AN APPARATUS FOR SIMULATING ENERGY RECOVERY

Abstract: An apparatus for illustrating or simulating an energy-recovery arrangement comprising heating means (1) for receiving a controllable amount of energy which is converted to heat in, for example, a tool, ambient medium etc. which is located in a compartment enclosed and sealed by means of heat insulation material (8), the compartment being in communication with the atmosphere by the intermediary of an inlet air loop (12) and an outlet air loop (13) which are coupled to a heat exchanger (16), the heating means (1) including a coolant loop (9) with a suitable coolant medium, this loop passing through a second heat exchanger (10) whose other side is permeated by a heat-absorbing medium (23).

Description: INVENTION: AN APPARATUS FOR SIMULATING ENERGY RECOVERY TECHNICAL- FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for i llustrating or simulating an arrangement for energy re¬ covery. THE STATE OF THE ART At the present time, great efforts are being-made to save energy and even the slightest energy saving leads to l arge cost savings because of the high energy prices and, above all, because- of the future increases in the costs of energy. Nevertheless, this art is stricken by extensive conservative thinking in most of today's industries and even energy-consuming industries, for which reason there i s a great need for an apparatus for illustrating or simu¬ l ating an energy system. TECHNICAL PROBLEM The fundamental " concept behind the present invention is the task of realizing an appara-tus for illustrating or simulating an energy recovery arrangement. SOLUTION The problem which forms the conceptual basis of the present invention is solved in that the apparatus dis- closed by way of introduction is characterized by heating means for receiving a controllable amount of energy which i s converted into heat in, for example, a tool, ambient medium etc, which is located in a space enclosed by thermal insulation material, the space being in communica- tion with the atmosphere by the intermediary of an inlet air loop and an outlet air loop which pass through a first heat exchanger, said heating means including a coolant loop having appropriate coolant medium, the loop passing through a second heat exchanger, whose other side is per- eated by a heat absorbing medium. The inlet air lopp to the first heat exchanger includes a controllable fan regulating the air flow to the space with said heat ng OMPI means and the outlet air loop includes a controllable fan for regulating the air flow from the space. The heating means essentially comprises a hot plate which, by the intermediary of suitable insulation material, is disposed on a substrate with the coolant loop. The coolant loop in¬ cludes a pump- and the Toop with the heat-absorbing medium includes a pump, as well as an automatic device for keep-- ing constant the temperature of the output heat-absorbing medium. The sloop with the heat-absorbing medium is coupled to 'heat exchanger whose other side is coupled in a loop with- * a gaseous medium, for example, ammonia, carbon dioxide or freon, this loop being connected to a diaphragm pump, a further heat exchanger. and a liquid pump. The second chamber of the diaphragm pump fs coupled to a hydraulic motor which drives an electric power genera¬ tor. The other side of the further heat* exchanger is coupled. to a loop with a compressor and a heat exchanger, whose other 'side is connected to a loop with a suitable heat-absorbing medium. The heat exchanger consists of a - cylinder with an insert which is bellows compressed in its longitudinal direction and whose ends are sealed so- as to form two separate compartments in the cylinder which each communicate with their input and their one end of the cylinder. The cylinder consists of a sheet metal tube and the insert of a bellows-folded aluminium sheet, the folds extending between the insides of the cylinder. The cylinder is manufactured by extrusion and the insert is integrally disposed with the cylinder proper. ADVANTAGES As a result of the present invention* there will be obtained a v ery simple and suitable, mobile energy re- covery simulator. The apparatus according to the invention can be used as a demonstration model for energy-saving measures and package solutions for machines and processes. The possibilities made available for accurate, not to say dramatic, illustrative demonstrations of an installation which functions in all respects, will lead to a change in the conservative view held by industry of these matters^- - In conventional plate heat exchangers, the component part plates are fundamentally identical, whereby transfer surfaces and prevalent temperature gradients are not utilized to their full extent. Most often, the plates are folded or provi.ded with flanges in order to increase the transmission surface. This gives rise to a