Hybrid heat pump

• US 20020078696A1
• Filed: 12/04/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korin, Amos
• Original Assignee: Korin, Amos
• Inventors: Korin, Amos
• Granted Patent: US 6,539,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/80
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/22 by diffusion manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2003/1435 comprising semi-permeable membrane
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2003/144 by dehumidification only
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/14 by humidification; by dehumidification
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0007 cooling apparatus specially adapted for use in air-conditioning F24F5/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 29/00 Combined heating and refrigeration systems, e.g. operating alternately or simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 30/00 Heat pumps F25B1/00-F25B25/00, F25B29/00 take precedence

Abstract

There is provided a hybrid heat pump system. The system includes (i) a membrane permeator having a permselective membrane capable of selectively removing vapor from a vapor-containing gas to yield a dry gas, (ii) a heat pump having (a) an internal side for exchanging thermal energy with a process fluid, (b) an external side for exchanging thermal energy with an external environment, and (c) a thermodynamic mechanism for pumping thermal energy between the internal side and the external side in either direction, (iii) means for conveying the vapor-containing gas into the membrane permeator, and (iv) means for routing the dry gas to either of the internal side or the external side.

Claims

1. A hybrid heat pump system comprising:

a membrane permeator having a permselective membrane capable of selectively removing vapor from a vapor-containing gas to yield a dry gas;

a heat pump having (a) an internal side for exchanging thermal energy with a process fluid, (b) an external side for exchanging thermal energy with an external environment, and (c) a thermodynamic mechanism for pumping thermal energy between said internal side and said external side in either direction;

means for conveying said vapor-containing gas into said membrane permeator; and

means for routing said dry gas to either of said internal side or said external side.

2. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said heat pump is selected from the group consisting of (a) a mechanical heat pump, (b) an absorption refrigeration heat pump, (c) an evaporative cooling refrigeration heat pump, (d) a solid carbon dioxide process heat pump, (e) an electronic heat pump, and (f) a desiccant heat pump.

3. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said permselective membrane is a type selected from the group consisting of solid, liquid, organic, inorganic, pre-made, dynamic, charged, uncharged, ionic, non-ionic, hydrophilic, hydrophobic, porous, dense, permeable, non-permeable, semi permeable, polymeric, metallic, ceramic, carbon and glass.

4. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said permselective membrane comprises a geometry selected from the group consisting of a sheet, a tube, a capillary, a hollow fiber, a monolith, a hollow fiber module, a hollow fiber plate, a spiral wound module, a plate, a frame, a pleated cartridge, a folded cartridge, an envelope, a bag, a spiral tube, and a candle.

5. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said permselective membrane comprises a configuration selected from the group consisting of one membrane unit, multi membrane units, parallel array, cascade array, column array, self contained module, and a membrane element in a housing.

6. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said membrane permeator is characterized by a permeate flow mode selected from the group consisting of mixed flow, co-current flow and counter-current flow.

7. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said heat pump facilitates a permeate flow within said membrane permeator by a technique selected from the group consisting of vacuum, reflux, gas sweeping, and liquid sweeping.

8. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, further comprising means for vapor condensation that facilitates a permeate flow within said membrane permeator.

9. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said heat pump operates in a mode selected from the group consisting of cooling and heating.

10. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said routing means selectively directs said dry gas to either of said external side or said internal side.

11. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 10, wherein said routing means comprises a tri way valve.

12. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said process fluid comprises a state selected from the group consisting of liquid and gas.

13. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1,

wherein said membrane permeator is a first membrane permeator having an output routed to one of said internal side and said external side, and

wherein said hybrid heat pump system further comprises a second membrane permeator having an output routed to the other of said internal side and said external side.

14. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said membrane permeator has an output routed to said external side.

15. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said membrane permeator has an output routed to said internal side.

16. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said heat pump is a part of an air conditioning system.

17. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said heat pump is a part of a refrigerator.

18. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said heat pump is a part of a liquid chiller.

19. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said system is used for dehumidifying a gas.

20. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1, wherein said hybrid heat pump system enables frost-free operation of a refrigerator.

21. The hybrid heat pump system of claim 1,

wherein said external side comprises an outside coil, and

wherein said hybrid heat pump system enables prevention of accumulation of ice on said outside coil.

22. A system for air conditioning comprising:

a membrane permeator having a permselective membrane capable of selectively removing water vapor from water vapor-containing air to yield dry air;

a heat pump having (a) an internal side for exchanging thermal energy with air, (b) an external side for exchanging thermal energy with an external environment, and (c) a thermodynamic mechanism for pumping thermal energy from said internal side to said external side;

means for conveying said water vapor-containing air into said membrane permeator; and

means for routing said dry air to said internal side.

23. A system for air conditioning comprising:

a membrane permeator having a permselective membrane capable of selectively removing water vapor from water vapor-containing air to yield dry air;

a heat pump having (a) an internal side for exchanging thermal energy with air, (b) an external side for exchanging thermal energy with an external environment, and (c) a thermodynamic mechanism capable of pumping thermal energy between said internal side and said external side in either direction;

means for conveying water vapor-containing air into said membrane permeator; and

means for selectively routing said dry air to either of said internal side or said external side.

24. A system for reverse cycle heating comprising:

a membrane permeator having a permselective membrane capable of selectively removing water vapor from water vapor-containing air to yield dry air;

a heat pump having (a) an internal side for exchanging thermal energy with air, (b) an external side for exchanging thermal energy with an external environment, and (c) a thermodynamic mechanism for pumping thermal energy from said external side to said internal side;

means for conveying water vapor-containing air into said membrane permeator; and

means for routing said dry air to said external side.

25. A system for frost free refrigeration comprising:

a membrane permeator having a permselective membrane capable of selectively removing water vapor from water vapor-containing air to yield dry air;

a heat pump having (a) an internal side for exchanging thermal energy with air, (b) an external side for exchanging thermal energy with an external environment, and (c) a thermodynamic mechanism capable of pumping thermal energy from said internal side to said external side;

means for conveying water vapor-containing air into said membrane permeator;

means for routing said dry air to said internal side, thus minimizing a formation of frost on said internal side.

26. A method for treating vapor containing gas, comprising:

selectively removing vapor from said gas, to yield a dry gas, using a membrane permeator having a vapor permselective membrane;

bringing said dry gas in contact with either of (a) an external side of a heat pump, or (b) an internal side of said heat pump, wherein said internal side exchanges thermal energy with a process fluid, and wherein said external side exchanges thermal energy with an external environment; and

employing a thermodynamic process to pump thermal energy between said internal side and said external side.