초록 ▼

A reversible mode heating and cooling system comprises a reversible heat pump unit having a compressor, a reversible valve, an indoor heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with indoor ambient air a water cooled concentrator, refrigerant expansion means, an outdoor heat exchanger in heat excha

A reversible mode heating and cooling system comprises a reversible heat pump unit having a compressor, a reversible valve, an indoor heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with indoor ambient air a water cooled concentrator, refrigerant expansion means, an outdoor heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with outdoor ambient air and an auxiliary heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with a water source for enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the system to transfer heat to the refrigerant during the heating mode at low outdoor ambient temperatures. The concentrator is disposed downstream of the outdoor heat exchanger (condenser) in the cooling mode of operation to cool the refrigerant exiting the heat exchanger for enhancing its ability to absorb heat in the indoor heat exchanger (evaporator). A temperature and/or pressure sensing and flow control subsystem senses system or ambient parameters and operates fluid flow control valves to most efficiently and effectively direct refrigerant and water source flow to the outdoor and/or auxiliary heat exchangers. A frost preventative or defrost system for the auxiliary heat exchange coil deriving its thermal energy from the hot refrigerant in the compressor discharge conduit is also provided.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A reversible mode heating and cooling system for heating and cooling an interior space, comprising: (a) compressor means for compressing vaporous refrigerant; (b) indoor heat exchange means arranged in heat exchange relationship with air in said interior space for condensing refrigerant and h

