet opening
is a normally closed pressure relief valve, which is implemented to
open independently when an internal pressure of the collecting
basin is higher than a pressure outside the system.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operating
pressure within the system is smaller than a pressure outside the
system.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating
pressure of the system is smaller than 1/50 of a pressure outside
the system.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting basin
is dimensioned such that it can take up an amount of liquid and
that vaporizing the amount of liquid is sufficient to increase the
pressure within the collecting basin to a pressure that is higher
than a pressure outside the outlet opening.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generator for
increasing is implemented to automatically generate the pressure
periodically or at certain events, and to terminate a pressure
increase again after a time period or a further event.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlet opening
or the outlet opening comprise passive valves, which are
implemented to be opened or closed depending on pressure
differences applied to the same.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting
basin is arranged or implemented such that the collecting basin
comprises a region whose operating temperature is lower than an
operating temperature at the location of the system, with which the
inlet opening of the collecting basin can be brought into
communication.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the temperature at
the location in the collecting basin is so low that the first gas
condenses when it comes into the vicinity of the location, while
the first gas in the system is present outside the collecting basin
at a temperature that is so high that the first gas condenses less
than in the collecting basin or not at all.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1 comprising an inlet region
connected to the collecting basin via a neck.
15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlet region
comprises a funnel shape such that the inlet region tapers towards
the neck.
16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a laminarization
material is arranged on the inlet region for influencing a gas flow
into the neck such that it is more laminar after leaving the
laminarization material compared to before entering the
laminarization material.
17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the inlet region
is arranged in a liquefier of a heat pump, while at least part of
the collecting basin is arranged in an evaporator of a heat
pump.
18. A system for vaporizing, comprising: an evaporator cover that
is implemented to maintain a pressure within the system that is
smaller than a pressure outside the system: an apparatus for
removing a first gas from a system comprising a second different
gas, comprising: a collecting basin for collecting the first gas,
the collecting basin comprising: a variable inlet opening for
letting in the first gas into the collecting basin, wherein the
inlet opening can be brought into communication with the system; a
variable outlet opening for letting out the first gas from the
collecting basin, wherein the variable outlet opening is not in
communication with the system; and a generator for generating a
pressure in the collecting basin that is higher than the pressure
of an atmosphere outside the variable outlet opening; the inlet
opening and the outlet opening being implemented such that in a
discharge mode, at a pressure in the collecting basin that is
higher than the pressure in the atmosphere, the inlet opening
comprises a higher fluid resistance than the outlet opening, such
that the second gas can be output from the collecting basin via the
outlet opening, and that in a collecting mode the outlet opening
comprises a higher fluid resistance than the inlet opening, wherein
the inlet opening of the collecting basin is arranged such that the
inlet opening communicates with an evaporator region within the
evaporator cover.
19. The system for vaporizing according to claim 18, wherein the
evaporator cover is further implemented to receive an operating
liquid to be vaporized, and wherein the inlet opening of the
collecting basin is implemented such that the same is at the height
of a level of the liquid during operation of the system for
vaporizing, such that the first gas can be brought into the
collecting basin through the inlet opening in a gravitational
manner.
20. The system for vaporizing according to claim 18, wherein the
collecting basin is arranged in the operating liquid.
21. The system for vaporizing according to claim 18, wherein the
collecting basin comprises an operating liquid that can be heated
for generating the second gas in the collecting basin, and wherein
the operating liquid is the same liquid as within the collecting
basin.
22. The system for vaporizing according to claim 18, wherein the
operating liquid is water.
23. A heat pump, comprising: an evaporator comprising a system for
vaporizing, the system comprising: an evaporator cover that is
implemented to maintain a pressure within the system that is
smaller than a pressure outside the system; an apparatus for
removing a first gas from a system comprising a second different
gas, comprising: a collecting basin for collecting the first gas,
the collecting basin comprising: a variable inlet opening for
letting in the first gas into the collecting basin, wherein the
inlet opening can be brought into communication with the system; a
variable outlet opening for letting out the first gas from the
collecting basin, wherein the variable outlet opening is not in
communication with the system; and a generator for generating a
pressure in the collecting basin that is higher than the pressure
of an atmosphere outside the variable outlet opening; the inlet
opening and the outlet opening being implemented such that in a
discharge mode, at a pressure in the collecting basin that is
higher than the pressure in the atmosphere, the inlet opening
comprises a higher fluid resistance than the outlet opening, such
that the second gas can be output from the collecting basin via the
outlet opening, and that in a collecting mode the outlet opening
comprises a higher fluid resistance than the inlet opening, wherein
the inlet opening of the collecting basin is arranged such that the
inlet opening communicates with an evaporator region within the
evaporator cover; a compressor coupled to the evaporator for
compressing vapor generated by the evaporator; and a liquefier
coupled to the compressor for acquiring compressed vapor.
