JPH0573985B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a rotary heat pump that can be widely used in various fields where it is necessary to pump iron from a low-temperature section to a high-temperature section.

(b) Prior Art In recent years, hydrogen storage alloys that have become practical have been discovered. That is, this alloy adsorbs hydrogen when the pressure is increased in a hydrogen gas atmosphere, and releases hydrogen when the pressure is reduced. It is characterized in that an exothermic reaction occurs during its adsorption, and an endothermic reaction occurs during its release. Therefore, it has been considered to utilize this property to construct a heat pump that pumps heat from a low-temperature part to a high-temperature part, but in all conventional heat pumps, the hydrogen storage alloy is confined in a certain volume and a separate compressor is used. Since it is designed to raise and lower the pressure of hydrogen gas, it has the disadvantage that the piping and structure are complicated.

(C) Purpose The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is a rotary type rotary type that has a simple structure, is easy to reduce in size and weight, and can be operated with high efficiency. The purpose is to provide heat pumps.

(d) Structure In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a rotary compressor having a chamber whose volume increases and decreases while rotating together with a rotor, the chamber being filled with hydrogen gas, and a rotary compressor that communicates with each of the chambers. an alloy storage space that is provided to be rotatable integrally with the rotor in a state where the hydrogen storage alloy is held therein; heat exchange means for transmitting heat released from the hydrogen storage alloy corresponding to the chamber whose volume is decreasing to the hot fluid side, and the heat exchange means:
A fluid switching means is used to flow low temperature fluid into an alloy storage space corresponding to a chamber whose volume is increasing, and to flow high temperature fluid into an alloy storage space corresponding to a chamber whose volume is decreasing. It is characterized by

(e) Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat pump 1 according to the present invention includes a rotary compressor 2.
, alloy housing spaces 3-1 to 3-4 provided in connection with this rotary compressor 2, hydrogen storage alloy 4 filled in these alloy housing spaces 3-1 to 3-4, and high and low temperature outside. A heat exchange means 5 for exchanging heat between the fluids A and B is provided. As shown in FIG. 3, the rotary compressor 2 rotatably accommodates a rotor 7 at an eccentric position within a cylindrical casing 6. Further, a plurality of grooves 8 are provided in the rotor 7 in a substantially radial manner, and a vane 9 is fit into each of these grooves 8 so as to be projectable and retractable. By bringing the tips of these vanes 9 into sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface 6a of the casing 6 by centrifugal force, gas pressure, or spring force, a plurality of vanes whose volume increases and decreases while rotating together with the rotor 7. The chambers 11-1 to 11-4 are formed, and each of these chambers 11-1 to 11-4 is filled with hydrogen gas. The support shaft 12 of the rotor 7 penetrates the end wall 6b of the casing 6 and projects to the outside, and its projecting end is connected to a drive device 13 that is a combination of a motor, a speed reducer, etc. .
Further, a large diameter portion 1 is provided at an intermediate position of the protruding portion of the support shaft 12.
4 is provided so as to be integrally rotatable, and within this large diameter portion 14, a plurality of alloy housing spaces 3-1 to 3-4 corresponding to the respective chambers 11-1 to 11-4 are provided independently from each other. And each alloy accommodation space 3-1 to 3-4
are communicated with the corresponding chambers 11-1 to 11-4 via gas passages 15-1 to 15-4, and
Each of these alloy housing spaces 3-1 to 3-4 is filled with hydrogen storage alloy 4. Further, the heat exchange means 5 includes a plurality of gas pipes 16 which are provided to penetrate each of the alloy housing spaces 3 and whose both ends 16a are open to both end surfaces of the large diameter portion 14.
The gas pipe 16 passing through the first region is connected between the high temperature paths 17 and 18, which are provided in sliding contact with both end surfaces of the large diameter portion 14 and through which the high temperature fluid A flows, and the gas pipe 16 passing through the first region is connected. A timing valve 21 is provided as a fluid switching means for connecting the gas pipe 16 passing through the second region between the low temperature paths 19 and 20. Note that here, the first region refers to a part of the region through which the chambers 11-1 to 11-4 of the rotary compressor 2 pass while decreasing their volume,
The second region refers to a part of the region through which the chambers 11-1 to 11-4 pass through while increasing their volumes.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. In addition,
Since each of the chambers 11-1 to 11-4 has the same function, the explanation will focus on only the single chamber 11-1.

