Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02942490 2016-09-20
1 ELECTRICITY-GENERATING, AIR-CONDITIONING, AND WATER-HEATING
2 APPARATUS FEATURING SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
3
4 FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention relates to a renewable energy apparatus and
6 more
particularly to an electricity-generating, air-conditioning, and water heating
7 apparatus powered by solar energy.
8
9 BACKGROUND
As the resources of the Earth are gradually depleting, there is a
11 global trend
to increase the supply and use of renewable energy, and this trend
12 has given momentum to continuous development of renewable energy
13 technologies
which feature reusability, high energy conversion efficiency, and
14 environmental friendliness.
In the prior art of renewable energy, the conversion of sunlight (i.e.,
16 solar energy)
into heat has had various industrial and commercial applications,
17 including,
for example, the supply of household hot water through a solar collector
18 and the
lighting or air conditioning of buildings with electricity generated from
solar
19 energy.
However, an apparatus for converting sunlight into heat and thereby
providing the triple function of electricity generation, air conditioning, and
water
21 heating has yet to be seen.
22
23 SUMMARY
24 The primary
objective of the present invention is to provide an
electricity-generating, air-conditioning, and water-heating apparatus
featuring solar
1
CA 02942490 2016-09-20
1 energy conversion so that, without an external electricity supply, the
triple function
2 of supplying warm/hot water, air conditioning, and electricity generation
can be
3 achieved with nothing more than the warm/hot water generated by a solar
collector,
4 and that the higher the outdoor temperature is, the warmer or hotter the
warm/hot
water, the stronger the cooling effect (of an indoor air conditioner or a
central air-
6 conditioning system), and the larger the current generated.
7 In a preferred embodiment, the electricity-generating, air-
conditioning,
8 and water-heating apparatus featuring solar energy conversion includes a
solar
9 collector for heating cold water and thus turning the cold water into
warm/hot water;
a heat storage tank for storing and supplying the warm/hot water; an air-
11 conditioning device for providing cool air indoors; and an electricity-
generating
12 device for generating electricity with the high-pressure and gaseous
refrigerant of
13 the air-conditioning device and providing the electricity generated. The
air-
14 conditioning device does not require a refrigerant compressor but
includes a
gaseous refrigerant storage tank, a condenser, an expansion valve, an
evaporator,
16 and refrigerant pipes connected therebetween. The electricity-generating
device is
17 connected to the refrigerant pipe between the condenser and the
expansion valve.
18 The heat storage tank is provided with a warm/hot water outlet pipe for
supplying
19 the warm/hot water so that the warm/hot water can flow through the
gaseous
refrigerant storage tank of the air-conditioning device, transfer heat from
the
21 warm/hot water to the refrigerant in the gaseous refrigerant storage
tank, and then
22 return to the heat storage tank. The refrigerant in the gaseous
refrigerant storage
23 tank undergoes a rapid gas expansion process due to the heat absorbed
and is
24 turned into a high-pressure and high-temperature thermal-cycle
refrigerant. This
thermal-cycle refrigerant flows sequentially through the condenser, the
electricity-
2
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1 generating device, the expansion valve, and the evaporator and ends up as
a low-
2 pressure and medium-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant, which flows
back to
3 the gaseous refrigerant storage tank. The electricity-generating device
is driven to
4 generate and output electricity by the high-pressure and medium-
temperature
refrigerant flowing out of the condenser. The low-pressure and low-temperature
6 refrigerant having been depressurized by and flowing out of the expansion
valve
7 (e.g., an electronic expansion valve) flows through the evaporator to
cool the air
8 surrounding the evaporator and thereby produce an indoor cooling effect.
9 In a preferred embodiment, the air-conditioning device of the
electricity-generating, air-conditioning, and water-heating apparatus
featuring solar
11 energy conversion uses a water chiller instead of the evaporator in
order to be
12 applied to a central air-conditioning system.
13 In a preferred embodiment, the electricity-generating, air-
conditioning,
14 and water-heating apparatus featuring solar energy conversion further
includes a
heat exchanger provided between the gaseous refrigerant storage tank and the
16 condenser. The heat exchanger performs a first cooling process on the
high-
17 pressure and high-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant flowing out of
the
18 gaseous refrigerant storage tank, before the refrigerant is guided to
the condenser
19 for a second cooling process.
