Retrofit HVAC attached energy storage system and process

Abstract

The invention described herein represents a significant improvement in the efficiency of cooling processes for applications such as buildings, computer equipment, processes, and refrigeration. Described is HVAC energy attached storage whereby an existing HVAC systems cooling capacity is augmented by the addition of a phase changed compressed refrigerant storage and control system. Energy is stored at a first time for subsequent use when electricity is more expensive than a threshold, when electricity availability is constrained, when the thermal load to be cooled is forecasted to be above a threshold, or when a renewable energy source is less available than a threshold.

1 . A thermal energy transfer process comprising;
 providing a refrigerant compressor,   providing a liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism,   providing a liquid refrigerant storage tank,   providing a refrigerant evaporator,   providing a gas refrigerant flow control mechanism,   providing a gas refrigerant storage tank,   providing a refrigerant,   wherein said refrigerant is controllably directed through the following steps,
 at a first time said liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs liquid refrigerant flow to be from said refrigerant compressor to said refrigerant evaporator, and said gas refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs gas refrigerant flow to be from said refrigerant evaporator to said refrigerant compressor, 
 at a second time said gas refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs gas refrigerant flow to be from said gas refrigerant storage tank to said refrigerant compressor, and said liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs liquid refrigerant flow to be from said refrigerant compressor to said liquid refrigerant storage tank, 
 and at a third time said liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs liquid refrigerant flow to be from said liquid refrigerant storage tank to said refrigerant evaporator, and said gas refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs gas refrigerant flow to be from said refrigerant evaporator to said gas refrigerant storage tank. 
   
     
     
         2 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 1  wherein a throttling valve is provided to control the refrigerant flow between the liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism and the refrigerant evaporator. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 1  wherein a condenser is provided between the refrigerant compressor and the liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 1  wherein a thermal energy absorbed at said refrigerant evaporator is used to cool a thermal load. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 1  wherein a fluid is provided to transfer thermal energy from the thermal load to the refrigerant evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 5  wherein said thermal load comprises heat from one selected from the group consisting; from a building, from a refrigerated space, from a process that generates heat, and from equipment that generates heat. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 1  wherein said liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism is one selected from the group consisting of a single valve, and multiple valves. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 1  wherein said gas refrigerant flow control mechanism is one selected from the group consisting of a single valve, and multiple valves. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 1  wherein
 at a forth time said liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs liquid refrigerant flow to be from said refrigerant compressor to said refrigerant evaporator, and said gas refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs gas refrigerant flow to be from said refrigerant evaporator to said refrigerant compressor,   and said liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs liquid refrigerant flow to be from said liquid refrigerant storage tank to said refrigerant evaporator, and said gas refrigerant flow control mechanism controllably directs gas refrigerant flow to be from said refrigerant evaporator to said gas refrigerant storage tank.   
     
     
         10 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 1  wherein controlling logic is provided to determine and control when each operational mode runs such that said second time comprises one selected from the group consisting of; a time when electricity is cheaper than a threshold, a time when electricity is forecasted to be abundantly available, a time when the thermal load to be cooled is forecasted to be below a threshold, and a time when a renewable energy source is more available than a threshold, 
       and wherein said third time comprises one selected from the group consisting of; a time when electricity is more expensive than a threshold, a time when electricity availability is constrained, a time when the thermal load to be cooled is forecasted to be above a threshold, and a time when a renewable energy source is less available than a threshold. 
     
     
         11 . A thermal energy transfer process comprising;
 providing a first thermal climate control means.   providing a fluid interface,   providing a thermal load to be cooled   providing a second thermal climate control means comprising;
 providing a refrigerant compressor 
 providing a refrigerant evaporator 
 providing a liquid refrigerant storage tank 
 providing a gas refrigerant storage tank, 
 providing a refrigerant 
   and in a first operational mode said refrigerant compressor receives gas refrigerant from said gas refrigerant storage tank, compresses said gas refrigerant to become a liquid refrigerant, and said liquid refrigerant is deposited in said liquid refrigerant storage tank, wherein said liquid refrigerant is stored for subsequent evaporation,   and in a second operational mode said refrigerant evaporator receives said liquid refrigerant from said liquid refrigerant storage tank, evaporates said liquid refrigerant to become a gas refrigerant thereby absorbing thermal energy from said fluid interface to cool said thermal load, and said gas refrigerant is deposited in said gas refrigerant storage tank, wherein said gas refrigerant is stored for subsequent compression,   and in a third operational mode the first thermal climate control means absorbs thermal energy from said fluid interface to cool said thermal load,   And wherein cooling capacity is applied to the thermal load in a combination from the group consisting of; the third mode cools without the second mode, the second mode cools without the third mode, both the second mode and third mode cool concurrently.   
     
     
         12 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 11  wherein controlling logic is provided to determine and control when each operational mode runs such that
 said first operational mode is controlled to run under a condition selected from the group consisting of; when electricity is cheaper than a threshold, when electricity is forecasted to be abundantly available, when the thermal load to be cooled is forecasted to be below a threshold, and when a renewable energy source is more available than a threshold,   and said second operational mode is controlled to run under a condition selected from the group consisting of when electricity is more expensive than a threshold, when electricity availability is constrained, when the thermal load to be cooled is forecasted to be above a threshold, and when a renewable energy source is less available than a threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 11  wherein, to said second thermal climate control means, a throttling valve is provided to control the refrigerant flow between the liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism and the refrigerant evaporator. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 11  wherein, to said second thermal climate control means, a condenser is provided between the refrigerant compressor and the liquid refrigerant flow control mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 11  wherein said fluid interface comprises a heat transfer fluid to transport thermal energy from the thermal load to said evaporator in said second operational mode and to said first thermal climate control means in said third operational mode. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 15  wherein said heat transfer fluid is selected from the group consisting of, H2O, glycol, and air. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 15  wherein in said second operational mode said heat transfer fluid is controllably directed to dump thermal load into said evaporator, and in said third operational mode said heat transfer fluid is controllably directed to dump thermal load into said first thermal climate control means. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 17  wherein said heat transfer fluid is controllably directed by a flow control mechanism selected from the group consisting of, a single valve, and multiple valves. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 11  wherein said thermal load comprises heat from one selected from the group consisting; from a building, from a refrigerated space, from a process that generates heat, and from equipment that generates heat. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal energy transfer process of  claim 11  wherein a flow control mechanism directs refrigerant flow to and from said liquid refrigerant storage tank whereby
 in said first operational mode liquid refrigerant is directed to flow into said liquid refrigerant storage tank and blocked from flowing into said refrigerant evaporator,   and in said second operational mode liquid refrigerant is directed to flow into said refrigerant evaporator and blocked from flowing to said refrigerant compressor.