Thermodynamic device and method of producing a thermodynamic device

Abstract

A thermodynamic device includes a first liquid container configured to maintain a first pressure during operation, the first liquid container being partially filled with a working fluid during operation, a second liquid container configured to maintain a second pressure during operation, the second pressure being higher than the first pressure, the second liquid container being partially filled with the working fluid during operation; and a compensation pipe permeable to the working fluid and including an inlet arranged within the second liquid container so as to define, during operation, a working fluid level within the second liquid container, and including an outlet arranged within the first liquid container so that working fluid can be transported from the inlet into the outlet, the inlet being arranged to be higher up than the outlet in the installation direction.

Claims

1. Thermodynamic device comprising: a first liquid container configured to maintain a first pressure during operation of the thermodynamic device, the first liquid container being partially filled with a working fluid in liquid form until a first liquid level during the operation of the thermodynamic device; a second liquid container configured to maintain a second pressure during the operation of the thermodynamic device, the second pressure being higher than the first pressure, the second liquid container being partially filled with the working fluid in the liquid form until a second liquid level during the operation of the thermodynamic device, wherein, above the second liquid level, gas is present in the second liquid container; and a compensation pipe acting as a gravitational throttle and being permeable to the working fluid in the liquid form and comprising an inlet arranged within the second liquid container, wherein the inlet is arranged within the second liquid container so that the inlet defines, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, a maximum working fluid level of the working fluid in the liquid form within the second liquid container, the maximum working fluid level being greater than or equal to the second liquid level, and comprising an outlet arranged within the first liquid container so that the working fluid in the liquid form can be transported from the inlet of the compensation pipe into the outlet of the compensation pipe, wherein the inlet of the compensation pipe is arranged to be higher up than the outlet of the compensation pipe in an installation direction of the thermodynamic device for an intended use of the thermodynamic device, wherein a pipe liquid level of the working fluid in the liquid form within the compensation pipe is, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, lower than the second liquid level, and wherein, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, the gas is present within the compensation pipe between the inlet of the compensation pipe and the pipe liquid level, wherein the compensation pipe comprises a curved portion, the lowest area of the compensation pipe being arranged below the outlet of the compensation pipe during the operation of the thermodynamic device, and wherein the thermodynamic device is configured to forward transport the working fluid from the first liquid container to the second liquid container during the operation of the thermodynamic device and to backward transport the working fluid in the liquid form back from the second liquid container to the first liquid container through the compensation pipe.

2. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, which is configured as a heat pump, the first liquid container being an evaporator, the second liquid container being a liquefier arranged above the evaporator in the installation direction, a compressor being arranged so as to compress working fluid steam and feed compressed working fluid steam into the liquefier so that the compressed working fluid steam will liquefy within the liquefier.

3. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermodynamic device is configured such that a temperature of the working fluid within the second liquid container is higher than a first temperature of the working fluid within the first liquid container, and that the first pressure is such that the working fluid forms, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, a steam barrier at the outlet, wherein the thermodynamic device is configured such that the working fluid evaporates at the outlet during the operation of the thermodynamic device, or wherein the thermodynamic device is configured such that the working fluid exhibits formation of bubbles at the outlet during the operation of the thermodynamic device.

4. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compensation pipe comprises a diameter of 10 cm at the most or a cross-sectional area of 80 cm.sup.2 at the most.

5. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lowest area of the curved portion is arranged below the outlet of the compensation pipe during the operation of the thermodynamic device by a distance, wherein a length of the distance is determined such that the pipe liquid level does not reach the lowest area of the curved portion in an event of a maximum pressure difference between the second pressure and the first pressure.

6. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lowest area of the curved portion is arranged, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, at the most 2 meters below the outlet.

7. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the working fluid is water and a specified maximum pressure difference between the second pressure and the first pressure is 200 mbar.

8. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermodynamic device is configured as a heat pump, wherein the first liquid container is an evaporator of the heat pump, the evaporator being configured for evaporating working fluid in the liquid form to obtain working fluid steam, wherein the second liquid container is a liquefier of the heat pump, the liquefier being arranged above the evaporator in the installation direction, wherein a compressor is arranged so as to compress the working fluid steam and feed compressed working fluid steam into the liquefier so that the compressed working fluid steam will liquefy within the liquefier, wherein the feeding the compressed working fluid steam represents the forward transport of the working fluid in steam form, and wherein the compensation pipe is the only liquid communication element allowing a communication for the working fluid in the liquid form between the evaporator of the heat pump and the liquefier of the heat pump, so as to achieve the backward transport of the working fluid in the liquid form.

9. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compensation pipe is configured as a continuous hose with a constant cross-section across the entire length.

10. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first liquid container comprises a first liquid container bottom, the outlet being arranged on the first liquid container bottom, and a liquid level being arranged above the outlet during the operation of the thermodynamic device.

11. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curved portion of the compensation pipe is configured to be U-shaped, the outlet being arranged at an end of the curved portion, and a linear length of pipe being arranged between the inlet and the other end of the curved portion so as to connect the other end of the curved portion to the inlet.

12. Thermodynamic device as claimed claim 1, wherein the second liquid container comprises a bottom, the compensation pipe extending through the bottom into the second liquid container and protruding from the bottom of the second liquid container into the second liquid container by a length, the length defining the working fluid level within the second liquid container.

13. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lowest area of the curved portion is arranged at least 5 cm below the outlet during the operation of the thermodynamic device.

14. Thermodynamic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pipe liquid level within the compensation pipe is, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, lower than the first liquid level.

15. Method of producing a thermodynamic device, comprising: connecting a first liquid container configured to maintain a first pressure during operation of the thermodynamic device, the first liquid container being partially filled with a working fluid in liquid form until a first liquid level during the operation of the thermodynamic device, to a second liquid container configured to maintain a second pressure during the operation of the thermodynamic device, the second pressure being higher than the first pressure, the second liquid container being partially filled with the working fluid in the liquid form until a second liquid level during the operation of the thermodynamic device, wherein, above the second liquid level, gas is present in the second liquid container, by means of a compensation pipe acting as a gravitational throttle and being permeable to the working fluid in the liquid form and comprising an inlet arranged within the second liquid container, wherein the inlet is arranged within the second liquid container so that the inlet defines, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, a maximum working fluid level of the working fluid in the liquid form within the second liquid container, the maximum working fluid level being greater than or equal to the second liquid level, and comprising an outlet arranged within the first liquid container so that working fluid in the liquid form can be transported from the inlet of the compensation pipe into the outlet of the compensation pipe, wherein the inlet of the compensation pipe is arranged to be higher up than the outlet of the compensation pipe in an installation direction of the thermodynamic device for an intended use of the thermodynamic device, wherein a pipe liquid level of the working fluid in the liquid form within the compensation pipe is, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, lower than the second liquid level, and wherein, during the operation of the thermodynamic device, the gas is present within the compensation pipe between the inlet of the compensation pipe and the pipe liquid level, wherein the compensation pipe comprises a curved portion, the lowest area of the curved portion being arranged below the outlet of the compensation pipe during the operation of the thermodynamic device, and wherein the thermodynamic device is configured to forward transport the working fluid from the first liquid container to the second liquid container during the operation of the thermodynamic device and to backward transport the working fluid in the liquid form from the second liquid container to the first liquid container through the compensation pipe.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequently referring to the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a thermodynamic device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIGS. 2a, 2b show communicating pipes with identical pressure and different pressures;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a heat pump as an embodiment of the thermodynamic device; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of the compensation pipe with liquid containers with the additional pressure barrier close to the outlet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a thermodynamic device comprising a first liquid container 100 configured to maintain a first pressure p.sub.1 during operation, the first liquid container 100 being partially filled with a working fluid 110 during operation. In particular, a liquid level 115 is schematically shown in FIG. 1. Below the liquid level 115, there is the working fluid 110, and above the liquid level 115, there are air, evaporated working fluid, vacuum or the like, i.e. there is a gas compartment 120.

(7) In addition, the thermodynamic device includes a second liquid container 200, which in turn comprises a working fluid level 215, below which the working fluid, designated by 210, is located within the second liquid container, the second liquid container having a gas compartment 220 located above it which may include air or evaporated working fluid and the pressure p.sub.2 of which is higher than the first pressure p.sub.1 present within the first liquid container 100. Thus, just like the first liquid container, the second liquid container is partially filled with working fluid 210 during operation.

