Adsorption heat pump

Claim 1

A method for transferring heat from a low temperature reservoir to a high temperature reservoir which comprises the steps of: (a) bringing an outside low temperature reservoir and an outside high temperature reservoir into heat-exchange-relationship with an adsorption/desorption system comprising a fluid containing an adsorbable component, a first bed of a reversible adsorbent for the adsorbable component, and a second bed of a reversible adsorbent for the adsorbable component connected to each other by means for passing the fluid within the system from the first bed to the second bed, in such a manner that the low temperature reservoir is in heat-exchange-relationship with said first bed and the high temperature reservoir is in heat-exchange relationship with said second bed; (b) passing said fluid having a reduced content of the adsorbable component through the first bed and desorbing the adsorbable component from the first bed which first bed has previously adsorbed the adsorbable component from said fluid, thereby increasing the content of the adsorbable component in the fluid and causing an amount of heat equal to the consumed heat of desorption of the adsorbable component to be adsorbed by the said first bed, the heat adsorbed being transferred to the said first bed from the outside low temperature reservoir, in heat-exchange-relationship with the said first bed; (c) passing the fluid having an increased content of the adsorbable component through the second bed and adsorbing the adsorbable component on the second bed thereby reducing the content of adsorbable component in the fluid and liberating an amount of heat equal to the heat of adsorption of the adsorbable component, the liberated heat being transferred to the outside high temperature reservoir in heat-exchange-relationship with said second bed; and (d) operating steps (b) and (c) in a cyclical manner by reversing the mode of operation of the said first and said second bed and bringing the first bed in heat-exchange-relationship with an outside high temperature reservoir and the second bed in heat-exchange-relationship with an outside low temperature reservoir when or before the adsorbing bed becomes saturated with the adsorbable component and before the desorbing bed becomes denuded of the adsorbable component, whereby all of the adsorbable component is transferred from bed to bed in a closed loop.

Claim 2

A method for transferring heat from a low temperature reservoir to a high temperature reservoir which comprises the steps of: (a) bringing an outside low temperature reservoir and an outside high temperature reservoir into heat-exchange-relationship with an adsorption/desorption system comprising a fluid containing an adsorbable component, a first bed of a reversible adsorbent for the adsorbable component, and a second bed of a reversible adsorbent for the adsorbable component connected to each other by means for passing the fluid within the system from the first bed to the second bed, in such a manner that the low temperature reservoir is in heat-exchange-relationship with said first bed and the high temperature reservoir is in heat-exchange relationship with said second bed; (b) passing said fluid having a reduced content of the adsorbable component through the first bed and desorbing the adsorbable component from the first bed which first bed has previously adsorbed the adsorbable component from said fluid, thereby increasing the content of the adsorbable component in the fluid and causing an amount of heat equal to the consumed heat of desorption of the adsorbable component to be adsorbed by the said first bed, the heat adsorbed being transferred to the said first bed from the outside low temperature reservoir, in heat-exchange-relationship with the said first bed; (c) passing the fluid having an increased content of the adsorbable component through the second bed and adsorbing the adsorbable component on the second bed thereby reducing the content of adsorbable component in the fluid and liberating an amount of heat equal to the heat of adsorption of the adsorbable component, the liberated heat being transferred to the outside high temperature reservoir in heat-exchange-relationship with said second bed; and (d) operating steps (b) and (c) in a cyclical manner by reversing the mode of operation of the said first and said second bed and bringing the first bed in heat-exchange-relationship with an outside high temperature reservoir and the second bed in heat-exchange-relationship with an outside low temperature reservoir when or before the adsorbing bed becomes saturated with the adsorbable component and before the desorbing bed becomes denuded of the adsorbable component, whereby all of the adsorbable component is transferred from bed to bed in a closed loop.