Combined-cycle heat pump analysis program

A tool for comparatively assessing combined cycle heat pump concepts was developed. It is a computer program which, in its basic form considers the effect of dead volumes, finite heat capacity regenerators, and finite levels of heat transfer. It is expandable by the user to consider additional factors that would be desired. In addition, a technique for describing combined cycle heat pumps was developed so that the program may assess such concepts equally. A major feature of the program and technique is that neither use assumptions or constraints of physical layout as do previously developed analysis methods. Because of this, multi-cycle concepts may be described in building block fashion and analyzed without writing complete, design-specific programs.