(8) In addition, a compensation pipe 300 permeable to the working fluid is provided which comprises an inlet 310 arranged within the second liquid container 200 so as to define, during operation, the working fluid level 215 within the second liquid container. In addition, the compensation pipe includes an outlet 320 arranged within the first liquid container 100, so that working fluid can be transported from the inlet 310 into the outlet 320. Moreover, as is shown in FIG. 1, the inlet 310 is arranged to be higher up than the outlet 320 in the installation direction of the thermodynamic device. Furthermore, the compensation pipe includes a curved portion 330, the lowest area of which is arranged, during operation, below the outlet 320 in the installation direction. Depending on the embodiment, the distance of the lowest area from the outlet, i.e. the location where the outlet enters into the first liquid container, and/or from the bottom of the first liquid container, is at least 2 and advantageously at least 5 cm. Depending on the implementation, the maximum height of the curved portion is up to 2 m, however it is not larger than is predefined by the specified maximum pressure difference between the first liquid container and the second liquid container. If the working fluid is water, for example, and if the maximum pressure difference is 200 mbar, such as in a typical water-operated heat pump, for example, as is described in EP 2 016 349 B1, the height of the curved portion, i.e. the difference between the lowest area of the curved portion and the bottom of the first liquid container, will be 2 m. The height will not be larger than 2 m, but it may be smaller than 2 m, as will be set forth below, specifically on account of the additional steam barrier, as will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

(9) In an embodiment of the present invention, the thermodynamic device represented with a forward transport means 400 in FIG. 1 is configured as a heat pump. Then, the forward transport means 400 of FIG. 1 is configured as a compressor C 410 of a heat pump, as is represented in FIG. 3 or described in EP 2 016 349 B1. It shall be explicitly pointed out that in an embodiment, the inventive heat pump may be configured, except for the inventive features, precisely as it is described in EP 2 016 349 B1, said document being explicitly included into the present specification in its entirety by reference. The first liquid container 100 is configured as an evaporator 150, and the second liquid container is configured as a liquefier 250.

(10) During operation, there are specific pressure and temperature conditions present within the heat pump. In particular, the pressure p.sub.1 present within the evaporator is lower than the pressure p.sub.2 present within the liquefier. In addition, the temperature T2 within the liquefier is higher than the temperature T1 within the evaporator. Working fluid to be cooled is fed into the evaporator via an evaporator intake 160, and cooled-down working fluid is carried off via an evaporator drain 170. If the heat pump is used for cooling, the cooled working fluid carried off via the drain 170 is used for cooling, such as for cooling computers or other electric or electronic devices, for example.

(11) In addition, the liquefier, too, includes an intake 260 and a drain 270. If the heat pump is used for heating, for example, the drain 270 represents the supply into the heating system of a building, whereas the backflow element 260, wherein cooled-down working fluid is supplied into the liquefier 250 once again, represents the backflow of the heating system. In particular, the evaporator includes a widening unit 180 for efficiently evaporating working fluid. The working fluid steam 190 is then sucked in and compressed by the compressor 410 by means of a specific suction device 195 and is introduced, as the compressed working fluid steam 260, into the liquefier volume via a specific steam detour assembly 272 so as to condense with the working fluid within the liquefier, the liquid level of which is designated by 215. The liquid level 215, in turn, defines the inlet of the compensation pipe 300, of which, again, the curved portion 330 is shown in FIG. 3.

(12) The inlet 310 is configured as a pipe protruding from a bottom 280 of the liquefier since then the height of the protrusion of the inlet from the bottom 280 defines the liquid level 215 within the liquefier, i.e. within the second liquid container of FIG. 1.

(13) Due to the different pressure ratios that exist within both liquid containers, different heights of the liquid levels form within the compensation pipe in terms of communicating pipes, as is shown in FIG. 2b. By contrast, FIG. 2a shows the comparative case wherein the liquid levels in both branches of the communicating pipes, i.e. in both ends of a U-shaped compensation pipe, are equally high. By contrast, if on one side of the communicating pipe there is a higher pressure than on the other side, the liquid level will be lowered on that side having the higher pressure, the amount of the reduction being proportional to the pressure difference p. From that point of view, the maximum height H is defined such that both liquid levels in both portions of the U-shaped compensation pipe may be made to differ without the level on the left-hand side in FIG. 2b reaching the tip of the curved portion; in this case, there would be no more reliable pressure seal or pressure barrier between the two liquid containers having different pressures. As was already set forth, the maximum height H.sub.max amounts to two meters for a maximum pressure difference of 200 mbar when water is used as the working fluid. When other liquids are used as the working fluid, as are common in heat engines/refrigerating machines and are known to persons skilled in the art, the different heights and the differential pressures will vary.

