Caloric heat pump hydraulic system
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorMichael Goodman Schroeder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator appliance includes a fresh food working fluid circuit that couples a hot side heat exchanger, a fresh food cold side heat exchanger and a fresh food regenerator. A first pair of diverter valves and a hot side reservoir are coupled to the fresh food working fluid circuit. The hot side reservoir is positioned below one or both of the first pair of diverter valves. A freezer working fluid circuit couples a freezer cold side heat exchanger and a freezer regenerator. A second pair of diverter valves and a fresh food cold side reservoir are coupled to the freezer working fluid circuit. The fresh food cold side reservoir is positioned below one or both of the second pair of diverter valves. A liquid-liquid heat exchanger is also coupled to the fresh food working fluid circuit.
Claims19
A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
- a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber;
- a hot side heat exchanger positioned outside of the fresh food chamber and the freezer chamber of the cabinet;
- a fresh food cold side heat exchanger positioned within the cabinet at the fresh food chamber, the fresh food chamber chillable with air from the fresh food cold side heat exchanger;
- a freezer cold side heat exchanger positioned within the cabinet at the freezer chamber, the freezer chamber chillable with air from the freezer cold side heat exchanger;
- a fresh food regenerator comprising a first caloric material stage and a second caloric material stage;
- a freezer regenerator comprising a first caloric material stage and a second caloric material stage, the first and second caloric material stages of the freezer regenerator separate from the first and second caloric material stages of the fresh food regenerator;
- a fresh food working fluid circuit coupling the hot side heat exchanger, the fresh food cold side heat exchanger and the fresh food regenerator such that a first working fluid is flowable through the hot side heat exchanger, the fresh food cold side heat exchanger and the fresh food regenerator via the fresh food working fluid circuit;
- a first pair of diverter valves coupled to the fresh food working fluid circuit, the first pair of diverter valves configured for selectively changing a flow direction of the first working fluid through the first caloric material stage and the second caloric material stage of the fresh food regenerator;
- a hot side reservoir coupled to the fresh food working fluid circuit, the hot side reservoir sized for containing a volume of the first working fluid, the hot side reservoir positioned outside of the fresh food chamber and the freezer chamber of the cabinet, the hot side reservoir positioned below one or both of the first pair of diverter valves;
- a freezer working fluid circuit coupling the freezer cold side heat exchanger and the freezer regenerator such that a second working fluid is flowable through the freezer cold side heat exchanger and the freezer regenerator via the freezer working fluid circuit;
- and
- a second pair of diverter valves coupled to the freezer working fluid circuit, the second pair of diverter valves configured for selectively changing a flow direction of the second working fluid through the first caloric material stage and the second caloric material stage of the freezer regenerator;
- a fresh food cold side reservoir coupled to the freezer working fluid circuit, the fresh food cold side reservoir sized for containing a volume of the second working fluid, the fresh food cold side reservoir positioned within the cabinet at the fresh food chamber, the fresh food cold side reservoir positioned below one or both of the second pair of diverter valves;
- and
- a liquid-liquid heat exchanger coupled to the fresh food working fluid circuit such that the first working fluid is flowable through the liquid-liquid heat exchanger, the liquid-liquid heat exchanger positioned at the fresh food cold side reservoir such the liquid-liquid heat exchanger is configured for exchanging heat between the first working fluid in the liquid-liquid heat exchanger and the second working fluid in the fresh food cold side reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.