SORPTION HEAT EXCHANGER MODULE

Abstract

A sorption heat exchanger module may include a liquid and gas-tight housing with a sorption zone and with a receiving zone, through which a working fluid may flow. The working fluid may be able to be sorped or desorped in the sorption zone in a sorbent and evaporated or condensed in the receiving zone on a receiver. An outlet path with a displacement space and with an outlet passage leading out of the displacement space may be connected to the receiving zone downstream, so that a gas separated from the working fluid may be able to be collected in the displacement space and via the outlet passage conducted out of the displacement space.

Claims

1. A sorption heat exchanger module, comprising: a liquid and gas-tight housing with a sorption zone and with a receiving zone, through which a working fluid is flowable; wherein the working fluid is able to be sorped or desorped in the sorption zone in a sorbent and evaporated or condensed in the receiving zone on a receiver; and wherein an outlet path with a displacement space and with an outlet passage leading out of the displacement space is connected to the receiving zone downstream, so that a gas separated from the working fluid is able to be collected in the displacement space and via the outlet passage conducted out of the displacement space.

2. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein the receiver of the receiving zone is formed through a condensation structure or through a sorption material.

3. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein a free-standing outer surface of the receiver for the condensing is orientated in a flow passage parallel to a flow direction of the working fluid, so that during the condensing of the working fluid on the receiver, no gas cushion is able to be formed on the outer surface of the receiver.

4. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein the displacement space is separated from the receiving zone by a convection barrier wall, so that the separated gas in the displacement space is not convectively influenced through the flowing of the working fluid on the convection barrier wall outside the displacement space.

5. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: in the outlet path, a non-return valve is arranged last downstream, so that with a pressure differential on the non-return valve the separated gas is able to be conducted out of the outlet path to the outside and no ambient gas is able to enter the outlet path; and the outlet path is closed off to the outside in a liquid and gas-tight manner by a closure, so that the outlet path is only able to be opened towards the outside as part of the service and the separated gas drained.

6. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein in the outlet path a temperature sensor is arranged, so that during the draining of the separated gas a temperature change between the through-flowing gas and the through-flowing working fluid is able to be detected and the draining of the separated gas interrupted.

7. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein the outlet passage out of the displacement space leads directly to the outside and with an orientation of the sorption heat exchanger module suitable for the operation upwards from the displacement space.

8. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein in the outlet path the displacement space forms a primary gas collection space for storing the separated gas.

9. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein in the outlet path a secondary gas collection space for storing the separated gas is connected to the outlet passage downstream, wherein with an orientation of the sorption heat exchanger module to suit the operation, the outlet passage fluidically leads at the lowermost point of the secondary gas collection space into the gas collection space.

10. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 9, characterized wherein: the outlet passage is a throttling tube, so that the flow rate of the separated gas out of the displacement space into the secondary gas collection space is able to be limited; or in the outlet passage a non-return valve is arranged, so that a return flow of the separated gas out of the secondary gas collection space into the displacement space is able to be limited.

11. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 9, wherein in the outlet path an outer passage is provided, which leads out of the secondary gas collection space to the outside, wherein with the orientation of the sorption heat exchanger module suitable for the operation, the outer passage fluidically leads in the uppermost point of the secondary gas collection space into the same and out of the secondary gas collection space upwards.

12. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein in the outlet path a cooler is provided, so that portions of the working fluid contained in the separated gas are able to be condensed in the outlet path and separated from the separated gas.

13. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, characterized wherein at least one of: in the outlet path a thermal or catalytic converter is arranged, so that portions of the working fluid contained in the separated gas are able to be chemically converted into decomposition products; and in the outlet path an exchangeable adsorbent cartridge is arranged, so that portions of the working fluid contained in the separated gas are able to be collected.