(14) Moreover, FIG. 3 shows different tendencies of heat pump operation. When the temperature difference, i.e. the difference between the temperatures present within the liquefier 250 and within the evaporator, increases, i.e. when the heat pump has to provide more power, specifically because of increased refrigerating or heating requirements, the rotational speed of the compressor C, which is configured as a turbo compressor having a radial impeller, is increased. The compressor C, or the radial impeller of the compressor, rotates faster. As a result, more steam volume is sucked in and is transported forward from the evaporator into the liquefier. In order to maintain the defined liquid level within the liquefier, it is therefore also necessitated to transport more working fluid from the liquefier back to the evaporator through the compensation pipe 330. This takes place automatically without necessitating specific control, which is specifically due to the compensation pipe, which acts as a gravitational, self-regulating throttle. However, if the temperature and/or the power requirement placed upon the heat pump decreases again, less working fluid is transported forward, and the compensation pipe will then transport less working fluid back into the evaporator. This process, too, takes place fully automatically without any further control or intervention.

(15) FIG. 3 further shows another advantageous effect of the inventive compensation pipe, which is connected, at its discharge point, to the evaporator without any specific throttle. Due to the fact that the warm working fluid is directly fed into the cold evaporator, the warm working fluid causes a tendency toward nucleate boiling where it enters into the cold evaporator with low pressure, i.e. in the vicinity of the outlet 320. Thus, the evaporator working fluid is additionally evaporated due to the effect, which is positive in terms of evaporation, of the outlet 320, as is schematically depicted by further steam 198, which for the operation of the heat pump obviously has the same effect as the working fluid steam 190 generated by the normal evaporation process.

(16) With reference to FIG. 4, the pressure barrier shall be addressed in more detail below, which results for warm working fluid, such as water, for example, due to the expansion of the warm working fluid for evaporation and/or due to the tendency toward a formation of bubbles. Said pressure barrier is schematically depicted at 199 in FIG. 4.

(17) In the area of the outlet 320, around which the pressure barrier 199 forms, there is therefore an additional pressure drop from the high-pressure area p.sub.2 to the low-pressure area p.sub.1. This results in that a height difference 340, which would predominate if there were no pressure barrier, decreases to a height difference 350. Thus, the pressure barrier 199 already accommodates a pressure difference which corresponds to the difference 360 of the height differences 340 and 350. This advantageous phenomenon, which becomes more and more pronounced, in particular, the larger the temperature difference between the warm temperature T.sub.2 and the cold temperature T.sub.1, is advantageously exploited, in accordance with the invention, for reducing the height of the curved portion 330 from the maximum height by 50% or 80%, as is depicted in FIG. 2b, for example, as a function of the implementation, so that, in order to ensure reliable pressure sealing between the two liquid containers, it is already sufficient to arrange the lowest area of the curved portion only slightly, e.g. 2 cm, and with a certain clearance, at least 5 cm below the outlet during operation. Thus, the installation height of the thermodynamic device, for example of a heat pump, is reduced by up to 2 m, which results in a considerable reduction in the size of the assembly and, consequently, to a considerably increased market acceptance.

(18) The compensation pipe 300 exhibits a diameter of a maximum of 10 cm or a cross-sectional area of a maximum of 80 cm.sup.2. On the other hand, the diameter of the compensation pipe is at least 1 cm, and the cross-sectional area is at least 0.8 cm.sup.2.

(19) The lowest area of the curved portion is arranged below the outlet by a maximum distance H.sub.max, the maximum distance H.sub.max being determined by a maximum pressure difference between the second pressure and the first pressure. Apart from a forward transport means 400, which may be of any type desired, of FIG. 1, the compensation pipe is the only liquid communication element between the first liquid container and the second liquid container, so that the entire backflow takes place via the compensation pipe, the compensation pipe comprising no controllable throttle or no controllable valve, but possibly being configured as a simple pipe or as a simple hose even with a constant diameter across the entire length.

(20) As is shown in FIG. 3, the outlet 320 is mounted on a container bottom 191 of the first liquid container. The curved portion 330 of the compensation pipe 300 is further configured as a U-shape, the outlet 320 being arranged at an end of the curved portion. A linear length of pipe 395 is arranged between the inlet 310 and the other end of the curved portion, which in FIG. 3 is designated by 390.

(21) As has already been illustrated, the second liquid container 250 is further provided with a bottom 280 from which the compensation pipe protrudes by a length 396, which defines the maximum liquid level within the liquefier 250. Alternatively, however, the inlet 310 might also be arranged laterally at that height of the liquid container which defines the liquid level within the second liquid container.

(22) In a method of producing the thermodynamic device, a compensation pipe is connected with its inlet to the first liquid container and with its outlet to the second liquid container, so that the working fluid level within the second liquid container is defined by the arrangement of the inlet within the second liquid container.

(23) The present invention provides an efficient, low-cost and low-maintenance thermodynamic device.

(24) While this invention has been described in terms of several advantageous embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and compositions of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.