In a preferred embodiment, the refrigerant is an environmentally
21 friendly refrigerant selected from the group consisting of refrigerants
with the
22 American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
23 (ASHRAE) Numbers R-134a, R-410A, R-407C, R-417A, R-404A, R-507, and R-
23,
24 i.e., refrigerants with the International Union of Pure and Applied
Chemistry
(IUPAC) chemical names "1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane", "R-32/125 (50+.5,-
3
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1 1.5/50+1.5,¨.5)", "R-32/125/134a (23 2/25 2/52 2)", "R-125/134a/600
2 (46.6 1.1/50 1/3.4+.1,¨.4)", "R-125/143a/134a (44 2/52 1/4 2)", "R-125/143a
3 (50/50)", and "Trifluoromethane (Fluoroform)".
4 In a
preferred embodiment, the condenser is an air-cooled
condenser.
6 In a
preferred embodiment, the expansion valve is a mechanical
7 expansion valve or an electronic expansion valve.
8 In a
preferred embodiment, the air-conditioning device further
9 includes a
solenoid valve, a temperature sensor, and a refrigerant exchanger. The
solenoid valve is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the gaseous
11 refrigerant
storage tank and the condenser. The temperature sensor and the
12 refrigerant
exchanger are connected to the refrigerant pipe between the gaseous
13 refrigerant
storage tank and the evaporator (or the water chiller) in order to detect
14 and regulate
the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the evaporator (or the
water chiller) and thereby maintain normal operation of the air-conditioning
device.
16 In a
preferred embodiment, the electricity-generating device is a gas
17 impulse-type
generator module composed of an impulse steam turbine and a
18 generator.
19 In a
preferred embodiment, the electricity-generating device further
includes a solar photovoltaic module and/or electricity storage equipment.
21 The herein-
disclosed, electricity-generating, air-conditioning, and
22 water-heating
apparatus featuring solar energy conversion is an innovative piece
23 of renewable energy equipment capable of the following advantageous
effects:
4
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1 1. Without externally supplied electricity, the apparatus uses only
the
2 warm/hot water generated by the solar collector to achieve air
conditioning and
3 electricity generation as well as the supply of warm/hot water.
4 2. The higher the outdoor temperature, the more effective the
conversion from solar energy to warm/hot water, cool air, and electricity. In
other
6 words, the temperature of the warm/hot water, the cooling effect of the
air-
7 conditioning device (be it incorporated into an indoor air conditioner or
central air-
8 conditioning system), and the output current increase with outdoor
temperature.
9
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
11 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the electricity-generating, air-
12 conditioning, and water-heating apparatus featuring solar energy
conversion
13 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing how the
apparatus
14 supplies warm/hot water, functions as an indoor air conditioner, and
generates
electricity at the same time;
16 Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the electricity-generating, air-
17 conditioning, and water-heating apparatus featuring solar energy
conversion
18 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, showing how
the
19 apparatus supplies warm/hot water, functions as an indoor air
conditioner, and
generates electricity at the same time; and
21 Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the electricity-generating, air-
22 conditioning, and water-heating apparatus featuring solar energy
conversion
23 according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, showing
how the
24 apparatus supplies warm/hot water, functions as an indoor air
conditioner, and
generates electricity at the same time.
5
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1
2 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
3 Referring to FIG. 1, an electricity-generating, air-conditioning,
and
4 water-heating apparatus 10 featuring solar energy conversion is shown,
according
to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The apparatus 10 comprises a
solar
6 collector 20, a heat storage tank 30, an air-conditioning device 40, and
an
7 electricity-generating device 50. Without externally supplied electricity,
the
8 apparatus 10 can perform three functions simultaneously: to supply
warm/hot
9 water via the solar collector 20 and the heat storage tank 30, to provide
cool air to,
e.g., an indoor environment, via the air-conditioning device 40, and to output
11 electricity via the electricity-generating device 50. Of course, the air-
conditioning
12 device 40 may alternatively be used for providing cool air to other
environments
13 and/or systems, such as to a central air-conditioning system. In use,
the stronger
14 the solar power is, the stronger the cooling effect of the air-
conditioning device 40
will be.