24. A liquefier comprising: a liquefier region where a first gas
and, as a second gas, a gaseous operating fluid to be liquefied
exists, and an apparatus for removing the first gas from a system
comprising a second different gas, comprising: a collecting basin
for collecting the first gas, the collecting basin comprising: a
variable inlet opening for letting in the first gas into the
collecting basin, wherein the inlet opening can be brought into
communication with the system; a variable outlet opening for
letting out the first gas from the collecting basin, wherein the
variable outlet opening is not in communication with the system;
and a generator for generating a pressure in the collecting basin
that is higher than the pressure of an atmosphere outside the
variable outlet opening; the inlet opening and the outlet opening
being implemented such that in a discharge mode, at a pressure in
the collecting basin that is higher than the pressure in the
atmosphere, the inlet opening comprises a higher fluid resistance
than the outlet opening, such that the second gas can be output
from the collecting basin via the outlet opening, and that in a
collecting mode the outlet opening comprises a higher fluid
resistance than the inlet opening.
25. The liquefier according to claim 24, which is implemented for a
heat pump, wherein the liquefier region comprises a gas supply
region and a foreign gas collection region, wherein the gas supply
region and the foreign gas collection region are separated by a
separator, such that a higher foreign gas concentration occurs in
the foreign gas collection region compared to the gas supply
region, and wherein the apparatus for removing the first gas is
arranged with regard to the foreign gas collection region such that
foreign gas can enter into a collecting basin of the apparatus.
26. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein a laminarizer
and/or a turbulence generator are arranged.
27. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the liquefier
comprises a liquefier outlet across which liquefier water runs off,
which can be brought in contact with water vapor within the supply
region for the purpose of liquefying.
28. The liquefier according to claim 24, wherein an evaporator is
arranged below the liquefier in installation direction, and wherein
a supply region of the apparatus for removing a foreign gas is
arranged within the liquefier, and at least one region of the
collecting basin is arranged within the evaporator of outside a
heat pump, for thermally communicating more with the environment of
the heat pump than with the evaporator or the liquefier.
29. A method for removing a first gas from a system comprising a
second different gas, comprising: in a collection mode, collecting
the first gas; in a discharge mode, discharging the first gas from
the collecting basin into an atmosphere outside the system; and in
response to an event, increasing the pressure within the collecting
basin by introducing the second gas into the collecting basin;
wherein in the collecting mode the inlet opening comprises a lower
fluid resistance than the outlet opening, and wherein in the
discharge mode the inlet opening comprises a higher fluid
resistance than the outlet opening.
30. A computer program comprising a program code for performing the
method for removing a first gas from a system comprising a second
different gas, the method comprising: in a collection mode,
collecting the first gas; in a discharge mode, discharging the
first gas from the collecting basin into an atmosphere outside the
system; and in response to an event, increasing the pressure within
the collecting basin by introducing the second gas into the
collecting basin; wherein in the collecting mode the inlet opening
comprises a lower fluid resistance than the outlet opening, and
wherein in the discharge mode the inlet opening comprises a higher
fluid resistance than the outlet opening, when the method runs on a
computer.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a U.S. National Phase entry of
PCT/EP2009/000220 filed Jan. 15, 2009, and claims priority to
German Patent Application No. 102008005060.1 filed Jan. 18, 2008
and German Patent Application No. 102008031300.9 filed Jul. 2,
2008, each of which is incorporated herein by references
hereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to processing different gases
and in particular to removing a first gas from a system comprising
a second different gas.
[0003] One example for a system comprising a certain gas is an
evaporator of a heat pump. In a heat pump, an operating liquid is
transformed to an operating vapor by a respective combination of
pressure and temperature. Therefore, in many cases, a synthetic
fluid is used as operating liquid. However, heat pumps exist
operating with water as operating liquid, such as shown in
W2007/118482. In such heat pumps with water as operating liquid,
e.g. ground water, seawater or also water circulating in a cycle,
which is heated, for example, by an earth collector or an earth
borer, is vaporized at a temperature of, e.g. 12.degree. C.,
typically at a small pressure. The water vapor having such a low
temperature present at a low pressure is compressed by means of a
compressor, whereby both temperature and pressure are increased.
The warm compressed water vapor will then be transformed to water
again in a liquefier. Here, the operating liquid is heated up in
the liquefier, wherein this energy can then be supplied to a
heating cycle, such as a heating of a building.
[0004] It has been found out that the efficiency of a heat pump is
highest when the evaporator actually exclusively contains the
desired vapor or the desired gas, which has desired specific
requirements with regard to a specific pressure/temperature ratio.
If the heat pump is operated with a different operating fluid than
water, the best efficiency will only result when actually only
vapor of exactly this operating liquid is present in the
evaporator. There is a similar situation when water is used as
operating fluid. In this case, the efficient heat pump will be best
when merely water vapor exists in the evaporator. The penetration
of "foreign gases", which can take place in any way, is hence
unfavorable for the efficiency of the heat pump and should thus be
reduced or completely prevented.
