Heat pump for generating process heat

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat pump (12) for generating process heat and a system (10) comprising the heat pump (12). According to the invention, at least two heat sinks (32; 40; 44) are provided on the heat pump (12). The invention also relates to a method for generating process heat and a control device (54) for controlling the heat pump (12) in the method.

1 . Heat pump ( 12 ) for generating process heat comprising a closed working-medium circulation system ( 14 ) which is designed to guide a fluid working medium ( 16 ) in one circulation direction ( 18 ) and in which the units mentioned under a) to d) are fluidically connected in series in the circulation direction ( 18 ) on a technical level.
 a) an evaporation unit ( 20 ) which is designed to transfer thermal energy from a first external medium ( 22 ) to the fluid working medium ( 16 ) and to convert the fluid working medium ( 16 ) from a liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) to a gaseous aggregate state ( 26 );   b) a compression unit ( 30 ) which is designed to compress the fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the gaseous aggregate state ( 26 ) under an increase in pressure and temperature;   c) a condenser unit ( 32 ) which is designed to transfer thermal energy from the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) to a second external medium ( 34 ) and to convert the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) from the gaseous aggregate state ( 26 ) to the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ); and   d) an expansion unit ( 38 ) which is designed to decompress the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) under pressure and subject to a reduction in temperature,   characterized in that a heat-exchanger unit ( 40 ;  44 ) is fluidically integrated between the condenser unit ( 32 ) and the expansion unit ( 38 ) on a technical level in the working-medium circulation system ( 14 ), which is designed to transfer thermal energy from the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) to a third external medium ( 42 ).   
     
     
         2 . The heat pump ( 12 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the heat-exchanger unit ( 40 ) comprises a supercooling unit ( 44 ). 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump ( 12 ) according to  any one of the preceding claims , characterized in that a regulating device ( 48 ) is provided which is designed to adjust the power ( 78 ) at the heat-exchanger unit ( 40 ;  44 ). 
     
     
         4 . The heat pump ( 12 ) according to  any one of the preceding claims , characterized in that a working-medium collection unit ( 50 ) is provided in a fluid-technical manner between the condenser unit ( 32 ) and the heat-exchanger unit ( 40 ;  44 ), which is designed to separate the fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) from any remaining fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the gaseous aggregate state ( 26 ) and to convey the fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) in the direction ( 18 ) of the heat-exchanger unit ( 40 ;  44 ). 
     
     
         5 . The heat pump ( 12 ) according to  any one of the preceding claims , characterized in that a heat recovery unit ( 52 ) is provided and designed in a fluid-technical manner in the working-medium circulation system ( 14 ) in such a way as to transfer thermal energy from the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ), if it flows from the condenser unit ( 32 ) in the direction of ( 18 ) of the expansion unit ( 38 ), to the fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the gaseous aggregate state ( 26 ) when it flows from the evaporation unit ( 20 ) towards ( 18 ) of the compression unit ( 30 ). 
     
     
         6 . A system ( 10 ) for generating process heat comprising:
 a heat pump ( 12 ) according to  any one of the preceding claims ;   a fluid working medium ( 16 ) which is located in a closed working-medium circulation system ( 14 ) of the heat pump ( 12 );   a reservoir ( 28 ) of a first external medium ( 22 ), which is fluidically connected to an evaporation unit ( 20 ) of the heat pump ( 12 );   a reservoir ( 36 ) of a second external medium ( 34 ) which is fluidically connected to a condenser unit ( 32 ) of the heat pump ( 12 );   a reservoir ( 46 ) of a third external medium ( 42 ) which is fluidically connected to a heat-exchanger unit ( 40 ;  44 ) of the heat pump ( 12 ); and   a control device ( 54 ) which is actively connected to at least one compression unit ( 30 ) of the heat pump ( 12 ).   
     
     
         7 . The system ( 10 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the first external medium ( 22 ) and/or the second external medium ( 34 ) and/or the third external medium ( 42 ) comprises or is water. 
     
     
         8 . A method for generating process heat in which a fluid working medium ( 16 ) is guided in a closed working-medium circulation system ( 14 ) in one circulation direction ( 18 ) and in which the steps mentioned under a) to d) are sequentially carried out in the circulation direction ( 18 ):
 a) transfer of thermal energy from a first external medium ( 22 ) to the fluid working medium ( 16 ) and transfer of the fluid working medium ( 16 ) from a liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) to a gaseous aggregate state ( 26 );   b) compression of the fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the gaseous aggregate state ( 26 ) under pressure and subject to an increase in temperature;   c) transfer of thermal energy from the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) to a second external medium ( 34 ) and transfer of the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) from the gaseous aggregate state ( 26 ) to the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ); and   d) decompression of the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) under pressure and subject to a reduction in temperature, characterized in that between steps c) and d) a transfer of thermal energy takes place from the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) to a third external medium ( 42 ) (step c).   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) is supercooled during the transfer of the thermal energy to the third external medium ( 42 ). 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that the power ( 78 ) for the transfer of thermal energy is adjusted from the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) to the third external medium ( 42 ). 
     
     
         11 . The method according to any one of the  claims 8 to 10 , characterized in that, after step (c) and before the fluid working medium ( 16 ) transfers the thermal energy to the third external medium ( 42 ), a separation of the fluid working medium in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) from still existing fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the gaseous aggregate state ( 26 ) takes place and a transfer of the fluid working medium ( 16 ) for the transfer of the thermal energy to the third external medium ( 42 ) takes place (step c′). 
     
     
         12 . The method according to any one of the  claims 8 to 11 , characterized in that, between steps c) and d), thermal energy is transferred from the compressed fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the liquid aggregate state ( 24 ) to the fluid working medium ( 16 ) in the gaseous aggregate state ( 26 ) which is between steps a) and b) (step a′). 
     
     
         13 . The method according to any one of the  claims 8 to 12 , characterized in that at least one of the following temperature levels is achieved:
 temperature ( 58 ) of the first external medium ( 22 ) between 20° C. and 150° C.   temperature ( 64 ) of the second external medium ( 34 ) between 50° C. and 250° C.   temperature ( 74 ) of the third external medium ( 42 ) between 40° C. and 200° C.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to any one of the  claims 8 to 13 , characterized in that a heat pump ( 12 ) is used according to any one of the  claims 1 to 5  and/or a system ( 10 ) according to any one of the  claims 6 to 7 . 
     
     
         15 . Control device ( 54 ) designed and configured for controlling or regulating a heat pump ( 12 ) according to any one of the  claims 1 to 5  and/or a system ( 10 ) according to any one of the  claims 6 to 7  for carrying out a method according to any one of the  claims 8 to 14 .