Heat pump water heater circuit
First Claim
1. A refrigeration circuit comprising an indoor heat exchanger having first and second refrigerant flow connections;
- an outdoor heat exchanger having first and second flow connections;
a compressor having a suction port and a discharge port;
a liquid heat exchanger having a refrigerant inlet in communication with said compressor discharge and having a refrigerant outlet; and
conduit and valve means for selectively placing said flow connections, said suction port and said refrigerant outlet in flow communication by different conduit paths, includinga. a first path wherein said refrigerant outlet of said liquid heat exchanger is connected to said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is connected to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, and said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port;
b. a second path wherein said refrigerant outlet is connected to said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is connected to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, and said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port;
c. a third path wherein said refrigerant outlet is connected to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port, said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is effectively closed, and said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port; and
d. a fourth path wherein said refrigerant outlet is connected to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port, and second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is effectively closed, and said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heat pump refrigeration circuit for heating a space, cooling a space, heating a liquid, heating a space and heating a liquid or for cooling a space and heating a liquid in which indoor and outdoor heat exchangers, a liquid heat exchanger and liquid supply means, compressor, conduit and valve means are provided. The liquid heat exchanger is disposed in the hot vapor line, and liquid is circulated therethrough when liquid heating is required. The liquid heat exchanger may be used as a desuperheater or as a condenser, and the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers may be used as condensers or evaporators, depending upon the path of refrigerant flow, as determined by the valve positions. Bypassed heat exchangers are vented to compressor suction for maintaining refrigerant charge control.
84 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A refrigeration circuit comprising an indoor heat exchanger having first and second refrigerant flow connections;
- an outdoor heat exchanger having first and second flow connections;
a compressor having a suction port and a discharge port;
a liquid heat exchanger having a refrigerant inlet in communication with said compressor discharge and having a refrigerant outlet; and
conduit and valve means for selectively placing said flow connections, said suction port and said refrigerant outlet in flow communication by different conduit paths, includinga. a first path wherein said refrigerant outlet of said liquid heat exchanger is connected to said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is connected to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, and said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port; b. a second path wherein said refrigerant outlet is connected to said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is connected to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, and said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port; c. a third path wherein said refrigerant outlet is connected to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port, said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is effectively closed, and said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port; and d. a fourth path wherein said refrigerant outlet is connected to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port, and second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is effectively closed, and said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger is connected to said compressor suction port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- an outdoor heat exchanger having first and second flow connections;
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4. A refrigeration circuit comprising an indoor heat exchanger for transferring heat between a refrigerant flowing therethrough and the air in a space, said indoor heat exchanger including first and second refrigerant flow connections;
- an outdoor heat exchanger for transferring heat between a refrigerant flowing therethrough and the ambient, said outdoor heat exchanger including first and second refrigerant flow connections;
a compressor for compressing refrigerant in the circuit, said compressor including a discharge port and a suction port;
a refrigerant-to-liquid heat exchanger for transferring heat from a refrigerant to a liquid, said liquid heat exchanger including a refrigerant inlet in flow communication with said compressor discharge port and a refrigerant outlet;
first conduit means and first valve means for selectively connecting said refrigerant outlet and said first flow connections of said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers;
second conduit means and second valve means for connecting said second flow connections of said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers and said compressor suction port; and
third valve means for selectively connecting said refrigerant outlet to said first and second conduit and valve means;
said valve means directing refrigerant for operating said circuit in;i. a first mode wherein hot refrigerant vapor from said refrigerant outlet is directed to said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, liquid refrigerant is directed from said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, and cool refrigerant vapor from said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is directed to said suction port; ii. a second mode wherein hot refrigerant vapor from said refrigerant outlet is directed to said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, liquid refrigerant is directed from said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, and cool refrigerant vapor is directed from said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger to said compressor suction port; iii. a third mode wherein liquid refrigerant is directed from said refrigerant outlet to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger, and cool refrigerant vapor is directed from said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger to said compressor suction port; and iv. a fourth mode wherein liquid refrigerant is directed from said refrigerant outlet to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger, and cool refrigerant vapor from said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger is directed to said compressor suction port. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
