Hybrid fossil fuel-electric multi-function heat pump
AssigneeStone Mountain Technologies, Inc.
InventorMichael A. Garrabrant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-function heating and cooling device, comprising components for an ambient air-coupled sorption heat pump cycle and vapor compression cooling cycle integrated together inside a single enclosure is proposed. The sorption heat pump portion is configured to provide very high heating efficiency, while the vapor compression portion is configured to provide high cooling efficiency. The evaporator coil for the sorption cycle and the condenser coil for the vapor compression cycle are configured to share a common ambient-air fan, saving space and cost. By combining the two heating-cooling systems into a single enclosure with shared components, the total installed cost and outdoor space required is reduced compared to installing separate heating and cooling systems.
Claims14
A heating and cooling system for a building having a hybrid fossil fuel-electric multifunction heat pump comprising:
- a thermally activated sorption heat pump system for space and/or water heating comprising at least a desorber, condenser, evaporator and absorber,
- an electric-powered vapor compression heat pump system comprising at least a compressor, condenser and evaporator, and
- an air-moving device that causes outdoor ambient air to flow in series over both the evaporator of the sorption heat pump system and condenser of the vapor compression heat pump system
- wherein the sorption system and the vapor compression heat pump system are configured to operate in a simultaneous mode and an alternate mode, and
- the air-moving device causes outdoor ambient air to flow through the evaporator of the sorption heat pump system, then flow through the condenser of the vapor compression heat pump system, then flow back to the outdoor ambient air,
- the outdoor ambient air transfers heat to the evaporator of the sorption heat pump system when operating in a heating mode, the condenser of the vapor compression heat pump system transfers heat to the outdoor ambient air when operating in a cooling mode, and the evaporator of the sorption heat pump system cools the outdoor ambient air before the outdoor air is heated by the condenser of the vapor compression heat pump when operating in a simultaneous mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.