Patent Grant
11486608
The present invention relates to a heat exchanging device configured in a compact manner.
In the related art, a heat collector that converts solar light energy into heat energy has been known (for example, see JP-A-2012-127574). Further, an absorption refrigeration machine, which obtains a refrigerant from a heat source and cools circulating water or the like by heat of vaporization of the refrigerant, has been known (for example, see JP-A-2010-14328). An absorbent for absorbing the evaporated refrigerant circulates in the absorption refrigeration machine. Heat is generated in a process of absorbing the evaporated refrigerant and in a process of condensing the refrigerant regenerated and separated from the absorbent through boiling. Water and an aqueous lithium bromide solution, ammonia and water, or the like is generally used as a combination of the refrigerant and the absorbent. The lithium bromide type is much more efficient than the ammonia type. However, in general, it is necessary to perform an operation in a state in which the inside of the vessel is maintained at a vacuum of about 1/10 to 1/100 atm.
Further, a technology of heating the absorbent of the absorption refrigeration machine using solar heat collected with the heat collector has been proposed from the related art. For example, an apparatus, in which a heat collector is installed on the roof of a building, an absorption refrigeration machine is installed in a machine room on the ground floor or in the basement, and the collector and the absorption refrigeration machine are connected to each other through a heat medium pipe, has been practically applied as this type of technology.
However, in the above-described device, since the collector and the absorption refrigeration machine are installed in different places, it is necessary to independently provide a wall having pressure resistance to withstand the atmospheric pressure and airtightness to maintain a vacuum state. Therefore, an increase in the weight and an increase in costs of the entire device are caused. Further, since it is necessary to discharge heat generated in an absorption process and a condensation process for the refrigerant, in general, a water-cooled type in which cooling water is introduced is used. Further, it is necessary to transmit a cooling effect to a living space, a second refrigerant is introduced, and the absorption refrigeration machine and the living space are connected to each other using a second refrigerant tube. These facts are also factors that cause the increase in the weight and the increase in the costs.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an aspect of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanging device which can share a wall having pressure resistance and airtightness and can simultaneously realize an increase in the amount of heat dissipation or heat absorption and an increase in the amount of heat collection.
The present invention has the following configuration in order to solve the above-described problems.
(1) A heat exchanging device including: a regenerator that heats an absorbent by acquired external energy and generates a vapor refrigerant by evaporating a refrigerant from the absorbent; a condenser that generates a liquid refrigerant by cooling and liquefying the vapor refrigerant generated by the regenerator; an evaporator that generates a vapor refrigerant by vaporizing the liquid refrigerant generated by the condenser and cools an object by heat of vaporization; an absorber that absorbs the vapor refrigerant generated by the evaporator into the absorbent; a plate-shaped structure that has a first surface and a second surface extending two-dimensionally and arranged on a front side and a rear side thereof, respectively, and has a predetermined thickness; and a first cover member that is disposed apart from the first surface to cover the first surface and sets a first space between the first surface and the first cover member, in which the first space functions as at least one of the condenser and the absorber that dissipate heat from the first cover member and circulates the refrigerant and the absorbent.
(2) The heat exchanging device according to (1), further including a second cover member that is disposed apart from the second surface to cover the second surface, and sets a second space between the second surface and the second cover member, in which the second space functions as the evaporator, and the evaporator absorbs heat from the second cover member.
(3) The heat exchanging device according to (1) or (2), in which a partition wall that partitions the first space into an upper space and a lower space located below the upper space is provided on at least one of the first cover member and the first surface, one of the upper space and the lower space functions as the condenser, the other one of the upper space and the lower space functions as the absorber, and the refrigerant and the absorbent is circulated without using external power.
(4) The heat exchanging device according to any one of (1) to (3), in which the plate-shaped structure has a honeycomb structure or a lattice structure, so that the plate-shaped structure has a plurality of hollow spaces extending in one direction and arranged between the first surface and the second surface.
(5) The heat exchanging device according to any one of (1) to (4), further including a heat collector that heats the absorbent based on acquired solar energy, in which a heat collector is disposed in an inside of the plate-shaped structure, and at least one side of the first surface and the first cover member and the second surface or the second cover member has light transmittance.
(6) The heat exchanging device according to any one of (1) to (4), further including a heat collector that heats a heat medium based on acquired external energy and heats the absorbent by heat exchange between the heat medium and the absorbent; and a switching valve that switches a flow channel of the heat medium between a first flow channel and a second flow channel, in which when the flow channel of the heat medium is switched to the first flow channel, the heat medium heats the absorbent by heat exchange between the heat medium and the absorbent, and when the flow channel of the heat medium is switched to the second flow channel, the heat medium is guided to a heat dissipation unit provided on a side of the second surface, a side of the second cover member, or outside without performing heat exchange with the absorbent.
