Thermal Energy Transfer Unit and Method

Abstract

A thermal energy transfer unit is provided for conventional Freon air conditioning. One or several thermal energy transfer units are operatively interconnected to one or several conventional air condition systems and share a common energy storage tank. Each thermal energy transfer unit converts energy from the compressor and condensing coil of the conventional air conditioner and stores it in the common energy storage tank when electricity is in low demand. Each thermal energy transfer unit retrieves stored energy from the common storage tank and provides air conditioning without the use of the compressor when electricity is in high demand. Each thermal energy transfer unit can be disabled to allow the air conditioning unit to perform as if they and the energy storage tank were not connected. One or all of the units can be disabled without affecting the performance or purpose of the others.

1 . A method for cooling inside air within a structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a thermal energy transfer unit which utilizes a non-freezing liquid for applying energy conversion and storage to an existing conventional Freon air-conditioning system associated with the structure, where the thermal energy transfer unit includes a thermal storage media located in a thermal storage tank, the method comprising the steps of:   utilizing the thermal energy transfer unit to transfer heat from the thermal storage media in the thermal storage tank to a an outside condensing coil and compressor of the conventional Freon air-conditioning system where it is rejected to outside air;   transferring heat from inside air within the structure to the thermal storage media in the thermal storage tank without the outside condensing coil and compressor operating; and   thereafter, allowing the outside condensing coil and compressor to transfer heat from the inside air of the structure to outside air in the same manner that such heat transfer was accomplished before the addition of the thermal energy transfer unit and thermal storage tank were added to the existing conventional Freon air-conditioning system.   
   
   
       2 . A method of air conditioning a structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 locating multiple thermal energy transfer units in proximity to a structure to be cooled, for applying energy conversion and storage to multiple existing conventional Freon air-conditioners, including the steps of:   locating at least one thermal storage facility remotely from the multiple thermal energy transfer units;   providing a pump for circulating a non-freezing liquid to and from the at least one storage facility for transferring heat to and from the storage facility;   wherein each thermal energy transfer unit includes a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the non-freezing liquid to Freon being circulated by the outside condensing coil and compressor when storing energy in the storage facility and wherein the same heat exchanger is used to transfer the heat in the Freon to the non-freezing liquid, and thus to the storage facility, when air conditioning is performed without the outside condensing coil and compressor running, the heat transfer without the use of the outside condensing coil and compressor being accomplished by condensing the Freon to a liquid state and then pumping the liquid Freon into the structure to absorb heat where it vaporizes, and wherein the Freon is then returned to the heat exchanger where it transfers its heat to the non-freezing liquid and condenses to its liquid state.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the thermal energy transfer unit includes a pump means for pumping the liquid Freon when air conditioning is desired but without the outside condensing coil and compressor operating. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the thermal energy transfer unit includes a control means which allows normal air conditioning to be performed by the operation of the outside condensing coil and compressor as if the thermal energy transfer unit were not present, in which case heat is neither being added to nor extracted from the non-freezing liquid and the non-freezing liquid pump is not running. 
   
   
       5 - 7 . (canceled) 
   
   
       8 . The thermal energy transfer unit of  claim 2 , further comprising valve means to start, stop and regulate the flow of heat from the conventional air conditioning system to or from the thermal storage facility, the valve means also functioning to allow heat to be transferred by the air conditioning system as if the thermal energy transfer unit and thermal storage facility were not present in the system. 
   
   
       9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . The thermal energy transfer unit of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy transfer unit operates to duplicate the operation of a conventional air conditioner outside condensing coil and compressor while operating in the air conditioning system, but without the conventional air conditioner outside condensing coil and compressor operating. 
   
   
       11 . The method of air conditioning a structure of  claim 2 , wherein the thermal storage facility operates as a stand-alone storage medium without the need for the non-freezing liquid being used to withdraw heat from the stand-alone storage facility. 
   
   
       12 . The method of air conditioning of  claim 2 , wherein the thermal energy transfer unit is installed in a conventional Freon type air conditioning system used to cool a building structure having an interior and an exterior, the thermal energy transfer unit being installed without the need to modify any existing plumbing located within the interior of the structure to be cooled.