Conduit module coupled with heating or cooling module
AssigneeWaterFurnace International, Inc.
InventorsCharles P. Medlock, Christopher P. Medlock, Jonathan A. Brock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heating and cooling system for use with hot, cold and source fluid circuits. A conduit module couples a heating/cooling module with the fluid circuits. The conduit module includes four three-way valves to communicated fluid from and to the fluid circuits to first and second heat exchangers in the heating/cooling module. The first heat exchanger is used to heat a fluid flow and the second one chills a second fluid flow. The conduit module simultaneously supplies a hot fluid flow to a hot fluid circuit and a cold fluid to a cold fluid circuit. The source fluid is routed by the conduit module. A method of circulating fluid is also disclosed.
Claims20
A valved fluid flow module to couple a plurality of fluid circuits to a heating/cooling module having a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, comprising:
- a first three-way valve configured to receive a first fluid from a first fluid circuit, receive a source fluid from a source fluid circuit, and selectively regulate flow of the first fluid and the source fluid to the first heat exchanger from the first fluid circuit and the source fluid circuit;
- a second three-way valve configured to convey the first fluid to the first fluid circuit for a heating load, convey the source fluid to the source fluid circuit, and selectively regulate flow of the first fluid and the source fluid from the first heat exchanger to the first fluid circuit and the source fluid circuit;
- a third three-way valve configured to receive a second fluid from a second fluid circuit, receive the source fluid from the source fluid circuit, and selectively regulate flow of the second fluid and the source fluid to the second heat exchanger from the second fluid circuit and the source fluid circuit;
- and
- a fourth three-way valve configured to convey the second fluid to the second fluid circuit for a cooling load, convey the source fluid to the source fluid circuit, and selectively regulate flow of the second fluid and the source fluid from the second heat exchanger to the second fluid circuit and the source fluid circuit.
A valved fluid flow assembly to couple a plurality of fluid circuits to a heating/cooling module having a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, comprising:
- a first fluid supply conduit and a first fluid return conduit configured to convey a first fluid to and from a first fluid circuit for a heating load;
- a second fluid supply conduit and a second fluid return conduit configured to convey a second fluid to and from a second fluid circuit for a cooling load;
- a source fluid supply conduit and a source fluid return conduit configured to convey a thermal transfer source fluid to and from a source fluid circuit;
- a first three-way valve configured to receive the first fluid from the first fluid return conduit, receive the source fluid from the source fluid return conduit, and selectively regulate flow of the first fluid and the source fluid to the first heat exchanger from the first fluid return conduit and the source fluid return conduit;
- a second three-way valve configured to convey the first fluid to the first fluid supply conduit for the heating load, convey the source fluid to the source fluid supply conduit, and selectively regulate flow of the first fluid and the source fluid from the first heat exchanger to the first fluid supply conduit and the source fluid supply conduit;
- a third three-way valve configured to receive the second fluid from the second fluid return conduit, receive the source fluid from the source fluid return conduit, and selectively regulate flow of the second fluid and the source fluid to the second heat exchanger from the second fluid return conduit and the source fluid return conduit;
- and
- a fourth three-way valve configured to convey the second fluid to the second fluid supply conduit for the cooling load, convey the source fluid to the source fluid supply conduit, and selectively regulate flow of the second fluid and the source fluids from the second heat exchanger to the second fluid supply conduit and the source fluid supply conduit.
A heating and cooling system, comprising:
- a heating and cooling module including a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger;
- and
- a valved conduit module comprising:
- a first three-way valve configured to receive a first fluid from a first fluid circuit, receive a source fluid from a source fluid circuit, and selectively regulate flow of the first fluid and the source fluid to the first heat exchanger from the first fluid circuit and the source fluid circuit;
- a second three-way valve configured to convey the first fluid to the first fluid circuit for a heating load, convey source fluid to the source fluid circuit, and selectively regulate flow of the first fluid and the source fluid from the first heat exchanger to the first fluid circuit and the source fluid circuit;
- a third three-way valve configured to receive a second fluid from a second fluid circuit, receive the source fluid from the source fluid circuit, and selectively regulate flow of the second fluid and the source fluid to the second heat exchanger from the second fluid circuit and the source fluid circuit;
- and
- a fourth three-way valve configured to convey the second fluid to the second fluid circuit for a cooling load, convey the source fluid to the source fluid circuit, and selectively regulate flow of the second fluid and the source fluid from the second heat exchanger to the second fluid circuit and the source fluid circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.