GROUPED MECHANICAL LIQUID PISTON HEAT PUMP

Abstract

The grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump (1) comprises a blind liquid cylinder (8) of compressors in which a double-acting hydraulic piston (10) of compressors translates to form a first and a second compressor hydraulic variable volume (12, 134), and a blind liquid cylinder (30) of expanders in which a double-acting hydraulic piston (39) of expanders translates to form a first and a second expander hydraulic variable volume (44, 46), said hydraulic variable volumes (12, 134, 44, 46) communicating with compressor and expander gas and liquid reservoirs (14, 29, 50, 55) in which compressor and expander heat exchange and accumulation means (16, 59, 139, 70) are housed, this to form a compressor (3) and an expander (4).

Claims

1. A grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump (1) comprising at least a compressor (3) in which a compressor pneumatic variable volume (2) is formed, and at least an expander (4) in which a expander pneumatic variable volume (136) is formed, each said volume (2, 136) comprising, on the one hand, an inlet port (6) through which a working gas (5) can enter and, on the other hand, an outlet port (7) through which said gas (5) can exit, characterised in that it comprises: At least one blind liquid cylinder (8) of compressors which is directly or indirectly secured to a static frame (40), each end of which is closed by a sealed compressor cylinder termination (135), and in which at least one double-acting hydraulic piston (10) of compressors can translate in a sealed manner which has, on the one hand, at least one first axial compressor piston face (132) which forms with said cylinder (8) and one of the sealed compressor cylinder terminations (135) a first variable hydraulic compressor volume (12), and on the other hand, at least one second axial compressor piston face (133) which forms with said cylinder (8) and the other sealed compressor cylinder termination (135) a second compressor variable hydraulic volume (134), both said variable hydraulic volumes (12, 134) being wholly or partly filled with a working liquid (13); At least one compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) which is connected to the first compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) by a communication duct (15), such that said reservoir (14) is mainly or totally filled with working liquid (13) when the first compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) is minimum, said reservoir (14) being totally or partially filled with working gas (5) when the first compressor hydraulic variable volume (12) is maximum, the variation of volume of the working gas (5) contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) defining on the one hand, a compressor pneumatic variable volume (2), and being on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation of volume of the working liquid (13) contained in the first compressor hydraulic variable volume (12); At least one compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) which is connected to the second compressor hydraulic variable volume (134) by a communication duct (15), such that said reservoir (29) is mainly or totally filled with working liquid (13) when the second compressor hydraulic variable volume (134) is minimum, said reservoir (29) being totally or partially filled with working gas (5) when the second compressor hydraulic variable volume (134) is maximum, the variation of volume of the working gas (5) contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) defining on the one hand, a compressor pneumatic variable volume (2), and being on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation of volume of the working liquid (13) contained in the second compressor hydraulic variable volume (134); At least one blind liquid cylinder (30) of expanders which is directly or indirectly secured to the static frame (40), the ends of which are closed by a sealed expander cylinder termination (78), and in which at least one double-acting hydraulic piston (39) of expanders can translate in a sealed manner, said piston (39) having, on the one hand, at least one first expander piston axial face (43) which forms with said cylinder (30) and one of the sealed expander cylinder terminations (78) a first expander variable hydraulic volume (44), and on the other hand, at least one second expander piston axial face (45) which forms with said cylinder (30) and the other expander cylinder sealed termination (78) a second expander variable hydraulic volume (46), both said hydraulic variable volumes (44, 46) being wholly or partly filled with a working liquid (13); At least one first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) which is connected to the first expander hydraulic variable volume (44) by a communication duct (15), such that said reservoir (50) is mainly or totally filled with working liquid (13) when said first expander hydraulic variable volume (44) is minimum, said reservoir (50) being totally or partially filled with working gas (5) when said first compressor hydraulic variable volume (44) is maximum, the variation of volume of the working gas (5) contained in the expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) defining on the one hand, a expander pneumatic variable volume (136), and being on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation of volume of the working liquid (13) contained in the first compressor hydraulic variable volume (44); At least one second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55) which is connected to the second expander hydraulic variable volume (46) by a communication duct (15), such that said reservoir (55) is mainly or totally filled with working liquid (13) when the second expander hydraulic variable volume (46) is minimum, said reservoir (29) being totally or partially filled with working gas (5) when the second expander hydraulic variable volume (46) is maximum, the variation of volume of the working gas (5) contained in the expander gas and liquid reservoir (29) defining on the one hand, a expander pneumatic variable volume (136), and being on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation of volume of the working liquid (13) contained in the second expander hydraulic variable volume (46); First compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) that are housed in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) and second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (59) that are housed in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29), said means (16, 59), each of which can mainly take heat from the working gas (5) contained in the reservoir (14, 29), in which they are housed, and temporarily store said heat, before giving the latter to the working liquid (13) also contained in said reservoir (14, 29); First expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) which are housed in the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) and second expander heat exchange and accumulation means (70) which are housed in the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55) said means (139, 70) each being able mainly to take heat from the working liquid (13) contained in the reservoir (50, 55) in which they are housed, and temporarily store said heat, before giving the latter to the working gas (5) also contained in said reservoirs (50, 55); First heat export means (17) housed inside and/or outside the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) and second heat export means (73) housed inside and/or outside the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29), said means (17, 73) directly or indirectly taking heat respectively from the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) and the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (59), on the one hand, and/or from the working liquid (13) and/or from the working gas (5) contained in whole or in part in said reservoirs (14, 29), respectively, said heat then being transferred to heating means (18) external to said reservoirs (14, 29); First heat import means (138) housed inside and/or outside the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) and second heat import means (74) housed inside and/or outside the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55), said means (138, 74) directly or indirectly supplying heat respectively to the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) and to the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means (70), on the one hand, and/or to the working liquid (13) and/or to the working gas (5) contained in whole or in part in said reservoirs (50, 55), on the other hand, said heat having been previously taken from cooling means (19) external to said reservoirs (50, 55); Compressor filling means (20) which enable or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from a compressor intake plenum (21) to the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) via at least one inlet port (6) while other compressor filling means (20) enable or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from said plenum (21) or from another compressor intake plenum (21) to the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) via at least one other inlet port (6); Compressor draining means (22) which enable or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) to a compressor discharge plenum (62) via at least one outlet port (7) while other compressor draining means (22) enable or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) to said plenum (62) or to another compressor discharge plenum (62) via at least one other outlet port (7); Expander filling means (140) which enable or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from an expander intake plenum (142) to the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) via at least one inlet port (6) while other expander filling means (140) enable or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from said plenum (142) or from another expander intake plenum (142) to the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55) via at least one other inlet port (6); Expander draining means (141) which enable or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) to an expander discharge plenum (143) via at least one outlet port (7) while other expander draining means (141) enable or prohibit the passage of working gas (5) from the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55) to said plenum (143) or to another expander discharge plenum (143) via at least one other outlet port (7); A connecting rod (11) of compressors which is secured to the double-acting hydraulic piston (10) of compressors, which sealingly passes through one of the sealed compressor cylinder terminations (135) and which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said piston (10) and of the blind liquid cylinder (8) of compressors; A connecting rod (75) of expanders which is secured to the double-acting hydraulic piston (39) of expanders, which sealingly passes through one of the sealed expander cylinder terminations (78), and which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said piston (39) and of the blind liquid cylinder (30) of expanders; Piston guiding means (23) of compressors which maintain the double-acting hydraulic piston (10) of compressors and the connecting rod (11) of compressors parallel to said blind liquid cylinder (8) of compressors, whatever the position of said piston (10) in said cylinder (8); Piston guiding means (77) of expanders which maintain the double acting hydraulic piston (39) of expanders and the connecting rod (75) of expanders parallel to said blind liquid cylinder (30) of expanders, whatever the position of said piston (39) in said cylinder (30); Connecting rod actuating means (144) by means of which at least one drive motor (27) imparts, on the one hand, to the connecting rod (11) of compressors a reciprocating movement of longitudinal translation parallel to the axis of the blind liquid cylinder (8) of compressors, and on the other hand, to the connecting rod (75) a of expanders a reciprocating movement of longitudinal translation parallel to the axis of the blind liquid cylinder (30) of expanders; Mechanical energy storage means (28) which are directly or indirectly connected to the connecting rod actuating means (144) or which are directly or indirectly connected to the connecting rod (75) of expanders or to the connecting rod (11) of compressors, said storage means (28) being able to alternately take and transfer mechanical energy to said actuating means (144) or to said rods (75, 11).

2. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the connecting rod actuating means (144) consist of a crankshaft (24) which can rotate in at least one shaft bearing (25) which is directly or indirectly secured to the static frame (40), said crankshaft (24) having at least one crank (26) around which a rod head (145) of an actuating connecting rod (165) is articulated, the latter also comprising a rod foot (146) which is articulated, depending on the case, either with the connecting rod (11) of compressors or with the connecting rod (75) of expanders.

3. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 2, characterised in that the crankshaft (24) has two cranks (26), the first of said cranks (26) being connected by a first actuating rod (165) to the connecting rod (11) of compressors while the second of said cranks (26) is connected by a second actuating rod (165) to the connecting rod (75) of expanders.

4. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 2, characterised in that the rod foot (146) is articulated, depending on the case, with the connecting rod (11) of compressors or with the connecting rod (75) of expanders by means of a connecting crosshead (147) which is secured to said rod (11).

5. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 4, characterised in that the connecting crosshead (147) comprises a crosshead yoke (148) which is traversed by a crosshead axis (155) which is perpendicular, depending on the case, to the connecting rod (11) of compressors or to the connecting rods (75) of expanders and about which are articulated, on the one hand, a rod foot bearing (149) which the rod foot (146) comprises, and at least one crosshead roller (150) which rolls on at least one crosshead raceway (41) which is parallel, depending on the case, to the blind liquid cylinder (8) of compressors or to the blind liquid cylinder (30) of expanders, and which is directly or indirectly secured to said cylinder (8, 30).

6. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) and/or the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (59) and/or the first expansion valve heat exchange and accumulation means (139) and/or the second expansion valve heat exchange and accumulation means (70) consist of a porous medium (32) which has porosities (33) into which and from which the working liquid (13) and working gas (5) alternately enter and exit.

7. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the first heat export means (17) are constituted of a circulating part of the working liquid (13) which exits from the first hydraulic variable compressor volume (12) and/or the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) via a liquid outlet conduit (34), said circulating part then returning to said first volume (12) and/or to said first reservoir (14) via a liquid inlet duct (35), this after having directly or indirectly given heat to the heating means (18).

8. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the second heat export means (73) are constituted of of a circulating part of the working liquid (13) which exits from the second variable hydraulic compressor volume (134) and/or the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) via a liquid outlet duct (34), said circulating part then returning to said second volume (134) and/or to said second reservoir (29) via a liquid inlet conduit (35), this after having directly or indirectly given off heat to the heating means (18).

9. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 7, characterised in that the circulating part of the working liquid (13) gives heat to the heating means (18) via at least one heating secondary heat exchanger (153).

10. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the heat import means (138) are constituted of a circulating part of the working liquid (13), which exits from the expander hydraulic variable volume (44) and/or the expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) via a liquid outlet duct (34) and then returns to said volume (44) and/or to said reservoir (50) via a liquid inlet duct (35), this after having directly or indirectly taken heat from the cooling means (19).

11. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the second heat import means (74) are constituted of a circulating part of the working liquid (13), which exits from the second expander hydraulic variable volume (46) and/or second the expander gas and liquid reservoir (55) via a liquid outlet duct (34) and then returns to said volume (46) and/or to said reservoir (55) via a liquid inlet duct (35), this after having directly or indirectly taken heat from the cooling means (19).

12. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 10, characterised in that the circulating part of the working liquid (13) takes heat from the cooling means (19) by means of a cooling secondary heat exchanger (154).

13. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the first heat export means (17) are constituted of at least one heat exchanger duct (36) housed in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) and in which a heat-transfer fluid (37) flows, which exports heat taken from the compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16), on the one hand, and/or from the working liquid (13) and/or from the working gas (5) contained in the compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14), on the other hand, to the heating means (18) via heat transport ducts (38).

14. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the second heat export means (73) are constituted of at least one heat exchanger duct (36) housed in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) and in which a heat transfer fluid (37) flows, which exports heat taken from the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (59) and/or from the working liquid (13) and/or from the working gas (5) contained in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29), and on the other hand, to the heating means (18) via heat transport ducts (38).

15. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the first heat import means (138) are constituted of at least one heat exchanger duct (36) housed in the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) and in which a heat-transfer fluid (37) flows, which imports heat from the cooling means (19) to the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) and/or to the working liquid (13) and/or to the working gas (5) contained in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (50), on the other hand, via heat transport ducts (38).

16. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the second heat import means (74) are constituted of at least one heat exchanger duct (36) housed in the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55) and in which a heat-transfer fluid (37) flows, which imports heat from the cooling means (19) to the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means (70) and/or to the working liquid (13) and/or to the working gas (5) contained in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (55), on the other hand, via heat transport ducts

(38) .

17. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) and/or the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (59) are constituted of at least one liquid spray nozzle (71) supplied by a liquid spray pump (72), said nozzle (71) being able, as the case may be, to atomize the working liquid (13) into fine droplets in the internal volume of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) or in the internal volume of the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29).

18. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) and/or the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means (70) are constituted of at least one liquid spray nozzle (71) supplied by a liquid spray pump (72), said nozzle (71) being able, as the case may be, to atomize the working liquid (13) into fine droplets in the internal volume of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) or in the internal volume of the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55).

19. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (16) and/or the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means (59) are constituted of a rotary liquid atomizer (158) which comprises a rotary atomizing cylinder (159) pierced with radial atomizing orifices (160), an atomizer motor (161) driving said cylinder (159) in rotation fast enough for the latter to suck in working liquid (13) at its axial end by centrifugation effect and/or by means of a pumping turbine (162), and radially rejects said liquid (13) in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) if said atomizer (158) is housed in said first reservoir (14), or into the internal volume of the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) if said atomizer (158) is housed in said second reservoir (29), via the radial atomizing orifices (160).

20. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means (139) and/or the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means (70) consist of a rotary liquid atomizer (158) which comprises a rotary atomizing cylinder (159) pierced with radial atomizing orifices (160), an atomizer motor (161) driving said cylinder (159) in rotation fast enough for the latter to suck in working liquid (13) at its axial end by centrifugation effect and/or by means of a pumping turbine (162), and radially rejects said liquid (13) in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) if said atomizer (158) is housed in said first reservoir (50), or into the internal volume of the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55) if said atomizer (158) is housed in said second reservoir (55), via the radial atomizing orifices (160).

21. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the piston guiding means (23) of compressors and/or the piston guiding means (77) of expanders are constituted of at least one sliding pivot connection (47) formed on the one hand, between an external cylindrical surface (48) that the connecting rod (11) of compressors and the connecting rod (75) of expanders have, and on the other hand, a guiding orifice (49) arranged in the sealed compressor cylinder termination(s) (135) that the connecting rod (11) of compressors passes through in the case of the latter (11), or a guiding orifice (49) arranged in the sealed expander cylinder termination(s) (78) that the connecting rod (75) of expanders passes through in the case of said connecting rod (75) of expanders.

22. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 21, characterised in that the sliding pivot connection (47) comprises an connecting articulated tube (9) which has, at one of its ends, a sealed rod ball joint connection (79) which is articulated, as the case may be, around the connecting rod (11) of compressors or around the connecting rod (75) of expanders, said articulated tube (9) having, at its other end, a sealed termination ball joint connection (80) which is articulated, as the case may be, with the sealed compressor cylinder termination (135) or with the corresponding sealed expander cylinder termination (78).

23. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that said piston guiding means (23) of compressors and/or said piston guiding means (77) of expanders are constituted of a guiding skirt (57) provided at the periphery of said double-acting hydraulic piston (10) of compressors or at the periphery of said double-acting hydraulic piston (39) of expanders, said skirt (57) being able to translate at a low clearance into said blind liquid cylinder (8) of compressors or into said corresponding blind liquid cylinder (30) of expanders.

24. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the compressor filling means (20) and/or the compressor draining means (22) are constituted of at least one compressor flap (52) and/or of at least one controlled compressor valve (53).

25. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the expander filling means (140) and/or the expander draining means (141) are constituted of at least one controlled expander valve (54).

26. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the compressor discharge plenum (62) is connected to the expander intake plenum (142) by a high-pressure gas duct (56) so that the working gas (5) exiting from the compressor pneumatic variable volumes (2) via said compressor discharge plenum (62) is introduced into the expander pneumatic variable volumes (136) via said expander intake plenum (142), while the expander discharge plenum (143) is connected to the compressor intake plenum (21) by a low-pressure gas duct (61) so that the working gas (5) exiting from the expander pneumatic variable volumes (136) via said expander discharge plenum (143) is introduced into the compressor pneumatic variable volumes (2) via said compressor intake plenum (21).

27. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 26, characterised in that the high-pressure gas duct (56) is connected to at least one high-pressure gas reservoir (58).

28. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 26, characterised in that the high-pressure gas duct (61) is connected to at least one high-pressure gas reservoir (60).

29. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 26, characterised in that the working gas (5) which flows in the high-pressure gas duct (56) gives its heat to the working gas (5) which flows in the low-pressure gas duct (61) by means of a regeneration heat exchanger (152).

30. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the compressor intake plenum (21) and the compressor discharge plenum (62) are part of a compressor cylinder head (110) which caps the upper part of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) and the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29), the latter (14, 29) being themselves positioned mainly above the blind liquid cylinder (8) of compressors, so that, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, the working gas (5) is always the first to exit said reservoirs (14, 29) via said discharge plenum (62) while the working liquid (13) is always the first to enter said reservoirs (14, 29) via said intake plenum (21).

31. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the expander intake plenum (142) and the expander discharge plenum (143) are part of a cylinder head (111) of expanders which caps the upper part of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) and the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55), the latter (50, 55) being themselves positioned mainly above the blind liquid cylinder (30) of expanders, so that, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, the working gas (5) is always first to exit said reservoirs (50, 55) via said discharge plenum (143), while the working liquid (13) is always first to enter said reservoirs (50, 55) via said intake plenum (142).

32. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 2, characterised in that the mechanical energy storage means (28) are constituted of an inertia flywheel (66) made secured in rotation to the crankshaft (24) by a transmission multiplier (156).

33. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 2, characterised in that the crankshaft (24) comprises a ring gear (67) which the drive motor (27) drives in rotation by means of at least one ring drive pinion (68), the primitive diameter of which is smaller than that of said ring (67), the latter (67) and said pinion (68) forming a multiplication gear system (69).

34. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the outlet ports (7) which open into the compressor discharge plenum (62) or those (7) which open into the expander discharge plenum (143) each form an overflow tank (113) in which working liquid (13) can be stored, said tank (113) being arranged such that when the compressor draining means (22) or, as the case may be, the expander draining means (141), allow the passage of working gas (5) via said ports (7), said gas (5) having to pass through said tank (113) before opening, as the case may be, into the compressor discharge plenum (62) or into the expander discharge plenum (143).

35. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 34, characterised in that the overflow tanks (113) formed by the outlet ports (7) of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) and those (7) of the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) open into the same compressor discharge plenum (62) but are separated by a levelling dike (114) which tends to equalise the levels of working liquid (13) in said tanks (113) when the compressor draining means (22) associated with said reservoirs (14, 29) prohibit the passage of working gas (5).

36. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 34, characterised in that the overflow tanks (113) formed by the outlet ports (7) of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) and those (7) of the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55) open into the same expander discharge plenum (143) but are separated by a levelling dike (114) which tends to equalise the working liquid levels (13) in said tanks (113) when the expander draining means (141) associated with said reservoirs (50, 55) prohibit the passage of working gas (5).

37. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that a working liquid level equalization valve (115) can connect the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir (14) or the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir (29) with the first expander gas and liquid reservoir (50) or the second expander gas and liquid reservoir (55).

38. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 1, characterised in that a defrosting heat reservoir (116) is heated by the first heat export means (17) and/or the second heat export means (73) and can give its heat to the cooling means (19).

39. The mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to claim 15, characterised in that the defrosting heat reservoir (116) is formed of a heat transfer fluid reserve (123) connected in bypass of the heat transport duct (38) which transports the heat transfer fluid (37) to the cooling means (19), said fluid (37) being able either to pass through said reserve (123) before joining the cooling means (19) to heat the latter, or to bypass said reserve (123) to directly join said means (19).

Description

[0149] The following description given by way of non-limiting examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings, makes it possible to understand the invention better, and to understand the features that it presents, and the advantages that it is likely to provide:

[0150] FIG. 1 is a pressure-volume diagram of the thermodynamic cycle executed by the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention when said pump is not equipped with a regeneration heat exchanger.

[0151] FIG. 2 is a pressure-volume diagram of the thermodynamic cycle executed by the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention when said pump is equipped with a regeneration heat exchanger.

[0152] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention, the blind liquid cylinder of compressors and the blind liquid cylinder of expanders of which are aligned essentially for the sake of simplicity of representation, the compressor and expander heat exchange and accumulation means consisting of a porous medium, while the first and second heat export means are formed of a circulating part of the working liquid which exchanges heat with the heating means via a secondary heating heat exchanger, while the first and second heat import means are formed of a circulating part of the working liquid which exchanges heat with the cooling means via a secondary cooling heat exchanger.

[0153] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention and according to the architecture represented in FIG. 3, the compressor and expander heat exchange and accumulation means consisting of liquid spray nozzles supplied by liquid spray pumps, while the means for exporting heat to the heating means and importing heat from the cooling means are formed of heat exchanger ducts in which a heat transfer fluid flows, while a partitioned heat insulating enclosure separates the compressors, on the one hand, from the expanders, and, on the other hand, from the means for actuating connecting rods, the drive motor and the mechanical energy storage means, said enclosure also thermally separating said heat pump from the external environment.

[0154] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention, still according to the architecture represented in FIG. 3, the compressor and expander heat exchange and accumulation means consisting of rotary liquid atomizers, while the first and second heat export means are formed of a circulating part of the working liquid which exchanges heat with the heating means via a secondary heating heat exchanger, while the first and second heat import means are formed of a circulating part of the working liquid which exchanges heat with the cooling means via a secondary cooling heat exchanger.

[0155] FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional view of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention, in which the blind liquid cylinders of compressors and expander are juxtaposed and parallel while the connecting rods of compressors and expanders are simultaneously set in motion by the same drive motor and the same flywheel via a common crankshaft equipped with two cranks, the transmission casing housing in particular the transmission multiplier and the multiplication gear system and being cut to show the content, this being the case, however, that the compressor and expander heat exchange and accumulation means are constituted of rotary liquid atomizers and that the heat export and import means are formed of heat exchanger ducts in which a heat-transfer fluid flows.

[0156] FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional view of the mechanical liquid piston heat pump shown in FIG. 6, according to another viewpoint.

[0157] FIG. 8 is a side view in longitudinal section of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention shown in FIG. 6, said section passing through the centre of the first and second compressor gas and liquid reservoirs.

