Refrigeration system having high-efficiency loop
AssigneeCopeland Corporation
InventorJuan Esteban Catano-Montoya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refrigeration system includes a main fluid loop and a secondary fluid loop. The main fluid loop includes a compressor and a heat exchanger that circulate a first working fluid. The secondary fluid loop circulates a second working fluid. The secondary fluid loop is in thermal communication with the main fluid loop at the heat exchanger. The secondary fluid loop includes a pump, a thermal energy storage, and a coil fluid line. The secondary fluid loop includes a multi-position valve configured to move between positions that selectively fluidly connect the heat exchanger, the pump, the thermal energy storage, and the coil fluid line.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a main fluid loop through which a first working fluid circulates, wherein the main fluid loop includes a compressor and an evaporator, and a condenser;
- a heating secondary loop through which a second working fluid circulates, wherein the second working fluid is different than the first working fluid, wherein the first and second working fluids are fluidly isolated from each other, wherein the heating secondary loop includes a first valve, a first thermal energy storage, and an outdoor coil;
- a cooling secondary loop through which the second working fluid circulates, wherein the cooling secondary loop includes a second valve, a second thermal energy storage, and an indoor coil;
- wherein the system is operable in a first mode and a second mode,
- wherein in the first mode:
- the second working fluid in the cooling secondary loop flows from the evaporator to the second valve and from the second valve to the indoor coil,
- the second working fluid in the heating secondary loop flows from the condenser to the first valve and from the first valve to the outdoor coil, and
- the first and second thermal energy storages are fluidly disconnected from the first and second valves, respectively;
- and
- wherein in the second mode:
- the indoor coil is fluidly disconnected from the second valve and the evaporator,
- the second working fluid in the cooling secondary loop flows from the evaporator to the second valve and from the second valve to the second thermal energy storage,
- the second working fluid in the heating secondary loop flows from the condenser to the first valve and from the first valve to the outdoor coil, and
- the first thermal energy storage is fluidly disconnected from the first valve.
A system comprising:
- a main fluid loop through which a first working fluid circulates, wherein the main fluid loop includes a compressor and an evaporator, and a condenser;
- a heating secondary loop through which a second working fluid circulates, wherein the second working fluid is different than the first working fluid, wherein the first and second working fluids are fluidly isolated from each other, wherein the heating secondary loop includes a first valve, a first thermal energy storage, and an outdoor coil;
- a cooling secondary loop through which the second working fluid circulates, wherein the cooling secondary loop includes a second valve, a second thermal energy storage, and an indoor coil;
- wherein the system is operable in a first mode in which:
- heat is transferred from the condenser to the outdoor coil via the second working fluid in the heating secondary loop,
- the evaporator cools the second working fluid provided to the indoor coil, and
- fluid flow to and from the first and second thermal energy storages is prevented.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.