16
17 The water-heating function
18 The solar collector 20 comprises one or more water pipes having an
19 inlet and an outlet, and a structure for receiving solar radiation to
heat the water in
the water pipe. Thus, the solar collector 20 uses solar radiation as the heat
source
21 and serves to heat cold water, or more specifically to turn cold water
into warm/hot
22 water with a temperature ranging from about 30 C to about 60 C. The heat
source
23 may be replaced by one other than solar radiation, such as the heat
generated by
24 an incinerator or the cooling water, with a temperature as high as about
80 C to
about 90 C, of an internal combustion engine.
6
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1 The water inlet of the solar collector 20 is connected with a cold
2 water inlet pipe 71 for supplying low-temperature makeup water to the
solar
3 collector 20. The cold water inlet pipe 71 can be connected to the heat
storage
4 tank 30 when needed, so that low-temperature makeup water (i.e., water
flowing
into the heat storage tank 30 from a water source or water which has undergone
6 heat exchange and then flows back into the heat storage tank 30) can be
supplied
7 to the water inlet of the solar collector 20 through the cold water inlet
pipe 71.
8 The water outlet of the solar collector 20 is connected with a
9 warm/hot water outlet pipe 72, which in turn is connected to the heat
storage tank
30 for injecting heated water into the heat storage tank 30. In order to draw
low-
11 temperature makeup water forcibly into the water inlet of the solar
collector 20, the
12 warm/hot water outlet pipe 72 may use a pressure pump M1 if necessary.
The
13 low-temperature makeup water flows into the solar collector 20 through
the cold
14 water inlet pipe 71 and is heated in the solar collector 20 by solar
radiation to
become warm/hot water with a temperature of about 30 C to about 60 C. The
16 warm/hot water is delivered through the warm/hot water outlet pipe 72 to
the heat
17 storage tank 30 for storage, and is supplied by the heat storage tank 30
for
18 warm/hot water consumption 21 such as showering. The heat storage tank
30,
19 therefore, serves to both store and supply warm/hot water.
21 The air-conditioning function
22 The air-conditioning device 40 is an air conditioner without a
23 refrigerant compressor. Rather, the air-conditioning device 40 comprises
a
24 gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41, a condenser 44, an expansion valve
45, and
7
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1 an evaporator
46, which are connected by necessary refrigerant pipes, as shown
2 in Fig. 1.
3 The
refrigerant stored in the refrigerant pipes of the air-conditioning
4 device 40,
including the refrigerant stored in the gaseous refrigerant storage tank
41, is a non-toxic, odorless, and non-inflammable liquefied gas with a high
6 expansion
coefficient and outstanding refrigerating effect (hereinafter also referred
7 to as a
thermal-cycle refrigerant) and is preferably one selected from the following
8
environmentally friendly refrigerants with the American Society of Heating,
9 Refrigerating
and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Numbers: R-134a, R-
410A, R-407C, R-417A, R-404A, R-507, and R-23, i.e., refrigerants with the
11 International
Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) chemical names
12 "1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane", "R-32/125 (50+.5,-1.5/50+1.5,¨.5)", "R-
32/125/134a
13 (23 2/25 2/52 2)", "R-125/134a/600 (46.6 1.1/50 1/3.4+.1,¨.4)", "R-
14 125/143a/134a
(44 2/52 1/4 2)", "R-125/143a (50/50)", and "Trifluoromethane
(Fluoroform)".
16 The provision
of the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 satisfies the
17 following conditions:
18 1. Structurally
speaking, the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 is
19 provided with
a refrigerant pipe for storing and circulating the
thermal-cycle refrigerant and a water pipe through which warm/hot
21 water can
flow in order to effect heat exchange between the flowing
22 warm/hot
water and the thermal-cycle refrigerant stored in the
23 refrigerant pipe; and
24 2. The thermal-
cycle refrigerant stored in the refrigerant pipe of the
gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 can expand rapidly into a gas
8
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1 upon
absorbing the heat transferred from the warm/hot water flowing
2 into the
water pipe, wherein the gas is a high-pressure and high-
3 temperature
thermal-cycle refrigerant to be discharged through the
4 refrigerant pipe of the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41.