14. A method for draining a gas admixed to a working fluid in a sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 1, wherein: determining, via a control unit of the sorption heat exchanger module, check values, which are connected to a performance of the sorption heat exchanger module; determining, via the control unit, by way of the determined check values, through at least one of a calculation and a comparison, a performance loss or no performance loss of the sorption heat exchanger module; following the determination of the performance loss, starting, via the control unit, a venting cycle for draining the gas admixed to the working fluid; wherein in the venting cycle in a first part process the working fluid out of the receiver of the receiving zone is evaporated and sorped in the sorbent of the sorption zone; wherein in the venting cycle in a second part process, the working fluid is desorped out of the sorbent of the sorption zone received in the receiving zone by condensing and the admixed gas separated in the outlet path; and wherein in the venting cycle in the second part process, the internal pressure in the sorption heat exchanger module is simultaneously increased and the separated gas drained out of the sorption heat exchanger module via the outlet path.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: in the first part process the receiving zone of the sorption heat exchanger module is irregularly supplied with a heat exchanger of a re-cooling circuit; and in the second part process a circulating of a heat exchanger of a re-cooling circuit in the receiving zone is stopped so that the discharge of the condensation heat out of the receiving zone is prevented, thereby bringing the internal pressure in the sorption heat exchanger module above the ambient pressure.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second part process is conducted exactly just as long as a regular sorption or condensation process in the sorption heat exchanger module.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein: the second part process is stopped as soon as the control unit determines a temperature increase in the outlet path by way of a temperature sensor arranged in the outlet path; or the second part process is stopped in a time-controlled manner.

18. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 4, wherein the convection barrier wall is a perforated grid, a perforated plate, a sinter plate or a membrane.

19. The sorption heat exchanger module according to claim 5, wherein the closure is a cap or a plug arranged last downstream in the outlet path.

20. A sorption heat exchanger module, comprising: a liquid and gas-tight housing with a sorption zone and with a receiving zone, through which a working fluid is flowable; wherein the working fluid is able to be sorped or desorped in the sorption zone in a sorbent and evaporated or condensed in the receiving zone on a receiver; and wherein an outlet path with a displacement space and with an outlet passage leading out of the displacement space is connected to the receiving zone downstream, so that a gas separated from the working fluid is able to be collected in the displacement space and via the outlet passage conducted out of the displacement space; wherein one of: in the outlet path the displacement space forms a primary gas collection space for storing the separated gas; or in the outlet path a secondary gas collection space for storing the separated gas is connected to the outlet passage downstream, wherein with an orientation of the sorption heat exchanger module to suit the operation, the outlet passage fluidically leads at the lowermost point of the secondary gas collection space into the gas collection space.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] It shows, in each case schematically

[0030] FIG. 1 is a part view of a sorption heat exchanger module according to the invention in a first embodiment;

[0031] FIG. 2 is a part view of the sorption heat exchanger module according to the invention in a second embodiment;

[0032] FIG. 3 is a part view of the sorption heat exchanger module according to the invention in a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a part view of a sorption heat exchanger module 1 according to the invention in a first embodiment. The sorption heat exchanger module 1 comprises a liquid and gas-tight housing 2 having a receiving zone 3 having a receiving means 4 and having a sorption zonenot shown here. The sorption zone and the receiving zone 3 can be flowed through by a working fluid 5. The working fluid 5 can be sorped or desorped in the sorption zone and evaporated or condensed in the receiving zone 3 on the receiving means 4. In the sorption heat exchanger module 1 according to the invention, an outlet path 8 with a displacement space 9 and with an outlet passage 10 leading out of the displacement space 9 is connected to the receiving zone 3 downstream. In the first embodiment of the sorption heat exchanger module 1, the outlet passage 10 leads directly to the outside. A free-standing outer surface 11 of the receiving means 4 for the condensing or evaporating is orientated in a flow passage 12 parallel to the flow direction 22 of the working fluid 5.

[0034] During the condensing of the working fluid 5 in the receiving means 4, the working fluid 5 flows past the outer surface 11 parallel or tangentially. Because of this, the gas admixed to the working fluid 5 cannot settle on the outer surface 11 of the receiving means 4. Because of this, the working fluid during the condensing can be received unhindered in the receiving means 4 and retained as indicated by arrows. Consequently, the receiving zone 3 forms a substance sink for the working fluid 5. In the process, a separating of the admixed gas from the working fluid 5 occurs on the receiving means 4, which is then removed from the outer surface 11 of the receiving means 4 in the flow direction 22 of the working fluid 5. Through the condensing of the working fluid 5, the admixed gas is concentrated along the receiving zone 3 in the flow direction 22 of the working fluid 5 and enters the displacement space 9 downstream of the receiving zone 3 almost free of working fluid. Because of this, the admixed gas is extracted from the circuit of the working fluid 5 and no longer negatively affects the performance of the sorption heat exchanger module 1.

