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In a heat pump having a heat source, a heat sink and a thermal storage heat exchanger in which heat energy is cyclically accumulated and discharged by circulation of a secondary refrigerant therethrough, the improvement wherein: the secondary refrigerant is an aqueous solution having a concentration

In a heat pump having a heat source, a heat sink and a thermal storage heat exchanger in which heat energy is cyclically accumulated and discharged by circulation of a secondary refrigerant therethrough, the improvement wherein: the secondary refrigerant is an aqueous solution having a concentration which is below its eutetic concentration, the heat sink is adapted to super cool the aqueous solution to partially freeze it to generate a partially frozen solution in which fine ice particles are retained in suspension, the thermal storage heat exchanger has a storage chamber, a first input communicating with said storage chamber for admitting said partially frozen solution from the heat sink to said storage chamber, a second input communicating with said storage chamber for admitting heated refrigerant from the heat source sink to said storage chamber, a first output communicating with said storage chamber for discharging liquid phase refrigerant from said storage chamber for circulation to said heat sink and/or said heat source.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In a heat pump having a heat source, a heat sink and a thermal storage heat exchanger in which heat energy is cyclically accumulated and discharged by circulation of a secondary refrigerant therethrough, the improvement wherein: (i) the secondary refrigerant is an aqueous soluation having a con

1. In a heat pump having a heat source, a heat sink and a thermal storage heat exchanger in which heat energy is cyclically accumulated and discharged by circulation of a secondary refrigerant therethrough, the improvement wherein: (i) the secondary refrigerant is an aqueous soluation having a concentration which is below its eutetic concentration, (ii) the heat sink is adapted to cool or super-cool the aqueous solution to generate cooled secondary refrigerant, which, when cooled is a liquid and when super-cooled, is partially frozen and contains fine ice particles in suspension, (iii) the thermal storage heat exchanger has a storage chamber, (iv) a first input communicating between said storage chamber and the heat sink for admitting said cooled secondary refrigerant, such that when super-cooled secondary refrigerant is admitted the ice particles will separate from the liquid phase refrigerant to form a porous ice bed and a substantially ice free liquid bath, and when the cooled liquid is admitted it will be directed into intimate contact with the ice bed in a manner such that it may pass through the pores of the porous ice bed prior to its return to the bath, (v) a first output communicating with said storage chamber for discharging liquid phase refrigerant from said storage chamber for circulation to said heat sink and/or said heat source. 2. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein said heat source communicates with said storage chamber for admitting heated refrigerant from the heat source sink to said storage chamber such that it is discharged into said chamber such that it is placed in intimate contact with the ice bed in a manner such that it may pass through the pores of the porous ice bed prior to its return to the bath. 3. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second input communicating between said storage chamber and the heat source for admitting heated refrigerant from the heat source sink to said storage chamber such that it is discharged into said chamber such that it is placed in intimate contact with the ice bed in a manner such that it may pass through the pores of the porous ice bed prior to its return to the bath. 4. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein an ice bed is formed in said storage chamber such that it floats on a bath of liquid phase refrigerant and wherein means is provided to prevent the removal of ice from the storage chamber through said first output whereby only liquid phase refrigerant is removed from said storage chamber for circulation to said heat sink and/or said heat source. 5. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein an ice bed is formed in said storage chamber such that it floats on a bath of liquid phase refrigerant and wherein said storage chamber is proportioned to ensure the formation of a substantial bath of liquid phase refrigerant below the ice bed thereby to prevent the removal of ice from the storage chamber through said first output whereby only liquid phase refrigerant is removed from said storage chamber for circulation to said heat sink and/or said heat source. 6. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first output conduit has a plurality of perforated feeder lines extending therefrom into the ice bed through which only liquid phase refrigerant may be removed from said storage chamber for circulation to said heat sink and/or said heat source. 7. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second input communicates with said storage chamber a substantial distance above the bath and wherein the first output communicates with said storage chamber at a level below the ice bed. 8. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second input communicates with said storage chamber at a level above the ice bed so as to discharge heated refrigerant from the heat source sink on to the ice bed. 9. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein an ice bed is formed in said storage chamber such that it floats on a bath of liquid phase refrigerant and wherein said first input communicates with said storage chamber at a level below the ice bed such that the partially frozen binary solution is admitted to the chamber below the ice bed and the ice particles which are discharged into the storage chamber float upwardly to regenerate the ice bed. 10. A heat pump as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a bath temperature sensing device for monitoring the temperature of the liquid bath in the chamber, said sensing device being operable to deactivate said heat sink when the temperature of the liquid phase refrigerant in the bath drops below a predetermined value. 11. A heat pump as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a bath level sensing device for monitoring the level of the bath in the chamber, said sensing device being operable to deactivate said heat sink when the level of liquid phase refrigerant in the bath drops below a predetermined level.