The heat storage tank 30 is connected to the water pipe of the
6 gaseous
refrigerant storage tank 41 via a warm/hot water-supplying pipe 73 and a
7 return pipe
74 such that a water circuit is formed. In order for the warm/hot water
8 in the heat
storage tank 30 to be sufficiently supplied to, and to flow constantly
9 through, the
water pipe of the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41, either the
warm/hot water-supplying pipe 73 or the return pipe 74 may use a pressure pump
11 M2 if
necessary. Preferably, the warm/hot water-supplying pipe 73 is provided with
12 the pressure
pump M2 and a solenoid valve 33, wherein the solenoid valve 33
13 controls the
operation of the pressure pump M2 according to the temperature of
14 the warm/hot water supplied.
The warm/hot water supplied to the heat storage tank 30 is the 30 C
16 to 60 C
warm/hot water generated by (i.e., having been heated by) the solar
17 collector 20,
and the heat storage tank 30 keeps the warm/hot water at a
18 temperature
between about 30 C and about 60 C. The warm/hot water in the heat
19 storage tank
30 flows through the warm/hot water-supplying pipe 73 and, once
entering the water pipe of the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41, exchanges
21 heat with
(i.e., transfers heat to) the thermal-cycle refrigerant in the refrigerant
pipe
22 of the
gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41. After the heat exchange, the warm/hot
23 water is
cooled and flows back to the heat storage tank 30 through the return pipe
24 74. To keep
the water temperature in the heat storage tank 30 between 30 C and
60 C, the once warm/hot water which has been cooled by the heat exchange and
9
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1 returned to the heat storage tank 30 (also referred to as low-temperature
makeup
2 water) may be guided to and hence heated by the solar collector 20 and then
3 stored into the heat storage tank 30 again.
4 The thermal-cycle refrigerant. in the refrigerant pipe of the
gaseous
refrigerant storage tank 41 goes through gas expansion because of a transfer
of
6 energy, or more particularly because the thermal-cycle refrigerant
absorbs the
7 heat of the warm/hot water, which has been heated in the solar collector
20 by
8 solar radiation. During the gas expansion process of the thermal-cycle
refrigerant,
9 the expansion speed of the thermal-cycle refrigerant depends on the
temperature
of the warm/hot water, i.e., the temperature of the source of the energy
transferred.
11 When the temperature of the warm/hot water supplied by the heat storage
tank 30
12 is high, the warm/hot water supplied by the solar collector 20 must have
a high
13 temperature too, meaning the solar power is strong. Consequently, the
thermal-
14 cycle refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe of the gaseous refrigerant
storage tank 41
expands rapidly into a gas with a high gas pressure. Preferably, the gas
pressure
16 of the thermal-cycle refrigerant after expansion is between about 25
kg/cm2 and
17 about 50 kg/cm2.
18 An important feature of the apparatus 10 is the gaseous refrigerant
19 storage tank 41, which functions as a refrigerant compressor. More
specifically,
simply by means of outdoor heat and without externally supplied electricity,
the
21 gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 enables the thermal-cycle
refrigerant in its
22 refrigerant pipe to absorb heat from the warm/hot water which has been
heated by
23 the solar collector 20, and to expand rapidly into a high-pressure and
high-
24 temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant, which is subsequently output from
the
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1 gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41. The gaseous refrigerant storage tank
41 thus
2 also acts as a refrigerant compressor.
3 As shown in FIG. 1, the high-pressure and high-temperature thermal-
4 cycle refrigerant is output from the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41
and directly
enters the condenser 44 for cooling and then entering the electricity-
generating
6 device 50 (described later).
7 In an alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the air-conditioning
8 device 40 further comprises an additional heat exchanger 42 provided
between
9 the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 and the condenser 44 such that
the high-
pressure and high-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant output from the
gaseous
11 refrigerant storage tank 41 is guided first to the heat exchanger 42,
which performs
12 a first cooling process, and then to the condenser 44, where a second
cooling
13 process takes place.
