US 2009/0288430 A1Published application

Heat pump with thermal energy transfer unit and method

OwnerR. David Andersoninventor

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Abstract

A thermal energy transfer unit is used in conjunction with a conventional Freon based heat pump system. One or several thermal energy transfer units are operatively interconnected to one or several Freon based heat pump systems and share a common energy storage tank. Each thermal energy transfer unit converts energy from a compressor and condensing coil of the conventional heat pump system and stores it in the common energy storage tank when electricity is in low demand. Each thermal energy transfer unit retrieves stored energy from the common storage tank and provides air conditioning without the use of the compressor when electricity is in high demand. Each thermal energy transfer unit can be disabled to allow the heat pump units to perform as if they and the energy storage tank were not connected. One or all of the units can be disabled without affecting the performance or purpose of the others.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An improved method for heating and cooling a structure using a Freon based heat pump system, comprising:

a first refrigerant based heat exchanger capable of acting as either an evaporator or a condenser and adapted to absorb thermal energy from a structure in a cooling mode and supply thermal energy to the structure in a heating mode;
a second refrigerant based heat exchanger also capable of acting as either an evaporator or a condenser and adapted to absorb thermal energy from ambient atmosphere in a one mode and being adapted to transfer thermal energy to ambient atmosphere in a different mode;
a refrigerant distribution loop containing a compressible Freon based refrigerant and connecting the first and second heat exchangers in fluid flow communication;
a refrigerant compressor adapted to cycle the refrigerant through the refrigerant distribution loop and the first and second heat exchangers;
a reversing valve for converting the system from one of the aforesaid heating and cooling modes to the other of the modes by reversing the flow of Freon based refrigerant in the refrigerant flow loop;
and
wherein the improved method comprises the steps of:
providing a thermal energy transfer unit in heat exchange relationship to the refrigerant distribution loop for applying energy conversion and storage to the Freon based heat pump system associated with the structure as the flow of Freon is reversed in the refrigerant flow loop during the cycling of the heating and cooling modes of operation of the system, the thermal energy transfer unit including a non-freezing liquid thermal storage media located in a thermal storage tank.

5 more elements

A method of air conditioning and heating a structure using a Freon based heat pump system including a first refrigerant based heat exchanger capable of acting as either an evaporator or a condenser and adapted to absorb thermal energy from a structure in a cooling mode and supply thermal energy to the structure in a heating mode, and also including a second refrigerant based heat exchanger also capable of acting as either an evaporator or a condenser and adapted to absorb thermal energy from ambient atmosphere in a one mode and being adapted to transfer thermal energy to ambient atmosphere in a different mode, the heat pump system also including a refrigerant distribution loop containing a compressible Freon based refrigerant and including a compressor for cycling the refrigerant between a gaseous state and a liquid state, the improvement comprising the steps of:

locating a thermal energy transfer unit in proximity to the structure, for applying energy conversion and storage to the existing conventional Freon based heat pump, including the steps of:
locating a thermal storage tank remotely from the thermal energy transfer unit and connecting the storage tank to the thermal energy transfer unit by a fluid flow line;
providing a pump for circulating non-freezing liquid in the fluid flow line to and from the storage tank for transferring heat to and from the storage tank;
wherein the thermal energy transfer unit includes an auxiliary heat exchanger to transfer heat from the non-freezing liquid to Freon being circulated within the refrigerant loop when storing energy in the tank and wherein the same auxiliary heat exchanger is used to transfer the heat in the Freon to the non freezing liquid, and thus to the tank, when air conditioning is performed without the compressor running, the heat transfer without the use of the compressor being accomplished by condensing the Freon to a liquid state and then pumping the liquid Freon into the structure to absorb heat where it vaporizes, and wherein the Freon is then circulated in heat exchange relationship with the auxiliary heat exchanger where it transfers its heat to the non freezing liquid and condenses to its liquid state after it absorbs heat and vaporizes inside the structure.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.