Patent Application
20100115978
The submitted invention describes a heating system with a heat pump that collects heat energy from water, which is pumped from the location of its occurrence by way of pumping equipment. In this situation underground water is preferentially used as a source of heat energy for heat pumps; the water is either from a drill hole and/or from a well.
According to this invention the heating system with heat pump serves to heat homes, flats, buildings and other areas. Water that is pumped by gravitational pumping equipment can simultaneously be used to supply the house. Implementing this type of heating system is possible in those situations in which there is an adequate water source.
During thermodynamic heating with a heat pump, natural renewable heat energy from a selected primary source is normally collected and over-pumped to the secondary side of the system where produced heat and/or cold is given and utilized for the heating and/or cooling of space and/or for the heating of water. Heat pumps that utilize heat energy from underground water are generally considered the most heating cost-effective. Thanks to the constant temperature of underground water it achieves a stable heating output throughout the year and a higher coefficient of performance COP than other heat pumps.
Gravitational suction pumping equipment and the gravitational suction pumping method that is being presented serves mainly to pump underground water from drill holes, to pump surface water, to pump liquids in various applications and generally to secure a flow of liquids through tubing and for the creation of a liquid gradient.
Gravitational suction pumping of liquids according to the submitted invention eliminates the consumption of direct forms of electrical energy in the course of the pump cycle. Various electric pumps utilize fed-in electricity from distribution networks or electricity produced by alternative sources as a direct form of electric drive. Various pumping systems in which liquid movement has been secured by pressure media, gas or liquids, where air is the most common, utilize an indirect form of electric drive. The pressure pumping action in the pumped liquid is predominantly created by a compressor with electric drive. According to this invention the gravitational suction pumping of liquid method eliminates the disadvantages that accompany the structure of current pumps as well as securing an adequate pumping performance for the application in question. In the course of pumping there is no consumption of paid-for energy.
Current thermodynamic heating systems or in other words heat pumps collect so-called low-potential heat from the air, from the soil, ground or from a water. Heat pumps collecting heat from air whose temperature changes every day is the least economic. For operation they consume the most electrical energy for the drive of refrigerant compressors and for the drive of evaporator fans. These pumps work with a significantly variable compressor load. Geothermic heat pumps that collect heat from the soil are operationally more economical while those heat pumps collecting heat from underground or waste water are considered the most economical. Each type of heat pump can be also equipped with solar support, which shifts the efficiency of the system while maintaining the differences of the specific preferential effect of the selected primary source. Currently the most economical heat pump, which collects heat from underground water, is based on the pumping of water while pumping effect is maintained by electric drive. Electrical energy for the drive of water pumps can be produced in a variety of ways. The consumer most commonly buys his electricity from a distribution network. There are also alternative ways of producing electrical energy from renewable sources, such as the sun and wind, where this electricity drives a special submersible pump. The production of electricity from solar radiation is based on the utilization of photovoltaic effects. The production of wind electricity is implemented by the transformation of wind energy to electricity in a wind power station system. The main disadvantage of these renewable forms is their inconsistency. Photovoltaic layers require light and a wind power station needs wind. Another disadvantage is the price the investor must pay and the time needed for a return in investment. Investing into pumping equipment of underground water with electricity produced by the mentioned renewable sources significantly increases the cost of the actual system with a heat pump.
A disadvantage of traditional pump systems is its consumption of electricity, which is normally paid-for energy, and the moving parts within the pump system, which can wear out in time. With time various constructions of pump equipment have been developed; for example pump equipment based on so-called pulse pumps that have two closures within the pump chamber that respond to the pressure of the surroundings. By opening one of the closures a certain amount of pumped liquid is extruded into outlet tubing while the necessary amount of pressure enters the pump chamber when the second closure is opened. The pressure effect of liquid outside the pump chamber can be natural or created. The natural pressure effect of water includes effect created by the energy of falling water or as a result of its own pressure in an underground groundwater body which can be drilled.
Subsequently, the external invocation of pressure in the pumped liquid is currently resolved by supplying pressurized air or other media to the pump chamber. Air most commonly exits with the pumped liquid into the outlet transport tubing after the chamber piston is opened. The advantage is a smaller number of moving parts. The disadvantage is the necessity of inducing further pressurized media in order to maintain the lift of pumped liquid. Paid-for electrical energy, which drives the compressor, is needed to invoke the necessary pressure of pumped liquid. Placing an electric compressor on the surface secures the invocation of pressurized effect of medium for the travel of pumped water or liquid.
Another solution is positioning two or more pistons at a distance from each other on a common suspender. The suspender runs from the drill hole to the surface where it is attached to a manual or motor drive, which invokes lifting and the release of pistons within drill hole tubing. Side tubing is connected to the section or sections between the pistons in order to transport pumped liquid to the surface. A disadvantage is the necessity of permanent participation of drive with each pumping lift leading to a higher consumption of energy when securing the pumping cycle.
Other well-known equipment includes micro-pumping equipment; in this case heating bodies invoke the energy for the movement of liquid by heating gas in the pump chamber above the level of pumped liquid. Appropriately positioning cooling within the pump chamber structure invokes a difference in temperatures and pressures above a level, which brings on the rotation of gas within the chamber. Liquid flows into the chamber by way of an inlet and flows out by an outlet. Other pumping equipment heats liquid in a membrane-divided pump chamber. The necessity of subsequent supply of heat energy and the small pumping power range are considered its disadvantages.
