WO2012046243A1

WO2012046243A1 - Temperature control device using earth energy system

Info

Publication number: WO2012046243A1
Application number: PCT/IN2010/000670
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raj Vijay Rohlania; Raj Kumar Rohlania
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-10-08
Filing date: 2010-10-08
Publication date: 2012-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 2013-04-08

Abstract

Temperature control device and its process, as explained substantially in accompanying specifications, drawings and claims, uses renewable energy from Earth Energy System. The preferred device comprising of water inlet source, forced against gravity through preferred radiator housed in insulated duct with exhaust fan at other end, is useful in maintaining indoor air temperatures constantly equal to the water temperature obtained in aquifers. Since the water temperature of aquifers remains constant irrespective of daily, day and night or seasonal temperature variations, the device is useful in maintaining constant temperatures over a long period of time. On completing the circulation inside preferred heat radiator, used water can either be used for domestic, industrial or agricultural purposes or can be discharged back into aquifer through a rejection well. Such discharge of water shall allow re - circulation of water from aquifer to preferred heat radiator to rejection well and back to aquifer.

Description

Title of invention : TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE USING EARTH ENERGY SYSTEM

Technical Field

001 The present invention relates to designing a novel device and process of its usage, for harnessing renewable energy from earth energy systems (EES/ Geo Thermal Energy, as obtained in underground aquifers, so as to maintain constant temperatures of enclosed space, for example (but not limited to), that of green house, individual homes, factories, farm houses, buildings, offices, community halls etc equal to that of water drawn from such aquifers.

Background Art

002 Prior art to maintain temperature of above mentioned enclosed space uses one or the combination of methods / devices / technology or processes as described in succeeding paragraphs.

003 US department of Energy propagates closed loop systems (horizontal and vertical) and open vertical systems as energy efficient devices using renewable energy. These systems are based on availability of large tracts of land, burial of network of pipes laid underground/ over ground in water bodies, maintenance of such devices buried underground and elaborate ducting inside the enclosed space to maintain temperature of enclosed space.

004 United States Patent Number 4316450, dated 23 Feb 1982, describes the utilization of geo thermal energy to maintain temperature of enclosed space by constructing double outer wall and by circulating water drawn from aquifer through this hollow space. However, creation of such double wall structure shall entail additional costs on water proofing and shall increase overall weight of structure, as and when water is circulated. 00670

005. Prior art described in United States Patent No US 6293120 Bl, dated 25 Sep 2001, suggests boring of underground pipe upto required depth and then force circulating indoor air through these pipes. The air outlet so coming out is circulated inside the enclosed space. In the intervening circulation, the forced air looses / gains temperature to the degrees of its availability underground, thereby being maintained at constant temperature. Very high torque circulation fan would be required to accomplish the desired effect.

006 Another prior art as given in Patent No EP 1707912 Al, describes use of heat exchanger for maintaining air temperature of greenhouse. This describes use of heat exchanger fitted inside the greenhouse where the heat is transferred between circulating water drawn from aquifer in plural tubes and air passing over it. However, the description is specific to greenhouse only. This art further advocates efficacy of this heat exchanger in greenhouse with its air vents closed with no possible exchange of fresh air to maintain air circulation and humidity control.

007 Prior art, as given in NL-C-1012114, describes Sirocco type radial fan enveloped by strips or mats of fabric made out of copper wires as warp and copper capillaries as weft, wherein each wire is soldered to each capillary in the strip or mat. All capillaries are connected to a water inlet manifold and to a water outlet manifold, which both have a form of torodial tubes arranged around fan. Circulating water is drawn from aquifer. Such arrangement requires practically all capillaries to have foolproof joints to prevent water seepage.

008 For maintaining temperature in enclosed space, various types of air conditioners are already in use world over. However, they use refrigerants which degrade environment and are costly. Air conditioning devices being used are costly and require high end technology for manufacturing and maintenance, besides have very high operational cost. 009 Prior art also widely uses desert coolers in hot climatic conditions to cool air. Heaters of various kinds are also in vogue to heat air in cold climatic conditions.

010 Known prior art lays down the fact that temperature of water obtained in aquifer in a given area would be equal to mean of average annual minimum and maximum temperatures. Table 1 below, based on data available with Indian Meteorological Department, Government of India, from the period 1970 to 1980, lists out average minimum, average maximum, minimum temperature during coldest period and also the maximum temperature during the hottest month in the listed stations. Average mean of annual minimum and maximum temperature has been interpolated to indicate available temperature of aquifer in these weather monitoring stations.

Table 1- Source, Indian Meteorological Department, Government of India.

Oil This temperature of aquifer is, by and large constant, irrespective of seasonal / daily / day and night temperature variations.

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

012 Problems of known prior art of using EES (Geothermal Energy) for maintaining constant air temperatures of an indoor space are overcome by present invention. Known prior art on the subject are costly and require huge amount of land to condition indoor air space using earth energy systems. By and large, they used earth energy system indirectly for this stated purpose.

