Thermal transfer system and method of operating the same

Abstract

A thermal exchange system using a thermal transport fluid and including a heat releasing heat exchanger, a heat receiving heat exchanger and a second heat exchange unit. The thermal exchange system is operable in heating mode and in a cooling mode in which ambient air is respectively heated and cooled in the second heat exchange unit. Switching between the heating and cooling modes changes an outside path through which the thermal transport fluid moves between the heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit while preserving inside paths through which the thermal transport fluid moves inside each of the the heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal exchange system usable with a thermal transport fluid to condition ambient air, said thermal exchange system comprising:
 a fluid source port for receiving said thermal transport fluid;   a fluid exhaust port for releasing said thermal transport fluid;   a pump provided for moving said thermal transport fluid in said thermal exchange system;   a first heat exchange unit, said first heat exchange unit including a heat receiving heat exchanger and a heat releasing heat exchanger, said heat receiving heat exchanger including a heat receiving heat exchanger input port and a heat receiving heat exchanger output port, said heat releasing heat exchanger including a heat releasing heat exchanger input port and a heat releasing heat exchanger output port, wherein
 said first heat exchange unit is operative for actively cooling said heat receiving heat exchanger and heating said heat releasing heat exchanger; 
 said heat receiving heat exchanger is operative for receiving said thermal transport fluid at said heat receiving heat exchanger input port, cooling said thermal transport fluid and releasing said thermal transport fluid at said heat receiving heat exchanger output port; and 
 said heat releasing heat exchanger is operative for receiving said thermal transport fluid at said heat releasing heat exchanger input port, heating said thermal transport fluid and releasing said thermal transport fluid at said heat releasing heat exchanger output port; 
   a second heat exchange unit, said second heat exchange unit including a second heat exchange unit input port and a second heat exchange unit output port, said second heat exchange unit being operative for receiving said thermal transport fluid at said second heat exchange unit input port, exchanging heat between said ambient air and said thermal transport fluid and releasing said thermal transport fluid at said second heat exchange unit output port;   said thermal exchange system being configurable between a heating configuration and a cooling configuration   wherein in operation, in said heating configuration:
 said fluid source port and said heat releasing heat exchanger input port are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said heat releasing heat exchanger output port and said second heat exchange unit input port are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said second heat exchange unit output port and said heat receiving heat exchanger input port are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said heat receiving heat exchanger output port and said fluid exhaust port are in fluid communication with each other; and 
 said pump moves said thermal transport fluid through said thermal exchange system successively from said fluid source port, through said heat releasing heat exchanger, through said second heat exchange unit, through said heat receiving heat exchanger and to said fluid exhaust port; and 
   wherein in operation, in said cooling configuration:
 said fluid source port and said heat receiving heat exchanger input port are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said heat receiving heat exchanger output port and said second heat exchange unit input port are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said second heat exchange unit output port and said heat releasing heat exchanger input port are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said heat releasing heat exchanger output port and said fluid exhaust port are in fluid communication with each other; and 
 said pump moves said thermal transport fluid through said thermal exchange system successively from said fluid source port, through said heat receiving heat exchanger, through said second heat exchange unit, through said heat releasing heat exchanger and to said fluid exhaust port; 
   whereby fluid flow direction of said thermal transport fluid through each of said heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit remains unchanged when said thermal exchange system is moved between said heating and cooling configurations.   
     
     
         2 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first heat exchange unit is operative for actively transporting heat within said first heat exchange unit from said heat receiving heat exchanger to said heat releasing heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said first heat exchange unit includes:
 a heat transport fluid circulating between said heat releasing heat exchanger and said heat receiving heat exchanger;   a compressor provided between said heat releasing heat exchanger and said heat receiving heat exchanger for compressing said heat transport fluid when said heat transport fluid is moved from said heat receiving heat exchanger to said heat receiving heat exchanger; and   a gas expansion device provided between said heat releasing heat exchanger and said heat receiving heat exchanger for expanding said heat transport fluid when said heat transport fluid is moved from said heat releasing heat exchanger to said heat releasing heat exchanger.   
     
     
         4 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said second heat exchange unit is a liquid-to-air fan coil unit. 
     
     
         5 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said thermal exchange system is also configurable to a maintenance configuration in which flow of said thermal transport fluid between said heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit is blocked. 
     
     
         6 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a valve in fluid communication with said heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit, said valve being operable between a valve first configuration and a valve second configuration, wherein, in said valve first configuration, said thermal exchange system is in said heating configuration and in said valve second configuration, said thermal exchange system is in said cooling configuration. 
     
