A heat pump adapter system

A method of heating a building provided with a heat pump system with a heating mode refrigerant flow path comprising:

• a compressor coupled to receive refrigerant from a heating mode first refrigerant stream and a heating mode second refrigerant stream of the heating mode refrigerant flow path;
• a common condenser coupled to receive a common refrigerant flow from the compressor;
• and
• a heat exchanger for transferring heat between the heating mode first refrigerant stream and the heating mode second refrigerant stream;
• and
• a heating mode refrigerant flow splitter for splitting the common refrigerant flow into the heating mode first refrigerant stream and heating mode second refrigerant stream,
• wherein the heating mode first refrigerant stream comprises:
• a first expansion valve coupled to receive refrigerant from the common condenser;
• a first evaporator coupled to receive refrigerant from the first expansion valve;
• and
• the heat exchanger coupling the heating mode first refrigerant stream from the first evaporator to the compressor,
• wherein the heating mode second refrigerant stream comprises:
• a second expansion valve;
• the heat exchanger coupling the heating mode second refrigerant stream from the common condenser to the second expansion valve;
• and
• the second evaporator being coupled to communicate refrigerant from the second expansion valve to the compressor,
• wherein the first evaporator is in a first air flow conduit with a first air inlet for receiving a first air flow, and the second evaporator is in a second air flow conduit coupled to receive the first air flow,
• the method comprising:
• emitting heat from the common condenser by circulating refrigerant through the heating mode refrigerant flow path;
• and
• passing building exhaust air through the first evaporator and the second evaporator.

A method of cooling a building provided with a heat pump system with a cooling mode refrigerant flow path comprising:

• a compressor coupled to receive refrigerant from a cooling mode first refrigerant stream and a cooling mode second refrigerant stream of a cooling mode refrigerant flow path;
• a common condenser coupled to receive refrigerant from the compressor;
• a common subcooler coupled to receive refrigerant from the common condenser;
• a heat exchanger for transferring heat between the cooling mode first refrigerant stream and the cooling mode second refrigerant stream, and
• a cooling mode refrigerant flow splitter for splitting the common refrigerant flow into the cooling mode first refrigerant stream and cooling mode second refrigerant stream,
• wherein the cooling mode first refrigerant stream comprises:
• a second expansion valve coupling the cooling mode first refrigerant stream to the heat exchanger;
• and
• the heat exchanger coupling the cooling mode first refrigerant stream to the compressor,
• wherein the cooling mode second refrigerant stream comprises:
• the heat exchanger coupling the cooling mode second refrigerant stream to a first expansion valve;
• and
• a cooling mode second refrigerant stream evaporator coupling the second refrigerant stream from the first expansion valve to the compressor,
• the method comprising:
• absorbing heat by the cooling mode second refrigerant stream evaporator by circulating refrigerant through the cooling mode refrigerant flow path;
• and
• passing building exhaust air through the common subcooler a common condenser.