US 12,723,782 B2Granted

Refrigeration and heat pump systems with pressure exchangers

AssigneeEnergy Recovery, Inc.

InventorsAzam Mihir Thatte, Behzad Zamanian Yazdi, David Deloyd Anderson, James Elliott McLean, Jr., Joseph Michael Marchetti, Omprakash Samudrala, Neelesh Sarawate, Kuo-Chiang Chen, Farshad Ghasripoor

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Abstract

A system includes a pressure exchanger (PX) configured to receive a first fluid at a first pressure and a second fluid at a second pressure and exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid. The system further includes a condenser configured to provide the first fluid to the PX and provide corresponding thermal energy from the first fluid to a first corresponding environment. The system further includes a first evaporator and a second evaporator each configured to provide corresponding energy from second and third corresponding environments to portions of the first fluid output from the PX. The system further includes a first compressor configured to increase pressure of first output from the first evaporator and a second compressor configured to increase pressure of second output from the second evaporator.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a pressure exchanger (PX) configured to receive a first fluid at a first pressure via a first inlet of the PX, receive a second fluid at a second pressure via a second inlet of the PX, and exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid, wherein the first fluid is to exit the PX at a third pressure via a first outlet of the PX, and wherein the second fluid is to exit the PX at a fourth pressure via a second outlet of the PX;
a condenser configured to provide the first fluid to the PX via the first inlet and provide corresponding thermal energy from the first fluid to a first corresponding environment;
a first evaporator configured to provide corresponding thermal energy from a second corresponding environment to a first portion of the first fluid output via the first outlet of the PX;
a second evaporator configured to provide corresponding thermal energy from a third corresponding environment a second portion of the first fluid output via the first outlet of the PX;
a first compressor configured to receive at least a first output from the first evaporator, increase pressure of the first output from the first evaporator, and provide the first output from the first evaporator to the condenser;
and
a second compressor configured to receive at least a second output from the second evaporator and increase pressure of the second output from the second evaporator.

4 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

causing, via a condenser, corresponding thermal energy to be provided from a first fluid to a first corresponding environment;
causing, via a pressure exchanger (PX), pressure to be exchanged between the first fluid and a second fluid;
causing, via a first evaporator, corresponding thermal energy to be provided from a second corresponding environment to a first portion of the first fluid output from the PX;
causing, via a second evaporator, corresponding thermal energy to be provided from a third corresponding environment to a second portion of the first fluid output from the PX;
causing, via a first compressor configured to receive at least a first output from the first evaporator, a first increase in pressure of the first output from the first evaporator and the first output to be provided from the first evaporator to the condenser;
and
causing, via a second compressor configured to receive at least a second output from the second evaporator, a second increase in pressure of the second output from the second evaporator.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/791,794Filed 1 Aug 2024 · division
Priority: 9 Jun 2021
Published: US 2024/0393017 A128 Nov 2024
Granted: 1 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

F25B 7/00
Compression machines, plants or systems, with cascade operation, i.e. with two or
F03G 7/00
Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise
F25B 1/06
Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle: with compressor of jet type, e.g. using liquid under pressure
F25B 5/02
Compression machines, plants or systems, with several evaporator circuits, e.g. for varying refrigerating capacity: arranged in parallel

Family

Application63/208,925Us provisional application · filed 9 Jun 2021
Application63/278,804Us provisional application · filed 12 Nov 2021
Application63/287,831Us provisional application · filed 9 Dec 2021
Application17/834,831Parent of this division · filed 7 Jun 2022
US 11,913,696 B2Parent of this division · filed 27 Feb 2023
Application18/120,839Parent of this division · filed 13 Mar 2023
US 2024/0393017 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Nov 2024
US 12,085,324 B2Parent of this division
US 11,781,789 B2Related patent
US 2022/0397317 A1Published application
US 2023/0213245 A1Published application
US 12,723,782 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.