     
         7 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 6 , wherein
 said valve includes a first port, a second port, a third port, a fourth port, a fifth port, a sixth port, a seventh port and an eighth port;   said first port and said heat releasing heat exchanger output port are in fluid communication with each other;   said second port and said fluid exhaust port are in fluid communication with each other;   said third port and said heat releasing heat exchanger input port are in fluid communication with each other;   said fourth port and said fluid source port are in fluid communication with each other;   said fifth port and said second heat exchange unit input port are in fluid communication with each other;   said sixth port and said heat receiving heat exchanger output port are in fluid communication with each other;   said seventh port and said second heat exchange unit output port are in fluid communication with each other;   said eighth port and said heat receiving heat exchanger input port are in fluid communication with each other;   in said valve first configuration, inside said valve,
 said first and fifth ports are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said second and sixth ports are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said third and fourth ports are in fluid communication with each other; and 
 said seventh and eighth ports are in fluid communication with each other; and 
   in said valve second configuration, inside said valve,
 said first and second ports are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said fifth and sixth ports are in fluid communication with each other; 
 said third and seventh ports are in fluid communication with each other; and 
 said fourth and eighth ports are in fluid communication with each other. 
   
     
     
         8 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said valve includes a substantially hollow valve housing and a valve rotor rotatably mounted in said valve housing, said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth ports extending through said valve housing, said valve rotor defining valve conduits for conducting fluid between selected ones of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth ports, said valve rotor being rotatable between a first angular position and a second angular position, said valve rotor being configured and sized such that in said first angular position, said valve is in said valve first configuration and in said second angular position, said valve is in said valve second configuration. 
     
     
         9 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said valve housing defines a substantially cylindrically-shaped valve chamber and said valve rotor defines a substantially elongated and cylindrically-shaped valve rotor body mounted in said valve chamber. 
     
     
         10 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said valve rotor body has outer dimensions and configuration that conform in a substantially snug-fit relation to said valve chamber. 
     
     
         11 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth ports are provided at longitudinally spaced apart locations along said valve housing and said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth ports are provided at substantially longitudinally spaced apart locations along said valve housing, said first, second, third and fourth ports being substantially diametrically opposed respectively to said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth ports. 
     
     
         12 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth ports are provided substantially circumferentially aligned relative to each other and said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth ports are provided substantially circumferentially aligned relative to each other. 
     
     
         13 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 12 , wherein
 said valve conduits include first, second, third and fourth bores extending substantially diametrically through said valve rotor body and first, second, third and fourth recesses extending substantially longitudinally along portions of said valve rotor body, said first and second recesses being substantially diametrically opposed to each other and said third and fourth recesses being substantially diametrically opposed to each other, said first and second recesses being circumferentially spaced apart from said first and second bores and said third and fourth recesses being circumferential spaced apart from said third and fourth bores;   in said first angular position
 said first bore is substantially aligned with and extends between said first and fifth ports; 
 said second bore is substantially aligned with and extends between said second and sixth ports; 
 said third recess extends between said third and fourth ports; and 
 said fourth recess extends between said seventh and eighth ports; and 
   in said second angular position
 said third bore is substantially aligned with and extends between said third and seventh ports; 
 said fourth bore is substantially aligned with and extends between said fourth and eighth ports; 
 said first recess extends between said first and second ports; and 
 said second recess extends between said fifth and sixth ports. 
   
     
     
         14 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 13 , wherein
 said first and second bores extend substantially perpendicularly to a plane including said first and second recesses; and   said third and fourth bores extend substantially perpendicularly to a plane including said third and fourth recesses.   
     
     
         15 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said valve rotor is movable to a third angular position, wherein, in said third angular position, said first, second, third and fourth bores and said first, second, third and fourth recesses are all retracted from said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth ports. 
     
     
         16 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said valve rotor defines a spindle shaft extending substantially axially from said valve rotor body through a spindle shaft aperture provided at one end of said valve housing. 
     
