Chemical heat pump comprising an active surface

Abstract

Chemical heat pump comprising an active surface. A chemical heat pump working according to the hybrid principle with an active substance and a volatile liquid whereby the active substance is in a reactor part 1 and the volatile liquid is in a condenser/evaporator part 3 , while the volatile liquid is moving between these parts 1, 3 to be absorbed and desorbed by the active substance and be condensed and evaporated in the condenser/ evaporator part. The reactor part may comprise a layer 12 for the active substance so that this at least in its liquid phase is retained in the layer and the condenser/evaporator part may comprise a layer 13 for the volatile liquid so that this in its liquid phase is retained in the layer. Advantages of a falling film process are combined with the advantages of a matrix material in a chemical heat pump.

1 . A chemical heat pump comprising an active substance and a volatile liquid, said volatile liquid being adapted to be absorbed by the active substance at a first temperature and said volatile liquid being adapted to be desorbed by the active substance at a second higher temperature, whereby the active substance at the first temperature has a solid phase, from which the active substance during uptake of the volatile liquid and its gas phase immediately transforms partially into liquid phase or liquid phase and whereby the active substance at the second higher temperature has a liquid phase or is in liquid phase, from which the active substance during desorbtion of the volatile liquid, in particular the gas phase of the volatile liquid, in particular the gas phase of the volatile liquid, immediately transforms partially into solid phase, whereby the chemical heat pump comprises:
 a reactor part comprising active substance, whereby the reactor part is adapted to exchange heat with an external medium by exchange of heat through delimiting and heat conducting walls,   a condenser/evaporator part comprising a part of the volatile liquid, the condenser/evaporator part being adapted to exchange heat with an external medium by exchange of heat through delimiting and heat conducting walls, and   a passage for the gas phase of the volatile liquid, said passage connecting the reactor part and the condenser/evaporator part with each other,   whereby at least one of (i) the reactor part and (ii) the condenser/evaporator part comprises a layer,   whereby a layer if present in the reactor part is adapted to retain the active substance at least in its liquid phase or its liquid phase, and   whereby a layer if present in the condenser/evaporator part is adapted to retain the volatile liquid in its liquid phase,   that the layer is arranged as bodies with limited contact surfaces against the surface of one or more of the heat conducting walls so that free areas of the surfaces of the heat conducting walls are between the contact surfaces,   that the free areas of the surface of the heat conducting walls are adapted to exert a net attractive force on the active substance in its liquid phase and the volatile liquid in its liquid phase respectively and that the net attractive force is adjusted with regard to net attractive force exerted by the layer on the active substance in its liquid phase and the volatile liquid in its liquid phase respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The chemical heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises a matrix and wherein the matrix comprises a porous material which is permeable to the gas phase of the volatile liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The chemical heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein said net attractive force exerted by the free areas of the surface of the heat conducting walls comprises capillary force. 
     
     
         4 . The chemical heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises a material which has adjusted capillary properties with regard to the active substance in its liquid phase and the volatile liquid in its liquid phase respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The chemical heat pump according to  claim 1  wherein the layer comprises surfaces which have adjusted wetting properties with regard to the active substance in its liquid phase and the volatile liquid in its liquid phase respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The chemical heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the net attractive force exerted by the free areas of the surface of the heat conducting walls is adjusted so that the net attractive force exerted by the heat conducting walls on the active substance in its liquid phase and the volatile liquid in its liquid phase respectively, is higher than the net attractive force exerted by the layer on the active substance in its liquid phase and the volatile liquid in its liquid phase respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The chemical heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the limited contact surfaces constitute maximum 10%, preferably maximum 5% of the area of the heat conducting walls 0414. 
     
     
         8 . The chemical heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the bodies of matrix are designed as parallel discs with a through hole and the outer surfaces of the discs are in contact with the surface of a heat conducting wall. 
     
     
         9 . The chemical heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the bodies of matrix are arranged as b o dies which extend between opposite walls in parallel channels in a plate heat exchanger, whereby other parallel channels in the plate heat exchanger comprises a heat carrying medium.