Experimental Installation at the Water-Ice Phase Transition

Abstract

The article reviewes the specifics of electricity production in Russia. One of the most effective energy saving methods is the use of heat pump installations. Its main property is the ability to extract heat from the environment: soil, water, reservoirs, the surrounding air, and the sun. Existing heat pumps with a water-ice phase transition are not efficient enough and have a high installation cost due to its complexity. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in determining the parameters and operating modes of the experimental installation at the water-ice phase transition. (Materials and methods) The article presents analogs and a prototype of an experimental installation at the water-ice phase transition. (Results and discussion) The article presents a scheme and an experimental installation for generating energy for the water-ice phase transition, consisting of a tank, pump, refrigerant, evaporator, compressor, condenser, throttle valve, and solar collector. The heat exchanger was manufactured as a flexible corrugated silicone tube with a metal insert, in which antifreeze circulates and ice forms on the surface. It was found that the received energy accumulates inside the silicone tube and is sent to the consumer’s heat exchanger in the form of hot liquid antifreeze. A heater connected to a solar collector was used as a heat source for melting ice. (Conclusions) It has been revealed that the designed installation scheme is made to design heat pumps that consume energy from the water-ice phase transition for heating agricultural, industrial, and infrastructure facilities; at the enterprises of the agro-industrial complex, in systems of thermal accumulators, as well as for obtaining a water-ice mixture for cooling products in agricultural production (milk, for example).