ABSORBER-TYPE HEAT PUMP

Abstract: An absorber/solution pump (32) for pumping strong concentration liquor up a pressure gradient to a vapour generator (20) in a heat-pump system, said pump comprising a pump body defining a first vertically disposed cylinder and housing a first piston (40) which reciprocates within said cylinder, dividing it into an upper pumping chamber (36) and a lower working chamber (44), a header tank (31) for the system strong concentration solution integral with said pump body and surmounting said pumping chamber, said header tank and said pump body being interconnected via a one-way valve (37, 50) which allows the strong-concentration solution to be drawn by suction and gravity into the pumping chamber (36), a second piston (51) within a second cylinder which is connected to the first piston (40) so as to reciprocate with it, said second cylinder opening at the bottom into the pumping chamber and opening at the top into the base of the header tank (31), and a third piston (57) acting vertically in a third cylinder which is closed at the bottom from the atmosphere but is selectively connected to the heat pump system and opens at the top into the working chamber (44), said third piston acting through an extension so as to reduce the loading on the underside of the first piston when the latter undergoes a return stroke.

Description: The present invention relates to a closed heat pump sub-system for absorption type heat pumps according to the precharacterising portion of claim 1, as e.g. disclosed in document DE-A-3 227 030. In the heat transferring system to which this present invention relates a vapour is circulated from a generator through a condenser where it enters a liquid phase and then through an evaporator to become a vapour again from whence it passes into an exothermic, liquid-based, absorber. A liquid having an affinity for the vapour is used as the transporting medium to convey the vapour up a pressure gradient to the aforesaid generator. To enable the conveying to be accomplished a pressure driven reciprocating pump is connected between the absorber and the generator to pump the high concentration liquid from the absorber to a rectifying column forming part of the generator. The pump is driven by the differential pressure which exists between the generator and the absorber and for this purpose there is a secondary loop branching to the driving chamber of the pump from the generator through which a weak concentration liquid is conveyed down the pressure gradient to the absorber. The power to run the system comprises the heat supplied to the generator. The above-described system is distinguished from some prior art arrangements, e.g. EP 0215659 in which the pump is arranged in the heat pump system in such a manner that it and the absorber are spaced apart, the latter being situated in an independent naturally circulating loop, and in which a high concentration liquid is drawn from the loop by the pump downstream of the absorber, through branch ducting, usually containing one or more uni-directional valves. This arrangement encourages the formation of vapour locks in that, due to fluid friction in the ducting and valves and a localized depression caused as the pump draws the liquor into its pumping chamber, the vapour tends to come out of solution and partly fill the pump and the ducting, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the pump. This tendency is often aggravated by an inappropriate disposition and orientation of the pump. DE 3227030 A1 shows an alternative system arrangement in which the pump is driven by means of energy supplied directly thereto instead of utilising the fluid pressure difference around the system. However, in terms of the overall system the strong concentration liquid from the absorber is dispatched to the vapour generator, up the pressure gradient by means of the aforesaid pump. The weak solution is moved in the opposite direction from the vapour generator to the absorber, again passing through the pump. In the arrangement described in accordance with the invention a tank which is functionally part of the aforesaid absorber is positioned immediately above a vertically acting solution pump, preferably forming an integral part thereof, and the high concentration low pressure solution enters directly into this tank. From the base of the tank liquor is drawn generally downwards into the pumping chamber of the pump, thereby avoiding any formation of vapour by virtue of the head of liquid in the tank. Accordingly the invention provides a closed heat pump sub-system for a heat pump system, the sub-system comprising a vapour generator, an absorber and a pump actuated by the system fluid pressure, in which sub-system relatively high-pressure weak-concentration solution from the vapour generator is conveyed to the absorber and relatively low-pressure strong-concentration solution provided by the absorber is dispatched by the pump to the vapour generator through a first non-return valve, wherein the pump has a reciprocating piston, a pumping chamber and a working chamber, the pumping chamber receiving low-pressure strong-concentration solution from the absorber and the working chamber receiving high-pressure weak-concentration solution from the vapour generator during portions of each cycle of operation of the pump, characterised in that the pumping chamber is swept