Water source heat pump with hot gas reheat
First Claim
1. A refrigerant system using a refrigerant to transfer heat between air and a fluid, wherein the air is supplied to a comfort zone, comprising:
- a compressor adapted to compress and discharge the refrigerant;
a fluid heat exchanger having a refrigerant passageway in heat transfer relationship with the fluid;
a primary heat exchanger that places the refrigerant in heat transfer relationship with the air;
a secondary heat exchanger exposed to said air;
a primary refrigerant flow restriction that helps couple the primary heat exchanger to the fluid heat exchanger;
a secondary refrigerant flow restriction that helps couple the primary heat exchanger to the secondary heat exchanger; and
a flow divider having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, wherein the inlet is adapted to receive the refrigerant discharged from secondary heat exchanger, the first outlet being adapted to discharge a first portion of the refrigerant toward the primary heat exchanger and the second outlet being adapted to discharge a second portion of the refrigerant toward the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger, wherein the first portion has a greater concentration of refrigerant in a liquid state than the second portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A refrigerant system selectively operable in a cooling mode, a reheat cooling mode, and a heating mode, includes a primary heat exchanger and a reheat heat exchanger that condition air for a room. In the cooling mode, the primary heat exchanger functions as an evaporator that cools the air, while the reheat heat exchanger is inactive. In the reheat cooling mode, the primary heat exchanger cools the air, and hot refrigerant in the reheat heat exchanger reheats the air to provide dehumidified air at or near room temperature. In the heating mode, the primary heat exchanger functions as a condenser that heats the air, while the reheat heat exchanger is inactive. When the reheat heat exchanger is inactive, a unique venting arrangement prevents the inactive heat exchanger from becoming flooded with liquid refrigerant.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A refrigerant system using a refrigerant to transfer heat between air and a fluid, wherein the air is supplied to a comfort zone, comprising:
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a compressor adapted to compress and discharge the refrigerant;
a fluid heat exchanger having a refrigerant passageway in heat transfer relationship with the fluid;
a primary heat exchanger that places the refrigerant in heat transfer relationship with the air;
a secondary heat exchanger exposed to said air;
a primary refrigerant flow restriction that helps couple the primary heat exchanger to the fluid heat exchanger;
a secondary refrigerant flow restriction that helps couple the primary heat exchanger to the secondary heat exchanger; and
a flow divider having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, wherein the inlet is adapted to receive the refrigerant discharged from secondary heat exchanger, the first outlet being adapted to discharge a first portion of the refrigerant toward the primary heat exchanger and the second outlet being adapted to discharge a second portion of the refrigerant toward the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger, wherein the first portion has a greater concentration of refrigerant in a liquid state than the second portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A refrigerant system using a refrigerant to transfer heat between air and a fluid, wherein the air is supplied to a comfort zone, comprising:
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a compressor adapted to compress and discharge the refrigerant;
a fluid heat exchanger having a refrigerant passageway in heat transfer relationship with the fluid;
a primary heat exchanger that places the refrigerant in heat transfer relationship with the air;
a secondary heat exchanger exposed to said air;
a primary refrigerant flow restriction that couples the primary heat exchanger to the fluid heat exchanger;
a secondary refrigerant flow restriction that couples the primary heat exchanger to the secondary heat exchanger; and
a reheat valve selectively operable in a normal mode and a reheat cooling mode and having a first outlet in refrigerant communication with the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger, a second outlet in refrigerant communication with the secondary heat exchanger, and an inlet situated to receive compressed refrigerant from the compressor, such that with the reheat valve in the normal mode most of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor bypasses the secondary heat exchanger and the secondary refrigerant flow restriction and passes in series through the inlet of the reheat valve, the first outlet, the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger, the primary refrigerant flow restriction, and the primary heat exchanger, and with the reheat valve in the reheat cooling mode most of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor bypasses the secondary refrigerant flow restriction and passes in series through the inlet of the reheat valve, the second outlet, the secondary heat exchanger, the fluid heat exchanger, the primary refrigerant flow restriction, and the primary heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A refrigerant system using a refrigerant to transfer heat between air and a fluid, wherein the air is supplied to a comfort zone, comprising:
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a compressor adapted to compress and discharge the refrigerant;
a fluid heat exchanger having a refrigerant passageway in heat transfer relationship with the fluid;
a primary heat exchanger that places the refrigerant in heat transfer relationship with the air;
a secondary heat exchanger exposed to said air;
a primary refrigerant flow restriction coupling the primary heat exchanger to the fluid heat exchanger;
a secondary refrigerant flow restriction coupling the primary heat exchanger to the secondary heat exchanger; and
a valve system situated to receive compressed refrigerant from the compressor and being selectively operable in a heating mode, a normal cooling mode, and a reheat cooling mode to selectively direct refrigerant flow, wherein;
a) in the heating mode, most of the refrigerant from the compressor bypasses the secondary heat exchanger and the secondary refrigerant flow restriction and passes in series through the primary heat exchanger, the primary refrigerant flow restriction, and the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger;
b) in the normal cooling mode, most of the refrigerant from the compressor bypasses the secondary heat exchanger and the secondary refrigerant flow restriction and passes in series through the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger, the primary refrigerant flow restriction, and primary heat exchanger; and
c) in the reheat cooling mode, most of the refrigerant from the compressor passes in series through secondary heat exchanger, the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger, the primary refrigerant flow restriction, and the primary heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. In a refrigerant system that includes a primary heat exchanger that places a refrigerant in heat transfer relationship with air, a secondary heat exchanger exposed to the air, a fluid heat exchanger having a refrigerant passageway in heat transfer relationship with a fluid, and a primary refrigerant flow restriction that couples the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger to the primary heat exchanger, a method of conveying refrigerant flow through the refrigerant system, comprising:
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conveying most of the refrigerant in series through the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger, the primary refrigerant flow restriction, and the primary heat exchanger;
directing most of the refrigerant to bypass the secondary heat exchanger; and
venting the secondary heat exchanger to the primary heat exchanger to prevent the secondary heat exchanger from flooding with liquid refrigerant. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. In a refrigerant system that includes a primary heat exchanger that places a refrigerant in heat transfer relationship with air, a secondary heat exchanger exposed to the air, a fluid heat exchanger having a refrigerant passageway in heat transfer relationship with a fluid, and a primary refrigerant flow restriction that couples the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger to the primary heat exchanger, a method of conveying refrigerant flow through the refrigerant system, comprising:
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conveying a major portion of the refrigerant in series through the secondary heat exchanger, the refrigerant passageway of the fluid heat exchanger, the primary refrigerant flow restriction, and the primary heat exchanger; and
directing a minor portion of the refrigerant to pass from the secondary heat exchanger to the primary heat exchanger, whereby the minor portion bypasses the refrigerant passageway. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A refrigerant system comprising:
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a refrigeration cycle and an air movement section;
the refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a primary flow restrictor, and first, second and third heat exchangers operably connected into a refrigeration cycle;
the air movement section including a fan moving air sequentially over the first heat exchanger and then the second heat exchanger;
the second heat exchanger having a liquid refrigerant outlet connected to an inlet of the first heat exchanger and a gas refrigerant outlet connected to an inlet of the third heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification