Heat-activated multiphase fluid-operated pump for geothermal temperature control of structures

A method of operating a heat-activated multiphase fluid-operated pump for cooling a building, comprising:

• applying external heat to an evaporator to convert a liquid phase of a working fluid therein to a vapor phase of the working fluid;
• allowing, whenever a set target pressure in the evaporator is exceeded, the vapor phase of the working fluid to escape into a liquid-piston chamber through a pressure-control safety valve coupled to an exit port of the evaporator, the vapor phase of the working fluid expanding adiabatically and displacing a liquid within the liquid-piston chamber to expel the displaced liquid from the liquid-piston chamber through a second exit port with a unidirectional pump-exit check valve in a pumping stage of a thermodynamic cycle;
• returning jets of a liquid phase of the fluid to the evaporator through an input port of the evaporator coupled to a unidirectional injector return check valve in period pressure pulses from a first exit port of the liquid-piston chamber when the liquid phase of the working fluid temporarily exceeds the pressure in the evaporator;
• receiving the displaced liquid from the liquid-piston chamber in a heat exchanger coupled to the unidirectional pump-exit check valve, the heat exchanger located underground at a substantially constant earth temperature to serve as a heat sink;
• allowing the displaced liquid in the heat exchanger to return through a unidirectional liquid suction-entry check valve coupled to a return port of the liquid-piston chamber in a suction stage of the thermodynamic cycle, the liquid returning to the liquid-piston chamber through cooling lines in one or more rooms of a building;
• and
• repeating the foregoing steps in multiple thermodynamic cycles.

A heat-activated multiphase fluid-operated pump for heating a building, comprising:

• an evaporator, located underground at a substantially constant earth temperature serving as a heat source, and containing a working fluid receptive of heat to convert a liquid phase of the working fluid into a vapor phase of the working fluid;
• a pressure-control safety valve coupled to an exit port of the evaporator and maintaining the working fluid in the evaporator at a set target pressure and allowing the vapor phase of the working fluid to escape through the exit port whenever the set target pressure is exceeded;
• a liquid-piston chamber coupled to the pressure-control valve to receive the vapor phase of the working fluid from the evaporator at the set target pressure, the vapor phase of the working fluid expanding adiabatically and displacing liquid within the liquid-piston chamber, expelling the displaced liquid therefrom in a pumping stage of a thermodynamic cycle;
• a unidirectional pump-exit check valve coupled to a second exit port of the liquid-piston chamber to allow the displaced liquid to exit the liquid-piston chamber;
• a unidirectional liquid suction-entry check valve coupled to a return port of the liquid-piston chamber;
• a heat exchanger coupled to the unidirectional pump-exit check valve and to the unidirectional suction-entry check valve to receive the displaced liquid and allow it to return to the liquid-piston chamber in a suction stage of the thermodynamic cycle, the heat exchanger located in one or more rooms of a building to radiate heat thereto;
• and
• a unidirectional injector return check valve coupled to both a first exit port of the liquid-piston chamber and to an input port of the evaporator, wherein periodic pressure pulses of a liquid phase of the working fluid from the liquid-piston chamber that temporarily exceed the pressure in the evaporator facilitate jets of the liquid phase of the working fluid to return to the evaporator in successive brief spurts.

A method of operating a heat-activated multiphase fluid-operated pump for heating a building, comprising:

• applying external heat to an evaporator to convert a liquid phase of a working fluid therein to a vapor phase of the working fluid, the evaporator located underground at a substantially constant earth temperature serving as a heat source for the working fluid;
• allowing, whenever a set target pressure in the evaporator is exceeded, the vapor phase of the working fluid to escape into a liquid-piston chamber through a pressure-control safety valve coupled to an exit port of the evaporator, the vapor phase of the working fluid expanding adiabatically and displacing liquid within the liquid-piston chamber to expel the displaced liquid from the liquid-piston chamber through a second exit port with a unidirectional pump-exit check valve in a pumping stage of a thermodynamic cycle;
• returning jets of a liquid phase of the working fluid to the evaporator, through a first exit port of the liquid-piston chamber coupled to a unidirectional injector return check valve leading to an input port of the evaporator, in period pressure pulses from the liquid-piston chamber that temporarily exceed the pressure in the evaporator;
• receiving the displaced liquid from the liquid-piston chamber in a heat exchanger coupled to the unidirectional pump-exit check valve;
• allowing condensed the displaced liquid in the heat exchanger to return through a unidirectional liquid suction-entry check valve coupled to a return port of the liquid-piston chamber in a suction stage of the thermodynamic cycle, the liquid returning to the liquid-piston chamber through heating lines in one or more rooms of a building to radiate heat to the rooms;
• and
• repeating the foregoing steps in multiple thermodynamic cycles.