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  Heat conveyance systemHeat conveyance system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070246555, Heat conveyance system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a heat conveyance system including a heating medium circuit through which a heating medium flows and configured to convey heat to an appliance on the utilization side from a device on the heat source side by the heating medium flowing through the heating medium circuit. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Various types of heat conveyance systems, such as refrigeration apparatuses and air conditioning apparatuses, are known in the conventional technology. There is a so-called "pair unit type" heat conveyance system having, as a pair unit, a heat source side appliance and a utilization side appliance. In addition, there is a so-called "multi unit type" heat conveyance system having a plurality of utilization side appliances for a single heat source side appliance. Such heat conveyance systems employ, for example, a refrigerant circuit configured to perform a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. [0003] The pair unit type is generally installed in the home or in small stores. In the pair unit type, a single utilization side appliance effects heating and cooling by a single heat source side appliance. On the other hand, the multi unit type includes a plurality of utilization side appliances sharing a single heat source side appliance, and these utilization side appliances are installed in different locations in the building (see, for example, the following patent documents I and II). In the multi unit type, the single heat source side appliance enables the plural utilization side appliances to effect heating and cooling. [0004] Patent Document I: JP H8-121902A [0005] Patent Document II: JP H7-217933A DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems that the Invention Intends to Solve [0006] However, a conventional heat conveyance system of the pair unit type is, even when there is another heat conveyance system in the vicinity, operated independently of the neighbor heat conveyance system. In other words, the problem with the pair unit type heat conveyance system is that it is impossible to unify different heat conveyance systems even when a plurality of consumers exist adjacently to each other, and the total operating efficient cannot be improved. [0007] In addition, for the case of the conventional multi unit type heat conveyance system, it is necessary to install a heat source side appliance having a large capacity corresponding to the total output of all utilization side appliances connected to the heat source unit. Furthermore, thermal energy is distributed from the single heat source side appliance to the plural utilization side appliances, which means that in the event of the failure of the heat source side appliance this produces the problem that all the utilization side appliances become unable to use heat. [0008] With the above in mind, the present invention was made. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved heat conveyance system having a plurality of heat source side appliances with a view to utilizing the ability of each of the heat source side appliances to the maximum extent possible. Means for Solving the Problems [0009] In order to achieve the above object, pipelines (40, 49) capable of operation to cause a heating medium to circulate between a heat source side appliance (11) and a utilization side unit (13, 45) are arranged in parallel in the present invention. [0010] More specifically, the present invention provides, as a first aspect, a heat conveyance system comprising a heating medium circuit (90) through which a heating medium flows and configured to convey heat to a utilization side appliance (13, 45) from a heat source side appliance (11) by the heating medium in the heating medium circuit (90). [0011] The heating medium circuit (90) comprises: (a) a plurality of circulation pipelines (40, 49) along each of which a heat source side appliance (11), a utilization side appliance (13, 45), and a pump (41, 42) are provided and each capable of operation to cause the heating medium to circulate between the heat source side appliance (11) and the utilization side appliance (13, 45); (b) a high temperature side communication pipe (91) for establishing fluid communication between parts between the outflow sides of the heat source side appliances (11) and the inflow sides of the utilization side appliances (13, 45) in the plurality of circulation pipelines (40, 49); and (c) a low temperature side communication pipe (92) for establishing fluid communication between parts between the outflow sides of the utilization side appliances (13, 45) and the inflow sides of the heat source side appliances (11) in the plurality of circulation pipelines (40, 49). [0012] According to the above configuration, when the utilization side appliance (13, 45) of any one of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) is placed in operation, the heating medium circulates only through the one of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) under normal conditions. In other words, the pump (41, 42) of the one of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) is activated, whereby the heating medium heated up to high temperature by the heat source side appliance (11) is supplied to the utilization side appliance (13, 45). After its thermal energy is consumed in the utilization side appliance (13, 45), the heating medium, which is now at low temperature, again flows into the inflow side of the heat source side appliance (11). [0013] If only the operation of the heat source side appliance (11) in the one of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) results in a deficiency in thermal energy, the heat source side appliance (11) of the other of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) provides a supply of thermal energy. That is to say, when the pump (41, 42) is activated in the one of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) that