[0158] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention shown in FIG. 6, said section passing through the centre of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir and the first expander gas and liquid reservoir.

[0159] FIG. 10 is a bottom view in longitudinal section of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention shown in FIG. 6, said section passing through the centre of the blind liquid cylinders of compressors and expander.

[0160] FIG. 11 is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention shown in FIG. 6, which shows in particular the actuating rod articulated with the connecting rods of compressors and expanders by means of a connecting crosshead.

[0161] FIG. 12 is an exploded three-dimensional view of the double-acting hydraulic compressor piston fixed to its connecting rod of compressors, the actuating rod with which said piston cooperates, the connecting crosshead, the crosshead rollers and the crosshead running track which also cooperate with said piston, all these members forming part of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention as shown in FIG. 6.

[0162] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cylinder head of compressors which caps the first and second compressor gas and liquid reservoirs of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention, said view showing the expulsion of excess working liquid towards the overflow tank of the first said gas and liquid reservoir when the first compressor hydraulic variable volume reaches its minimum volume, in conjunction with the expulsion of working gas towards the compressor discharge plenum in which said tank is arranged.

[0163] FIG. 14 is the same view of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention as that shown in FIG. 13, except that it illustrates the reintroduction into the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir of all or part of the working liquid previously expelled to the overflow tank arranged in the compressor discharge plenum, said reintroduction occurring after the first compressor hydraulic variable volume has passed through its minimum volume and while that said hydraulic variable expands again and that the controlled compressor valve which forms the compressor drain means of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir remains temporarily ajar.

[0164] FIG. 15 is the same view of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump according to the invention as that shown in FIG. 14, except that it illustrates what happens after the controlled compressor valve which forms the compressor draining means of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir has closed after enough working liquid has been reintroduced from the overflow tank into said first reservoir, and the controlled compressor valve which forms the compressor filling means of said first reservoir has opened to admit working gas from the compressor intake plenum.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0165] In FIGS. 1 to 15, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, various details of its components, its variants, and its accessories have been shown.

[0166] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 7, 9 to 11 and 13 to 15, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises at least one compressor 3 in which at least one compressor pneumatic variable volume 2 is formed, and at least one expander 4 in which at least one expander pneumatic variable volume 136 is formed, each said volume 2, 136 comprising, on the one hand, an inlet port 6 through which a working gas 5 can enter and, on the other hand, an outlet port 7 through which said gas 5 can exit.

[0167] It has been shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 and 9 to 11 that the grouped mechano-liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises at least one compressor blind liquid cylinder 8 which is directly or indirectly secured to a static frame 40, each end of which is closed by a sealed compressor cylinder termination 135, and in which at least one double-acting hydraulic piston of compressors 10 can translate in a sealed manner which has, on the one hand, at least one first compressor piston axial face 132 which forms with said cylinder 8 and one of the compressor cylinder sealed terminations 135 a first compressor hydraulic variable volume 12, and on the other hand, at least one second compressor piston axial face 133 which forms with said cylinder 8 and the other sealed compressor cylinder termination 135 a second compressor hydraulic variable volume 134, the two said hydraulic variable volumes 12, 134 being in all or part filled with a working liquid 13.

[0168] It is noted that the double-acting hydraulic piston of compressors 10 and the double-acting hydraulic piston of expanders 39 may consist of one or more coaxial cylindrical sections and one or more coaxial sealing discs, and comprise at least one seal 51, whether the latter is an O-ring, a lip seal, a composite seal, or of a type known to a person skilled in the art, said seal 51 prohibiting working liquid 13 from leaking between said pistons 10, 39 and their respective blind liquid cylinder 8, 30.

[0169] Alternatively to said seal 51, at least one cutting or continuous segment not shown can form a seal between said pistons 10, 39 and said cylinders 8, 30.

[0170] Said pistons 10,39 can also comprise an antifriction guiding ring 76 preferably made of an abrasion-resistant material such as polytetrafluoroethylene loaded with antifriction particles such as graphite, said ring 76 guiding and centring said pistons 10, 39 in the blind liquid cylinder 8, 30 with which they cooperate.

[0171] By way of example, the working liquid 13 can be constituted by pure water, or water to which glycol has been added to lower the solidification temperature of said water, or liquid with low melting point such as ethanol.

[0172] It will be noted that the static frame 40 can be fixed or placed on the floor of a residential, commercial or industrial building 121, while the working gas 5 can be atmospheric air or be constituted of any other gas such as pure nitrogen, helium, argon, or carbon dioxide, said gas being preferably chosen according to its chemical neutrality, its thermodynamic performance, and its ability to promote heat exchanges in particular with the working liquid 13 and with the first and second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16,70 and the first and second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139, 59.

[0173] The chemical neutrality of the working liquid 13 and the working gas 5 makes it possible in particular to prevent the corrosion of the inner components of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, and the development of microorganisms.

[0174] It is noted that there is no limit to the number of blind liquid cylinders 8 of compressors and to the number of blind liquid cylinders 30 of expanders.

[0175] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, 9 and 13 to 15, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises at least a first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 which is connected to the first compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 by a communication duct 15, so that said reservoir 14 fills mainly or completely with working liquid 13 when the first compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 is minimal, said reservoir 14 filling partially or completely with working gas 5 when the first compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 is maximal, the variation in the volume of the working gas 5 contained in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 defining, on the one hand, a compressor pneumatic variable volume 2 and being, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in volume of the working liquid 13 contained in the first compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 according to the principle of communicating vessels.

[0176] Similarly, it has been shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 and in FIGS. 13 to 15 that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises at least one second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 which is connected to the second compressor hydraulic variable volume 134 by a communication duct 15, so that said reservoir 29 fills mainly or completely with working liquid 13 when the second compressor hydraulic variable volume 134 is minimal, said reservoir 29 filling partially or completely with working gas 5 when the second compressor hydraulic variable volume 134 is maximal, the variation in the volume of the working gas 5 contained in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 defining, on the one hand, a compressor pneumatic variable volume 2 and being, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in volume of the working liquid 13 contained in the second compressor hydraulic variable volume 134 according to the principle of communicating vessels.

[0177] It can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIGS. 8 to 11 that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises at least one blind liquid cylinder of expanders 30 which is directly or indirectly secured to the static frame 40, the ends of which are closed off by a sealed expander cylinder termination 78, and in which at least one double-acting hydraulic piston of expanders 39 can translate in a sealed manner, said piston 39 having, on the one hand, at least one first axial expander piston face 43 which forms with said cylinder 30 and one of the sealed expander cylinder terminations 78 a first expander hydraulic variable volume 44, and on the other hand, at least one second axial expander piston face 45 which forms with said cylinder 30 and the other sealed expander cylinder termination 78 a second expander hydraulic variable volume 46, the two said hydraulic variable volumes 44, 46 being completely or partially filled with a working liquid 13.

[0178] It has been shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 and in FIGS. 8 and 9 that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises at least one first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 which is connected to the first expander hydraulic variable volume 44 by a communication duct 15, so that said reservoir 50 fills mainly or completely with working liquid 13 when said first expander hydraulic variable volume 44 is minimal, said reservoir 50 filling partially or completely with working gas 5 when said first compressor hydraulic variable volume 44 is maximal, the variation in the volume of the working gas 5 contained in the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 defining, on the one hand, a expander pneumatic variable volume 136 and being, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in volume of the working liquid 13 contained in the first expander hydraulic variable volume 44.

[0179] In FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIG. 8, it can be seen that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises at least one second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 which is connected to the second expander hydraulic variable volume 46 by a communication duct 15, so that said reservoir 55 fills mainly or completely with working liquid 13 when the second expander hydraulic variable volume 46 is minimal, said reservoir 29 filling partially or completely with working gas 5 when said second expander hydraulic variable volume 46 is maximal, the variation in the volume of the working gas 5 contained in the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 defining, on the one hand, a expander pneumatic variable volume 136 and being, on the other hand, approximately equal to the variation in volume of the working liquid 13 contained in the second expander hydraulic variable volume 46.

[0180] It should be noted that the maximum acceleration and deceleration to which the working liquid 13 contained in the first and second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, 29 and the fist and second expander gas and liquid reservoir 50, 55 are subjected must preferably remain less than that of the Earth's gravity, so that said liquid 13 is not subjected to any phenomenon of cavitation or excessive mixing with the working gas 5 which is also contained in said reservoirs 14, 29, 50, 55.

[0181] It is also noted that a passivator taking the form of an openwork or folded sheet or a solid structure, permeable or not, can be provided in said reservoirs 14, 29, 50, 55, this to avoid excessive turbulence of the working liquid 13 contained in said reservoirs 14, 29, 50, 55.

[0182] It can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5, 11, and 13 to 15 that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 that are housed in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 59 that are housed in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29, said means 16, 59 each being able to mainly take heat from the working gas 5 contained in the reservoir 14, 29 in which they are housed, and temporarily store said heat, before giving the latter to the working liquid 13 that said reservoir 14, 29 also contains.

[0183] Similarly, it is noted in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIG. 8 that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises first expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139 that are housed in the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 and second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 70 that are housed in the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55, said means 139, 70 each being able to mainly take heat from the working liquid 13 contained in the reservoir 50, 55 in which they are housed, and temporarily store said heat, before giving the latter to the working gas 5 that said reservoirs 50, 55 also contain.

[0184] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIG. 11, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises first heat export means 17 housed inside and/or outside the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and second heat export means 73 housed inside and/or outside the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29, said means 17, 73 directly or indirectly taking heat respectively from the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 and the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 59 on the one hand, and/or from the working liquid 13 and/or from the working gas 5 contained in whole or in part in said reservoirs 14, 29, on the other hand, said heat then being transferred to heating means 18 external to said reservoirs 14, 29.

[0185] The heating means 18 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 may take the form of a cooling-heating floor 106 arranged in a commercial or residential building 121, or of a fan-coil unit known per se.

[0186] Said means 18 may also take the form of an outdoor floor-water or water-water exchanger 122, according to the principles ordinarily retained for geothermal heat pumps.

[0187] In FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIG. 8, it has been shown that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises first heat import means 138 housed inside and/or outside the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 and second heat import means 74 housed inside and/or outside the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55, said means 138, 74 directly or indirectly supplying heat respectively to the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139 and to the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 70, on the one hand, and/or to the working liquid 13 and/or to the working gas 5 that said reservoirs 50, 55 contain in whole or in part, on the other hand, said heat having been previously taken from cooling means 19 external to said reservoirs 50, 55.

[0188] It is noted that the cooling means 19 may take the form of an air-water exchanger 107 placed outside 122 of a building 121, and through which atmospheric air is forced to pass through at least one motor-fan 108.

[0189] Said means 19 may also take the form of an outdoor floor-water or water-water exchanger 122, according to the principles ordinarily retained for geothermal heat pumps.

[0190] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 6 and in FIGS. 13 to 15, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises compressor filling means 20 which enable or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from a compressor intake plenum 21 to the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 via at least one inlet port 6 while other compressor filling means 20 enable or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from said plenum 21 or from another compressor intake plenum 21 to the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 via at least one other inlet port 6.

[0191] Similarly and as always shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 and in FIGS. 13 to 15, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises compressor draining means 22 that enable or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 to a compressor discharge plenum 62 via at least one outlet port 7 while other compressor draining means 22 enable or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 to said plenum 62 or to another compressor discharge plenum 62 via at least one other outlet port 7.

[0192] It has been shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises expander filling means 140 which enable or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from an expander intake plenum 142 to the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 via at least one inlet port 6, while other expander filling means 140 enable or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from said plenum 142 or from another expander intake plenum 142 to the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 via at least one other inlet port 6.

