HVAC UNIT WITH HOT GAS REHEAT
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- a compressor configured to circulate a refrigerant through a refrigerant circuit;
a first condenser disposed along the refrigerant circuit, wherein the first condenser is configured to receive and to condense a first portion of the refrigerant in a first operating mode and in a second operating mode;
a second condenser disposed along the refrigerant circuit, wherein the second condenser is configured to receive and to condense a second portion of the refrigerant in the first operating mode but not in the second operating mode;
a reheat heat exchanger disposed along the refrigerant circuit, wherein the reheat heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the second portion of the refrigerant to a conditioned space such that the second portion of the refrigerant condenses in the second operating mode but not in the first operating mode;
a first valve configured to drain the second portion of the refrigerant from the second condenser toward a suction side of the compressor and to the reheat heat exchanger during the second operating mode, wherein the first valve is closed during the first operating mode;
a second valve configured to drain the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheat heat exchanger toward the suction side of the compressor and to the second condenser during the first operating mode, wherein the second valve is closed during the second operating mode; and
a controller configured to switch between the first operating mode and the second operating mode, wherein the controller is configured to open the first valve when switching from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, and wherein the controller is configured to open the second valve when switching from the second operating mode to the first operating mode.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a single compressor HVAC system with hot gas reheat. The system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a compressor configured to circulate a refrigerant through a refrigerant circuit; a first condenser disposed along the refrigerant circuit, wherein the first condenser is configured to receive and to condense a first portion of the refrigerant in a first operating mode and in a second operating mode; a second condenser disposed along the refrigerant circuit, wherein the second condenser is configured to receive and to condense a second portion of the refrigerant in the first operating mode but not in the second operating mode; a reheat heat exchanger disposed along the refrigerant circuit, wherein the reheat heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the second portion of the refrigerant to a conditioned space such that the second portion of the refrigerant condenses in the second operating mode but not in the first operating mode; a first valve configured to drain the second portion of the refrigerant from the second condenser toward a suction side of the compressor and to the reheat heat exchanger during the second operating mode, wherein the first valve is closed during the first operating mode; a second valve configured to drain the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheat heat exchanger toward the suction side of the compressor and to the second condenser during the first operating mode, wherein the second valve is closed during the second operating mode; and a controller configured to switch between the first operating mode and the second operating mode, wherein the controller is configured to open the first valve when switching from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, and wherein the controller is configured to open the second valve when switching from the second operating mode to the first operating mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. One or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media comprising processor-executable instructions to:
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receive one or more inputs indicative of a temperature of a conditioned space, a humidity of the conditioned space, or both; switch between a first operating mode of a refrigerant circuit and a second operating mode of the refrigerant circuit based at least on the one or more inputs, wherein the first operating mode is configured to circulate a refrigerant through a compressor, from the compressor to a first condenser and a second condenser in parallel, from the first condenser and the second condenser to an expansion device, and from the expansion device to an evaporator, and wherein the second operating mode is configured to circulate the refrigerant through the compressor, from the compressor to the first condenser and a reheat heat exchanger in parallel, from the first condenser and the reheat heat exchanger to the expansion device, and from the expansion device to the evaporator; open a first valve configured to drain the refrigerant from the second condenser toward a suction side of the compressor and to the reheat heat exchanger when switching from the first operating mode to the second operating mode; and open a second valve configured to drain the refrigerant from the reheat heat exchanger toward the suction side of the compressor and to the second condenser when switching from the second operating mode to the first operating mode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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detecting a temperature of a conditioned space with a temperature sensor; detecting a humidity of the conditioned space with a humidity sensor; operating a refrigerant circuit in a first operating mode or in a second operating mode based at least on the temperature and the humidity of the conditioned space; circulating a refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit through a compressor, from the compressor to a first condenser and a second condenser in parallel, from the first condenser and the second condenser to an expansion device, and from the expansion device to an evaporator in the first operating mode; circulating the refrigerant through the compressor, from the compressor to the first condenser and a reheat heat exchanger in parallel, from the first condenser and the reheat heat exchanger to the expansion device, and from the expansion device to the evaporator in the second operating mode; opening a first valve configured to drain the refrigerant from the second condenser toward a suction side of the compressor and to the reheat heat exchanger when switching from the first operating mode to the second operating mode; and opening a second valve configured to drain the refrigerant from the reheat heat exchanger toward the suction side of the compressor and to the second condenser when switching from the second operating mode to the first operating mode. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification