Integrated refrigerant charge collector for heat pumps

A heat pump system comprising:

• an indoor coil configured to condition air in a closed space;
• an outdoor coil configured to exchange heat with ambient air;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the indoor coil and the outdoor coil;
• a reversing valve in fluid communication with the indoor coil, the outdoor coil, and the compressor, and configured to switch operation of the heat pump system between a heating mode and a cooling mode;
• and
• an integrated refrigerant charge collector in fluid communication with the indoor coil, the outdoor coil, the compressor, and the reversing valve, wherein the integrated refrigerant charge collector is configured to (i) extract a liquid refrigerant from a circuit of the heat pump system during the heating mode, (ii) add the liquid refrigerant to the circuit during the cooling mode, and (iii) allow desired flow of a refrigerant charge into the compressor during the heating mode and the cooling mode, wherein the integrated refrigerant charge collector comprises:
• an elongated housing, wherein a length of the elongated housing is in a range of 8 to 18 inches;
• and
• a divider plate disposed within the elongated housing, and configured to define an accumulator compartment and a receiver compartment, wherein the accumulator compartment is in fluid communication with the reversing valve and the compressor, and the receiver compartment is in fluid communication with the indoor coil and the outdoor coil, and wherein the divider plate is located at a distance of at least 30% of the length of the elongated housing from a bottom end thereof.

An integrated refrigerant charge collector for a heat pump system comprising:

• an elongated housing defining a longitudinal axis, wherein a length of the elongated housing is in a range of 8 to 18 inches;
• and
• a divider plate disposed within the elongated housing, and configured to define an accumulator compartment and a receiver compartment within the elongated housing, wherein a horizontal plane of the divider plate is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing, and wherein the divider plate is located at a distance of at least 30% of the length of the elongated housing from a bottom end thereof,
• wherein the accumulator compartment is in fluid communication with a reversing valve and a compressor of the heat pump system, and
• wherein the receiver compartment is in fluid communication with an indoor coil and an outdoor coil of the heat pump system, and configured to (i) extract a liquid refrigerant from a circuit of the heat pump system during a heating mode, and (ii) add the liquid refrigerant to the circuit of the heat pump system during a cooling mode.