Solar refrigeration

A refrigerator comprising a working polar fluid, a panel containing molecular sieve zeolite, a condenser conduit from said panel, and an evaporator connected to said condenser, an insulated container enclosing said evaporator, that are so constructed and arranged that said zeolite in said panel is subjected to a heating and cooling cycle from a source providing same, said working fluid being confined to said panel, conduit and evaporator at pressures which are increased by said heating and reduced by said cooling and are such that a continuous refrigeration effect is provided by the cyclic freezing and melting of a portion of said working fluid in said evaporator.

An adsorption system for low-grade utilization which comprises first and second hermetically sealed containers, a solid adsorbent material composed of molecular sieve zeolite in each of said containers, means being provided to heat each said container periodically and alternatively whereby the adsorbent material in said first container has a relative temperature higher than the said adsorbent material in said second container for a period of time and for a further period of time the adsorbent material in said first container has a lower relative temperature than the said adsorbent material in said second container, a closed circuit between said containers, a gaseous polar fluid adapted to be desorbed at said higher relative temperature and adsorbent material in said circuit and energy utilization means adapted to receive said working fluid from the heated of said containers when desorbed therefrom at high pressure and to exhaust same to the cooler of said containers which is adsorbed therein at a lower pressure.

In a process for the efficient recovery of usable energy from a low-grade heat source, the use of molecular sieve zeolite as a solid absorbent in a closed system for working polar fluid wherein by producing relatively small temperature differences by said heat source in said zeolite, relatively large pressure differences of said working fluid in said closed system are caused when said working fluid is respectively desorbed from said zeolite at the higher temperature to raise the pressure of said fluid in said closed system and adsorbed into said zeolite at the lower temperature to lower the pressure of said fluid in said closed system, and energy consuming means obtaining energy from said pressure differences of said working fluid.

In a process for the efficient recovery of usable energy from a low-grade heat source, the use of molecular sieve zeolite as a solid adsorbent for a confined working polar fluid by alternately cooling and heating said zeolite by means of said heat source within a relatively small temperature range whereby said working fluid is adsorbed when the temperature of the zeolite is in the lower part of said temperature range with said working fluid at a first pressure and said working fluid is desorbed from said zeolite when said temperature of said zeolite is within the higher part of said temperature ranmge at a second pressure which is substantially greater than said first pressure, and energy using means acquiring energy resulting from said pressure difference.

A system for the efficient conversion of a low-grade energy into mechanical energy which comprises at least three hermetically sealed containers, molecular sieve zeolite in each of said containers, a working fluid in the zeolite of each of said working containers, conduits connecting each said container to a high pressure conduit and a low pressure conduit of a mechanism for producing mechanical energy, means provided to heat said zeolite in each said container periodically and to cool said zeolite in each said container periodically on a continuous sequential basis whereby said zeolite in one container is desorbing said working fluid into said high pressure conduit and said zeolite in at least one further said container is absorbing said working fluid from said low pressure conduit, and means for sequentially heating and cooling said zeolite in said containers and connecting the conduits from said containers to said high pressure and said low pressure conduits.

A system for efficient transforming of a low-grade heat energy source into another type of energy which comprises at least three hermetically sealed containers, molecular sieve zeolite in each of said containers, a working fluid received in the zeolite of each of said working containers, during at least one stage of the system's operation, conduits connecting each said container to a high pressure conduit and a low pressure conduit of a mechanism for transforming said pressure difference into useable energy, means provided to heat said zeolite in each said container periodically and to cool said zeolite in each said container periodically on a continuous sequential basis whereby said zeolite in one container is desorbing said working fluid into said high pressure conduit and said zeolite in at least one further said container is adsorbing said working fluid from said low pressure conduit, and means for sequentially heating and cooling said zeolite in said containers and connecting the conduits from said containers to said high pressure and said low pressure conduits.

A pump apparatus for moving a vapor from a relatively lower vapor pressure environment to a relatively higher vapor pressure environment, the pump apparatus being directly energized from a heat source, the pump apparatus comprising:

• microporous means having at lesast two working surfaces, said microporous means for adsorbing the vapor from the lower vapor pressure environment on a first of said at least two working surfaces and for desorbing the vapor to the higher vapor pressure environment from a second of said at least two working surfaces, said second surface being in heat energy communication with the heat source to provide a higher temperature of said second surface with respect to said first surface, said microporous means having pore sizes providing high adsorption and surface diffusion characteristics.

A method for pumping a vapor comprising the steps of:

• contacting with a vapor a first surface of a microporous material;
• inducing a temperature gradient between a second surface of said microporous material and said first surface of said microporous material so that said second surface is warmer than said first surface causing said vapor to diffuse from said first side of said microporous material to said second side of said microporous material causing a decrease in vapor pressure on said first side and an increase in vapor pressure on said second side of said miocroporous material.

