초록 ▼

In a heat pump system according to the present invention, a plurality of heat exchangers are arranged in sequence in the vertical direction in a tank for storing a heat medium therein, and these heat exchangers are connected in series to a heat exchanger arranged outside the tank to construct a cool

In a heat pump system according to the present invention, a plurality of heat exchangers are arranged in sequence in the vertical direction in a tank for storing a heat medium therein, and these heat exchangers are connected in series to a heat exchanger arranged outside the tank to construct a cooling medium circulating passage. A by-passing passage by-passing the heat exchanger arranged outside the tank and expanding means arranged in series to this heat exchanger is formed in the cooling medium circulating passage, and an expansion passage is arranged in parallel to the cooling medium circulating passage connected to the heat exchangers within the tank. The flowing direction of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulating passage is selectively reversed and a passage for circulation of the cooling medium is selected by selecting means, so that the heat exchangers in the tank are caused to selectively function as condensers or evaporators, whereby a warm heat medium and a cooling medium are stored in the tank or layers of the warm heat medium or cold heat medium differing in the temperature are formed in the tank. A cooling and heating apparatus is operated by the heat medium in the tank, the temperature of which is thus controlled, to control the temperature in a room at an appropriate level, or a water supply apparatus is operated by the temperature-controlled heat medium in the tank to supply warm water and/or cold water maintained at an appropriate temperature to the outside.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A heat medium temperature controlling heat pump system which comprises a tank for storing a heat medium therein, a plurality of first heat exchange means arranged in sequence from the upper portion to the lower portion in the tank, second heat exchange means arranged outside said tank, a cooling

1. A heat medium temperature controlling heat pump system which comprises a tank for storing a heat medium therein, a plurality of first heat exchange means arranged in sequence from the upper portion to the lower portion in the tank, second heat exchange means arranged outside said tank, a cooling medium circulating passage for connecting a plurality of said first heat exchange means to said second heat exchange means in series, means for forcibly circulating a cooling medium in said cooling medium circulating passage, means for reversing the flowing direction of the cooling medium in said cooling medium circulating passage, cooling medium expanding means connected in parallel to the portion of said cooling medium circulating passage between two adjacent upper and lower first heat exchange means, second cooling medium expanding means arranged in series in the portion of said cooling medium circulating passage between the lowermost first heat exchange means and the second heat exchange means, a first by-passing passage by-passing said second heat exchange means so that the cooling medium circulating passage in short-circuited, first valve means for selectively introducing the cooling medium into one of said first cooling medium expanding means and the portion of said cooling medium circulating passage parallel to said first cooling medium expanding means, and second valve means for selectively introducing the cooling medium into one of the first by-passing passage and said second heat exchange means. 2. A heat pump system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second heat exchange means are condensing means and/or evaporating means to be selected. 3. A heat pump system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tank is a tank for storing water as the heat medium therein. 4. A heat pump system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for reversing the flowing direction of the cooling medium is a four-way valve in which the first position where a cooling medium extrusion port of the cooling medium circulating passage is fluidly connected to one connecting port of the topmost first heat exchange means and a cooling medium suction port of the cooling medium circulating passage is fluidly connected to one connecting port of the second heat exchange means and the second position where said extrusion port is fluidly connected to said one connecting port of the heat exchange means and said suction port is fluidly connected to said one connecting port of the topmost first heat exchange means are selectively changed over to each other. 5. A heat pump system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first valve means includes a pair of opening and closing valves interposed in cooling medium passage including said first cooling medium expanding means and the portion of said cooling medium circulating passage parallel to said first cooling medium expanding means, respectively. 6. A heat pump system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second valve means includes opening and closing valves interposed in cooling medium passages connected to said first by-passing passage and said second heat exchange means, respectively. 7. A heat pump system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cooling medium circulating passage includes a second by-passing passage by-passing the respective first heat exchange means and the first cooling medium expanding means adjacent thereto. 8. A heat pump system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cooling medium circulating passage has a third by-passing passage by-passing the lowermost interior heat exchange means. 9. A heat pump type air-conditioning apparatus, which comprises a tank for storing a heat medium therein, a plurality of first heat exchange means arranged in sequence from the upper portion to the lower portion in the tank, second heat exchange means arranged outside said tank, a cooling medium circulating passage for connecting a plurality of said first heat exchange means to said second heat exchange means in series, means for forcibly circulating a cooling medium in said cooling medium circulating passage, means for reversing the flowing direction of the cooling medium in said cooling medium circulating passage, cooling medium expanding means connected in parallel to the portion of said cooling medium circulating passage between two adjacent upper and lower first heat exchange means, second cooling medium expanding means arranged in series in the portion of said cooling medium circulating passage between the lowermost first heat exchange means and the second heat exchange means, a first by-passing passage by-passing said the second heat exchange means so that the cooling medium circulating passage is short-circuited, first valve means for selectively introducing the cooling medium into one of said first cooling medium expanding means and the portion of the cooling medium circulating passage parallel to said first cooling medium expanding means, second valve means for selectively introducing the cooling medium into one of said first by-passing passage and said second heat exchange means, heat exchange means for air conditioning, and heat medium circulating means for circulating a heat medium between said heat exchange means for air conditioning and said tank. 10. A heat pump type air-conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said heat exchange means for air conditioning is heat exchange means for cooling and heating air in a room. 11. A heat pump type air-conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said heat medium circulating means includes selecting means for selectively circulating the heat medium in said tank at a height corresponding to said first heat exchange means into said heat exchange means for air conditioning. 12. A heat pump type water-supplying apparatus, which comprises a tank for storing a heat medium therein, a plurality of first heat means arranged in sequence from the upper portion to the lower portion in the tank, second heat exchange means arranged outside said tank, a cooling medium circulating passage for connecting a plurality of said first heat exchange means to said second heat exchange means in series, means for forcibly circulating a cooling medium in said cooling medium circulating passage, means for reversing the flowing direction of the cooling medium in said cooling medium circulating passage, cooling medium expanding means connected in parallel to the portion of said cooling medium circulating passage between two adjacent upper and lower first heat exchange means, second cooling medium expanding means arranged in series in the portion of said cooling medium circulating passage between the lowermost first heat exchange means and the second heat exchange means, a first by-passing passage by-passing said the second heat exchange means so that the cooling medium circulating passage is short-circuited, first valve means for selectively introducing the cooling medium into one of said first cooling medium expanding means and the portion of the cooling medium circulating passage parallel to said first cooling medium expanding means, second valve means for selectively introducing the cooling medium into one of said first by-passing passage and said second heat exchange means, at least one third heat exchange means arranged in said tank, and water supply means for taking out water and/or hot water heat-exchanged in said third heat exchange means from said tank and applying it to intended use. 13. A heat pump type water-supplying apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said third heat exchange means is located within the heat medium in said tank at a height corresponding to said first heat exchange means. 14. A heat pump type water-supplying apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said water supply means includes selecting means for supplying water selectively to one of said third heat exchange means.