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US 12,158,282 B2Granted
Variable refrigerant flow system
AssigneeLennox Industries Inc.
InventorsDer-Kai Hung, Lin Lan, Christopher John Drury
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a reheater, a first valve, a second heat exchanger, a four-way valve, a cap tube, and a blower. The compressor compresses a refrigerant. The blower moves air proximate the second heat exchanger to the reheater. During a cooling mode of operation, the four-way valve is configured to direct refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to the compressor; the compressor compresses the refrigerant received from the first heat exchanger; and the cap tube is configured to allow refrigerant to bypass the reheater.
Claims16
An apparatus comprising:
- a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;
- a first heat exchanger;
- a reheater;
- a first valve;
- a second heat exchanger;
- a four-way valve;
- a cap tube;
- and
- a blower configured to move air proximate the second heat exchanger to the reheater,
- during a first mode of operation:
- the first heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a first portion of the refrigerant from the compressor;
- the first valve configured to open such that a second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor flows to the reheater;
- the second heat exchanger configured to use the first portion of the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to cool air proximate the second heat exchanger;
- and
- the reheater configured to use the second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor to heat the air moved by the blower;
- during a second mode of operation:
- the first heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the refrigerant from the compressor;
- the first valve configured to close to prevent refrigerant from the compressor from flowing to the reheater;
- and
- the second heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to cool the air proximate the second heat exchanger;
- and
- during a cooling mode of operation:
- the four-way valve is configured to direct refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to the compressor;
- and
- the compressor compresses the refrigerant received from the first heat exchanger;
- and
- the cap tube is configured to allow refrigerant to bypass the reheater.
24 more elements
A method comprising:
- compressing, by a compressor, a refrigerant;
- during a first mode of operation:
- removing, by a first heat exchanger, heat from a first portion of the refrigerant from the compressor;
- opening a first valve such that a second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor flows to a reheater;
- using, by a second heat exchanger, the first portion of the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to cool air proximate the second heat exchanger;
- moving, by a blower, air proximate the second heat exchanger to the reheater;
- and
- using, by the reheater, the second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor to heat air moved by the blower;
- and
- during a second mode of operation:
- removing, by the first heat exchanger, heat from the refrigerant from the compressor;
- closing the first valve to prevent refrigerant from the compressor from flowing to the reheater;
- using, by the second heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to cool the air proximate the second heat exchanger;
- moving, by the blower, air proximate the second heat exchanger to the reheater;
- and
- during a cooling mode of operation:
- adjusting a four-way valve to direct refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to the compressor;
- and
- compressing, by the compressor, the refrigerant received from the first heat exchanger;
- and
- allowing, by a cap tube, refrigerant to bypass the reheater.
18 more elements
A system comprising:
- a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;
- a first heat exchanger;
- a reheater;
- a first valve;
- a second heat exchanger;
- a four-way valve;
- and
- a cap tube;
- during a first mode of operation:
- the first heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a first portion of the refrigerant from the compressor;
- the first valve configured to open such that a second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor flows to the reheater;
- the second heat exchanger configured to use the first portion of the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to cool air proximate the second heat exchanger;
- the reheater configured to use the second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor to heat the air cooled by the second heat exchanger;
- and
- during a second mode of operation:
- the first heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the refrigerant from the compressor;
- the first valve configured to close to prevent refrigerant from the compressor from flowing to the reheater;
- and
- the second heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to cool the air proximate the second heat exchanger;
- and
- during a cooling mode of operation:
- the four-way valve is configured to direct refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to the compressor;
- and
- the compressor compresses the refrigerant received from the first heat exchanger;
- and
- the cap tube is configured to allow refrigerant to bypass the reheater.
23 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.