(7) The heat exchanging device according to (5) or (6), in which a differential pressure breaker is provided between the inside of the plate-shaped structure and one of the absorber, the condenser, the evaporator, the regenerator, and a pipe connecting the absorber, the condenser, the evaporator, and the regenerator.
(8) The heat exchanging device according to (6), further including a temperature sensor that detects a temperature in a vicinity of the second cover member, in which the switching valve automatically switches the flow channel of the heat medium to the first flow channel when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature, and automatically switches the flow channel of the heat medium to the second flow channel when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is less than the predetermined temperature.
(9) The heat exchanging device according to any one of (2) to (8), in which a superhydrophilic film is formed on at least one of a first inner surface that is a surface facing the first space on the first cover member and a second inner surface that is a surface facing the second space on the second cover member.
(10) The heat exchanging device according to any one of (2) to (9), further including a gas barrier layer that covers the plate-shaped structure, the first cover member, the second cover member, and the regenerator in an airtight state to maintain an inside thereof in a vacuum state.
According to the present invention, there is provided a heat exchanging device that can share a wall having pressure resistance and airtightness and can simultaneously realize an increase in the amount of heat dissipation or heat absorption and an increase in the amount of heat collection.
Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
A reference number 1 of
Such an extrusion-molded material is subjected to machining such as notching and drilling as illustrated in
Further, in this housing 1a, as illustrated in
A reference number 4 in
An outer wall 5 is bonded or heat-welded to the outdoor side of the housing 1b. The outer wall 5 is manufactured by lateral extrusion molding of a transparent plastic material that is substantially the same as the extrusion molding material 1. However, it is preferable that the outer wall 5 has high thermal conductivity. Use of saturated polyester resin, polycarbonate, or the like having a slightly changed material composition and high thermal conductivity grades can be considered. An outer wall device inner surface 5b is subjected to superhydrophilic film treatment with a photocatalyst such that the water flowing in the condenser and the absorbent flowing down in the absorber are well wetted and spread on the outer wall 5 and heat is moved. For example, Hydrotect (registered trademark) of TOTO Co., Ltd. is known as such superhydrophilic film treatment, and a transparent polycarbonate daylighting material of Takiron Co., Ltd. is also used.
An outer wall device outer surface 5a of the outer wall 5 is in contact with outside air. However, particularly high gas barrier properties are required to maintain vacuum of the entire system of the present invention. Therefore, a thin glass film is affixed to the outer wall device outer surface 5a. For example, a product called Lamion (registered trademark) of Nippon Electric Glass is known for bonding such a glass film and polycarbonate. Further, the outer wall device outer surface 5a may be increased in surface area by using a glass plate with ribs in order to improve heat dissipation to the atmosphere, and the outer surface of the glass of the outer wall device outer surface 5a may be subjected to the superhydrophilic film treatment in order to improve stainproofing performance.
The outer wall device inner surface 5b is provided with a transverse partition wall 5c required for forming the water vapor flow channel of the condenser and is fitted with the notch 1d of the housing 1b. Further, similarly, a transverse partition wall 5d that forms a transverse path serving as a header dropping an absorbent of the absorber exists, and is fitted, welded, or bonded to the notch 1e. These transverse partition walls 5c and 5d are formed integrally with the outer wall 5 by transverse extrusion molding.
An indoor wall 6 manufactured by transverse extrusion molding is thermally welded to the indoor side of the housing 1b. Although the indoor wall 6 is made of substantially the same transparent plastic material for the purpose of heat welding or bonding to the extrusion molding material 1, the indoor wall 6 is not necessarily transparent. Similar to the outer wall 5, it is preferable that the indoor wall 6 is also manufactured by transverse extrusion molding and has high thermal conductivity. Use of high-temperature-conductivity-grade saturated polyester resin and polycarbonate, of which a material composition is slightly changed, is considered.
An indoor wall device inner surface 6b is subjected to the superhydrophilic film treatment such that the water flowing down in the evaporator is well spread and heat transfer is performed efficiently. Since an indoor wall device outer surface 6a of the indoor wall 6 is also in contact with the outside air in a house, a particularly high gas barrier property is required to maintain a vacuum state of the entire system of the present invention. Therefore, a thin glass film is affixed also to the indoor wall device outer surface 6a. The indoor wall device outer surface 6a may be made of glass with ribs in order to increase a heat absorption property from a room, and thus the surface area thereof may increase. The indoor wall device inner surface 6b is provided with a heat medium heat dissipation path 6c serving as a flow channel through which the heat medium passes when heating of the room is functioned, and the heat medium heat dissipation path 6c is fitted, welded, or bonded to the notch 1h.