1. A reversible mode heating and cooling system for heating and cooling an interior space, comprising: (a) compressor means for compressing vaporous refrigerant; (b) indoor heat exchange means arranged in heat exchange relationship with air in said interior space for condensing refrigerant and heating said air during the heating mode and evaporating refrigerant and cooling said air during the cooling mode; (c) refrigerant expansion means; (d) outdoor heat exchange means arranged in heat exchange relationship with outdoor ambient air for evaporating refrigerant during the heating mode and condensing refrigerant during the cooling mode; (e) refrigerant flow reversing means for providing mode means heating and cooling from the system by refrigerant flow direction selection; (f) water cooled heat exchange means in series flow relationship with and between said outdoor and indoor heat exchangers for cooling liquid refrigerant, said water cooled heat exchange means disposed downstream of said outdoor heat exchanger during the cooling mode and downstream of said indoor heat exchanger during the heating mode; (g) auxiliary heat exchange means for evaporating refrigerant during the heating mode, said auxiliary heat exchange means arranged in a series flow relationship with said outdoor heat exchange means and downstream thereof during the heating mode; (h) refrigerant conduit means connecting said compressor means, indoor heat exchange means, water cooled heat exchange means, refrigerant expansion means, outdoor heat exchange means, auxiliary heat exchange means and refrigerant flow reversing means in a series flow relationship to form a reversible heating and cooling system for transferring heat via a fluid refrigerant between said indoor heat exchange means and said outdoor and auxiliary heat exchange means; (i) bypass refrigerant conduit means connected in a parallel flow relationship with said outdoor heat exchange means and in a series flow relationship with said water cooled and said auxiliary heat exchange means for selectively bypassing said outdoor heat exchange means and directing at least a part of said refrigerant flow from said water cooled heat exchange means through said auxiliary heat exchange means during the heating mode in parallel flow relationship with refrigerant flow through said outdoor heat exchange means; (j) storage means for storing a heat exchange fluid; (k) connecting means connecting said storage means and said auxiliary heat exchange means and said storage means and said water cooled heat exchange means for circulating a heat exchange fluid and exchanging heat between said storage means and said auxiliary heat exchange means and said storage means and said water cooled heat exchange means; (l) first control means for controlling the extent of heat exchange fluid flow from said storage means to said auxiliary heat exchange means, said first control means including a first sensor disposed for sensing a system parameter during the heating mode and first valve means in said connecting means, said first control means including means for adjustably operating said first valve means in said connecting means to allow heat exchange fluid flow therethrough in response to the parameter sensed by said first sensor; (m) second control means for controlling heat exchange fluid flow from said storage means to said water cooled heat exchange means, said second control means including means for sensing the selected mode, a second sensor disposed for sensing a system parameter during the heating mode and second valve means in said connecting means, said second control means including means for adjustably operating said second valve means in said connecting means to allow heat exchange fluid flow therethrough during the cooling mode and in response to the parameter sensed by said second sensor during the heating mode; and (n) third control means for selectively allowing the flow of refrigerant through said bypass refrigerant conduit means, said third control means including a third sensor disposed for sensing a parameter correlatable to the capacity of said outdoor heat exchanger to add heat to the refrigerant during the heating mode and third valve means in said bypass refrigerant conduit means, said third control means including means for operating said third valve means in said bypass refrigerant conduit means to allow refrigerant flow therethrough in response to the parameter sensed by said third sensor. 2. A system, as claimed in claim 1, including reclamation heat exchange means for transferring heat between refrigerant vapor discharged from said compressor and water flowing through said reclamation heat exchange means. 3. A system, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said reclamation heat exchange means is disposed in said refrigerant conduit means downstream of said compressor and upstream of said indoor heat exchange means during the heating mode of operation. 4. A system, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said reclamation heat exchange means is disposed in said refrigerant conduit means downstream of said compressor and upstream of said refrigerant flow reversing means. 5. A system, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said water comprises said heat exchange fluid from said storage means. 6. A system, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said water is domestic water. 7. A system, as claimed in claim 1, including fourth control means for terminating refrigerant flow through said outdoor heat exchange means when the heat exchange capacity thereof is reduced below a predetermined level. 8. A system, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said fourth control means comprises a fourth sensing means for sensing a parameter correlatable to the heat exchange capacity of said outdoor heat exchange means and inlet flow valve means disposed upstream of said outdoor heat exchange means and downstream of the flow inlet to said bypass refrigerant conduit means during the heating mode, said fourth control means including means for operating said inlet flow valve means to terminate flow therethrough in response to the parameter sensed by said fourth sensing means. 9. A system, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said fourth sensing means comprises a temperature sensor disposed for sensing the temperature of the outdoor ambient air. 10. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting means includes heat exchange fluid conduit means connecting said storage means, water cooled heat exchange means and auxiliary heat exchange means in a series flow relationship to form a continuous flow path for heat exchange fluid for transferring heat from said refrigerant to said heat exchange fluid in said water cooled heat exchange means and from said heat exchange fluid to said refrigerant in said auxiliary heat exchange means. 11. A system, as claimed in claim 10, including compressor heat exchange means in said connecting means for transferring heat from said compressor to said heat exchange fluid, said compressor heat exchange means disposed downstream of said water cooled heat exchange means and upstream of said auxiliary heat exchange means for adding heat to said heat exchange fluid prior to transferring heat therefrom to said refrigerant in said auxiliary heat exchange means. 12. A system, as claimed in claim 11, wherein said compressor heat exchange means comprises a heat exchange fluid conduit arranged in heat exchange relationship with said compressor for transferring waste heat given up by said compressor to fluid in said conduit. 13. A system, as claimed in claim 12, including diverting means in said connecting means for diverting heat exchange fluid exiting said water cooled heat exchange means from said auxiliary heat exchange means during the cooling mode. 14. A system, as claimed in claim 1, including auxiliary heat exchange coil heating means, said coil heating means including refrigerant vapor directing conduit means arranged for directing refrigerant vapor discharged from said compressor to flow over said auxiliary heat exchange coil directing valve means in said directing conduit means and means for operating said directing valve means to allow refrigerant flow therethrough. 15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means for operating said directing valve means comprises a sensing means for sensing a system parameter correlatable to the heat exchange capacity of said auxiliary heat exchange means, said directing valve means operating in response to the parameter sensed by said sending means. 16. A system, as claimed in claim 1, including liquid trap means disposed downstream of said outdoor heat exchange means, upstream of said auxiliary heat during the heating mode, said liquid trap means comprising an accumulator in series flow relationship with both said outdoor and auxiliary heat exchange means for receiving all refrigerant exiting said outdoor heat exchanger and for passing any liquid portion thereof on to said auxiliary heat exchange means and a vapor conduit communicating with said accumulator and said refrigerant conduit downstream of said auxiliary heat exchange means during the heating mode for bypassing said auxiliary heat exchange means with the vapor portion of said refrigerant. 17. A reversible mode heating and cooling system for heating and cooling an interior space, comprising: (a) compressor means for compressing vaporous refrigerant; (b) indoor heat exchange means arranged in heat exchange relationship with air in said interior space for condensing refrigerant and heating said air during the heating mode and evaporating refrigerant and cooling said air during the cooling mode; (c) refrigerant expansion means; (d) outdoor heat exchange means arranged in heat exchange relationship with outdoor ambient air for evaporating refrigerant during the heating mode and condensing refrigerant during the cooling mode; (e) refrigerant flow reversing means for providing mode means heating and cooling from the system by refrigerant flow direction selection; (f) water cooled heat exchange means in series flow relationship with and between said outdoor and indoor heat exchangers for cooling liquid refrigerant, said water cooled heat exchange means disposed downstream of said outdoor heat exchanger during the cooling mode and downstream of said indoor heat exchanger during the heating mode; (g) refrigerant conduit means connecting said compressor means, indoor heat exchange means, with water cooled heat exchange means refrigerant expansion means, outdoor heat exchange means and refrigerant flow reversing means in a series flow relationship to form a reversible heating and cooling system for transferring heat via a fluid refrigerant between said indoor heat exchange means and said outdoor exchange means; (h) storage means for storing a heat exchange fluid; (i) connecting means connecting said storage means and said water cooled heat exchange means for circulating a heat exchange fluid and exchanging heat between said storage means and said water cooled heat exchange means; and (j) control means for controlling heat exchange fluid flow from said storage means to said water cooled heat exchange means, said control means including means for sensing the selected mode, a sensor disposed for sensing a system parameter during the heating mode and valve means in said connecting means, said control means including means for adjustably operating said valve means in said connecting means to allow heat exchange fluid flow therethrough during the cooling mode and in response to the parameter sensed by said sensor during the heating mode.