14 The heat exchanger 42 is provided with a refrigerant pipe and a
water pipe. The two ends of the water pipe of the heat exchanger 42 are
16 connected to the heat storage tank 30 via a water inlet pipe 75 and a
water outlet
17 pipe 76 respectively to form a water circuit. If necessary, the water
inlet pipe 75
18 may use a pressure pump M3 for drawing out the warm/hot water in the
heat
19 storage tank 30 forcibly and making the warm/hot water flow into the
water pipe of
the heat exchanger 42 without interruption and then back to the heat storage
tank
21 30 through the water outlet pipe 76.
22 Moreover, the water outlet pipe 76 may be provided with a check
23 valve 35 so that water flowing out of the heat exchanger 42 will not
backflow to the
24 heat exchanger 42.
11
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1 The high-pressure and high-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant
2 output from the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 has a temperature
above the
3 range of 30 C to 60 C. When this thermal-cycle refrigerant flows into the
4 refrigerant pipe of the heat exchanger 42, heat exchange and heat
transfer occur
between the refrigerant and the 30-60 C warm/hot water flowing from the heat
6 storage tank 30 into the water pipe of the heat exchanger 42. As a
result, the
7 warm/hot water flowing through the heat exchanger 42 is heated before it
flows
8 black to the heat storage tank 30 for later use. On the other hand, the
high-
9 pressure and the once high-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant which
has been
cooled by the heat exchange flows through the refrigerant pipe into the
condenser
11 44 for the second cooling process, after which a high-pressure and
medium-
12 temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant (in a gaseous state) is formed.
13 The condenser 44 serves to take heat away from the high-pressure
14 and high-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant, thereby cooling and
condensing
the thermal-cycle refrigerant, turning it into a high-pressure and medium-
16 temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant (in a gaseous state). The
condenser 44 can
17 be a water-cooled condenser, or preferably an air-cooled condenser.
18 The expansion valve 45 is provided to convert the high-pressure and
19 medium-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant into a low-pressure and low-
temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant (in a gaseous/vapor state) by
21 depressurization. The expansion valve 45 can be a mechanical expansion
valve,
22 or preferably an electronic expansion valve. Electronic expansion valves
can be
23 categorized by the driving methods into pulse-type, heating-type, or
motorized
24 electronic expansion valves.
12
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1 The evaporator 46 allows the low-pressure and low-temperature
2 thermal-cycle refrigerant to absorb heat from indoor air, experience an
increase in
3 temperature, and then evaporate into a low-pressure and medium-
temperature
4 thermal-cycle refrigerant. In the meantime, the indoor environment is
cooled.
6 The air-conditioning device 40 generates cool air in the following
7 manner. To begin with, the thermal-cycle refrigerant in the gaseous
refrigerant
8 storage tank 41 absorbs heat from the warm/hot water supplied by the heat
9 storage tank 30 (equivalent to absorbing heat from the warm/hot water
which has
been heated by the solar collector 20, which collects the outdoor heat) and
11 undergoes rapid gas expansion to become a high-pressure and high-
temperature
12 thermal-cycle refrigerant. Due to its pressure difference from the
thermal-cycle
13 refrigerant in the other refrigerant pipes of the air-conditioning
device 40, the high-
14 pressure and high-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant flows to the
condenser 44,
either directly or by way of the heat exchanger 42, through the intermediate
16 refrigerant pipe(s) and is cooled and rendered into a high-pressure and
medium-
17 temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant by the condenser 44. The
electricity-
18 generating device 50 converts some of the heat of this high-pressure and
medium-
19 temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant into electrical energy, before the
thermal-
cycle refrigerant enters and is depressurized by the expansion valve 45 to
become
21 a low-pressure and low-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant, which
flows to the
22 evaporator 46 to absorb heat from indoor air while the cooled indoor air
is blown to
23 an indoor space by a blower to produce a cooling effect.
13
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1 Fig. 3 shows still another embodiment of the apparatus 10, wherein
2 the evaporator 46 in the air-conditioning device 40 is replaced by a
water chiller 47
3 so that the apparatus 10 is equally applicable to a central air-
conditioning system.
