초록 ▼

A geothermal subcircuit for use with a conventional air conditioning unit. The subcircuit includes a geothermal heat exchanger that is buried in the ground or submerged in a lake, river, well or geothermal heat sink. The geothermal subcircuit is connected with the geothermal heat exchanger in parall

A geothermal subcircuit for use with a conventional air conditioning unit. The subcircuit includes a geothermal heat exchanger that is buried in the ground or submerged in a lake, river, well or geothermal heat sink. The geothermal subcircuit is connected with the geothermal heat exchanger in parallel with the outdoor air coil. The control mechanism operates to selectively move refrigerant through the outdoor air coil during the cooling mode or through the geothermal heat exchanger during the heating mode.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [1.] A heating and cooling circuit comprising:an air conditioning unit having a compressor for circulating a refrigerant through the circuit and an outdoor coil for condensing gas refri

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [1.] A heating and cooling circuit comprising:an air conditioning unit having a compressor for circulating a refrigerant through the circuit and an outdoor coil for condensing gas refrigerant into a liquid, said compressor and said outdoor coil contained within an outdoor housing;an indoor unit having an indoor coil for condensing gas refrigerant into a liquid and evaporating liquid refrigerant into a gas, said indoor coil interconnected with said compressor and said outdoor coil by a liquid refrigerant line and a gas refrigerant line;a geothermal subcircuit including a geothermal heat exchanger for evaporating liquid refrigerant into a gas, said heat exchanger connected to the circuit in parallel with said outdoor coil, said geothermal subcircuit further including a reversing valve operable between a cooling position in which said refrigerant is circulated through said outdoor coil and said indoor coil and a heating position in which said refrigerant is circulated through said geothermal heat exchanger and said indoor coil, said geothermal subcircuit including an accumulator for regulating a volume of said refrigerant within the circuit, said accumulator positioned along said gas refrigerant line between said heat exchanger and said compressor, said reversing valve positioned along said gas refrigerant line, said reversing valve having a primary interconnected with said compressor, a first secondary interconnected with said outdoor coil via a first section of said gas refrigerant line, a second secondary interconnected with said accumulator via a second section of said gas refrigerant line, and a third secondary interconnected with said indoor coil; anda control means for selectively moving said reversing valve between said cooling position and said heating position.