Solutions to problem

013 This invention uses temperature of aquifer directly without any loss of temperature of same from extraction water to finally condition indoor air space. This invention designs a heat radiator, describes a process to circulate the water drawn from aquifer through it, process to make the air pass over the designed radiator and process to reuse / discharge used water to be used again. The device so designed and accompanying processes to use it, makes it capable of being used to condition air for use in greenhouse, homes, buildings, offices, factories, halls or any other enclosed space where indoor air temperatures are required to be maintained equal to the water temperature obtained in aquifers.

Advantageous effects of invention

014 Since no artificial refrigerants or compressors have been used in preferred embodiment, the commercial savings accruing out of its use to condition air of an enclosed space are obvious. The innovation is simple to design and use. It is practically maintenance free. The innovation is environmentally safe. It does not affect water table or quality of aquifer. It is also not dependent on quality of water obtained in aquifers. The invention consumes only 25% of energy as compared to currently used air conditioners. The invention reduces green house gas effect to considerable levels.

Brief description of drawings

015 Figure 1, depicts various detached parts of preferred heat radiator of invention when looked from top.

016. Figure 2, depicts various detached parts of heat radiator of invention when looked from bottom.

017 Figure 3, shows front face of assembled preferred heat radiator is used to maintain temperature of an indoor space like homes, factories etc where air from inside the enclosed space is conditioned and same is circulated back into the enclosed space.

018 Figure 4, shows assembled preferred heat radiator when viewed from top. Joining of heat radiator and fan via an insulated duct is clearly discernable.

019 Figure 5, shows top view of assembled device where heat radiators are connected to fan via insulated duct. Such device has been invented for controlling air temperature of indoor space like greenhouse, where every cycle requires induction of fresh air for plants.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

020 Various parts of preferred embodiment used in invention along with process to use them are described as under :- 021 1 (Referred to in figures 1 to 5) indicates the used water out let of heat radiator. Used water can be later used for home / agricultural purposes. If there is no further usage of used water, the same can be flowed back to aquifer via a rejection bore well. Rejection well has to be at sufficient distance from output well so as to enable used water to regain temperature of aquifer before it is again pumped up for re - usage.

022 2 (Referred to in figures 1,2 and 3) indicates the upper tank of preferred embodiment on which used water outlet 1 is fitted.

023 3 (Referred to in figure 1 and 2) indicates ends of plurality of capillary tubes in which water drawn from EES (aquifer) is force circulated from bottom to top against the gravity.

024 4 (Referred to in figure 1) indicates metal plates at top and bottom of preferred embodiment on which plural capillaries 3 are fitted in vertical position. Upper tank 2 and lower tank 7 are further fitted onto these plates.

025 5 (Referred to in figure 1) are thin horizontal metallic fins running across heat radiator in horizontal position. These fins enhance the heat radiating capability of heat radiator. The fins are so placed that capillary tubes pass through each of fins.

026 6 (Referred to in figure 1 to 5) indicates ground water twin inlets for preferred embodiment of heat radiator. 6 is fixed to lower tank indicated as 7.

027 7 (Referred to in figure 1 and 2) points to the lower tank. Lower tank has two inlets (6) to take in water drawn from aquifer. Tank is further connected to plate as indicated by 4 to which plurality of capillaries are connected from bottom to top vertically. Water from aquifer is pumped up via insulated pipe into twin inlets 6 by a motor as in the case of conventional bore well. 028 As per prior art on bore wells, water from aquifer can be pumped into inlets of heat radiator (6) either by conventional water pump or by submersible pump or conventional mono block pump.

029 Twin Inlets (6) are connected to lower tank as explained above, which is further connected to plate 4 and since capillaries are connected to plate, inter alia, the preferred embodiment of heat radiator gets completed, in which water drawn from aquifer is circulated as follows :-

030 Water is pumped up, through insulated pipes from aquifer as per known prior art, the same is fed into preferred heat radiator through twin inlets, which in turn force the water through lower water tank into capillaries, water passes through capillaries against the gravity and gets collected in upper water tank before it is finally discharged through outlet.

031 On being discharged through outlet, the used water can either be used for internal usage like in homes or can be used for agricultural purposes like accumulation in water tanks for use in drip / sprinkler irrigation or if no other use of this used water is designed, the same can be discharged back into rejection well for recharging aquifer.

032 8 (Referred to in figure 3 and 5) indicates assembled preferred heat radiator, as shall be used in present invention, assembled out of separate parts, as indicated by parts referred to from serial 1 to 7 given above. The preferred heat radiator shall be used to have the water drawn from aquifer circulated from bottom tank to upper tank through plurality of tubes, which are in turn connected by metallic fins and having the required air, which is required to be conditioned, pass through it enabling air so circulated to gain / loose temperature and attain temperature equal to that of circulating water. 033 A suitable air filter, as is available as per known prior art, be placed ahead of preferred heat radiator (8) to filter raw air before it is conditioned by the preferred device.

