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US 2014/0150479 A1Published application
Secondary Defrost for Heat Pumps
AssigneeLennox Industries Inc.
InventorsYi Qu, Bruce Perkins, Chris Mchugh, Mark Olsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Frost may accumulate on a heat pump. In various implementations, a primary defrost operation and/or a secondary defrost operation may be utilized to remove at least a portion of the frost from the heat pump.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method for defrosting a heat pump, the method comprising:
- allowing a primary defrost operation of a heat pump;
- determining whether to allow a secondary defrost operation of a heat pump, wherein the secondary defrost operation of the heat pump comprises allowing one or more fans of the heat pump to operate at a low speed, wherein at least one of the fans comprises the low speed and at least one higher speed;
- and
- allowing the secondary defrost operation if the determination is made to allow the secondary defrost operation of the heat pump;
- wherein an amount of frost accumulation disposed proximate one or more parts of the heat pump is at least partially reduced.
2 more elements
An article comprising machine-readable medium storing instructions for managing an air conditioner, the instructions operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
- allowing a primary defrost operation of a heat pump, wherein the primary defrost operation comprises restricting operation of at least one fan of the heat pump;
- and
- determining whether to allow a secondary defrost operation of a heat pump, wherein the secondary operation of the heat pump comprises allowing at least one of the fans to operate at a low speed, wherein at least one of the fans comprises the low speed and at least one higher speed;
- allowing the secondary defrost operation if the determination is made to allow the secondary operation of the heat pump;
- wherein allowing at least one of the primary defrost operation or the secondary defrost operation at least partially reduces an amount of frost accumulation disposed proximate one or more parts of the heat pump.
2 more elements
A heat pump comprising:
- one or more heat exchangers;
- one or more fans, wherein at least one of the fans comprises a low speed and at least one higher speed;
- a primary defrost operation module adapted to:
- restrict operation of at least one of the fans;
- and
- allow a cooling cycle of the heat pump;
- wherein the primary defrost operation module is adapted to at least partially reduce an accumulation of frost proximate at least a portion of the heat pump;
- and
- a secondary defrost operation module adapted to:
- allow operation of at least one of the fans during the cooling cycle of the heat pump;
- wherein the secondary defrost operation module is adapted to at least partially reduce an accumulation of frost proximate at least a part of the heat pump.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.