[0005] One option for minimizing the penetration of foreign gases
is, for example, to operate the heat pump under a vacuum. This is
associated with corresponding difficulties regarding technical
practicability, which can be solved but, however, cause high
financial effort. The penetration of foreign gases, however, cannot
be completely prevented, even when a high effort is made. There are
gaskets or other plastic materials that can age and become porous.
Above this, a general diffusion of gases across materials exists,
even when the materials themselves are watertight.
[0006] Hence, the effort for avoiding penetration of foreign gases
can be increased arbitrarily, and it can still not be completely
avoided that foreign gases penetrate. Hence, as a second problem,
there is the question how foreign gases are to be dealt with when
they exist within the system. Then, the foreign gases have to be
brought out of the evaporator again somehow. For example, the
foreign gases could be collected and pumped off the system. Since,
however, heat pumps are often operated in that manner that the
pressure in the evaporator differs heavily from the atmospheric
pressure, pumping off the foreign gases from a system takes place
from a low to a high pressure. If, for example, a heat pump
operating with water as operating liquid is considered, the case
can occur that foreign gases will have a pressure of 10 mbar and
have to be pumped off against an atmospheric pressure of 1 bar. It
is obvious that very powerful pumps are necessitated for this,
which will have to handle only a small discharge amount but have to
overcome an extremely high-pressure difference.
[0007] Hence, in heat pumps where high pressure differences exist
between the operating pressure in the evaporator and the
atmospheric pressure, which means the pressure outside the system,
on the one hand, avoiding penetration of foreign gases is
problematic, and, on the other hand, removing foreign gases from
the system once they have penetrated is also very expensive and
hence costly.
[0008] On the other hand, considering the high prices for fossil
fuels, the market for heat pumps increases more and more. This has
the effect that the competition on this market has increased. Since
an important part of the market for heat pumps exists in the field
of private house owners, who are frequently extremely
price-conscious, the final price at which a heat pump system can be
offered is a factor not to be underestimated regarding whether a
heat pump can hold up on the market or not.
SUMMARY
[0009] According to an embodiment, an apparatus for removing a
first gas from a system having a second different gas may have: a
collecting basin for collecting the first gas, the collecting basin
having: a variable inlet opening for letting in the first gas into
the collecting basin, wherein the inlet opening can be brought into
communication with the system; a variable outlet opening for
letting out the first gas from the collecting basin, wherein the
variable outlet opening is not in communication with the system;
and a means for generating a pressure in the collecting basin that
is higher than the pressure of an atmosphere outside the variable
outlet opening; the inlet opening and the outlet opening being
implemented such that in a discharge mode, at a pressure in the
collecting basin that is higher than the pressure in the
atmosphere, the inlet opening has a higher fluid resistance than
the outlet opening, such that the second gas can be output from the
collecting basin via the outlet opening, and that in a collecting
mode the outlet opening has a higher fluid resistance than the
inlet opening.
[0010] According to another embodiment, a system for vaporizing may
have: an evaporator cover that is implemented to maintain a
pressure within the system that is smaller than a pressure outside
the system; an inventive apparatus for removing, wherein the inlet
opening of the collecting basin is arranged such that the inlet
opening communicates with an evaporator region within the
evaporator cover.
[0011] According to another embodiment, a heat pump may have: an
evaporator having an inventive system for vaporizing; a compressor
coupled to the evaporator for compressing vapor generated by the
evaporator; and a liquefier coupled to the compressor for obtaining
compressed vapor.
[0012] According to another embodiment, a liquefier may have: a
liquefier region where a first gas and, as a second gas, a gaseous
operating fluid to be liquefied exists, and an inventive apparatus
for removing the first gas
[0013] According to another embodiment a method for removing a
first gas from a system having a second different gas may have the
steps of: in a collection mode, collecting the first gas; in a
discharge mode, discharging the first gas from the collecting basin
into an atmosphere outside the system; and in response to an event,
increasing the pressure within the collecting basin by introducing
the second gas into the collecting basin; wherein in the collecting
mode the inlet opening has a lower fluid resistance than the outlet
opening, and wherein in the discharge mode the inlet opening has a
higher fluid resistance than the outlet opening.
[0014] Another embodiment may have a computer program having a
program code for performing the inventive method when the method
runs on a computer.
[0015] The present invention is based on the knowledge that by a
specific design of the inlet opening and the outlet opening of a
chamber basin for the foreign gas, which are implemented in a
variable manner, and by providing a specific means for generating a
pressure in the collecting basin such that the pressure is
increased by generating the second gas within the collecting basin,
an efficient and robust measure for removing foreign gases from a
system is obtained. By closing the inlet opening for the foreign
gas at a pressure in the collecting basin that is higher than the
pressure in the system, and then, typically, opening the same at an
even higher pressure, these foreign gases are discharged from the
collecting basin. This "discharge" of the foreign gases takes place
by means of the second gas generated by the means for generating
the pressure, wherein the second gas is the same gas that primarily
fills the system.
