Add on heat pump swimming pool heater control

• US 5,184,472 A
• Filed: 11/04/1991
• Issued: 02/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pierre Guilbault, Pierre Pilon
• Original Assignee: Pierre Guilbault, Pierre Pilon
• Inventors: Pilon, Pierre, Guilbault, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): SOLLECITO, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US07/787,598
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 62/238.6, 62/238.7, 62/324.1, 62/201, 62/202, 62/160, 62/178, 62/180, 62/181, 62/183, 62/184
• US Class Current: 62/160
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/02 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers

Abstract

A pool heater to be installed on a commercially available residential heat pump in order to add swimming pool heating to the basic functions of the heat pump, i.e. heating and cooling of a dwelling. This "add-on a heat pump" pool heater comprises a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger with a water flow control and associated piping, a water temperature control, a flow detecting device and a specialized control logic which is integrated to the heat pump control. The heat exchanger is connected on the refrigerant side to the outlet of the compressor of the heat pump circuit and to the inlet of the reversing valve. On the water side, the heat exchange is connected on a diversion loop of the pool water filtration system to allow water to be heated by the refrigerant exiting the compressor. The integrated control conserves all the basic modes of the heat pump, i.e. heating, cooling and defrosting, and all the protective functions; it also adds heating of the swimming pool if there is no heating or cooling demand from the dwelling, and permits simultaneous heating of the swimming pool and cooling of the dwelling.

Claims

1. In a heat pump for use to heat and cool a dwelling,

said heat pump comprising a refrigerant circuit including, in the following order, a compressor having a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, a reversing valve, an outdoor heat exchanger with an outdoor fan, an expansion device, an indoor heat exchanger with an indoor fan, and, again, said reversing valve,

said heat pump also comprising a heat pump control device generating a demand signal, a cooling signal or both as a function of signals received from an indoor thermostat, said demand signal controlling actuation of the compressor and of the indoor and outdoor fans, said cooling signal causing reversal of said reversing valve, the improvement wherein:

said refrigerant circuit further includes an add-on heat exchanger for use to heat water from a pool that is located nearby or inside said dwelling and is provided with a water filtration system including at least one filter through which said water from said pool is circulated by a pump,

said add-on heat exchanger is part of said refrigerant circuit and is connected thereto in series between the outlet of the compressor and the reversing valve,

said add-on heat exchanger is also part of said water filtration system and is mounted in diversion loop thereof downstream the water filter, to allow heat exchange between the refrigerant circulating through said refrigerant circuit and said water circulating through said water filtration system and thereby heating of said water by said refrigerant leaving the compressor,

said diversion loop includes a pressure-activated water flow regulating device, responsive to the pressure of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor, said diversion loop also including a water flow sensor and a water temperature sensor that are operatively connected to a pool heater control device, said pool heater control device receiving said demand and cooling signals wherever present from said heat pump control device together with a water flow signal from said water flow sensor and a water temperature signal from said water temperature sensor and being operatively connected to means for controlling said indoor and outdoor fans respectively, in such a manner that;

(a) when the pool heater control device receives a demand signal but no cooling signal, whatever be the water flow and water temperature signals, the compressor and the indoor and outdoor fans are activated, whereby the heat pump is operating to heat the dwelling;

(b) when the pool heater control device receives a demand signal, a cooling signal but no water temperature signal whatever be the water flow signal, the compressor and the indoor and outdoor fans are activated and the reversing valve is reversed, whereby the heat pump is operating to cool the dwelling;

(c) when the pool heater control device receives a demand signal, a cooling signal, a water flow signal and a water temperature signal, the compressor and indoor fan are activated, the reversing valve is reversed and the outdoor fan is switched off by said outdoor fan controlling means, whereby the heat pump is operating to cool the dwelling and simultaneously heat the swimming pool water;

(d) when the pool heater control device receives a demand signal, a cooling signal, a water temperature signal but no water flow signal, as may occur in the cases of a pool shut-down or of a pool filter backwash, the compressor and the indoor and outdoor fans are activated and the reversing valve is reversed, whereby the heat pump is operating to cool the dwelling; and

(e) when the pool heater control device receives a water flow signal, a water temperature signal but no demand signal whatever be the cooling signal the compressor and outdoor fan are activated and the indoor fan is switched off by said indoor fan controlling means, whereby the heat pump is operating to heat the swimming pool water exclusively.

2. The improved heat pump of claim 1, further comprising a defrost control device to simulate a demand signal whenever the outdoor heat exchanger is to be defrosted and thus to activate the compressor and indoor fan, to switch off the outdoor fan and to reverse the indoor fan.

3. The improved heat pump of claim 2, further comprising a switch to override the water temperature sensor and cause the heat pump to operate in the cooling mode and continue heating the water of the swimming pool even though the temperature of said water is sufficient to satisfy said water temperature sensor.