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Cold climate air-source heat pump

DC
  • US 7,266,959 B2
  • Filed: 02/03/2005
  • Issued: 09/11/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An air-source heat pump comprising:

  • a primary compressor having a primary compressor inlet and a primary compressor outlet;

    a booster compressor having a booster compressor inlet and a booster compressor outlet;

    a first heat exchanger;

    a second heat exchanger;

    an expansion device;

    a refrigerant fluid;

    a flow conduit means connecting the first and second heat exchangers, the primary and booster compressors, and the expansion device for circulating the refrigerant fluid in a closed loop,whereby the primary compressor outlet, the first heat exchanger, the expansion device, the second heat exchanger, the booster compressor inlet, the booster compressor outlet, and the primary compressor inlet are placed in respective serial fluid communication with one another to thereby circulate the refrigerant fluid, andthe flow conduit means is further connected to bypass the booster compressor and deliver refrigerant fluid from the second heat exchanger to the primary compressor when the booster compressor is inoperative, and with the flow conduit means connected to deliver refrigerant fluid from the second heat exchanger to the booster compressor and from the booster compressor to the primary compressor when operation of the booster compressor is initiated;

    a first sensor means for sensing the temperature of internal ambient air;

    a second sensor means for sensing the temperature of external ambient air;

    a third sensor means for sensing the temperature of the refrigerant flowing between the booster compressor outlet and the primary compressor inlet;

    a fourth sensor means for sensing the operation of the primary compressor;

    a primary compressor operation control means responsive to inputs from the first sensor means, in connection with the primary compressor and in connection with the first sensor means,wherein the primary compressor operation control means initiates operation of the primary compressor when the first sensor means indicates the temperature of the ambient air is below a first predetermined level, andthe primary compressor operation control means shuts down operation of the primary compressor when the first sensor means indicates the temperature of the ambient air has achieved a second predetermined level; and

    a booster compressor operation control means responsive to inputs from the second, third, and fourth sensor means, in connection with the booster compressor and in connection with the second, third, and fourth sensor means,wherein the booster compressor operation control means initiates operation of the booster compressor when the second sensor means indicates the temperature of the external ambient air is below a third predetermined level whereby operation of the primary compressor alone is not efficient,the booster compressor operation control means shuts down operation of the booster compressor when the second sensor means indicates the temperature of the external ambient air has achieved a fourth predetermined level whereby the primary compressor may be efficiently operated alone,the booster compressor operation control means shuts down operation of the booster compressor when the third sensor means indicates the temperature of the refrigerant fluid flowing between the booster compressor outlet and the primary compressor inlet exceeds a fifth predetermined level, andthe booster compressor operation control means shuts down operation of the booster compressor when the fourth sensor means indicates the primary compressor is inoperative.

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