Heat pump apparatus and operation method for heat pump apparatus

Abstract

This description relates to a heat pump and a method of using the heat pump. The heat pump includes a hydraulic compressor that compresses a heat medium, an oil separation and recovery device that separates oil from the heat medium discharged from the compressor and returns the separated oil to the compressor, a condenser that liquefies the heat medium compressed in the compressor, a decompression device that decompresses the heat medium liquefied in the condenser, and an evaporator that causes the heat medium to absorb heat. The aforementioned devices are connected in series and the heat medium is circulated in those devices. The heat medium can be compressed at a compression ratio, at which a discharge temperature from the compressor becomes 150 to 200° C. An intake temperature control unit which can control the temperature of the heat medium taken into the compressor is on the intake side of the compressor.

1 . A heat pump apparatus in which a hydraulic compressor that compresses gas to be compressed that is at a temperature equal to or higher than a normal temperature, an oil separation and recovery device that separates oil from the gas discharged from the compressor and returns the separated oil to the compressor, a condenser that liquefies the gas compressed in the compressor for heat dissipation, a decompression device that decompresses the gas liquefied in the condenser, and an evaporator that causes the liquefied gas decompressed in the decompression device to absorb heat and be evaporated are connected in series in a gas circulation path and the gas is circulated in those devices,
 the heat pump apparatus being wherein   a hydrocarbon converted into a gaseous state by heating is used as the gas to be compressed that is taken into the compressor and the compressor is set to be capable of compressing the gas at a compression ratio at which a discharge temperature becomes 150 to 200° C., and   a heating unit which heats the gas provided at the intake side of the compressor and an intake temperature control unit which performs heating control of the heating unit to be able to control the temperature of the hydrocarbon taken into the compressor are provided, and   the heating control of the heating unit is performed by the intake temperature control unit so that the hydrocarbon is controlled by heating to a gaseous state.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas to be compressed is a C4-C7 hydrocarbon refrigerant, and the hydrocarbon is heated by the intake temperature control unit to a temperature of 60 to 110° C. and used as the gas to be taken into the compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The heat pump apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a temperature sensor which detects the discharge temperature of the compressor, wherein   a command is issued to the intake temperature control unit, and the intake temperature of the hydrocarbon taken into the compressor is controlled so that a target temperature of the temperature sensor is set to 150 to 200° C. and a detected value of the temperature sensor is the target temperature.   
     
     
         5 . An operation method for a heat pump apparatus in which a hydraulic compressor that compresses a gas to be compressed that is at a temperature equal to or higher than a normal temperature, an oil separation and recovery device that separates oil from the gas discharged from the compressor and returns the separated oil to the compressor, a condenser that liquefies the gas compressed in the compressor for heat dissipation, a decompression device that decompresses the gas liquefied in the condenser, and an evaporator that causes the liquefied as decompressed in the decompression device to absorb heat and be evaporated are connected in series in a gas circulation path and the gas is circulated in those devices, wherein
 a hydrocarbon converted into a gaseous state by heating is used as the gas to be compressed that is taken into the compressor and the compressor is set to be capable of compressing the gas at a compression ratio, at which a discharge temperature becomes 150 to 200° C., and   the temperature the temperature of the hydrocarbon taken into the compressor is controlled by heating to maintain the hydrocarbon in a gaseous state by means of a heating unit which heats the gas provided at the intake side of the compressor.   
     
     
         6 . The operation method for a heat pump apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the hydrocarbon is heated by the heating unit to a temperature equal to or higher than a boiling point at an intake pressure of the compressor before the compressor is operated.