Heat pump system and method of cooling and/or heating by means of said system

Abstract

A heat pump system ( 100 ) comprising a first hydraulic circuit ( 1 ) suitable to carry out a heat pump cycle in solution with a first operating fluid which, during part of said cycle, is combined with at least one auxiliary substance so as to form a material system therewith, and a second hydraulic circuit ( 2 ) adapted to carry out a compression heat pump cycle with a second operating fluid. The first hydraulic circuit ( 1 ) comprises a first treatment device ( 10 ) for the material system for separating from the material system at least a fraction of the first operating fluid; a first condenser ( 11 ) for at least partially condensing the first operating fluid which has been separated; a first evaporator ( 13 ) for at least partially evaporating the first operating fluid which has been condensed, and a second treatment device ( 14 ) for the material system for again incorporating in the material system the first operating fluid which has been evaporated. The second hydraulic circuit ( 2 ) comprises a second condenser ( 21 ) for at least partially condensing the second operating fluid and an evaporator ( 23 ) for evaporating the second operating fluid which has been condensed. The second condenser thermally coupled with the first treatment device ( 10 ) of the material system for transferring heat released from the second operating fluid at the second condenser ( 23 ) to the first treatment device ( 21 ) to separate said at least a fraction of the first operating fluid from said material system. A method of cooling and/or heating implementable by means of said heat pump system ( 100 ) is also described.

1 . Heat pump system comprising:
 a first hydraulic circuit suitable to carry out a heat pump cycle with a first operating fluid which, during part of said cycle, is combined with at least one auxiliary substance so as to form a material system therewith, said first hydraulic circuit comprising:   a first treatment device for said material system, in correspondence of which at least a fraction of the first operating fluid is separated from said material system;   a first condenser, in correspondence of which the first operating fluid which has been separated at least partially condenses, thus releasing heat;   a first evaporator, in correspondence of which the first operating fluid which has been condensed at least partially evaporates, thus absorbing heat, and   a second treatment device for said material system, in correspondence of which the first operating fluid which has been evaporated is again incorporated in said material system;   a second hydraulic circuit suitable to carry out a compression heat pump cycle with a second operating fluid, said second circuit comprising:   a second condenser, in correspondence of which said second operating fluid at least partially condenses, thus releasing heat, and   a second evaporator in correspondence of which said second operating fluid evaporates, thus absorbing heat,   characterized in that said second condenser is thermally coupled with said first treatment device to transfer heat released from said second operating fluid in correspondence of said second condenser to said first treatment device for separating said at least one fraction of the first operating fluid from said material system.   
     
     
         2 . Heat pump system according to  claim 1 , wherein said second treatment device is thermally coupled with said second evaporator to transfer heat released in correspondence of said second treatment device to said second operating fluid in correspondence of said second evaporator. 
     
     
         3 . Heat pump system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first condenser is thermally coupled with said second evaporator to transfer heat released from said first operating fluid in correspondence of said first condenser to said second operating fluid in correspondence of said second evaporator. 
     
     
         4 . Heat pump system according to  claim 1  previous claims, comprising a third hydraulic circuit suitable to carry out a compression heat pump cycle with a third operating fluid, wherein said third hydraulic circuit comprises a third condenser, in correspondence of which said third operating fluid releases heat while at least partially condensing, and wherein said third condenser is thermally coupled with said second evaporator to transfer heat released from said third operating fluid in correspondence of said third condenser to said second operating fluid in correspondence of said second evaporator. 
     
     
         5 . Method of cooling and/or heating by means of a heat pump system, comprising the steps of:
 a) carrying out a heat pump cycle with a first operating fluid which, during part of said cycle, is combined with at least one auxiliary substance so as to form a material system therewith, said cycle comprising the steps of:
 a1) separating at least a fraction of said first operating fluid from said material system; 
 a2) at least partially condensing the first operating fluid which has been separated; 
 a3) at least partially evaporating the first operating fluid which has been condensed, and 
 a4) incorporating the first operating fluid which has been evaporated again in said material system; 
   b) carrying out a compression heat pump cycle by means of a second operating fluid, said cycle comprising the steps of:
 b1) at least partially condensing said second operating fluid, and 
 b2) at least partially evaporating said second operating fluid which has been condensed, 
   
       characterized by the step of
 c) transferring heat released from said second operating fluid during said condensation step b1) to said material system for separating said at least a fraction of said first operating fluid therefrom during said separation step a1). 
 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein in said step b1) said second operating fluid has a temperature between about 70° C. and about 95° C. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 5 , comprising the step of:
 d) transferring heat released upon the incorporation of said first operating fluid in said material system during said incorporation step a4) to said second operating fluid in said evaporation step b2).   
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 6 , comprising the step of:
 d) transferring heat released upon the incorporation of said first operating fluid in said material system during said incorporation step a4) to said second operating fluid in said evaporation step b2).   
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 5 , comprising the step of:
 e) transferring heat released from said first operating fluid during said condensation step a2) to said second operating fluid in said evaporation step b2).   
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 6 , comprising the step of:
 e) transferring heat released from said first operating fluid during said condensation step a2) to said second operating fluid in said evaporation step b2).   
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 8 , wherein in said step a2), said first operating fluid has an average temperature between about 40° C. and about 70° C. 
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 9 , comprising the steps of:
 f) carrying out a further compression heat pump cycle by means of a third operating fluid, said cycle comprising the step of:
 f1) at least partially condensing said third operating fluid; 
   g) transferring heat released from said third operating fluid during said condensation step f1) to said second operating fluid in said evaporation step b2).   
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 10 , comprising the steps of:
 f) carrying out a further compression heat pump cycle by means of a third operating fluid, said cycle comprising the step of:
 f1) at least partially condensing said third operating fluid; 
   g) transferring heat released from said third operating fluid during said condensation step f1) to said second operating fluid in said evaporation step b2).   
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein in said step g) said third operating fluid has an average temperature between about 30° C. and about 60° C. 
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 13 , wherein in said step g) said third operating fluid has an average temperature between about 30° C. and about 60° C. 
     
     
         16 . Method according to any one of  claim 5 , wherein said heat pump cycle carried out with said first operating fluid is an absorption heat pump cycle. 
     
     
         17 . Method according to any one of  claim 5 , wherein said heat pump cycle carried out with said first operating fluid is an adsorption heat pump cycle.