HEAT PUMP APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR HEAT PUMP APPARATUS

• US 20130306301A1
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Tamaki, Shogo, Saito, Makoto, Baba, Masanobu, Oua, Ryo
• Granted Patent: US 9,377,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/287
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/001 with accumulation of heated water
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/02 using heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1054 the system uses a heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/12 Heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/24 Refrigeration
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/005 Outdoor unit expansion valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/009 indoor unit in circulation with outdoor unit in first operation mode, indoor unit in circulation with an other heat exchanger in second operation mode or outdoor unit in circulation with an other heat exchanger in third operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/021 Indoor unit or outdoor unit with auxiliary heat exchanger not forming part of the indoor or outdoor unit
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/0214 the auxiliary heat exchanger being used parallel to the indoor unit during heating operation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/02741 using one four-way valve
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/0292 related to reversing valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/0314 Temperature sensors near the indoor heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/0315 Temperature sensors near the outdoor heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2339/047 Water-cooled condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2515 Flow valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2519 On-off valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21161 of the fluid heated by the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21163 of the refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 30/00 Heat pumps F25B1/00-F25B25/00, F25B29/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/20 : Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves expansion valves F25B41/31
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/24 : Arrangement of shut-off valves for disconnecting a part of the refrigerant cycle, e.g. an outdoor part
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 : Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/18 : Domestic hot-water supply systems using recuperated or waste heat
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/52 : Heat recovery pumps, i.e. heat pump based systems or units able to transfer the thermal energy from one area of the premises or part of the facilities to a different one, improving the overall efficiency

Abstract

A heat pump apparatus includes a heat source unit that cools or heats a refrigerant, an indoor unit that performs a cooling operation, and a hot water supply unit that performs a hot water supply operation. When there is an operation request for one of the indoor unit and the hot water supply unit, even when there is no operation request for the other, the heat pump apparatus causes both the one and the other to operate if the other satisfies a certain condition so that the hot water supply unit performs a hot water supply operation by utilizing a refrigerant heated by performing a cooling operation in the indoor unit and the indoor unit performs a cooling operation by utilizing a refrigerant cooled by performing a hot water supply operation in the hot water supply unit.

Claims

1. A heat pump apparatus comprising:

a heat source device that cools or heats a refrigerant;

a first use device that cools a first fluid by utilizing the refrigerant cooled by the heat source device;

a second use device that heats a second fluid by utilizing the refrigerant heated by the heat source device; and

a controller that causes, when there is an operation request for one of the first use device and the second use device, even when there is no operation request for the other, both the one and the other to operate if the other satisfies a certain condition, and causes the first use device and the second use device to perform a waste heat recovery operation and in which the second use device heats the second fluid by utilizing a refrigerant heated by cooling the first fluid in the first use device, wherein

the controller

determines that there is an operation request for the second use device if a temperature of the second fluid is less than or equal to a first heating temperature set by a user, and

when there is the operation request for one of the first use device and the second use device, and both the one and the other are to operate, operates the second use device such that the temperature of the second fluid becomes a second heating temperature that is set higher than the first heating temperature by a certain degrees.

2. The heat pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the controller

determines that, when there is an operation request for the first use device, even when there is no operation request for the second use device, the second use device satisfies the certain condition if the temperature of the second fluid is less than or equal to the second heating temperature, and causes both the first use device and the second use device to operate so that the waste heat recovery operation is performed by the first use device and the second use device.

3. The heat pump apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device that receives an operation request for the first use device, wherein

the controller determines that, when there is an operation request for the second use device, even when there is no operation request for the first use device, the first use device satisfies the certain condition if a temperature of the first fluid is greater than or equal to a preset cooling temperature, and causes both the second use device and the first use device to operate to perform the waste heat recovery operation.

4. The heat pump apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the heat source device includes

a first heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outside air and heats the refrigerant, wherein

the controller further switches whether or not the waste heat recovery operation is to be performed in accordance with an outside air temperature which is a temperature of the outside air.

5. The heat pump apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the heat source device includes

a first heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outside air and heats the refrigerant, and

the controller further switches whether or not the waste heat recovery operation is to be performed in accordance with a relationship between an outside air temperature which is a temperature of the outside air and the temperature of the second fluid.

6. The heat pump apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the heat source device includes

a first heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outside air to heat the refrigerant, and

the controller further switches whether or not the waste heat recovery operation is to be performed in accordance with a relationship between an outside air temperature which is a temperature of the outside air and the temperature of the first fluid.

7. The heat pump apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the controller further switches whether or not the waste heat recovery operation is to be performed in accordance with time.

8. The heat pump apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the controller further switches whether or not the waste heat recovery operation is to be performed in accordance with an electricity rate for a unit amount of electric power.

9. The heat pump apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device that receives an input as to whether or not the waste heat recovery operation is to be performed, wherein

the controller causes the first use device and the second use device to perform the waste heat recovery operation only when the input device has received an input that indicates that the waste heat recovery operation is to be performed.

10. The heat pump apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display device that displays information indicating that the waste heat recovery operation is in progress when the first use device and the second use device are performing the waste heat recovery operation.

11. The heat pump apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third use device that heats a third fluid by utilizing the refrigerant heated by the heat source device, wherein

the controller

causes, when there is an operation request for the first use device and the third use device, a waste heat recovery operation to be performed in which the third use device heats the third fluid by utilizing a refrigerant heated by cooling the first fluid in the first use device, and

causes, even when there is no operation request for the second use device, the second use device to also operate if an amount of heat that is removable from the refrigerant by heating the third fluid in the third use device is less than or equal to a predetermined first amount of heat and if the second use device satisfies the certain condition, and causes a waste heat recovery operation to be performed in which the second use device and the third use device heat the second fluid and the third fluid by utilizing a refrigerant heated by cooling the first fluid in the first use device.

12. The heat pump apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth use device that cools a fourth fluid by utilizing the refrigerant cooled by the heat source device, wherein

the controller

causes, when there is an operation request for the second use device and the fourth use device, a waste heat recovery operation to be performed in which the second use device heats the second fluid by utilizing a refrigerant heated by cooling the fourth fluid in the fourth use device, and

causes, even when there is no operation request for the first use device, the first use device to also operate if an amount of heat to be applied to the refrigerant by cooling the fourth fluid in the fourth use device is less than or equal to a predetermined second amount of heat and if the first use device satisfies the certain condition, and causes a waste heat recovery operation to be performed in which the second use device heats the second fluid by utilizing a refrigerant heated by cooling the first fluid and the fourth fluid in the first use device and the fourth use device.

13. The heat pump apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an annular first refrigerant passage in which a compressor, a first opening and closing mechanism, a first heat exchanger, a first pressure reducing mechanism, a second pressure reducing mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are sequentially connected with pipes,

a second refrigerant passage that connects a node between the first pressure reducing mechanism and the second pressure reducing mechanism in the first refrigerant passage to a node between the compressor and the first opening and closing mechanism, wherein a third pressure reducing mechanism, a third heat exchanger, and a second opening and closing mechanism are sequentially connected, and

a bypass passage that connects a node between the second heat exchanger and the compressor in the first refrigerant passage to a node between the first opening and closing mechanism and the first heat exchanger in the first refrigerant passage with a pipe, wherein a third opening and closing mechanism is provided in the middle of the pipe, wherein

the heat source device includes at least the compressor and the first heat exchanger,

the first use device includes at least the second heat exchanger,

the second use device includes at least the third heat exchanger, and

when the waste heat recovery operation is to be performed, the controller closes the first pressure reducing mechanism and the first opening and closing mechanism, and opens the second opening and closing mechanism, the third opening and closing mechanism, the second pressure reducing mechanism, and the third pressure reducing mechanism.

14. A control method for a heat pump apparatus, the heat pump apparatus including,

a heat source device that cools or heats a refrigerant,

a first use device that cools a first fluid by utilizing the refrigerant heated by the heat source device, and

a second use device that heats a second fluid by utilizing the refrigerant cooled by the heat source device,

the control method comprising the steps of:

causing, when there is an operation request for one of the first use device and the second use device, even when there is no operation request for the other, both the one and the other to operate if the other satisfies a certain condition; and

causing a waste heat recovery operation to be performed in which the second use device heats the second fluid by utilizing a refrigerant heated by cooling the first fluid in the first use device and in which the first use device cools the first fluid by utilizing a refrigerant cooled by heating the second fluid in the second use device.

15. A heat pump apparatus comprising:

an annular first refrigerant passage in which a compressor, a first opening and closing mechanism, a first heat exchanger, a first pressure reducing mechanism, a second pressure reducing mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are sequentially connected with pipes;

a second refrigerant passage that connects a node between the first pressure reducing mechanism and the second pressure reducing mechanism in the first refrigerant passage to a node between the compressor and the first opening and closing mechanism, wherein a third pressure reducing mechanism, a third heat exchanger, and a second opening and closing mechanism are sequentially connected; and

a bypass passage that connects a node between the second heat exchanger and the compressor in the first refrigerant passage to a node between the first opening and closing mechanism and the first heat exchanger in the first refrigerant passage with a pipe, wherein a third opening and closing mechanism is provided in the middle of the pipe.