[0016] Hence, the foreign gas is trapped within the collecting
basin. Then, when the collecting basin is to be emptied, the inlet
opening is closed. Then, the pressure in the collecting basin is
increased by generating the second gas within the collecting basin,
until the outlet opening is opened. Then, the collecting basin is
actually "flushed free" by means of the second gas, wherein this
"flushing out" is the more efficient and faster the higher the
pressure in the collecting basin is in comparison to the
atmospheric pressure, such that when the outlet opening opens, fast
pressure relaxation from the collecting basin to the atmosphere
takes place. When the pressure in the collecting basin has dropped
to a value that is typically still higher than the atmospheric
pressure, the outlet opening will be closed again and the inlet
opening can be opened.
[0017] The remaining pressure existing in the collecting basin is
compensated with regard to the system by outputting the second gas,
which has been generated by the means for generating the pressure
and that has not yet been discharged towards the atmosphere but has
remained in the collecting basin, into the system itself as vapor.
This, however, is not problematic, since the second gas presents no
foreign gas with regard to the operating gas in the evaporator, but
is the "desired gas" itself. Relaxing the collecting basin into the
vaporizing space, which is necessitated in order to prepare the
collecting basin again for receiving foreign gas, presents a
process, which is not harmful for the general evaporation process
in the evaporator, but cooperates with the same. The water vapor
output from the collecting basin to the evaporator, after a
discharge process has taken place, supports the evaporation
process, which runs in parallel anyway. This is also advantageous
in that the still existing energy released by relaxation is not
output to the atmosphere but remains in the process itself.
[0018] In particular within an application in a heat pump this is a
great advantage, since there is the effort to keep the internal
losses in the heat pump as low as possible for obtaining a minimum
ratio of spent electric energy to extracted thermal energy.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed
subsequently referring to the appended drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for
removing a first gas from a system;
[0021] FIG. 2 is an embodiment of an apparatus for removing in a
system which is implemented, for example, as evaporator;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a heat pump with an
inventive evaporator; and
[0023] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram for explaining the inventive method
for removing a first gas from a system comprising a different
second gas.
[0024] FIG. 5 is an overview diagram for illustrating a liquefier
having a gas removal apparatus;
[0025] FIG. 6a is a sketch for illustrating the functionality of
the apparatus for removing a gas of FIG. 5; and
[0026] FIG. 6b is a detailed illustration of the apparatus for
removing a gas of FIG. 6a.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for removing a first gas from a
system comprising a second different gas, wherein the system is
designated with 2. The apparatus comprises, in particular, a
collecting basin 10 for collecting the first gas, wherein the first
gas is also referred to as "foreign gas", while the second
different gas is also referred to as "useful gas". Further, the
collecting basin 10 comprises a variable inlet opening 5 for
letting in the first gas, which means the foreign gas, into the
collecting basin 10. Further, the collecting basin 10 comprises a
variable outlet opening 4 for letting out the first gas, which
means the foreign gas, from the collecting basin, wherein the
variable outlet opening is not in communication with the collecting
basin. However, the variable inlet opening can be brought into
communication with the system.
[0028] Further, the apparatus for removing the foreign gas
comprises a means 1 for generating a pressure in the collecting
basin, which is higher than the pressure in the system 2. In
particular, the means 1 for generating the pressure is implemented
to increase the pressure in the collecting basin by generating the
second gas, which means the useful gas, in the collecting
basin.
[0029] In an embodiment, which will be discussed below, the means 1
for generating the pressure includes a heater arranged in a liquid,
which exists in the collecting basin 10, which presents, when the
same is vaporized, the second gas, which means the useful gas. The
means 1 for generating the pressure is coupled to a control 9.
Depending on the implementation, the control 9 is implemented to
activate the means 1 for generating the pressure periodically,
depending on certain events or a certain determined or
non-determined strategy. Further, the control 9 has to be
implemented to actively control the outlet opening 4 and the inlet
opening 5, as illustrated by the dotted control lines in FIG. 1.
Alternatively, the inlet opening 5 and the outlet opening 4,
however, can be implemented to operate passively, which means
merely due to the pressure changes or pressure differences applied
to the openings or to vents at these openings, respectively,
between the side with high pressure and the side with low
pressure.
[0030] Hence, the apparatus for removing the first gas from the
system has a discharge mode in which the inlet opening is closed
and the outlet opening is open. It should be noted that the
openings do not have to be opened or closed completely. Instead, it
can be sufficient that the inlet opening has a higher fluid
resistance than the outlet opening when the discharge mode occurs.
The situation is similar in the collecting mode. In the collecting
mode, the inlet opening can be open and the outlet can be closed.
Here, also, not necessarily complete states have to prevail. It can
also be sufficient that, in the collecting mode, the outlet opening
has a higher fluid resistance than the inlet opening. In the
discharge mode, the fluid resistance means that the fluid in the
collecting basin, when same exits the outlet opening, will have to
overcome a lower fluid resistance compared to when the same wants
to exit through the inlet opening into the system. In the
collecting mode, the fluid resistance means that the second gas
from the system in the collecting basin has to overcome a smaller
fluid resistance compared to when gas wants to enter the collecting
basin from the atmosphere via the outlet opening. Thereby, it is
ensured that foreign gas is collected in the collecting basin,
which mostly originates from the system and not from the
atmosphere. As has been discussed, the inlet opening and the outlet
opening do not have to be completely closed or open. It is also not
critical that the gas is completely removed, since the process of
discharging the collecting basin can be repeated as often as
desired. Hence, when a discharge process has not been completely
successful, the same can simply be repeated one or several times. A
limitation is here merely the ability of the means for generating
the pressure to generate enough second gas, or the energy
necessitated for generating the second gas, which has to be
supplied.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the apparatus for generating
the first gas from the system. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2,
the operating liquid in the evaporator is water, and the operating
liquid exists in the evaporator with a certain level, indicated by
11. Below the level 11, there is water, while above the level 11 is
water vapor. The inlet opening 5 is implemented as flap or check
valve, respectively, wherein the outlet opening 4 is implemented as
safety valve.
[0032] The collecting basin is designed such that the same stores a
water volume 11 in which a heat source 1 is disposed. In the
embodiment of FIG. 2, the heat source implements the means for
generating the pressure in the collecting basin, since, when the
water in the water volume 11 is heated, water vapor, which means
the second gas, occurs in the collecting basin. Thereby, the
pressure rises in the collecting basin 10, which will at some point
have the effect that the flap 5 or a check valve, respectively, at
the outlet opening will be closed. Then, no water vapor can escape
from the collecting basin into the system, since the outlet opening
is closed. At the same time, however, the pressure in the
collecting basin will rise further and further until a safety valve
representing the outlet opening will open. The safety valve will
typically open at an adjustable pressure. When the atmosphere is,
for example, at 1 bar, the safety valve is implemented to open at a
pressure above 1 bar, such as 1.1 to 1.5 bar or even only at 2 bar.
The valve opens, for example, just above the atmospheric pressure,
so that no gas penetrates from the atmosphere. As soon as
sufficient water has been vaporized by the heat source 1, and the
pressure in the collecting basin has risen to the trigger pressure
of the safety valve 4, the safety valve will open and a relatively
fast pressure relaxation between collecting basin and atmosphere
will take place. This has the effect that the water vapor mixed
with foreign gases in the collecting basin will quickly be output
to the atmosphere via the safety valve 4. What remains in the
collecting basin is less foreign gas than prior to opening the
safety valve, since the gas flow through the safety valve comprises
water vapor but also a certain proportion of foreign gases.
[0033] At some stage, the safety valve will close and the inlet
valve will open for preparing the collecting basin again for
collecting foreign gases. Hence, it can happen that when the outlet
opening opens, a pressure remains in the collecting basin, which is
higher than the pressure within the evaporator. However, this is
not critical, since this pressure is compensated immediately after
opening the inlet opening. However, the gas going from the
collecting basin into the evaporator volume is no foreign gas or a
gas having only a very low proportion of foreign gas. Above this,
the energy that this vapor has is also transferred into the
evaporation process of the whole system, which is particularly
advantageous when ecological heating systems, such as heat pumps,
are considered, where any "waste of energy" has to be avoided.
[0034] FIG. 2 further shows an arrangement of the collecting basin.
This way, the inlet opening is at the same height as the filling
level 11 of the water. Thereby, any foreign gas that is heavier
than water vapor is moved downwards in the vapor space above the
water level 11, until the foreign gas has "fallen" into the
collecting basin via the inlet opening. The arrangement of the
inlet opening in FIG. 2 is also advantageous in that the water
volume arranged in the collecting basin and surrounding the heating
means or heat source 1, can also be filled up via the inlet
opening, in that it is ensured that water runs into the collecting
basin via the inlet opening.
[0035] Therewith, the water volume 12 in the collecting basin can
be refilled after every discharge.
[0036] The foreign gases that are to be expected, such as air, are
collected in the collecting basin 10 within the system 2. This
collecting takes, for example, place gravitationally when the
foreign gases are heavier than water vapor, which is the case for
many foreign gases of interest, such as air, O.sub.2, CO.sub.2 or
N.sub.2. Foreign gases that are lighter than water vapor can be
easily trapped when the collecting basin in FIG. 2 is arranged
above the volume, which means when the inlet opening 5 is
positioned at a position of the evaporator which is as far at the
top as possible, such as at the position indicated by arrow 14.
[0037] In the case of "gravitationally" collecting the foreign gas,
which is advantageous, a water volume 3 exists at the floor of the
collecting basin 10. This is heated by means of the heat source,
for example, an "emersion heater" until it evaporates. Thereby, the
pressure in the basin rises further and further. This means the
foreign gases are propelled out, through an especially provided
outlet valve 4. At the same time, it is avoided that the foreign
gases cannot penetrate into the closed system 2 of the heat pump
evaporator. This is ensured by the outlet opening 5.
