CH712729B1 - Device for multi-functional connection of a thermal energy user to an urban heat exchange network. - Google Patents

Abstract

The multifunctional connection device (10) of the invention is intended to ensure the connection of a thermal energy user (160) to an urban heat exchange network, called anergy network (110), with a view to ensuring its thermal energy supply with thermal energy transported by a heat transfer fluid at low temperature. The connection device (10) consists of three basic blocks, namely a non-reversible heat pump (11) comprising a first plate heat exchanger (11A) and a second plate heat exchanger (11B), coupled between them by a compressor (11C) and an expander (11D); a connection block (12) arranged to connect said heat pump (11) to said anergy network (110) and to said user (160); and a management unit (13) arranged to adapt said multifunctional connection device (10) according to a preselected mode of heat exchange between the anergy network (110) and said user (160).

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a multifunctional device for connecting a thermal energy user to an urban heat exchange network, called anergy network, in order to ensure the thermal energy supply of said user, with thermal energy transported by a low-temperature heat transfer fluid conveyed in said anergy urban network.

Prior technique

[0002] Remote heating networks, commonly called district heating, usually comprise at least one pair of conduits, the first of which, called the "go tube", is connected between a hot source and at least one thermal energy consuming device, via a draw-off point, the second of which, called the “return pipe”, is connected between the draw-off point and the hot source to bring the cooled heat transfer fluid back into the network. The purpose of these networks is to supply the consumer device, which is for example a house, a utility room or the like, with calories taken from the heat transfer fluid. In this embodiment, the ducts are separate and arranged parallel to one another.

[0003] These installations usually use as a hot source either a hot water generator or a steam generator and the heat transfer fluid is, as the case may be, hot water or superheated steam, brought to a high temperature. The loss of heat in the conduits which convey the heat transfer fluid is in principle proportional to the difference between the temperature of the heat transfer fluid and the environment of the conduits which convey it, so that, in the known installations, either the insulations are very efficient, and therefore very expensive, or the energy losses are high and the installations lose efficiency. In both cases, the energy balance is mediocre and the costs of the installations as well as the operating costs are very high.

[0004] As a result, current district heating networks are based on the following principle: in phase 1, a heat transfer fluid is heated to a high temperature so that it can distribute sufficient calorific energy to satisfy all the consumers of the network supplied by said heat transfer fluid; in phase 2, the said hot heat transfer fluid is put into circulation in the “go” conduit, so that the consumers can be supplied through their draw-off point; in order to avoid losses as much as possible, the ducts must be effectively insulated; in phase 3, the said heat transfer fluid is put back into circulation in the "return" conduit, the latter being partly cooled after having supplied the consumers, to bring it back to the heat source; as for phase 2, the ducts must be effectively insulated, in order to avoid heat loss as much as possible.

[0005] Current distribution networks are extremely expensive to install due to the cost of purchasing and installing insulating materials, as well as for operation due to the costs of energy production and duct losses. Furthermore, installations for the distribution of thermal energy in a network working at low temperature have been developed, with the advantages of lower installation costs and more advantageous operating costs than those of high-temperature networks. These two types of networks operate on fundamentally different principles, so that the implementation of a low-temperature network cannot coexist, in the current state, with a high-temperature network. It follows that the establishment of a low temperature thermal energy distribution network implies the removal of the existing high temperature network. However, such an operation is complicated because of the costs and because of the technical and administrative constraints, for example forcing the managers of the existing high-temperature network to repeal operating contracts, forcing the promoters of a low-temperature network to obtain the necessary legal authorizations and requiring preliminary investments likely to discourage the desire to set up these networks. It follows that the two systems are and remain competitors and are not, a priori, suitable for cooperating, which constitutes a major obstacle to the development of low-temperature networks, in areas where a high-temperature network is already installed, despite its economic advantages.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention proposes to overcome the drawbacks of previous thermal energy distribution installations because the multifunctional device is adaptable to all existing networks, is versatile and has significant economic advantages both in terms of installation as well as operation and maintenance.

This object is achieved by the multifunctional connection device, as defined in the preamble and characterized in that it is composed: a non-reversible heat pump comprising at least one compressor and one expander, a connection block arranged to selectively connect, on the one hand, said heat pump to said anergy network and, on the other hand, said heat pump to said user, and a management block arranged to adapt said device according to a predetermined mode of heat exchange between the anergy network and said user, and in that said connection block comprises two four-way valves controlled by said management block and respectively mounted on the one hand between said anergy network and said heat pump and on the other hand between said user and said heat pump.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment, said four-way valves are sequentially opened.

