Thermal energy module

• US 7,905,110 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel Reich, Michael Burdett, Vladimir Reich
• Original Assignee: Daniel Reich, Michael Burdett, Vladimir Reich
• Inventors: Burdett, Michael, Reich, Vladimir, Reich, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanigan; Allen J
• Application Number:
  US12/384,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20100252232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 165/10, 165/907, 624/30, 62/59, 126/400
• US Class Current: 62/434
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0035 using evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2339/047 Water-cooled condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/24 Storage receiver heat
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 29/003 of the compression type system
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/02 Evaporators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/0034 using liquid heat storage material
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/021 the latent heat storage material and the heat-exchanging means being enclosed in one container F28D20/023 - F28D20/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/54 Free-cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

The invention comprises a Thermal Energy Module comprising a tank adapted to hold water or other heat transfer medium (such as water), a water loop for introducing the heat transfer medium and removing the heat transfer medium, and a refrigeration loop comprising a heat exchanger further comprised of an inlet manifold, a heat transfer structure (such as a micro channel or pipe-in-plate panel) and an outlet manifold wherein the heat exchanger is adapted to transfer thermal energy between the heat transfer structure and the heat transfer medium. The Thermal energy Module may be utilized as a component of a heating and cooling system. Such a Thermal Energy Module may be used to store thermal energy during the day and return it during the evening. Additionally, such a Thermal Energy Module may be implemented as an array of such modules and such array of modules may be adapted to fit within the walls of a building or structure.

Claims

1. A Thermal Energy Module, comprising:

a heat exchanger for the direct expansion of refrigerant in fluidic communication with an external compressor and further in fluidic communication with an external expansion device, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a refrigerant inlet manifold and an refrigerant outlet manifold, and a first heat transfer structure disposed between the refrigerant inlet manifold and the refrigerant outlet manifold to allow fluidic communication between the refrigerant inlet manifold and the refrigerant outlet manifold wherein said first heat transfer structure comprises a substantially flat first heat transfer surface, a substantially flat second heat transfer surface, a first vertical edge, and a second vertical edge; and

a tank containing a heat transfer medium and the heat exchanger, the tank comprising a top, a bottom, a first face side, a second face side, a first edge side, a second edge side, a heat transfer medium inlet in hydraulic communication with an external heat load, and a heat transfer medium outlet in hydraulic communication with the external heat load, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within the tank so that the first heat transfer surface is substantially parallel to the first face side creating a first space of heat transfer medium and further creating a second space of heat transfer medium between the first vertical edge and the first edge side, wherein the tank is adapted to allow liquid refrigerant provided from the external expansion device to enter the refrigerant inlet manifold and vapor refrigerant to exit the refrigerant outlet manifold to the external compressor;

wherein the heat transfer medium inlet further comprises a nozzle arrangement for creating submerged jets of heat transfer medium directed from the first edge side to the first vertical edge, the nozzle arrangement including a plurality of nozzles located along a line extending adjacent to and substantially parallel to the first edge side;

wherein the refrigerant inlet manifold accepts liquid refrigerant from the external expansion device, the first heat transfer structure evaporates the liquid refrigerant producing vapor refrigerant, and the resulting vapor refrigerant is removed via the refrigerant outlet manifold, thereby exchanging latent heat between the first heat transfer surface and the heat transfer medium; and

further wherein the tank is adapted to form a first pocket of liquid heat transfer medium in the second space of heat transfer medium when ice forms in the first space of heat transfer medium.

2. The Thermal Energy Module of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a heat exchanger top and a heat exchanger bottom and the refrigerant inlet manifold is disposed on the heat exchanger bottom and the refrigerant outlet manifold is disposed on the heat exchanger top.

3. The Thermal Energy Module of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a second heat transfer structure and a pass-through manifold and the first heat transfer structure is disposed between the refrigerant inlet manifold and the pass-through manifold and the second heat transfer structure is disposed between the pass-through manifold and the refrigerant outlet manifold.

4. The Thermal Energy Module of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer medium comprises water.

5. The Thermal Energy Module of claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement is disposed within the tank so that the nozzle rests within the first pocket of liquid heat transfer medium even when ice has formed within the first space.

