METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INPUTTING THERMAL ENERGY INTO AND REMOVING THERMAL ENERGY FROM A BODY OF WATER

Abstract

A device for transferring heat between a body of water and the surrounding atmosphere includes a water heat exchanger disposed to lie beneath an air heat exchanger. A fan moves ambient air into and through the air heat exchanger, which includes pipes for circulating water from the body of water through the air heat exchanger. The air heat exchanger includes a partition that separates the water flowing through the air heat exchanger from the ambient air flowing through the air heat exchanger. The partition mediates the transfer of heat energy between the ambient air flowing through the air heat exchanger and the water flowing through the air heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A device for introducing heat energy into a body of water and for extracting heat energy from the body of water, wherein the device comprises: a main body defining a hollow space, and therefore the device floats when placed in the body of water, a water heat exchanger carried by the main body at one end thereof of the water heat exchanger and defining a discharge at an opposite end of the water heat exchanger and configured for conveying a heat transfer fluid, and therefore the heat transfer fluid can flow through the water heat exchanger and in doing so give off heat energy to the body of water or extract heat energy from the body of water, an air heat exchanger carried by the main body and including an air inlet for taking in ambient air and an air outlet for discharging the ambient air previously having entered the air heat exchanger through the air inlet, a fan carried by the main body and disposed and configured for displacing ambient air through the air inlet into the air heat exchanger and then through the air heat exchanger, wherein the air heat exchanger further comprises an inlet for the water originating from the body of water and an outlet for the water fed in via the inlet, and therefore water from the body of water can flow through the air heat exchanger and then exit the air heat exchanger, and wherein the air heat exchanger comprises at least one partition formed of material that readily conducts heat energy and configured and disposed to separate the water flowing through the air heat exchanger from the ambient air flowing through the air heat exchanger and via which the heat energy can be transferred between the ambient air flowing through the air heat exchanger and the water flowing through the air heat exchanger.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main body is substantially made of concrete.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the water heat exchanger is immersed into the body of water below the main body of the device when the device is used as intended.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the water heat exchanger comprises at least one tube section through which the heat transfer fluid can flow and which is immersed in the body of water at least in sections when the device is used as intended.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a protective wall which is carried by the main body and configured and disposed to be immersed into the body of water and laterally protecting a section of the heat exchanger immersed into the body of water.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a plurality of projecting sections configured and disposed for protruding from the body of water when the device is used as intended, wherein the fan is disposed in the region of one of the projecting sections.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fan is disposed in the region of the air inlet or of the air outlet of the air heat exchanger.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a plurality of projecting sections protruding from the body of water when the device is used as intended and laterally delimit a volume of the body of water just below the surface of the body of water.

9. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a cover section that extends between the projecting sections and is below the water surface of the body of water when the device is used as intended and is at least partially visible from above.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the outlet of the air heat exchanger extends in the region of the cover section and therefore water exiting the air heat exchanger via the outlet can flow across the cover section back into the body of water.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the cover section together with the projecting sections protruding from the body of water, forms a basin delimited at the bottom and at least in sections at the sides.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the water heat exchanger includes an intake for a heat transfer fluid and a discharge for the heat transfer fluid, wherein the water heat exchanger extends into the cover section and the basin, and therefore heat energy can be transferred between the heat transfer fluid and the water present in the basin.

13. A system for introducing heat energy into a body of water and for extracting heat energy from the body of water, the system comprising: a device according to claim 1 disposed floating in a body of water, a heat pump disposed outside of the body of water, and a pipe system with the aid of which the heat pump is connected to the device.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of devices according to claim 1, wherein one of the air heat exchangers is connected to one of the water heat exchangers to form a unit.

15. A method for heating a structure having a heating circuit by means of a device according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps: introducing the device into a body of water, connecting the device to a heat pump present on land, operating the fan at least intermittently for displacing ambient air through the air heat exchanger, displacing water originating from the body of water through the air heat exchanger at least intermittently, wherein heat energy is transferred from the ambient air flowing through the air heat exchanger into the water flowing through the air heat exchanger and heats up the water, and therefore the heat energy originating from the ambient air is temporarily stored in the body of water, and displacing a heat transfer fluid at least intermittently from the heat pump through the water heat exchanger and back to the heat pump, wherein heat energy from the water originating from the body of water is transferred to the heat transfer fluid in the region of the device and then transferred with the aid of the heat pump from the heat transfer fluid to a heating circuit of the structure in order to heat up the same.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein operating the fan, displacing the water originating from the body of water through the air heat exchanger, and displacing the heat transfer fluid through the water heat exchanger occur as a function of the heating demand of the structure and of the temperature of the ambient air and of the temperature of the body of water.

