HEAT PUMP
First Claim
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1. A heat pump system, comprising:
- a first refrigeration circuit having a first refrigerant, the first refrigeration circuit including a compressor, a flow reversing device in fluid communication with the compressor, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the flow reversing device in a heating operation mode, an expansion device in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger in the heating operation mode, a second heat exchanger in communication with the expansion device in the heating operation mode, the second heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the flow reversing device in the heating operation mode to return the first refrigerant to the compressor,the second heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the flow reversing device in an operation mode different from the heating operation mode, the expansion device is in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger in the operation mode, the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the expansion device in the operation mode, the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the flow reversing device to return the first refrigerant to the compressor;
a second refrigeration circuit having a second refrigerant, the second refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, an expansion device in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the expansion device and in fluid communication with the compressor to return the second refrigerant to the compressor; and
a capacity boost circuit that forms a heat exchange relationship between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant, the capacity boost circuit is formed by a first flow regulating device in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger of the first refrigeration circuit, and which is in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger of the second refrigeration circuit, and a second flow regulating device in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger of the second refrigeration circuit, wherein, in the capacity boost circuit, the first refrigerant forms a heat exchange relationship with the second refrigerant through the first heat exchanger of the second refrigeration circuit to provide a capacity boost to the first refrigeration circuit through the heat exchange relationship of the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant.
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Abstract
Embodiments as disclosed herein are directed to a heat pump that employs at least two different refrigerants, each of which is optimized for either a cooling operation mode or a heating operation mode. The embodiments as disclosed herein can help increase the capacity and/or efficiency of a heat pump in both the cooling operation mode and the heating operation mode. In addition, the embodiments as disclosed herein may also eliminate the need for a ground source in a relatively low ambient temperature environment.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A heat pump system, comprising:
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a first refrigeration circuit having a first refrigerant, the first refrigeration circuit including a compressor, a flow reversing device in fluid communication with the compressor, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the flow reversing device in a heating operation mode, an expansion device in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger in the heating operation mode, a second heat exchanger in communication with the expansion device in the heating operation mode, the second heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the flow reversing device in the heating operation mode to return the first refrigerant to the compressor, the second heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the flow reversing device in an operation mode different from the heating operation mode, the expansion device is in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger in the operation mode, the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the expansion device in the operation mode, the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the flow reversing device to return the first refrigerant to the compressor; a second refrigeration circuit having a second refrigerant, the second refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, an expansion device in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the expansion device and in fluid communication with the compressor to return the second refrigerant to the compressor; and a capacity boost circuit that forms a heat exchange relationship between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant, the capacity boost circuit is formed by a first flow regulating device in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger of the first refrigeration circuit, and which is in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger of the second refrigeration circuit, and a second flow regulating device in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger of the second refrigeration circuit, wherein, in the capacity boost circuit, the first refrigerant forms a heat exchange relationship with the second refrigerant through the first heat exchanger of the second refrigeration circuit to provide a capacity boost to the first refrigeration circuit through the heat exchange relationship of the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. (canceled)
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13. (canceled)
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14. A method of boosting capacity of a main refrigeration circuit, comprising:
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replacing a refrigerant in a first refrigeration circuit with a first refrigerant; and coupling the first refrigeration circuit to a second refrigeration circuit, the second refrigeration circuit has a second refrigerant different from the first refrigerant; the coupling includes fluidly communicating the first refrigeration circuit with a capacity boost circuit having a heat exchanger, and fluidly communicating the second refrigeration circuit with the capacity boost circuit, forming a heat exchange relationship between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant through the heat exchanger of the capacity boost circuit, wherein the second refrigerant is to boost the capacity of the first refrigerant during operation of the first refrigeration circuit.
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Specification