larger pressure drop arid entails consumption of expensive electric power. Folded surfaces or flanged surfaces cause, moreover, blockages, because industrial emission often includes great amounts'of dust and troublesome impurities which fasten on the -system and weaken its degree of efficiency. In an exchanger according to .the present invention there is obtained an almost 1003- degree of efficiency and v ery low pressure drop, since the transmission surfaces are completely planar and smooth. Moreover, the exchanger is completely enclosed and tight, which makes possible the transfer of heat to other media, for example water. Further advantages inherent in an exchanger according to the present invention are that it v ery easily may be dis- posed in a per se known sp ' iro-tuba and ' that all pre¬ fabricated channels can be connected to finished standard socket connections. This entails simple assembly and a low price as well as a ve ry elegant technical presentation and tube placing, as well as a fewer number of curves and less material consumption, whereby- the total pressure drop will be reduced as well as the costs in the installa¬ tion. There are further advantages to be gained from the point of view of service. The exchanger according to the present invention is light in weight and permits attaining high temperatures. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Fig 1 is a diagram of one embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention. Fig 2 is a schematic view of a heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig 3 is a cross-section through the embodiment of Fig 2. Fig 4 also shows a cross-section through the embodiment of Fig 2 for illustrating the inventive concept. Fig 5 is a schematic view of a furt embodiment of a heat exchanger according to the present invention. Fig 6 is a cross-section taken along the line A-A- in Fig 5. Fig 7 is a diagram of a. odified apparatus according to the present invention. 5 The apparatus according to the present invention includes, as will be apparent to the skilled reader of Fig 1, a hot plate 1 which is coupled to electric mains 2, by the intermediary of an instrument 3 and control equip¬ ment 4. The hot plate 1 is spaced from a cooling plate 5 10 by means of appropriate insulation material 6. On the hot plate 1, there- is suitably placed a tool of some appropriate type which it. is desired to test, and the cooling plate 5 is covered by means of appropriate insulation material 7 which possibly may extend up to and 15 on to the tool. The insulation plate or. insul ation material 6 may appropriately consist of compressed mineral fibre, porcelain or the like. The hot plate 1 with the tool placed thereon is located in a room separated from its surroundings by means 20 of a per se suitable construction 8 which may consist of conventional thermal insulation material. The cooling plate 5 is coupled to a loop 9 which runs from the cooling plate 5 to a heat exchanger 10 and thence back to the codling plate 5 by the intermediary of 'a pump 11. The 25 cooling medium may be in the form of some suitable liquid, for example oil or the like. The interior of the construction 8 is in communication with the atmosphere by the intermediary of an inlet air loop 12 and an outlet air loop 13. A controllable fan 14 is coupled into the 30 inlet air loop 12 and a controllable fan 15 is similarly "~~ --— oupled into the outlet air loop. The inlet air loop 12 and outlet air loop 13 pass through a heat exchanger 16 which may also be by-passed by the intermediary of a loop 17 with a throttle 18. In the inlet air loop, there is, 35 furthermore, a temperature indicator 19. In the Outlet air loop there is a temperature indicator 20 ahead of the heat exchanger 16 and a temperature indicator 21 between the heat exchanger 16 and the fan 15. In the coolant loop there is a temperature indicator 22 between the cooling plate 5 and the heat exchanger 10. The heat exchanger 10. i s, furthermore, coupled to a loop 23 for a medium for heating, for example, water, which is fed into the heat exchanger 10 by the intermediary of a valve 2 and is discharged from the heat exchanger 10 to a circulation system via a flow meter 25 and a temperature indicator 26. In the circulation system it is in the present case desirable to maintain a constant temperature, for which reason there "is provided automatic equipment which iπ- cludes a regulator device 27, a three-way valve 28, a pump 29 and a non-return valve 30. Ahead of the valve 28 there is also a temperature sensor 31. By means of the apparatus described above, it is extremely simple to simulate various measures for re- - covering energy. The heat exchanger 16 described above is preferably of the type shown in Figs 2-4. This consists,, according to the present invention, of a cylinder in the form of a tube 32 with an insert 33 which is shown in greater detail