- an outdoor heat exchanger for transferring heat between a refrigerant flowing therethrough and the ambient, said outdoor heat exchanger including first and second refrigerant flow connections;
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9. A refrigeration circuit comprising an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a compressor having a discharge port and a suction port;
a refrigerant-to-liquid heat exchanger;
conduit means interconnecting said compressor and said heat exchangers; and
valve means for selectively controlling the path of flow communication between said heat exchangers and said compressor, said valve means directing refrigerant flow in at least;a. a first path wherein said liquid heat exchanger is in flow communication between said compressor discharge port and said indoor heat exchanger, and said outdoor heat exchanger is in flow communication between said indoor heat exchanger and said compressor suction port; b. a second path wherein said liquid heat exchanger is in flow communication between said compressor discharge port and said outdoor heat exchanger, and said indoor heat exchanger is in flow communication between said outdoor heat exchanger and said compressor suction port; c. a third path wherein said liquid heat exchanger is in flow communication between said compressor discharge port and said indoor heat exchanger, discharge refrigerant from said indoor heat exchanger is directed to said compressor suction port, and said outdoor heat exchanger is bypassed by refrigerant flow; and d. a fourth path wherein said liquid heat exchanger is in flow communication between said compressor discharge port and said outdoor heat exchanger, discharge refrigerant from said outdoor heat exchanger is directed to said compressor suction port, and said indoor heat exchanger is bypassed by refrigerant flow. - View Dependent Claims (10)
- a compressor having a discharge port and a suction port;
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11. A refrigeration circuit for selectively heating a space, cooling a space, heating a liquid, heating a space and heating a liquid, or cooling a space and heating a liquid, said refrigeration circuit comprising:
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a. an indoor heat exchanger for transferring heat between a refrigerant and the air of an indoor space; i. first and second refrigerant flow connections in said indoor heat exchanger; b. an outdoor heat exchanger for transferring heat between a refrigerant and the ambient; i. first and second refrigerant flow connections in said outdoor heat exchanger; c. a refrigerant-to-liquid heat exchanger for transferring heat between a refrigerant and a liquid; i. a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet in said liquid heat exchanger; d. a compressor having a discharge port and a suction port; i. said discharge port being connected to said refrigerant inlet of said liquid heat exchanger; e. a first conduit means and first valve means interconnecting said second flow connections of said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers and said outlet of said liquid heat exchanger; i. check valves disposed in said conduit means permitting refrigerant flow from and preventing refrigerant flow to said second flow connections and said outlet; ii. solenoid valves for selectively passing discharge refrigerant from one of said heat exchangers to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger in one operating position, and to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger in a second operating position; f. a second conduit means and second valve means interconnecting said first flow connections of said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers and said compressor suction port; i. said second valve means having selectively communicable ports for directing refrigerant to said first flow connections of said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers, and for directing refrigerant from said first flow connections to said compressor suction port; and g. a third conduit means and third valve means interconnecting said outlet of said liquid heat exchanger and said first and second valve and conduit means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A heat pump refrigeration circuit comprising a compressor having discharge and suction ports;
- a refrigerant-to-liquid heat exchanger having a refrigerant inlet in flow communication with said discharge port and having a refrigerant outlet;
an indoor heat exchanger having first and second refrigerant flow connections;
an outdoor heat exchanger having first and second refrigerant flow connections;
a first conduit means connecting said refrigerant outlet of said refrigerant-to-liquid heat exchanger in flow communication with said first refrigerant flow connections of said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers;
a second conduit means for connecting said second flow connections of said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers, said outlet of said liquid heat exchanger and said suction port;
a first valve means for directing refrigerant from said liquid heat exchanger to said first flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger in a first operating position and for directing refrigerant from said liquid heat exchanger to said first flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger in a second operating position;
a second valve means for directing refrigerant from said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger in a first position, for directing refrigerant from said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger in a second position, for directing refrigerant from said outlet to said second flow connection of said outdoor heat exchanger in a third position and to said second flow connection of said indoor heat exchanger in a fourth position; and
a third valve means for directing refrigerant flow from said refrigerant outlet of said refrigerant-to-liquid heat exchanger to said second valve means in a first position and to said first valve means in a second position. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- a refrigerant-to-liquid heat exchanger having a refrigerant inlet in flow communication with said discharge port and having a refrigerant outlet;
Specification