A thermally driven heat pump is disclosed in which at least most of the warm heat exchanger is disposed within the cylinder between the hot and cold displacers. Such an arrangement is not suitable for a prior art heat pump in which movement of the displacers is based on a crank because it would lead to too much dead volume in the system. However, with mechatronically-controlled displacers in which the displacers are independently controlled, the displacers can reciprocate up to the heat exchanger. Such a configuration reduces dead volume compared to prior art Vuilleumier heat pumps in which the warm exchanger occupies a portion of an annular space between the cylinder in which the displacers move.

An air conditioner unit comprises a sealed cooling system including an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger. The sealed cooling system includes multiple refrigerant circuits. Each refrigerant circuit of the multiple refrigerant circuits includes an expansion device. A cross-over flow connection extends between and provides fluid communication between each of the multiple refrigerant circuits. The cross-over flow connection is adjacent the expansion device of each refrigerant circuit.

An air conditioner unit comprises a sealed cooling system including an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger. The sealed cooling system includes multiple refrigerant circuits. Each refrigerant circuit of the multiple refrigerant circuits includes an expansion device. A cross-over flow connection extends between and provides fluid communication between each of the multiple refrigerant circuits. The cross-over flow connection is adjacent the expansion device of each refrigerant circuit.

An illustrative example system includes at least one fuel cell that is configured to generate electricity based on an electrochemical reaction. The fuel cell includes an exhaust. A heat pump includes an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, and an expansion valve. A coolant loop is external to the at least one fuel cell. The coolant loop has a first portion associated with the exhaust such that heat from the exhaust increases a temperature of coolant fluid in the first portion. The coolant loop has a second portion downstream of the first portion. The second portion of the coolant loop is associated with the evaporator such that heat from the coolant fluid in the second portion increases the temperature of the evaporator.

The application relates to an combined heating power and cooling apparatus with energy storage for an active distribution network and its operating method. The apparatus is comprised of a generation apparatus, a generator, a waste heat recovering and absorbing heat pump, a high temperature flue gas-water heat exchanger, a medium temperature flue gas-water heat exchanger, a low temperature flue gas-water heat exchanger, a energy storing electric heat pump, a high temperature energy storing canister, a low temperature energy storing canister, a cooling tower a number of circulating water pumps and a number of valves. The operating method changes the traditional operation modes of the system determining electricity based on heat and determining electricity based on cooling, causes the system to regulate power of the generated electricity on grid, participate in the regulation of grid load, solve the problem of a limited ability of generation peak regulation due to the inter-coupling of power generation, heat supply and cooling supply.

The application relates to an combined heating power and cooling apparatus with energy storage for an active distribution network and its operating method. The apparatus is comprised of a generation apparatus, a generator, a waste heat recovering and absorbing heat pump, a high temperature flue gas-water heat exchanger, a medium temperature flue gas-water heat exchanger, a low temperature flue gas-water heat exchanger, a energy storing electric heat pump, a high temperature energy storing canister, a low temperature energy storing canister, a cooling tower a number of circulating water pumps and a number of valves. The operating method changes the traditional operation modes of the system determining electricity based on heat and determining electricity based on cooling, causes the system to regulate power of the generated electricity on grid, participate in the regulation of grid load, solve the problem of a limited ability of generation peak regulation due to the inter-coupling of power generation, heat supply and cooling supply.

A diffusion pump, in particular an energy-efficient diffusion pump comprising a housing and a boiling chamber connected to the housing. In the area of the boiling chamber a heating element is arranged. Further, a nozzle is arranged in the housing which nozzle is connected to the boiling chamber. In the area of the nozzle a condenser is arranged at an internal surface of the housing, wherein in the area of the condenser a cooling system for cooling the condenser is provided. The boiling chamber is thermally isolated from the condenser by an isolator. Alternatively or additionally, the cooling system of the condenser is at least partially a water cooling system. Alternatively or additionally, the cooling system of the condenser is connected to the heating element via a heat pump such that heat from the condenser is supplied to the heating element. Alternatively or additionally, a temperature measuring device is provided which measures the condenser temperature, wherein the temperature measuring device is connected to a condenser cooling system regulator for regulating the cooling system of the condenser. Alternatively or additionally, the heating element has connected thereto a heating element regulator for adjusting the heat output of the heating element to the prevailing pumping situation.

A diffusion pump, in particular an energy-efficient diffusion pump comprising a housing and a boiling chamber connected to the housing. In the area of the boiling chamber a heating element is arranged. Further, a nozzle is arranged in the housing which nozzle is connected to the boiling chamber. In the area of the nozzle a condenser is arranged at an internal surface of the housing, wherein in the area of the condenser a cooling system for cooling the condenser is provided. The boiling chamber is thermally isolated from the condenser by an isolator. Alternatively or additionally, the cooling system of the condenser is at least partially a water cooling system. Alternatively or additionally, the cooling system of the condenser is connected to the heating element via a heat pump such that heat from the condenser is supplied to the heating element. Alternatively or additionally, a temperature measuring device is provided which measures the condenser temperature, wherein the temperature measuring device is connected to a condenser cooling system regulator for regulating the cooling system of the condenser. Alternatively or additionally, the heating element has connected thereto a heating element regulator for adjusting the heat output of the heating element to the prevailing pumping situation.

Provided are a heat exchanger capable of providing sufficient heat exchange capability even with heat transfer tubes having a reduced outer diameter, and a heat pump device using the same. The heat transfer tubes has an outer diameter D in a range of 5 mmD6 mm, has a thickness t in a range of 0.05Dt0.09D, are disposed at a vertical pitch L1 in a range of 3DL14.2D, and are disposed at a longitudinal pitch L2 in a range of 2.6DL23.64D. A sufficiently increased heat exchange rate per unit weight is obtainable with the heat exchanger.

A controller is configured to, based on a characteristic information of thermal output with respect to a temperature difference between a hot end and a cold end of a working chamber, changes at least one of a flow rate of a heating target fluid in a high temperature heat exchanger and a flow rate of a cooling target fluid in a low temperature heat exchanger. At least one of the flow rate of the heating target fluid in the high temperature heat exchanger and the flow rate of the cooling target fluid in the low temperature heat exchanger is adjusted such that the temperature difference between the hot and cold ends changes in a direction that increases thermal output.