Heat pump
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A heat pump operable to heat and to cool, comprising:
- a refrigerant compressor;
and indoor heat exchanger;
an outdoor heat exchanger having a plurality of refrigerant flow circuits covering the major extent of the air flow surface of the exchanger, and separate refrigerant flow circuit means covering the remaining extent of the airflow surface of the exchanger;
reversing valve means for changing the refrigerant flow from one direction in which said outdoor exchanger acts as a condenser to the direction in which said outdoor exchanger acts as an evaporator;
refrigerant expansion means and check valve means for said outdoor heat exchanger;
means connecting said outdoor heat exchanger, expansion means and check valve means in an arrangement in which with said flow in said one direction, said flow passes first through said plurality of circuits and then said separate circuit means in series flow, and with said flow in said direction, said flow passes only through said plurality of circuits and is prevented from flowing through and out of said separate circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A heat pump is provided with an outdoor heat exchanger 30 having a main section 30a and a subcooling section 30b, with a circuiting arrangement and distribution and control means including expansion device 48, check valve 54 and lines 52, 56, 58 and 60 connected so that in a cooling mode of operation of the unit the refrigerant flows through the main section and then the subcooling section in series, and in a heating mode of operation the refrigerant flows only through the main section with the subcooling section receiving refrigerant for storage.
28 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A heat pump operable to heat and to cool, comprising:
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a refrigerant compressor; and indoor heat exchanger; an outdoor heat exchanger having a plurality of refrigerant flow circuits covering the major extent of the air flow surface of the exchanger, and separate refrigerant flow circuit means covering the remaining extent of the airflow surface of the exchanger; reversing valve means for changing the refrigerant flow from one direction in which said outdoor exchanger acts as a condenser to the direction in which said outdoor exchanger acts as an evaporator; refrigerant expansion means and check valve means for said outdoor heat exchanger; means connecting said outdoor heat exchanger, expansion means and check valve means in an arrangement in which with said flow in said one direction, said flow passes first through said plurality of circuits and then said separate circuit means in series flow, and with said flow in said direction, said flow passes only through said plurality of circuits and is prevented from flowing through and out of said separate circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a heat pump having an outdoor heat exchanger operable as an evaporator and alternatively as a condenser, depending upon the direction of refrigerant flow:
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a plurality of refrigerant flow circuits covering the major extent of the airflow surface of the exchanger; separate refrigerant flow circuit means covering the remaining extent of the airflow surface of said exchanger; refrigerant flow control and distribution means for routing refrigerant flow first through said plurality of refrigerant flow circuits and then through said separate refrigerant flow circuit means when the refrigerant flow is in one direction and in which said exchanger acts as a condenser, and for routing refrigerant flow through refrigerant expansion means into, through and out of said plurality of refrigerant circuits and also directly into said separate refrigerant flow circuit means when the refrigerant flow is in the other direction in which said exchanger acts as an evaporator, said flow control and distribution means including means preventing the flow of refrigerant from said separate refrigerant flow circuit means when the flow is in said other direction and permitting flow from said plurality of refrigerant flow circuits to said separate refrigerant flow circuit means when the flow is in said one direction.
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Specification