[0193] Similarly, FIGS. 3 to 6 show that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises expander draining means 141 which enable or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 to an expander discharge plenum 143 via at least one outlet port 7 while other expander draining means 141 enable or prohibit the passage of working gas 5 from the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 to said plenum 143 or to another expander discharge plenum 143 via at least one other outlet port 7.

[0194] It can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIGS. 10 to 12 that the grouped mechanical-liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises a connecting rod 11 of compressors which is integral with the double-acting hydraulic compressor piston 10, which passes in a sealed manner through at least one of the compressor sealed cylinder terminations 135 and which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said piston 10 and of the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors.

[0195] In a similar manner shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises a connecting rod 75 of expanders which is secured to the double-acting hydraulic pressure reducer piston 39, which passes in a sealed manner through at least one of the sealed expander cylinder terminations 78, and which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said piston 39 and of the blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders.

[0196] It has been shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIGS. 10 to 12 that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also comprises piston guiding means 23 of compressors which maintain the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors and the connecting rod 11 of compressors parallel to the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors, whatever the position of said piston 10 in said cylinder 8.

[0197] In FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIGS. 10 and 11, it has also been shown that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises piston guiding means 77 of expanders which maintain the double-acting hydraulic piston 39 of expanders and the connecting rod 75 of expanders parallel to the blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders, whatever the position of said piston 39 in said cylinder 30.

[0198] FIGS. 3 to 8 and FIGS. 10 and 11 show that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises means for actuating connecting rods 144 by means of which at least one drive motor 27 imparts, on the one hand, to the connecting rod 11 of compressors a longitudinal translational reciprocating movement parallel to the axis of the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors, and, on the other hand, to the connecting rod 75 of expanders a longitudinal translational reciprocating movement parallel to the axis of the blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders.

[0199] It should be noted that the drive motor 27 can be electric, thermal with internal or external combustion, hydraulic, pneumatic, or of any type known to the person skilled in the art.

[0200] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIG. 7, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention comprises mechanical energy storage means 28 which can alternately take and give mechanical energy from/to said actuating means 144 or from/to said rods 75, 11, said means 28 being directly or indirectly connected to the connecting rod actuating means 144 or being directly or indirectly connected to the connecting rod 75 of expanders or to the connecting rod 11 of compressors.

[0201] It is noted that the mechanical energy storage means 28 can be inertial, pneumatic, electrical, gravitational, or of any known or future type.

[0202] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIGS. 7, 8, 10 and 11, according to a variant embodiment of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the connecting rod actuating means 144 can consist of a crankshaft 24 which can rotate in at least one shaft bearing 25 which is directly or indirectly secured to the static frame 40, said crankshaft 24 having at least one crank 26 about which a rod head 145 of an actuating rod 165 is articulated, the latter also comprising a rod foot 146 which is articulated, as the case may be, either with the connecting rod 11 of compressors or with the connecting rod 75 of expanders.

[0203] It should be noted that the shaft bearing 25, the rod head 145, and the rod foot 146 can receive a roller bearing 105, a ball bearing or a needle bearing known per se.

[0204] As a variant of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, the crankshaft 24 may have two cranks 26, the first of said cranks 26 being connected by a first actuating rod 165 to the connecting rod 11 of compressors while the second of said cranks 26 is connected by a second actuating rod 165 to the connecting rod of expanders 75 so that the connecting rod 11 of compressors and the connecting rod 75 of expanders are simultaneously set in reciprocating longitudinal translational movement by a same drive motor 27 and/or by the same mechanical energy storage means 28, said motor 27 and said means 28 directly or indirectly driving the crankshaft 24 in rotation.

[0205] In this case and as shown in FIGS. 6 to 12, the rod foot 146 can be articulated, as the case may be, with the connecting rod 11 of compressors or with the connecting rod 75 of expanders by means of a low-friction connecting crosshead 147 which is secured to said rod 11, 75.

[0206] Advantageously and as particularly detailed in FIG. 12, the connecting crosshead 147 may comprise a crosshead yoke 148 which is traversed by a crosshead axis 155 which is perpendicular, depending on the case, to the connecting rod 11 of compressors or to the connecting rod 75 of expanders, and around which are articulated on the one hand, a connecting rod foot bearing 149 which comprises the connecting rod foot 146 which may advantageously consist of a ball or roller bearing known per se, and at least one crosshead roller 150 with balls or rollers known per se which rolls on at least one crosshead raceway 41 which is parallel, depending on the case, to the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors or to the blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders, and which is directly or indirectly secured to said cylinder 8, 30.

[0207] As a technological equivalent, the crosshead yoke 148 may be secured to the actuating rod 146 in place of the rod foot 146, while the connecting rod 11 of compressors may receive a bearing or a rolling bearing.

[0208] It will be noted that the radial forces to which the crosshead roller 150 is subjected are a part of the axial force that the actuating rod 165 receives when the latter is not perfectly parallel, depending on the case, to the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors or the blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders.

[0209] According to another variant of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1, the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 and/or the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 59 and/or the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139 and/or the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 70 can be constituted of a porous medium 32 which has porosities 33 into which and from which the working liquid 13 and the working gas 5 alternatively enter and exit.

[0210] As an example, the porous medium 32 can be constituted of porous ceramic, of a ceramic or metal structure, or of a metallic wool made of copper or aluminium.

[0211] FIGS. 3 and 5 show that the first heat export means 17 may consist of a circulating part of the working liquid 13 which exits from the first compressor hydraulic variable volume 12 and/or the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 via a liquid outlet duct 34, said circulating part then returning to said first volume 12 and/or to said first reservoir 14 via a liquid inlet duct 35, this after having directly or indirectly given off heat to the heating means 18.

[0212] Similarly, FIGS. 3 and 5 show that the second heat export means 73 may consist of a circulating part of the working liquid 13 which exits from the second compressor hydraulic variable volume 134 and/or the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 via a liquid outlet duct 34, said circulating portion then returning to said second volume 134 and/or to said second reservoir 29 via a liquid inlet duct 35, this after having directly or indirectly given off heat to the heating means 18.

[0213] In these last two cases, it can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 that the circulating part of the working liquid 13 can advantageously transfer heat to the heating means 18 via a secondary heating heat exchanger 153 which can be plate, tubular, or of any type known to those skilled in the art.

[0214] FIGS. 3 and 5 show that the first heat import means 138 can also consist of a circulating part of the working liquid 13 which exits from the first expander hydraulic variable volume 44 and/or the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 via a liquid outlet duct 34 to return to said first volume 44 and/or to said first reservoir 50 via a liquid inlet duct 35, this after having directly or indirectly taken heat from the cooling means 19.

[0215] Likewise, the second heat import means 74 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 can also consist of a circulating part of the working liquid 13 which exits from the second expander hydraulic variable volume 46 and/or the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 via a liquid outlet duct 34 to return to said second volume 46 and/or to said second reservoir 55 via a liquid inlet duct 35, this after having directly or indirectly taken heat from the cooling means 19.

[0216] In these last two cases, it can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 that the circulating part of the working liquid 13 can advantageously take heat from the cooling means 19 via a secondary cooling heat exchanger 154 which can be plate, tubular, or of any type known to those skilled in the art.

[0217] FIGS. 4, 9 and 11 show that according to a particular embodiment of the grouped mechanical-liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the first heat export means 17 may consist of at least one heat exchanger duct 36 housed in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and in which a heat transfer fluid 37 flows which exports heat taken from the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 on the one hand, and/or from the working liquid 13 and/or from the working gas 5 contained in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 on the other hand, to the heating means 18, via heat transport duct 38.

[0218] It should be noted that the heat exchanger duct 36 can, depending on the case, form in itself the first and second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16, 59 or the first and second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139, 70.

[0219] By way of example, the heat exchanger duct 36 may take the form of a winding 109 of copper or aluminum pipe, while the heat transport ducts 38 may be coated with a thermal insulation.

[0220] It is noted that the turns or the layers that the heat exchanger duct 36 can constitute, can be maintained in place in the first or second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, 29 or in the first and second expander gas and liquid reservoir 50, 137 and against one another by maintaining plates or by separation baffles which can constitute chicanes and/or passage restrictions creating working liquid 13 and/or working gas 5 jets during the passage of said liquid 13 and/or of said gas 5 through said restrictions.

[0221] Furthermore, the heat exchanger duct 36 can receive external fins which increase its contact surface with the working liquid 13 or the working gas 5.

[0222] FIGS. 4, 9 and 11 show that according to a particular embodiment of the grouped mechanical-liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the second heat export means 73 may also consist of at least one heat exchanger duct 36 housed in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 and in which a heat transfer fluid 37 flows which exports heat taken from the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 59 on the one hand, and/or from the working liquid 13 and/or from the working gas 5 contained in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 on the other hand, to the heating means 18, via heat transport duct 38.

[0223] Similarly and as can be seen in FIGS. 4, 8, 9 and 11, the first heat import means 138 can also consist of at least one heat exchanger duct 36 housed in the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 and in which flows a heat transfer fluid 37 which imports heat from the cooling means 19 to the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139, on the one hand, and/or the working liquid 13 and/or the working gas 5 contained in the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50, on the other hand, via heat transport ducts 38.

[0224] Similarly and as can be seen in FIGS. 4, 8 and 11, the second heat import means 74 can consist of at least one heat exchanger duct 36 housed in the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 and in which flows a heat transfer fluid 37 which imports heat from the cooling means 19 to the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 70, on the one hand, and/or the working liquid 13 and/or the working gas 5 contained in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 55, on the other hand, via heat transport ducts 38.

[0225] As a variant embodiment of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, it has been shown in FIG. 4 that the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 and/or the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 59 can be constituted of at least one liquid spray nozzle 71 supplied by a liquid spray pump 72, said nozzle 71 being able, depending on the case, to atomize the working liquid 13 into fine droplets in the internal volume of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 or in the internal volume of the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29.

[0226] Similarly, FIG. 4 illustrates that the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139 and/or the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 70 can be constituted of at least one liquid spray nozzle 71 supplied by a liquid spray pump 72, said nozzle 71 being able, depending on the case, to atomize the working liquid 13 into fine droplets in the internal volume of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 or in the internal volume of the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55.

[0227] It is noted that the number, position, and orientation of the liquid spray nozzles 71 are not limited and are provided so that the atomized working liquid 13 exposes to the working gas 5 a large developed heat exchange surface, while the speed of entrainment of said gas 5 by said liquid 13 also promotes as much as possible the heat exchanges between said gas 5 and said liquid 13.

[0228] It is noted that the liquid spray pump 72 can have one or more pistons, can be a gear pump, a turbine pump or of a type known by a person skilled in the art.

[0229] The liquid spray pump 72 can, for example, by constituted of a piston which is directly or indirectly moved by a cam rotated by the crankshaft 24, the profile of said cam being calculated, such that the atomisation of the working liquid 13 starts at the suitable angular rotation moment of said shaft 24, and for an optimal angular duration and according to an optimal intensity variation law.

[0230] It is noted that preferably, the liquid spray pump 72 sucks in working liquid 13 from the same volume than that in which it discharges said liquid 13 via the liquid spray nozzle 71, such that the pressure difference between the intake and the discharge of said pump 72 is minimum.

[0231] As another variant embodiment of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, it has been shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, in FIG. 9, and in FIGS. 13 to 15 that the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 and/or the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 59 can be constituted of a rotary liquid atomizer 158 which comprises a rotary atomizing cylinder 159 pierced with radial atomizing orifices 160, an atomizer motor 161 driving said cylinder 159 in rotation fast enough so that the latter sucks in working liquid 13 at its axial end by centrifugation effect and/or by means of a pumping turbine 162, and radially rejects said liquid 13 in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 if said atomizer 158 is housed in said first reservoir 14, or in the internal volume of the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 if said atomizer 158 is housed in said second reservoir 29, via the radial atomizing orifices 160.

