U.S. patent application number 13/095183 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-27 for air conditioning system for a building.
Invention is credited to Roland BURK.
Application Number | 20110259029 13/095183 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41479330 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110259029 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BURK; Roland |
October 27, 2011 |
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FOR A BUILDING
Abstract
An air conditioning system for a building is provided that
includes a heat sink, a heat source and a heat pump, the heat pump
having a plurality of hollow elements especially comprising an
adsorption agent. A heat-transporting fluid for heat exchange with
the heat source and/or the heat sink can be distributed in a
variable manner between a plurality of flow paths associated with
the hollow elements, by means of a rotary valve, whereby the hollow
elements are brought into thermal contact with the fluid at a
variable temperature. Air in the building can be conditioned by
means of the hollow elements by a temperature difference between
the heat source and the heat sink. The heat pump is designed as a
decentrally arranged structural unit spatially separated from at
least either the heat source or heat sink.
Inventors: |
BURK; Roland; (Stuttgart,
DE) |
Family ID: |
41479330 |
Appl. No.: |
13/095183 |
Filed: |
April 27, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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PCT/EP2009/063794 |
Oct 21, 2009 |
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13095183 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/235.1 ;
62/238.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02A 30/278 20180101;
Y02B 10/24 20130101; F25B 17/083 20130101; Y02A 30/27 20180101;
Y02B 30/64 20130101; Y02A 30/272 20180101; Y02B 10/20 20130101;
Y02B 30/00 20130101; F25B 2315/007 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/235.1 ;
62/238.3 |
International
Class: |
F25B 30/04 20060101
F25B030/04; F25B 27/00 20060101 F25B027/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 28, 2008 |
DE |
DE 102008053554.0 |
Claims
1. An air conditioning system for a building, the air conditioning
system comprising: a heat sink; a heat source; a heat pump
comprising a plurality of hollow elements, which include an
adsorption component; and a heat-transporting fluid that is in heat
exchange with the heat source and/or the heat sink and is variably
distributable via a rotary valve arranged among a plurality of flow
paths associated with the hollow elements, wherein the hollow
elements are configured to be brought in thermal contact with the
heat-transporting fluid under variable temperatures, wherein a
temperature difference between the heat source and the heat sink is
usable to bring about conditioning of air fed to the building via
the hollow elements, and wherein the heat pump is configured as a
locally disposed unit that is separate spatially from at least
either the heat source or the heat sink.
2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein at
least two locally disposed heat pumps are provided.
3. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
locally disposed heat pump is designed for cooling power of no more
than 10 kilowatts, and more particularly no more than 5 kilowatts,
in a normal operating mode.
4. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
heat sink is designed as a heat exchanger through which air
flows.
5. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein that
the heat exchanger is designed as an integrated unit comprising the
locally disposed heat pump.
6. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
locally disposed heat pump is disposed in an outside wall region of
the building, wherein at least one outside wall breakthrough
connected to the heat pump enables air exchange with a room of the
building.
7. The air conditioning system according to claim 6, wherein the
heat pump comprises an adjustable mixing member, wherein at least
an air current of outside air, building air or conditioned feed air
are mixable with another air current of the group.
8. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, wherein the
mixing member is disposed on an inlet side of the heat pump.
9. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
fluid is connectable to the heat pump via a dual-line system.
10. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
fluid is connected to the heat pump by a triple-line system,
wherein one of the lines leads to the heat source and another one
of the lines leads to the heat sink, and wherein a third line forms
a mean temperature return of the heat pump.
11. The air conditioning system according to claim 11, wherein the
third line is connectable to the heat source and the heat sink via
a branch.
12. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein a
pressure differential of the feed lines is regulated by a central
pump in relation to the common return line.
13. An air conditioning system according to claim 10, wherein the
heat sink and the heat source are disposed spatially separated from
the heat pump.
14. An air conditioning system according to claim 10, wherein a
fourth line is provided, which forms a mean temperature return of
the heat pump, wherein the third line is connectable to the heat
source and the fourth line is connectable to the heat sink.
15. An air conditioning system according to claim 10, wherein at
least the third line is connectable to a mean temperature heat
accumulator.
16. The air conditioning system according to claim 15, wherein the
mean temperature heat accumulator is configured as at least one of
a process water accumulator, a low-temperature heater, or a fluid
duct system of a component or concrete core activation.
17. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
heat pump has both a cooling operating mode for cooling air that is
fed to the building and a heating operating mode for heating air
that is fed to the building.
18. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein a part
of the hollow elements around which air flows is provided with a
water-storing device.
19. The air conditioning system according to claim 18, wherein the
water-storing device is designed as a fin member having capillary
structures and/or as a hydrophilic coating.
20. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, further
comprising an air filter for filtering outside air and/or
circulating air, the air filter being arranged on the heat pump
(2).
21. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
heat sink is designed as a heat exchanger through which air flows,
a body of flowing water, a wet or hybrid cooling tower, or a
geothermal probe.
22. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
heat source is designed as a solar thermal plant, a local or
district heating connection, a boiler, a co-generation plant or a
fuel cell.
23. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
heat pump comprises at least one integrated pump for delivering the
fluid.
24. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the
heat pump comprises an electronic controller, wherein a mean
rotational speed of the rotary valve and a volume flow of the fluid
is controllable in an actuatable manner.
25. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein at
least one fluid-side portion of the heat pump comprises exactly
only one rotary valve.
26. The air conditioning system according to claim 25, wherein at
least 4 or at least 6 separate flow paths are alternately
interconnected by the exactly one rotary valve.
27. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein
different heat sources and/or heat sinks are interconnectable to
the heat pump via a fluid circuit, based on a heating or cooling
operation mode.
Description
[0001] This nonprovisional application is a continuation of
International Application No. PCT/EP2009/063794, which was filed on
Oct. 21, 2009, and which claims priority to German Patent
Application No. DE 10 2008 053 554.0, which was filed in Germany on
Oct. 28, 2008, and which are both herein incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to an air conditioning system for a
building.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] WO 2007/068481 A1, which corresponds to U.S. Publication No.
2009000327, describes a heat pump according to the
adsorber/desorber principle, wherein a heat-transporting fluid can
flow around a stack of hollow elements, each containing a working
medium, on an adsorption/desorption side of the hollow elements via
a plurality of flow paths. The flow paths are alternately
cyclically interconnected by a pair of two rotary valves, wherein
the large number of separate flow paths improves the overall
efficiency of the heat pump. On an opposing
evaporation/condensation side of the hollow elements, a second
fluid, for example air, flows around them, which is likewise
conducted alternately over the hollow elements by a pair of two
rotary valves. An air conditioning system according to the
invention is based on such a heat pump, wherein depending on the
requirements of the invention, reference is made to the detailed
explanations of the heat pump.
[0006] Previously, given the complex design, such heat pumps have
been considered as central large-scale plants for building air
conditioning, wherein the heat pump should be disposed centrally,
for example in a basement or beneath the roof of a building, and
heated or cooled water is conducted via a line network to different
heating or cooling sites of a building.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide an air conditioning system for a building that has a
compact design, in particular is designed to be retrofittable, and
to be used as needed.
[0008] By designing the system as a local unit, the heat pump can
be provided in a manner similar to a facade or window air
conditioner. The heat pump will then typically condition only one
room, or a few rooms, and the output and size thereof are
dimensioned accordingly.
[0009] In an embodiment, at least two locally disposed heat pumps
are provided. These local heat pumps can be connected to a fluid
line system of the building, similar to a radiator. In the case of
retrofits, it may also be possible to use existing pipes of a
heating system for this purpose or to embed the retrofits in the
exterior facade insulation as part of the energy-related renovation
measure. The fluid line system can notably be a liquid line
system.
[0010] In a detailed design, the locally disposed heat pump is
designed for a cooling power of no more than 10 kilowatts, and more
particularly no more than 5 kilowatts, in the normal operating
mode. In this way, an air conditioning unit is made possible that
is flexible to install and, in particular, can also be retrofitted
and that is sufficiently dimensioned for individual rooms of
average size.
[0011] In an embodiment of the invention, the heat sink can be
designed as a heat exchanger through which air flows. In a possible
detailed design, the heat exchanger is designed as an integrated
unit comprising the locally disposed heat pump. In such a type, the
heat pump can be connected to a dual-line system of the building,
whereby the installation complexity and costs are reduced.
[0012] In an embodiment, the locally disposed heat pump can be
disposed in an outside wall region of the building, wherein at
least one outside wall breakthrough connected to the heat pump
enables air exchange with a room of the building. This arrangement
has the advantage that circulating air and/or outside air can be
fed selectively, or in a mixable manner, for example as
circulating, mixed or fresh air, to the conditioned region. It is
particularly preferred if the heat pump comprises an adjustable
mixing member, wherein at least an air current of the group
including outside air, building air or conditioned feed air can be
mixed with another air current of the group and divided in a
complementary fashion to an evaporation zone and a condensation
zone of the heat pump. In this way, the air temperature, humidity
and air renewal rate can be easily influenced in the room and the
operation and efficiency of the heat pump can be further optimized,
and additionally supply air/exhaust air heat recovery can be
achieved. In an advantageous detailed design, the mixing member is
disposed on the inlet side of the heat pump. The term `circulating
air`, within the context of the present invention, shall generally
be understood to mean building air that is withdrawn from the
building. Depending on the particular use, this circulating
air/building air can then be recirculated to the building or
dissipated to the outside.
