The present invention provides a device with a combined hybrid mechanical vapour compression-adsorption cycle, particularly to devices used in moisture or temperature control applications which incorporate or embody refrigeration or heat pump cycles, such as for example HVAC applications. In this invention, heat from the adsorption process and/or condensation process of the adsorption cycle is pumped to the desorption process. Thus, this new hybrid combined cycle becomes a partially or fully electricity driven heat pump cycle.

An adsorber includes: a heat-medium pipe through which a heat medium flows; an adsorbent layer having an adsorbent that adsorbs a vapor-phase refrigerant located outside the heat-medium pipe by being cooled by the heat medium, and further desorbs the adsorbed refrigerant by being heated; and a heat-transfer member that transfers heat between the heat-medium pipe and the adsorbent. In the adsorber in which the heat-transfer member and the adsorbent are integrally formed, an adsorbent filling ratio is set at 70% or less when the adsorbent filling ratio is defined as a value obtained by dividing a filling density of the adsorbent filled in the adsorbent layer by a true density abs of particles of the adsorbent. For example, the adsorber may be suitably used for an adsorption refrigerator.

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.

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.

An adsorption refrigerator comprising a first adsorber containing a first adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing a first adsorbent refrigerant, a second adsorber containing a second adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing the first adsorbent refrigerant, a first evaporator capable of evaporating the first adsorbent refrigerant under reduced pressure to cool a first working fluid, a first condenser capable of condensing the first adsorbent refrigerant in gaseous state, a third adsorber containing a third adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing a second adsorbent refrigerant, a fourth adsorber containing a fourth adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing the second adsorbent refrigerant, a second evaporator capable of evaporating the second adsorbent refrigerant under reduced pressure to cool a second working fluid, a second condenser capable of condensing the second adsorbent refrigerant in gaseous state, a first heat exchanger capable of applying heat absorbed from a first heat source to a first heating medium, a second heat exchanger capable of removing and releasing heat from a second heating medium, and a heat recovery path where a third heating medium performs recovery of adsorption heat generated by adsorption-driving of the first adsorber or the second adsorber and performs heat application of regeneration-driving of the third adsorber or the fourth adsorber.

A thermal system may include a vapor compression refrigeration circuit conducting a first refrigerant, an absorption refrigeration circuit conducting a second refrigerant and an absorbent, and a heat exchanger unit. The vapor compression refrigeration circuit may include a first heat rejection heat exchanger, a first heat absorption heat exchanger, a compressor disposed between the first heat absorption heat exchanger and the first heat rejection heat exchanger, and an expansion valve disposed between and connected to the first heat rejection heat exchanger and the first heat absorption heat exchanger. The absorption refrigeration circuit may include a generator, an absorber, a pump disposed between and connected to the absorber and the generator, a throttling valve disposed between and connected to the generator and the absorber, a second heat rejection heat exchanger connected to the generator, and a second heat absorption heat exchanger connected to the absorber. The generator and the first heat rejection heat exchanger may be integrated with one another within the heat exchanger unit such that heat emitted by the first heat rejection heat exchanger is transferred to the generator.

A thermal system may include a vapor compression refrigeration circuit conducting a first refrigerant, an absorption refrigeration circuit conducting a second refrigerant and an absorbent, and a heat exchanger unit. The vapor compression refrigeration circuit may include a first heat rejection heat exchanger, a first heat absorption heat exchanger, a compressor disposed between the first heat absorption heat exchanger and the first heat rejection heat exchanger, and an expansion valve disposed between and connected to the first heat rejection heat exchanger and the first heat absorption heat exchanger. The absorption refrigeration circuit may include a generator, an absorber, a pump disposed between and connected to the absorber and the generator, a throttling valve disposed between and connected to the generator and the absorber, a second heat rejection heat exchanger connected to the generator, and a second heat absorption heat exchanger connected to the absorber. The generator and the first heat rejection heat exchanger may be integrated with one another within the heat exchanger unit such that heat emitted by the first heat rejection heat exchanger is transferred to the generator.

The present invention relates to a triple-effect absorption chilling apparatus adopting a structure of an anti-parallel cycle in which an absorber and a first regenerator are connected in series, a second regenerator and a third regenerator are connected in parallel with the first regenerator, and the solution through the second regenerator and the third regenerator is returned to the absorber. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve efficiency by acquiring a higher coefficient of performance than conventional absorption refrigerators, and to reduce energy consumption.

A self-cleaning metal hydride heat recovery system comprising a thermally insulated housing partitioned into at least two thermally insulated chambers, each chamber enclosing a metal hydride reactor assembly containing a regenerating, high-temperature metal hydride alloy, an ambient air inlet adapted to receive an ambient air stream into the housing to be fed to at least one of the two thermally insulated chambers, a fluid recirculation circuit configured to recirculate an exhaust stream as received from an exhaust source, the fluid recirculation circuit comprises a mixer adapted to mix a portion of a recirculation stream and the exhaust stream to provide a resultant stream, fluid stream switching means coupled to the mixer and adapted to switch flow of the resultant stream and the ambient air stream in a cyclic manner, flow regulating means provided downstream of the metal hydride reactor assemblies, and an exhaust outlet.

A transport refrigeration system (TRS) and method of operating a TRS having a sorption subsystem are disclosed. The TRS includes a refrigeration subsystem and a sorption subsystem. The refrigeration subsystem includes a refrigerant, a compressor, a refrigerant condenser, a refrigerant expansion device, and a refrigerant evaporator in fluid communication such that the refrigerant can flow therethrough. The sorption subsystem includes a heat transfer fluid, a heat source, a boiler, a sorption condenser, a sorption expansion valve, a sorption evaporator, and a pump in fluid communication such that the heat transfer fluid can flow therethrough. The sorption evaporator is in thermal communication with the refrigeration subsystem.