# US 11,306,928 B2 · Method and apparatus for re-heat circuit operation

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- Number: US 11,306,928 B2
- Document ID: US11306928B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/016,858
- Filed: 2020-09-10
- Published: 2020-12-31
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-09
- Assignees: Lennox Industries Inc.
- Applicants: Lennox Industries Inc.
- Inventors: Rakesh Goel; Wenqian Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306928B2

## CPC

- F25B 40/04: Desuperheaters
- F24F 3/153: with subsequent heating, i.e. with the air, given the required humidity in the central station, passing a heating element to achieve the required temperature
- F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
- F24F 11/67: Switching between heating and cooling modes
- F24F 11/84: using valves
- F24F 13/30: Arrangement or mounting of heat-exchangers
- F25B 13/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02)
- F25B 39/02: Evaporators
- F25B 39/028: {having distributing means}
- F24F 2203/021: Compression cycle
- F25B 41/42: Arrangements for diverging or converging flows, e.g. branch lines or junctions
- F25B 2339/02: Details of evaporators
- F25B 2600/2511: Evaporator distribution valves
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)

## Abstract

A metering device is fluidly coupled to the condenser coil. A distributor is fluidly coupled to the metering device. An evaporator coil is fluidly coupled to the distributor via a plurality of evaporator circuit lines. A re-heat coil is disposed adjacent to the evaporator coil. The re-heat coil includes a first fluid connection to the metering device via a re-heat return line and a second re-heat feed line. The re-heat coil includes a second fluid connection to the condenser coil via a connecting line and a condenser intake line. A first check valve is disposed between the connecting line and the condenser intake line. A second check valve is disposed between the re-heat return line and the second re-heat feed line.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system comprising:
a condenser coil;
a valve fluidly coupled to the condenser coil;
a distributor fluidly coupled to the valve;
an evaporator coil, wherein the evaporator coil comprises:
a primary segment fluidly coupled to the distributor via a plurality of evaporator circuit lines, wherein the primary segment receives refrigerant from the condenser coil and discharges refrigerant to a compressor;
a secondary segment fluidly coupled to the compressor via a reversing valve, the secondary segment having a first fluid connection to the condenser coil via a re-heat return line and a second re-heat feed line, the secondary segment having a second fluid connection to the condenser coil via a condenser intake line, wherein the secondary segment is positioned directly above the primary segment;
wherein, in a re-heat mode, the secondary segment receives refrigerant from the compressor and discharges refrigerant to the condenser coil via the second fluid connection; and
wherein, in a cooling mode, the secondary segment receives refrigerant from the condenser coil via the second fluid connection and discharges refrigerant to the compressor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the evaporator coil further comprises:
a first check valve disposed in the first fluid connection; and
a second check valve disposed in the second fluid connection.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The HVAC system of claim 2, wherein, in the re-heat mode, the reversing valve directs refrigerant from the compressor to the secondary segment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The HVAC system of claim 2, wherein, in the re-heat mode, refrigerant is discharged from the secondary segment to the condenser coil via the first check valve.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The HVAC system of claim 4, wherein, in the re-heat mode, the second check valve prevents flow of refrigerant from the secondary segment to the valve.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The HVAC system of claim 2, wherein, in the cooling mode, the reversing valve directs refrigerant from the compressor to the condenser coil via a third check valve.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The HVAC system of claim 6, wherein, in the cooling mode, refrigerant is discharged from the secondary segment to the compressor via the reversing valve.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The HVAC system of claim 7, wherein, in the cooling mode, the first check valve prevents flow of refrigerant from the condenser coil to the secondary segment.

### Claim 9

An evaporator coil, comprising:
a primary segment that receives refrigerant from a condenser coil and discharges refrigerant to a compressor;
a secondary segment fluidly coupled to the compressor via a reversing valve, the secondary segment having a first fluid connection to the condenser coil via a re-heat return line and a second re-heat feed line, the secondary segment having a second fluid connection to the condenser coil via a condenser intake line, wherein the secondary segment is positioned directly above the primary segment;
wherein, in a re-heat mode, the secondary segment receives refrigerant from the compressor and discharges refrigerant to the condenser coil via the second fluid connection; and
wherein, in a cooling mode, the secondary segment receives refrigerant from the condenser coil via the second fluid connection and discharges refrigerant to the compressor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The evaporator coil of claim 9, comprising:
a first check valve disposed in the first fluid connection; and
a second check valve disposed in the second fluid connection.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The evaporator coil of claim 10, wherein, in the re-heat mode, the reversing valve directs refrigerant from the compressor to the secondary segment.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The evaporator coil of claim 10, wherein, in the re-heat mode, refrigerant is discharged from the secondary segment to the condenser coil via the first check valve.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The evaporator coil of claim 10, wherein, in the cooling mode, the reversing valve directs refrigerant from the compressor to the condenser coil via a third check valve.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The evaporator coil of claim 13, wherein, in the cooling mode, refrigerant is discharged from the secondary segment to the compressor via the reversing valve.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The evaporator coil of claim 14, wherein, in the cooling mode, the first check valve prevents flow of refrigerant from the condenser coil to the secondary segment.

### Claim 16

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system comprising:
a condenser coil;
a valve fluidly coupled to the condenser coil;
a distributor fluidly coupled to the valve;
an evaporator coil, wherein the evaporator coil comprises:
a primary segment fluidly coupled to the distributor via a plurality of evaporator circuit lines, wherein the primary segment receives refrigerant from the condenser coil and discharges refrigerant to a compressor;
a secondary segment fluidly coupled to the compressor via a reversing valve, the secondary segment having a first fluid connection to the condenser coil via a re-heat return line and a second re-heat feed line, the secondary segment having a second fluid connection to the condenser coil via a condenser intake line, wherein the secondary segment is positioned directly above the primary segment;
a first check valve disposed in the first fluid connection; and
a second check valve disposed in the second fluid connection; and
wherein the HVAC system operates in at least one of a cooling mode and a re-heat mode.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The HVAC system of claim 16, wherein, in the cooling mode:
the reversing valve directs refrigerant from the compressor to the condenser coil via a third check valve; and
refrigerant is discharged from the secondary segment to the compressor via the reversing valve.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The HVAC system of claim 16, wherein, in the cooling mode, the first check valve prevents flow of refrigerant from the condenser coil to the secondary segment.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The HVAC system of claim 16, wherein, in the re-heat mode:
the reversing valve directs refrigerant from the compressor to the secondary segment; and
refrigerant is discharged from the secondary segment to the condenser coil via the first fluid connection.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The HVAC system of claim 19, wherein, in the re-heat mode, the second check valve prevents flow of refrigerant through the first fluid connection.