Electric submersible pumps are used in those heat pump systems that collect heat energy from pumped underground water in order to heat premises thanks to their ability of achieving an adequate flow. These submersible pumps are appropriate for pumping thin and non-aggressive liquids that do not contain solid particles or fibers. The pumps normally have 3-phase motors with an encased rotor, a cover to prevent the intrusion of sand, bearings greased by the pumped liquid and a membrane for the leveling of pressures. They secure the water flow within the evaporator where heat energy from the water is transferred to the cooling circuit of the heat pump. The electric input of the equipment for pumping water, or to be precise for maintaining lift and flow, is attributed to the total input of the system and therefore decreases the COP of the heat pump and the efficiency of the entire heating system. The heating system selected to transfer the produced heat also influences the efficiency of the entire heating system. The transfer of heat, which does not have any demands for further electric input within the heating system, is the most efficient in energetic terms. Electric input in heating systems is associated with the drive of fans or the drive of liquid-circulating pumps.
In order to achieve a heating output of 10 kW, the current technical status of heat pumps with underground water utilize water pumping equipment that can secure water flow of about 2.3 m3/hour while using a so-called low-temperature heating system with a temperature gradient of 30/35° C. to transfer the produced heat. Traditional low-temperature heating systems are equipped with at least one electric circulating pump offering a total electric input of up to 200 W. Electric submersible pumps that secure the requested water flow have a specific consumption of electrical energy of ES=0.17 kWh/m3 when crude water is pumped from a depth of 10 to 15 m. This kind of electric input plays a significant role in long-term operations thereby influencing the COP of the heat pump and efficiency of the entire heating system. The temperature of underground water in Central Europe is about +8 to +12° C.
When pumping crude water from a water source, usually from a drill hole, the water traditionally flows through a plated, channeled or tubed evaporator of the heat pump, which is located inside the houses. Besides the consumption of electricity needed to secure the flow, another disadvantage is the necessity of regularly cleaning the heat pump evaporator channels due to mineral deposits resulting from water flow. Traditional heat pump evaporators are most commonly produced of stainless steel or copper; each manufacturer determines the characteristics of pumped water with respect to the risk of corrosion and development of deposits. These systems also have increased demands on water filtration and the electric pumps can be infiltrated by sand and impurities stemming from the drill hole. For this reason each type of evaporator and water pump has maximum allowable values available: the sand content in 1 m3 of pumped water, the size of suctioned particles, water temperature, water pH, and ratio of Fe, NH3, C1, H2SO4, Mg and salt. Traditional pumping equipment with moving parts within its construction can operate for a shorter time; the equipment's life cycle is also limited.
The mentioned problems and disadvantages of heat pumps containing an open circuit of pumped water can be resolved by a heat pump system with the outside and/or inside location of the thermodynamic compressor generator as well as with an outside and/or inside location of gravitational suction pumping equipment in accordance to this invention. This system of heat production and the pumping of water are more efficient, are operationally more economic and offer an easier construction.
Gravitational suction pumping on its own serves to pump underground water and/or other liquids and fluids from ground drill holes, to pump surface water, to allow for the pumping of liquids and fluids in various applications and the flow of fluids within the tubing, channels and bodies.
The essence of pumping equipment according to this invention lies in the invocation and maintenance of the pumping effect by way of gravitational force expressed by FG=Fg+Fo, which has gravitational origins. Gravitational force is the resultant of gravitational Fg=m·g and centrifugal Fo=m·r·ω2 forces. With the exception of the Earth's poles FG<Fg applies. This simply means that as a result of the influence of gravitational forces on bodies in close proximity to the Earth's surface, these bodies fall in a vertical direction. In precise calculations Corriolli's force can still be considered for very long trajectories with movement from the north to the south. A so-called weight is used if a body with a mass of m influences a support plate or suspender. Weight is of the same size and direction as gravitational force but differs in its point of action. Weight G=m·g in which g is again gravitational acceleration. In the current geographical latitude and altitude the value of gravitational acceleration is 9.81 m·s−2 and this value decreases 3.10−6 m·s−2 with each meter. Gravitational poles are considered homogenous in those bodies having little trajectory movement on the Earth's surface; in this case changes in gravitational acceleration in the location in question are neglected. The homogenity of the gravitational poles is adequately fulfilled on the Earth's surface. According to the Law of Movement gravitational force is simply expressed as FG=m·g.
According to this method, the pumped liquid is collected in the pumping chamber of a partial or completely elastic construction, where the amount of collected liquid and the elastic pumping chamber can be expressed as a body of mass m. According to this method, free of charge physical effect is secured by the actual pumping process in which the elastic parts of the pumping chamber undergo elongation. The pumping chamber is firmly secured and/or hung while the elongation, or to be precise the elastic enlargement of its volume, invokes a vacuum and suction in the top part of the chamber in which liquid is sucked via the tubing from its primary collecting site. After opening at least one opening in a part of the pumping chamber, this pumped liquid flows out while maintaining the suction effect in the top part of the pumping chamber. The advantage is the simple construction of this kind of pump, as it is possible to utilize the no charge effects of gravitational forces to maintain the lift of liquid pumped from the collecting site. In general two conditions must be respected for liquid to flow within the system—there must be driving power and there must be hydraulic continuity of all system parts.
The development of driving power can be described in the following way. Fastened tubing of a certain length is non-permeably closed on the top end. A piston is located inside the tubing to which a weight of mass m is connected below the other open end of the tubing. The gravitational force of m·g. influences the piston when resistance and friction is neglected. At the beginning, the piston's movement is described as steady accelerating movements. A vacuum creates behind the piston. At a certain point the piston is stopped according to the size of mass m. In simple terms, the developed vacuum force equalized the gravitational force at a mass of m·g. In this way the first predisposition of the flowing of liquids was achieved as driving power was created.
The suction effect for the flowing of liquids can be easily described by the following example in which the liquid enters the mouth of the transport tubing. Tubing is led into the collecting space below the level of pumped liquid. It is directed upwards above the level and is bent after reaching a certain height and the desired direction. A suspender is fixed to the piston, which is in the top part of the tubing. The suspender is led via the pulley; a weight of a mass of m is connected to the end of the suspender. Following the hanging or loosening of the weight, the effects of gravitational forces take effect starting with the mass of the weight via the pulley to the piston. The gravitational force of m·g. influences the piston, resistances and frictions are neglected. The liquid follows the movement of the piston and weight to a certain distance within the tubing. Separation occurs after a certain distance and after a certain time; in other words the liquid ceases to follow the movement of the piston and weight. This occurs after a decrease in pressure on the piston according to the degree of pressure of suctioned vapors.
The creation of the suction effect is influenced not only by the weight but also by the mass of the collected liquid. If the pumped liquid is collected in an appropriately fixed container, the volume of the liquid in the container creates the gravitational force. The magnitude of the gravitational force of weight is given by the product of m·g=V·ρ·g where m is the mass of the liquid and g is the gravitational acceleration. The liquid mass m is given by the product of the liquid volume in the container V and the density of the liquid p. In the bottom part of the container there is an openable closure or outlet tubing with the same kind of closure. In the example a container of a cylindrical shape, which is filled with liquid, is firmly attached. A balloon or elastic bag is non-permeably attached at the top part. After the bottom closure is opened suddenly, the liquid inside the container flows out. A vacuum and therefore a suction effect creates in the top part of the container after a certain amount of liquid leaks out; the bag is pulled into the container. In this way the vacuum suction effect is created. After the opening is opened, the actual weight of the liquid serves to create a vacuum and suction effect.
The speed of liquid flow within the system is v=V/S·t where t is time the volume of liquid V takes to flow via a cross-sectional surface S perpendicularly to the flow direction. This speed is also called flow density or flux density.
In order for flow to occur, the second condition concerning the hydraulic continuity of all parts must be respected as well; this occurs as a result of the leading in of at least one end of connected tubing below the level of pumped liquid and another end into the top part of an elastic pump chamber and filling all of these parts with the pumped liquid. The driving power is developed as a result of a dynamic effect in which the elastic bottom part of the pump chamber is released for free fall; prior to this the chamber contains a smaller volume. The top part of the pump chamber is attached. The gravitational force is created by the mass of the elastic top part of the pump chamber and the mass of the pumped liquid, which is in the chamber.
All forms of resistance, friction and mainly the stiffness of the elastic parts of the pump chamber, which can be introduced as the stiffness of protracted and/or compressed elastic body, work against the effects of gravitational forces. The stiffness of elastic bodies is expressed by the ratio of the magnitude of forces acting on the elastic body or to be precise on the body of mass m to the difference in lengths of the elastic body before and after protraction and/or before and after compression. The stiffness of the elastic body is a material constant, which determines the resistance of the elastic body against changes in its shape and size. Elastic parts of the pump chamber will have elastic properties, which will comply under the given conditions.
According to this invention the pumping equipment is completely filled with the pumped liquid. The pump chamber is in the status and position having a smaller and filled-up volume. Sudden loosening leads to an increase in volume and to the creation of suction effect or in other words to the creation of a vacuum in the top part as well as leading to the sucking of a certain amount of liquid into the pump chamber while maintaining the suction effect. Opening at least one closure at an appropriate location in the filled-up body of a pump chamber leads to the flow of liquid out of the pump chamber. The liquid starts flowing from the collection site via the transport tubing into the construction of the pump body; it then flows out through the opened opening. After a certain time, it is possible to designate the flow by way of pumping equipment as relatively steady when the necessary vacuum is maintained. Liquid is being sucked at one end and flows out at the other end by way of over-pumping. There is waste disposal space below the outlet closure. Above the level of the pumped liquid there is atmospheric pressure or the liquid is over-pressured. The overpressure at underwater drill holes could have been created by the saturation pressure under the firm closure or after sealing off the drill holes.
The amount of time to maintain the desired suction effect depends on the quality of the hermetic design of the entire sector of transport tubing, the construction of the pump chamber including inlets, outlets and with the setting of all fittings, control elements of the pumping system. The suction effect is also influenced by the pumped liquid, which always contains a certain amount of gases and impurities and overcomes the friction and resistance it faces on route from the collecting site to its opening. The water contains gases CO2 and H2S. In order to maintain the desired suction effect and pumped liquid flow, the impulse invoking the suction effect will be repeated in very long intervals. As the amount of external energy needed to reinvoke the suction effect is very small with respect to the amount of over-pumped liquid, the pumping equipment is significantly more effective that all current systems. It is energetically more efficient than pumping equipment with a constant influx of pressurized air and/or with the filling of pressurized reservoirs for subsequent pumping. These systems require either to be in constant operation by way of compressor or to operate in short intervals—in each case there must be a significant increase in the amount of supplied external energy. If electricity is utilized to invoke the suction effect in pumping equipment according to this invention, it can be supplied from the distribution networks and/or it can be produced in an alternative way.
Invoking an impulse to produce and maintain the suction effect in an the elastic pumping chamber is possible in these ways or in these combinations: by utilizing mechanics of elastic bodies, and/or motor drive with an electromotor or with a combusting motor, and/or the effects of compressed gas by a compressor, and/or hydraulic effects, and/or magnetic forces, and/or heat effects, and/or pyrotechnic effects, and/or chemical effects, and/or wind effects, and/or human power. The example found in this invention describes the design of the heat pump with underground water, which is sucked by a suction chamber; as a result of gravitation, water flows around and through an evaporator where heat is released to the refrigerant and the initial pumping effect of the suction chamber is created by a pressurized effect from the outlet of the refrigerant compressor system.
The initial impulse to invoke sucking within the pumping chamber is most commonly provided by electric remote control and/or mechanical influence, and/or by hand-manually.
According to this invention, the entire pumping equipment including a pumping-suction chamber consists of at least one transport tubing that is led into the pumped liquid whereas this tubing further consists of at least one integral continuous sector of tubing, which is straight or shaped in some places and can have at least one closeable branching and/or opening and/or T-piece, and other control elements within the tubing including a backflow valve and/or closure and/or sensor for measuring flow and/or pressure and/or temperature; there is at least one voluminous body or in other words pumping-suction chamber is directly and/or via a suction head attached to the transport tubing and/or onto this branching. At the requested magnitude and direction, the elasticity of the construction of this pumping-suction chamber allows for a change of its volume. The volume of the aspirating chamber is completely/or partially filled with the pumped-sucked liquid, which flows via the transport tubing from the location of its leading in the collecting site. The movement and flow of this liquid via transport tubing is created and secured by suction effect or in other words vacuum, which is created preferentially in the top part of the pumping-suction chamber thanks to gravitational forces, or more precisely terrestrial gravitation, which changes the shape and volume of at least one elastic part of the pumping-suction chamber. The pumping-suction chamber and/or transport tubing is firmly anchored and/or hung and/or propped at least at one location. Before liquid pumping is started, the pumping-suction chamber contains a smaller volume. The initiating impulse leads to the invocation of an impulse; during this time the chamber changes its volume due to the creation of vacuum and suction. In the bottom part of the pumping-suction chamber preferentially, there is at least one opening, and/or opening with a controllable valve-like closure, sliding door or flap, and/or tubing from which the liquid pumped from the primary collecting site freely flows out of. In constructional terms, the chamber's walls are made of elastic material, and/or the walls of the elastic part of the chamber can contain at least one elastic element, and/or this plastic element can be inside, and/or outside its own walls and the location of the actual pumping-suction chamber.
In several cases, extension of the elastic belt is equivalent to the compression of ideal gas and unloading is equivalent to its expansion. The simplest construction for invocation of the aspirating-suction effect can be produced from an elastic bag. There is a closeable outlet. If the bag is elastic enough, the weight of the liquid will bring on extension and to invocation of suction effect in the top part. The weight of the liquid in the bag can be increased by using materials with a higher density for the body of the bag. For example the density of metals is eight times higher than that of water.
Other examples of elastic construction of suction chambers are when one part of the volumic tank is rigid and the other is elastic or when the elastic part is positioned between two rigid parts. The elastic part of a pumping chamber can be of varying stiffness. If the elastic part is positioned between two rigid parts, the bottom rigid part could be considered heavy due to consisting of a material of a higher density than that of the pumped liquid.
It is also possible to create an elastic construction of the suction chamber by inserting springs between two mutually moving but firmly connected rigid parts with led in transport tubing and with a bottom closeable opening. The bottom moving part can also considered heavy, as its material is of a higher density.
The elastic materials used in the structure of elastic parts of pumping-suction chambers are mainly materials and/or their combinations based on natural rubber or synthetic rubber or elastic sandwich materials stemming from multi-layers of the same material or different materials, structures with carbon fibers, with fiberglass, elastic materials such as metals in springs, and other materials. For these purposes an elastic structure can be developed by way of a gas spring and/or liquid spring.
When used to pump water from drill holes and according to this invention, at least one pumping-suction chamber can be located in waste disposal drill holes, and/or in the suction drill hole, and/or inside the premise being supplied, and/or on the premises, and/or only outside above ground level, and/or submerged below ground level. The gravitational suction pumping method being presently introduced operates independently mainly to pump underground water and/or other liquids from terrestrial drill holes, as well as pumping surface waters; the method allows for liquid to be pumped in various ways, for liquid to flow through tubing as well as allowing for the creation of a liquid gradient. The principle of gravitational suction pumping of liquids is also evident from the examples of its uses and from the figure section of this invention.
When water is pumped from drill holes, there is at least one suction tube led into some sort of weight; for example into a flange at an installation depth of 0.5 to 1 meter below the depth of the dynamic water level, which is referred to as a so-called safety reserve. In order for there not to be seepage of air into transport tubing when there is an undesirable decrease in water level in the drill hole, a water-level switch and water-level electrodes can be installed in the source drill holes to ensure early alarm detection and if the heat pump generator is included in the system to allow it to be switched off. Suction tubing with weight is lowered into the drill hole on a steel or plastic cable whose end is attached in the drill hole head with the help of a cable connecting device. After this the pumping drill hole is secured and sealed. Up to its connection to the pumping-suction chamber, transport tubing is led through a frost protection zone and/or is heat insulated.
According to this invention, an advantage of the pumping equipment is that traditional pumps with complicated constructions, with electromotors whose motors are encapsulated and with bearings or with air compressors are not used. Another benefit is the very small consumption of external energy that is only supplied for the primary creation of suction at the start of the pumping cycle or in other words when the equipment is started. According to this invention, another advantage is the fact that the movement of pumped fluid via transport tubing into the elastic suction chamber takes place only due to territorial gravitation or more precisely due to no charge gravitational forces. Another advantage of this kind of pumping equipment is the fact that externally paid energy is not utilized during pumping. Another advantage is that it is usually possible to utilize only one elastic pumping chamber with simple construction when implementing the movement of pumped fluid. Another advantage is the fact that pumping equipment according to this invention is more resistant to impurities contained in crude underground water. Another advantage is the movement of the elastic structure of pumping chambers without other moving parts and pistons within the pumping equipment. Another advantage of utilizing its own refrigerant compressor system to invoke a start of suction is that it is not necessary to set any other external automatic drive.
Various solutions concerning heat engines and methods which bring on movement and flowing of a fluid within an hermetically enclosed circulation circuits are known. In heat engines are used a vapor cycles in which the substance is vaporized and condensed to its liquid. The difference of vapor pressure causes a difference of levels of liquid in the circuit. The easy and most efficient heat engines could not be used if the condensers were placed below the level of an evaporator. In these cases pumps or compressors are required for the purpose. According to this invention, the introduced gravitational suction pumping method can be used in the circulation circuits. This method brings on movement and flowing of a fluid within a circuit. The fluid can be a liquid, gas and/or a liquid.
In response to increasing customer interest in alternative refrigerants will come new gases and mixtures. In heat pump field are also used natural refrigerants today. For example R744 is the standard refrigerant in supermarket refrigeration systems. More compressors for R744 and for other natural refrigerants will be produced in the future. R744 refrigerant is a product of many industries and is cheap. This refrigerant is absolutely harmless for the environment. According to this invention new natural refrigerants can be used in various types of solar collector and/or heat pump systems utilizing here introduced pumping method.
There is also the potential to access heat from hot rocks at depth where there is not already water. Depending on what type of rock, the temperature will rise. The heat can be used to produce power on the large scale.
These enhanced geothermal systems, also engineered geothermal systems or egs extract heat by creating new or by using natural fracture networks. The water and/or an another natural fluid, for example CO2 is pressurized and injected into the rock at depth to create a heat exchanger at depths between 2.5 and 9 kilometers. In order to recover the injected fluid next additional wells are drilled. At the surface, the water vapours or CO2 vapours can be used to drive a conventional turbine to produce commercial quantities of electricity. It will be possible to use this technology as a source of heat for heat pumps in residential buildings, but at depths below the Earth's surface, where the first undergroundwater aquifers are. We can say at depths of metres, tens of metres or about hundred metres. Of course it is possible to create new aquifers, but costs for such systems will be too high for normal houses. According to this invention the sealed and pressurized water wells are described. It is possible to inject into sealed well or wells a pressurized natural refrigerant, for example CO2 and from head of the well or wells to collect, otherwise to exhaust warmer vapours as the heat source for heat pump compressor or compressors. The vapours can be exhausted in an indirect way through a heat exchanger or in the direct way when vapours are filtered and dehydrated on the way to the heat pump compressor. The hot compressed vapours are the heat source for a suitable heating system in the building. The way can be direct when hot vapours condense inside delivery system and heating bodies, and/or as an indirect when hot compressed vapours condense in some heat exchanger and natural heat is transmitted by water, water and additives and/or by air into a space.
It is obvious that egs technology cools the Earth's core. Both, egs technology and here described possible heat pump method use pressurized and injected colder fluid into the crust and/or water aquifers. The creating of a new fracture networks is a rude and unscrupulous hit into Earth. Especially to create new fracture networks with high pressure in depth about tens of metres under Earth's surface where the first water aquifers are located, will affect on the established ecosystems. On the top of it, to create and to keep for a long time an adequate pressure for the saturation of underground water aquifers will need energy and next costs. The power and the compressor outlet pressure are limited by the size of the heat pump system. This potential method will never reach energy and costs efficiency compared with here introduced water source heat pump system. The heat pump systems with here introduced gravitational pumping method use only natural water ways.
In ground coupled heat pumps field are known naturally circulating collectors. These systems are based on the thermosyphon principle using CO2 as the working fluid. About 0° C. the saturation pressure of R744 is about 4 to 13 times higher compared to traditional HFC refrigerants. For example it is about 35 bar for R744 and about 8 bar for R410A at 0° C. R744 has the high vapour density results in the high cooling capacity, at 0° C. it has 22500 kJ/m3. The temperature differences between ground, R744 and evaporating refrigerant of the heat pump are small. In the thermosyphon the liquid fluid flows due to gravity down along and around tube wall where it evaporates, the liquid layer becomes thinner along tube while the vapour rises to the top. At the top is a probe or collector head with the refrigerant evaporator of the heat pump. For the horizontal collectors there is a special and very limited layout and design of the collector loops for the purpose. The main advantages of these systems are: —selfcirculation without the electricity consumption because there is no circulation pump; —good heat transfer characteristic because R744 has high cooling capacity; —no harmless for the environment. The main disadvantages are: —very limited layout and design of loops in the ground for horizontal collectors with selfcirculation; —these limits bring higher material and installation costs; —the system cannot be used for traditional circulation circuits, designs and layouts; —both, vertical and horizontal thermosyphon systems cannot be reversed for cooling during summer periods.
According to this invention all mentioned disadvantages of thermosyphon systems can be solved with the introduced gravitational suction pumping method. The new pumping chamber brings together with temperature and pressure differences driving power for flowing of fluids also for hermetically enclosed circulation circuits and heat cycles. According to this invention new gravitational suction pumping method can be used in various types of circulation circuits of solar collectors, solar and atmospheric heat absorbers, solar systems, heat pump systems, ground collectors, water collectors and/or in their combinations.
