Controlling heat exchange from refrigeration system to geothermal system

An apparatus comprising a refrigeration system, a geothermal system, and a refrigerant flow control apparatus connected between the refrigeration system and the geothermal system, the refrigerant flow control apparatus comprising:

• a first refrigerant connection connecting a compressor discharge line of a refrigerant circuit of the refrigeration system to a first side of a first heat exchanger, the first side of the first heat exchanger being couplable to the refrigerant and a second side of the first heat exchanger being couplable to ambient air,
• a second refrigerant connection connecting the first side of the first heat exchanger to a first side of a second heat exchanger, a second side of the second heat exchanger being couplable to a working fluid in the geothermal system,
• a third refrigerant connection connecting the first side of the second heat exchanger to a liquid return line of the refrigerant circuit,
• a first refrigerant interconnection that interconnects the first refrigerant connection with the second refrigerant connection,
• a second refrigerant interconnection that interconnects the second refrigerant connection with the third refrigerant connection,
• a third refrigerant interconnection that interconnects the first refrigerant connection with the third refrigerant connection,
• a first valve system for diverting the flow of refrigerant through preselected paths in the connections and interconnections,
• a second valve system for variably controlling the flow rate of working fluid flowing through the second side of the second heat exchanger,
• a fan for variably controlling the air flow rate through the second side of the first heat exchanger, and
• a control system, connected to the first and second valve systems and the fan, for controlling valve positions in the first and second valve systems and fan speed;
• wherein the first valve system is selectively actuatable to control refrigerant flow from the refrigerant circuit selectively to the first and second heat exchangers, either individually or serially in either order;
• and
• wherein the first valve system is selectively actuatable to (i) in a first operation mode cause the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit to flow through the first heat exchanger, with no refrigerant flow through the second heat exchanger, (ii) in a second operation mode cause the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit to flow first through the first heat exchanger and then through the second heat exchanger in a first refrigerant flow direction, (iii) in a third operation mode cause the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit to flow through the second heat exchanger, with no refrigerant flow through the first heat exchanger, and (iv) in a fourth operation mode cause the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit to flow first through the second heat exchanger and then through the first heat exchanger in a second refrigerant flow direction.