Systems and methods for a high temperature heat pump

Abstract

A high temperature heat pump apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus can include a first compression stage including a first evaporator that evaporates a first working fluid to form a first vapor, a first compressor that compresses the first vapor to increase the pressure of the first vapor, and a condenser that condenses the first vapor having increased pressure to deliver heat. The apparatus can include a second compression stage including a second evaporator that evaporates a second working fluid using the heat from the condenser of the first compression stage, where the second evaporator evaporates the second working fluid to form a second vapor, and a second compressor that compresses the second vapor to deliver high temperature heat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A high temperature heat pump apparatus, comprising:
 a first compression stage including:
 a first evaporator that evaporates a first working fluid to form a first vapor; 
 a first compressor that compresses the first vapor to increase the pressure of the first vapor; 
 a condenser that condenses the first vapor having increased pressure to deliver heat; 
   a second compression stage including:
 an second evaporator that evaporates a second working fluid using the heat from the condenser of the first compression stage, wherein the second evaporator evaporates the second working fluid to form a second vapor; and 
 a second compressor that compresses the second vapor to deliver high temperature heat. 
   
     
     
         2 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first working fluid and the second working fluid comprise water. 
     
     
         3 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first working fluid comprises a different fluid from the second working fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the high temperature heat comprises temperature in a range of 120 to 280 degrees-C. 
     
     
         5 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first compressor comprises a plurality of compressors connected in series or parallel. 
     
     
         6 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of compressors are connected with at least one of rigid piping or flexible hoses. 
     
     
         7 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 5 , further comprising an intercooler that cools the first working fluid before entering at least one compressor of the plurality of compressors. 
     
     
         8 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 7 , wherein the intercooler injects high-pressure liquid droplets into at least one compressor of the plurality of compressors. 
     
     
         9 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 8 , wherein the intercooler injects high-pressure liquid droplets through a nozzle of an impeller of the first compression stage. 
     
     
         10 . The high temperature heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the second compressor comprises a plurality of compressors connected in series or parallel. 
     
     
         11 . A method for delivering heat using a high temperature heat pump, the method comprising:
 evaporating, using a first evaporator, a first working fluid to form a first vapor;   compressing, using a first compressor, the first vapor evaporated in the evaporator to increase the pressure of the first vapor;   condensing, using a condenser, the first vapor having increased pressure to deliver heat;   evaporating, using a second evaporator, a second working fluid using the heat from the condenser to form a second vapor; and   compressing, using a second compressor, the second vapor to deliver high temperature heat.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first working fluid and the second working fluid comprise water. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first working fluid comprises a different fluid from the second working fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the high temperature heat comprises temperature in a range of 120 to 280 degrees-C. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein compressing the first vapor comprises compressing using the first compressor having a plurality of compressors. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising intercooling, using an intercooler, the first working fluid before entering at least one compressor of the plurality of compressors. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein intercooling the first working fluid comprises injecting high-pressure liquid droplets into the least one compressor of the plurality of compressors. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein injecting high-pressure liquid droplets comprises injecting high-pressure liquid droplets through a nozzle of an impeller. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein injecting high-pressure liquid droplets comprises injecting high-pressure liquid through at least one of a restricted orifice or nozzle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein compressing the second vapor comprises compressing using the second compressor having a plurality of compressors.