As illustrated in
An absorbent heat exchanger 8 includes an inner cylinder 8a and an outer cylinder 8b in a counterflow heat exchanger having a double pipe structure. A portion of the inner cylinder 8a covered with the outer cylinder 8b needs to have high thermal conductivity, and a straight portion may be made of a ceramic tube material such as alumina and silicon carbide. A rising portion of the inner cylinder 8a, which is not covered by the outer cylinder 8b, does not require heat exchange, and is made of a plastic tube or hose together with the outer cylinder 8b. The water vapor flow channel 10 guides the water vapor discharged in the regenerator 9 to the condenser, and is made of a plastic tube or hose. Similarly, a water flow channel 11 is also made of a plastic tube or hose. A self-standing temperature control valve 12 is a direction switching valve that automatically operates according to a degree of temperature expansion of oil exposed to the room temperature in a temperature probe 12a that detects the indoor temperature, and is used to switch a flow channel of the heat medium.
After these components are assembled, end portions of the entire transparent heat exchanger package 7 are covered by outer frames 13a, 13d, 13c, and 13b as illustrated in
Although components having various degrees of vacuum exist in the package 14, a pressure difference therebetween is at most 1/10 atm or less, so that the internal components only need to have strength enough to withstand such a slight pressure difference. When the outside air enters the package 14 due to some damages or the like, and the vacuum state is damaged, in order to prevent internal components from being damaged by exposure to high pressure differences, a differential pressure breaker is provided between components constituting an absorption refrigeration machine that is a heat exchanging device and an internal space in which the heat collector 4 is accommodated. When the pressure difference exceeding 1/10 atm occurs, a pressure balance valve opens to balance the pressure. Further, the differential pressure breaker will be described below in detail.
Flow of the heat medium is illustrated in
The heat medium heated in this manner rises in the pipe portion 4a of the heat collector 4 by natural convection, is introduced to the upper heat medium header 4c, and is guided to the self-standing temperature control valve 12. When the room temperature is relatively high, the self-standing temperature control valve 12 is operated to guide the heat medium to the regenerator 9 due to the temperature expansion of the oil in the temperature probe 12a. The heat medium flows into the room partitioned by the two partition walls 9a of the regenerator 9, and warms the absorbent rising inside a heat exchange tube through the heat exchange tube 9b. While losing the heat energy, the heat medium itself flows down to the room partitioned by the two partition walls 9a of the regenerator 9 by natural convection, is introduced into the lower heat medium header 4d, and is guided to the heat collector 4. When the room temperature is relatively low, the self-standing temperature control valve 12 is operated to guide the heat medium to the indoor wall 6 due to temperature contraction of the oil in the temperature probe 12a.
The heat medium flows down to the heat medium heat dissipation path 6c provided on the indoor wall 6 while releasing heat, flows into the lower heat medium header 4d, and is guided to the heat collector 4 again. Although the heat medium is enclosed in the heat medium flow channel at about the atmospheric pressure, it is preferable that the heat medium is always liquid and has low thermal expansion within an operating temperature range from the outside temperature to 100° C. or more. Use of water with an antifreeze added or oil is considered.
When the room temperature is intermediate, a small amount of the heat medium flows to both the regenerator 9 and the heat medium heat dissipation path 6c by action of the self-standing temperature control valve 12. As a result, the heating and cooling effect is cancelled out. Further, although not illustrated, the self-standing temperature control valve 12 has a temperature control dial, which can adjust a temperature setting for distributing the heat medium to the regenerator 9 and the heat medium heat dissipation path 6c. Such a self-standing temperature control valve 12 is widely used for controlling a heater and a boiler of a hot water radiator set.
Flow of the absorbent is illustrated in
The pressure of the lower space 9d of the regenerator is about 1/100 atm. When a space partitioned by the upper partition wall 9a is warmed by the heat medium flowing in from the heat collector 4, the absorbent in the heat exchange tube 9b is warmed. When the temperature exceeds about 870° C., the water in the absorbent is boiled. Then, bubbles of the water vapor (the refrigerant) are generated, and rise together with the water vapor inside the heat exchange tube 9b due to a bubble lift effect.
The water vapor and a concentrated absorbent, of which the concentration has increased due to a decrease in the water content, are ejected from an upper end of the heat exchange tube 9b. As an example, the concentrated absorbent is about 96° C., and the concentration thereof is about 62.5%. The concentrated absorbent, which is separated from the water vapor output from the heat exchange tube 9b and loses an air lift effect, flows and falls into the concentrated absorbent tube 9c, and flows into the inner cylinder 8a of the absorbent heat exchanger 8 that is a counterflow heat exchanger. An outlet of the inner cylinder 8a rises and is connected to an upper end of the absorber formed in about ⅔ of portions of the outer wall 5 and the housing 1b from the lower side.
When boiling in the heat exchange tube 9b is progressed and the pressure of a space at the upper end of the heat exchange tube 9b gradually increases, a liquid level of the concentrated absorbent in the rising portion of the inner cylinder 8a gradually rises. When the pressure of the space at the upper end of the heat exchange tube 9b reaches about 1/10 atm, the concentrated absorbent in the inner cylinder 8a flows into the absorber from the inner cylinder 8a. Since the pressure is lost due to the pressure in the liquid before the absorbent flows into the absorber, the pressure in the absorber is about 1/100 atm. The concentrated absorbent in the absorber is wetted and spread on the outer wall device inner surface 5b of the outer wall 5 subjected to the superhydrophilic film treatment, absorbs the water vapor in the absorber, and flows down while releasing absorbed heat to the outside air through the outer wall 5.
In this way, the absorbent of which the temperature and the concentration are reduced is guided to an annular flow channel between the outer cylinder 8b and the inner cylinder 8a of the absorbent heat exchanger 8, and flows into the lower space 9d of the regenerator again while being preheated by heat exchange with the concentrated absorbent in the inner cylinder. In
Flow of the water and the water vapor is illustrated in
When the space partitioned by the upper partition wall 9a is warmed by the heat medium flowing in from the heat collector 4, the absorbent in the heat exchange tube 9b is warmed. When the temperature exceeds about 87° C., the water in the absorbent is boiled. Then, bubbles of the water vapor are generated, and rise due to the bubble lift effect while the absorbent inside the heat exchange tube 9b is pushed up. When the absorbent is ejected from the upper end of the heat exchange tube 9b, the water vapor and the concentrated absorbent of which the concentration is increased due to a decrease in the water content are separated from each other.
The water vapor passes through the water vapor flow channel 10, is guided to an upper portion of the condenser formed at about a third of portions of the outer wall 5 and the housing 1b from the upper side, and is condensed while dissipating heat through the outer wall 5. Water droplets is attached to, wets, and is spread on the outer wall device inner surface 5b of the outer wall 5 subjected to the superhydrophilic film treatment, flows down in the condenser while being further liquefied, and flows into the water flow channel 11. When the boiling in the regenerator 9 is progressed and the pressure in the space at the upper end of the heat exchange tube 9b gradually increases, the liquid level of the water in the water flow channel 11 gradually increases. When the pressure in the space at the upper end of the heat exchange tube 9b reaches about 1/10 atm, the water in the water flow channel 11 flows from the inner cylinder 8a into the evaporator formed with the indoor wall 6 and the housing 1b.
Since the pressure is lost due to the pressure in the liquid before the water flows into the evaporator, the pressure in the evaporator is about 1/100 atm. Since the vapor pressure of the water is about 50 C in this environment, the water is evaporated while wetting, being spread on, and flowing down on the indoor wall device inner surface 6b subjected to the superhydrophilic film treatment, and the water takes heat of evaporation from the indoor air through the indoor wall 6 to exhibit a cooling effect.
The generated steam passes through the notch 1h, is suctioned into the absorber from the notch 1f through a space formed by the outer frame 13b, is absorbed and dissolved in the absorbent flowing down into the absorber, becomes a part of the absorbent, passes through the absorbent heat exchanger 8, and travels toward the regenerator 9.
In the heat exchanging device of the present embodiment, external power such as a motor and a pump is not used for circulation of the heat medium, the water vapor as a refrigerant, and the absorbent. Of course, the external power may be used for the circulation of the heat medium, and may further be used for the circulation of the refrigerant and the absorbent.
The differential pressure breaker already described may be installed, for example, between the absorber 30 and the inside of a plate-like structure that is a heat collector space. An installation example of the differential pressure breaker is schematically illustrated in
Although
When the air pressure rises abnormally due to invasion of the atmosphere to the heat collector space or the like, the differential pressure breaker 23b escapes gas from the heat collector space into the absorption refrigeration machine system and functions to balance the pressure. Accordingly, the absorbent heat exchanger 8, the regenerator 9, the water vapor flow channel 10, the water flow channel 11, and the like inside a vacuum package are not exposed to the atmospheric pressure or a differential pressure close to the atmospheric pressure, so that a design can be simplified and costs can be reduced.