vertically by the piston and there is provided strong-concentration solution storage means in the form of a partially filled header tank which stores the strong-concentration solution provided by the absorber and which is situated vertically above the pump such that the strong-concentration solution in the tank flows therefrom by gravitational action through a second non-return valve in a generally downward direction to fill the pumping chamber during the inlet stroke of the pump, in that during the exhaust stroke of the piston the contents of the working chamber of the pump are expelled into a loop in which solution is generally circulated by gravity from the header tank to the inlet of the absorber, in that the loop comprises, in series, a strong-concentration solution tank outlet containing a third non-return valve, a first junction wherein the weak-concentration solution expelled from the working chamber of the pump is entrained with the strong-concentration solution circulating from the tank, a second junction, the absorber and the tank inlet, and in that the second junction is connected to receive vapour inlets from the system and constitutes a low-pressure point of the system. In the preferred arrangement the said tank incorporates a saturated vapour space above the head of strong liquor and means are provided for preventing the liquid level from rising above a predetermined level within this space. The pump chamber un-swept volume is minimised and its outlet is arranged at the highest point in the chamber. Hereinafter the invention is further described in relation to the known operating system and by way of example having regard to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows the basic vapour absorption heat transfer system; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the heat transfer system according to the invention; and Figures 3 and 4 show schematically specific embodiments of the absorber heat pump arrangement according to the invention. Referring to Figure 1, in the heat transfer system 1 vapour is generated by the application of heat to a solution in the generator 2 whence the vapour thus formed flows along duct 3 to a condenser 4. Heat is removed from the vapour in the condenser whereby the vapour changes into its liquid phase. The cooled liquid phase is depressurised in the expansion valve 5 leading to an evaporator 6 at which stage heat is absorbed from the environment thereby revaporising the liquid. Environmentally heated vapour then passes along duct 7 into an absorber 8 where it is dissolved into an absorbent liquid. This absorption is an exothermic reaction and heat is generated which must be removed from the liquid to permit the absorption of vapour into the liquid to continue, thus causing the concentration strength of the liquor to rise. Finally a high-concentration liquor is pumped from the absorber, which is at relatively low pressure, to the generator which is at a much higher pressure. The low-concentration liquid formed in the generator by the separation of the vapour therefrom is introduced into the upstream side of the absorber 7 through a heat exchanger 9 where it gives up heat to the high-concentration liquor being pumped to the generator 2. Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a schematic example of a heat transfer system according to the invention. Generator 20 is coupled to a rectifying column 21 wherein vapour rising from the generator is purified. The generator and rectifying column can be of conventional design and contain conventional heat sources and sinks 22, 23 respectively. The generated vapour rises through the column 21, emerges from the top thereof as a relatively pure vapour and passes into the condenser 24 where it is converted into its liquid phase by the removal of heat. Some of the liquid is returned to the upper level of the rectifying column where it forms the normal liquid-phase condensate supply therefor. The remainder of the liquid phase condensate passes to an evaporator 25, via a filter 27, a solenoid-operated control valve 28 and an expansion valve 26, where it is converted back into a vapour at low pressure by absorbing heat from the environment. The vapour at low pressure and at environmental temperature then enters a manifold 29 at the inlet of an absorber 30 where it joins a circuit containing a solution of the vapour which is naturally circulating therein. Manifold 29 thus comprises part of a natural circulation path which includes the manifold, the absorber 30, an absorber holding-tank 31 situated above a pump 32 and being physically integrated therewith, a one-way valve 33 and a loop 34 which joins the manifold 29. The latter loop normally contains a liquid which has been diluted by a weak concentration liquid ejected from the working chamber 35 of the pump 32 during a recovery stroke. The absorber 30 is arranged vertically above the manifold 29 so that the vapour entering the manifold from the evaporator forms bubbles in the solution which rise through the latter whilst in the absorber and cause an upward liquid flow therein partly as a consequence of the movement of the bubbles and partly due to gravitational influence as a consequence of the higher concentration liquors formed at ascending levels in the absorber having lower densities than the low concentration liquor at the bottom thereof. This movement of liquid is responsible