Temperature conditioning system suitable for use with a solar energy collection and storage apparatus or a low temperature energy source

• US 4,248,049 A
• Filed: 07/09/1979
• Issued: 02/03/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BRILEY, BARBARA J., #24 WINDROCK - 1000 N. STAR, STILLWATER, OK 74075
• Original Assignee: Hybrid Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Briley, Patrick B.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Lloyd L.
• Application Number:
  US06/055,524
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 62/2, 62/238 E, 165/48 S, 165/45, 126/400, 126/427, 126/437
• US Class Current: 62/235.1
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 11/0221 combined with solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0046 using natural energy, e.g. solar energy, energy from the ground
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/06 with compressor of jet type, e.g. using liquid under pressure F25B1/005, F25B1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/08 using vapour under pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/005 in compression type systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies

Abstract

A temperature conditioning system employing an ejector-type compressor and a refrigerant selected for operation at the limited operating temperatures of a heat energy collection and storage apparatus. Improved performance may be achieved by employing a two-tank storage system having a control circuit for supplying heat transfer medium from the hotter of the tanks for return to the cooler.

Claims

1. A temperature conditioning system comprising:

refrigeration storage means containing a refrigerant separated into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase;

a load pump having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the liquid refrigerant;

a load evaporator connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a refrigeration load, the load evaporator having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the outlet portion of the load pump and the outlet portion being connected to the refrigerant storage means;

a drive pump having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the liquid refrigerant;

a drive evaporator connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat source, the drive evaporator having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the outlet portion of the drive pump;

an ejector having a drive inlet portion connected to the outlet portion of the drive evaporator, a suction inlet portion connected to the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the gaseous refrigerant, a mixing portion in fluid communication with the drive and suction inlet portions, and a diffuser portion in fluid communication with the mixing portion; and

a condensor connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat sink, the condensor having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the diffuser portion of the ejector and the outlet portion being connected to the refrigerant storage means.

2. The temperature conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the refrigerant storage means comprises:

an expansion tank containing refrigerant separated into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase.

3. The temperature conditioning system of claim 2 wherein the refrigerant storage means further comprises:

an expansion valve connected between the outlet portion of the condensor and the expansion tank.

4. The temperature conditioning system of claim 3 wherein the refrigerant storage means further comprises:

a surge tank containing refrigerant interposed between the outlet portion of the condensor and the expansion valve.

5. The temperature conditioning system of claim 4 wherein the drive pump is further characterized as having the inlet portion thereof connected to the portion of the surge tank containing the liquid phase of the refrigerant.

6. The temperature conditioning system of claim 4 wherein the drive pump is further characterized as having the inlet portion thereof connected to the portion of the expansion tank containing the liquid phase of the refrigerant.

7. The temperature conditioning system of claim 6 defined further to include:

means interposed between the surge tank, the expansion tank and the inlet to the drive pump for selectively adjusting the relative amounts of liquid refrigerant being drawn from the expansion tank and the surge tank into the drive pump.

8. The temperature conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a blower connected between the suction inlet portion of the ejector and the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the gaseous refrigerant; and

blower control means responsive to the pressure in the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the gaseous refrigerant, the blower control means actuating the blower in response to a pressure exceeding a predetermined pressure.

9. The temperature conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a pressure control valve interposed between the diffuser portion of the ejector and the inlet portion of the condensor; and

pressure control means responsive to the temperature and pressure in the condensor, the pressure control means actuating the pressure control valve to maintain a predetermined relationship between said temperature and pressure.

10. The temperature conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the ejector is further defined to include a cooling jacket connected in heat exchanging relationship with at least a portion of the diffuser portion of said ejector, the cooling jacket being interposed between the drive pump and the inlet portion of the drive evaporator.

11. The temperature conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a preheater comprising a heat source portion connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat sink portion thereof, the heat source portion being interposed between the diffuser portion of the ejector and the inlet portion of the condensor, and the heat sink portion being interposed between the outlet portion of the drive pump and the inlet portion of the drive evaporator.

