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Title: Heat pump/refrigerator using liquid working fluid

Abstract

A heat transfer device is described that can be operated as a heat pump or refrigerator, which utilizes a working fluid that is continuously in a liquid state and which has a high temperature-coefficient of expansion near room temperature, to provide a compact and high efficiency heat transfer device for relatively small temperature differences as are encountered in heating or cooling rooms or the like. The heat transfer device includes a pair of heat exchangers that may be coupled respectively to the outdoor and indoor environments, a regenerator connecting the two heat exchangers, a displacer that can move the liquid working fluid through the heat exchangers via the regenerator, and a means for alternately increasing and decreasing the pressure of the working fluid. The liquid working fluid enables efficient heat transfer in a compact unit, and leads to an explosion-proof smooth and quiet machine characteristic of hydraulics. The device enables efficient heat transfer as the indoor-outdoor temperature difference approaches zero, and enables simple conversion from heat pumping to refrigeration as by merely reversing the direction of a motor that powers the device.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Del Mar, CA
  2. Solana Beach, CA
  3. Corvallis, OR
  4. San Diego, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of California (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
864357
Patent Number(s):
4353218
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02G - HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F25 - REFRIGERATION OR COOLING F25B - REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS
DOE Contract Number:  
AT03-76ER70143
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
heat; pump; refrigerator; liquid; fluid; transfer; device; described; operated; utilizes; continuously; temperature-coefficient; expansion; near; temperature; provide; compact; efficiency; relatively; differences; encountered; heating; cooling; pair; exchangers; coupled; respectively; outdoor; indoor; environments; regenerator; connecting; displacer; move; via; means; alternately; increasing; decreasing; pressure; enables; efficient; unit; leads; explosion-proof; smooth; quiet; machine; characteristic; hydraulics; indoor-outdoor; difference; approaches; zero; simple; conversion; pumping; refrigeration; merely; reversing; direction; motor; powers; temperature difference; heat pump; heat exchange; heat exchanger; heat transfer; heat exchangers; temperature differences; efficient heat; transfer device; heat pumping; enables efficient; device enables; /62/

Citation Formats

Wheatley, John C, Paulson, Douglas N, Allen, Paul C, Knight, William R, and Warkentin, Paul A. Heat pump/refrigerator using liquid working fluid. United States: N. p., 1982. Web.
Wheatley, John C, Paulson, Douglas N, Allen, Paul C, Knight, William R, & Warkentin, Paul A. Heat pump/refrigerator using liquid working fluid. United States.
Wheatley, John C, Paulson, Douglas N, Allen, Paul C, Knight, William R, and Warkentin, Paul A. Fri . "Heat pump/refrigerator using liquid working fluid". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864357.
@article{osti_864357,
title = {Heat pump/refrigerator using liquid working fluid},
author = {Wheatley, John C and Paulson, Douglas N and Allen, Paul C and Knight, William R and Warkentin, Paul A},
abstractNote = {A heat transfer device is described that can be operated as a heat pump or refrigerator, which utilizes a working fluid that is continuously in a liquid state and which has a high temperature-coefficient of expansion near room temperature, to provide a compact and high efficiency heat transfer device for relatively small temperature differences as are encountered in heating or cooling rooms or the like. The heat transfer device includes a pair of heat exchangers that may be coupled respectively to the outdoor and indoor environments, a regenerator connecting the two heat exchangers, a displacer that can move the liquid working fluid through the heat exchangers via the regenerator, and a means for alternately increasing and decreasing the pressure of the working fluid. The liquid working fluid enables efficient heat transfer in a compact unit, and leads to an explosion-proof smooth and quiet machine characteristic of hydraulics. The device enables efficient heat transfer as the indoor-outdoor temperature difference approaches zero, and enables simple conversion from heat pumping to refrigeration as by merely reversing the direction of a motor that powers the device.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}