Hot water circulation system associated with heat pump and method for controlling the same

• US 20100025488A1
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, Jin woo, Park, Dae Sam
• Granted Patent: US 8,794,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 237/2.B
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1078 the system uses a heat pump and solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 3/08 in combination with systems for domestic hot-water supply
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 3/18 using heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/12 Hot water central heating systems using heat pumps

Abstract

Disclosed is a hot water circulation system associated with a heat pump and a method for controlling the same. The present invention is advantageous in that heating or hot water supply can be performed smoothly even when an outdoor unit performing a heat pump cycle performs a defrosting operation.

Claims

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; and

a hot water circulation unit receives heat from the heated water discharged from the indoor unit to perform hot water supply or heating; and

a connection pipe which connects inlet and outlet sides of the indoor unit to allow water passing through the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger to circulate inside the indoor unit, during a defrosting operation of the outdoor unit.

2. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indoor unit comprises:

a flow switch provided in a water pipe at an outlet side of the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger to detect the flow of water;

an expansion tank provided at a predetermined position of the water pipe to operate corresponding to the change of volume of water flowing along the water pipe;

a water collection tank connected to an end of the water pipe to store water passing through the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger;

a water pump provided to a water pipe at an outlet side of the water collection tank to pump water discharged from the water collection tank; and

an auxiliary heater provided in the water collection tank.

3. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection pipe connects a water pipe at an outlet side of the water pump to a water pipe at an inlet side of the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger, and a channel switching valve operating at the time of defrosting operation is mounted on an inlet side of the connection pipe, and the connection pipe is received inside the indoor unit.

4. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hot water circulation unit includes:

a hot water supply unit performing hot water supply;

a heating unit performing heating a floor or indoor air; and

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 tank in which water for heating is stored;

a hot water supply pipe branched from a water pipe connected to a discharge side of the indoor unit to be connected to a water pipe connected to an inlet side of the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger, a portion of the hot water supply pipe being inserted into the hot water supply tank; and

a heater heating water inside the hot water supply tank,

and wherein, during the defrosting operation, at least one or both the heater of the hot water supply unit and the auxiliary heating unit operate.

5. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the auxiliary heating unit includes:

an auxiliary heat source including an electric heater or a solar cell panel;

an auxiliary pipe allowing water passing through the hot water supply unit or water passing through the heating unit to form a closed cycle independent from a water cycle inside the indoor unit;

a channel switching valve provided at a position where the auxiliary pipe is branched; and

an auxiliary pump provided to a predetermined position of the auxiliary pipe.

6. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the auxiliary heat source is provided only to a position which corresponds to an outlet side of both the hot water supply unit and the heating unit, or provided respectively to the pipes constituting the hot water supply unit and the heating unit.

7. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the heating unit includes:

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 the air heating unit includes a fan coil unit or a radiator.

8. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 7, 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.

9. A method for controlling a hot water circulation system associated with a heat pump, the hot water circulation system associated with a heat pump comprising an outdoor unit including a compressor, an outdoor heat-exchanger, and an expansion part to perform 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 water collection tank in which water passing through the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger is stored, and a water pump pumping water discharged from the water collection tank; and

a hot water circulation unit which receives heat from the water pumped by the water pump to perform hot water supply or heating, the method comprising;

during a defrosting operation of the outdoor unit, allowing water discharged from the water collection tank to be introduced directly into the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger without performing any one of or both hot water supply and heating.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein an operation of a channel switching valve is controlled so that water discharged from the water collection tank is introduced directly into the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger via the hot water supply pipe.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the operation of the channel switching valve is controlled so that water discharged from the water collection tank is introduced directly into the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the channel switching valve is provided on an inlet side of a connection pipe which connects an outlet side of the water pump to an inlet side of the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the operation of the channel switching valve is controlled so that a pipe for hot water supply constituting the hot water circulation unit and an auxiliary pipe connecting an inlet side of the indoor unit to an outlet side thereof form a closed water cycle independent from the indoor unit.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the operation of the channel switching valve is controlled so that a heating pipe constituting the hot water circulation unit and an auxiliary pipe connecting an inlet side of the indoor unit to an outlet side thereof form a closed water cycle independent from the indoor unit.

15. A hot water circulation system associated with a heat pump, the hot water circulation system 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 water collection tank in which water passing through the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger is stored, and a water pump pumping water discharged from the water collection tank;

a hot water supply unit performing heat exchange with water pumped by the water pump;

a channel switching valve provided in an outlet side of the water pump; and

a defrosting channel extended from the channel switching valve,

wherein, during a defrosting operation, water pumped by the water pump flows along the defrosting channel to be mixed with water stored in the hot water supply unit, and some of the mixed water flows onto the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger.

16. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the defrosting channel includes a defrosting pipe extended from the channel switching valve to the hot water supply unit, and a defrosting pipe extended from the hot water supply unit to an inlet side of the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger.

17. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a channel for hot water supply extended from an outlet of the water pump.

18. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the channel for hot water supply is a hot water supply pipe extended from the channel switching valve and penetrating through the hot water supply unit to be connected to an inlet side of the water-refrigerant heat-exchanger, and the water flowing in the hot water supply pipe is not mixed with the water stored in the hot water supply unit, but performs only heat exchange.

19. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a heating unit performing heating by water pumped from the water pump.

20. The hot water circulation system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the heating unit has a separate heating pipe branched from an outlet side of the water pump or an outlet side of the channel switching valve.