for the natural circulation around the aforesaid loop and is assisted by the removal of heat from the absorber wherein an exothermic reaction takes place as the vapour enters into solution in the liquid. High concentration liquor is drawn into the pumping chamber 36 of the pump 32 from the holding tank 31 via a one-way valve 37, and during a pump upward stroke this liquor is forced via another one-way valve 38 and a heat exchanger 39 into the lower levels of the rectifier column 21 from whence it drains into the generator 20 and gives up its vapour content. In Figure 2 the elements represented by circles are all solenoid operated gate valves which are sequentially controlled by an external control system (not shown). Two specific embodiments of pump 32 are disclosed in greater detail respectively in Figures 3 and 4 together with the immediately associated parts of the relevant system. Referring specifically to Figure 3, the pump 32 comprises a series of vertically arranged chambers 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, the top one of which (41) corresponds with tank 31 of Figure 2 and functionally comprises part of the absorber, being the aforesaid absorber holding-tank. The chamber 41 has a fixed volume. Low pressure liquid circulation passes directly from absorber 30 through the chamber 41 and through a one-way flap valve 46 at the base of a normally submerged pipe 47, whence it passes into the loop 34 via a junction 48. Chamber 42 has its volume defined by a piston 40 and communicates with chamber 41 through another normally submerged pipe 49 which is fitted with a one-way ball valve 50. This valve operates at a very low pressure differential and permits a flow of fluid only from the chamber 41 into the chamber 42. The latter has an outlet at its upper boundary connected to the one-way valve 38 which will only permit fluid to flow away from the pump. The chamber 42 surrounds a coaxial inner chamber 43 containing a piston 51 which is physically connected through a rod 52 to the piston 40. Chamber 43 opens at its top into chamber 41 and it opens at its bottom into chamber 42. Chamber 42 contains a compression spring 53. A collar 54 surrounds the spring 53 and exits to minimise the unswept volume of chamber 42. The enclosed chamber 44 has its upper boundary defined by piston 40 and a lower boundary defined by a displacer 55. The latter comprises a blind hollow tube 56 coupled at its base to a piston 57 which slides in chamber 45 and is normally urged towards the piston 40 by means of a weak spring 58 supported by a post, 59. Chamber 44 has an inlet/outlet coupled through a duct 60 to a junction 61 connected on the one hand to a solenoid valve 62 and on the other hand to a solenoid valve 63. Solenoid valve 62 connects to junction 48. One-way valve 38 couples the first channel of a heat exchanger 64 to the exhaust fluid of chamber 42, the outlet of which channel comprises the normal, high-concentration-liquor high-pressure input to the lower levels of rectifier column 21. A second channel of heat exchanger 64 normally receives a high pressure weak liquor input from a generator 20 and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the solenoid valve 63. Vapour generated in generator 20 is ducted into the base of the rectifier column 21 and the weak liquor draining from the rectifier column is ducted back into the generator 20. A heat source 67 applies heat to the generator 20. Vapour from the rectifier column is fed to the condenser 24 (see Figure 2) where it is converted into its liquid phase. The resultant condensate is then passed to evaporator 25 (see Fig. 2) where latent heat addition returns it to vapour phase. This vapour joins the absorber loop at manifold 29. High pressure vapour generated in generator 20 is coupled to the chamber 45 via a solenoid valve 68 via junction 69. The chamber 45 is also connected via junction 69 and a solenoid valve 70 to the manifold 29. The system as described operates in the following manner. Assume at the start of a cycle of operation the piston 40 rests on the floor of the chamber 44 and chamber 42 is filled with low pressure high concentration liquor from the chamber 41. It will be seen that the displacer 55 will be in its bottom position, the weak spring 58 being compressed by virtue of the force exerted by the strong spring 53. Assume also that solenoid valve 62 is closed, solenoid valve 63 is open, solenoid valve 68 is open, and solenoid valve 70 is closed. The pressure in the generator 20 is thus coupled to the interior of chamber 44 and weak concentration liquor flows therein via heat exchanger 64 under this pressure. This pressure exerts a greater loading on the underside of the piston 40 than the loading on top of the piston 40 resulting from the head of pressure communicated to the chamber 42 via the ball valve 50, and the loading caused by the strong spring 53 and the pressure on top of the piston 51. Piston 40 is thereby urged upwards. As soon as it moves the pressure in chamber 43 rises and without the piston 51, piston 40 would be halted as soon as the pressures equalised on its two sides. However, because chamber 43 communicates directly with chamber 42, piston 51 experiences a differential pressure which forces it upwards, pulling piston 40 upwards with it. This further increases the pressure in chamber 42 so that it exceeds that of the generator 20. The