Cogeneration systems and methods for generating heating and electricity
AssigneeImby Energy, Inc.
InventorSteve Walker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods utilize a cogeneration system for providing heating, cooling, and/or electricity to an enclosure. The system includes a heat engine for heating and supplying electricity to the enclosure. Coupled to the heat engine is a first conduit configured to transfer fluid from the heat engine to the enclosure to transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the enclosure. The system further includes a heat pump configured to supply at least heating and cooling to the enclosure. Coupled to the heat pump is at least a second conduit. The second conduit is configured to move fluid from the heat pump to the enclosure to transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the enclosure.
Claims20
A cogeneration system for providing at least heating and electricity to an enclosure, the cogeneration system comprising:
- a heat engine configured for supplying electricity to the enclosure and for heating the enclosure via a first heat transfer fluid;
- a heat pump configured for heating the enclosure via only the first heat transfer fluid;
- a first conduit coupled to the heat engine, wherein the first conduit is filled with the first heat transfer fluid, and the first conduit is constructed and arranged to transfer the first heat transfer fluid from the heat engine to the enclosure such that thermal energy is transferred from the first heat transfer fluid to the enclosure to provide heating to the enclosure;
- a second conduit coupled to the heat pump, wherein the second conduit is filled with the first heat transfer fluid, and the second conduit is constructed and arranged to transfer the first heat transfer fluid from the heat pump to the enclosure such that thermal energy is transferred from the first heat transfer fluid to the enclosure to provide heating to the enclosure;
- and
- wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are fluidly coupled and configured to at least one of proportion and thermally isolate the first heat transfer fluid between the first conduit and the second conduit.
A cogeneration system for providing heating and electricity to an enclosure, the cogeneration system comprising:
- a heat engine configured for supplying electricity to the enclosure and for heating the enclosure via a first heat transfer fluid;
- a heat pump configured for heating of the enclosure via only the first heat transfer fluid;
- a first conduit coupled to the heat engine, wherein said first conduit is filled with the heat transfer fluid, and the first conduit is constructed and arranged to transfer the heat transfer fluid from the heat engine to the enclosure such that thermal energy is transferred from the heat transfer fluid to the enclosure to provide heating to the enclosure;
- and
- a second conduit coupled to the heat pump and the first conduit, wherein the second conduit is filled with the heat transfer fluid, and said second conduit is constructed and arranged to transfer the heat transfer fluid from the heat pump to the enclosure such that thermal energy is transferred from the heat transfer fluid to the enclosure to provide heating to the enclosure;
- and
- wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are fluidly coupled such that the heat transfer fluid in the first conduit is the same as the heat transfer fluid in the second conduit.
A cogeneration system for providing heating, cooling and electricity to an enclosure, the cogeneration system comprising:
- a heat engine configured to produce electricity for the enclosure and to product heating for the enclosure via a first heat transfer fluid;
- a heat pump configured to produce heating and cooling for the enclosure via only the first heat transfer fluid;
- a first conduit coupled to the heat engine, wherein the first conduit is filled with the first heat transfer fluid, and the first conduit is constructed and arranged to transfer the first heat transfer fluid from the heat engine to the enclosure such that thermal energy is transferred from the first heat transfer fluid to the enclosure to provide heating to the enclosure;
- a second conduit coupled to the heat pump, wherein the second conduit is filled with the first heat transfer fluid, and the second conduit is constructed and arranged to transfer the first heat transfer fluid from the heat pump to the enclosure such that thermal energy is transferred from the first heat transfer fluid to the enclosure to provide heating to the enclosure;
- a third conduit coupled to the heat pump, wherein said third conduit is filled with a second heat transfer fluid, and the third conduit is constructed and arranged to transfer the second heat transfer fluid from the heat pump to the enclosure such that thermal energy is absorbed by the second heat transfer fluid from the enclosure to provide cooling to the enclosure;
- and
- a valve arrangement constructed and arranged to selectively couple the first conduit and the second conduit to transfer the first heat transfer fluid to the enclosure to provide at least one of space heating and water heating, and to selectively couple the third conduit to transfer the second heat transfer fluid to the enclosure to provide at least one of space cooling and a source of thermal energy for the heat pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.