Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of mapping an in-building water supply installation having multiple controllable water outlets, the installation including a supply of water; in a water flow path between the supply of water and the controllable water outlets, a flow measurement device and a flow regulator; a processor being operatively connected to the flow measurement device and the at least one flow regulator. The method comprises opening a first of the water outlets and processing signals from the flow measurement device with the processor at least until a first flow characteristic is determined; closing the first of the water outlets; repeating the opening, processing and closing operations for each of the other water outlets to determine for each controllable water outlet a respective flow characteristic. Subsequently the processor is configured to; identify the opening of a particular one of the plurality of controllable water outlets based on the similarity of a detected flow characteristic to a respective flow characteristic; and control said at least one flow regulator, based on the identification, to control a supply of water to the identified controllable water outlet.
Abstract:
A system for using solar and wind energy for electricity generation and thermal regulation. The system may include a high altitude wind turbine, which may generate electric power and conduct cold to the ground and the rest of the system. The cold may be conducted to a crystallization tank, which may also include an input for heat, for example from solar energy. Cold and heat from the crystallization tank may then be stored or used to heat or cool one or more buildings. Generated electric power may be used in conjunction with or separately from the heating/cooling system.
Abstract:
A heat pump unit (1) comprises at least one main circuit (2) adapted to perform a main heat pump cycle with a respective operating fluid, which comprises: a main condenser (S4) adapted to perform the condensation of the operating fluid of the main heat pump cycle and intended to be connected to an external circuit of a first thermal user plant (10) in a heating operating mode of said heat pump unit (1), a first heat exchanger (S2), connected downstream of the main condenser (S4) and upstream of expansion means (L2) of said the main circuit (2), adapted to perform an undercooling of the operating fluid of the main heat pump cycle after the condensation of the same in the main condenser (S4), and a main evaporator (S8) adapted to perform the evaporation of the operating fluid of the main heat pump cycle and intended to be connected to an external circuit of a heat sink (20) in a heating operating mode of said heat pump unit (1). The heat pump unit (1) further comprises a secondary circuit (3) adapted to perform a secondary heat pump cycle with a respective operating fluid, which comprises: a secondary evaporator (S2) adapted to perform at least the evaporation of the operating fluid of the secondary heat pump cycle and in heat exchange relationship with the first heat exchanger (S2) to transfer heat power released by the operating fluid of the main heat pump cycle during said undercooling to the operating fluid of the secondary heat pump cycle, and a secondary condenser (S1) adapted to perform the condensation of the operating fluid of said secondary heat pump cycle (HPCS) and intended to be connected to the external circuit of the first thermal user plant (10) or to an external circuit of a second thermal user plant, different from the first thermal user plant (10).
Abstract:
A method of heating and/or cooling an area to a desired temperature comprising using a heat pump having an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion control means each connected by a refrigerant pipe work system and the method comprising monitoring the temperature of an environment in which the evaporator is operating and using a system controller to vary in response to the monitored temperature, the temperature at which gas condenses to a fluid within the condenser to keep it as low as possible whilst maintaining the condensing temperature a predetermined amount above the desired temperature and/or also varying in response to the monitored temperature, the temperature at which a liquid expands to a gas within the evaporator in order to reduce the difference between the evaporating and condensing temperatures.
Abstract:
An adsorption thermal storage apparatus formed of an evacuated vessel comprising therein a refrigerant, and an adsorbent heating or cooling section and a refrigerant condensing or evaporating section located in communication with each other, the former section including an adsorbent and finned heat transfer tubes, the latter section including heat transfer tubes placed in dishes. An adsorption thermal storage system comprising the aforesaid apparatus; a heat source (e.g. a condenser of a compression refrigerator) for adsorbent heating; a cold source (e.g. an evaporator) for refrigerant condensation; an exothermic heat source (e.g. cooling tower); an endothermic heat source (e.g. air cooling coil); and a utilization equipment (e.g. air conditioner), the foregoing elements being connected so that during thermal storage period, the adsorbent heating or cooling section and the refrigerant condensing or evaporating section communicate with the heat source and the cold source, respectively, whereas during utilization period, the adsorbent section communicates with the exothermic heat source or heat utilization equipment and the refrigerant section communicates with cold utilization equipment or the endothermic heat source. By the desorption, the refrigerant is condensed and thermal energy is stored whereas cold is generated by latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant liquid and heat, by adsorption heat of the refrigerant vapor, whereby heat and cold may be utilized singly or simultaneously.
Abstract:
In a heat pump having a heat source, a heat sink and a thermal storage heat exchanger in which heat energy is cyclically accumulated and discharged by circulation of a secondary refrigerant therethrough, the improvement wherein: the secondary refrigerant is a aqueous solution having a concentration which is below its Eutetic concentration, the heat sink is adapted to super cool the aqueous solution to partially freeze it to generate a partially frozen solution in which fine ice particles are retained in suspension, the thermal storage heat exchanger has a storage chamber adapted to receive said partially frozen solution from the heat sink and to separate the ice particles from the liquid phase refrigerant to form a porous ice bed and a substantially ice free liquid bath, and wherein the thermal storage heat exchanger is adapted to receive heated refrigerant and to discharge the heated refrigerant into said chamber such that it is placed in intimate contact with the ice bed in a manner such that it may pass through the pores of the porous ice bed prior to its return to the bath.
Abstract:
A heating system with a thermal pump including an evaporator section consisting of a piping network buried in the ground. The piping network is shielded by a translucent screen arranged above the ground such to prevent a heat loss of the ground and to form a space for heat storage between screen and ground.
Abstract:
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for recovery of waste energy from a battery energy storage system. A system includes a battery energy storage system including one or more rechargeable batteries; an energy recovery system coupled to the battery energy storage system, wherein the energy recovery system is configured to: capture heat generated by one or more of charging and discharging the one or more rechargeable batteries; and store or use energy associated with the captured heat.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a device which applies work to the outside with environmental thermal energy, including a positive feedback heat pump system and a reciprocating multi-stage heat exchange working system. A high temperature heat source and a low temperature heat source are produced using a positive feedback heat pump, and at the same time the reciprocating multistage heat exchange working device applies work with heat energy and cold energy. As we can get several times of heat energy and cold energy when a certain amount of electric energy is consumed by a heat pump, and the thermal efficiency of the reciprocating multistage heat exchange working system is 100% theoretically, so we can get several times of electric energy. That is to say, its output is much bigger than its input, and the device can run without electric energy input, and provide electric energy to the outside.