Adsorbing heat exchanger

• US 9,951,977 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Michel, Bruno, Ong, Chin Lee, Paredes, Stephan, Ruch, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US14/813,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20170030612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 62101, 62106, 62476, 62477, 62478, 62480
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/08 using special vapours
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 11/02 as expanders F25B9/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 17/083 with two or more boiler-sorbers operating alternately
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/14 Power generation using energy from the expansion of the refrigerant
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 25/02 Compression-sorption machines, plants, or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/007 in sorption type systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/02 using waste heat, e.g. from internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/27 Relating to heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC] technologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/274 using waste energy, e.g. from internal combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

An apparatus and corresponding method for heat exchange. The heat exchange apparatus may include an adsorber device. The adsorber device is configured to draw heat from a first heat reservoir and transfer heat to a first heat sink. The heat exchange apparatus may include a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the adsorber device by the working fluid. The heat exchanger transfers heat to a second heat sink. The heat exchange apparatus may include an expansion device fluidly connected to the heat exchanger by the working fluid. The expansion device expands the working fluid, and exchanges heat with a second heat reservoir. The expansion device includes a turbine device for converting at least a part of an exergy of the working fluid during expansion into mechanical work. The heat exchange apparatus may include the adsorber device being fluidly connected to the expansion device by the working fluid.

Claims

1. A heat exchange apparatus comprising:

an adsorber device, wherein the adsorber device adsorbs the working fluid in an adsorption temperature range or desorbs a working fluid in a desorption temperature range, wherein the desorption temperature range is above the adsorption temperature range, and wherein the adsorber device is configured to draw heat from a first heat reservoir and transfer heat to a first heat sink;

a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the adsorber device by the working fluid, wherein the heat exchanger transfers heat to a second heat sink; and

an expansion device fluidly connected to the heat exchanger by the working fluid, wherein the expansion device expands the working fluid, and wherein the expansion device exchanges heat with a second heat reservoir, and wherein the expansion device includes a turbine device for converting at least a part of an exergy of the working fluid during expansion into mechanical work; and

wherein the adsorber device is fluidly connected to the expansion device by the working fluid.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a generator device connected to the turbine device, wherein the generator device generates an electrical power from the mechanical work exerted on the turbine device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one pump device fluidly connected to the adsorber device by the working fluid, wherein the at least one pump device increases a flow of the working fluid in the apparatus, and wherein the pump device is at least partly driven by the electrical power generated by the generator device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit controls a flow of the working fluid in the apparatus, and wherein the control unit is at least partly driven by the electrical power generated by the generator device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the turbine device includes at least one rotor element, wherein the at least one rotor element converts at least a part of the exergy of the working fluid into the mechanical work.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the turbine device includes one or more stators having a heat transfer element, wherein the heat transfer element increases a temperature of the working fluid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expansion device comprises one or more heating elements, a plurality of microchannels, and combinations thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an expansion device heat exchanger thermally coupled between the expansion device and to the second heat reservoir, wherein the expansion device heat exchanger transfers heat from the second heat reservoir to the expansion device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adsorber device further comprises at least two adsorption units thermally coupled to one another, and wherein a valve device is connects the at least two adsorption units to the heat exchanger or the expansion device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second heat sink comprises ambient air.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger includes a condenser device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second heat reservoir comprises ambient air to be chilled.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first heat reservoir includes a solar thermal collector, hot water storage or a waste heat supply.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a compressor device, wherein the compressor devices compresses the working fluid.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an auxiliary heat exchanger, wherein the auxiliary heat exchanger transfers heat from the working fluid to the adsorber device.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising

a heat transfer element located in the compressor device, wherein the heat transfer element draws heat from the working fluid during compression by the compressor device;

and

an auxiliary heat exchanger, wherein the auxiliary heat exchanger is configured to transfer the heat from the compressor device to the adsorber device.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a generator device connected to the turbine device, wherein the generator device generates an electrical power from the mechanical work exerted on the turbine device, and wherein the compressor device is at least partly driven by the electrical power.

18. A method for heat exchange comprising:

adsorbing a working fluid;

desorbing the adsorbed working fluid by heating the working fluid using heat from a first heat reservoir, wherein a portion of the heat is an auxiliary heat created during the heat exchange;

adiabatically compressing the desorbed working fluid, wherein adiabatically compressing the desorbed working fluid is at least partly supported by mechanical work created during the heat exchange;

cooling the desorbed working fluid in a heat exchanger, thereby removing heat from the compressed working fluid to provide the auxiliary heat;

expanding and heating the cooled working fluid in an expansion unit;

converting at least a part of an exergy of the expanding working fluid into the mechanical work created during the heat exchange.

19. A method for heat exchange comprising:

adsorbing a working fluid;

compressing the adsorbed working fluid, wherein compressing the working fluid is at least partly supported by the mechanical work;

removing heat from the working fluid while being compressed to provide an auxiliary heat; and

desorbing the adsorbed working fluid by heating the working fluid using heat from a first heat reservoir, wherein a portion of the heating is supported by the auxiliary heat

cooling the desorbed working fluid in a heat exchanger;

expanding and heating the cooled working fluid in an expansion unit; and

converting at least a part of an exergy of the expanding working fluid into a mechanical work.