Method for liquid-suction heat exchange thermal energy storage

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and device for a thermal energy storage liquid-suction heat exchanger (TES-LSHX) for air conditioning and refrigeration (AC/R) applications. The disclosed embodiments allow energy to be stored and aggregated over one period of time, and dispatched at a later period of time, to improve AC/R system efficiency during desired conditions. Not only are the benefits of LSHX stored and aggregated for later use, but when dispatched, the discharge rate can exceed the charge rate thereby further enhancing the benefit of demand reduction to utilities. The disclosed embodiments allow great flexibility and can be incorporated into OEM AC/R system designs, and/or bundled with condensing units or evaporator coils. These TES-LSHX systems can be retrofit with existing systems by installing the product at any point along the existing AC/R system's line set.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A method of providing cooling with a thermal energy storage and cooling system comprising:
 compressing and condensing a refrigerant with a compressor and a condenser to create a high-pressure refrigerant;   during a first time period:
 expanding said high-pressure refrigerant with an expansion device to produce expanded refrigerant and provide load cooling with an evaporator; 
 transferring cooling from said expanded refrigerant downstream of said evaporator to a thermal energy storage media within a thermal energy storage module via a suction heat exchanger constrained therein; and, 
 returning said expanded refrigerant to said compressor; 
   during a second time period:
 subcooling said high-pressure refrigerant downstream of said condenser with said thermal energy storage media within said thermal energy storage module via a liquid heat exchanger constrained therein; 
 expanding said subcooled refrigerant with said expansion device to produce expanded refrigerant and provide load cooling with said evaporator; 
 transferring cooling from said expanded refrigerant downstream of said evaporator to said thermal energy storage media via said suction heat exchanger; and, 
 returning said expanded refrigerant to said compressor; 
   during a third time period:
 subcooling said high-pressure refrigerant downstream of said condenser with said thermal energy storage media within said thermal energy storage module via said liquid heat exchanger; 
 expanding said subcooled refrigerant with said expansion device to produce expanded refrigerant and provide load cooling with said evaporator; and, 
 returning said expanded refrigerant to said compressor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step:
 accumulating, storing and dispensing said high-pressure refrigerant with a refrigerant management vessel in fluid communication with, and located downstream of said condenser. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step:
 expanding said high-pressure refrigerant with an expansion device chosen from the group consisting of a thermostatic expansion valve, an electronic expansion valve, a static orifice, a capillary tube, and a mixed-phase regulator. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step:
 cooling said thermal storage media to an extent that at least a portion of said thermal storage media undergoes a phase change in said first time period. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step:
 subcooling said high-pressure refrigerant with said thermal storage media downstream of said compressor to an extent that at least a portion of said thermal storage media undergoes a phase change in said second time period. 
 
     
     
         6 . A method of providing cooling with a thermal energy storage and cooling system comprising:
 compressing and condensing a refrigerant with a compressor and a condenser to create a high-pressure refrigerant;   during a first time period:
 expanding said high-pressure refrigerant with an expansion device to produce expanded refrigerant and provide load cooling with an evaporator; 
 transferring cooling from said expanded refrigerant downstream of said evaporator to a thermal energy storage media within a thermal energy storage module via an isolated suction line heat exchanger; and, 
 returning said expanded refrigerant to said compressor; 
   during a second time period:
 subcooling said high-pressure refrigerant downstream of said condenser with said thermal energy storage media via an isolated liquid line heat exchanger; 
 expanding said subcooled refrigerant with said expansion device to produce expanded refrigerant and provide load cooling with said evaporator; 
 transferring cooling from said expanded refrigerant downstream of said evaporator to said thermal energy storage media via said isolated suction line heat exchanger; and, 
 returning said expanded refrigerant to said compressor; 
   during a third time period:
 subcooling said high-pressure refrigerant downstream of said condenser with said thermal energy storage media via an isolated liquid line heat exchanger; 
 expanding said subcooled refrigerant with said expansion device to produce expanded refrigerant and provide load cooling with said evaporator; and, 
 returning said expanded refrigerant to said compressor. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step:
 transferring cooling from said expanded refrigerant downstream of said evaporator to said thermal energy storage media additionally utilizing a suction heat exchanger that is constrained within said thermal energy storage module during said first time period; 
 subcooling said high-pressure refrigerant downstream of said condenser with said thermal energy storage media additionally utilizing a liquid heat exchanger that is constrained within said thermal energy storage module; and 
 transferring cooling from said expanded refrigerant downstream of said evaporator to said thermal energy storage media additionally utilizing said suction heat exchanger during said second time period. 
 subcooling said high-pressure refrigerant downstream of said condenser with said thermal energy storage media additionally utilizing said liquid heat exchanger that is constrained within said thermal energy storage module during said third time period. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step:
 accumulating, storing and dispensing said high-pressure refrigerant with a refrigerant management vessel in fluid communication with, and located downstream of said condenser. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step:
 expanding said high-pressure refrigerant with an expansion device chosen from the group consisting of a thermostatic expansion valve, an electronic expansion valve, a static orifice, a capillary tube, and a mixed-phase regulator. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step:
 cooling said thermal storage media to an extent that at least a portion of said thermal storage media undergoes a phase change in said first time period. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step:
 subcooling said high-pressure refrigerant with said thermal storage media downstream of said compressor to an extent that at least a portion of said thermal storage media undergoes a phase change in said second time period. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step:
 transferring cooling from said isolated liquid line heat exchanger to said liquid heat exchanger with a first coolant; 
 transferring cooling from said isolated suction line heat exchanger to said suction heat exchanger with a second coolant. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step:
 transferring cooling from said isolated liquid line heat exchanger to said liquid heat exchanger with a first isolated refrigerant; 
 transferring cooling from said isolated suction line heat exchanger to said suction heat exchanger with a second isolated refrigerant.