[0232] As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the atomizer motor 161 can advantageously drive the rotary atomizing cylinder 159 via a magnetic bell or disc coupling 124 known per se, such as those marketed for example by the German company DST.

[0233] Similarly, it has been shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 that the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139 and/or the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 70 can be constituted of a rotary liquid atomizer 158 which comprises a rotary atomizing cylinder 159 pierced with radial atomizing orifices 160, an atomizer motor 161 driving said cylinder 159 in sufficiently rapid rotation so that the latter sucks in working liquid 13 at its axial end by centrifugation effect and/or by means of a pumping turbine 162, and radially rejects said liquid 13 in the form of fine droplets into the internal volume of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 if said atomizer 158 is housed in said first reservoir 50, or into the internal volume of the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 if said atomizer 158 is housed in said second reservoir 55, via the radial atomizing orifices 160.

[0234] As can be seen in FIG. 5, a portion of the working liquid 13 sucked in by the axial end of the rotary atomizing cylinder 159 can come from a suction sleeve 163 connected, as the case may be, either to a heating secondary heat exchanger 153 or to a cooling secondary heat exchanger 154.

[0235] This particular configuration of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention avoids to resort to an additional circulator to circulate the working liquid 13 through said secondary exchangers 153, 154, and makes it possible to increase the temperature difference between said liquid 13 and the working gas 5 at the time of atomization of said liquid 13.

[0236] It has been shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIGS. 10 and 11 that the piston guiding means 23 of compressors and/or the piston guiding means 77 of expanders can consist of at least one sliding pivot connection 47 formed, on the one hand, between an external cylindrical surface 48 that the connecting rod 11 of compressors and the connecting rod 75 of expanders have, and, on the other hand, a guiding orifice 49 provided in the sealed compressor cylinder end(s) 135 through which the connecting rod 11 of compressors passes in the case of the latter 11, or a guiding orifice 49 provided in the sealed expander cylinder end(s) 78 through which the connecting rod 75 of expanders passes in the case of said connecting rod 75 of expanders.

[0237] In FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, it has been specified that the sliding pivot connection 47 may comprise an connecting articulated tube 9 which comprises at one of its ends a sealed rod ball joint 79 which is articulated, as the case may be, around the connecting rod 11 of compressors or around the connecting rod 75 of expanders, said articulated tube 9 comprising, at its other end, a sealed termination ball joint 80 which is articulated, as the case may be, with the sealed compressor cylinder termination 135 or with the corresponding sealed expander cylinder termination 78.

[0238] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5, 8, and 10 to 12, the piston guiding means 23 of compressors and/or the piston guiding means 77 of expanders may be constituted of a guiding skirt 57 provided at the periphery of the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors or at the periphery of the double-acting hydraulic piston 39 of expanders, said skirt 57 being able to translate at a low clearance into the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors or into the corresponding blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders.

[0239] As a variant of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the compressor filling means 20 and/or the compressor draining means 22 can be constituted of at least one compressor flap 52 as mentioned in FIG. 3 and/or of at least one controlled compressor valve 53 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, in FIG. 9 and in FIGS. 13 to 15, while in operation, the working gas 5 is expelled from the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and from the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 to the compressor discharge plenum 62 under a pressure greater than that under which it has been introduced beforehand in said first reservoir 14 and said second reservoir 29 via the compressor intake plenum 21.

[0240] It is noted that the compressor flap 52 can be formed of a single strip or contact part returned on a sealed seat by a spring, whatever its type, or be formed of a valve assisted by an electromechanical actuator which cooperates with at least one pressure switch or with a pressure sensor coupled with a computer 120.

[0241] It should also be noted that a flap opening holding actuator 81 can be provided that prevents the reclosing of at least one compressor flap 52 to allow the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention to be started.

[0242] Advantageously and as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIG. 9, the expander filling means 140 and/or the expander draining means 141 may consist of at least one controlled expander valve 54, while in operation, the working gas 5 is expelled from the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 via the expander discharge plenum 143 and from the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 under a pressure lower than that under which it was previously introduced into said first reservoir 50 and said second reservoir 55 via the expander intake plenum 142.

[0243] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 9, the compressor discharge plenum 62 can be connected to the expander intake plenum 142 through a high-pressure gas duct 56 so that the working gas 5 exiting from the compressor pneumatic variable volumes 2 via said compressor discharge plenum 62 is introduced into the expander pneumatic variable volumes 136 via said expander intake plenum 142, while the expander discharge plenum 143 can be connected to the compressor intake plenum 21 through a low-pressure gas duct 61 so that the working gas 5 exiting from the expander pneumatic variable volumes 136 via said expander discharge plenum 143 is introduced into the compressor pneumatic variable volume 2 via said compressor intake plenum 21.

[0244] FIGS. 3 to 5 show that the high-pressure gas duct 56 can communicate with at least one high-pressure gas reservoir 58.

[0245] Similarly shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the low-pressure gas duct 61 may similarly communicate with at least one low-pressure gas reservoir 60.

[0246] In FIGS. 3 to 5, it has been shown that according to a particular embodiment of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the working gas 5 which flows in the high-pressure gas duct 56 can transfer its heat to the working gas 5 which flows in the low-pressure gas duct 61 via a counter-current regeneration heat exchanger 152, said exchanger 152 possibly being of the type with plates, tubes, or any type known to the person skilled in the art.

[0247] It should be noted that a regeneration heat exchanger 152 an constitute in itself all or part of the high-pressure gas reservoir 58 and/or the low-pressure gas reservoir 60, while according to a particular embodiment of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the volume of said reservoirs 58, 60 can be settable by intrusion of a solid or a liquid into said reservoirs 58, 60.

[0248] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, FIG. 9, and FIGS. 13 to 15, the compressor intake plenum 21 and the compressor discharge plenum 62 can be part of a cylinder head 110 of compressors that caps the upper part of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29, the latter 14, 29 themselves being positioned mainly above the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors, such that, due to the Earth's gravity, the working gas 5 is always first to exit from said reservoirs 14, 29 via said discharge plenum 62 while the working liquid 13 is always first to enter into said reservoirs 14, 29 via said intake plenum 21.

[0249] Thus, the working liquid 13 always remains essentially below the working gas 5 even if said liquid 13 may contain a certain proportion of said gas 5 dissolved or in the form of bubbles.

[0250] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIG. 9, the expander intake plenum 142 and the expander discharge plenum 143 can similarly be part of an expander cylinder head 111 that caps the upper part of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 and the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55, the latter 50, 55 themselves being positioned mainly above the blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders, such that, due to the Earth's gravity, the working gas 5 is always first to exit from said reservoirs 50, 55 via said discharge plenum 143, while the working liquid 13 is always first to enter into said reservoirs 50, 55 via said intake plenum 142.

[0251] Thus, the working liquid 13 always remains essentially below the working gas 5 even if said liquid 13 may contain a certain proportion of said gas 5 dissolved or in the form of bubbles.

[0252] According to a particular configuration of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and particularly visibly in FIG. 7, the mechanical energy storage means 28 can consist of a inertia flywheel 66 made secured in rotation with the crankshaft 24 by a transmission multiplier 156 with simple gear, epicyclic gear, chain, belt, hydraulic, electric or any type known to those skilled in the art, so that said inertia flywheel 66 rotates significantly faster than the crankshaft 24.

[0253] According to this particular configuration of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the instant torque variations that the compression or the expansion of the working gas 5 in the first and second compressor gas and liquid reservoirs 14, 29 and in the first and second expander gas and liquid reservoirs 50, 55 imposes on the crankshaft 24, are mainly absorbed by the inertia of the inertia flywheel 66, such that the torque which resists or which drives the drive motor 27 is smoothed, said motor 27 thus being mainly subjected to the only resistant average torque necessary for maintaining the crankshaft 24 in regular rotation.

[0254] It will be noted that the inertia flywheel 66 can optionally be confined in a vacuum casing. In this case, the power transmission to said flywheel 66 can be performed by contactless magnetic coupling.

[0255] It will also be noted that to facilitate the rotation of the crankshaft 24, the drive motor 27 can be rotatably fixedly secured to the inertia flywheel 66, while a disengageable coupler can be inserted between the assembly formed by said motor 27 and said flywheel 66 on the one hand, and the crankshaft 24 on the other hand, said coupler being able to be magnetic, hydraulic, or of any other type known to the skilled in the art.

[0256] It has been shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and 7 that the crankshaft 24 can comprise a ring gear 67 which the drive motor 27 drives in rotation by means of at least one ring drive pinion 68, the primitive diameter of which is smaller than that of said ring 67, the latter 67 and said pinion 68 forming a gearing mesh system 69, said ring 67 and said pinion 68 can possibly be replaced by an epicyclic gear.

[0257] It has been clearly illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15 that the outlet ports 7 which open in the compressor discharge plenum 62 or those which open in the expander discharge plenum 143 can each form an overflow tank 113 in which working liquid 13 can be stored, said tank 113 being arranged in such a way that when the compressor draining means 22 or, as the case may be, the expander draining means 141, allow the passage of working gas 5 via said ports 7, said gas 5 having to pass through said tank 113 before opening, as the case may be, in the compressor discharge plenum 62 or in the expander discharge plenum 143.

[0258] It is noted in FIGS. 13 to 15 that the overflow tanks 113 formed by the outlet ports 7 of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 and those 7 of the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 can open into the same compressor discharge plenum 62 but are separated by a levelling dike 114 which tends to equalize the levels of working liquid 13 in said tanks 113 when the compressor draining means 22 associated with said reservoirs 14, 29 prohibit the passage of working gas 5.

[0259] Similarly, the overflow tanks 113 formed by the outlet ports 7 of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 and those 7 of the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 can open into the same expander discharge plenum 143 but are also separated by a leveling dike 114 which tends to equalize the working liquid levels 13 in said tanks 113 when the expander draining means 141 associated with said reservoirs 50, 55 prohibit the passage of working gas 5.

[0260] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5, according to a particular configuration of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, a working liquid level equalization valve 115 can connect the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 or the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29 with the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 or the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55.

[0261] It is noted that the working liquid level equalization valve 115 can advantageously cooperate with one or more working liquid level sensors 13, not shown here, said sensor or sensors being able to be housed, for example, in the compressor discharge plenum 62 or in the expander discharge plenum 143.

[0262] It is noted that the main source of transfer of working liquid 13 from the compressor gas and liquid reservoirs 14, 29 to the expander gas and liquid reservoirs 50, 55 or vice versa is the recondensation of the working liquid 13 which flows in the high-pressure gas duct 56, in the low-pressure gas duct 61, or in the regeneration heat exchanger 152.

[0263] Another source of said working liquid transfer 13 is the expansion or contraction of the latter during changes in the operating temperature of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention.

[0264] As a variant embodiment of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, it can be seen in FIG. 4 that a defrosting heat reservoir 116 can be provided which is heated by the first heat export means 17 and/or the second heat export means 73 and which can give its heat to the cooling means 19.

[0265] In this case, the defrosting heat reservoir 116 can be formed of a reserve of heat transfer fluid 123 connected in bypass of the heat transport duct 38 which transports the heat transfer fluid 37 to the cooling means 19, said fluid 37 either passing through said reserve 123 before reaching the cooling means 19 to heat the latter, or bypassing said reserve 123 to directly join said means 19.

[0266] It will be noted that it is possible to use the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention to heat a domestic hot water tank not represented, according to this same principle, or according to any other related principle.

