Multimode heating system and method for heating

A heating system for heating of one or more rooms or buildings equipped with radiators and heating fluid lines comprising:

• means for evaporating an operating fluid and simultaneously absorbing heat from its surrounding environment;
• means for absorbing the heat-containing operating fluid in an absorption liquid;
• means for boiling the absorption liquid enriched with operating fluid and for separating the operating fluid from said absorption liquid;
• means for transporting the absorption liquid from said absorbing means to said boiling means and back;
• means for condensing the operating fluid so that heat therein is transferred to the heating fluid lines;
• first return means for returning the operating fluid from the condensing means to the evaporating means during a first operating mode;
• second return means for returning substantially only the operating fluid during a second operating mode from the condensing means directly to the boiling means;
• and
• control means for controlling the operation of the system in response to exterior temperature conditions and for switching the system from the first to the second operating mode.

A multimode method for heating one or more rooms or buildings equipped with radiators and heating fluid supply lines, including the steps of:

• monitoring ambient temperatures and pressure conditions within the evaporator portion of the system,
• operating the system in a first mode when exterior temperatures are above a preselected temperature, the first mode including the steps of:
• evaporating a suitable operating fluid inside an evaporating means thereby taking up heat from its surrounding environment;
• absorbing the operating fluid in an absorption liquid contained in an absorbing means;
• transporting the absorption liquid together with the operating fluid to a boiling means and separating the operating fluid from the absorption liquid by application of heat;
• condensing the separated operating fluid in a condensing means through which a heating fluid is passed thereby transferring heat to the heating fluid;
• and
• returning the operating fluid to the evaporating means;
• and
• switching to a second mode when exterior temperatures fall below the preselected temperature or when evaporating pressure falls below a preselected level,
• the second operating mode including steps of:
• storing the absorption liquid;
• and
• directly feeding substantially only the operating fluid discharged from the condensing means to the boiling means so that the operating fluid is vaporized thereby bypassing the evaporating means and the absorbing means;
• and
• after vaporizing the operating fluid condensing the operating fluid in the condensing means so that more heat is transferred to the heating fluid.

Method for the heating of buildings by use of at least one heat pump which can absorb means from its surroundings and supply heat to one or more rooms to be heated characterized in that an operating medium is continuously evaporated within an evaporator at lower pressure in the first operating mode when the ambient temperature exceeds a certain predetermined threshold value whereby the evaporating operating medium absorbs heat from its surroundings, absorbing the now evaporated operating medium by an absorption liquid contained in an absorbing container, continuously pumping the absorption liquid together with the absorbed operating medium to a boiling receptacle wherein it is heated and the operating medium thereby is driven out of the absorption liquid;

• condensing the driven out operating medium within a condenser at higher pressure thereby emitting heat which will be supplied to one or more rooms to be heated;
• returning the condensed operating medium through a throttle valve to the evaporator and separately returning the absorption liquid now depleted of operating medium to the absorbing container;
• and storing the absorption liquid during a second operating mode if the ambient temperature falls below the predetermined threshold value thereby closing the connection from the condenser to the evaporator and shutting off the connection between boiling receptacle and absorbing container with connecting the outlet of the condenser to the pump and pumping condensed operating medium back to the boiling receptacle with the operating medium thereafter being evaporated within the boiling receptacle and being condensed within the condenser in a circulating manner whereby heat is transported from the heated boiling receptacle to the condenser.

A multimode method for heating one or more rooms or buildings equipped with radiators and heating fluid supply lines the first operating mode including the steps of:

• evaporating a suitable operating fluid inside an evaporating means thereby taking up heat from the surrounding;
• absorbing the operating fluid in an absorption liquid contained in an absorbing means;
• transporting the absorption liquid together with the operating fluid to a boiling means and separating the operating fluid from the absorption liquid by application of heat;
• condensing the separated operating fluid in a condensing means thereby transferring heat to the heating fluid;
• and returning the operating fluid to the evaporating means;
• said method further comprising a second operating mode including the step of directly feeding the operating fluid discharged from the condensing means to the boiling means bypassing the evaporating means and the absorbing means;
• and
• controlling the switching back and forth between the operating modes.

A multimode heating system for heating one or more rooms comprising means for circulating a heating fluid to treat the environment in the rooms, a first operating mode employing a primary heat pump means employing an operating fluid and an absorbing liquid for absorbing heat from cold and hot heat sources and transferring such heat to the heating fluid by one or more heat exchangers, a second operating mode wherein the cold heat source is bypassed and substantially only the operating fluid is used to heat the heating fluid by being returned directly to said hot heat source and control means for controlling changes in the operation of the multimode heating system between the first and second operating modes in response to exterior temperature conditions wherein said primary heat pump means includes evaporator means for evaporating the operating fluid, absorbing means for receiving both the evaporated operating fluid and the absorbing liquid, so that the latter can absorb the former;

• boiler means for receiving the absorbing liquid and the absorbed operating fluid and for separating the operating fluid from the absorbing liquid, said boiler means further including conduit means for providing a connection to said absorbing means so that the absorbing liquid can return to said absorbing means following separation from the operating fluid when the system is operating in the first mode, mean for moving the absorbing liquid between said absorbing means and said boiler means;
• and condensing means connected to said boiler means for receiving and condensing said separated operating fluid.