12. The temperature conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a subcooler comprising a heat source portion connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat sink portion thereof, the heat source portion being interposed between the outlet portion of the condensor and the refrigerant storage means, and the heat sink portion being interposed between the drive pump and the inlet portion of the drive evaporator.

13. The temperature conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a superheater comprising a heat sink portion connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat source, the heat sink portion being interposed between the outlet portion of the drive evaporator and the drive inlet portion of the ejector.

14. The temperature conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of trichloromonofloromethane, dichloromonofluromethane, trichlorotrifluroethane, and dichlorohexafluropropane.

15. The temperature conditioning system of claims 1 or 13 wherein the heat source is a solar energy collection and storage apparatus providing a heat transfer fluid.

16. The temperature conditioning system of claim 15 wherein the solar energy collection and storage includes an improved heat transfer fluid storage system comprising:

a first insulated, heat transfer fluid storage tank;

a second insulated, heat transfer fluid storage tank; and

fluid flow control means responsive to the temperature of the heat transfer fluid in each of the first and second storage tanks, the fluid flow control means providing flow of the heat transfer fluid from the one of the first and second storage tanks containing the higher temperature heat transfer fluid for return to the other of said storage tanks.

17. The temperature conditioning system of claim 16 wherein the first and second storage tanks of the heat transfer fluid storage system are further characterized as forming respective end portions of an elongated heat transfer fluid reservoir having a substantially fluid impermeable, insulating barrier interposed between said end portions and in relative sealing engagement with the inner periphery thereof, the barrier being movable between said ends in response to differences in the fluid pressures exerted thereon.

18. In a heat utilization apparatus employing a storage system and a heat transfer fluid, the storage system comprising:

a first insulated, heat transfer fluid storage tank;

a second insulated, heat transfer fluid storage tank; and

fluid flow control means responsive to the temperature of the heat transfer fluid in each of the first and second storage tanks, the fluid flow control means providing flow of the heat transfer fluid from the one of the first and second storage tanks containing the higher temperature heat transfer fluid to the heat utilization apparatus for return to the other of said storage tanks.

19. The heat utilization apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first and second tanks of the heat transfer fluid storage system are further characterized as forming respective end portions of an elongated heat transfer fluid reservoir having a substantially fluid impermeable, insulating barrier interposed between said end portions and in relative sealing engagement with the inner periphery thereof, the barrier being movable between said ends in response to differences in the fluid pressures exerted thereon.

20. A temperature conditioning system which comprises:

a primary heat source;

refrigerant storage means containing a refrigerant separated into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase;

a heat extraction pump having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the liquid refrigerant;

a secondary heat source;

a heat extraction evaporator connected in a heat exchanging relationship with the secondary heat source, the heat extraction evaporator having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the outlet portion of the heat extraction pump and the outlet portion being connected to the refrigerant storage means;

a drive pump having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the liquid refrigerant;

a drive evaporator connected in a heat exchanging relationship with the primary heat source, the drive evaporator having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the outlet portion of the drive pump;

an ejector having a drive inlet portion connected to the outlet portion of the drive evaporator, a suction inlet portion connected to the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the gaseous refrigerant, a mixing portion in fluid communication with the drive and suction inlet portions, and a diffuser portion in fluid communication with the mixing portion;

a condensor connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat sink, the condensor having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being connected to the diffuser portion of the ejector and the outlet portion being connected to the refrigerant storage means;

an expansion valve means operatively connected to and in fluid communication with the refrigerant storage means and the outlet portion of the condensor; and

expansion valve control means operatively connected to the expansion valve means and the inlet of the secondary heat source for controlling the expansion valve means to maintain a temperature within the refrigerant storage means lower than the inlet temperature of the secondary heat source.