When the drive device 13 is operated to rotate the rotor 7, the chamber 11-1 rotates together with the rotor 7, its volume increases and decreases, and the pressure of the hydrogen gas sealed therein rises and falls. As a result, the hydrogen storage alloy 4 in the alloy accommodation space 3-1 communicating with this chamber 11-1
will absorb and extract hydrogen. In detail,
First, from the position where the volume of the chamber 11-1 is maximum,
As the rotor 7 rotates, the hydrogen gas confined within the chamber 11-1 and the alloy housing space 3-1 is gradually compressed. Here, the relationship between the pressure of hydrogen gas and the hydrogen storage amount of hydrogen storage alloy 4 is
As shown in the figure, the state changes from point a to point b as the pressure of the hydrogen gas increases. Also,
At this time, the temperature of hydrogen gas also rises. moreover,
When the rotor 7 rotates and the chamber 11-1 reaches the first region, the pressure inside the chamber 11-1 rises to the storage pressure Pa of the hydrogen storage alloy 4, so that hydrogen gas is absorbed into the alloy 4. Occlusion occurs. At this time, the alloy 4 generates heat and changes from point b to point c to point d while imparting heat to the high temperature fluid A flowing in the pipe line 16. Further, the rotor 7 rotates and the chamber 11-
1 and the alloy housing space 3-1 approach the second region, the volume of the chamber 11-1 then begins to increase. As a result, the hydrogen gas in the chamber 11-1 undergoes adiabatic expansion, the pressure decreases and the temperature also decreases, moving from point d to point c. Then, the chamber 11-1 and the alloy accommodation space 3-1 reach the second region, and the chamber 11-1 reaches the second region.
1 and the pressure in the space 3-1 drops to a certain value Pb, the hydrogen storage alloy 4 in the space 3-1 begins to devolatilize (release) hydrogen gas. At this time, since the low-temperature fluid B is switched to flow in the pipe 16 in contact with the hydrogen storage alloy 4, the alloy 4 releases hydrogen gas while absorbing heat from the low-temperature fluid B. It changes from point c → point b → point a. By repeating the above cycle, heat can be pumped from the low temperature fluid B to the high temperature fluid A, and the function as a heat pump is exhibited. In addition, FIG. 6 shows the temperature T of the cycle.
shows the relationship between and entropy S, where is adiabatic compression, is isothermal compression (hydrogen storage, constant pressure P),
is adiabatic expansion, is isothermal expansion (hydrogen devolatilization, pressure P
It represents each process (constant). Furthermore, when the temperature of the high-temperature fluid A is high, the hydrogen gas storage pressure Pa' changes as shown by the broken line in FIG.

The structure of the rotary compressor is, of course, not limited to the one described above, and various modifications are possible, for example, a Wankel type, a combination of curved lines such as a trochoid, etc.

Further, the heat exchange means is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

(f) Effects Since the present invention has the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained.

First, we use a rotary compressor with a chamber that rotates together with the rotor, and an alloy housing space that communicates with this chamber is provided so that it can rotate integrally with the rotor, eliminating the need for any complicated piping and reducing the structure. Simplification can be achieved. Moreover, in the case of a rotor compressor, the area where the chamber volume increases and the area where it decreases are always constant.
The alloy in the alloy storage space, which rotates together with this chamber, always performs occlusion and devolatilization at a constant rotational position. Therefore, there is no risk that the heat exchange means will become complicated. Additionally, the heat exchange means is configured to flow the cold fluid into the alloy containing space corresponding to the chamber whose volume is increasing and the hot fluid into the alloy containing space which corresponds to the chamber whose volume is decreasing. Since it is constructed using a fluid switching means, it is possible to directly transfer heat between the fluid and the hydrogen storage alloy. For example, heat exchange between high and low temperature fluids and the outer peripheral surface of the alloy storage space is possible. The heat exchange efficiency is much improved compared to the case where the

In addition, if this type of device is used, a heat cycle similar to a reverse Carnot cycle is carried out, so efficient operation is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view, and FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view.
4 is a sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 1, FIG.
The figure is a diagram showing the relationship between temperature and entropy. 1...Heat pump, 2...Rotary compressor, 3-1 to 3-4...Alloy storage space, 4...
Hydrogen storage alloy, 5... Heat exchange means, 7... Rotor, 11-1 to 11-4... Chamber, 21... Fluid switching means (timing valve), A... High temperature fluid,
B...Low temperature fluid.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A rotary compressor having a chamber whose volume increases and decreases while rotating together with a rotor, and hydrogen gas sealed in the chamber; an alloy housing space that holds a hydrogen storage alloy in the chamber, and heat from the low-temperature fluid side is absorbed by the hydrogen storage alloy corresponding to the chamber whose volume is increasing, and released from the hydrogen storage alloy corresponding to the chamber whose volume is decreasing. and a heat exchange means for transmitting the heat generated by the heat exchanger to the high-temperature fluid side, and the heat exchange means is used to flow the low-temperature fluid into the alloy housing space corresponding to the chamber whose volume is increasing, and A rotary heat pump characterized in that it is configured using a fluid switching means for circulating high temperature fluid in an alloy housing space corresponding to a decreasing chamber.