6. The Thermal Energy Module of claim 1, wherein the submerged jets are adapted to prevent the freezing of the heat transfer medium in the first space.

7. The Thermal Energy Module of claim 1, wherein the first heat transfer structure comprises microchannel tubing.

8. The Thermal Energy Module of claim 1, wherein the tank is adapted to be placed within the wall of a building.

9. A Thermal Energy System, comprising:

a first Thermal Energy Module; and

a second Thermal Energy Module,

the first Thermal Energy Module and the second Thermal Energy Module each having a heat exchanger for the direct expansion of refrigerant in fluidic communication with an external compressor and further in fluidic communication with an external expansion device, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a refrigerant inlet manifold and a refrigerant outlet manifold, and a first heat transfer structure disposed between the refrigerant inlet manifold and the refrigerant outlet manifold to allow fluidic communication between the refrigerant inlet manifold and the refrigerant outlet manifold wherein said first heat transfer structure comprises a substantially flat first heat transfer surface, a substantially flat second heat transfer surface, a first vertical edge, and a second vertical edge, and a tank containing a heat transfer medium and the heat exchanger, the tank comprising a top, a bottom, a first face side, a second face side, a first edge side, a second edge side, a heat transfer medium inlet in hydraulic communication with an external heat load, and a heat transfer medium outlet in hydraulic communication with the external heat load, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within the tank so that the first heat transfer surface is substantially parallel to the first face side creating a first space of heat transfer medium and further creating a second space of heat transfer medium between the first vertical edge and the first edge side, wherein the tank is adapted to allow liquid refrigerant provided from the external expansion device to enter the refrigerant inlet manifold and vapor refrigerant to exit the refrigerant outlet manifold to the external compressor, wherein the heat transfer medium inlet further comprises a nozzle arrangement for creating submerged jets of heat transfer medium directed from the first edge side to the first vertical edge, the nozzle arrangement including a plurality of nozzles located along a line extending adjacent to and substantially parallel to the first edge side;

wherein the refrigerant inlet manifold accepts liquid refrigerant from the external expansion device, the first heat transfer structure evaporates the liquid refrigerant producing vapor refrigerant, and the resulting vapor refrigerant is removed via the refrigerant outlet manifold, thereby exchanging latent heat between the first heat transfer surface and the heat transfer medium, and wherein the tank is adapted to form a first pocket of liquid heat transfer medium in the second space of heat transfer medium when ice forms in the first space of heat transfer medium;

wherein the refrigerant inlet manifold of the first Thermal Energy Module is in fluidic communication with the refrigerant inlet manifold of the second Thermal Energy Module and the refrigerant outlet manifold of the first Thermal Energy Module is in fluidic communication with the refrigerant outlet manifold of the second Thermal Energy Module.

10. A Thermal Energy Module, comprising:

a heat exchanger for the direct condensation of refrigerant wherein the heat exchanger comprises a refrigerant inlet manifold and a refrigerant outlet manifold and a first heat transfer structure disposed between the refrigerant inlet manifold and the refrigerant outlet manifold to allow fluidic communication between the refrigerant inlet manifold and the refrigerant outlet manifold wherein said first heat transfer structure comprises a substantially flat first heat transfer surface, a substantially flat second heat transfer surface, a first vertical edge, and a second vertical edge; and

a tank containing a heat transfer medium and the heat exchanger, the tank comprising a top, a bottom, a first face side, a second face side, a first edge side, a second edge side, a heat transfer medium inlet in hydraulic communication with an external heat load, and a heat transfer medium outlet in hydraulic communication with the external heat load, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within the tank so that the first heat transfer surface is substantially parallel to the first face side creating a first space of heat transfer medium and further creating a second space of heat transfer medium between the first vertical edge and the first edge side, wherein the tank is adapted to allow vapor refrigerant provided from an external refrigerant source to enter the refrigerant inlet manifold and liquid refrigerant to exit the refrigerant outlet manifold to the external refrigerant source;

wherein the heat transfer medium inlet further comprises a nozzle arrangement for creating submerged jets of heat transfer medium directed from the first edge side to the first vertical edge, the nozzle arrangement including a plurality of nozzles located along a line extending adjacent to and substantially parallel to the first edge side;

wherein the refrigerant inlet manifold accepts vapor refrigerant from the external refrigerant source, the first heat transfer structure condenses the vapor refrigerant producing liquid refrigerant, and the resulting liquid refrigerant is removed via the refrigerant outlet manifold, thereby exchanging latent heat between the first heat transfer surface and the heat transfer medium.