     
         17 . A thermal exchange system usable with a thermal transport fluid to condition ambient air, said thermal exchange system comprising:
 a fluid source port for receiving said thermal transport fluid;   a fluid exhaust port for releasing said thermal transport fluid;   at least one pump provided for moving said thermal transport fluid in said thermal exchange system;   a first heat exchange unit, said first heat exchange unit including a heat receiving heat exchanger and a heat releasing heat exchanger, said heat receiving heat exchanger including a heat receiving heat exchanger input port and a heat receiving heat exchanger output port, said heat releasing heat exchanger including a heat releasing heat exchanger input port and a heat releasing heat exchanger output port, wherein
 said first heat exchange unit is operative for actively cooling said heat receiving heat exchanger and heating said heat releasing heat exchanger; 
 said heat receiving heat exchanger is operative for receiving said thermal transport fluid at said heat receiving heat exchanger input port, cooling said thermal transport fluid and releasing said thermal transport fluid at said heat receiving heat exchanger output port; and 
 said heat releasing heat exchanger is operative for receiving said thermal transport fluid at said heat releasing heat exchanger input port, heating said thermal transport fluid and releasing said thermal transport fluid at said heat releasing heat exchanger output port; 
   a second heat exchange unit, said second heat exchange unit including a second heat exchange unit input port and a second heat exchange unit output port, said second heat exchange unit being operative for receiving said thermal transport fluid at said second heat exchange unit input port, exchanging heat between said ambient air and said thermal transport fluid and releasing said thermal transport fluid at said second heat exchange unit output port;   said thermal exchange system being configurable between a heating configuration and a cooling configuration;   wherein in operation said at least one pump moves said thermal transport fluid through said thermal exchange system so that
 in said heating configuration, said thermal exchange system heats said thermal transport fluid with said heat releasing heat exchanger, releases heat from said thermal transport fluid heated with said heat releasing heat exchanger to said ambient air using said second heat exchange unit and cools said thermal transport fluid with said heat receiving heat exchanger; 
 in said cooling configuration, said thermal exchange system cools said thermal transport fluid with said heat receiving heat exchanger, receives heat from said ambient air and heats said thermal transport fluid cooled with said heat receiving heat exchanger using said second heat exchange unit, and heats said thermal transport fluid with said heat releasing heat exchanger; 
 fluid flow direction of said thermal transport fluid through each of said heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit remains unchanged when said thermal exchange system is moved between said heating and cooling configurations. 
   
     
     
         18 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 17 , wherein
 in said heating configuration, said thermal transport fluid flows successively from said fluid source port, to said heat releasing heat exchanger, to said second heat exchange unit, to said heat receiving heat exchanger and to said fluid exhaust port; and   in said cooling configuration, said thermal transport fluid flows successively from said fluid source port, to said heat receiving heat exchanger, to said second heat exchange unit, to said heat releasing heat exchanger and to said fluid exhaust port.   
     
     
         19 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 17 , wherein
 in said heating configuration
 said thermal transport fluid flows in a circuit in a first path from said heat releasing heat exchanger, to said second heat exchange unit and back to said heat releasing heat exchanger; and 
 said thermal transport fluid flows in a second path successively from said fluid source port, to said heat receiving heat exchanger and to said fluid exhaust port; and 
   in said cooling configuration
 said thermal transport fluid flows in a circuit in a third path from said heat receiving heat exchanger, to said second heat exchange unit and back to said heat receiving heat exchanger; 
 said thermal transport fluid flows in a fourth path successively from said fluid source port, to said heat releasing heat exchanger and to said fluid exhaust port. 
   
     
     
         20 . A thermal exchange system as defined in  claim 17 , wherein
 in said heating configuration
 said thermal transport fluid flows in a first path successively from said fluid source port, to said heat releasing heat exchanger, to said second heat exchange unit and to said fluid exhaust port; and 
 said thermal transport fluid flows in a second path successively from said fluid source port, to said heat receiving heat exchanger and to said fluid exhaust port; and 
   in said cooling configuration
 said thermal transport fluid flows in a third path successively from said fluid source port, to said heat receiving heat exchanger, to said second heat exchange unit and to said fluid exhaust port; and 
 said thermal transport fluid flows in a fourth path successively from said fluid source port, to said heat releasing heat exchanger and to said fluid exhaust port. 
   
     
     
         21 . A method for conditioning ambient air using a thermal transport fluid moving through a thermal exchange system, said thermal exchange system including a heat receiving heat exchanger, a heat releasing heat exchanger and a second heat exchange unit, said method comprising:
 moving said thermal transport fluid for heating said ambient air by
 heating said thermal transport fluid in said heat releasing heat exchanger; 
 in said second heat exchange unit exchanger, heating said ambient air and simultaneously cooling said thermal transport fluid that has been heated in said heat releasing heat exchanger; 
 cooling said thermal transport fluid in said heat receiving heat exchanger; and 
 transferring heat from said heat receiving heat exchanger to said heat releasing heat exchanger using a medium other than said thermal transport fluid; and 
   after heating said ambient air, changing a mode of operation of said thermal exchange system and moving said thermal transport fluid for cooling said ambient air by
 cooling said thermal transport fluid in said heat receiving heat exchanger; 
 in said second heat exchange unit exchanger, cooling said ambient air and simultaneously heating said thermal transport fluid that has been cooled in said heat receiving heat exchanger; 
 heating said thermal transport fluid in said heat releasing heat exchanger; and 
 transferring heat from said heat receiving heat exchanger to said heat releasing heat exchanger using a medium other than said thermal transport fluid 
   wherein fluid flow direction of said thermal transport fluid through each of said heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit remains unchanged when changing said mode of operation of said thermal exchange system so that changing said mode of operation changes an outside path through which said thermal transport fluid moves between said heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit while preserving inside paths through which said thermal transport fluid moves inside each of said said heat releasing heat exchanger, heat receiving heat exchanger and second heat exchange unit.