Packaged multi-functional air source heat pump integrated with a hydronic loop for cooling/heating energy storage

An air source heat pump comprising:

• a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;
• an indoor air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor along an indoor line;
• an outdoor air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor along an outdoor line;
• a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant from either of the indoor line or the outdoor line for transferring heat to a supply of water;
• a hydronic loop comprising a closed loop through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, the hydronic loop including a storage module containing a phase change material therein, the hydronic loop further including a pump configured to circulate the supply of water through the storage module and through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, wherein the phase change material is thermally coupled to the refrigerant solely through the water circulating in the hydronic loop, such that heat transfer between the refrigerant and the phase change material occurs indirectly via the water circulating in the hydronic loop;
• a first electronic expansion valve that is series-connected to the indoor air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, a second electronic expansion valve that is series-connected to the outdoor air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, and a third electronic expansion valve that is series-connected to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger;
• and
• a controller module communicatively coupled with a first four-way reversing valve and a second four-way reversing valve for selectively routing the refrigerant from a discharge side of the compressor to the indoor air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the outdoor air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, and the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger;
• wherein the first four-way reversing valve and the second four-way reversing valve are coupled together in series to provide a bidirectional flow path between the first four-way reversing valve and the second four-way reversing valve, wherein the first four-way reversing valve is fluidly coupled to the compressor, the indoor air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, and the second four-way reversing valve, and wherein the second four-way reversing valve is fluidly coupled to the outdoor air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger and the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger;
• and
• wherein the controller module is configured to modulate the first four-way reversing valve and the second four-way reversing valve to alter refrigerant flow direction and to configure the first, second, and third electronic expansion valves and the pump to selectively provide each one of:
• space cooling;
• dedicated cooling-energy charge, simultaneous space cooling and cooling-energy charge, and heating mode outdoor defrost mode;
• cooling-storage discharge;
• space heating;
• heat-energy charge;
• and heat-storage discharge.