Further, according to the differential pressure breaker 23a, just by inserting the entire body including the heat collector 4 into a transparent vacuum package material 20 (see
The inside of the plate-like structure including the heat collector 4 communicates with the transparent vacuum package material 20, and the vicinity of the heat collector 4 is also reduced in pressure. However, a flow channel of the heat medium in the pipe portion 4a of the heat collector 4 is a closed space, and is maintained at approximately the atmospheric pressure. Although in the absorption refrigeration device including the condenser 40, the absorber 30, the regenerator 9, and the evaporator 50, the pipe connecting them, and the like, the components communicate with each other and have separate closed spaces, a space containing the heat collector 4 communicates with an extra space 60 inside the transparent vacuum package material 20 through the differential pressure breakers 23a and 23b. When the pressure in the chamber 100 starts to be reduced and the pressure falls below 99/100 atm, the differential pressure breaker 23a is opened, the air in the absorption refrigeration device flows into the chamber 100, and the pressure in the absorption refrigeration device starts to be reduced. However, when the differential pressure is about 1/100 atm or less, the differential pressure breaker 23a is closed again, and outflow of the air in the absorption refrigeration device is stopped. In this way, during an evacuation process in the chamber 100, the air pressure in the absorption refrigeration device is depressurized following the air pressure in the chamber 100 in a state in which the air pressure in the absorption refrigeration device is higher than the air pressure in the chamber 100 by about 1/100 atm. At a stage where the pressure in the chamber is depressurized to 1/1000 atm, the air pressure in the absorption refrigeration device becomes 1/100 atm, and the differential pressure breaker 23a is closed. In this state, an opening portion 20a of the transparent vacuum package material 20 is thermally welded. Thus, the vacuum packing process is completed by setting the inside of the absorption refrigeration device to 1/100 atm and setting a space in which the heat collector 4 is stored, that is, the extra space 60 in the transparent vacuum package material 20, to 1/1000 atm.
When the differential pressure breakers 23a an 23b are not used, as illustrated in
Supply of hot water to the package 15 that does not include the heat collector 4 may be performed from a gas water heater 16 that is widely used as illustrated in
In an example of
A heat exchanging device having a gas barrier layer according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. As already described, in the heat exchanging device of the present invention, in order to maintain a vacuum state of the entire system, a particularly high gas barrier property is required. Therefore, the gas barrier layer is effective for high gas barrier properties. The gas barrier layer is formed by a vacuum packing technique that is widely used for meat or the like. First, before the outer frames 13a to 13d illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
A heat exchanger according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In any one of the above-described embodiments 1 to 3, the example where the absorption refrigeration device is used for cooling has been described. However, the absorption refrigeration device can be also used for heating.
That is, in embodiments 1 and 2, an embodiment has been described in which the interior is cooled by the transparent exchanger package 7 that absorbs heat from the indoor wall 6 (a second cover member) as heat energy input to the regenerator 9 and dissipates heat from the outer wall 5 (a first cover member). However, reversely, the indoor wall 6 is installed outdoors and the outer wall 5 is installed indoors, so that the transparent exchanger package 7 can be used to heat the interior. In this case, the indoor wall 6 on the outdoor side absorbs heat from the outdoors, and the outer wall 5 on the indoor side dissipates heat indoors. Further, when the transparent exchanger package 7 as in the first embodiments includes the heat collector 4, the indoor wall 6 on the outdoor side of the heat collector 4 needs to have light transmittance.
In embodiment 3, an example where the cold water (the brine) is introduced into the flow channel provided in the evaporator of the indoor wall 6 and the brine is guided to an external heat storage warehouse and is used for the refrigerator has been described. However, similarly, the hot water can be introduced into a flow channel provided in the condenser and the absorber of the outer wall 5 installed on the indoor side, and the hot water can be guided to the external heat storage warehouse and used for a heating cabinet.
This application is a continuation of PCT application No. PCT/JP17/007354, which was filed on Feb. 27, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5752388 | Hoshino et al. | May 1998 | A |
| 20130291574 | Athalye | Nov 2013 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 101240925 | Mar 2012 | CN |
| 2010-14328 | Jan 2010 | JP |
| 2012-127574 | Jul 2012 | JP |
| 2014-102054 | Jun 2014 | JP |
| 2017-58119 | Mar 2017 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20190376729 A1 | Dec 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2017/007354 | Feb 2017 | US |
| Child | 16549031 | US |