Similarly, an enclosed cycle of a heat pump or a heat engine comprising gravitational suction chamber and other parts in which a working fluid, otherwise liquid and/or gas is confined, will continue in operation, when once is set in operation by using fluid charge over and over again so long as the pumping chamber is cooled and so long as the evaporator is heated. The operation depends on boundary temperature conditions, temperature differences, pressures, selection of sources for cooling and heating and on the selection of the fluid. The condenser can be placed under the level of the evaporator. The cycle can be used for heating and/or for cooling, otherwise for heat pumping. For the work of the system may be utilized also a temperature differences between the atmosphere and all kinds of water such as an ocean, sea, lake, river, stream, well, spring, rain, surface and/or underground water, ground and soil. For the work of the system may be utilized also a temperature differences of various fluids in industrial processes.
The present invention can be used also in the field of irrigation. Various arrangements are used for recovering moisture from air, mostly condensation methods and/or perforated pipes which are in direct way flooded with a water. Cooling or perforated pipes are mostly buried in the soil at a depth corresponding with roots of plants, for example between 5 to 30 cm. For underground indirect irrigation a fluid is cooled to a temperature below soil temperature at the depth of roots. The cooling fluid is circulating in the pipe system and is cooled with a heat pump. The fluid is a mixture of water and non-freezing additives. In this case an electrical circulation pump is required for the circulation of the fluid. The direct evaporation systems using traditional HFC refrigerants are not so suitable. The main reason is that the temperature along long parts of tubes is quickly below zero. The fluid temperature running through the tubing will be >0° C. and soil temperature will be higher than fluid temperature. Temperature difference brings condensing water around tubing for the agriculture growth. The water is in this way also more kept under surface on hot days. It is obvious, that this known method will be more efficient, when in the soil circulation circuit will be employed the gravitational suction-pumping chamber. The heat transfer fluid will be for example a natural refrigerant which is harmless for environment. No circulation pump will consume electricity to pump the fluid through tubing. The produced heat and high pressure from refrigerant heat pump compressor outlet can be used for example to heat water and/or pump a water between locations, or to heat air. The way how to create the lift by refrigerant compressor is also solved in this invention (
Other advantages and assets will be experienced by experts in the field, who read about the other connections and specification in detail and who comprehend them.
Geothermic Heat Pump with Undergroundwater System
The submitted invention describes a heat system with a geothermal heat pump that collects heat energy from water, which is pumped from the place of its occurrence by pumping equipment. According to this invention, the described vacuum suction-pumping equipment with at least one suction chamber is preferentially used to define pumping equipment. The construction of the described heat pump also allows for the use of all of the traditional types of water pumps including electric submersible pumps or pumping with the use of air compressors. In this case underground water from drill holes and/or wells is preferentially utilized as a source of primary heat energy for the heat pumps.
According to this invention, the thermodynamic generator is preferentially located in submerged and openable casing, which is outside and located above the drain or in other words waste disposal drill hole into which at least one elastic suction chamber and at least one refrigerant evaporator of heat pump have also been lowered. The refrigerant evaporator will be in the pumping chamber and/or can be under the chamber in the bottom part of the drill hole casing and/or can be above the pumping chamber.
According to this invention, other advantageous locations for heat pumps with outside casing could be above the source drill hole or between drill holes or outside of drill holes outside the house or as an interior heat pump found inside the premises.
Heat energy of water over-pumped from source drill holes or wells into waste disposal drill holes or wells can be increased by a heat exchanger of the solar collector circuit, which according to this invention is installed preferentially into the waste disposal drill hole or to be precise into the pumping chamber and/or into the evaporator. A solar heat exchanger can also be installed into a source drill hole and/or into a source and waste disposal drill hole simultaneously. A solar heat exchanger can also be installed through horizontal part of the tubing between drill holes. The water temperature, which is usually about +8 to +12° C. in drill holes within Central Europe, can also be increased by additional solar heat. In this way the performance and COP of the heat pump system is increased.
Another exchanger of the house's cooling/heating circuit could be installed into the source drill hole, and/or into the waste disposal drill hole, and/or the well. With respect to the temperature of the water, natural cooling of the house in the summer could be provided.
According to this invention, the outside casing of the heat pump is preferentially constructed as casing lid and a weight-bearing plate on a container; the weight-bearing plate is either straight or centrally embedded into its exterior container, which together with the lid makes a partially embedded casing. The casing however can also be fully embedded under the terrain level. The weight-bearing plate is positioned on the sealing of the edge of the bottom part of the casing. Along the circumference of the plate, there is a second piece of sealing where there is a removable lid of the casing. The lid, weight-bearing plate and bottom part of casing are clamped together with at least one screwed connection. Thanks to the sealing above and below the weight-bearing plates, a casing for the heat pump generator is created, which is divided by the weight-bearing plate into two voluminal parts. These parts can be created as mutually water-proof and water-proof against the surroundings. The shape of the lid is preferentially of a ball cap shape but it can be of another shape as well. In terms of the ground plan the profile is preferentially round but can be of another shape including an angular or complicated shape.
The bottom submerged part of the casing is preferentially positioned above the casing of the drain drill hole or in other words a well; the casing and drill hole lead into the bottom of the bottom part of the skeleton. The intersection of the drill hole casing and casing bottom is water-proofed against the seepage of rain water from the surroundings. By removing the lid and weight-bearing plates, access into drill hole and/or well is possible. In this way another parts of the system are also reached.
At least one system refrigerant compressor is located on a weight-bearing plate, which is positioned in the bottom part of the outside casing. Other important components of the heat pump system can be found on the plate as well including electric distribution feeding and control as well as equipment control to invoke suction effect in the pumping chamber. The entire casing is covered with a lid containing heat and sound-proof insulation.
