Heat exchange system

Abstract

A modular heat exchange system having a refrigerant system for cycling a refrigerant through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, a heat source circulation system which circulates a heat exchange fluid between a heat source and the evaporator, a heat sink circulation system which circulates a heat absorption fluid between a heat sink and the condenser, a heat exchanger for exchanging thermal energy between one of the heat exchange fluid or the heat absorption fluid; and a neutral tank, wherein the one of the heat exchange fluid or the heat absorption fluid is deposited in the neutral tank upon returning from the heat exchanger.

1 . A modular heat exchange system comprising:
 a refrigerant system which cycles a refrigerant through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator;   a heat source circulation system which circulates a heat exchange fluid between a heat source and the evaporator;   a heat sink circulation system which circulates a heat absorption fluid between a heat sink and the condenser;   a heat exchanger for exchanging thermal energy between one of the heat exchange fluid or the heat absorption fluid; and   a neutral tank, wherein the one of the heat exchange fluid or the heat absorption fluid is deposited in the neutral tank upon returning from the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant is R-410A. 
     
     
         3 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange fluid is water. 
     
     
         4 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat absorption fluid is water. 
     
     
         5 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat source circulation system further comprises a fluid flow conduit connecting the heat source to the evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises hydronic coils. 
     
     
         7 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat source is a body of water. 
     
     
         8 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 7 , wherein the body of water is contained in a heat source storage tank. 
     
     
         9 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is a body of water contained in a heat sink storage tank. 
     
     
         10 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal energy source, wherein thermal energy is transferred from the thermal energy source to the heat exchange fluid when the core temperature of the heat source falls below a threshold temperature while the core temperature of the heat sink is maintained at a constant temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 10 , wherein the heat absorption fluid is cycled through the solar energy thermal unit to maintain the core temperature of the heat sink. 
     
     
         12 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 11 , further comprising a first valve and a second valve, wherein the first valve and the second valve work in tandem to cycle only one of the heat exchange fluid and the heat absorption fluid through the solar energy thermal unit. 
     
     
         13 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is one of a primary heat sink or a secondary heat sink. 
     
     
         14 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 13 , further comprising a first sink valve and a second sink valve, wherein the first sink valve and the second sink valve work in tandem to cycle the heat absorption fluid to only one of the primary heat sink and the secondary heat sink. 
     
     
         15 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 14 , wherein the heat absorption fluid is cycled to the secondary heat sink when the core temperature in the primary heat sink determined by the second temperature gauge rises above a threshold temperature while the core temperature of the heat source determined by the first temperature gauge is maintained at a constant temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal energy source is a solar energy thermal unit. 
     
     
         17 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange fluid is supplied to the evaporator by the neutral tank. 
     
     
         18 . The modular heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat absorption fluid is supplied to the condenser by one of the neutral tank or the heat sink.