4 The water chiller 47 is connected with a chilled water inlet pipe
47a
and a chilled water outlet pipe 47b. The chilled water used in a central air-
6 conditioning system flows into the water chiller 47 through the chilled
water inlet
7 pipe 47a in a cyclic manner and, after heat exchange with the low-
pressure and
8 low-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant, which has been depressurized
by the
9 expansion valve 45, becomes chilled water with an even lower temperature.
The
resulting chilled water flows through the chilled water outlet pipe 47b into
the air-
11 conditioning unit (not shown) of the central air-conditioning system to
exchange
12 heat with air. Once the chilled water absorbs heat from the air, the
cooled air is
13 blown to an indoor space by the blower of the air-conditioning unit.
14 The low-pressure and medium-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant
output from the evaporator 46 or the water chiller 47 after producing the
cooling
16 effect flows back into the refrigerant pipe of the gaseous refrigerant
storage tank
17 41, absorbs heat again from the warm/hot water flowing through the water
pipe of
18 the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41, goes through gas expansion once
more,
19 and is thus recycled for repeated use.
21 The electricity-generating function
22 Referring again to Fig. 1, the electricity-generating device 50
23 includes a steam turbine and a generator and is a rotary, thermal energy-
driven
24 machine using a gaseous thermal-cycle refrigerant as its working medium.
The
blades of the steam turbine are rotated by the energy of the gaseous, high-
14
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1 temperature, and medium-pressure thermal-cycle refrigerant and thus drive
the
2 generator to generate electricity. The electricity-generating device 50
can be a
3 combination of an impulse- or reaction-type steam turbine and a generator
and is
4 preferably a gas impulse-type generator module 51 composed of an impulse
steam turbine and a generator.
6 As shown in Fig. 1, the gas impulse-type generator module 51 of the
7 apparatus 10 is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the condenser
44 and
8 the expansion valve 45. The gaseous, high-pressure, and medium-
temperature
9 thermal-cycle refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 44 and then
running through
the gas impulse-type generator module 51 has enough energy to not only drive
the
11 gas impulse-type generator module 51 to generate electricity, but also
propel the
12 thermal-cycle refrigerant which has lost certain thermal energy due to
electricity
13 generation to the expansion valve 45 for depressurization.
14 The electricity-generating device 50 further includes electricity
storage equipment 52 for storing the alternating-current (AC) or direct-
current (DC)
16 electricity generated by the electricity-generating device 50 and for
outputting the
17 electricity through a current converter 53. The current converter 53 can
be an
18 inverter and/or a rectifier, wherein the inverter converts DC to AC
while the rectifier
19 converts AC to DC.
In an alternative embodiment, the electricity-generating device 50
21 additionally comprises a solar photovoltaic module (not shown) for
converting solar
22 radiation into electricity and for outputting the electricity to the
electricity storage
23 equipment 52 for storage and later use.
24 In the alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3, a solenoid
valve 43 is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the gaseous refrigerant
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1 storage tank 41 and the condenser 44 of the air-conditioning device 40,
or
2 preferably to the refrigerant pipe between the heat exchanger 42 and the
3 condenser 44 of the air-conditioning device 40, and a refrigerant
exchanger 48
4 and a temperature sensor 49 are connected to the refrigerant pipe between
the
gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 and the evaporator 46 (or the water
chiller 47)
6 of the air-conditioning device 40.
7 The refrigerant exchanger 48 is provided with a high-temperature
8 refrigerant pipe and a low-temperature refrigerant pipe. The thermal-cycle
9 refrigerant output from the evaporator 46 or the water chiller 47 can
flow back to
the refrigerant pipe of the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 through the
low-
11 temperature refrigerant pipe of the refrigerant exchanger 48.
12 The two ends of the high-temperature refrigerant pipe of the
13 refrigerant exchanger 48 are respectively connected to a first
refrigerant branch
14 pipe 77 and a second refrigerant branch pipe 78. The end of the first
refrigerant
branch pipe 77 that leads away from the refrigerant exchanger 48 is connected
to
16 the refrigerant pipe that is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the
solenoid valve
17 43. The end of the second refrigerant branch pipe 78 that leads away
from the
18 refrigerant exchanger 48 is connected to the refrigerant pipe that is
connected to
19 the refrigerant outlet of the solenoid valve 43.
