Heat transfer apparatus and methods for solid-vapor sorption systems

In a sorption reaction system comprising one or more first reactors in which a polar refrigerant is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a complex compound, and one or more second reactors in which a polar refrigerant is alternately desorbed and adsorbed on a complex compound, respectively, wherein said complex compound is formed by adsorbing a polar gaseous refrigerant on a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, sulfate, or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium boroflouride, or double metal chloride and wherein said complex compound is formed by a method of increasing the chemisorption reaction rates between said polar refrigerant and said complex compound comprising restricting the volumetric expansion of the complex compound formed during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form a reaction product capable of increased chemisorption reaction rates as compared to a complex compound formed without restricting said volumetric expansion, said system having a cooling loop for directing heat transfer fluid to and from said reactors, a method of cooling an adsorbing reactor comprising directing liquid phase heat transfer fluid having a phase change from liquid to gas at a temperature at or below the temperature of adsorption to an adsorbing reactor in heat exchange exposure to the adsorbent therein utilizing vaporized heat transfer fluid for driving said liquid heat transfer fluid in said cooling loop.

In operation of a sorption reaction system comprising one or more reactors in which a refrigerant is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a solid adsorbent, wherein said solid adsorbent comprises a complex compound formed by adsorbing a polar gaseous refrigerant on a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, sulfate, or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium boroflouride, or double metal chloride, wherein said complex compound is formed by a process for increasing the chemisorption reaction rates between said polar gaseous refrigerant and said complex compound by restricting the volumetric expansion of the complex compound during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form a reaction product mass capable of increased chemisorption reaction rates as compared to a complex compound formed without restricting said volumetric expansion, and conduit means for directing a heat transfer fluid from said one or more reactors to a condenser and from said condenser to said one or more reactors, a method of rejecting heat of adsorption from an adsorbing reactor comprising:

• providing a liquid phase heat transfer fluid having a phase change from a liquid to gas at or below the temperature of an adsorbing reactor in said conduit means, providing vapor pressure for displacing said heat transfer fluid in said conduit means between said condenser and said one or more reactors thereby directing liquid heat transfer fluid to said adsorbing reactor, and vaporizing at least a portion of said liquid heat transfer fluid in said adsorbing reactor.

In operation of a sorption reaction system comprising one or more first reactors in which a refrigerant is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a solid adsorbent, one or more second reactors in which said refrigerant is alternately desorbed and adsorbed on a solid adsorbent, respectively, wherein said adsorbent comprises a complex compound formed by adsorbing a polar gaseous refrigerant on a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, sulfate, or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium boroflouride, or double metal chloride, wherein said complex compound is formed by a process for increasing the chemisorption reaction rates between said polar gaseous refrigerant and said complex compound by restricting the volumetric expansion of the complex compound during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form a reaction product mass capable of increased chemisorption reaction rates as compared to a complex compound formed without restricting said volumetric expansion an evaporator for evaporating liquid refrigerant, and a condenser for condensing gaseous refrigerant, a method of rejecting heat of adsorption from an adsorbing reactor comprising:

• exposing liquid refrigerant having a phase change from liquid to gas at or below the temperature of adsorption of said refrigerant on said solid adsorbent in heat exchange exposure to said solid adsorbent in an adsorbing reactor, vaporizing at least a portion of said liquid refrigerant, directing vaporized refrigerant to said condenser, and directing a portion of condensed refrigerant to said adsorbing reactor and a portion of condensed refrigerant to said evaporator.

A sorption reaction system apparatus comprising one or more first reactors and one or more second reactors, said reactors containing a solid adsorbent for alternately adsorbing and desorbing a refrigerant thereon, said reactors including reactor heat exchange means for directing a heat transfer fluid in heat exchange exposure to said adsorbent,

• means for heating said first and second reactors,
• a condenser,
• a refrigerant evaporator,
• a heat rejection conduit loop communicating with said reactor heat exchange means of each of said reactors for rejecting heat from said one or more first and second reactors during adsorption therein, said loop including a first loop portion for directing vaporized heat transfer fluid from said heat exchange means of an adsorbing reactor to said condenser, and a second loop portion for returning condensed heat transfer fluid from said condenser to said heat exchange means of said adsorbing reactor,
• a heat transfer fluid located in said heat rejection conduit loop capable of a phase change from liquid to gas at a temperature at or below the temperature of adsorption in an adsorbing reactor, and
• vapor operated fluid displacement means cooperating with said second portion of said heat rejection conduit loop for displacing liquid phase heat transfer fluid therefrom to adsorbing reactor heat exchange means, and including one or more gas pressure conduits communicating a desorbing reactor with said heat rejection conduit loop for pressurizing said loop with desorbed gaseous refrigerant or vaporized heat transfer fluid from a desorbing reactor.

A periodic sorption reaction system apparatus comprising a reactor containing a solid adsorbent for alternately adsorbing and desorbing a refrigerant thereon, said reactor including a reactor heat transfer section for directing liquid refrigerant in heat exchange exposure to said adsorbent, said refrigerant capable of a phase change from liquid to gas at a temperature at or below the temperature of adsorption in said reactor,

• means for heating said reactor,
• a condenser,
• an evaporator,
• a first conduit communicating between said reactor heat exchange means and said condenser and a selectively operated valve cooperating therewith for selectively opening said first conduit during reactor adsorption for directing vaporized refrigerant from said reactor heat transfer section to said condenser and closing said first conduit during reactor desorption,
• fluid displacement means for directing liquid refrigerant to reactor heat exchange means, and
• second conduit means and a one-way valve cooperating therewith for directing gaseous refrigerant from said evaporator to said reactor for adsorption on said adsorbent, third conduit means and a one-way valve cooperating therewith for directing desorbed gaseous refrigerant from said reactor to said condenser and fourth conduit means communicating between said reactor heat transfer section and said fluid displacement means.