Said heat pump preferably comprises a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger.

[0010] Said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger are advantageously coupled together via said compressor and said expander.

[0011] Said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger are plate exchangers, each comprising two internal circuits which are hydraulically independent of each other.

The connection device advantageously comprises several temperature sensors arranged to measure the temperatures of the heat transfer fluid and to communicate them to the management block, said management block being arranged to control said four-way valves to circulate said heat transfer fluid in adapting the mixtures of heat transfer fluid to different temperatures to maintain setpoint values in said anergy network and said user.

[0013] The management block is preferably arranged to control the compressor and the expander according to the opening of the channels of each of the four-way valves.

[0014] For certain modes of operation of the device, said heat transfer fluids can be replaced by refrigerant fluids in at least part of said urban heat exchange network.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention and its main advantages will appear better in the description of a preferred embodiment, with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a multifunctional connection device according to the invention, which allows the extraction of thermal energy from an anergy network with a view to distributing it in a user network, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the device of the invention, when it is used to extract heat energy cooling in an anergy circuit to supply active cooling energy to a user network, FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the device according to the invention when it is used to ensure moderate cooling of a user network, and FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the device of the invention used as a thermal power modulator.

Best way(s) to carry out the invention

Referring to Figure 1, the multifunctional connection device 10 is intended to ensure the connection of a thermal energy user 160 to an urban heat exchange network in order to ensure its thermal energy supply, with thermal energy transported by a low-temperature heat transfer fluid conveyed in said low-temperature urban network, called anergy network 110. For this purpose, the connection device 10 consists of three basic blocks, namely: a non-reversible heat pump 11 comprising a first plate heat exchanger 11A and a second plate heat exchanger 11B, these two heat exchangers being coupled together by a compressor 11C and an expander 11D; a connection block 12 arranged to selectively connect, on the one hand, said heat pump 11 to said anergy network 110 and, on the other hand, said heat pump 11 to said user 160; And a management block 13 arranged to adapt said multifunctional connection device 10 according to a preselected mode of heat exchange between the anergy network 110 and said user 160.

In order to facilitate the maintenance of the various components of the multifunctional connection device 10, the heat pump 11 is connected to the connection block 12 by means of four single-channel connection valves R1, R2, R3 and R4 which are respectively mounted on the ducts connected to an inlet 11A1 of the first heat exchanger 11A of the heat pump 11, to an outlet 11A2 of this first heat exchanger, to an outlet 11B1 of the second heat exchanger 11B of the heat pump and to an inlet 11B2 of this second heat exchanger. These are on/off valves that are individually either open or closed. When the connection device 10 is in operation, they are open. They are closed only when an intervention on the heat pump 11 and/or on the connection block 12 is necessary.

The connection block 12 essentially comprises two controlled valves, with sequential opening, which are four-way valves VA, VB, in order to be able to release the passages selectively between the conduits of the anergy network 110 and the user 160, by passing, in most cases, through the heat pump 11, and in order to be able to open these passages more or less to manage the temperatures in the said conduits, in particular at the user 160 and in the anergy network 110. The first valve at four-way valve VA has four mouths, respectively called VA1, VA2, VA3 and VA4 and the second four-way valve VB also has four mouths, called respectively VB1, VB2, VB3 and VB4. The aforementioned outlets can be connected two by two to selectively define the four ways of each of the two four-way valves VA and VB. The connection can be more or less open so that the passage of the channels can be partial or total, the opening being adjustable between 0 and 100%, for each of the channels.

The mode of operation illustrated in Figure 1 is the heating mode, that is to say the mode which allows a user 160 to draw heat energy from the anergy circuit 110. The contribution of the The calorific energy takes place via the output of the anergy network 110 which is connected to an input 110a in the connection device 10, via a stop valve S1 and a heat meter Ca. carried out with a conduit which brings heat transfer fluid to the mouth VB1 of the second four-way valve VB, said heat transfer fluid emerging from said second four-way valve VB through the mouth VB4, to be brought to the inlet 11A1 of the first plate heat exchanger circuit 11A of the heat pump 11. It is at low pressure and cold in this zone. A first heat energy exchange takes place inside the first plate heat exchanger 11A with the outgoing circuit of the first plate heat exchanger 11A, knowing that the incoming circuit and the outgoing circuit are hydraulically independent, because that they are separated by the internal plates of this heat exchanger 11A. The heat transfer fluid leaving the first plate heat exchanger 11A is compressed by the compressor 11C and, consequently, strongly heated. It is introduced into the incoming circuit of the second plate heat exchanger 11B of the heat pump 11 and is hot and at high pressure. Hot heat transfer fluid leaves the heat pump 11 and more particularly the second plate heat exchanger 11B, through the outlet 11B1, passes through the stop valve R3 then enters the first four-way valve VA through the mouth VA2 , emerges from the first four-way valve VA through the mouth VA3 and enters the user circuit 160 via a low-speed pump commonly called a circulator, designated by the reference Pa, and by a shut-off valve S2.

[0020] After having supplied the consumer 160, the corresponding heat transfer fluid passes through a stop valve S3 then a heat meter Cb, in order to allow the measurement of the effective consumption of the user, this consumption being proportional to the difference in the measurements at the inlet through the meter Ca and at the outlet through the meter Cb, and enters the second four-way valve VB through the mouth VB3. The coolant comes out of this valve through the mouth VB2, passes through the connection valve R4 and enters the second heat exchanger 11B through its inlet 11B2. As before, the heat exchange takes place by exchange between the two internal circuits of the second plate heat exchanger. The fluid is expanded in the expander 11D and yields thermal energy, so that it enters cold and at low pressure in the first plate heat exchanger 11A. The heat transfer fluid of the corresponding internal circuit of the first plate heat exchanger 11A comes out of this exchanger through the outlet 11A2, passes through the connection valve R1, this fluid being in fact the calorific fluid of the anergy network 110, enters the first valve at four-way VA through the mouth VA4, comes out of this valve through the mouth VA1 and leaves the connection device 10 through a second circulator Pb and a stop valve S4.

[0021] The management block 13 is designed to instantly regulate the collection of thermal energy from the anergy network so that the temperature of the heat transfer fluid rejected by the user is high enough to avoid freezing. In practice, he will ensure that the temperature of the heat transfer fluid, which is usually pure water not mixed with glycol, always remains at least above 2°C. A certain number of temperature sensors T1, T2, T3, T4, are connected at various points of the internal circuit and to the management block 13, to collect information from the sensors and manage the mode of operation of the connection device 10.

The device of the invention makes it possible to operate the anergy network in various ways, with the same assembly of components. In particular, FIG. 2 illustrates an operating mode of the connection device 10 in active cold mode, that is to say that the heat transfer fluid which has, in this case, the characteristics of a refrigerant fluid is initially actively cooled by the heat pump 11 before being sent to the user circuit 160.

In this case, the supply of heat energy is done as before by the output of the anergy network 110 which is connected to the input 110a in the connection device 10, via the valve of stop S1 and of the heat meter Ca. The connection is made with a conduit which brings the heat transfer fluid to the mouth VB1 of the second four-way valve VB, said heat transfer fluid emerging from said second four-way valve VB through the mouth VB2, to be brought through the connection valve R4 to the inlet 11B2 of the second plate heat exchanger 11B of the heat pump 11. This heat transfer fluid is at the temperature of the anergy network in this zone, either for example at 10°C in the liquid state. Compressor 11C is engaged and raises the temperature of the liquid. The compression-expansion cycle in the heat pump 11 cools the heat transfer liquid at the outlet 11A2 of the first heat exchanger 11A, this cooled liquid passing through the connection valve R1, then the first four-way valve VA entering through the mouth VA4 , leaving the first four-way valve VA through the mouth VA3 to cross the first circulator Pa and the stop valve S2 in order to enter the user circuit 160. The heat transfer fluid which has passed through the pressure reducer 11D and has cooled, carries cold temperatures to the user.

The return circuit passes from the user 160 through the shut-off valve S2, crosses the heat meter Cb, enters the second four-way valve VB through the mouth VB3 and exits from this second four-way valve via the mouth VB4, passes through the connection valve R2 and finally enters the first plate heat exchanger 11A via the inlet 11A1. The heat transfer fluid is compressed by the compressor 11C and heats up before entering the second plate heat exchanger 11B, in the form of hot gases at high pressure, passes through the connection valve R3, enters the first four-way valve VA by the mouth VA2 and comes out of this first four-way valve VA by the mouth VA1, through the second circulator Pb and the stop valve S4.

This arrangement makes it possible, in the absence of a reversible heat pump, to reverse the direction of the supply of heat energy, with respect to that of the mode of operation illustrated in FIG. 1, by supplying energy cold thermal energy to the user 160 and by sending hot thermal energy into the anergy network 110.