[0038] In the implementation, the heat source 1 can be
automatically turned on and off, depending on the circumstances.
For example 2 to 3 liters of water can be heated to the requested
evaporation temperature in approximately 30 seconds by means of an
energy source having 01 kW power.
[0039] The heat source 1 can be periodically activated by control 9
(shown in FIG. 1), e.g. once per day or once every 12 hours.
Alternatively, activation of the heat source can also take place at
specific detected events, such a switching on the system or an
alarm of a foreign gas detector (not shown in FIG. 2). Further, the
control 9 is implemented to terminate the heating again after a
certain time or in response to a certain event. In that way, the
ratios of the collecting basin and the pressures to be considered
are predetermined, in that deviations during real operation can
take place, but that these deviations are within certain limits. In
one embodiment, the control will switch the heat sources off again
after a certain time, wherein this time is selected such that the
safety valve 4 has already discharged when the discharge process
has taken place. However, the control 9 can also receive, from the
outlet valve, by means of specific feedback information,
information on the fact that the discharge process has taken place,
so that heating up the water volume 3 can be terminated again.
Hence, in one embodiment the control can be programmed such that
independent of whether the opening of the outlet valve has been
detected or not the evaporation of the water volume 3 will continue
slightly longer than the time of triggering the safety valve, so
that the generated vapor carries the last residuals of foreign gas
from the collecting basin with it to the atmosphere. This time
period by which the evaporation continues when the outlet opening
has already triggered can, for example, be in a time between one
and five minutes, provided that sufficient water is present in the
collecting basin for evaporation, and the heating element 1, which
can, for example, be implemented in the shape of an electrical heat
spiral, does not run "dry".
[0040] In the following, a cycle of collecting mode and discharge
mode will be illustrated in detail based on FIG. 4. In a first step
40, it is assumed that the inlet opening is open and the outlet
opening is closed. Then, the collecting basin is in the collecting
mode and a collection of foreign gas will take place. In a step 41,
an event is detected. This event can be an external event, or in
the case of a periodic control, a detection of a certain time or a
certain time span as an event. In response to the detection of an
event in step 41, in a step 42, the pressure in the collecting
basin is actively increased. This takes place, as illustrated, for
example by evaporation of water. Alternatively, however, water
vapor could be pumped into the collecting basin from outside via a
respective conduit, wherein this implementation is advantageous
when it is not useful for some reasons to electrically contact the
heat source 1, which is otherwise at or in the collecting basin.
Hence, the pressure within the collecting basin will increase
further and further, until the inlet opening closes, while the
outlet opening will still be closed, as illustrated in step 43.
When the pressure has increased so much that the trigger threshold
of the safety valve is reached, the outlet opening is opened,
wherein the inlet opening remains closed. This has the effect that
foreign gas is pushed out, which means that the apparatus is in the
discharge mode. Discharging foreign gas has the effect of lowering
the pressure in the collecting basin, since the overpressure within
the collecting basin relaxes towards the atmosphere, as illustrated
at 45. Due to the pressure relaxation, which takes place passively
in contrast to the pressure increase, the outlet opening will close
at some stage, at the same time, in the case of a passive inlet
opening, the pressure on the check valve becomes too low, such that
the check valve or the flap shown in FIG. 2 will be opened and the
whole apparatus enters the collecting mode again.
[0041] FIG. 3 shows an application of the inventive apparatus or
the inventive method, which is illustrated based on FIG. 4, in a
heat pump for heating a building. The heat pump comprises an
evaporator 2 in which the apparatus for removing the gas is
arranged. The water vapor generated within the evaporator is
supplied to a compressor 30 via a vapor conduit at low temperature
and low pressure, which compresses the vapor and transfers it to
high temperature and high pressure and feeds it into a conduit 32,
which leads into the liquefier 33. In the liquefier, the vapor on
high pressure is liquefied, which releases energy that is supplied
to the building via a heating conduit 34. At 35, a liquid return
conduit is illustrated for forming a closed circle. However, the
system can also work as an open circle, where the liquefier emits
superfluous liquid to the environment, while the evaporator takes
liquid to be vaporized from the environment.
[0042] Although it has been described above that the inventive
apparatus for removing a gas, which is also referred to as gas
trap, is arranged in the evaporator, the gas trap can additionally
or alternatively also be arranged within the liquefier. Foreign
gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon and carbon dioxide or
generally air from the environment are in particular a problem in
the liquefier, since the compressor sucks off these gases anyway
when they enter the evaporator. Although, generally, for producing
the optimum evaporation and condensation process of water,
obtaining a coarse vacuum is important, foreign gases have a more
damaging effect in the liquefier than in the evaporator.
[0043] An arrangement of an inventive apparatus, which is also
referred to as gas trap 50, in the liquefier 51 of a heat pump is
shown in FIG. 5. In particular, FIG. 5 shows a heat pump where the
liquefier is arranged above an evaporator, although this
arrangement does not necessarily have to be used for implementing
an inventive gas trap. The water vapor enters a compressor 53 via a
first gas channel 52, and is compressed there and discharged via a
second gas channel 54. The discharged gas, which means the
compressed and hence hot water vapor is advantageously directed to
a condenser water, by means of a laminization means 55, which can
be implemented, for example, in the shape of honey combs or in a
different manner, which runs off towards the side via a condenser
water channel 56 via a plate-shaped or funnel-shaped condenser
outlet 57. It should be noted that the condenser outlet 57 is
typically rotationally symmetrical and provided with a turbulence
generator 58 for increasing the condenser efficiency.
[0044] Foreign gases sucked in by the compressor motor 53 by the
evaporator are directed to the condenser water 56, due to the gas
flow through the laminarizer 55, which runs off from the middle
towards the side over the turbulence generator 58, which can be
implemented, for example, in the form of wire mesh. It has shown
that foreign gases are carried off laterally by the condenser water
between the laminarizer 55 and the condenser water surface.
[0045] In order for the foreign gases to concentrate close to the
gas trap 50, a sealing lip 59 is provided, which separates the
lower gas region 60 from the upper gas region 61. In that way, the
sealing lip 59 does not necessarily have to provide complete
sealing. However, it ensures that the foreign gas transported by
the condenser water on the condenser 57 concentrates below the
condenser outlet 57 in the region 60. Since the foreign gases are
heavier than water vapor, they fall into the gas trap 50 due to
gravity. However, a diffusion process acts against gravity, in that
the foreign gases in the region 60 and the gas trap will also want
to have the same concentration. Hence, this diffusion process
counteracts the gravity effect of the gas trap. However, this is
relatively unproblematic since the concentration of the foreign
gases does no longer take place in the region where condensation
takes place but below the outlet 57. The sealing lip 59 prevents
that the concentration in the region 60 and in the region 61 settle
on the same value. Therewith, the concentration of the foreign gas
in the region 60 will be higher than in the region 61, and a good
trapping effect for foreign gases in the gas trap 50 will
result.
[0046] It should be noted that the inventive effect of
concentrating foreign gas in the region 60 compared to the region
61, where the actual condensation takes place, takes place even
without laminization means 55 or without turbulence generator 58,
merely due to the sealing lip 59, which affects separation of the
lower region 60 from the upper region 61, or, respectively,
represents a means which is implemented to effect a higher foreign
gas concentration in the region around the gas trap compared to the
region where liquefying or the largest part of the liquefying takes
place.
[0047] However, the effect of the sealing lip 59 separating the
region above the liquefier outlet or the liquefier funnel 57,
respectively, from the region below this element 57 is increased
further in that the laminization means 55 exists, since thereby the
foreign gases can no longer disappear as soon as they hit the water
flow 56 on the liquefier outlet 57, but are actually forced to run
in the direction of the sealing lip and below the sealing lip for
concentrating in the region of the gas trap 50. This behavior is
increased further by the turbulence generator 58, since thereby a
more turbulent flow exists, which also has a higher efficiency for
trapping foreign gas and helping to carry it, since the same is
within the upper region 61.
[0048] FIG. 6a shows a basic illustration of the functionality that
has been illustrated based on the heat pump or the heat pump
liquefier 51 of FIG. 5. In FIG. 6a, it is particularly emphasized
how the region 260 below the outlet 57 is separated from the upper
region 61 by the sealing lip 59. As also illustrated clearly in
FIG. 6a, this separation does not have to be hermetical, as long as
there is a higher probability that foreign gases follow the
turbulent water vapor, which has been laminarized by the
laminarizer 55, as illustrated by arrows 69, along the path into
the lower region 60, as indicated by arrow 68, compared to the
probability that the foreign gases enter the upper region 61 again.
Thereby, concentration of foreign gases will take place in region
60, such that the diffusion effect actually is reduced out of the
gas trap 50, and does not significantly affect the efficiency of
the gas trap.
[0049] Depending on the implementation, it is advantageous to
implement the gas trap similar to FIG. 6b. For that purpose, the
gas trap has a relatively long neck 70, which extends between the
collecting basin 71 and existing inlet region 72, which can have a
funnel shape.
[0050] However, not the length of the neck 70 is of significance,
but merely that at least the bottom part of the collecting basin 10
is arranged in a cold region, such as the evaporator 2 of the heat
pump. This means that warm water vapor from the region 60 of the
liquefier comes into contact with a cold surface of the collecting
basin 1, which causes condensation of the water vapor. This results
in a constant water vapor flow into the funnel 72 along the neck 70
into the collecting basin, since the water vapor condenses in the
region 60 of the cold wall of the collecting basin arranged within
the evaporator 2. The resulting flow into the gas trap has, on the
one hand, the effect of carrying foreign gases also into the
collecting basin, and, at the same time, of collecting water in the
collecting basin, which can then be heated by the pressure
generation means 1 in the form of a heating spiral for effecting
vapor discharge. A laminarization means 73, such as in the form of
a honeycomb structure, is also arranged at the funnel opening for
improving the efficiency of the gas trap.