Operation of the Invention

[0267] The operation of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention is understood easily in view of FIGS. 1 to 15.

[0268] The aim of said heat pump 1 is, in particular, to constitute at least a compressor pneumatic variable volume 2 and at least an expander pneumatic variable volume 136 in which the heat exchanges are maximised between a working gas 5, which can be pure nitrogen, and a working liquid 13, which can be ethanol or bioethanol, during the compression or the expansion of said gas 5 and this, such that said compression or said expansion is as isothermal as possible, the working liquid 13 which has a high volume calorie capacity, mainly imposing its temperature on the working gas 5, the volume calorie capacity of which is lower.

[0269] Pure nitrogen does not react with ethanol, is environmentally and health neutral because it accounts for seventy-eight percent of the composition of the Earth's atmosphere, is not a greenhouse gas, poses no risk to the stratospheric ozone layer, and is not toxic to humans.

[0270] Ethanol or bioethanol also presents no environmental risk, is used in wines and spirits, and presents little risk of explosion or spontaneous combustion, which explains its use in indoor stoves that have a burner and an ethanol tank in one and the same object.

[0271] Ethanol has the advantage of a very long shelf life, of several decades or even centuries in a non-reactive medium, provided that certain materials for producing the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, such as aluminium or copper, are avoided if these materials are not coated with an ethanol-neutral barrier layer.

[0272] Ethanol also has the advantage of a low melting temperature of less than one hundred and fourteen degrees Celsius which prevents its solidification in the circuits of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention and in particular in the regeneration heat exchanger 152 exposed to negative temperatures, and a boiling temperature of more than seventy-nine degrees Celsius which makes it impossible to boil it under fifty bars which is the minimum pressure prevailing in said pump 1.

[0273] Ethanol also has lubricating capacities greater than water, but at the expense of its volumetric heat capacity, which is about half that of water, which remains acceptable in the context of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention.

[0274] The pressure-volume principle diagrams represented in FIG. 1 show the Carnot heat pump cycle executed by the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, and according to a particular embodiment of said pump 1, said cycle being operated partly by the compressor 3 with regard to the heat emission Q1, and partly by the expander 4 with regard to the heat absorption Q2.

[0275] As can be easily understood, the diagram at the top of FIG. 1 is executed by the compressor 3 which is also shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 and 9 to 11, while the diagram at the bottom of said FIG. 1 is executed by the expander 4 which is shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 and 8 to 11, the two said diagrams being virtually connected in FIG. 1 by dotted arrows in order to reconstruct the complete thermodynamic cycle of the heat pump 1.

[0276] The dotted arrows illustrate that the hot working gas 5 at temperature T2 discharged by the compressor 3 under high-pressure via its compressor discharge plenum 62 is accepted by the expander 4 via its expander intake plenum 142, while the cold working gas 5 at temperature T1 discharged by the low-pressure expander 4 via its expander discharge plenum 143 is accepted by the compressor via its compressor intake plenum 21.

[0277] The heat pump cycle shown in FIG. 1 shows that the compressor 3 therefore accepts cold working gas 5 at temperature T1 during its intake stroke E-A.

[0278] Once this has been done, the compressor 3 performs an adiabatic compression A-B of the working gas 5 to bring the temperature of said gas 5 from cold T1 to hot T2.

[0279] Said adiabatic compression A-B is followed by an isothermal compression B-C during which the work provided by the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors visible in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIGS. 10 to 12, is converted into heat Q1 which is exported to the heating means 18, for example a heating-cooling floor 106 or high-temperature radiators not shown, via the first and second heat export means 17, 73, said means 18, 17, 73 being clearly visible in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0280] Then follows the discharge C-D of the compressed and hot working gas 5 at temperature T2 at the end of the compression stroke, followed by the intake E-A of cold working gas 5 at temperature T1 and at low-pressure from the expander 4, said intake forming the starting point of a new compression cycle.

[0281] The expander 4 for its part accepts compressed and hot working gas 5 at temperature T2 during its intake stroke F-G.

[0282] Once this has been done, the expander 4 carries out an adiabatic expansion G-H of the working gas 5 in order to cause the temperature thereof to pass from hot T2 to cold T1 and to render to the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of expanders a part of the work consumed by said double-acting hydraulic piston 39 during the adiabatic compression A-B carried out in the compressor 3.

[0283] Said adiabatic expansion G-H is followed by an isothermal expansion H-I during which the working gas 5 at cold temperature T1 still provides work to the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of expanders visible in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIGS. 8 and 10, while maintaining the temperature of said gas 5 at value T1 by capturing heat Q2 which is imported from the cooling means 19 via the first heat import means 138 and the second heat import means 74, said means 19, 138, 74 being clearly visible in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0284] The isothermal expansion stroke being completed, there follows the discharge I-J of the working gas 5 at low-pressure and cold at temperature T1, followed by the intake F-G of compressed and hot working gas 5 at temperature T2 from the compressor 3, which forms the starting point of a new expansion cycle.

[0285] FIG. 2 shows a variant of the thermodynamic heat pump cycle shown in FIG. 1 and which has just been described, said variant allowing a more relevant implementation of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention as shown in FIGS. 3 to 15.

[0286] In FIG. 2, the adiabatic compression of the working gas 5 carried out by the compressor 3 to pass from the cold temperature T1 to the hot temperature T2 is replaced by the input Q3 of heat to the working gas 5 accepted by the compressor 3 from the expander 4, said input coming from the regeneration heat exchanger 152 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0287] By means of said heat exchanger 152, the working gas 5 that flows in the high-pressure gas duct 56 gives its heat to the working gas 5 that flows in the low-pressure gas duct 61.

[0288] Thus, the working gas 5 admitted by the compressor 3 during its stroke D-A is already hot at temperature T2, while the working gas 5 admitted by the expander 4 during its stroke E-F is already cold at temperature T1.

[0289] As a result of this particular configuration of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the entire compression and discharge stroke of the working gas 5 from the compressor 3 can be operated isothermally, without prior heating of said gas 5 by adiabatic compression since said gas 5 is already at hot temperature T2.

[0290] The stroke A-B therefore forms from its start an isothermal compression during which the work provided by the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors is entirely converted into heat Q1 exported to the heating means 18 via the first heat export means 17 and the second heat export means, said means 18, 17 being represented in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0291] Then follows the discharge B-C of the compressed and hot working gas 5 at temperature T2 at the end of the compression stroke, followed by the intake D-A of working gas 5 also hot at temperature T2 and at low-pressure, from the expander 4, said intake forming the starting point of a new compression cycle.

[0292] Like what happens in the compressor 3, the principle of FIG. 2 also applies to the expander 4, that is to say that the entire expansion and discharge stroke of the working gas 5 of the expander 4 can be carried out isothermally, without prior cooling of said gas 5 by adiabatic expansion since said gas 5 is already at cold temperature T1 at the intake of said expander 4.

[0293] The stroke F-G therefore forms from its origin an isothermal expansion during which part of the work provided by the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors during compression A-B is returned to the double-acting hydraulic piston 39 of expanders, the two said pistons 10, 39 being mechanically connected to each other for example by a crankshaft 24, by maintaining the temperature of the working gas 5 at value T1 by input heat Q2 imported from the cooling means 19 via the first heat import means 138 and the second heat import means 74.

[0294] Then follows the discharge G-H of the cold working gas 5 at temperature T1 and low-pressure at the end of the expansion stroke, followed by the intake E-F of compressed and cold working gas 5 at temperature T1 from the compressor 3 via the regeneration heat exchanger 152, which forms the starting point of a new expansion cycle.

[0295] In addition to performing the thermodynamic cycles represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, the aim of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention is to meet the conditions necessary to obtain a higher efficiency than that of conventional refrigerant gas heat pumps.

[0296] For this, the efficiency of the heat exchanges must be maximum between the working gas 5 and the working liquid 13 whether in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, in the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29, in the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 or in the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55, the efficiency of the heat exchanges must also be maximum in the regeneration heat exchanger 152 between the working gas 5 which flows in the high-pressure gas duct 56 and that which flows in the low-pressure gas duct 61.

[0297] Similarly, the heat exchange efficiency must be maximum between the first heat export means 17 and the second heat export means 73, on the one hand, and the heating means 18, on the other hand.

[0298] Similarly, the efficiency of heat exchanges must be maximum between the first heat import means 138 and the second heat import means 74, on the one hand, and the cooling means 19, on the other hand.

[0299] It is to maximize the heat exchanges between the working gas 5 and the working liquid 13 that in FIGS. 5, 8, 9 and 13 to 15, it has been shown that the first compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 16 and the second compressor heat exchange and accumulation means 59, as well as the first expander heat exchange and accumulation means 139 and the second expander heat exchange and accumulation means 70, can advantageously consist of a rotary liquid atomizer 158 which comprises a rotary atomizing cylinder 159 pierced with radial atomizing orifices 160, an atomizer motor 161 driving said cylinder 159 in rapid rotation so that the latter sucks in working liquid 13 at its axial end by centrifugation effect of said liquid 13, and by means of a pumping turbine 162 particularly visible in FIGS. 13 to 15.

[0300] Said rotary liquid atomizer 158 radially rejects working liquid 13 in the form of fine droplets as the case may be, into the first internal volume of the compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 or into the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29, or into the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 or into the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55, via the radial atomizing orifices 160, and fills the available space with a mixture of working gas 5 and moving droplets of working liquid 13.

[0301] By rotating in said reservoirs 14, 29, 50, 55, the fine droplets rotate the working gas ring 5 formed in said reservoirs 14, 29, 50, 55, which allows said droplets to propagate radially from the outside of the rotary atomizing cylinder 159 up to the inner peripheral wall of said reservoirs 14, 29, 50, 55 despite a pressure of for example only one hundred millibars produced by the rotary atomizing cylinder 159.

[0302] The efficiency of the heat exchanges depends in particular on the time and the contact surface available for said exchanges to take place, which explains why the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 is operated at low frequency, for example at a maximum of one Hertz for a round trip of the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors and the double-acting hydraulic piston 39 of expanders in their respective cylinders 8, 30, which also leaves all the time necessary for the transfers to take place via the inlet ports 6 and the outlet ports 7 of the compressor 3 and the expander 4 in order to limit the losses by lamination of the working gas 5 when passing through said ports 6, 7.

[0303] This low actuation frequency justifies the use of an inertia flywheel 66 rotating at high speed, for example at three thousand revolutions per minute at the maximum speed of the crankshaft 24 of sixty revolutions per minute.

[0304] The inertia flywheel 66 is in particular visible in FIGS. 3 to 5 and in FIG. 7, and the variations in instantaneous torque imposed on the crank shaft 24 by the compression or expansion of the working gas 5 in the compressor 3 and in the expander 4 are mainly absorbed by the inertia of said flywheel 66, so that the torque which resists or which drives the drive motor 27 is smoothed out, said motor 27 then being mainly subjected to the resistant mean torque necessary to keep the crankshaft 24 in regular rotation.

[0305] Said efficiency of the heat exchanges also depends on the pressure and the density of the working gas 5, which is why we will take here as an example a grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention whose low-pressure found at the beginning of compression and at the end of expansion is fifty bars, and whose high-pressure found at the end of compression and at the beginning of expansion is one hundred bars.

[0306] The low compression ratio of two to one in question here and the high operational pressures of the grouped mechanical-liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention are favourable to a high compactness of said pump, to large exchange surfaces during compression and expansion, and to good regularity of heat power absorbed or emitted respectively by the expander 4 and by the compressor 3 during their expansion or compression stroke.