[0013] In a particularly simple and cost-effective installation
type of the air conditioning system, the fluid is connected to the
heat pump by way of a dual-line system. The dual-line system will
generally lead to either a heat source or heat sink, wherein the
respectively other component is provided locally or decentralized
in the region of the heat pump, for example in the form of a
recooling unit operated by outside air.
[0014] In an alternative embodiment, which may be preferred
depending on the requirements, the fluid is connected to the heat
pump by way of a triple-line system, wherein one of the lines leads
to the heat source and another one of the lines leads to the heat
sink, and wherein a third line forms a mean temperature return of
the heat pump. The flow direction of the fluid runs preferably from
the heat source to the heat pump and from the heat sink to the heat
pump, wherein the fluid flow in the mean temperature return leads
away from the heat pump. In a preferred detailed design, the third
line is connected by way of a branch to the heat source and the
heat sink. In a further preferred embodiment, the heat pump is
spatially separated from both the heat source and the heat sink,
which further reduces the size and makes the system more effective.
In addition, in this way it is easy to switch from cooling
operation to heating operation of the heat pump. In order to
optimize the efficiency of the heat pump, moreover a fourth line
may be provided, which likewise forms a mean temperature return of
the heat pump, wherein in particular the third line is connected to
the heat source and the fourth line is connected to the heat sink.
In this way, the different temperature levels of the returns to the
heat source and to the heat sink are taken into consideration,
which develop with optimized internal heat recovery of the heat
pump, whereby slightly higher thermal ratios can be achieved. The
thermal ratio of a thermally driven heat pump is the quotient of
useful heating or cooling power and the required drive thermal
output, and therefore constitutes a measure of the efficiency.
[0015] In an embodiment comprising at least three lines, at least
the third line can be connected to a mean temperature heat
accumulator. In this way, the centrally developing adsorption heat
can be utilized, which is dissipated via the hot or
mean-temperature return of the heat pump. A mean temperature heat
accumulator within this meaning can be any thermodynamically
expedient storage or transfer of this heat volume. In particular,
it can be designed as at least one of the group of process water
accumulator, hot water accumulator or low-temperature heater. A
low-temperature heater shall generally be understood to mean any
type of component activation of the building, for example floor or
wall surface heater.
[0016] In general, the heat pump can be designed so that it has
both a cooling operating mode for cooling air that is fed to the
building and a heating operating mode for heating air that is fed
to the building. A heating operating mode shall preferably be
understood to mean that not only energy of the heat source is
delivered to the building, but that in fact additional heat pumping
takes place to improve the utilization of energy. As a result,
during such an operation, for example, air is conducted to the
outside, which has been cooled by the heat pump driven by the heat
source/heat sink to below the outside temperature. The amount of
heat withdrawn from the outside air is then additionally available
for heating the building.
[0017] In an embodiment and operating mode, in the heating mode the
portion incurred as adsorption heat is transferred via the fluid
circuit to the heat accumulator or the heat consumer of the
building, and the portion incurred as condensation heat is
transferred to the useful air of the building, while the
evaporation heat is withdrawn from the air current delivered to the
outside air. When using building air as the heat transfer medium,
this corresponds to exhaust air/supply air heat recovery with a
concurrent temperature increase due to the heat pump effect.
[0018] In an embodiment of the invention, a portion of the hollow
elements around which air flows is provided with a water-storing
device. In this way, condensation water that precipitates from the
cooled air during an evaporator operation of the hollow element can
be stored distributed in an areal manner, so that it evaporates
again in the subsequent internal, and heat-emitting, condensation
operation of the same respective hollow element and can be emitted
to the air. In the usual operating mode, the condensation water
precipitated from the air is conducted as steam to the outside or
emitted to the outside air. In total, in this way an enthalpy
transfer medium is formed for the condensation water formed when
the useful air cools, by which an enthalpy exchange can be achieved
between the supply air and exhaust air from the room to be
conditioned. In addition, this has the considerable advantage that
no area of the air-side heat pump collects any quantity of water
over an extended period, preventing the formation of microorganisms
and/or the odor-intensive metabolic products thereof. Typical cycle
times of such a heat pump are 10 minutes, so that the surface of a
hollow element of the invention around which air flows, in
simplified terms, is alternately moist for 5 minutes and dry for 5
minutes.
[0019] In a simple and preferred detailed design, the water-storing
device is designed as a rib member having capillary structures
and/or as a hydrophilic coating. For example, conventional louvered
corrugated fins are suited to retain condensation water in a
capillary manner in the fine louver slits, which were originally
provided in heat exchangers to cause better turbulence of the air
current. A possible embodiment would therefore be to provide
conventional louvered fins in the gap between adjoining hollow
elements through which air flows, whereby at the same time the heat
transfer between the air and the hollow elements is improved.
