Deep cycle heating and cooling apparatus and process

Abstract

The present invention divides the traditional full-loop heat pump compression (heating) and expansion (refrigeration) process into two separate half-loop processes. The two (half-loop) processes occur separately and are separated by physical distance and/or by time. The two processes are connected by either physical storage means and/or by pipeline means such that low pressure refrigerant and high pressure refrigerant are stored between cycles and/or transported between cycles. In operation, a refrigerant is compressed to provide heat to a location, the compressed refrigerant is then stored/transported to where/when a cooling process is needed whereupon the refrigerant is expanded to provide refrigeration, the expanded refrigerant is then stored/transported to where/when a heating process is needed. The result of this invention is a significant reduction in energy required to heat and cool buildings, a reduction in fossil fuel consumption (and concomitant carbon dioxide gas emission pollution), a reduction in thermal pollution (and concomitant global warming), and a reduction in the cost of heating and cooling buildings.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A refrigerant pipeline system for integrating at least two climate control mechanisms together comprising; 
 a first climate control mechanism which takes refrigerant from a low pressure pipeline, compresses it, and moves it to a high pressure pipeline, said compression process heating a first space, and    a second climate control mechanism which takes refrigerant from said high pressure pipeline, expands it, and moves it to said low pressure pipeline, said expansion process absorbing heat from a second space.    
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant pipeline system of  claim 1  wherein said first space is located in a first building and said second space is located in a second building.  
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant pipeline system of  claim 1  wherein said first climate control mechanism operates during times which are independent of the times which said second climate control mechanism operates.  
     
     
         4 . The refrigerant pipeline of  claim 1  wherein pressure regulation means is provided for maintaining a constant pressure within said high pressure pipeline.  
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant pipeline of  claim 1  wherein at least some of said refrigerant pipeline is subterranean.  
     
     
         6 . A space heating mechanism which comprises a means for compressing refrigerant, and 
 a means for storing refrigerant,    wherein said means for compressing refrigerant operates independently of any means for expanding refrigerant.    
     
     
         7 . The space heating mechanism of  claim 6  wherein no means to expand refrigerant is provided.  
     
     
         8 . A space cooling mechanism which comprises a means for expanding refrigerant, and a means to store high pressure refrigerant before being expanded to a low pressure, wherein said means to expand refrigerant operates independently of any means for compressing refrigerant.  
     
     
         9 . The space cooling mechanism of  claim 8  wherein no means to compress refrigerant is provided.  
     
     
         10 . A system of refrigerant storage tanks for integrating at least two climate control mechanisms together comprising; 
 a climate control mechanism which takes refrigerant from a low pressure tank, compresses it, and moves it to a high pressure tank, said compression process operating during a first time, and a second climate control mechanism which takes refrigerant from said high pressure tank, expands it, said expansion process operating during a second time.    
     
     
         11 . The system of refrigerant storage tanks of  claim 10  wherein said high pressure tank is filled with refrigerant at a first location, and is then physically transported to a second location where the refrigerant is expanded.  
     
     
         12 . The system of refrigerant storage tanks of  claim 10  wherein a pressure regulation means is provided for maintaining a constant pressure within said high pressure tank.  
     
     
         13 . A refrigerant storage tank which comprises a first cavity for storing refrigerant at a first pressure and a second cavity for storing refrigerant at a second pressure.  
     
     
         14 . The refrigerant storage tank of  claim 13  wherein refrigerant can be moved between said first cavity and said second cavity while pressure in at least one cavity is maintained at a constant.