US 5,005,371 A · Adsorption thermal storage apparatus and adsorption thermal storage system including the same

Abstract

An adsorption thermal storage apparatus formed of an evacuated vessel comprising therein a refrigerant, and an adsorbent heating or cooling section and a refrigerant condensing or evaporating section located in communication with each other, the former section including an adsorbent and finned heat transfer tubes, the latter section including heat transfer tubes placed in dishes. An adsorption thermal storage system comprising the aforesaid apparatus; a heat source (e.g. a condenser of a compression refrigerator) for adsorbent heating; a cold source (e.g. an evaporator) for refrigerant condensation; an exothermic heat source (e.g. cooling tower); an endothermic heat source (e.g. air cooling coil); and a utilization equipment (e.g. air conditioner), the foregoing elements being connected so that during thermal storage period, the adsorbent heating or cooling section and the refrigerant condensing or evaporating section communicate with the heat source and the cold source, respectively, whereas during utilization period, the adsorbent section communicates with the exothermic heat source or heat utilization equipment and the refrigerant section communicates with cold utilization equipment or the endothermic heat source. By the desorption, the refrigerant is condensed and thermal energy is stored whereas cold is generated by latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant liquid and heat, by adsorption heat of the refrigerant vapor, whereby heat and cold may be utilized singly or simultaneously.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An adsorption thermal storage apparatus formed of an evacuated vessel which comprises therein a refrigerant, and an adsorbent heating or cooling section and a refrigerant condensing or evaporating section located in communication with each other, said adsorbent heating or cooling section including an adsorbent material and first heat transfer means supporting thereon the adsorbent and having heat transfer surfaces for heating or cooling the adsorbent therethrough, said first heat transfer means being adapted to be connected to a heat source for heating the adsorbent, and an exothermic heat source and utilization means on a utilization side,

said refrigerant condensing or evaporating section including second heat transfer means holding refrigerant liquid and having heat transfer surfaces for condensing or evaporating the refrigerant therethrough,
said second heat transfer means being adapted to be connected to a cold source for condensing the refrigerant, and an endothermic heat source and the utilization means on the utilization side,
which apparatus is constructed so that thermal energy is stored by heating the adsorbent through the first heat transfer means to cause desorption of the refrigerant in gaseous state and condensing the gaseous refrigerant through the second heat transfer means whereas cold is generated by latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant liquid through the second heat transfer means and heat is generated by heat of adsorption of the desorbed adsorbent through the first heat transfer means, and said cold and heat may be utilized singly or simultaneously.

An adsorption thermal storage system comprising:

an adsorption thermal storage apparatus formed of an evacuated vessel which comprises therein a refrigerant, and an adsorbent heating or cooling section and a refrigerant condensing or evaporating section located in communication with each other, said adsorbent heating or cooling section including an adsorbent and first heat transfer means supporting thereon the adsorbent and having heat transfer surfaces for heating or cooling the adsorbent therethrough, said refrigerant condensing or evaporating section including second heat transfer means holding the refrigerant and having heat transfer surfaces for condensing or evaporating the refrigerant therethrough;
a heat source for heating the adsorbent adapted to be connected to the first heat transfer means;
a cold source for condensing the refrigerant adapted to be connected to the second heat transfer means;
an exothermic heat source for cooling the adsorbent adapted to be connected to the first heat transfer means;
an endothermic heat source for evaporating the refrigerant adapted to be connected to the second heat transfer means;
and utilization means for cold or heat adapted to be connected to the first and second heat transfer means;
said adsorption thermal storage apparatus, said heat source, said cold source, said exothermic heat source, said endothermic heat source and said utilization means being inter-connected so that when said system is operated, during thermal storage period, thermal energy is stored by putting the heat source and the cold source, respectively, in communication with the first and the second heat transfer means, thereby to desorb the refrigerant in gaseous state and condense it in liquid state whereas during utilization period, cold is generated by putting the exothermic heat source and the utilization means, respectively, in communication with the first and the second heat transfer means, and heat is generated by putting the endothermic heat source and the utilization means, respectively, in communication with the second and the first heat transfer means, thereby to evaporate the refrigerant and adsorb it in liquid state, said cold and heat being utilized singly or simultaneously.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Adsorption thermal storage apparatus and adsorption thermal storage system including the same

Life of this patent

Adsorption thermal storage apparatus and adsorption thermal storage system including the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16