[0020] In an embodiment, an air filter can be designed on the heat
pump for filtering outside air and/or circulating air, so that
pollen, dust and the like are easily filtered out.
[0021] In general, the heat sink of an air conditioning system
according to the invention can have any arbitrary design,
preferably, for example, as at least one of the group including a
heat exchanger through which air flows, body of flowing water, wet
cooling tower or geothermal probe. Likewise, the heat source can
have any arbitrary design, and in a particularly preferred
embodiment it is designed as at least one of the group including a
solar thermal system, district heating connection, boiler or
co-generation plant.
[0022] In an embodiment, the heat sink and/or the heat source can
be switched or connected, depending on the heating or cooling
operating mode.
[0023] In an embodiment of the invention, the local heat pump
comprises at least one integrated pump for delivering the fluid. In
this way, when a plurality of heat pumps are connected in parallel
to a fluid line system of the building, each heat pump can branch
off an individual amount of fluid, without impairing the operation
of the other heat pumps. This is preferably supported in that the
pressure differential of the central feed lines coming from the
heat source and heat sink and leading to the heat pumps is
regulated by means of central pumps in relation to the return.
[0024] In an embodiment, the heat pump has an electronic
controller, wherein in particular a rotational speed of the rotary
valve and a volume flow of the fluid can be controlled in an
actuatable manner. The volume flow and rotational speed are notably
linked by a fixed characteristic curve. Particularly with a heat
pump according to the invention, electronic control is particularly
suited because optimizing the efficiency under changing operating
conditions is key here.
[0025] In a further embodiment of the invention, at least a
fluid-side part of the heat pump comprises exactly only one rotary
valve. In this way, the size, number of moving components, and
manufacturing costs of a heat pump can be reduced. So as to improve
the efficiency, the exactly one rotary valve alternately
interconnects at least 4, and more particularly at least 6,
separate flow paths. The document WO 2007/068481 A1 describes in
detail only heat pumps that have pairs of two opposing rotary
valves, respectively, both on the fluid side and on the air side.
Hereinafter, additionally an embodiment is described in which
exactly only one rotary valve is required at least on the fluid
side, with the overall function being analogous otherwise.
[0026] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying
drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are
not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an air conditioning
system according to the invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a heat pump of the
embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of an air-side part of
the heat pump of FIG. 2 in a cooling operation.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of an air conditioning
system according to the invention.
[0032] FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of a heat pump of the
embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0033] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of an air-side part of
the heat pump of FIG. 5 in a heating operation.
[0034] FIG. 7 shows a schematic longitudinal section of the heat
pump of FIG. 5 or FIG. 2.
[0035] FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-section of the heat pump of
FIG. 5 or FIG. 2 in the outlet plane.
[0036] FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross-section of the heat pump of
FIG. 5 or FIG. 2 in the inlet plane.
[0037] FIG. 10 shows a variant of a rotary valve for a heat pump
that is suited for all embodiments.
[0038] FIG. 11 shows a map projection of the rotary valve of FIG. 1
in a first position.
[0039] FIG. 12 shows the rotary valve of FIG. 11 in a second
position.
[0040] FIG. 13 shows a detailed longitudinal section of the rotary
valve of FIGS. 11 and 12.
[0041] FIG. 14 shows the view of a section along the line XXIX-XXIX
in FIG. 13.
[0042] FIG. 15 shows the view of a section along the line XXX-XXX
in FIG. 13.
[0043] FIG. 16 shows a map projection of a modified embodiment of
the rotary valve of FIG. 11 in a first position.
[0044] FIG. 17 shows the rotary valve of FIG. 16 in a second
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0045] The air-conditioning system according to FIG. 1 comprises a
heat source 1 disposed in a building, which in the present example
takes on the form of a solar thermal system, comprising a solar
collector 1a and a heat accumulator 1b (for example insulated fluid
tank), and a plurality of heat pumps 2 disposed locally in the
building. The heat pumps 2, which are provided, for example, on
broken-through outside walls, each have an integrated local heat
sink 3 in the form of an air-cooled recooling unit. This recooling
unit integrated in the local units 2 comprises a heat exchanger 3a
through which fluid flows and a blower fan 3b for efficiently
dissipating the heat to the outside air (FIG. 2). Unless reference
is made to the contrary, the description of the operation of the
air conditioning system in all embodiments relates to a cooling
mode, in which cooled air is conducted through the building.