in Fig 3. The insert .33 consists, as will be apparent to the skilled reader, of a folded sheet of suitable material, for example, aluminium. Since the folded sheet 33 extends between various parts of the inside of the tube, it is possible to define an upper section of the tube and a lower section of the tube. At the ends of the insert 33, there is disposed an end wall in such a manner that the portion shadowed, for example, in Fig 3 is covered at one end, whereas the non-shadowed portion is covered at the other end of the insert 33. Moreover, the tube 32 has an upper connection 34 and a lower connection 35. The upper connection 34 is, via the upper .channel between the tube wall 32 and the insert 33, in communication with the right-hand end of the tube 32 in Fig 2, whereas the lower connection 35 is, by the i ntermediary of the lower portion of the space between the tube 32 and the insert 33, in communication with the left-hand end in Fig 2. The media between which heat__ shall be exchanged may thus flow in accordance with the arrows of Fig 4. • The seal between the insert 33 and the tube inside 32 may appropriately be effected by some per se conven¬ tional sealing agent.For example, silicon may be used in temperatures of up to 200°C. In Fig 5 there is illustrated a fundamentally • similar heat exchanger to that shown in Figs 2-4, " although the embodiment shown in Figs- 5 and 6 is particularly -adapted for manufacturing by extrusion. Also in the embodiment shown in Figs 5 and 6, the ends of the insert are sealed in a suitable manner such that there is formed, in the cylinder, an upper half which is in communication with the upper connection and the right- hand end of- the cylinder and a lower half which is in . communication with the lower connection and the left- hand end of the cylinder. In this way, there will be obtained a very large heat transfer surface within the cylinder. The insert 33 illustrated in Figs- 2, 3 and 4 may readily be manufactured by folding of, for ..example, an aluminium sheet which may be arranged, for example, on a roll and be fo.lded as it is rolled out. In this manner, it is also conceivable to place the insert 33 in a per se conventional spiro-tube, whereby the heat.exchanger according to the present invention will- be extremely simple to couple in to conventional ventilation installa¬ tions and the like. The heat exchanger more closely illustrated in Figs 5 and 6 is particularly well-suited for heat exchange between two fluid media, since sealing problems are solved in an extremely simple manner. Fig 7 shows a further modification of the apparatus according to the present invention previously described with reference to Fig 1. According to Fig 7, the loop 23 is coupled to a heat exchanger 40, whose other side is coupled to the output from a pump 41 and to a tank 42. The tank 42 is coupled to a diaphragm pump 43 diaphragm 44 separates a lower chamber 45 from an upper c hamber 46. In the connection between the tank 42 and the lower chamber 45, there is disposed a valve 47. The lower chamber 45 is, furthermore, in communication with the pump 41 by the intermediary of a heat exchanger 48. In the communication between the chamber 45 and the heat ex- cnaπ 9 e changer 48, there is, furthermore, a valve 49. The upper chamber 46 in the diaphragm pump 43 is in communication with a hydraulic- motor 50 by the intermediary of a loop 51 with a valve 52 and a loop 53 with a valve 54. The hydraulic motor-'50 is coupled to a generator 55 whose out¬ put is coupled to the electric mains 2. The other side of the heat exchanger 48 is coupled to a compressor 56 whose output .is coupled to a heat exchanger 57 which in its turn is re-connected to the heat exchanger 48-by the inter¬ mediary of a valve or throttle 58. The ot.her side of the heat exchanger 57 may be coupled in to a suitable network and may also conceivably be coupled into the loop 23. The medium in the loop 23 may, for example, be hot water at a temperature of +40°C which, in the exchanger 40, is caused to heat a fluid gas, for example, -ammonia,, carbon dioxide or freon, whereby there occurs a vaporisa¬ tion in the heat exchanger 40 and the vaporised gas may possibly be stored in the tank 42. The gas is- led into the chamber 45 by the intermediary of the valve 47 and forces the diaphragm to reduce the volume in the chamber 46. Thereafter, the valve 47 is closed so that, for example, oil in the chamber may be led off through the ' valve 52 to the hydrolic motor 50, wh.ereupoπ the valve 47 is kept closed and the valve 49 is opened together with the valve 54 so that oil may depart from the motor 50 to the chamber 46, whereby the gas departs through the valve 49 and the heat exchanger 48 to the pump 41. In the heat exchanger 48, the gas is condensed to a liquid which may be taken charge of by the pump 41. In this manner, there is obtained a lower counter-pressure for the gas/liquid (partly in condensate form) at the end of operations. Thus, the gas mixture is cooled in the/" O heat exchanger 48, The liquid flowing into- he heat ex¬ changer 48 is gasified and fed via the compressor 56 back to the heat exchanger 57 where the gas is converted to liquid form and the heat transmitted to a medium on the -5 other side of the heat exchanger 57. The arrangement illustrated in Fig 7 essentially comprises, thus, two. • heat pumps of which the first consists of the components 40, 42, 45, 48 and 41 and the other of the components 48, 56, 57 and 58. 