DEVELOPMENT OF A NON-AZEOTROPIC HEAT PUMP FOR CREW HYGIENE WATER HEATING

THE PROPOSED CONCEPT PRESENTED HERE IS A HEAT PUMP SYSTEM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE HOT WATER FOR CREW HYGIENE ABOARD THE NASA SPACE STATION. BECAUSE THERMAL MANAGEMENT AND POWER AND WATER CONSERVATION ARE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES, THE PROPOSED SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING A CONTROLLED AMOUNT OF HOT WATER THAT IS HEATED PRIMARILY FROM WASTE HEAT SOURCES, UTILIZING A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF POWER. THE PRIMARY FEATURE OFTHE HEAT PUMP SYSTEM IS THE USE OF A NON-AZEOTROPIC REFRIGERANT MIXTURE. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE POWER CONSUMPTION OF SUCH A HEAT PUMP IS 47 PERCENT LESS THAN A COMPARABLY SIZED UNIT EMPLOYING A SINGLE COMPONENT REFRIGERANT. THE PROPOSED HEAT PUMP WILL ALSO FURTHER REDUCE POWER CONSUMPTION AND WATER USE THROUGH THE USE OF: INSTANTANEOUS WATER HEATING PREPROGRAMMING OF HEAT PUMP OPERATION FOR DESIRED WATER TEMPERATURE AND FLOW HEAT PUMP CAPACITY MODULATION BY COMPRESSOR SPEED CONTROL.