17. A method for cooling a structure having a cooling circuit by means of a device according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps: introducing the device into a body of water, connecting the device to a cooling circuit of the structure located on land, operating the fan at least intermittently for displacing ambient air through the air heat exchanger, displacing water originating from the body of water through the air heat exchanger at least intermittently, wherein heat energy is transferred from the water flowing through the air heat exchanger into the ambient air flowing through the air heat exchanger, and therefore the water cools off, and displacing a heat transfer fluid at least intermittently from the cooling circuit through the water heat exchanger, wherein heat energy is transferred from the heat transfer fluid flowing through the water heat exchanger into the water originating from the body of water in the region of the device, and therefore the heat transfer fluid cools off in the region of the device, returning the cooled heat transfer fluid to the cooling circuit of the structure for cooling the structure.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein operating the fan, displacing water originating from the body of water through the air heat exchanger, and displacing the heat transfer fluid through the water heat exchanger occur as a function of the cooling demand of the structure and of the temperature of the ambient air and of the temperature of the body of water.

19. A device for transferring heat between a body of water and the surrounding atmosphere, comprising: a main body defining an exterior surface and an interior surface, which defines a hollow space so that the device floats when placed in the body of water; a water heat exchanger carried by the main body; an air heat exchanger carried by the main body and disposed at least partially in the hollow space and including a tube section having pipes for circulating water from the body of water through the air heat exchanger; and a fan carried by the main body and configured and disposed to move ambient air into and through the air heat exchanger; and wherein the pipes are configured and disposed to mediate the transfer of heat energy between the ambient air flowing through the air heat exchanger and the water flowing through the air heat exchanger.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Further advantages of the invention are described in the following exemplary embodiments. Schematically:

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a representation of a system according to the invention,

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention,

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a sectional representation of the device shown in FIG. 2 along the dashed line in FIG. 2 and with a view from the bottom right to the upper left (based on FIG. 2),

[0048] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a device according to the invention, and

[0049] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of the device shown in FIG. 4 along a plane extending vertically through the air outlets shown on the left and the right and based on the alignment of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a system according to the invention, which is used for introducing heat energy into or extracting heat energy from a body of water 2.

[0051] The body of water 2 is, in principle, a standing, preferably artificial body of water 2, such as a reservoir which can be connected to one or multiple wind turbine towers via an incoming line 20 and an outgoing line 21, with the aid of which water 25 can be pumped into the body of water 2 or out of the body of water, and therefore the body of water 2 can be utilized as a pumped-storage lake.

[0052] The device 1 utilized according to the invention is designed, in principle, to float, and therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the device is located only partially under water 25 (the water level is indicated by reference sign 24).

[0053] Furthermore, the device 1 is connected to a pipe system 16 (which preferably comprises at least two pipes) which, in turn, is connected to a heat pump 15 of a structure 17, for example, an office or apartment building, located on the land 22. The heat pump 15, in turn, can be connected to a heating circuit 18 and/or a cooling circuit 19, via which the structure 17 can be finally supplied with heat energy or can be cooled.

[0054] The device 1 itself will now be explained in greater detail with reference to FIG. 2 (perspective) and FIG. 3 (section along the dashed line in FIG. 2);

[0055] In principle, the device 1 comprises a main body 31 which is made, preferably entirely or in part, of concrete and delimits a hollow space 3 in order to provide the device 1 with the necessary buoyancy in the water 25 of the body of water 32.

[0056] Extending within the hollow space 3 is an air heat exchanger 7 which preferably comprises one or multiple heat exchanger tubes 32, through which water 25 of the body of water 2 can flow. For this purpose, the air heat exchanger 7 comprises an inlet 11 which is connected to a line 28 which is only incompletely represented and, in turn, is connected to a pump, with the aid of which water 25 can be pumped from the body of water 2 into the water heat exchanger 4. The water 25 flows through the heat exchanger tubes 32 and finally exits the water heat exchanger 4 via an outlet 12. The outlet 12 is preferably located in the region of a cover section 26 of the device 1, which faces upward and preferably extends below the water level 24, and therefore the exiting water 25 can be additionally heated with the aid of sunlight.

[0057] The main heat input into the body of water 2 takes place via the air heat exchanger 7, however, the fan 10 of which draws in ambient air via an air inlet 8 and conducts the air into the hollow space 3 during the operation of the device 1. In the hollow space 3, the air comes into contact with the outer wall of the heat exchanger tubes 32 acting as a partition 13, and therefore heat energy from the ambient air can be transferred to the water 25 flowing through the heat exchanger tubes 32. The body of water 2 is heated as a result (reference is made to the description provided above with respect to the second possible use of the device 1, in which the body of water 2 is cooled by giving off heat energy to the ambient air).

[0058] Finally, the cooled ambient air exits the device 1 via an air outlet 9, wherein the air inlet 8 and the air outlet 9 should be located in the region of a section 27 of the device 1 protruding from the water 25.

[0059] While the air heat exchanger 7 is utilized, in the described case, for introducing heat energy from the surroundings into the body of water 2, the water heat exchanger 4, which is also represented, is utilized for extracting heat energy from the body of water 2 in order to conduct the heat energy to the building (in the opposite application, which is not explicitly described here, the air heat exchanger 7 is utilized for cooling the body of water 2 and the water heat exchanger 4 is utilized for introducing heat energy into the body of water 2).

[0060] The water heat exchanger 4 comprises one or multiple tube sections 29 which are immersed, entirely or partially, into the water 25 of the body of water 2. The water heat exchanger 4 also comprises an intake 5, via which a heat transfer fluid (for example, glycol) can be pumped from the heat pump 15 via the pipe system 16 into the water heat exchanger 4. The heat transfer fluid flows through the tube sections 29 and returns, via an outlet 6, into the pipe system 16 and, finally, back to the heat pump 15. If the heat transfer fluid flowing in via the intake 5 has a temperature which is lower than the temperature of the water 25 surrounding the tube sections 29, heat energy from the water 25 is transferred to the heat transfer fluid and can finally be utilized for heating the structure 17 via the heat pump 15. At the same time, the water 25 in the body of water 2 cools down, wherein, depending on the starting temperature of the body of water 2 and the temperature of the heat transfer fluid, this can even result in the water 25 surrounding the tube sections 29 freezing.

[0061] As is also finally clear from FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 1 can comprise a second water heat exchanger 4, through which a heat transfer fluid can also flow and which extends, for example, through upwardly protruding ribs 23 of the cover section 26 (several ribs 23 can be provided, of course).

[0062] This second water heat exchanger 4 is therefore located in a region, in which it can extract heat energy from the water 25 of the body of water 2 located above the cover section 26. In this case, the cover section 26, together with the sections 27 of the device 1 protruding from the water, forms a type of basin 14 which at least partially delimits a volume of water.

[0063] If heat energy is extracted from this water 25 via the second water heat exchanger 4, this volume of water can freeze rapidly, depending on the particular conditions, and therefore, due to the phase transition, a particularly large amount of heat energy per volume of water 25 can be extracted.

[0064] A second possible embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 (perspective) and FIG. 5 (section through the left and the right air outlets 9 in FIG. 4).

[0065] In contrast to the embodiment shown in the previous figures, the main body 31 of the device 1 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is designed to be round as seen in a top view. The tube sections 29 of the water heat exchanger 4 protruding downward into the body of water 2, the tube sections 29 of the water heat exchanger 4 protruding into the upper basin 14, and the heat exchanger tubes 32 of the air heat exchanger 7 are designed in the shape of a spiral in this case and wind around an imaginary central axis which extends through the center point of the circular air inlet 8.

[0066] Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows that the tube sections 29 of the water heat exchanger 4 protruding downward into the body of water 2 can be enclosed, toward the side, by an apron-like protective wall 30 which is not represented in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity.

[0067] FIG. 5 also shows that the outlet 12 of the air heat exchanger 7 preferably opens into the basin 14, and therefore the water 25 flowing out via the outlet 12 flows back into the body of water 2 via the basin 14 and, in so doing, is further heated with the aid of incident sunlight.

[0068] Moreover, as shown, the second water heat exchanger 4 disposed in the basin 14 can comprise a separate intake 5 and a separate discharge 6 for a heat transfer fluid. In principle, the aforementioned water heat exchanger 4 and the water heat exchanger 4 protruding downward into the body of water 2 can also be coupled, of course, and therefore the heat transfer fluid can flow through both water heat exchangers 4 in the manner of a series or parallel circuit.

[0069] The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments which have been represented and described. Modifications within the scope of the claims are possible, as is any combination of the described features, even if they are shown and described in different parts of the description or the claims or in different exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0070] 1 device for introducing heat into a body of water and for extracting heat from the body of water

[0071] 2 body of water

[0072] 3 hollow space

[0073] 4 water heat exchanger

[0074] 5 intake of the water heat exchanger

[0075] 6 discharge of the water heat exchanger

[0076] 7 air heat exchanger

[0077] 8 air inlet of the air heat exchanger

[0078] 9 air outlet of the air heat exchanger

[0079] 10 fan

[0080] 11 inlet of the air heat exchanger for the water originating from the body of water

[0081] 12 outlet of the air heat exchanger for the water originating from the body of water

[0082] 13 partition

[0083] 14 basin

[0084] 15 heat pump

[0085] 16 pipe system

[0086] 17 structure

[0087] 18 heating circuit of the structure

[0088] 19 cooling circuit of the structure

[0089] 20 incoming line

[0090] 21 outgoing line

[0091] 22 land

[0092] 23 rib

[0093] 24 water level

[0094] 25 water

[0095] 26 cover section

[0096] 27 section protruding from the body of water

[0097] 28 line

[0098] 29 tube section

[0099] 30 protective wall

[0100] 31 main body

[0101] 32 heat exchanger tube