According to the mode of operation illustrated in Figure 3, the connection device 10 operates in passive cooling mode, which means that cold thermal energy is captured on the anergy network 110 in order to distribute it to a user. 160, without the heat pump 11 actively contributing to generating cold, so that the cooling is carried out almost without energy consumption, except that which is consumed by the circulators which circulate the heat transfer fluids in the anergy network and the user network. The heat transfer fluid inlet takes place through the shut-off valve S1 and the heat meter Ca, through the second four-way valve VB, between the mouth VB1 and the mouth VB2. From there, the cold cooling fluid sent through the connection valve R4 is brought to the inlet 11B2 of the second plate heat exchanger 11B, then the outlet 11B1 of this second heat exchanger 11B which transmits the corresponding heat transfer fluid directly to the expander 11D and to the first plate heat exchanger 11A. At the outlet of said first heat exchanger 11A, the return to the anergy network passes through the connection valve R1, the mouth VA4, then the mouth VA1 of the first four-way valve VA, to return through the second circulator Pb and the shut-off valve S4 in the anergy network 110.

The heat transfer fluid inlet from the user is connected to the heat pump directly without the latter being operational. This connection allows the user's heat transfer fluid temperature to be lowered somewhat, without running the compressor. The calories taken are found in the anergy network. This mode of operation may be advantageous in certain areas and during certain times of the year during the shoulder seasons, when the heat is not intense enough to warrant active air conditioning.

[0028] Figure 4 illustrates a mode of operation in regulating the temperatures of the anergy and domestic networks, each being maintained at its optimum temperature, in particular to avoid freezing in the anergy network 110 and to adjust the user's network 160 to the temperature requested by the consumer. For this purpose, the four-way valves VA and VB are designed to be sequentially controlled, each of which can be opened from 1 to 99%, for example. The VA and VB four-way valves can thus operate as mixing valves capable of mixing hot and cold water at will in all circumstances to prevent freezing in the anergy network. The incoming heat transfer fluid from the anergy network 110 enters the second four-way valve VB and is divided in a manner controlled by the management block 13 between the mouths VB2 and VB4 which are respectively sent to the second plate heat exchanger 11B and the first plate heat exchanger 11A. The fluid coming from the outlet 11B1 of the second plate heat exchanger 11B, as well as the fluid coming from the outlet 11A2 of the first plate heat exchanger 11A are mixed in the first four-way valve VA and the mixture is sent through the mouth VA4 to the input of the user circuit 160. The connection device 10 operates in power modulation.

[0029] Variants could be imagined by those skilled in the art, as regards the production and arrangement of the conduits which constitute the network, but they remain included in the characteristics defined by the claims. The system described is a priori used to distribute calories with a view to supplying hot thermal energy to consumers. However, by modifying the parameters, it would be possible to distribute negative calories and manage a refrigeration network.

Claims (6)

1. Multifunctional connection device (10) of a user (160) of thermal energy to an urban heat exchange network, called anergy network (110), in order to ensure the supply of thermal energy to said user ( 160), with thermal energy transported by a low-temperature heat transfer fluid conveyed in said anergy urban network (110), characterized in that this connection device is composed of: – a non-reversible heat pump (11) comprising at least one compressor (11C) and one expander (11D), – a connection block (12) arranged to selectively connect on the one hand, said heat pump (11) to said anergy network (110) and on the other hand, said heat pump (11) to said user (160) , – a management block (13) arranged to adapt said connection device (10) according to a predetermined mode of heat exchange between the anergy network (110) and said user (160); and in that said connection block (12) comprises two four-way valves (VA, VB) controlled by said management block (13) and respectively mounted on the one hand between said anergy network (110) and said heat pump (11) and on the other hand between said user (160) and said heat pump (11). 2. Multifunctional connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that said four-way valves (VA, VB) are sequentially opened. 3. Multifunctional connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat pump (11) comprises a first heat exchanger (11A) and a second heat exchanger (11B). 4. Multifunctional connection device according to claim 3, characterized in that said first heat exchanger (11A) and said second heat exchanger (11B) are plate exchangers, each comprising two internal circuits which are hydraulically independent of each other. compared to the other. 5. Multifunctional connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises several temperature sensors (T1, T2, T3, T4 arranged to measure the temperatures of the heat transfer fluid and to communicate them to the management unit (13), said management unit (13) being arranged to control said four-pronged valves (VA, VB) to circulate said heat transfer fluid by adapting the mixtures of heat transfer fluid at different temperatures to maintain setpoint values in said anergy network (110) and said user (160). 6. Multifunctional connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the management unit (13) is arranged to control the compressor (11C) and the regulator (11D) according to the opening of the flaps of each of the valves at four flights (VA, VB).