[0035] In order to hold the already separated gas in the displacement space 9, the same is separated from the receiving zone 3 and from the flow passage 12 by a convection barrier wall 13. The convection barrier wall 13 can be a perforated grid, a perforated plate, a sinter plate or a membrane and comprises multiple openings 14. The openings 14 are so small that exclusively a slow and laminar transport of the admixed gas through the convection barrier wall 13 is possible. Because of this, the already separated gas in the displacement space 9 is not convectively influenced by the working fluid 5 flowing into the flow passage 12 and remains securely retained in the displacement space 9 over multiple phase changes of the working fluid 5. Here, the displacement space 9 consequently forms a primary gas collection space. Here, the volume of the displacement space 9 is designed in such a manner that the complete quantity of the admixed gas can be received in the same.

[0036] By way of the outlet passage 10, the already separated gas can be conducted out of the displacement space 9 to the outside when required. In order to reduce the loss of the working fluid 5 during the draining out of the sorption heat exchanger module 1, a non-return valve 15 is arranged last downstream in the outlet passage 10. At a pressure differential in the outlet path 8 the non-return valve 15 opens and the admixed gas can be conducted out of the displacement space 9. Furthermore, a cooling device 16here a bloweris arranged in the outlet passage 10. Through the cooling device 16, portions of the working fluid 5 contained in the separated gas can be condensed in the outlet passage 10 and separated from the separated gas. Following this, the same can be returned into the flow passage 12. A temperature sensor 17, furthermore, monitors the temperature change in the outlet path 8 during the draining of the admixed gas. At a temperature increase, which correlates to a high vapour portion of the working fluid 5, the outlet path 8 can be closed. Because of this, the loss of the working fluid 5 can be reduced. Draining the admixed gas can take place as part of the service during which the outlet path 8 is opened to the outside. When the separated gas is not environmentally harmful, the same can be conducted to the outside if required even outside the service.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a part view of the sorption heat exchanger module 1 according to the invention in a second embodiment. Here, a secondary gas collection space 18 for storing the separated gas is connected to the outlet passage 10 downstream. Here, the outlet passage 10 fluidically opens at the lowermost point of the secondary gas collection space 18 into the same. Here, the outlet passage 10 is a throttling tube 19 which limits the flow rate of the separated gas out of the displacement space 9 into the secondary gas collection space 18. The gas collected in the secondary gas collection space 18 can be conducted to the outside as part of the service via an outer passage 20, which at an uppermost point of the gas collection space 18 fluidically opens into the same and leads to the outside. In the outer passage 20, the non-return valve 15 is arranged and the outer passage 20 is closed in a liquid and gas-tight manner through a closure unit 21 arranged downstream after the non-return valve 15. As part of the service, the closure unit 21 can then be opened and the gas stored in the secondary gas collection space 18 conducted out of the sorption heat exchanger module to the outside. In principle, the non-return valve 15 is not necessarily required with the second embodiment of the sorption heat exchanger module 1.

[0038] FIG. 3 now shows a part view of the sorption heat exchanger module 1 according to the invention in a third embodiment. Here, the secondary gas collection space 18 is designed in the form of a pressure storage unit. In the outlet passage 10, a further non-return valve 23 is arranged for this purpose, which separates the displacement space 9 from the secondary gas collection space 18. Otherwise, the sorption heat exchanger module 1 here corresponds to the sorption heat exchanger module 1 in the second embodiment.

[0039] It is to be understood that the first embodiment, the second embodiment and the third embodiment of the sorption heat exchanger module 1 are only exemplary and that further forms of the sorption heat exchanger module 1 are also conceivable. Both in FIG. 1 and also in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 the sorption heat exchanger module 1 is located in an orientation to suit the operation.