[0046] The fluid, which in the present case is a water/glycol
mixture, is connected by way of a dual-line system 4, which has a
first line 4a leading from the heat source and a second line 4b
leading back to the heat source, to the heat pumps, which are
connected to the line system 4 in parallel to each other. A
circulating pump 5 applies a pressure to the line system 4, wherein
each of the heat pumps 2 connected in parallel additionally
comprises a dedicated feed pump 6 (see FIG. 2). In this way, a
fluid volume flow can be individually set for each heat pump 2,
without the volume flow being influenced by the operation of the
other heat pumps.
[0047] The local heat pumps 2 are each dimensioned such that they
produce a cooling power between 1 kW and 5 kW in a typical cooling
operating mode. With respect to the design thereof, they correspond
to a heat pump according to WO 2007/068481 A1 or a heat pump that
is modified in this respect, comprising only a single fluid-side
rotary valve. Such a rotary valve is described below by way of
example and shown schematically in FIGS. 10 to 17.
[0048] In addition to the aforementioned feed pump 6, the local
heat pumps 2 shown in detail in FIG. 2 comprise a region 7 on the
air side or through which air flows and a region 8 through which
fluid flows, or a regenerative adsorption model, in which the
adsorption/desorption process takes place. The two regions 7, 8 are
in fluid connection with each other via closed hollow elements (not
shown), wherein in the hollow elements methanol as the working
medium is displaced between an adsorber side comprising activated
carbon as the adsorption component and an evaporator/condenser side
comprising capillary component for receiving a liquid phase of the
working component (see WO 2007/068481). The fluid lines of the heat
pumps cross over the air-side region 7 only for illustration
purposes, but have no direct thermal exchange with the same.
[0049] Depending on the current operating mode of the individual
hollow elements, the air-side region is divided into an evaporator
region 9 and a condenser region 10. Depending on the requirements
and operating conditions, circulating air (building air) L1 and/or
outside air L2 is fed for conditioning via two fans 11, 12 to the
region 7. On the outlet side of the region 7, an air current L3 is
dissipated to the outside (exhaust air) and another air current L4
(useful air), which is conditioned if desired, is fed to the
building.
[0050] The air currents L1 out of the building and L4 into the
building are conducted locally via wall or ceiling breakthroughs
(see for example FIGS. 7 to 9), and the heat pumps 2 are disposed
on the building facade or the building roof. The heat pumps are
preferably disposed on the outside or integrated in the brickwork
or the facade insulation.
[0051] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the individual air
currents L1-L4 and the interconnection thereof in the
air-conducting region in two operating modes. An
electromechanically adjustable mixing member 15, by which the fed
circulating air L1 and outside air L2 can be mixed, is disposed on
the inlet side of the air-conducting region 7. In the top view, a
first extreme of the setting is selected, wherein only outside air
flows through the evaporator 11 and only circulating air flows
through the condenser 10. In this operating mode, the condensation
that develops is generally particularly high because of the higher
humidity of the outside air. In the bottom view of FIG. 3, the
opposite extreme operating mode is selected, wherein only
circulating air L1 is conducted over the cold evaporator region 9
and only outside air L2 is conducted over the hot condenser region
10. In this operating mode, generally particularly effective
cooling of the building air is achieved, but no air renewal by
outside air.
[0052] All mixing ratios between the extreme settings described
above can, of course, also be adjusted, depending on the
requirements.
[0053] So as to improve the efficiency and suppress microorganisms,
the hollow elements of the heat pump 2 are provided on the air side
with a water-storing device, in the present case are soldered-on
louvered corrugated fins (not shown). Because during a complete
cycle, which typically lasts approximately 10 minutes, the hollow
elements undergo an evaporator mode and a condenser mode, in the
first case condensation water is deposited from the conditioned air
and is held in a capillary manner by the louvered fins, whereupon
in the condensation mode the hollow elements are dried again by
means of the dissipated air. Depending on the design, the entire
cycle may also take up to 20 minutes or longer.
[0054] The second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 to 6
has the following differences as compared to the first example: the
heat pumps 2 are connected by way of a triple-line system
comprising three lines 4a, 4b and 4c; and the heat sink 3 is not
disposed in each case locally on the heat pumps 2, but centrally in
or on the building. Accordingly, only a single large heat exchanger
3a comprising a fan 3b is present, which is likewise connected to
the triple-line system. Instead of a heat exchanger 3a comprising a
fan 3b, heat dissipation could also take place via a body of
flowing water, wet cooling tower, geothermal probe or the like.
[0055] The heat pump 2 is connected to the triple-line system such
that both a hot fluid line 4a leads from the heat source 1 and a
cold fluid line 4c leads from the heat sink to the heat pump,
wherein accordingly an additional circulating pump 5' is provided
in the line 4c. A mean temperature line 4b leads away from the
adsorption module 8 and opens via a T-piece 13, respectively, into
a common return line, wherein a first branch 4d leads back to the
heat source and a second branch 4e leads back to the heat sink.