11. A Heating and Cooling system, comprising:

a first thermal energy module having a first heat exchanger for the direct expansion of refrigerant wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a first refrigerant inlet manifold in fluidic communication with an external expansion device which is, in turn, in fluidic communication with a refrigerant receiver and a first refrigerant outlet manifold in fluidic communication with a suction port of an external compressor, and a first heat transfer structure disposed between the first refrigerant inlet manifold and the first refrigerant outlet manifold to allow fluidic communication between the first refrigerant inlet manifold and the first refrigerant outlet manifold wherein said first heat transfer structure comprises a substantially flat first heat transfer surface, a first vertical edge, and the first thermal energy module comprises a first tank containing a first heat transfer medium and the first heat exchanger, the first tank comprising a first top, a first bottom, a first face side, a first edge side, a first heat transfer medium inlet in hydraulic communication with a first external heat exchange coil via a first water loop circulated by a first water pump, and a first heat transfer medium outlet in hydraulic communication with the first external heat exchange coil, wherein the first heat exchanger is disposed within the first tank so that the first heat transfer surface is substantially parallel to the first face side creating a first space of heat transfer medium and further creating a second space of heat transfer medium between the first vertical edge and the first edge side, wherein the first tank is adapted to allow liquid refrigerant provided from the external expansion device to enter the first refrigerant inlet manifold and vapor refrigerant to exit the first refrigerant outlet manifold to the external compressor, wherein the first heat transfer medium inlet further comprises a nozzle for creating a submerged jet of heat transfer medium directed from the first edge side to the first vertical edge, wherein the first refrigerant inlet manifold accepts liquid refrigerant from the external expansion device, the first heat transfer structure evaporates the liquid refrigerant producing vapor refrigerant, and the resulting vapor refrigerant is removed via the first refrigerant outlet manifold, thereby exchanging latent heat between the first heat transfer surface and the first heat transfer medium, and further wherein the first tank is adapted to form a first pocket of liquid heat transfer medium in the second space of heat transfer medium when ice forms in the first space of heat transfer medium; and

a second thermal energy module having a second heat exchanger for the direct condensation of refrigerant wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a second refrigerant inlet manifold in fluidic communication with a high pressure port of the external compressor and a second refrigerant outlet manifold in fluidic communication with the refrigerant receiver and a second heat transfer structure disposed between the second refrigerant inlet manifold and the second refrigerant outlet manifold to allow fluidic communication between the second refrigerant inlet manifold and the second refrigerant outlet manifold wherein said second heat transfer structure comprises a substantially flat second heat transfer surface, a second vertical edge, and the second thermal energy module further comprises a second tank containing a second heat transfer medium and the second heat exchanger, the second tank comprising a second top, a second bottom, a second face side, a second edge side, a second heat transfer medium inlet in hydraulic communication with a second heat exchange coil via a second water loop circulated by a second water pump, and a second heat transfer medium outlet in hydraulic communication with the second heat exchange coil, wherein the second heat exchanger is disposed within the second tank so that the second heat transfer surface is substantially parallel to the second face side creating a third space of heat transfer medium, wherein the second tank is adapted to allow vapor refrigerant to enter the second refrigerant inlet manifold and liquid refrigerant to exit the second refrigerant outlet manifold, wherein the second refrigerant inlet manifold accepts vapor refrigerant, the second heat transfer structure condenses the vapor refrigerant producing liquid refrigerant, and the resulting liquid refrigerant is removed via the second refrigerant outlet manifold, thereby exchanging latent heat between the second heat transfer surface and the second transfer medium;

wherein the heating and cooling system is adapted to evaporate refrigerant in the first thermal energy module thereby chilling or freezing the first heat transfer medium and condensing the refrigerant in the second thermal energy module thereby heating the second heat transfer medium.