An energy storing absorption heat pump process

Abstract

A novel process, named the super solution field absorption process, for storing and pumping heat is described. This makes use of a solid-salt-saturated-solution transformation through the absorption of a suitable fluid. Six working pairs are considered and are analysed using their enthalpy-concentration diagrams. Although their heat pumping COPs are slightly lower than those of the corresponding conventional systems making use of an (unsaturated) solution 1-solution 2 transformation (through fluid absorption), their storage densities are high enough to be compared to those of the systems using solid 1-solid 2 transformation (through fluid absorption). The operation parameters of the pairs considered suggest that four of them can pump heat from natural thermal sources of a cold climate for space heating, although all six can be regenerated by means of solar collectors.