[0056] The heat pump 2 comprises two separate feed pumps 6, 6', by
means of which an adsorption-side fluid flow 8b and a
desorption-side fluid flow 8a of the adsorption module 8 are
delivered separately. Depending on the operating conditions, the
volume flows 8a, 8b may be different. Downstream of the two pumps
6, 6', the flows 8a, 8b unite to form a flow that opens into the
returning mean temperature line 4b (see FIG. 5). Because of the
distributing branch 13 in the triple-line system, any arbitrary
ratio of fluid flows 8a, 8b can be set in relation to each other
for each heat pump 2.
[0057] FIG. 4 additionally schematically shows an inside building
wall 14, which is intended to symbolize the separation of two rooms
inside a building with respect to climate control. In general, the
returning mean temperature line 4b can lead through built-in or
subsequently added wall surface heaters, floors or generally parts
of the concrete core of the building, at least in a heating
operation of the heat pumps. In this way, the amount of heat
contained in the recirculated fluid is also used for heating and
storage purposes, whereby the overall efficiency of the system is
improved. As an alternative or in addition, the return line can
also be connected to a process water accumulator, a swimming pool
or the like, for which in general heating is desired even in the
summer or during a cooling operation of the heat pumps 2.
[0058] FIG. 6 shows the air-side region comprising the mixing
member 15 analogous to FIG. 3, however with the heat pump being in
heating mode. In the top view, the control is set to the extreme
where only heated circulating air is fed. In the bottom view, the
control is set to the extreme where only heated outside air is
fed.
[0059] It is pointed out that heating operation is also possible in
the first embodiment using local heat sinks. To this end, an
adjustable air by-pass must be provided, so that in the heating
operation the useful air is conducted over the heat exchanger 3a of
the recooling unit 3.
[0060] FIGS. 7 to 9 show schematically the installation situation
of the heat pump 2 according to any one of the above embodiments on
a facade of the building. In terms of the design, the present heat
pump corresponds to that of WO 2007/068. It comprises two
cooperating rotary valves 2a, 2b in the adsorption/desorption
region 8 and two cooperating rotary valves 2c, 2d in the air
conducting region 7. Additionally shown are breakthroughs 16, 19 in
a facade 17 of the building, wherein the lower breakthrough 19
conducts circulating air L1 to the heat pump and the top
breakthrough 16 conducts useful air into the building. In addition,
an air filter 18 is shown, which filters particles and/or harmful
substances out of the outside air L2 that is fed.
[0061] In a further embodiment, which is not shown, a
quadruple-line system is provided to improve the efficiency.
Contrary to the triple-line system, separate returning lines are
provided instead of a collecting line 4b. The colder discharge from
the adsorption module 8 is recirculated to the heat sink and the
warmer discharge is recirculated to the heat source.
[0062] FIG. 10 shows the switching design of a rotary valve 100
according to an embodiment of a heat pump that deviates from WO
2007/068481 A1 as a 2-D diagram for the case of the quadruple-line
system, wherein the heat sink 118 and the heat source 120 are
connected via two lines 128 and 129, respectively, to the heat
pump. The rotary valve that is shown replaces the two rotary valves
disposed opposite of each other on the adsorber/desorber side, so
that at least on this side only a single rotary valve is
provided.
[0063] The rotary valve 100 comprises a plurality of inlets 101 to
112 and outlets 201 to 212, which can be individually associated
with the inlets 101 to 112 via connecting lines 126 or 128 and 129.
The inlets and outlets are connected, for example, to thermally
active modules (adsorber/desorber hollow elements) 301 to 312. The
rotary valves 100 comprises a switching member 114, which in turn
comprises a rotary body 115, which can be rotated as indicated by
an arrow 116. A first heat exchanger in the form of a cooler 118 is
shown in the rotary body 115, with a pump 119 being connected
downstream of the cooler. A second heat exchanger is configured as
a heater 120.
[0064] The rotary valve 100 shown in FIG. 10 is used to control the
flow of a heat transfer fluid through twelve thermally active
modules. By means of the rotary valve 100 shown in FIG. 10, a heat
transfer fluid can flow serially through the twelve thermally
active modules 301 to 312. The heat source, notably the heater 120,
and the heat sink, notably the recooling unit 118, are connected
between each of the modules, respectively. The function of the
rotary valve 100 is to incrementally shift the site of
interconnection of the heater 120 and the recooling unit 118,
without having to rotate them as well, as it would be required with
a direct implementation of the schematic circuit. Deviating from
the illustration of FIG. 10, the cooler 118, the pump 119 and the
heater 120 are therefore disposed outside of the rotary valve 100
in a stationary manner in the following figures of an exemplary
design implementation.