A variety of profile-shaped designs of removable weight-bearing plates is possible. Examples include the shape of a container or an inverted container with its bottom up. There is at least one compressor with other important components of the refrigerant circuit, electric feeding and control circuits found on the plate.
After removal of its lid, the interior weight-bearing plate with its main components is removable from the casing in case of the need for servicing at a workstation. It is naturally possible to have casing without weight-bearing plates in which the compressor is propped against the removable part and/or anchored to the bottom of the casing and/or curbing. The entire casing including the top lid is water-proof and closable via sealing and screws; it can also be constructed with ventilation.
Transport tubing insulated by water-proof insulation leads from the casing into the premises where it is connected to the selected heating system and/or to the water-supply distribution. According to this invention, the heat pump utilizing the heat energy of water is preferentially connected to direct condensation types of heating systems where selected operative medium of the compressor is directly condensed or in other words liquefied. It is certainly possible to connect the heat pump to a traditional warm-water heating system when a condenser of refrigerant circuit is utilized; when in the heating regime, the water filling from the heating system is fed into the circuit via circulation liquid pump for heating. According to this invention, this type of condenser can be located within the outside casing of the heat pump and/or can be located inside the premises. It is also possible to connect the condensation system directly to the fan. The air circulating within the premises is heated up by the produced heat from the outlet from the compressor via heat-carrying ribbing of the exchanger.
According to this invention, a heating system with a heat pump that utilizes the energy of water also has other functions such as heating up water to supply premises and/or heating up water for swimming pool, and/or cooling down for the cooling of premises. The heating up of water is most commonly done by way of a tubular heat exchanger located inside a boiler or on its outside surface or by way of a plate heat exchanger and/or by way of heating up the casing on the boiler surface due to direct utilization of operative medium of the compressor and/or heated up furnace water.
In the pumping-suction chamber there is at least one opening, which is ended with a controllable closure via which water flows out in the direction of the well's waste disposal. At least one transport tubing leading from the source drill hole, in which the pumped water is collected, leads into the top part of the suction chamber or into the space above the suction chamber.
If the control circuit of the heating system assesses that a supply of heat is necessary for the premises, the compressor starts up. Refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit of the heat pump is released into the evaporator where the refrigerant vaporizes and collects heat energy from the water, which is cooled. The evaporator is preferentially produced from at least one metal tube. At least one evaporator tube is straight and/or is shaped and/or is twisted into at least one spiral. The surface of the tubing can be smooth or shaped in various ways. The composition of the material is preferentially metal and metal alloy or plastic and a mixture of plastics and/or a combination of metal and plastics. There can be various constructions of the evaporator. An elastic pumping-suction chamber is preferentially in the drain drill hole. To shorten the length of supply tubing to the direct evaporator, the heat pump system is preferentially located in the casing directly above this drill hole. At least one compressor of the system is supplied by electricity from distribution networks and/or by electricity produced by an alternative source.
An advantage of heat pumps utilizing the heat energy of water with pumping equipment for the pumping of water according to this invention is that traditional pumps with electromotor or air compressors powered by electricity are not used. Another benefit is the very small consumption of external energy that is only supplied for the primary creation of suction effect at the start of the pumping cycle or in other words when the equipment is started. The movement of pumped liquid from its collection site via transport tubing into the elastic suction chamber and into disposal water space of drill holes takes place only due to territorial gravitation or more precisely due to no charge gravitational forces. When pumping one's own water, the consumption of external energy is not consumed and the heating system with heat pump works with a high COP, as the total electric input of the heating system is decreased.
By eliminating traditional water submersible pumps with electric input and when connecting the heat pump according to this invention to a direct condensation heating system, a thermodynamic heating system with the highest COP is created.
Another advantage is the possibility of increasing the COP by the connection of a system with an internal heat exchange between condensed refrigerant and the refrigerant that is suctioned by at least one compressor. Another advantage is the possibility of further increasing the COP by supplying heat from the solar system into drill holes and/or into the source drill hole and/or into transport tubing and/or directly into a system with heat internally transferred from condensate into refrigerant vapor, which is suctioned by the compressor.
Another advantage is the fact that pumping equipment according to this invention is more resistant to impurities contained in crude underground water. It is not necessary to position the plate exchanger in front of the evaporator due to sedimentation, regular cleaning and maintenance.
The advantage of positioning a thermodynamic generator directly above the drill hole is the shortening of all leads to the direct evaporator of the primary refrigerant circuit. It is then advantageous to implement an automatic start of the suction-pumping cycle of the sucking chamber.
Another advantage is the possibility of simple expansion of the collecting system that collects heat from undergroundwater to include a direct evaporator and/or indirect collectors that collect heat from the soil and are installed preferentially in the horizontal layers of non-frost border in proximity to the drill hole surroundings. Vertical installation of such collectors is certainly possible. When the source drill hole does not guarantee an adequate water supply or heat energy for a heat pump system with the planned heating performance, than such installations are possible.
