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Hot water circulation system associated with heat pump

  • US 8,794,538 B2
  • Filed: 12/02/2008
  • Issued: 08/05/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A hot water circulation system associated with a heat pump, comprising:

  • an outdoor unit including a compressor, an outdoor heat-exchanger, and an expansion part, and performing a heat pump refrigerant cycle;

    an indoor unit including a water-refrigerant heat-exchanger which performs heat exchange between a refrigerant discharged from the compressor and water;

    a hot water supply unit that is disposed on outlet side of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger and receives heat from heated water discharged from the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger to perform hot water supply, the hot water supply unit including a water supply tank to store hot water;

    a heating unit that is disposed on outlet side of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger and receives heat from heated water discharged from the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger to perform heating;

    an inlet pipe coupled to an inlet of the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger;

    an outlet pipe coupled to an outlet of the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger;

    a first channel switching valve installed at the outlet pipe to guide water discharged from the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger to one of the water supply tank of the hot water supply unit and the heating unit;

    a second channel switching valve installed between the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger and the first channel switching valve to bypass water discharged from the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger to the inlet pipe in a predetermined operation mode;

    a first connection pipe that connects the second channel switching valve and the inlet pipe to supply water discharged from the second channel switching valve to the inlet pipe; and

    a second connection pipe that connects the first channel switching valve and the second channel switching valve;

    an auxiliary heating unit heating water passing through the hot water supply unit or the heating unit during the defrosting operation,wherein the hot water supply unit includes;

    a hot water supply pipe branched from the first channel switching valve to be connected to inlet pipe, a portion of the hot water supply pipe being inserted into the water supply tank, anda heater heating water inside the water supply tank,wherein, during the defrosting operotion, at least one or both the heater of the hot water supply unit and the auxiliary heating unit operate;

    a floor heating unit formed by burying a portion of a water pipe extended from a discharge side of the indoor unit in the floor; and

    an air heating unit heating indoor air,wherein an outlet end of the hot water supply pipe and an outlet end of the floor heating unit are combined at a predetermined position, and counter flow prevention valves are respectively provided in the outlet ends of the hot water supply pipe and floor heating unit.

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