[0065] FIGS. 11 and 12 show the rotary valve 100 of FIG. 10 first
in a schematic map projection. The rotary valve 100 comprises
twelve inlets 101 to 112, which are also referred to as entrances
and combined to form an inlet region 81. Analogously, the rotary
valve 100 comprises twelve outlets 201 to 212, which are also
referred to as exits and combined to form an outlet region 82.
Using the switching member 114, which comprises the rotary body
115, the inlets 101 to 112 can be connected in a variety of ways to
the outlets 201 to 212 when the rotary body 115 rotates in the
direction of the arrow 116. In FIGS. 11 and 12, the cooler 118 and
the heater 120 are disposed outside of a housing 125.
[0066] Each of the inlets 101 to 112 and each outlet 201 to 212 are
associated with an opening in an end face of the housing 125, which
substantially has the shape of a hollow circular cylinder. The
inlets and outlets open into the end faces of the housing 125. Each
opening in the housing 125 can be associated with an opening in the
rotary body 115. Because of these associations, each of the inlets
101 to 112 can be connected in a defined manner to the related
outlet 201 to 212. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, each of the
inlets 102 to 106 and 108 to 112 is connected via a through-channel
126 to the related outlets 202 to 206 and 208 to 212. The
through-channels 126 extend in a linear fashion through the rotary
body 115.
[0067] The inlets 101 and 107 are connected to the related outlet
201, 207, respectively, via interrupted connecting channels 128,
128. The connecting channels 128, 128 are divided by means of
separating walls or the like into sub-channels 128a, 128b or 129a,
128b such that they force a flow diversion over the cooler 118 or
the heater 120. For this purpose, four annular chambers 131 to 134
are provided inside the housing 125, which in the map projections
of FIGS. 11 and 12 are shown as straight channels. The inlet 101 is
connected via the interrupted connecting channel 129 to the annular
chamber 133, which in turn is connected to the heater 120.
[0068] The heater 120 is connected via the annular chamber 134 to
the outlet 201. Analogously, the inlet 107 is connected via the
annular chamber 131 to the cooler 118, which in turn is connected
via the annular chamber 132 and the interrupted connecting channel
128 to the outlet 207. By rotating the rotary body 115 in the
direction of the arrow 116, the through-channels 126 and the
interrupted connecting channels 128, 129 are associated with other
inlets and outlets. This displacement preferably takes place
incrementally, so that the rotary body 115 always come to a stop
when the mouth openings of the channels 126, 128, 129 provided in
the rotary body 115 cover the corresponding openings in the housing
125.
[0069] FIG. 12 shows the rotary body 114 rotated by one increment
in relation to the illustration of FIG. 11. In FIG. 12, the inlet
102 is connected via the heater 120 to the related outlet 202.
Analogously, the inlet 108 is connected via the cooler 118 to the
related outlet 208. The remaining inlets 101, 103 to 107, 109 to
112 are connected via the through-channels 126 directly to the
related outlets 201, 203 to 207, 209 to 212.
[0070] FIGS. 13 to 15 show the rotary valve 100, which in FIGS. 11
and 12 is shown in a simplified illustration, in slightly more
detail. In the longitudinal sectional view of the cylindrical
housing 125, the rotary body 115 is rotatably driven using a
mounted drive shaft 150 that is sealed with respect to the
surroundings. To axially mount the rotary body 115, two ceramic
sealing plates 151, 152 are provided at each end face of the
housing 125. The ceramic sealing plate 151 is fixedly associated
with the housing 125. The ceramic sealing plate 152 is associated
with the rotary body 115 and rotates with the same relative to the
ceramic sealing plate 151 and the housing 125. The two plate pairs
can be elastically preloaded with respect to each other by way of a
spring device (not shown).
[0071] Four annular chambers or annular spaces 131 to 134 are
connected via a radial opening 141 to 144 to the related connecting
channel 128, 129. The radial openings 141 to 144 constitute a
radial through-window, which creates a fluid connection between the
annular chambers 131 to 134 and the radially inwardly disposed
axial connecting channels 128, 128, which contrary to all other
connecting channels 126 are divided by at least one dividing wall
128c or 129c into two sub-channels 128a and 128b, or 129a and 129b.
The association between the sub-channels 128a, 128b or 129a, 129b
and the annular chambers 131 to 134 is preferably selected so that
in each case two adjoining annular chambers 131, 132 and 133, 134
are connected to corresponding, which is to say mutually aligned,
inlets 101; 107 and outlets 201; 207. In this way, one fluid path
always leads through the heater 120 and another of the total of
twelve available fluid paths leads through the cooler or recooling
unit 118, depending on the position or rotation of the rotary body
115.