[0307] The efficiency of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention also depends on the volumetric ratio of its compressor 3 and its expander 4.

[0308] The higher said volumetric ratio, the higher the volumetric efficiency of said compressor 3 and said expander 4, which explains, among other things, the choice of a liquid piston formed by the working liquid 13 with the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, with the second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 29, with the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 and with the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55.

[0309] To benefit from a volumetric ratio close to infinity, as shown particularly in FIGS. 13 to 15, the outlet ports 7 of the compressor 3 each receive a controlled compressor valve 53 while the outlet ports 7 of the expander 4 each receive a controlled expander valve 54, said valves 53, 54 cooperating with an overflow tank 113 in order to guarantee that a minimum of residual working gas 15 does not remain in the gas and liquid reservoirs 14, 29, 50, 55 at the end of the discharge stroke of the compressor 3 and the expander 4.

[0310] Achieving a breakthrough performance of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention compared to conventional refrigerant gas heat pumps also requires the minimization of mechanical friction.

[0311] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5, the first compressor piston axial face 132 and the second compressor piston axial face 133 of the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors are antagonistic so that the force received by the connecting rod 11 of compressors results from the sum of the forces applied by the pressure of the working liquid 13 to said axial faces 132, 133.

[0312] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the first expander piston axial face 43 and the second expander piston axial face 45 are also antagonistic so that the force that the connecting rod 75 of expanders receives results from the sum of the forces that the pressure of the working liquid 13 applies to said axial faces 43, 45.

[0313] This particular configuration ensures a minimum force applied to the connecting rod actuating means 144 which in this case consist of a crankshaft 24 and two actuating rods 165, one for the compressor 3 and the other for the expander 4.

[0314] In fact, the rod-crank system formed by said shaft 24 and said rods 165 is only subject, on the one hand, to the difference between the force exerted on the connecting rod 11 of compressors by the first compressor piston axial face 132 and that exerted on said rod 11 by the second compressor piston axial face 133 in the case of the compressor 3, and, on the other hand, to the difference between the force exerted on the connecting rod 75 of expanders by the first expander piston axial face 43 and that exerted on said rod 11 by the second expander piston axial face 45 in the case of the expander 4.

[0315] To minimize the mechanical friction generated by the operation of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention and according to the configurations of said pump 1 shown in FIGS. 3 to 12, the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors and the double-acting hydraulic piston 39 of expanders is not subjected to any radial force despite the high axial forces to which it is subjected, resulting from a maximum pressure of for example one hundred bars according to this non-limiting example.

[0316] This is all the more necessary since the low speed of translation of the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors in the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors and the low speed of translation of the double-acting hydraulic piston 39 of expanders in the blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders does not promote the establishment of a hydrodynamic lubricating regime at the contact interface between said pistons 10, 39 and said cylinder 8, 30 with which each cooperates.

[0317] This is all the more necessary if the working liquid which interferes between the double-acting hydraulic piston 10, 39 and the blind liquid cylinder 8, 30 is water, the latter not being very viscous and having limited lubricating properties, which is also unfavourable to establishing a hydrodynamic bearing regime at the interface between said piston 10, 39 and said cylinders 8, 30.

[0318] In order to avoid subjecting the double-acting hydraulic piston 10 of compressors and the double-acting hydraulic piston 39 of expanders to any radial force whatsoever, as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 10 to 12, the connecting rod actuating means 144 by means of which the drive motor 27 impresses the connecting rod 11 of compressors and the connecting rod 75 of expanders a longitudinal translation reciprocating movement are here and by way of non-limiting example advantageously constituted by a crankshaft 24, the latter having two cranks 26, one of which is articulated with the rod head 145 of an actuating rod 165, the latter also comprising a rod foot 146 which is articulated about the connecting rod 11 of compressors by means of a connecting crosshead 147, and the other of which is articulated with the rod head 145 of another actuating rod 165. the latter also comprising a rod foot 146 which is articulated about with the connecting rod 75 of expanders by means of another connecting crosshead 147.

[0319] This configuration also makes it possible to make the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention more compact than that resulting from the variants shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 where the compressor 3 and the expander 4 are aligned, the latter version, however, having the advantage of a lesser torque exerted on the crankshaft 24 and a lesser need to store mechanical energy via the mechanical energy storage 28.

[0320] It will be noted that still with the aim of minimizing the mechanical friction, generated by the operation of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention and from the configuration of said pump 1 shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, the two cranks 26 that the crankshaft 24 receives can advantageously be offset, for example by forty-five degrees, to minimize the mechanical energy exchanges between said shaft 24 and the inertia flywheel 66.

[0321] Indeed, this offset of forty-five degrees makes it possible in particular for the resistant torque produced by the compressor 3 on the crankshaft 24 to be compensated as much as possible by the motor torque produced by the expander 4 on the same said shaft 24, which effectively limits the exchanges of mechanical energy between said crankshaft 24 and the inertia flywheel 66.

[0322] Said offset of forty-five degrees also makes it possible to limit the pressure variations occurring in the high-pressure gas duct 56 and in the low-pressure gas duct 61.

[0323] As can be seen particularly in FIGS. 11 and 12, the connecting crosshead 147 comprises a crosshead yoke 148 is traversed by a crosshead axis 155 which is perpendicular to the connecting rod 11 with which said yoke 148 cooperates and about which are articulated, on the one hand, a rod foot bearing 149 that the rod foot 146 comprises by means of a roller bearing 105, and two crosshead rollers 150 with rollers which each roll alternately on two crosshead raceways 41 parallel to the blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors and the blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders.

[0324] According to this particular configuration of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, the radial forces which result from the obliqueness of the actuating rods 165 produced during the rotation of the crankshaft 24 are supported by the two crosshead rollers 150 with rollers positioned on either side of the corresponding crosshead yoke 148, which limits the friction losses which result from said radial forces.

[0325] It will also be noted in FIGS. 7, 8, 10 and 11 that the crankshaft 24 is also mounted on roller bearings 105, as well as the shaft that supports the inertia flywheel 66 and the shaft that supports, on the one hand, the rotor of the drive motor 27, and, on the other hand, the ring drive pinion 68 secured to said rotor.

[0326] The actual friction coefficient of the roller bearings 105 being very low, they dissipate little energy and have little negative impact on the energy efficiency of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention.

[0327] It will also be noted that the gear systems formed by the various rings and pinions which constitute a transmission multiplier 156 between the inertia flywheel 66 and the crankshaft 24 are to be provided precise and of good quality, in order to give them as much as possible a transmission efficiency of more than ninety-nine percent.

[0328] In FIGS. 3 to 7, in FIG. 8 and in FIGS. 13 to 15, it can be seen that the compressor filling means 20 and the compressor draining means 22 are advantageously constituted of controlled compressor valves 53 while the expander filling means 140 and the expander draining means 141 are constituted of controlled expander valves 54.

[0329] This feature easily makes it possible to switch the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention from the heating mode to the air conditioning mode without any need other than to reverse the roles between that of the compressor 3 and that of the expander 4, said compressor 3 being able to assume the function normally occupied by the expander 4, and vice versa.

[0330] If, as seen previously, the two cranks 26 that the crankshaft 24 receives are offset by forty-five degrees, said shaft 24 will advantageously rotate in one direction in heatingmode, and in the opposite direction in air conditioningmode.

[0331] Indeed, according to a particular embodiment of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, nothing physically distinguishes the compressor 3 from the expander 4 except the distribution refinement operated by the compressor controlled valves 53 and the expander controlled valves 54.

[0332] Thus, when the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention switches from the heating mode to the air conditioning mode, the heating means 18 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 become the cooling means 19 and vice versa, without it being necessary to swap the coolant circuits which connect said means directly or indirectly to the compressor 3 or to the expander 4.

[0333] Indeed, the heat transfer liquid of the circuit exposed to the outside 122 of the building 121 is for example constituted by water to which glycol has been added for protection against frost, while the heat transfer liquid of the circuit which moves about inside the building 121 can be constituted only by pure water, less toxic, less corrosive, and less expensive, which is decisive in view of the much larger quantities contained in this latter circuit.

[0334] Thus, the pressure-volume principle diagrams represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the thermodynamic cycle of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention remain identical, while, because the compressor filling means 20 and the compressor draining means 22 advantageously consist of controlled compressor valves 53, the compressor 3 can execute the lower part of said diagrams normally executed by the expander 4, while the latter can execute the upper part of said diagrams normally executed by the compressor 3.

[0335] The compressor filling means 20 and the compressor draining means 22 consisting of controlled compressor valves 53 also make it possible to start the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention.

[0336] Indeed, to set the crankshaft 24 in motion, the drive motor 27 must overcome the resistant torque produced by the connecting rod 11 of compressors and the connecting rod 75 of expanders on the crankshaft 24 while setting the inertia flywheel 66 in motion, which can exceed the maximum torque that can be delivered by said motor 27.

[0337] For this, the compressor controlled valves 53 placed on the input port 6 of the compressor 3 can remain constantly open, as can the expander controlled valves 54 in order to limit the resistant torque of the crankshaft 24, the time of the rotation of the latter 24 and the inertia flywheel 66 with which it cooperates.

[0338] An alternative may consist of a valve or solenoid valve (not shown) which temporarily communicates the high-pressure gas duct 56 with the low-pressure gas duct 61 to equalize the pressure prevailing in the two said ducts 56, 61, the time of the setting in motion of the crankshaft 24 by the drive motor 27.

[0339] It has been mentioned above that, in cooperation with the overflow tanks 113, the compressor controlled valves 53 and the expander controlled valves 54 make it possible to give the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention an infinite volume ratio, which is decisive for its efficiency.

[0340] The operation of the overflow tanks 113 is illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15 which show the compressor 3 and particularly the controlled compressor valve 53 positioned on the outlet port 7 of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, said valve 53 constituting the compressor draining means 22 and ending, in FIG. 13, in expelling the working gas 5 from said reservoir 14.

[0341] It is noted in FIG. 13 that after having expelled all the working gas 5 from the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, a little working liquid 13 from the previous cycle is also discharged and is received by the corresponding overflow tank 113, arranged in the compressor discharge plenum 62.

[0342] This strategy makes it possible to ensure that no residual working gas 5 remains in the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 before readmitting working gas 5 via the controlled compressor valve 53 positioned on the inlet port 6 of said first reservoir 14, said valve 53 forming the compressor filling means 20.

[0343] Indeed, as shown in FIG. 14, the controlled compressor valve 53 positioned on the outlet port 7 remains open a few degrees after the top dead center of the corresponding double-acting hydraulic compressor piston 10 of compressors, in order to readmit into the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 working liquid 5 from the overflow tank 113 which cooperates with said valve 53.

[0344] When the desired amount of working liquid 5 readmitted is reached, which will be used by the next cycle, the controlled compressor valve 53 positioned on the outlet port 7 closes while the controlled compressor valve 53 positioned on the inlet port 6 opens to input the working gas load 5 necessary for the operation of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention.

[0345] A similar principle is adopted to give the expander 4 an infinite volumetric ratio, except that, at each cycle, the expander 4 completely and alternately empties the overflow tanks 113 which are positioned at its outlet ports 7 and which are arranged in the expander discharge plenum 143.

[0346] The dimension of said tanks 113 is calculated to correspond to the amount of working liquid 13 to be introduced, as the case may be, into the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 or into the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55, before expelling all of the working gas 5 contained in said reservoirs 50, 55 each via its outlet port 7.

[0347] Advantageously, a not shown level sensor can measure the level of the working liquid 13 retained in the overflow tanks 113 arranged in the expander discharge plenum 143 and/or in the compressor discharge plenum 62, particularly because of the reversibility of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention allowing it to equally operate in heating mode or air conditioning mode.