[0051] Particularly advantageous is the embodiment of arranging a
wall of the collecting basin 10 in the evaporator, or generally, at
a cold part of the system, when the heat pump is implemented such
that the liquefier is arranged above the evaporator. In this
implementation, the neck 70 reaches through the liquefier towards
the bottom into the evaporator for providing a cold condensation
wall, which, on the one hand, causes a constant gas flow into the
gas trap and, on the other hand, also ensures that water exists in
the gas trap, which can be heated for increasing the pressure in
the collecting basin, such that foreign gas discharge can take
place at certain events.
[0052] Although it has been described above that the gravitation
effect supports the entry of the water vapor concentrated with
foreign gases in the "capture range" of the gas trap, such as in
the region 60 of FIG. 6a, the gravitation effect is not
necessitated for that. "Offering" a cold region, such as the wall
of the collecting basin 10, already has the effect that the
condensation gas flow from outside the gas trap into the inside of
the gas trap takes place, independent of whether this gas flow is
supported by the gravitation effect or not.
[0053] The cold region of the gas trap, which is obtained by
arranging at least part of the gas trap, and in particular at least
part of the collecting basin 10 of the gas trap in the evaporator
of the heat pump, generally, can also be obtained by actively
cooling a region of the gas trap or also by arranging the region of
the gas trap which is to be the "cold" region, for example outside
the heat pump. When the heat pump is located, for example, in a
cellar, which has an inside temperature of approximately 10 degrees
or 15 degrees, and when the temperature level in the liquefier is
perhaps at 50 degrees, this temperature difference will already be
sufficient for a reasonable gas flow, and the cold region of the
gas trap does not necessarily have to be arranged directly in the
evaporator of the heat pump, where even lower temperatures than in
the cellar prevail. Generally, it is sufficient that the gas trap
has a region having the effect that gas flow into the gas trap
takes place, so that foreign gases are transported into the gas
trap together with water vapor.
[0054] Then, condensation of the water vapor takes place at the
cold region of the gas trap while the foreign gases do not condense
and hence remain. This causes a concentration increase of foreign
gases in the collecting basin of the gas trap, which will be
reduced in the next discharge cycle.
[0055] The more the concentration of foreign gases increases in the
collecting basin 10 of the gas trap, the harder it will be for the
gas flow to introduce foreign gases from the inlet opening into the
collecting basin of the gas trap, since, due to the concentration
increase within the collecting basin, a diffusion flow exists for
the foreign gases, which opposes the flow of the water vapor with
foreign gases into the collecting basin 10.
[0056] For counteracting a standstill of introducing foreign gases
into the collecting basin 10 due to this opposing flow as a result
of the increased concentration of foreign gases in the collecting
basin, a discharge mode is activated. Therefore, the liquid water
generated in the collecting basin due to condensation of water
vapor is vaporized. Thereby the pressure within the collecting
basis 10 increases so much that the content of the collecting
basin, consisting of vaporized water vapor and in particular the
foreign gases, is discharged towards the atmosphere via the outlet
opening, as illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 6b.
[0057] The discharge mode is shorter than the collecting mode, and
the collecting mode, where a flow into the collecting basin 10
takes place and water vapor condenses, is three times as long as
the discharge mode where water in the collecting basin is vaporized
for increasing the pressure within the collecting basis so much
that a discharge to the atmosphere takes place via the outlet
opening. In particular embodiments, the collecting mode takes more
than ten times as long as the discharge mode. For example, a
collecting mode takes, for example, one minute or more and the
discharge mode lasts then merely six seconds, or even less.
[0058] Although it has been noted above that the sealing lip 59,
generally acting as means for separating the regions, increases the
efficiency of the gas trap, it should be noted that for a basic
functionality of the gas trap, the sealing lip 59 is not
necessitated. Hence, due to the cold region of the gas trap,
independent of whether concentration of foreign gases has already
taken place in the lower region 60, flow into the gas trap will
take place, where then condensation of the water vapor takes place
in the cold air of the gas trap, whereupon the foreign gases
remain. Thereby, already due to this effect, a concentration
increase of the foreign gases within the collecting basin 10 is
obtained, wherein these foreign gases are then discharged in the
next discharge mode, which means they are removed from the whole
system.
[0059] Depending on the circumstances, the inventive method can be
implemented in hardware or in software. The implementation can be
performed on a digital memory medium, in particular a disc or a CD
having electronically readable control signals, that can cooperate
with a programmable computer system such that the method is
performed. Hence, generally, the invention also consists of a
computer program product having a program code stored on a
machine-readable carrier for performing the inventive method when
the computer program product runs on a computer. In other words,
the invention can be realized as a computer program having a
program code for performing the method when the computer program
runs on a computer.
[0060] While this invention has been described in terms of several
advantageous embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and
equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention. It
should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of
implementing the methods and compositions of the present invention.
It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be
interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and
equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present
invention.
* * * * *