AN ADVANCED STAGING CONCEPT FOR HIGH COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE SOLID-VAPOR HEAT-ACTIVATED COMPLEX-COMPOUND HEATPUMPS

SORPTION-TYPE HEAT ACTIVATED HEAT PUMPS USING COMPLEX COMPOUNDS AS THE SORBENT MEDIA ARE A VERY PROMISING DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROJECT ADVANCES AN INNOVATIVE STAGING TECHNIQUE THAT GREATLY INCREASES THE COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE (COP) ACHIEVABLE WITH COMPLEX COMPOUND SORPTION CYCLES. THIS STAGING METHOD IS THE FIRST CONCEPT IN WHICH MORE THAN THREE EFFECTS ARE PRACTICAL. INCREASES IN HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ADDITION OF EACH STAGE ARE MINIMAL, AND THE NUMBER OF STAGES IS LIMITED PRIMARILY BY HIGH TEMPERATURE STABILITY OF MEDIA. ALL STAGING IS ACCOMPLISHED USING ONLY TWO PRESSURE LEVELS, AVOIDING EXTREMELY HIGH OR LOW PRESSURES. THE STAGING CONCEPT IS ATTRACTIVE USING EITHER WATER OR AMMONIA AS THE REFRIGERANT;IT IS EVEN MORE BENEFICIAL WITH WATER BECAUSE THE HIGH PHASE-CHANGE ENERGY RESULTS IN A FURTHER INCREASE IN THE COP. THIS RESEARCH WILL ANALYTICALLY DETERMINE PERFORMANCE OF THE CYCLE WITH AMMONIA AND WATER AS THE REFRIGERANT AND WILL INITIATE CHARACTERIZATION OF HYDRATED COMPLEX COMPOUNDS. CHARACTERIZATION OF SEVERAL AMMONIATED COMPLEX COMPOUNDS IS COMPLETE. HOWEVER, HYDRATED MEDIA ARE NEEDED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE CYCLE WITH WATER AS THE REFRIGERANT.