CPC F25B 9/008 (2013.01) [F25B 9/006 (2013.01); F25B 29/003 (2013.01); F25B 2309/06 (2013.01)] | 2 Claims |
1. A method for distributing energy from an energy production facility to a site of a customer in need of heating and cooling, comprising:
(a) providing, at the site, carbon dioxide in liquid form, at a temperature between about 4° C. and about 15° C., under a pressure sufficient to maintain the carbon dioxide in a liquid state at that temperature;
(b) providing, at the site, hot water at a temperature of at least 30° C., the hot water being produced at the energy production facility;
(c) evaporating the liquid carbon dioxide to carbon dioxide gas to provide cooling at the site;
(d) allowing the evaporated carbon dioxide to expand;
(e) warming the expanded carbon dioxide by contacting it with the hot water, wherein the expanded carbon dioxide is warmed by injecting it into the hot water; and
(f) compressing, condensing and cooling at least a portion of the vaporized carbon dioxide to the conditions recited in step (a), and using the rejected heat to provide heating at the site;
(g) injecting the hot water into a water-filled loop, in which the water is being circulated around the loop;
wherein the water within the loop
(i) is warmed by the injected hot water;
(ii) passes through a first portion of a ground source heat pump (GSHP) system, the first portion being configured and operated so as to cool the water to a temperature between 4° C. and 15° C.;
(iii) is contacted with and cooled by the expanded carbon dioxide gas at step (e);
(iv) is separated from undissolved carbon dioxide gas;
(v) is partially discharged from the loop, at a rate equal to the rate of injection of the hot water;
(vi) passes through a second portion of the ground source heat pump (GSHP) system, the second portion being configured and operated so as to warm the water to between 4° C. and 15° C.; and
(vii) is returned to step (i).
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