The temperature sensor 49 is used to detect the cooling effect of the
21 evaporator 46 or the water chiller 47 by detecting the temperature of
the thermal-
22 cycle refrigerant output from the evaporator 46 or the water chiller 47.
23 The solenoid valve 43, whose valve body is precisely controlled
(i.e.,
24 opened and closed) according to the temperature detection signal
obtained by the
16
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1 temperature sensor 49, serves to regulate the temperature of the thermal-
cycle
2 refrigerant returning to the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41.
3 In normal operation, the thermal-cycle refrigerant output from the
4 evaporator 46 or the water chiller 47 of the air-conditioning device 40
should flow
back to the refrigerant pipe of the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 in a
low-
6 pressure and medium-temperature state, so it is imperative that the
thermal-cycle
7 refrigerant output from the evaporator 46 or the water chiller 47 be
controlled and
8 kept within a certain temperature range.
9 When the temperature sensor 49 detects that the thermal-cycle
refrigerant stays within the normal temperature range, the refrigerant inlet
and the
11 refrigerant outlet of the solenoid valve 43 are brought into
communication with
12 each other, allowing the high-pressure and high-temperature thermal-cycle
13 refrigerant output from the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 and
passing
14 through the heat exchanger 42 (if provided) to flow to the condenser 44
via the
intermediate refrigerant pipe(s) in order to be cooled and rendered into a
high-
16 pressure and medium-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant. In such a
case, with
17 the air-conditioning device 40 in normal operation, heat exchange and
heat
18 transfer hardly take place between the high-temperature refrigerant pipe
and the
19 low-temperature refrigerant pipe of the refrigerant exchanger 48.
When the temperature sensor 49 detects that the thermal-cycle
21 refrigerant is outside the normal temperature range (e.g., with too low
22 temperature), the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet of the
solenoid valve 43
23 are brought out of communication with each other. Consequently, the high-
24 pressure and high-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant output from the
gaseous
refrigerant storage tank 41 and passing through the heat exchanger 42 (if
provided)
17
CA 02942490 2016-09-20
1 flows through the first refrigerant branch pipe 77 into the high-
temperature
2 refrigerant pipe of the refrigerant exchanger 48 and then through the
second
3 refrigerant branch pipe 78 to the condenser 44 in order to be cooled and
rendered
4 into a high-pressure and medium-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant. In
such a
case, with the air-conditioning device 40 in normal operation, heat exchange
and
6 heat transfer occur between the high-pressure and high-temperature
thermal-cycle
7 refrigerant flowing through the high-temperature refrigerant pipe of the
refrigerant
8 exchanger 48 and the low-temperature thermal-cycle refrigerant flowing
through
9 the low-temperature refrigerant pipe of the refrigerant exchanger 48. As
a result,
the thermal-cycle refrigerant output from the evaporator 46 or the water
chiller 47
11 is heated and returns to the refrigerant pipe of the gaseous refrigerant
storage
12 tank 41 in a low-pressure and medium-temperature state.
13 According to the above, the electricity-generating, air-
conditioning,
14 and water-heating apparatus 10 featuring solar energy conversion is so
designed
that when the outdoor temperature rises, the temperature of the warm/hot water
16 supplied by the solar collector 20 increases too, the thermal-cycle
refrigerant in the
17 gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41 can absorb a larger amount of heat
from the
18 warm/hot water flowing through the gaseous refrigerant storage tank 41,
solar
19 energy can be converted into electricity more efficiently, and a better
cooling effect
can be achieved. That is to say, the higher the outdoor temperature is, the
warmer
21 or hotter the warm/hot water supplied by the apparatus 10, the stronger
the
22 cooling effect (of an indoor air conditioner or central air-conditioning
system to
23 which the present invention is applied), and the larger the output
current.
24 Although embodiments have been described above with reference to
the accompanying drawings, those of skill in the art will appreciate that
variations
18
CA 02942490 2016-09-20
1 and modifications may be made without departing from the scope thereof as
2 defined by the appended claims.
3
19