0 As was "mentioned above, the temperature of the water entering- the heat exchanger 40 may be +40 C and the discharged water may be +5°. The liquid coming from the pump 41 is at a temperature of +-0 C and the gas dis¬ charged from the heat exchanger 40 has a temperature of 5 +5 . The valves 46, 47, 48 and -52 are controlled by means . of som.e suitable regulator in such a manner 'that the valve 54 is kept open while the valves 47 and 52 are kept closed and the valve 49 open during . filling of the chambe 46 with oil so that the diaphragm 44 is pressed into the 0 chamber 46 and empties it-. * Thereafter,.- he valves 49 and 54 are closed, while the valves 47 and 52 are open so that gas from the tank 42 may enter the chamber 45 and empty the chamber 46 through the valve 52. Thereafter, the valve 47 and the valve 52 are once again closed, 5 while the valves 49 and 54 are open. Consequently, it can be illustrated by means of the apparatus described above, that all employed energy can be recovered to almost 100%. O H

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An apparatus for illustrating or simulating an energy-recovery arrangement, characterized by heating means for receiving a controllable amount of energy which is converted into heat in, for example, a tool, ..ambient medium etc, which is located in a compartment sealed by means of heat insulating material and is in communication with the atmosphere by the intermediary of an inlet- air loop and an outlet air loop which are coupled. o a heat exchanger, said heating means including a coolant loop with an appropriate coolant medium, said loop passing through a second heat exchanger whose other side is permeated by a heat-absorbing medium. 2. The apparatus as recited .in claim 1, characterized in that the inlet air loop to " the .first heat exchanger includes a controllable fan for regulating an " air inflow to the compartment with said heating means, and that- he * outlet air loop includes a controllable fan for .regulating the airflow from the compartment. 3. The apparatus as 'recited in claim 1, characterized in that said heating means includes a hot plate which, by (claim 3 contd.) the intermediary of a suitable insulation material, is disposed on a substrate with a coolant loop. 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the coolant loop includes a pump and that the loop with the heat-absorbing medium includes a pump and automatic means for keeping constant the temp¬ erature of the discharged heat-absorb ' ing medium. 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, characterized in that the loop with the heat-absorbing medium is coupled to a heat exchanger whose other side is coupled into a loop with a gaseous medium, for example, ammonia, carbon dioxide or freon, said loop being coupled to a diaphragm pump, a further heat exchanger and a liquid pump. 6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, characterized in that the second chamber of the diaphragm pump is coupled to a hydraulic motor which runs a generator for generating electric power. 7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, characterized in that the other side of the further heat exchanger is coupled to a loop with a compressor and a heat exchanger, whose other side is coupled to a loop with some appropriate heat-absorbing medium. 8. The apparatus as recited in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat exchanger consists of a 'cylinder with an insert folded in its long¬ itudinal direction, the ends thereof being sealed for forming two separate compartments in the cylinder which each communicates with their input and end of the cylinder 9. The apparatus as recited- in claim 8, characterized in that ' the cylinder consists of a sheet metal tube and that the insert consists of a folded aluminium sheet, the folds extending to all portions of- he inner ' side of the cylinder. 10. The apparatus as recited in claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the cylinder is manufactured by extrusion and that the insert is disposed . integrally with the cylinder proper.

Inventors: TYKESSON BENGT
Applicants: ENERGI & PROCESSTEKNIK EPAB, TYKESSON BENGT, ENERGI OCH PROCESSTEKNIK EPAB AB
Application year: 1982
Main classification: G01K17
IPC codes: F25D31, F28D9, G01K17, G05D23, G09B23