21. The temperature conditioning system of claim 20 wherein the refrigerant storage means comprises:

an expansion tank containing refrigerant separated into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase.

22. The temperature conditioning system of claim 21 wherein the refrigerant storage means further comprises:

a surge tank containing refrigerant interposed between the outlet portion of the condensor and the expansion valve.

23. The temperature conditioning system of claim 22 wherein the drive pump is further characterized as having the inlet portion thereof connected to the portion of the surge tank containing the liquid phase of the refrigerant.

24. The temperature conditioning system of claim 22 wherein the drive pump is further characterized as having the inlet portion thereof connected to the portion of the expansion tank containing the liquid phase of the refrigerant.

25. The temperature conditioning system of claim 24 defined further to include:

means interposed between the surge tank, the expansion tank and the inlet to the drive pump for selectively adjusting the relative amounts of liquid refrigerant being drawn from the expansion tank and the surge tank into the drive pump.

26. The temperature conditioning system of claim 20 further comprising:

a blower connected between the suction inlet portion of the ejector and the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the gaseous refrigerant; and

blower control means responsive to the pressure in the portion of the refrigerant storage means containing the gaseous refrigerant, the blower control means actuating the blower in response to a pressure exceeding a predetermined pressure.

27. The temperature conditioning system of claim 20 further comprising:

a pressure control valve interposed between the diffuser portion of the ejector and the inlet portion of the condensor; and

pressure control means responsive to the temperature and pressure in the condensor, the pressure control means actuating the pressure control valve to maintain a predetermined relationship between said temperature and pressure.

28. The temperature conditioning system of claim 20 wherein the ejector is further defined to include a cooling jacket connected in heat exchanging relationship with at least a portion of the diffuser portion of said ejector, the cooling jacket being interposed between the drive pump and the inlet portion of the drive evaporator.

29. The temperature conditioning system of claim 20 further comprising:

a preheater comprising a heat source portion connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat sink portion thereof, the heat source portion being interposed between the diffuser portion of the ejector and the inlet portion of the condensor, and the heat sink portion being interposed between the outlet portion of the drive pump and the inlet portion of the drive evaporator.

30. The temperature conditioning system of claim 29 further comprising:

a subcooler comprising a heat source portion connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat sink portion thereof, the heat source portion being interposed between the outlet portion of the condensor and the refrigerant storage means, and the heat sink portion being interposed between the drive pump and the inlet portion of the drive evaporator.

31. The temperature conditioning system of claim 20 further comprising:

a superheater comprising a heat sink portion connected in a heat exchanging relationship with a heat source, the heat sink portion being interposed between the outlet portion of the drive evaporator and the drive inlet portion of the ejector.

32. The temperature conditioning system of claim 20 wherein the refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of trichloromonofloromethane, dichloromonofluromethane, trichlorotrifluroethane, and dichlorohexafluropropane and combinations thereof.

33. The temperature conditioning system of claims 20 or 31 wherein the heat energy source is a energy generation, collection and storage apparatus providing a heat transfer fluid.

34. The temperature conditioning system of claim 33 wherein the energy generation collection and storage apparatus includes an improved heat transfer fluid storage system comprising:

a first insulated, heat transfer fluid storage tank;

a second insulated, heat transfer fluid storage tank; and

fluid flow control means responsive to the temperature of the heat transfer fluid in each of the first and second storage tanks, the fluid flow control means providing flow of the heat transfer fluid from the one of the first and second storage tanks containing the higher temperature heat transfer fluid for return to the other of said storage tanks.

35. The temperature conditioning system of claim 34 wherein the first and second storage tanks of the heat transfer fluid storage system are further characterized as forming respective end portions of an elongated heat transfer fluid reservoir having a substantially fluid impermeable, insulating barrier interposed between said end portions and in relative sealing engagement with the inner periphery thereof, the barrier being movable between said ends in response to differences in the fluid pressures exerted thereon.