Regenerator of temperature, heat pump including such a regenerator and method of implementing thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a regenerator of temperature comprising a plurality of elastomeric material tubes, at least one actuator, a first and a second boxes, each having a bottom with a plurality of holes therein, their respective bottoms facing each other, each hole of the first box being in fluid communication with a hole of the second box by means of one tube, at least one of the first or second boxes being translatable by the actuator so that elastomeric material tubes undergo successively stretching and release conditions, at least one of the first or second boxes having means for sucking into said box and then discharging from said box the fluid flowing through the tubes.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A regenerator of temperature comprising
 a plurality of N elastomeric material tubes,   at least one actuator,   a first box and a second box, the first box and the second box having a bottom with a plurality N of holes therein, their respective bottoms facing each other, each hole of the first box being in fluid communication with a hole of the second box by means of one elastomeric material tube, each end of the elastomeric material tube being sealingly anchored in his respective hole, at least one of the first or second boxes being translatable by the at least one actuator so that the plurality of elastomeric material tubes undergoes successively stretching and release conditions, means for sucking into said box and then discharging from said box the fluid flowing through the elastomeric material tubes.   
     
     
         17 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first or second boxes has plunger means therein actuated by the actuator for sucking into said box and then discharging from said box the fluid flowing through the elastomeric material tubes. 
     
     
         18 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of elastomeric material tubes comprises more than N=15 elastomeric material tubes, thereby involving N holes for each bottom. 
     
     
         19 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein the outer diameter of the elastomeric material tubes ranges from 2 mm to 5 mm at a non-stretched state. 
     
     
         20 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein the internal diameter of the elastomeric material tubes ranges from 1 mm to 3 mm at a non-stretched state. 
     
     
         21 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein the length of the elastomeric material tubes ranges from 20 mm to 50 mm at a non-stretched state. 
     
     
         22 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein the bottom of the first box and the bottom of the second box are constituted of a plate, each end of the elastomeric material tubes being sealingly anchored in his respective hole. 
     
     
         23 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein that the outside face of each bottom is coated with a layer of sealing material. 
     
     
         24 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein the first box and the second box are each enclosed in an adiabatic chamber. 
     
     
         25 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first box and the second box comprises a first and a second outputs intended to connect the inside of said box with a fluid loop. 
     
     
         26 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , wherein the elastomeric material is chosen within weakly cross-linked elastomers, including natural and artificial rubber. 
     
     
         27 . A heat pump comprising at a first and a second heat exchangers, a first and a second pumps, a first and a second fluid loops passing respectively through said heat exchangers and said pumps and being each provided with a first and a second fluid junctions, wherein said heat pump includes a regenerator of temperature as claimed in  claim 25 , said regenerator of temperature being in fluid communication with the fluid loops by means of the first and the second outputs connected respectively with the first and the second fluid junctions. 
     
     
         28 . The heat pump according to  claim 27 , wherein the fluid circulating in the loop is a liquid selected from the list defined by water, oils, mixture of water and glycol, charged water. 
     
     
         29 . A method of implementing a regenerator of temperature according to  claim 16 , and in order to cool down a fluid contained in the second box of the regenerator, and to warm up a fluid contained in the first box of the regenerator, wherein:
 A first step I is carried out during which the fluid contained in the first box is directed to the second box by flowing into the plurality of elastomeric material tubes, the plurality of elastomeric material tubes being under release conditions,   A second step II is carried out during which the plurality of elastomeric material tubes is stretched,   A third step III is carried out during which the fluid contained in the second box is directed to the first box by flowing into the plurality of elastomeric material stretched tubes,   A fourth step IV is carried out during which the plurality of elastomeric material tubes is released.   
     
     
         30 . The method of implementing a regenerator of temperature according to  claim 29 , wherein the release conditions of the plurality of elastomeric material tubes correspond to an extension ranging from 300% to 400% of the initial length, while the stretched conditions of the plurality of elastomeric material tubes correspond to strain ranging from 500% to 600% of the initial length. 
     
     
         31 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 22 , wherein each hole is of conical shape, by means of a hollow cone. 
     
     
         32 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 23 , wherein the layer of sealing material is epoxy resin. 
     
     
         33 . The regenerator of temperature according to  claim 23 , wherein the layer of sealing material has a thickness around 10 mm.