Resource-saving thermodynamic cycles in liquid hydrocarbon fuel storage technology

Resource-saving thermodynamic cycles for material and energy flows in the technology of storing liquid hydrocarbon fuel in tanks using a vapor compression heat pump are proposed, which reduce the loss of fuel resulting from evaporation. The heat pump is equipped with a two-section evaporator, the working and reserve sections of which alternately operate in condensation and regeneration modes, respectively. Vapors of hydrocarbon fuel from the tank are discharged to the evaporator section operating in condensation mode. The water contained in the fuel vapor condenses on the heat ex-change surface in the form of an ice crust, and the condensed fuel separated from the water is discharged into an interme-diate tank and returned to the storage tank. The condensation heat of the refrigerant in the condenser is used to heat the intermediate coolant, which is sent to defrost the section of the evaporator operating in the regeneration mode. After this section, the spent intermediate coolant is returned to the condenser in the closed thermodynamic cycle mode. The water formed during defrosting is sent to the biological treatment stage. Thus, real conditions are created for increasing the ener-gy efficiency and environmental safety of the technology for storing liquid hydrocarbon fuel in tanks with maximum con-densation of the vapors resulting from evaporation.