Apparatus for moving a vapor from a first vapor pressure environment to a relatively higher vapor pressure environment, the apparatus comprising:

• means having at least two surfaces, said two surface means for adsorbing the vapor from the first vapor pressure environment into a first of said at least two surfaces and for desorbing the vapor out of a second of said at least two surfaces to the high vapor pressure environment, said two surface means having pore sizes for providing vapor transport by means of surface diffusion;
• and
• a heat source, said heat source being in heat energy communication with said second surface of said at least two surfaces of said adsorbing means, said heat source being adapted for providing a temperature gradient between said second and said first surfaces of said at least two surfaces of said adsorbing means, said second surface being at a higher temperature level than said first surface.

A pump apparatus for moving a vapor from a relatively lower vapor pressure environment to a relatively higher vapor pressure environment, the pump apparatus being directly energized from a heat source, the pump apparatus comprising:

• microporous means having at least two working surfaces, said microporous means for adsorbing the vapor from the lower vapor pressure environment on a first of said at least two working surface and for desorbing the vapor to the higher vapor pressure environment from a second of said at least two working surfaces, said second surface being in heat energy communication with the heat source to provide a higher temperature at said second surface with respect to said first surface.

A method for pumping a vapor comprising the steps of:

• contacting with a vapor a first surface of a microporous material having pore sizes in the range of from 2.times.10.sup.-7 to 3.times.10.sup.-8 centimeters;
• inducing a temperature gradient between a second surface of said microporous material and said first surface of said microporous material so that said second surface is warmer than said first surface causing said vapor to diffuse from said first side of said microporous material to said second side of said microporous material causing a decrease in vapor pressure on said first side and an increase in vapor pressure on said second side of said microporous material.

Apparatus for moving a vapor from a first vapor pressure environment to a relatively higher vapor pressure environment, the apparatus comprising:

• means having at least two surfaces, said two surface means for adsorbing the vapor from the first vapor pressure environment into a first of said at least two surfaces and for desorbing the vapor out of a second of said at least two surfaces to the high vapor pressure environment, said two surface means having pore sizes for providing vapor transport at least in part by means of surface diffusion;
• and
• a heat source, said heat source being in heat energy communication with said second surface of said at least two surfaces of said adsorbing means, said heat source being adapted for providing a temperature gradient between said second and said first surfaces of said at least two surfaces of said adsorbing means, said second surface being at a higher temperature level than said first surface.

A pump apparatus for moving a vapor from a relatively lower vapor pressure environment to a relatively higher vapor pressure environment, the pump apparatus being directly energized from a heat source, the pump apparatus comprising:

• microporous means having at least two working surfaces, said microporous means for adsorbing the vapor from the lower vapor pressure environment on a first of said at least two working surfaces and for desorbing the vapor to the higher vapor pressure environment from a second of said at least two working surfaces, said second surface being in heat energy communication with the heat source to provide a higher temperature at said second surface with respect to said first surface, said microporous means having pore sizes in the range of from 2.times.10.sup.-7 to 3.times.10.sup.-8 centimeters for providing high adsorption and surface diffusion characteristics.

Apparatus for moving a vapor from a first vapor pressure environment to a relatively higher vapor pressure environment, the apparatus comprising:

• means comprising a material having at least two surfaces, said two surface means for adsorbing the vapor from the first vapor pressure environment into a first of said at least two surfaces and for desorbing the vapor out of a second of said at least two surfaces to the high vapor pressure environment, said two surface means having pore sizes in the range of from 2.times.10.sup.-7 to 3.times.10.sup.-8 centimeters for providing vapor transport into said material between said surfaces, and
• a heat source, said heat source being in heat energy communication with said second surface of said at least two surfaces of said adsorbing means, said heat source being adapted for providing a temperature gradient in said material between said second and said first surfaces of said at least two surfaces of said adsorbing means, said second surface being at a higher temperature level than said first surface.

A method for pumping a vapor comprising the steps of:

• contacting with vapor a first surface of a molecular sieve material;
• inducing a temperature gradient between a second surface of said material and said first surface of said material so that said second surface is warmer than said first surface causing said vapor to move from said first side of said material to said second side of said material causing a decrease in vapor pressure on said first side and an increase in vapor pressure on said second side of said material.

A pump apparatus for moving a vapor from a relatively lower vapor pressure environment to a relatively higher vapor pressure environment, the pump apparatus being directly energized from a heat source, the pump apparatus comprising:

• microporous means having at least two working surfaces, said microporous means for adsorbing the vapor from the lower vapor pressure environment on a first of said at least two working surfaces and for desorbing the vapor to the higher vapor pressure environment from a second of said at least two working surfaces, said second surface being in heat energy communication with the heat source to provide a higher temperature at said second surface with respect to said first surface, said microporous means having pore sizes in the range of from 2.times.10.sup.-7 to 3.times.10.sup.-8 centimeters.