[0348] It will be noted that the ethanol chosen here as the working liquid 13 expands greatly under the effect of temperature, and that as such its total volume in the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 can vary significantly.

[0349] Advantageously, the overflow tanks 113 arranged in the compressor discharge plenum 62 can collect the excess volume of said working liquid 13, in this case ethanol, because the level of said liquid 13 in said tanks 113 can vary greatly without prejudice to the operation of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention.

[0350] This is why the level of working liquid 13 in the overflow tanks 113 arranged in the expander discharge plenum 143 must be kept close to constant, the excess of said liquid 13 being transferred from the expander 4 to the compressor 3 by means of a valve for equalizing the levels of working liquid 115 visible in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0351] The working liquid level equalizing valve 115 can, for example, transiently and cyclically connect the lower part of the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 with the lower part of the first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14 when, during the thermodynamic cycle as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, the pressure prevailing in said first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 is greater than that prevailing in said first compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, in order to maintain the working liquid level 13 in the overflow tanks 113 arranged in the expander discharge plenum 143 close to constant.

[0352] This strategy is made necessary in particular by the fact that during the operation of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, a part of the working liquid 13 passed into the vapour state at the outlet of the compressor 3 condenses in the regeneration heat exchanger 152 and returns to the liquid state, which naturally tends to transfer the working liquid 13 from the compressor 3 to the expander 4.

[0353] To maximize the efficiency of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, it can be seen in FIG. 4 that advantageously, a partitioned heat-insulating enclosure 164, consisting, for example, of expanded polyurethane plates, thermally insulates the compressor 3 from the expander 4, and insulates the latter 3, 4 from the connecting rod actuating means 144, the drive motor 27 and the mechanical energy storage means 28, said enclosure 164 also thermally separating said heat pump 1 from its external environment.

[0354] It can be seen in FIG. 4 the heating-cooling means of the drive unit 125 which connect the thermally insulated compartment which contains the connecting rod actuating means 144, the drive motor 27 and the mechanical energy storage means 28, to the heating means 18 and to the cooling means 16.

[0355] The heating-cooling means of the drive unit 125 can be constituted, for example, by a first loop of pure water that surrounds the stator of the electric drive motor 27, said first loop being connected to the circuit of the heating means 18 housed in the building 121, and by a second loop of water to which glycol has been added that also surrounds the stator of said motor 27, said second loop being connected to the circuit of the cooling means 16 housed outside 122 of the building 121.

[0356] In heating mode, said first loop is activated by an electrical circulator 126 or a not shown solenoid valve and recovers the heat emitted by the drive motor 27, in this case electrical, by the connecting rod actuating means 144, and by the mechanical energy storage means 28 to give said heat to the heating means 18 housed in the building 121.

[0357] In air conditioning mode, the second loop is activated by another small electrical circulator 126 or a solenoid valve (not shown) and recovers the heat emitted by the drive motor 27, in this case electrical, by the connecting rod actuating means 144, and by the mechanical energy storage means 28 to give said heat to the cooling means 19 housed outside 122 of the building 121.

[0358] This particular configuration of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention further maximizes the efficiency of the latter 1 especially when it operates in heating mode, and keeps the electric drive motor 27, the connecting rod actuating means 144, and the mechanical energy storage means 28 at constant temperature.

[0359] It will be understood that, according to this particular configuration of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, almost all of the heat emitted as a result of the frictional or electromechanical energy losses generated by the drive motor 27, the connecting rod actuating means 144, the mechanical energy storage means 28 as well as those generated by the multiplication gear system 69 and the transmission multiplier 156 is reinjected in heating mode into the heating means 18 consisting, for example, of a heating-refreshing floor 106 or of high-temperature radiators, or dissipated in air conditioningmode outside 122 of the building 121.

[0360] It is noted that the power of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention can be set either by varying the rotational speed of the crankshaft 24 for example between ten and sixty revolutions per minute by means for example of an electrical frequency modulator known per se which powers the electric drive motor 27, or by varying the compression ratio of the compressor 3 and the expansion ratio of the expander 4 for example between one point five and two for one, or both.

[0361] The setting of said power by the compression ratio of the compressor 3 is carried out by adapting the lift laws of the controlled compressor valves 53 and those of the controlled expander valves 54, said valves 53, 54 each being actuated in opening and/or closing by a valve actuator 119.

[0362] Said setting of the rotational speed of the crankshaft 24, the compression ratio of the compressor 3, and the expansion ratio of the expander 4, are provided by a computer 120.

[0363] Indeed, with all things being equal, the power of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention is proportional to the rotational speed of its crankshaft 24, which is a first setting which allows the computer 120 to set said power.

[0364] But, further to the rotation speed of its crankshaft 24, the more or less late and more or less staggered raising of the controlled expander valves 54 makes it possible to set the pressure which prevails in the high-pressure gas duct 56 which is particularly visible in FIGS. 3 to 5 relative to that which prevails in the low-pressure gas duct 61, also visible in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0365] This setting has a great importance, in that the pressure difference in question determines, in particular, the quantity of heat produced by the heat pump 1 upon each rotation of the crankshaft 24.

[0366] This setting occurs, for example, by making the expander 4 transfers less working gas 5 from the high-pressure gas duct 56 to the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 and the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 during the section E-F of the diagram of said expander 4 of FIG. 2, than the compressor 3 transfers during the section B-C of said diagram, which has the effect of making the pressure increase in the high-pressure gas duct 56, while making the pressure lower in the low-pressure gas duct 61.

[0367] On the contrary, if the expander 4 transfers more working gas 5 from the high-pressure gas duct 56 to the first expander gas and liquid reservoir 50 and the second expander gas and liquid reservoir 55 during the cross-section E-F of the diagram of said expander 4 of FIG. 2, than the compressor 3 transfers during the cross-section B-C of said diagram, the pressure in the high-pressure gas duct 56 lowers, while the pressure increases in the low-pressure gas duct 61.

[0368] It will be noted that advantageously, the controlled compressor valves and the controlled expander valves 54 can behave both like valves and like flaps, i.e. that it can open under the effect of a pressure difference, in addition to being actuated in opening by their valve actuator 119.

[0369] In this regard, said valves 53, 54 are advantageously autoclaves and are, during the majority of the time of the thermodynamic cycle shown in FIG. 1 or 2, maintained pressed by the pressure on their seat which can be, for example, constituted of an elastomer or polymer O-ring housed in a groove.

[0370] However, if the pressure changes direction, said valves 53, 54 can open without intervention of their valve actuator 119.

[0371] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention can comprise a defrosting heat reservoir 116 formed of a reserve of hot heat transfer fluid 123, said reserve being connected in bypass of the heat transport duct 38 in which flows a cold heat transfer fluid 37, for example water to which glycol has been added, said fluid 37 transporting heat from the cooling means 19 to the first and second heat import means 138, 74 to which it gives said heat.

[0372] After each defrosting cycle of the cooling means 19, the heat transfer fluid reserve 123 is heated and then kept hot by the first heat export means 17 and/or the second heat export means 73 of the compressor 3, for example via a copper coil housed inside said reserve 123 and in which flows a hot heat transfer fluid 37, for example pure water.

[0373] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the first and second heat export means 17, 73 each consist of a heat exchanger duct 36 respectively housed in the first and second compressor gas and liquid reservoirs 14, 29.

[0374] As can be easily derive from FIG. 4, the heat transfer fluid 37 cooled by the expander 4 can either pass through the heat transfer fluid reserve 123 before joining the cooling means 19 to heat the latter, or, bypass said reserve 123 to directly join said means 19.

[0375] Thus, when the cooling means 19 are covered with frost due to their low temperature, the computer 120 can start the electrical circulator 126 placed in series with the heat transfer fluid reserve 123 so that the hot heat transfer fluid 37 contained in said reserve 123 joins said means 19 and fills them completely.

[0376] Immediately after, the circulation of the heat-transfer fluid 37 in the heat transport duct 38 which transports said fluid 37 to the cooling means 19 ceases, the time that the hot heat-transfer fluid 37 which fills said means 19 gives up its heat to the latter 19 and that said means 19 defrost.

[0377] It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the electric circulator 126 placed in series with the heat transfer fluid reserve 123 cooperates with a resistance non-return valve 127 so that no heat transfer fluid 37 passes through the heat transfer fluid reserve 123 when said circulator 126 is stopped.

[0378] It will be noted that the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention can, in addition to the various members and accessories shown in FIGS. 3 to 16, comprise various other apparatuses and accessories such as pressure and/or temperature sensors, a frequency converter to regulate the electrical power supply of the electrical drive motor 27 sequentially according to the angle of the crankshaft 24 or continuously, at least one angular encoder and/or or a passage detection sensor which returns to the computer 120 the speed and/or the angular position of the crankshaft 24, one or more pumps and/or compressors and/or valves making it possible to transfer working gas 5 or working liquid 13 from external sources to the constituent members of said heat pump 1, one or more expansion vessels, circulators, auxiliary pumps, purges, safety elements for people, pressure limiters or relief valves, or any other apparatus known to those skilled in the art useful for the proper operation of said pump 1 according to the invention.

[0379] The grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention can also comprise a thermal insulation layer on all the necessary members, and whatever the nature of said layer which can take the form of foam or flexible or rigid insulating wool, insulating bricks, plates or screens which reflect radiation of any kind.

[0380] The thermal insulation layer can insulate the heat pump 55 and its components from the outer environment and/or insulate the compressor 3 which is hot, from the expander 4 which is colder.

[0381] Said heat pump 1 can also receive an acoustic insulation envelope, and its static frame 40 can rest on the floor by way of anti-vibration elastic studs.

[0382] It will also be noted that collectors of suspended droplets of iron or stainless steel wool may be provided in the compressor discharge plenum 62 and/or in the expander discharge plenum 143.

[0383] It will also be noted that the computer 120 can operate an optimization software which sets the rotational speed of the crankshaft 24 and the compression ratio of the compressor 3 to set the power of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, but also potentially the rotational speed of the rotary atomizing cylinders 159 of said pump 1 and the rotational speed of the motor fans 108 of the cooling means 19, as well as the flow rate of the heat transfer fluids of the various circuits internal and external to said pump 1 by setting the power of various electric circulators 126.

[0384] The software operated by the computer 120 can in particular be connected to the internet and use artificial intelligence to optimize the operation of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention to maximize the efficiency taking into account the weather forecasts, the lifestyle habits of the inhabitants of the building 121, and the characteristics of the latter 121 such as its thermal inertia, its insulation, and the external contributions to its heating or cooling.

[0385] It is understood that many architectures are applicable to the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention, with a vertical blind liquid cylinder 8 of compressors or a vertical blind liquid cylinder 30 of expanders, a first or second compressor gas and liquid reservoir 14, 29 and/or a first or second expander gas and liquid reservoir 50, 55 offset and connected to said cylinders 8 by a communication duct 15 of any geometry and any length.

[0386] It should also be noted that several compressor blind liquid cylinders 8 or several expander blind liquid cylinders 30 can cooperate, the double-acting hydraulic pistons 10 of compressors and double-acting hydraulic pistons 10 of expanders of which are set in motion by connecting rod actuating means 144 that are common or not, phased or angularly offset, synchronized or not, said cylinders 8, 30 being able to be juxtaposed, superposed, mounted head to tail, in opposition or according to any relative position and orientation whatsoever.

[0387] The options of the grouped mechanical liquid piston heat pump 1 according to the invention are not limited to the applications which have just been described, and it must moreover be understood that the description above has only been given as an example and that it does not at all limit the scope of said invention, which is not moved away from by replacing the details of execution described by any other equivalent.