034 9 (Referred to in figure 3 to 5) is a exhaust fan (radial or axial, as required for particular requirement, which is available through known prior art) which sucks in air passing over heat radiator and pushes the conditioned air inside desired enclosed space.

035 10 (Referred to in figure 3 to 5) placed inside block arrows indicate flow of intake air.

036 11 (Referred to in figure 3 to 5) placed inside block arrows indicate flow of output of conditioned air.

037 12 (Referred to in figure 3 to 5) denotes insulated housing for fan and preferred embodiment of heat radiator. Figure 4 contains "U" shape housing required for conditioning indoor air like in homes, halls etc.

038 For use where indoor space like in homes, halls etc is required to be conditioned, designed heat radiator and the exhaust fan, both are located inside the enclosed space while its housing is placed in such a manner that it does not occupy internal space (refer to figure 4) . For such places, it shall work as under :-

039 Water from aquifer is circulated inside the heat radiator as explained above.

040 Fan would suck the air from inside the housing thereby forcing the inside air to pass through radiator, thereby enabling it to gain or lose temperature > equal to that of circulating water as it passes over capillaries and fins. This conditioned air is then forced back into the enclosed space by the fan and the cycle keeps getting repeated. 041 If it is so required, a suitable air filter (as per any known desired prior art) can be placed in front of designed heat radiator

042 For use in green house, designed radiators can be placed inside housing marked 12 in series as given in figure 5. Such arrangement is required as plants would constantly require fresh air. This appliance shall work as under :-

043 External air is sucked through the radiator by fan at other end.

044 Air gets conditioned as it passes over capillaries in which water drawn from aquifer is circulating.

045 Finally, the conditioned air is forced inside the greenhouse.

046 Suitable grill (as shown in figure 3 and as per any of the known prior art) can be placed in front of exhaust fan so as to act as safety device and also to stagger the air blast from exhaust in such a manner that it does not harm plants.

047 13 (Referred to in figure 4) denotes required air vent, which is placed to allow fresh air inside in a controlled manner.

048 Unmarked multiple arrows (Refer to figure 3) denote flow of water from lower tank - through plurality of tubes - to upper tank and which is finally discharged through outlet marked 1.

049 The device and the process to constantly maintain air temperature of an enclosed space equal to that of temperature of water drawn from aquifer as is claimed in claims.

Best method to carrying out the invention

050 Preferred temperature control device is fed water from aquifer into its inlet tank. Since inlet tank is located at one end of preferred heat radiator and is connected to upper tank via series of parallel tubes, water would get circulated in all tubes. This circulating water would get accumulated in upper tank. From upper tank, used water is discharged through outlet. 051 Outlet is connected to rejection well, in which used water is discharged into aquifer, thereby making a complete circle of extraction of water from aquifer and discharging it back into aquifer.

052 Preferred heat radiator is placed in an insulated housing having an exhaust fan at other end to suck the air through such radiator. While such air is passing over fins and tubes, such circulating air attains temperature of circulating water inside plurality of capillaries.

053 This conditioned air is discharged into the enclosed space like greenhouse, homes, factories, halls, office space, shops, buildings etc thereby maintain indoor air temperature.

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Claims

055 It is claimed that

Claim 1 A temperature control device having water inlet source from aquifer, fed into the over ground heat radiator from twin inlets located at the bottom tank connected by plurality of capillary tubes interwoven by fins, to upper tank and used water discharged through outlet at upper tank, can maintain temperature of air of an indoor enclosed space constantly, when such heat radiator is placed in an insulated housing having an exhaust fan at other end to suck the air through such radiator, thereby allowing such circulating air to attain temperature of circulating water inside plurality of capillaries and discharging the so conditioned air into the enclosed space like greenhouse, homes, factories, halls, office space, shops, buildings etc.

Claim 2 The device and the process as claimed in claim 1 above, has water inlet source drawn from aquifer through insulated pipe.

Claim 3 Water so drawn from aquifer, as claimed in claim 2 above, is fed into twin inlets located at sides of bottom tank and force circulated against gravity.

Claim 4 Lower bottom tank having water inlets as claimed in. claim 3 above is joined to plurality of vertical capillaries tubes through medium of metallic plate.

Claim 5 The capillary tubes as claimed in claim 4 above are interwoven with metallic fins.

Claim 6 Capillary tubes as claimed in claim 5 above are further joined to upper tank through medium of metallic plate.

Claim 7 Upper tank as claimed in claim 6 above contains a water outlet for discharging used water. Claim 8 Discharged water as claimed in claim 7 above be used for domestic purpose or agricultural purposes or industrial purposes and if not required any more, is claimed to be discharged into separate rejection bore well for recharging aquifer.

Claim 9 Heat radiator as claimed in claims 1 to 7 above is further claimed to be housed at one end of an insulated housing.

Claim 10 The claimed housing containing heat radiator as claimed in claim 9 above has an exhaust fan at other end.

Claim 11 The temperature control device and its processes substantially claimed and described above and illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings.