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US 12,152,795 B2Granted
Electrical interface for heat pump
AssigneeDandelion Energy, Inc.
InventorsPaul Ingemi, Dung Duc Nguyen, John Dunn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical interface selectively places a heat pump and a backup temperature control device in alternative electrical communication with a single power feed. A compressor of the heat pump may be in selective electrical communication with the power feed via a normally open relay. Removal of a control voltage results in opening of the normal open relay, and closing of a normally closed relay to place the backup temperature control device in selective electrical communication with the power feed. For a ground source heat pump, a ground loop pump may also be in selective electrical communication with the power feed (e.g., via a normally closed relay).
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrical interface configured to receive a power feed and produce first output to route the power feed to a heat pump in thermal communication with a space and a second output to route the power feed to a backup temperature control device in thermal communication with the space, the electrical interface comprising:
- a control input;
- a normally open relay between the power feed and a compressor of the heat pump that is, wherein the heat pump is configured to perform selective heating and cooling of the space;
- and
- a normally closed relay between the power feed and the backup temperature control device, wherein the backup temperature control device is configured to perform a same one of heating or cooling the space as being performed by the heat pump at a time when the heat pump fails;
- wherein, during a first mode of operation, the control input is configured to receive a first voltage signal to open the normally closed relay and to close the normally open relay to isolate the backup temperature control device from electrical communication with the power feed and connect the compressor to the power feed, and
- wherein, in the event of a heat pump system failure, the control input is configured to receive a second voltage signal to close the normally closed relay and to open the normally open relay, to isolate the compressor from electrical communication with the power feed and connect the backup temperature control device to the power feed.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving a power feed in an electrical interface, the electrical interface comprising a control input, a first output to route the power feed to a heat pump, and a second output to route the power feed to a backup temperature control device, wherein the heat pump is configured to perform selective heating and cooling of a space, and wherein the backup temperature control device is configured to perform a same one of heating or cooling the space as being performed by the heat pump when the heat pump at a time fails;
- placing a compressor of the heat pump in electrical communication with the power feed through a normally open relay coupled to the first output of the electrical interface;
- and
- placing a backup temperature control device in electrical communication with the power feed through a normally closed relay coupled to a second output of the electrical interface,
- wherein, during a first mode of operation, the control input is configured to receive a first voltage signal to open the normally closed relay and to close the normally open relay to isolate the backup temperature control device from electrical communication with the power feed and connect the compressor to the power feed, and
- wherein, in the event of a heat pump system failure, the control input is configured to receive a second voltage signal to close the normally closed relay and to open the normally open relay to isolate the compressor from electrical communication with the power feed and connect the backup temperature control device to the power feed.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a heat pump comprising a plurality of components, the heat pump configured to perform selective heating and cooling of a space;
- a backup temperature control device, the backup temperature control device configured to perform a same one of heating or cooling the space as being performed by the heat pump at a time when the heat pump fails;
- a normally open relay coupled between a power feed and one or more components of the heat pump;
- a normally closed relay coupled between the power feed and the backup temperature control device,
- wherein the normally open relay and the normally closed relay are coupled to at least one control input,
- wherein, during a first mode of operation, the at least one control input is configured to receive at least one first voltage signal to open the normally closed relay and to close the normally open relay to isolate the backup temperature control device from electrical communication with the power feed and connect the compressor to the power feed, and
- wherein, in the event of a heat pump system failure, the at least one control input is configured to receive at least one second voltage signal to close the normally closed relay and to open the normally open relay, to isolate the compressor from electrical communication with the power feed and connect the backup temperature control device to the power feed.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.