[0072] In FIG. 13, the fluid travels from the inlet 101 via the
radial opening 143 and the annular chamber 133 to the heater 120,
as is indicated by an arrow 121. Another arrow 122 indicates that
the fluid travels from the heater 120 via the annular chamber 134
and the radial opening 144 to the outlet 201. Analogously, the
fluid travels from the inlet 107 via the radial opening 141 and the
annular chamber 131 to the cooler 118, as is indicated by an arrow
123. Another arrow 124 indicates that the fluid travels from the
cooler 118 via the annular chamber 132 and the radial opening 142
to the outlet 207.
[0073] It is apparent from FIG. 13 that the rotor axis comprising
the bearings 155, 156 is mounted in the cylindrical housing and the
total inside volume is sealed with respect to the surroundings by a
sealing element 154. In addition, aside from the two preferably
ceramic surface seal pairs 151, 152, only three further sealing
elements 157, 158, 159 are required to seal the four annual
chambers 131 to 134 with respect to each other in the axial
direction.
[0074] FIGS. 14 and 15 show two sections of the rotary valve 100 of
FIG. 13. In FIG. 14, arrows 161 and 162 indicate how the fluid
travels from the heater 120 to the radial opening 144. In FIG. 15,
additional arrows 163, 164 indicate how the fluid travels from the
cooler 118 to the radial opening 142. In addition, the sections
show the rotary body 115 divided into 12 axial chambers, which are
preferably made of plastic injection molded elements and positively
stacked on a common shaft 150. The reference numerals 128 and 129
denote the through-channels, which are each divided by means of
separating walls 128c or 129c into two sub-channels 128a, 128b or
129a, 129b.
[0075] In the case of indirect air cooling by way of a likewise
liquid heat transfer medium, the use of a slightly modified valve
is advantageous for controlling the fluid circuits of the
evaporation/condensation zones identified as zones B, the map
projection of such a valve being shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 in two
positions.
[0076] As is shown in FIG. 16, the rotary body 115 in a first
embodiment shown here comprises only interrupted through-channels
in the manner of reference numerals 128 and 129, which in each case
are again divided by separating walls 128c and 129c into
sub-channels 128a, 128b or 129a, 129b and comprise radial
through-windows to the annual chambers 131 to 134, which in turn
are connected in pairs to two heat transfer units, which here are
identified as " heat sink" and "recooling unit". In the embodiment
shown, there are no pure through-channels any longer of the kind as
denoted by reference numeral 126.
[0077] FIG. 17 shows the rotary valve in the next position.
[0078] This modified embodiment enables an association of thermally
active modules 301 to 312 that is dependent on the switch position
of the rotary valve with at least two separate fluid circuits
driven by dedicated feed devices, with the associated modules
experiencing parallel flow inside these fluid circuits.
[0079] Because of the respective parallel arrangement of two groups
of through-channels 128 and 129 in the rotary body 115, a plurality
of radial through-windows are required, which each establish a flow
connection into a common of the total of four required annular
chambers. In a preferred embodiment, the separating walls within a
group of through-channels can be eliminated in the rotary body,
whereby then each annular chamber only requires one large radial
through-window, which is not shown in the illustration here in
detail.
[0080] In a further embodiment, which is not shown in detail in the
illustration, the respectively last channel of a group of parallel
channels (for example 102/202 and 108/208) comprises no radial
breakthrough to an annular chamber, whereby flow is suppressed. In
this way, no flow takes place through the connected modules. This
can have advantages during the process changes between condensation
and evaporation phases, which entail intermediate temperatures that
cannot be used further.
[0081] The two embodiments according to FIG. 11, 12 or 16, 17
represent only two examples of the division of the through-channels
in keeping with the categories 126, 128 and 129. Other divisions of
the through-channels to these categories are of course possible and
useful for particular applications.
[0082] The advantages of the rotary valve 100 include the
following: high integration of switch functions replaces two
conventional rotary valves; reduced complexity for drive and
control; compact, material-saving design; simple, cost-effective to
produce, for example from plastic injection molded parts;
easy-to-implement, low-wear surface seal using ceramic disks or
ceramic plates 151, 152; short flow paths with low heat exchange
between the individual flow paths; low friction and required
driving torque; and low by-pass losses.
[0083] The individual characteristics of the different embodiments
can of course be expediently combined with each other, depending on
the requirements. When directly using air to transfer the
evaporation and condensation heat, it is in particular advantageous
to not deviate from the solution comprising two communicating
rotary valves in keeping with WO 2007/068481 A1.
[0084] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are to be included within the scope of the following
claims.
* * * * *