reduction in volume of chamber 42 expels the fluid therein, which has been derived from the chamber 41, under pressure through the one-way valve 38 and the heat exchanger 64 into the generator 20. At the same time as liquid from the generator 20 is admitted to chamber 44, vapour from the generator 20 is admitted into the chamber 45 through the solenoid valve 68, thereby forcing the displacer in an upward direction as a consequence of the loading of spring 58, the pressures of the fluids on chambers 44 and 45 being equal, having originated from the same source. At some stage during the upward stroke of the piston 40 solenoid 68 is closed, thereby halting the upward movement of displacer 55. At the end of the stroke of piston 40 the solenoid valve 63 is closed and subsequently the two solenoid valves 62 and 70 are opened. The piston 40 descends to the floor of chamber 44, together with the displacer 55 driven by the previously compressed spring 53. The contents of both chambers 44 and 45 are expelled to the manifold 29 and from there into the absorber 30. This action results in the natural circulation through the absorber being enhanced. Flow of fluid from the solenoid valve 62 directly into the chamber 41 is prevented by the flap valve 46 which will only permit flow in the opposite direction. As piston 40 descends the volume of chamber 42 increases, which results in an immediate flow of liquor from chamber 41 through the ball valve 50 into the chamber 42. High concentration liquor from chamber 41 also flows into chamber 43 as the piston 51, which is coupled to piston 40, descends. When piston 40 reaches its bottom-most position solenoid valves 62 and 70 close. Solenoid valves 63 and 68 are subsequently opened so as to recommence the cycle of operation. Though the system is a closed one, the volumes of liquid in the chamber 41 and the generator 20 may distribute unevenly and the volume of vapour in chamber 41 change as a consequence of a change in the heat transfer balance of the system. Normally, the liquid displacement above and below the piston 40 must be equalised and displacer 55 takes up a position during the upward stroke of piston 40 to provide the balance. However, the liquid flow may be unbalanced temporarily by controlling the displacement of displacer 55, in order to redistribute the volumes. To prevent the liquid in chamber 41 from becoming so low that vapour instead of liquid is drawn into the pumping chamber 42 or so high that the vapour space in chamber 41 becomes too small, liquid level sensors 71, 72 are provided in chamber 41. These provide signals to the controller system (not shown) whenever the level moves out of limits. In the controller this signal is used to control the operation of the solenoids 68 and 70 and therefore to control the movement of the displacer 55. In normal operation the displacer would only follow the piston through part of its stroke and would then be halted by the closure of the solenoid valve 68. Altering the instant of closure of the latter valve in the respective direction would allow more or less liquid as required to be transferred from the system into the tank 41, thereby controlling its level. In all other respects the system operates as discussed in relation to Figure 2. By ensuring that the liquid level in chamber 41 remains above the ball valve 50 and by providing the exhaust outlet from chamber 42 at the highest possible position within the latter and also by reducing the unswept volume thereof as much as possible the danger of vapour locks forming in the system and particularly in the pumping chamber 42 is eliminated and the pump is made self-priming. Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a modified form of pump 32. The main difference between the two pumps is that in the pump of Figure 4 the displacer is no longer an independent unit but instead it takes the form of a piston 75 corresponding to piston 57 which is connected to piston 40 through a rod 76 so that the pistons 75, 40 and 51 are integral and all move in unison. Moreover, the weak spring 56 and the post 59 are omitted, as is also the low level liquid sensor 72. In all other respects the system is identical to that of Figure 3 and the same reference numerals are used for corresponding parts throughout these Figures. The purpose of the displacer 55 of Figure 3 was to provide a means for controlling the swept volume of chamber 44 so that the rate at which liquid was transferred through the absorber to the tank 41 could be controlled. In the embodiment of Figure 4 the swept volumes of chambers 42 and 44 are of fixed volumes. Hence, so long as both chambers only contain liquid, the liquid displacements in the system remain in balance. Any excess vapour is allowed to accumulate in chamber 41 and should it happen that the level of liquid drops below the inlet ball valve 50 some vapour will be drawn into chamber 42. This reduces the amount of liquid displaced from the chamber, relative to the displacement of liquid in chamber 44 which in turn will tend to restore the liquid level in chamber 41. If on the other hand the liquid accumulates in chamber 41, the controller operates in response to a signal from the level sensor 71 to actuate the solenoid valves 62, 63, 68 and 70 in such a manner that the pump speed increases. This has the effect of transferring liquid from the natural circulation loop to the generator 20.

Claims: A closed heat pump sub-system for a heat pump system, the sub-system comprising a vapour generator (20, 21), an absorber (30) and a pump (32) actuated by the system fluid pressure, in which sub-system relatively high-pressure weak-concentration solution from the vapour generator is conveyed to the absorber and relatively low-pressure strong-concentration solution provided by the absorber is dispatched by the pump to the vapour generator through a first non-return valve (38), wherein the pump has a reciprocating piston (40), a pumping chamber (42) and a working chamber (44), the pumping chamber (42) receiving low-pressure strong-concentration solution from the absorber and the working chamber receiving high-pressure weak-concentration solution from the vapour generator during portions of each cycle of operation of the pump, characterised in that the pumping chamber (42) is swept vertically by the piston (40) and there is provided strong-concentration solution storage means in the form of a partially filled header tank (41) which stores the strong-concentration solution provided by the absorber and which is situated vertically above the pump (32) such that the strong-concentration solution in the tank flows therefrom by gravitational action through a second non-return valve (50) in a generally downward direction to fill the pumping chamber (42) during the inlet stroke of the pump, in that during the exhaust stroke of the piston (40) the contents of the working chamber of the pump are expelled into a loop (34) in which solution is generally circulated by gravity from the header tank (41) to the inlet of the absorber (30), in that the loop (34) comprises, in series, a strong-concentration solution tank outlet (47) containing a third non-return valve (46), a first junction (48) wherein the weak-concentration solution expelled from the working chamber (44) of the pump is entrained with the strong-concentration solution circulating from the tank (41), a second junction (29), the absorber (30) and the tank inlet, and in that the second junction (29) is connected to receive vapour inlets from the system and constitutes a low-pressure point of the system. A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 1 wherein the working chamber (44) is swept vertically by the piston (40) and wherein the said header tank (41) is integral with the body of the pump (32) adjacent to and surmounting the pumping chamber (42) and communicating therewith through a passage (49) containing a low differential-pressure-actuated non-return valve (50). A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 2 wherein the pumping chamber exhaust is situated at the highest elevation of the chamber. A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein to the upper surface of the piston (40) there is connected a smaller diameter second piston (51) which operates in an auxiliary chamber (43) which opens at its bottom end into the pumping chamber (42) and opens at its top end into the base of the header tank (41), and wherein the said first piston (40) is biased downwards by a compression spring (53). A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 4 wherein said working chamber (44) incorporates a displacer means (55) connected to a third piston (57) operating within a further chamber (45), the latter opening at its top end into the working chamber (44), being normally closed at its bottom end, and being selectively connected at its bottom end to receive vapour from the vapour generator (20, 21) and to provide vapour to the second junction (29) of the loop (34), said displacer means (56) functioning so as to reduce the loading on the under side of the first said piston (40) at the end of the working stroke. A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 5 wherein each of the inlets and exhausts of the respective working and further chambers (44, 45) are fitted with controlled valves (62, 63, 68, 70) which are operated by system control means at appropriate instances in each operating cycle of the pump, the said inlets of the said chambers being connected respectively with the liquid and vapour phases of the vapour generator (20, 21), and the exhausts being connected respectively to the successive junctions (48 and 29) of the loop (34). A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 6 wherein the header tank (41) has a vapour space and a liquid space and is provided with means to detect the level of liquor within it, said control means actuating said controlled valves (62, 63, 68, 70) so as to maintain the level of liquid inside the tank with respect to at least one prescribed limit. A heat pump sub-system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the pump (32) comprises a pump body which houses a first cylinder swept by a first piston (40), said piston dividing said cylinder into an upper said pumping chamber (42) and a lower said working chamber (44), said pump body further incorporating an integral, closed, header tank (41) Surmounting the said pumping chamber and communicating therewith through a passage in the floor of the tank, said passage having a low differential-pressure-actuated one-way valve (50) permitting a fluid flow only from the tank into the pumping chamber, said tank having an inlet for receiving strong concentration liquor from the absorber (30) and an outlet to said loop (34), said outlet incorporating said third non-return valve (46), and said pumping chamber (42) having an exhaust outlet incorporating a further non-return valve (38) which is situated at a high point in the pumping chamber. A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 8 wherein the first piston (40) is normally biased downwards by a compression spring (53) and is connected to a second piston (51) operating in a second cylinder within said pump body, said second cylinder opening at its top end into the floor of the said tank (41) and opening at its bottom end to said pumping chamber (42). A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 9 wherein said pump body further defines a third cylinder swept by a third piston (57) which mechanically couples to the base of the first piston (40), said third cylinder being located in the base of the first cylinder, and wherein the first cylinder has an inlet and exhaust within the working chamber for receiving and exhausting the working fluid, and the third cylinder has an inlet and an exhaust below said third piston (57) for receiving the vapour phase of the vapour generator (20, 21) and exhausting said vapour phase to a low pressure point of the loop (34). A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 10 wherein the third piston (57) is independent of the first piston (40), acting thereon through an extension (55), and is normally biased upward towards the first piston by a relatively weak spring (56). A heat pump sub-system according to Claim 8 wherein the first piston (40) is biased in a downward direction by a compression spring (53) contained in an unswept volume of the pump chamber (42), which volume is minimised by effectively thickening the walls (54) of the cylinder so as to reduce the diameter thereof to less than the diameter of the first piston (40).

Inventors: HOLMES, PAUL, HOUGHTON, FRED
Applicants: BRITISH GAS PLC
Application year: 1988
Main classification: F25B15
IPC codes: F25B15