Multicycle system for simultaneous heating and cooling

Abstract

System that delivers heating and/or cooling to multiple zones using two or more thermodynamic cycles that are tailored specifically to the overall load and in so doing provide a heating or cooling effect at high efficiency using only a single work fluid and a single accumulator connected to two or more external media.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of transferring energy between two or more external media comprising:
 providing two or more external media;   employing a single working fluid operating in more than one thermodynamic cycle simultaneously, wherein each thermodynamic cycle of the more than one thermodynamic cycle has a common neutral condition of temperature and pressure and at least two thermodynamic cycles of the more than one thermodynamic cycle are selected from the group consisting of:   a first cycle wherein (i) the single working fluid is liquid in the common neutral condition; (ii) impelling the liquid working fluid from the neutral condition by a first mechanical device to one of the two or more external media that is a heat source; and (iii) the liquid working fluid absorbs energy from the heat source and returning the single working fluid to the common neutral condition;   a second cycle wherein (i) the single working fluid is liquid in the common neutral condition; (ii) depressurizing the liquid working fluid from the common neutral condition to a pressure that is less a pressure of the common neutral condition; (iii) the liquid working fluid absorbs energy from one of the two or more external media that is a heat source and vaporizes; and (iv) compressing the single working fluid by a second mechanical device to the pressure of the common neutral condition; a third cycle wherein (i) the single working fluid is gaseous in the common neutral condition; (ii) impelling the gaseous working fluid by a third mechanical device from the common neutral condition to one of the two or more external media that is a heat sink; (iii) the gaseous working fluid provides heat to the external media; and (iv) returning the single working fluid to the common neutral condition; and   a fourth cycle wherein (i) the single working fluid is gaseous in the common neutral condition; (ii) drawing the gaseous working fluid from the common neutral condition and compressing the gaseous working fluid by a fourth mechanical device to a pressure greater than the pressure of the common neutral condition pressure and a temperature greater than the temperature of the common neutral condition; (iii) directing the gaseous working fluid to one of the two or more external media that is a heat sink; (iv) the gaseous working fluid provides heat to the external media; (v) depressurizing the working fluid to a pressure of the common neutral condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the single working fluid at the common neutral condition is a heat source for at least one thermodynamic cycle of the more than one thermodynamic cycle while the single working fluid is a heat sink for another at least one thermodynamic cycle of the more than one thermodynamic cycle. 
     
     
         3 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein at least one external media of the two or more external media is selected from the group consisting of earthen ground, indoor air, ventilation air, outdoor air, water, construction features of a building, and a heat-transfer fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein fluid flow rates through at least one of the multiple cycles is controlled such that the common neutral condition is static. 
     
     
         5 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the neutral condition liquid level, pressure and temperature are allowed to vary such that the common neutral condition is dynamic. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the energy transferred through one of the external media of the two or more external media is the net energy of all of the thermodynamic cycles of the more than one thermodynamic cycle. 
     
     
         7 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the single working fluid is carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for transferring energy comprising:
 a single working fluid;   a single accumulator to store the single working fluid and to set a common neutral condition of a plurality of thermodynamic cycles;   a plurality of fluid channels connected to the single accumulator, wherein the plurality of fluid channels being exposed to a plurality of external media define a plurality of zones to transfer energy between the single working fluid and each external media of the plurality of external media; and   at least one single working fluid driving mechanism disposed in each fluid channel of the plurality of channels to determine a thermodynamic cycle of the each zone of the plurality of zones;   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one single working fluid driving mechanisms is selected from the group consisting of pumps, compressors, and blowers. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising one or more pressure control devices disposed in the each fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels, wherein the one or more pressure control devices is selected from the group consisting of pressure regulators, orifices, and capillary tube. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein two or more external media of the plurality of external media are selected from the group consisting of earthen ground, indoor air, ventilation air, outdoor air, water, construction features of a building, and a heat-transfer fluid; 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the single working fluid is carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the single working fluid at the common neutral condition is a heat source for at least one thermodynamic cycle of the plurality thermodynamic cycles while the single working fluid is a heat sink for another at least one thermodynamic cycle of the plurality thermodynamic cycles. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the common neutral condition is static. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the common neutral condition is dynamic. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the single working fluid can be simultaneous gaseous and liquid states. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein at least two thermodynamic cycles of the plurality thermodynamic cycles are selected from the group consisting of:
 a first cycle wherein (i) the single working fluid is liquid in the common neutral condition; (ii) the liquid working fluid is impelled from the common neutral condition by a first single working fluid driving mechanism to a first external media of the plurality of external media that is a heat source; and (iii) the liquid working fluid absorbs energy from the heat source and the liquid working fluid returns to the common neutral condition;   a second cycle wherein (i) the single working fluid is liquid in the common neutral condition; (ii) the liquid working fluid is depressurized from the common neutral condition to a pressure that is less a pressure of the common neutral condition; (iii) the liquid working fluid absorbs energy from a second external media of the plurality of external media that is a heat source and vaporizes; and (iv) the liquid working fluid is compressed by a second single working fluid driving mechanism to the pressure of the common neutral condition;   a third cycle wherein (i) the single working fluid is gaseous in the common neutral condition; (ii) the gaseous working fluid is impelled by a third single working fluid driving mechanism from the common neutral condition to a third external media of the plurality of external media that is a heat sink; (iii) the gaseous working fluid provides heat to the third external media of the plurality of external media; and (iv) the working fluid returns to the common neutral condition; and   a fourth cycle wherein (i) the single working fluid is gaseous in the common neutral condition; (ii) the gaseous working fluid is drawn from the common neutral condition and compressed by a fourth single working fluid driving mechanism to a pressure greater than the pressure of the common neutral condition pressure and a temperature greater than the temperature of the common neutral condition; (iii) the gaseous working fluid is directed to a fourth external media of the plurality of external media that is a heat sink; (iv) the gaseous working fluid provides heat to the fourth external media of the plurality of external media; (v) the working fluid is then depressurized to a pressure of the common neutral condition.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein one fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels being exposed to an earthen ground external media with a first single working fluid driving mechanism of the at least one single working fluid driving mechanism being a pump, and a second first single working fluid driving mechanism of the at least one single working fluid driving mechanism being selected from the group consisting of a compressor and a blower. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein one fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels being exposed to an earthen ground external media with a single working fluid driving mechanism of the at least one single working fluid driving mechanism being a pump. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein one fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels being exposed to an earthen ground external media with a first single working fluid driving mechanism of the at least one single working fluid driving mechanism being selected from the group consisting of a compressor and a blower. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein one fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels being exposed to only an earthen ground external media with a first single working fluid driving mechanism of the at least one single working fluid driving mechanism being a pump, and a second first single working fluid driving mechanism of the at least one single working fluid driving mechanism being selected from the group consisting of a compressor and a blower. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein one fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels being exposed to only an earthen ground external media with a single working fluid driving mechanism of the at least one single working fluid driving mechanism being a pump. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein one fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels being exposed to only an earthen ground external media with a first single working fluid driving mechanism of the at least one single working fluid driving mechanism being selected from the group consisting of a compressor and a blower. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus as described in  claim 8 , wherein the accumulator liquid level, pressure and temperature are allowed to vary such that the common neutral condition is dynamic.