Cogeneration system

• US 7,275,382 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jae Won, Ryu, Yun Ho, Choe, Yeong Seop, Chung, Baik young, Cho, Eun Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai; William E.
• Application Number:
  US11/155,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 622386-2387, 623/241
• US Class Current: 62/238.7
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/02 Increasing the heating capacity of a reversible cycle during cold outdoor conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/02 using waste heat, e.g. from internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/08 by electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/52 Heat recovery pumps, i.e. heat pump based systems or units able to transfer the thermal energy from one area of the premises or part of the facilities to a different one, improving the overall efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/15 On-site combined power, heat or cool generation or distribution, e.g. combined heat and power [CHP] supply

Abstract

A cogeneration system including a generator, a drive source operating to drive the generator, and thus, to cause the generator to generate electricity, a heat pump type air conditioner including a compressor, a 4-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an outdoor heat exchanger, a heater to heat air, which has passed around the indoor heat exchanger after completing heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger, and a waste heat recoverer to recover waste heat of the drive source during a heating operation of the heat pump type air conditioner, and to supply the recovered waste heat to the heater. The waste heat of the drive source can be re-used to heat air passing through the indoor heat exchanger, so that the heating performance of the heat pump type air conditioner is enhanced.

Claims

1. A cogeneration system comprising:

a generator;

a drive source operating to drive the generator, and thus, to cause the generator to generate electricity, the drive source generating waste heat during the operation of the drive source;

a heat pump type air conditioner including a compressor, a 4-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an outdoor heat exchanger;

a heater to heat air, which has passed around the indoor heat exchanger after completing heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger; and

a waste heat recoverer to recover the waste heat of the drive source during a heating operation of the heat pump type air conditioner, and to supply the recovered waste heat to the heater.

2. The cogeneration system according to claim 1, wherein the heater is integral with the indoor heat exchanger.

3. The cogeneration system according to claim 1, wherein the heater is separated from the indoor heat exchanger.

4. The cogeneration system according to claim 1, wherein the waste heat recoverer comprises:

an exhaust gas heat exchanger to absorb heat from exhaust gas discharged from the drive source;

a cooling water heat exchanger to absorb heat from cooling water used to cool the drive source; and

a heat transfer unit to transfer heat from at least one of the exhaust gas heat exchanger and cooling water heat exchanger to the heater.

5. The cogeneration system according to claim 4, wherein the heat transfer unit further comprises:

a heat medium circulation conduit to guide a heat medium for circulation of the heat medium such that the heat medium passes through the exhaust gas heat exchanger while being heated by the exhaust gas heat exchanger, is fed to the heater to transfer heat to the heater, and is then returned to the exhaust gas heat exchanger; and

a heat medium circulation pump to pump the heat medium for the circulation of the heat medium.

6. The cogeneration system according to claim 5, wherein the heat transfer unit further comprises:

a cooling heat exchanger to cool the heat medium heated by the exhaust gas heat exchanger during a cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner; and

a cooling heat exchanger circulation conduit connected to the heat medium circulation conduit to guide the heat medium to be circulated through the exhaust gas heat exchanger and the cooling heat exchanger.

7. The cogeneration system according to claim 5, wherein the heat transfer unit further comprises:

a valve unit to control the heat medium circulation conduit and the cooling heat exchanger circulation conduit such that the heat medium is circulated through the exhaust gas heat exchanger and the heater during the heating operation of the heat pump type air conditioner, and is circulated through the exhaust gas heat exchanger and the cooling heat exchanger during a cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner.

8. The cogeneration system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a suction-side overheating heat exchanger to heat a refrigerant sucked into the compressor during the heating operation of the heat pump type air conditioner;

a second heat medium circulation conduit to guide a second heat medium for circulation of the second heat medium such that the second heat medium passes through the cooling water heat exchanger while being heated by the cooling water heat exchanger, is fed to the suction-side overheating heat exchanger to transfer heat to the suction-side overheating heat exchanger, and is then returned to the cooling water heat exchanger; and

a second heat medium circulation pump to pump the second heat medium for the circulation of the second heat medium.

9. The cogeneration system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a second cooling heat exchanger to cool the second heat medium heated by the cooling water heat exchanger during a cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner; and

a second cooling heat exchanger circulation conduit connected to the second heat medium circulation conduit to guide the second heat medium to be circulated through the cooling water heat exchanger and the second cooling heat exchanger.

10. The cogeneration system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second valve unit to control the second heat medium circulation conduit and the second cooling heat exchanger circulation conduit such that the second heat medium is circulated through the cooling water heat exchanger and the suction-side overheating heat exchanger during the heating operation of the heat pump type air conditioner, and is circulated through the cooling water heat exchanger and the second cooling heat exchanger during the cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner.

