Apparatus and method for transferring heat

Abstract

An apparatus is for transferring heat. The apparatus has a heat transfer circuit with a heat transfer medium. The heat transfer circuit has: a heat receipt path having a first heat exchanger; a heat dispatch path having a compressor device and a second heat exchanger; and an intermediate path having an ejector device and a separator. A primary first heat exchanger is arranged: a) in a primary heat receipt path in the heat receipt path and connected to the separator; or b) in the separator. A secondary heat receipt path is arranged with a secondary first heat exchanger connected to the suction inlet of the ejector device. A method is for transferring heat using the apparatus.

1 . An apparatus for transferring heat, the apparatus comprising a heat transfer circuit with a heat transfer medium, wherein the heat transfer circuit comprises:
 a heat receipt path comprising a first heat exchanger for transferring heat to the heat transfer medium;   a heat dispatch path comprising a compressor device and a second heat exchanger for transferring heat away from the heat transfer medium; and   an intermediate path between the receipt path and the dispatch path, which intermediate path comprises an ejector device and a separator, wherein the ejector device comprises a main inlet connected to the dispatch path, a suction inlet, and main outlet connected to the separator, and wherein the separator is configured to receive heat transfer medium from the ejector device and to provide heat transfer medium to the heat receipt path and the heat dispatch path,   wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a primary first heat exchanger and a secondary first heat exchanger, wherein   a) the heat receipt path further comprises a primary heat receipt path arranged with the primary first heat exchanger and connected to the separator without passing the ejector device, or   b) the primary first heat exchanger is arranged in or in direct connection to the separator,   wherein for both options a) and b) the heat receipt path further comprises a secondary heat receipt path arranged with the secondary first heat exchanger connected to the suction inlet of the ejector device, wherein the secondary heat receipt path further comprises an expansion device upstream of the secondary first heat ex-changer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer medium mainly comprises CO2. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises at least one sensor for identifying a physical quantity dependent on a state of the heat transfer medium and a control unit, wherein the at least one sensor is positioned downstream of the secondary first heat exchanger and upstream of the suction inlet of the ejector device, and the control unit is adapted to receive information from the at least one sensor and control the expansion device on the basis of said information so that the heat transfer medium is mainly in the gaseous state after passing the secondary first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the sensor is one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor and an optic sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary first heat exchanger is positioned lower in elevation than the separator. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary heat receipt path further comprises a pump device for conducting the heat transfer medium through the primary first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat dispatch path comprises an internal heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the heat transfer medium flowing upstream of the compressor device and downstream of the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises an additional path connecting the heat receipt path downstream of the separator and upstream of the first heat exchanger to the heat dispatch path downstream of the separator and upstream of the compressor device, wherein the additional path comprises a flow restriction. 
     
     
         9 . A method for transferring heat via an apparatus, the apparatus comprising a heat transfer circuit with a heat transfer medium, wherein the heat transfer circuit comprises:
 a heat receipt path comprising a first heat exchanger for transferring heat to the heat transfer medium;   a heat dispatch path comprising a compressor device and a second heat exchanger for transferring heat away from the heat transfer medium; and   an intermediate path between the receipt path and the dispatch path, which intermediate path comprises an ejector device and a separator, wherein the ejector device comprises a main inlet connected to the dispatch path, a suction inlet, and main outlet connected to the separator, and wherein the separator is configured to receive heat transfer medium from the ejector device and to provide heat transfer medium to the heat receipt path and the heat dispatch path,   wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a primary first heat exchanger and a secondary first heat exchanger, wherein   a) the heat receipt path further comprises a primary heat receipt path arranged with the primary first heat exchanger and connected to the separator without passing the ejector device, or   b) the primary first heat exchanger is arranged in or in direct connection to the separator,   wherein for both options a) and b) the heat receipt path further comprises a secondary heat receipt path arranged with the secondary first heat exchanger connected to the suction inlet of the ejector device, wherein the secondary heat receipt path further comprises an expansion device upstream of the secondary first heat ex-changer, wherein the method comprises the steps of:   receiving information from at least one sensor for identifying a state of the heat transfer medium downstream of the secondary first heat exchanger and upstream of the suction inlet of the ejector device, and   adjusting the flow of the heat transfer medium through the expansion device on the basis of the information from the at least one sensor so that the heat transfer medium is mainly in the gaseous state after passing the secondary first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled)