Method and apparatus for operating cyclic process-based systems

1. A method for operating cyclic-process-based systems having a hot-side reservoir ( 1 , 11 , 21 ) and a cold-side reservoir ( 2 , 12 , 22 ) for a fluid ( 3 ) and at least one heat exchanger unit ( 4 ) with a mechanocaloric material, the cyclic-process-based system being a heat pump having at least two heat exchanger units ( 14 . 1 , 14 . 2 ), including the at least one heat exchanger unit, the heat exchanger units having the mechanocaloric material, the method comprising: arranging the mechanocaloric material of the heat exchanger unit ( 4 ) to be operatively connected to the fluid ( 3 ) in a gas-tight fluid circuit, such that a heat transfer takes place between mechanocaloric material and fluid ( 3 ), transferring heat between mechanocaloric material and the fluid ( 3 ) substantially by latent heat transfer via evaporation heat and condensation heat of the fluid ( 3 ), and alternately opening and closing a hot-side valve ( 7 , 17 ) and a cold-side valve ( 8 , 18 ) with respect to one another.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: generating a change in shape of the mechanocaloric material by a mechanical stress in the mechanocaloric material, and generating a change in temperature of the mechanocaloric material by at least one of a tensile or compressive loading of the mechanocaloric material.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger units having the mechanocaloric material, and using potential energy contained in a compression of the mechanocaloric material of a first one of the heat exchanger units ( 14 . 1 ) from elastic deformation of the mechanocaloric material for compression of the mechanocaloric material of a second one of the heat exchanger units ( 14 . 2 ).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the alternately opening and closing the hot-side valve ( 7 , 17 ) and the cold-side valve ( 8 , 18 ) with respect to one another is carried out with an alternation frequency higher than 10 Hz.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one of forming the mechanocaloric material as a porous material, with a honeycomb structure, as a pin structure or as a spring, with a structuring or a coating.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising providing a fluid circuit for the fluid ( 8 ), including a fluid return line ( 6 , 16 ), and the fluid circuit includes the hot-side reservoir ( 1 , 11 , 21 ), the cold-side reservoir ( 2 , 12 , 22 ), the hot-side valve ( 7 , 17 ), the cold-side valve ( 8 , 18 ), the mechanocaloric material, and the fluid return line ( 6 , 16 ) and is a pressure-tight system, and configuring the pressure-tight system such that the heat transfer from the fluid ( 8 ) to the mechanocaloric material takes place by latent heat.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising removing substantially all foreign gases other than the fluid ( 3 ) from the pressure-tight system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the hot-side valve ( 7 , 17 ) is arranged in the fluid circuit between the hot-side reservoir ( 1 , 11 , 21 ) and the mechanocaloric material, and the method further comprising heating of the mechanocaloric material causing the hot-side valve ( 7 , 17 ) to be opened, and the cold-side valve ( 8 , 18 ) is arranged in the fluid circuit between the cold-side reservoir ( 2 , 12 , 22 ) and the mechanocaloric material, and the method further comprising cooling of the mechanocaloric material causing causes the cold-side valve ( 8 , 18 ) to be opened.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising arranging the cold-side reservoir ( 2 , 12 , 22 ), the hot-side reservoir ( 1 , 11 , 21 ), and the mechanocaloric material in a closed-off volume ( 29 ) in which heat transport takes place by convection of the fluid ( 3 ) that is evaporated, and return transport of the fluid ( 3 ) that is evaporated takes place.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing the closed-off volume ( 29 ) with at least one of a fluid-phobic coating or structuring in a region of the hot-side reservoir ( 2 ) or at least one of a fluid-philic coating or structuring in a region of the cold-side reservoir ( 2 ), or both.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing the closed-off volume ( 29 ) with at least one of a hydrophilic coating or structuring in a region of the hot-side reservoir ( 2 ) or at least one of a hydrophobic coating or structuring in a region of the cold-side reservoir ( 2 ), or both.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing the closed-off volume ( 29 ) with at least one of an oleophilic coating or structuring in a region of the hot-side reservoir ( 2 ) or at least one of an oleophobic coating or structuring in a region of the cold-side reservoir ( 2 ), or both.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a heat pump and a piston system ( 5 , 15 , 19 ) as the mechanical stress generator that generates a mechanical stress ( 5 , 15 , 19 ) for at least one of tensile or compressive loading.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a heat engine having the at least two heat exchanger units ( 14 . 1 , 14 . 2 ) with the mechanocaloric material.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a heat engine having the at least two heat exchanger units ( 14 . 1 , 14 . 2 ) with the mechanocaloric material.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alternately opening and closing of the hot-side valve ( 7 , 17 ) and the cold-side valve ( 8 , 18 ) with respect to one another is with an alternation frequency of between 0.1 Hz and 10 kHz.