Heat recovery system and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat recovery system and method for recovering heat for heating water to a predetermined temperature. There is disclosed a heat recovery system comprising an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system and a heat pump system, wherein the ORC system is operatively coupled to the heat pump system via coupling means. Heat that is recovered from the heat recovery system is used for heating water to a predetermined temperature.

1 . A heat recovery system comprising:
 an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system comprising an evaporator, an expander, a condenser and a pump connected in a closed loop;   a heat pump system comprising an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser and a control valve connected in a closed loop; and   coupling means,   wherein the ORC system is operatively coupled to the heat pump system via the coupling means and wherein the condenser of the ORC system and the condenser of the heat pump system is a common condenser to both the ORC system and the heat pump system for recovering heat; the common condenser comprises a heat output operable to recover waste heat; and   wherein the coupling means comprises a shaft and a clutch operatively coupling the expander of the ORC system to the compressor of the heat pump system.   
     
     
         2 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 1 , wherein the clutch is for coupling and decoupling the expander of the ORC system to the compressor of the heat pump system. 
     
     
         3 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 1 , wherein the expander of the ORC system is a screw-type expander. 
     
     
         4 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressor of the heat pump system is a screw-type compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a work fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 5 , wherein the work fluid comprises a first organic fluid and a second organic fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 5 , wherein the work fluid comprises an azeotropic mixture of a pentafluorobutane and a perfluoropolyether. 
     
     
         8 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 1 , wherein the ORC system further comprises a heat source coupled to the evaporator of the ORC system. 
     
     
         9 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump system further comprises a heat source coupled to the evaporator of the heat pump system. 
     
     
         10 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 8 , wherein the heat source is from ambient temperature of water and/or waste heat. 
     
     
         11 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 8 , wherein the heat source is of a temperature range of about 30° C. to about 40° C., and about 130° C. to about 150° C. waste heat. 
     
     
         12 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat recovered is for heating water to a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined temperature is in a range of about 50° C. to about 80° C. 
     
     
         14 . The heat recovery system according to  claim 3 , wherein in operation the wet percentage in compression is about 5.6%. 
     
     
         15 . A method for heat recovery comprising the following steps:
 connecting an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system comprising an evaporator, an expander, a condenser and a pump in a closed loop;   connecting a heat pump system comprising an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser and a control valve in a closed loop; and   coupling the ORC system to the heat pump system via coupling means;   wherein the condenser of the ORC system and the condenser of the heat pump system is a common condenser to both the ORC system and the heat pump system for recovering heat; and the common condenser comprises a heat output operable to recover waste heat;   wherein the coupling means comprises a shaft and a clutch operatively coupling the expander of the ORC system to the compressor of the heat pump system.