Apparatus for moving a vapor from a first vapor pressure environment, the apparatus comprising:

• means having at least two surfaces, said two surface means for adsorbing the vapor from the first vapor pressure environment into a first of said at least two surfaces and for desorbing the vapor out of a second of said at least two surfaces to the high vapor pressure environment, said two surface means having pore sizes in the range of from 2.times.10.sup.-7 to 3.times.10.sup.-8 centimeters;
• and
• a heat source, said heat source being in heat energy communication with said second surface of said at least two surfaces of said adsorbing means, said heat source being adapted for providing a temperature gradient between said second and said first surfaces of said at least two surfaces of said adsorbing means, said second surface being at a higher temperature level than said first surface.

In a process for efficiently obtaining usable energy from a low-grade heat source, the use of molecular sieve zeolite as a solid adsorbent for sorbing and desorbing polar fluid wherein applying relatively small temperature differences to said zeolite produces relatively large pressure differences in said fluid when respectively desorbed from at a higher temperature and adsorbed at a lower temperature into said zeolite, said fluid being liquified at the higher pressure and temperature and evaporated at the lower pressure temperature whereby a cooling effect is produced, said cooling effect freezing a liquid during one portion of the cycle, said frozen liquid slowing melting during the remaining portion of the cycle thereby providing a continuous refrigeration effect producing a substantially constant temperature.

In a process for efficiently producing usable energy from a low-grade heat source in combination with means for using said energy, the use of molecular sieve zeolite as a solid adsorbent for a polar fluid wherein relatively small temperature differences applied to said zeolite are transformed into relatively larger pressure differences of said fluid by being adsorbed into said zeolite where its temperature is sufficiently low to effect the adsorption and desorbed from said zeolite where its temperature is sufficiently high to effect the desorption, the difference between said high and low temperatures being relatively small compared to the differences of the fluid's pressures as adsorbed and desorbed.

In a process for the efficient recovery of usable energy from a low-grade heat source, the use of molecular sieve zeolite as a solid adsorbent for a working polar fluid wherein by producing relatively small temperature differences in said zeolite relatively large pressure differences of said working fluid are caused when said working fluid is respectively desorbed from said zeolite at a first location therein caused to have a relatively high temperature and adsorbed into said zeolite at a second location therein caused to have a relatively lower temperature.

An adsorption system for low-grade heat utilization which comprises first and second hermetically sealed containers, a solid material composed of molecular sieve zeolite contained in said first container, solar energy collection and radiation cooling means being provided to heat and cool said container periodically and alternatively whereby adsorbent material in said first container has a relative temperature higher than the interior of said second container for a period of time and for a further period of time the adsorbent material in said first container has a lower relative temperature and the interior of said first container has a lower relative pressure than the interior of said second container, a closed circuit between said containers, a working polar fluid comprising a refrigerant vapor adapted to be desorbed at said higher relative temperature and adsorbed at said lower relative temperature by said adsorbent material and energy utilization means adapted to receive said working fluid therethrough from said first container when heated and said fluid is desorbed therefrom at high pressure and again to receive said fluid when said first container is at a lower pressure and is adsorbing said fluid from said second container which is at a higher pressure.

A refrigerator comprising H.sub.2 O as a working fluid, a molecular sieve zeolite filled panel, a condenser conduit from said panel, an evaporator connected to said condenser, and an insulated container enclosing said evaporator, whereby when said panel is subjected to a heating and cooling cycle, a continuous refrigeration effect is provided by the cyclic freezing and melting of a portion of said working fluid in said evaporator.

An adsorption system for low-grade heat utilization which comprises first and second herematically sealed containers, a solid adsorbent material comprised of molecular sieve zeolite in each of said containers, means being provided to heat each said container periodically and alternatively whereby the adsorbent material in said first container has a relative temperature higher than the said adsorbent material in said second container for a period of time and for a further period of time the adsorbent material in said first container has a lower relative temperature than said adsorbent material in said second container, a closed circuit between said containers, a gaseous fluid comprising nitrogen adapted to be desorbed at said higher relative temperature and adsorbed at said lower relative temperature by said adsorbent material in said circuit and energy utilization means adapted to receive said working fluid from the heated of said containers when desorbed therefrom at a high pressure and to exhaust same to the cooler of said containers which is adsorbed therein at a lower pressure.

In a process for the efficient recovery of usable energy from a low-grade heat source, the use of molecular sieve zeolite as solid adsorbent in a closed system for a working fluid which is nitrogen wherein by producing a temperature difference of about 20.degree. to 100.degree. C. in said zeolite, a relatively large pressure differences of about 60 atmospheres of said working fluid in said closed system is caused when said working fluid is respectively desorbed from said zeolite at the higher temperature to raise the pressure of said fluid in said closed system and adsorbed into said zeolite at the lower temperature to lower the pressure of said fluid in said closed system.