11. The cogeneration system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a refrigerant controller which controls the refrigerant supplied toward the compressor to be sucked into the compressor after passing through the suction-side overheating heat exchanger during the heating operation of the heat pump type air conditioner, and to be sucked into the compressor without passing through the suction-side overheating heat exchanger during the cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner.

12. The cogeneration system according to claim 11, wherein the refrigerant controller comprises:

a bypass conduit to guide the refrigerant supplied toward the compressor to bypass the suction-side overheating heat exchanger; and

a third valve unit to allow the refrigerant supplied toward the compressor to pass through a selected one of the suction-side overheating heat exchanger and the bypass conduit.

13. The cogeneration system according to claim 1, wherein the drive source is an engine or a fuel cell.

14. The cogeneration system according to claim 1, wherein the heat pump type air conditioner uses the electricity generated from the generator.

15. The cogeneration system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the drive source, the generator, the heat pump type air conditioner, and the heater comprises a plurality of ones.

16. A cogeneration system comprising:

a generator;

an engine operating to drive the generator, and thus, to cause the generator to generate electricity, the engine generating waste heat during the operation of the engine;

a heat pump type air conditioner including a compressor, a 4-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an outdoor heat exchanger;

a heater to heat air, which has passed around the indoor heat exchanger after completing heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger;

an exhaust gas heat exchanger to absorb heat from exhaust gas discharged from the engine;

a cooling water heat exchanger to absorb heat from cooling water used to cool the engine;

a heat medium circulation conduit to guide a heat medium for circulation of the heat medium such that the heat medium passes through the exhaust gas heat exchanger while being heated by the exhaust gas heat exchanger, is fed to the heater to transfer heat to the heater, and is then returned to the exhaust gas heat exchanger; and

a heat medium circulation pump to pump the heat medium for the circulation of the heat medium.

17. The cogeneration system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a cooling heat exchanger to cool the heat medium heated by the exhaust gas heat exchanger during a cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner;

a cooling heat exchanger circulation conduit connected to the heat medium circulation conduit to guide the heat medium to be circulated through the exhaust gas heat exchanger and the cooling heat exchanger; and

a valve unit to control the heat medium circulation conduit and the cooling heat exchanger circulation conduit such that the heat medium is circulated through the exhaust gas heat exchanger and the heater during the heating operation of the heat pump type air conditioner, and is circulated through the exhaust gas heat exchanger and the cooling heat exchanger during the cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner.

18. A cogeneration system comprising:

a generator;

an engine operating to drive the generator, and thus, to cause the generator to generate electricity, the engine generating waste heat during the operation of the engine;

a heat pump type air conditioner including a compressor, a 4-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an outdoor heat exchanger;

a heater to heat air, which has passed around the indoor heat exchanger after completing heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger;

a suction-side overheating heat exchanger to heat a refrigerant sucked into the compressor;

an exhaust gas heat exchanger to absorb heat from exhaust gas discharged from the engine;

a cooling water heat exchanger to absorb heat from cooling water used to cool the engine; and

a heat transfer unit to transfer heat from the exhaust gas heat exchanger to the heater and to transfer heat from the cooling water heat exchanger to the suction-side overheating heat exchanger.

19. The cogeneration system according to claim 18, wherein the heat transfer unit comprises:

a heat medium circulation conduit to guide a heat medium for circulation of the heat medium such that the heat medium passes through the exhaust gas heat exchanger while being heated by the exhaust gas heat exchanger, is fed to the heater to transfer heat to the heater, and is then returned to the exhaust gas heat exchanger;

a heat medium circulation pump to pump the heat medium for the circulation of the heat medium;

a second heat medium circulation conduit to guide a second heat medium for circulation of the second heat medium such that the second heat medium passes through the cooling water heat exchanger while being heated by the cooling water heat exchanger, is fed to the suction-side overheating heat exchanger to transfer heat to the suction-side overheating heat exchanger, and is then returned to the cooling water heat exchanger; and

a second heat medium circulation pump to pump the second heat medium for the circulation of the second heat medium.

20. The cogeneration system according to claim 19, wherein the heat transfer unit further comprises:

a cooling heat exchanger to cool the heat medium heated by the exhaust gas heat exchanger during a cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner; and

a cooling heat exchanger circulation conduit connected to the heat medium circulation conduit to guide the heat medium to be circulated through the exhaust gas heat exchanger and the cooling heat exchanger;

a second cooling heat exchanger to cool the second heat medium heated by the cooling water heat exchanger during the cooling operation of the heat pump type air conditioner; and

a second cooling heat exchanger circulation conduit connected to the second heat medium circulation conduit to guide the second heat medium to be circulated through the cooling water heat exchanger and the second cooling heat exchanger.