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.

The invention described herein enables a variety of heating, cooling, energy transformation, and energy storage options with a small number or components. Described are Pressure Swing Adsorption and Pressure Swing Desorption cycles, processes, and apparatuses including multiple sorption beds and active energy input by a pump and energy storage as pressure differentials. A preferred embodiment includes two activated carbon sorption beds, water vapor as the adsorbate, control valves, and a compressor or vacuum pump. In operation these components provide a range of heating, cooling, and energy storage options. Operational cycles are described.

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.

Disclosed are systems and methods of rapidly cooling thermal loads by providing a burst mode cooling system for rapid cooling. The burst mode cooling system may include a complex compound sorber configured to rapidly absorb ammonia.

Disclosed are systems and methods of intelligently cooling thermal loads by providing a burst mode cooling system for rapid cooling, and an auxiliary cooling system that controls the temperature of the thermal load and surrounding environment between burst mode cooling cycles.

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 control system is used for controlling the equalization of pressure between absorbing and desorbing reactors. In a first reaction cycle in a desorbing reactor a gaseous reactant is desorbed from a solid sorbent and concurrently in an absorbing reactor the gaseous reactant is absorbed on a solid sorbent. In a second reaction cycle, absorption and desorption are reversed in the reactors and at least a portion of the gaseous reactant desorbed from in the desorbing reactor is transferred to the absorbing reactor in an equalization process under computer control. The computer control may detect the demand on the system and adjust the amount of time for the equalization process to increase the efficiency of the system.

A method of operating a cooling system that has at least one evaporator containing a refrigerant and at least one adsorbent chamber containing adsorbent configured to provide adsorption of vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator in a cooling mode and provide desorption of the refrigerant to the at least one evaporator in a recharging mode, the method including; controlling the adsorption and desorption of the refrigerant of the at least one adsorbent chamber between the cooling modes and recharging modes during a cooling cycle; ceasing desorption of the refrigerant from the at least one adsorbent chamber; allowing adsorption of the vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator; and maintaining the at least one adsorbent chamber in an adsorbed state at the end of the cooling cycle in a storage mode.

A method of operating a cooling system that has at least one evaporator containing a refrigerant and at least one adsorbent chamber containing adsorbent configured to provide adsorption of vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator in a cooling mode and provide desorption of the refrigerant to the at least one evaporator in a recharging mode, the method including; controlling the adsorption and desorption of the refrigerant of the at least one adsorbent chamber between the cooling modes and recharging modes during a cooling cycle; ceasing desorption of the refrigerant from the at least one adsorbent chamber; allowing adsorption of the vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator; and maintaining the at least one adsorbent chamber in an adsorbed state at the end of the cooling cycle in a storage mode.

A heat pump including an evaporator and an adsorber is provided. The adsorber is regenerated by applying heat from a chemical thermal storage reactor, a heat accumulator or an external heat source, at a temperature higher than or equal to a temperature to regenerate the adsorber.