includes the utilization side appliance (13, 45) in operation, the heat source side appliance (11) of the other of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) is also activated, whereby the heating medium flows into the inflow side of that heat source side appliance (11) from the low temperature side communication pipe (92) and the heating medium heated is supplied to the high temperature side communication pipe (91). In the one of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) whose utilization side appliance (13, 45) is being in operation, the heating medium in the high temperature side communication pipe (91) flows into the inflow side of the utilization side appliance (13, 45) in addition to the heating medium heated up to high temperature by the heat source side appliance (11) of the one of the circulation pipelines (40, 49). Then, after the thermal energy of the heating medium is consumed in the utilization side appliance (13, 45), part of the heating medium, which is now at low temperature, is discharged to the low temperature side communication pipe (92). [0014] In the way as described above, the heat source side appliance (11) of the other of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) that provides a supply of thermal energy is constantly able to heat the heating medium at low temperature from the low temperature side communication pipe (92) and then convey it to the high temperature side communication pipe (91), whereby the difference in temperature between the heating medium before heating and the heating medium after heating is secured. [0015] The present invention provides, as a second aspect, a heat conveyance system which is configured such that (i) the pump (41, 42) of the circulation pipeline (40, 49) is disposed between the junction of the circulation pipeline (40, 49) with the high temperature side communication pipe (91) and the inflow side of the utilization side appliance (13, 45); and (ii) a valve (43) is disposed between the junction of the circulation pipeline (40, 49) with the high temperature side communication pipe (91) and the outflow side of the heat source side appliance (11). [0016] According to the above configuration, when the pump (41, 42) of the circulation pipeline (40, 49) is activated, the heating medium in the high temperature side communication pipe (91) is, together with the heating medium heated in the heat source side appliance (11) of the circulation pipeline (40, 49), drawn into the pump (41, 42) and then discharged to the inflow side of the utilization side appliance (13, 45) where their thermal energy is consumed. On the other hand, when the pump (41, 42) is stopped in one of the circulation pipelines (40, 49), the valve (43) is closed so that the heating medium will not flow back towards the high temperature side communication pipe (91) from the low temperature side communication pipe (92) via the heat source side appliance (11) brought to a stop, even when the pump (41, 42) of the other of the circulation pipelines (40, 49) is activated. [0017] The present invention provides, as a third aspect, a heat conveyance system which is configured such that the high temperature side communication pipe (91) and the low temperature side communication pipe (92) are provided with a tank (97) and a tank (98), respectively. [0018] According to the above configuration, the heating medium heated in the heat source side appliance (11) of each circulation pipeline (40, 49) is stored in the tank (97) of the high temperature side communication pipe (91) while on the other hand the heating medium whose thermal energy has been consumed in the utilization side appliance (13, 45) of each circulation pipeline (40, 49) is stored in the tank (98) of the low temperature side communication pipe (92). When the utilization side appliance (13, 45) is operated therefore resulting in a deficiency in thermal energy, the high temperature heating medium stored in the tank (97) of the high temperature side communication pipe (91) flows into the inflow side of the utilization side appliance (13, 45) thereof while simultaneously the low temperature heating medium stored in the tank (98) of the low temperature side communication pipe (92) flows into the inflow side of the heat source side appliance (11). [0019] The present invention provides, as a fourth aspect, a heat conveyance system which is configured such that at least either the high temperature side communication pipe (91) or the low temperature side communication pipe (92) is formed in a loop shape and includes a circulation pump (93, 94) for circulating the heating medium. [0020] According to the above configuration, the heating medium in the high temperature side communication pipe (91) is circulated by the circulation pump (93), whereby the temperature thereof is maintained uniformly throughout the high temperature side communication pipe (91). And, when the utilization side appliance (13, 45) of each circulation pipeline (40, 49) is placed in operation, the high temperature heating medium accumulated in the high temperature side communication pipe (91) is supplied to the inflow side of the utilization side appliance (13, 45). [0021] Likewise, in the case where the low temperature side communication pipe (92) is also formed in a loop shape, the heating medium in the low temperature side communication pipe (92) is circulated by the circulation pump (94), whereby the temperature thereof is maintained uniformly throughout the low temperature side communication pipe (92). When the utilization side appliance (13, 45) of each circulation pipeline (40, 49) is placed in operation, the low temperature heating medium accumulated in the low temperature side communication pipe (92) flows into the inflow side of the heat source side appliance (11). Continue reading about Heat conveyance system... Full patent description for Heat conveyance system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Heat conveyance system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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