Refrigeration – Automatic control – Of closed system sorbent type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-29
2001-11-06
Bennett, Henry (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Automatic control
Of closed system sorbent type
C062S476000, C062S497000, C062S324200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311504
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorption heat pump which can utilize exhaust heat from a chemical industrial plant or the like to generate a fluid of higher temperature than the exhaust heat, such as high-temperature steam, as well as provide low-temperature cooling water for a chemical industrial plant or the like in view of the fact that a rise in temperature makes the cooling water unavailable during summer months.
2. Detailed Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, an absorption heat pumping apparatus and an absorption refrigerator, which utilize exhaust heat from a chemical industrial plant or the like to generate steam of higher temperature than the exhaust heat and generate water of given temperature low enough for cooling water, respectively, have been installed separately from each other.
Such separate installation of an absorption heat pumping apparatus for generating high-temperature steam and an absorption refrigerator for generating given low-temperature water, however, requires a larger installation space for the system. There also is a problem because redundancy among the pipes and components leads to an increase in the cost of the entire system. Accordingly, system miniaturization and cost reduction have been needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved to solve the foregoing problems in the conventional art. Specifically, the present invention provides an absorption heat pump comprising: a condenser in which refrigerant vapor supplied from a regenerator is cooled to condense by cooling water, the regenerator being provided in the vicinity of the condenser; a first evaporator in which refrigerant liquor supplied from the condenser is heated by heat held in a heat source fluid, so that a refrigerant evaporates from the refrigerant liquor; a second evaporator in which refrigerant liquor supplied from the condenser takes heat away from a fluid to be chilled, so that a refrigerant evaporates from the refrigerant liquor; a first absorber provided in the proximity of the first evaporator, in which refrigerant vapor supplied from the first evaporator is absorbed into an absorbent and returned to the regenerator, the absorbent being supplied from the regenerator after having its refrigerant evaporated and isolated therefrom, a fluid to be heated being supplied through the first absorber; and a second absorber provided in the proximity of the second evaporator, in which refrigerant vapor supplied from the second evaporator is absorbed into either a part of the absorbent having absorbed the refrigerant and being returned from the first absorber to the regenerator or a part of the absorbent supplied from the regenerator after having its refrigerant evaporated and isolated therefrom, a cooling water being supplied through the second absorber.
The present invention also provides a first controlling method, in which the flow rate of the cooling water supplied to the second absorber in the absorption heat pump having the above-described configuration is controlled in accordance with the temperature of a fluid to be chilled taken out of the second evaporator after chilled by evaporation of the refrigerant.
Besides, the present invention provides a second controlling method, in which the amount of refrigerant liquor distributed in the second evaporator of the absorption heat pump having the above-described configuration is controlled in accordance with the temperature of a fluid to be chilled taken out of the second evaporator after chilled by evaporation of the refrigerant.
In addition, the present invention provides a third controlling method, in which the flow rate of the absorbent supplied to the second absorber in the absorption heat pump having the above-described configuration is controlled in accordance with the temperature of a fluid to be chilled taken out of the second evaporator after chilled by evaporation of the refrigerant.
Moreover, the present invention provides a fourth controlling method, in which the amount of the refrigerant liquor supplied from the condenser to the second evaporator in the absorption heat pump having the above-described configuration is controlled in accordance with the level of the refrigerant liquor in the second evaporator.
The present invention also provides a fifth controlling method, which is the fourth controlling method characterized in that the amount of the refrigerant liquor supplied from the condenser to the second evaporator is controlled through speed controls or start/stop controls to a pump arranged on a refrigerant liquor pipe connecting the condenser to the second evaporator.
According to the absorption heat pump of the present invention, exhaust heat from a chemical industrial plant or the like can be utilized to produce hot water or steam of higher temperature than the exhaust heat. Meanwhile, chilled water as low in temperature as 20° C. can be obtained irrespective of seasons, securing the cooling water for a chemical industrial plant or the like more easily even in summer months.
Furthermore, the single set of regenerator and condenser are combined with the first evaporator and absorber for higher temperatures and the second evaporator and absorber for lower temperatures, eliminating the redundancy among the pipes and components as seen in the conventional art where an absorption heat pumping apparatus for high temperatures and an absorption refrigerator for low temperatures are installed separately from each other. This allows implementation of a compact, inexpensive apparatus that is also capable of reduction in installation space.
Moreover, the first through third controlling methods ensure supply of water or the like that is fully chilled to a given temperature. The fourth and fifth controlling methods preclude shortage of the refrigerant in the second evaporator to allow reliable generation of lower temperatures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4505123 (1985-03-01), Kusakabe et al.
patent: 4691532 (1987-09-01), Reid et al.
patent: 4719767 (1988-01-01), Reid, Jr. et al.
patent: 5579652 (1996-12-01), Phillips et al.
patent: 5761925 (1998-06-01), Maeda
Furukawa Masahiro
Iramina Kazuyasu
Yamazaki Shiguma
Bennett Henry
Jones Melvin
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
Weingarten, Schurgin Gagnebin & Hayes LLP
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