US 8,297,065 B2 · Thermally activated high efficiency heat pump

Abstract

A vapor compression cycle system is combined with a Rankine cycle system, with the two systems having a common suction accumulator from which the compressor draws refrigerant vapor for the vapor compression cycle system and from which a pump draws liquid refrigerant for circulation within the Rankine cycle system. The vapor from the Rankine cycle system expander is passed to the compressor discharge to provide a mixture which is circulated within the vapor compression cycle system to obtain improved performance. The heat exchangers are sized so as to obtain a non-complete evaporation, with the resulting two-phase fluid passing to the suction accumulator to provide liquid refrigerant to the Rankine cycle system and vapor refrigerant to the vapor compression cycle system.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A thermally activated heat pump comprising in combination:

a vapor compression cycle system, the vapor compression cycle system includes, in a serial refrigerant flow communication, a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device, a second heat exchanger and a suction accumulator;
and
a Rankine cycle system, the Rankine cycle system includes, in a serial flow communication, the suction accumulator, a liquid refrigerant pump, a boiler and an expander;
said compressor having a suction inlet and a discharge outlet, and said expander having an inlet and an outlet, and further wherein said expander outlet is fluidly connected to said compressor outlet to provide a combined flow for circulation through said first heat exchanger, said expansion device, said second heat exchanger and said suction accumulator of said vapor compression system.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermally activated high efficiency heat pump

Life of this patent

Thermally activated high efficiency heat pump

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44