According to this invention the potential energy of pumped water and/or fluid, which moves from the location of its collection site via transport tubing and via the elastic pumping-suction chamber, can also be utilized for the production of electricity thanks to the suction effect created by gravitation. Pumped water and/or fluid flows out of the chamber by way of an opening, closable valve and/or tubing, which can be narrowed and/or ended with a nozzle; it further flows thanks to gravitation through a generator of electricity where electricity is produced. To ensure the flow of water and/or fluid, a fluid gradient produced by vacuum gravitational pumping equipment according to this invention is utilized.
a illustrates a cylindrical container of a smaller diameter that is filled with liquid; the outlet opening on the bottom is closed and a non-permeable elastic bag is attached to the top end of the container. The container is fixed vertically. Action of force F created by the mass of liquid m is illustrated.
b illustrates the same container seen in
A spring secures changes in chamber volume of the neighboring suction-pumping chamber. In other constructions pumping-suction elastic chambers with a bottom closure may also exhibit an exterior spring. Other constructions could offer the elastic part being positioned between two fixed parts. There is a closure on the bottom of the fixed part.
a illustrates the structure of the heat pump evaporator created simply or in multiples inside the spiral of the wound tubing. The wound part of the tubing can be separated parallelly into several circuits by a manifold-distributor and manifold-collector. The tubing of the solar exchanger led either simply or spirally within and/or outside the evaporator is illustrated by a dashed line. According to this invention the evaporator and/or solar exchanger are in the drain and/or source drill hole. They can be placed also in another positions.
b illustrates the construction of the evaporator with several inlet parallel circuits and ended with refrigerant manifold-collector. The vertical full line or dashed line illustrates the return tubing, which ascends spirally upwards to waft away with refrigerant vapors as well as with the compressor oil. The second dashed line illustrates the exchanger of a solar circuit. Vaporization tubing of a small diameter, as well as of many shapes, is placed between both refrigerant distributors; it can be straight, wavy, spirally wound and so on. According to
The simplified refrigerant circuit in
In another construction the suction effect can be created by encasing or enclosing the elastic body with the supply and offtake of pressurized medium including air. Elastic bodies suddenly change their volume, which leads to a change in pressure within the chamber and to the invocation of suction effect. Dashed lines are used to designate the elastic body whereas arrows are used to describe a change in volume and the supply and offtake of medium. The suction effect can also be created by any of the methods mentioned in the description section of this invention.
In the left part of
a illustrates the gravitational vacuum pumping according to this invention as in the
b illustrates the gravitational vacuum pumping according to this invention as in the
Example 1 of the invention is evident in
After embedding the system with water the suction chamber 27 is protracted due to impulse effect of lift 53. The methods described by this invention can be utilized to achieve automatic lift. According to
In accordance to
In accordance to
In accordance to
In the left part of
a illustrates the gravitational vacuum pumping according to this invention as in the
b illustrates the gravitational vacuum pumping according to this invention as in the
For the cooling function the heat pump cycle is reversed. The pumping chamber is heated through the evaporator, now condenser of the heat pump. The liquid and vapours change again the density. The vapours flow up and enter the tubing, valve, tubing and evaporators, now condensers. The vapours condense in liquid substance. The advantage of this pumping method is that a fluid as a liquid can be also pumped. The refrigerant as liquid enters the chamber and evaporates. The heat cycle is closed. The main advantage of this method is that various evaporators in various positions can be used. This hermetically enclosed reversible circuit can be also equipped with a hermetically sealed wheel or a turbine which produces mechanical work by utilizing the heat absorbed from a primary source.
Heating and/or cooling with the help of the system according to this invention can be utilized by premises and space found on properties having a supply of water thereby allowing for the use of gravitational suction pumping in accordance to the description provided. Heating systems with a heat pump also need a supply of electricity for compressor drive from the local distribution network and/or an alternative production of electricity. The system is especially appropriate for the heating of homes, apartments and other premises. It is also possible to use this system to cool the above mentioned buildings.
The gravitational suction-pumping equipment according to this invention can also be used to pump fluids in various areas, to develop a fluid gradients, to filter various fluids, to temper and/or cool fluids and to move fluids within a tubing, channels, bodies, circuits.
The gravitational suction-pumping equipment according to this invention can be used to pump fluids in opened circuits or in closed circulation circuits. In cases of opened circuits the most preferable fluids for pumping are a water, liquids or mixtures. In cases of closed circulation circuits the most preferable fluids for circulation are gases, especially ozone-friendly refrigerants and refrigerants. The refrigerants because a refrigerant is a compound used in a heat cycle that undergoes a phase change from a gas to a liquid and back.
Here introduced pumping method brings together with temperature and pressure differences driving power for flowing of fluids also for hermetically enclosed circulation circuits. According to this invention new gravitational suction pumping method can be used in various types of closed circulation circuits of solar collectors, solar and atmospheric heat absorbers, solar systems, heat pump systems, heat engines, ground collectors, water collectors, also for closed circulation of fluids within various channeled and chambered building block systems and surface and facade construction layers, or in their various combinations.
The present invention can be used also in the field of irrigation. In a direct way a perforated pipes are flooded with a water. The pipes are in the soil and/or on the surface. The water is pumped by way of the gravitational suction-pumping equipment which is introduced in this invention. The next way is the indirect irrigation, where a moisture from air is collected mostly by way of condensation methods and heat pump is employed for cooling. The gravitational suction-pumping equipment which is introduced in this invention can be also used in closed refrigerant circuits of heat pump systems.
Some next examples of applicability for introduced water pumping method are:
Suction pumping of water from river, well, lake, spring, stream, sea, ocean, surface, underground, an industrial processes, collected rain and from next various applications. The applicability is for people in their gardens and houses, in industries, for animals, for fanning, in flooded irrigation systems for agricultural growth, for water filtering, distillation of water, exploiting of an underground aquifers and so on.
The industrial applicability according to this invention is evident from this section of the invention and the applicability is also described in the sections concerning description, pictures, claims and the examples of applicability.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PV 2007-286 | Apr 2007 | CZ | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CZ2008/000045 | 4/17/2008 | WO | 00 | 10/13/2009 |
