Generator-absorber-heat exchange heat transfer apparatus and method and use thereof in a heat pump

A generator-absorber heat exchange apparatus comprising:

• a generator containing a liquor having a concentration gradient that is rich proximate an upper end, weak proximate a lower end and intermediate therebetween, and a temperature gradient extending from low proximate the upper end to high proximate the lower end with a heat transfer region therebetween;
• an absorber having a pressure in its interior lower than the interior pressure of the generator and containing a liquor having a concentration gradient that is weak proximate an upper end, rich proximate a lower end and intermediate therebetween, and a temperature gradient extending from high proximate the upper end to low proximate the lower end with a heat transfer region therebetween;
• a rich liquor conduit having an inlet in fluid communication with the absorber proximate the lower end thereof and an outlet disposed in the generator proximate the upper end thereof distributing rich liquor from the lower end of the absorber for passage along the concentration and temperature gradients of the generator;
• a pump in fluid communication with the rich liquor conduit moving fluid through the conduit between the absorber and the generator;
• a weak liquor conduit having an inlet in fluid communication with the generator proximate the lower end thereof and an outlet disposed in the absorber proximate the upper end thereof distributing weak liquor from the lower end of the generator for passage along the concentration and temperature gradients of the absorber;
• a heater disposed to heat liquor in the generator proximate the lower end thereof;
• and
• a heat exchange circuit comprising:
• a heat exchange element in the heat transfer region of the absorber, said heat transfer regions of the generator and absorber having overlapping temperatures;
• a heat exchange conduit having an input end receiving liquor from the generator at a location where the liquor has a rich liquor concentration and conveying the rich liquor between the heat transfer regions of the absorber and the generator for heat transfer therein.

A heat pump comprising:

• an indoor liquid to air heat exchanger;
• an outdoor liquid to air heat exchanger;
• a generator-absorber heat exchange apparatus comprising:
• a generator and an absorber, the absorber having an interior pressure lower than the interior pressure of the generator and each having high and low temperature regions at opposite ends and a heat transfer region, the temperature ranges defining the respective heat transfer regions overlapping;
• a fluid flow pathway for circulation of a weak liquor from the high temperature region of the generator and a rich liquor from the low temperature region of the absorber to and through the high temperature and low temperature regions of the generator and the absorber;
• a heat exchange circuit receiving a liquor from the generator at a location where the liquor has a rich concentration and circulating the rich liquor between the heat transfer regions of the generator and the absorber for heat transfer therein;
• and
• an antifreeze circuit circulating antifreeze fluid between each of the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers and the generator-absorber heat exchange apparatus for selectively extracting heat from one of said heat exchangers and transferring heat to the other of said heat exchangers.

A method of transferring heat between a region of medium temperature and a region of high temperature using a generator-absorber heat exchange apparatus including a generator and an absorber, the absorber having an interior pressure lower than the pressure of the generator interior and each having high and low temperature regions at opposite ends establishing respective temperature ranges, the temperature ranges defining respective overlapping heat transfer regions, and a fluid flow pathway circulating a liquor having rich, intermediate and weak concentrations of refrigerant to and through the high temperature, heat transfer and low temperature regions of the generator and the absorber, said method comprising:

• circulating an antifreeze fluid between an outdoor heat exchanger and at least one of an absorber heat exchanger, a condenser heat exchanger and a generator heat exchanger, thereby transferring heat via said antifreeze fluid from said at least one absorber, condenser and generator heat exchanger to said outdoor heat exchanger;
• circulating an antifreeze fluid between an indoor heat exchanger and an evaporator heat exchanger, thereby transferring heat via said antifreeze fluid from said indoor heat exchanger to said evaporator heat exchanger;
• and
• wherein said generator-absorber heat exchange apparatus includes a heat exchange circuit disposed to receive a liquor from the generator at a location where the liquor has a rich liquor concentration and to circulate said rich liquor between said heat transfer regions to transfer heat from the absorber to the generator.

A method of transferring heat between a region of low temperature and a region of medium temperature using a generator-absorber heat exchange apparatus including a generator and an absorber, the absorber having an interior pressure lower than the pressure of the generator interior and each having high and low temperature regions at opposite ends establishing respective temperature ranges, the temperature ranges defining respective overlapping heat transfer regions, and a fluid flow pathway circulating a liquor having rich, intermediate and weak concentrations of refrigerant to and through the high temperature, heat transfer and low temperature regions of the generator and the absorber, said method comprising:

• circulating an antifreeze fluid between an indoor heat exchanger and at least one of an absorber heat exchanger, a condenser heat exchanger and a generator heat exchanger, thereby transferring heat via said antifreeze fluid from said at least one absorber, condenser and generator heat exchanger to said indoor heat exchanger;
• circulating an antifreeze fluid between an outdoor heat exchanger and an evaporator heat exchanger, thereby transferring heat via said antifreeze fluid from said outdoor heat exchanger to said evaporator heat exchanger;
• and
• wherein said generator-absorber heat exchange apparatus includes a heat exchange circuit disposed to receive a liquor from the generator at a location where the liquor has a rich liquor concentration and to circulate said rich liquor between said heat transfer regions to transfer heat from the absorber to the generator.