Disclosed is an adsorption-based heat pump useful for refrigeration and cooling/heating for applications such as HVACs and chillers. Adsorption is a surface phenomenon where a solid substance (adsorbent) attracts molecules of a gas or solution (refrigerant or adsorbate) on its surface. The latent heat of the adsorbate provides the heating/cooling effect. The novel adsorption heat pump enhances heat and/or mass transfer to and from the adsorbate. One embodiment comprises at least one evaporator, at least one desorber (adsorbent heating apparatus), at least one adsorbent cooling apparatus and at least one condenser. The embodiment employs different techniques to enhance heat and/or mass transfer.

A method includes forming a carbon aerogel on a substrate to produce a highly adsorptive structure. The carbon aerogel is characterized by having physical characteristics of in-situ formation on the substrate.

There is disclosed a heat-transferring device comprising a buffer tank (1), a reactor vessel (2) in thermal contact with the buffer tank, wherein an active substance is held inside the reactor vessel, a burner (A), a reactor heating loop adapted to transfer heat from the burner to the active substance in the reactor vessel, a reactor cooling loop adapted to transfer heat from the active substance in the reactor vessel to the buffer tank, a volatile liquid reservoir (14) in fluid contact with the reactor vessel, an evaporator (15) in fluid contact with the volatile liquid reservoir, a volatile liquid in the volatile liquid reservoir, with the ability to be absorbed by the active substance at a first temperature and desorbed by the active substance at a higher temperature, an exhaust gas pipe (10,11,12) from the burner to the volatile liquid reservoir to heat it.

There is disclosed a heat-transferring device comprising a buffer tank (1), a reactor vessel (2) in thermal contact with the buffer tank, wherein an active substance is held inside the reactor vessel, a burner (A), a reactor heating loop adapted to transfer heat from the burner to the active substance in the reactor vessel, a reactor cooling loop adapted to transfer heat from the active substance in the reactor vessel to the buffer tank, a volatile liquid reservoir (14) in fluid contact with the reactor vessel, an evaporator (15) in fluid contact with the volatile liquid reservoir, a volatile liquid in the volatile liquid reservoir, with the ability to be absorbed by the active substance at a first temperature and desorbed by the active substance at a higher temperature, an exhaust gas pipe (10,11,12) from the burner to the volatile liquid reservoir to heat it.

A highly adsorptive structure includes: a substrate; and a metal-organic framework (MOF) comprising a plurality of metal atoms coordinated to a plurality of organic spacer molecules; wherein the MOF is coupled to at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the MOF is configured to adsorb and desorb a refrigerant under predetermined thermodynamic conditions. The refrigerant includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: acid halides, alcohols, aldehydes, amines, chlorofluorocarbons, esters, ethers, fluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, halocarbons, halogenated aldehydes, halogenated amines, halogenated hydrocarbons, halomethanes, hydrocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluoroethers, hydrofluoroolefins, inorganic gases, ketones, nitrocarbon compounds, noble gases, organochlorine compounds, organofluorine compounds, organophosphorous compounds, organosilicon compounds, oxide gases, refrigerant blends and thiols.

A sorption heat pump having an evaporator containing a working fluid to evaporate the fluid to produce a gas, a sorber containing a sorption material to sorb the gas during a sorption phase, a vapor pathway connecting the evaporator and sorber, and a thermal control unit controlling the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and sorber through the pathway, and being selectively operable to permit, stop and restart the flow of gas through the pathway. The pump may be used with a compartment storing temperature sensitive material. The evaporator may be positioned inside and the sorber outside the compartment, or the sorber may be positioned inside and the evaporator outside the compartment. The pump may be used in an apparatus including both cool and warm compartments, with an insulation layer in each. A method is disclosed for reusing the pump after the sorption material has been sorbed.

A sorption heat pump having an evaporator containing a working fluid to evaporate the fluid to produce a gas, a sorber containing a sorption material to sorb the gas during a sorption phase, a vapor pathway connecting the evaporator and sorber, and a thermal control unit controlling the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and sorber through the pathway, and being selectively operable to permit, stop and restart the flow of gas through the pathway. The pump may be used with a compartment storing temperature sensitive material. The evaporator may be positioned inside and the sorber outside the compartment, or the sorber may be positioned inside and the evaporator outside the compartment. The pump may be used in an apparatus including both cool and warm compartments, with an insulation layer in each. A method is disclosed for reusing the pump after the sorption material has been sorbed.

A temperature controller for a sorption system having an evaporator to produce a gas, a sorber containing a sorption material to sorb the gas during a sorption phase, a flow channel extending between the evaporator and sorber to provide a gas pathway connecting them, a valve to control the rate of gas flow in the flow channel, and a temperature sensor positioned to measure the temperature of an evaporator surface or the air adjacent thereto indicative of an evaporator surface temperature, and generate a temperature signal. The controller includes an inflatable member having first and second inflation states, and a control unit configured to evaluate the temperature signal and in response control the state of inflation of the inflatable member and thereby the operation of the valve to control the rate of gas flow between the evaporator and sorber through the gas pathway.

The invention relates to an adsorption heat pump, having an adsorber device, comprising a solid adsorbent, an evaporator, a condenser or an evaporator/condenser and an operating medium in an operating circuit, wherein the operating circuit has a gaseous half-circuit between the evaporator, the adsorber device and the condenser or the evaporator/condenser and the adsorber device, in which gaseous half-circuit the operating medium is gaseous, and a liquid half-circuit which is configured between the evaporator and the condenser and in which the operating medium is liquid, wherein the liquid half-circuit contains a liquid functional medium which can be mixed with the operating medium and lowers the vapor pressure of the operating medium, with a vapor pressure at 25° C. of below 0.2 mbar. In a method for operating an absorption heat pump with an operating circuit comprising an adsorber, an evaporator and a condenser or an evaporator/condenser and an operating medium which is circulated between the adsorber, the evaporator and the condenser, the operating medium is mixed, when running through the operating circuit, within the liquid half-circuit with a liquid functional medium which lowers the vapor pressure, and the operating medium is separated from the functional medium before the transfer into the gaseous half-circuit of the operating circuit.

The invention relates to an adsorption heat pump, having an adsorber device, comprising a solid adsorbent, an evaporator, a condenser or an evaporator/condenser and an operating medium in an operating circuit, wherein the operating circuit has a gaseous half-circuit between the evaporator, the adsorber device and the condenser or the evaporator/condenser and the adsorber device, in which gaseous half-circuit the operating medium is gaseous, and a liquid half-circuit which is configured between the evaporator and the condenser and in which the operating medium is liquid, wherein the liquid half-circuit contains a liquid functional medium which can be mixed with the operating medium and lowers the vapor pressure of the operating medium, with a vapor pressure at 25° C. of below 0.2 mbar. In a method for operating an absorption heat pump with an operating circuit comprising an adsorber, an evaporator and a condenser or an evaporator/condenser and an operating medium which is circulated between the adsorber, the evaporator and the condenser, the operating medium is mixed, when running through the operating circuit, within the liquid half-circuit with a liquid functional medium which lowers the vapor pressure, and the operating medium is separated from the functional medium before the transfer into the gaseous half-circuit of the operating circuit.