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US 11,560,042 B2Granted
Heat pump refrigerant loop arrangements
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJeffrey Paul Brown, Manfred Koberstein, Loren John Lohmeyer, Rachael Shey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a compressor, a first condenser, a vapor generator having a first region and a second region, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, and a first evaporator. A branching point is positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator. The branching point diverts a portion of a first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop to the vapor generator. The first expansion valve is positioned between the branching point and the vapor generator. An outlet of the vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the compressor.
Claims20
A heat pump, comprising:
- a refrigerant loop, wherein the refrigerant loop comprises:
- a compressor;
- a first condenser downstream of the compressor and coupled to an outlet port of the compressor;
- a vapor generator downstream of the first condenser, wherein the vapor generator receives a first heat exchange fluid;
- a first receiver-dryer positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator;
- a first branching point positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator, wherein the first branching point diverts a portion of the first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop to a first inlet of the vapor generator;
- a first expansion valve positioned between the first branching point and the first inlet of the vapor generator, wherein a first outlet of the vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the compressor;
- a first evaporator downstream of the vapor generator and coupled to a second outlet of the vapor generator;
- and
- a second expansion valve positioned between the first evaporator and the vapor generator, wherein the first evaporator is upstream of the compressor and is coupled to a low-pressure inlet port of the compressor.
7 more elements
A heat pump, comprising:
- a refrigerant loop, wherein the refrigerant loop comprises:
- a compressor;
- a first condenser downstream of the compressor and coupled to an outlet port of the compressor;
- a vapor generator downstream of the first condenser, wherein the vapor generator comprises a first region and a second region that each receive a first heat exchange fluid;
- a first receiver-dryer positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator;
- a first branching point positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator, wherein the first branching point diverts a portion of the first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop to an inlet of the first region of the vapor generator;
- a first expansion valve positioned between the first branching point and the inlet of the first region of the vapor generator, wherein an outlet of the first region of the vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the compressor;
- a first evaporator downstream of the vapor generator and coupled to an outlet of the second region of the vapor generator;
- and
- a second expansion valve positioned between the first evaporator and the vapor generator, wherein the first evaporator is upstream of the compressor and is coupled to a low-pressure inlet port of the compressor;
- and
- an auxiliary refrigerant loop, wherein the auxiliary refrigerant loop comprises:
- an auxiliary compressor;
- an auxiliary condenser downstream of the auxiliary compressor and coupled to an outlet port of the auxiliary compressor;
- an auxiliary vapor generator downstream of the auxiliary condenser, wherein a first region of the auxiliary vapor generator is coupled to the auxiliary condenser;
- a first auxiliary expansion valve downstream of the auxiliary vapor generator and coupled to the auxiliary vapor generator;
- an auxiliary evaporator downstream of the first auxiliary expansion valve and coupled to the first auxiliary expansion valve, wherein the auxiliary evaporator is upstream of the auxiliary compressor and is coupled to a low-pressure inlet port of the auxiliary compressor;
- and
- an auxiliary branching point positioned between the auxiliary condenser and the auxiliary vapor generator, wherein the auxiliary branching point diverts a portion of a second heat exchange fluid circulating through the auxiliary refrigerant loop to a second region of the auxiliary vapor generator, wherein a second auxiliary expansion valve is positioned between the auxiliary branching point and the second region of the auxiliary vapor generator, and wherein an outlet of the second region of the auxiliary vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the auxiliary compressor.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.