System and method for heating or cooling employing heat pump

A method of operating a heating and cooling system at least in part by performing water temperature conditioning, the method comprising:

• providing each of
• a) a stratified thermal storage tank (STST) having an interior region and including within the interior region a fluid having a decreasing temperature distribution from a first end to a second end of the STST,
• b) first and second conduits respectively coupled to the STST at a first location proximate the first end and at a second location along a midsection between the first and second ends,
• c) first, second, third, and fourth additional conduits respectively coupled to the STST at first, second, third, and fourth additional locations along the STST, wherein the first and fourth additional locations are respectively at or proximate to the first and second ends, respectively, the second additional location is between the first and fourth additional locations, and the third additional location is between the second and fourth additional locations, and
• d) a heat pump including a first evaporator and a first gas cooler, wherein a first output port of the gas cooler is coupled to the STST at least indirectly by the first additional conduit and a first input port of the first gas cooler is coupled to the STST at least indirectly by the second additional conduit, wherein a first input port of the evaporator is coupled to the STST at least indirectly by the third additional conduit, and wherein a first output port of the evaporator is coupled to the STST at least indirectly by the fourth additional conduit;
• causing a first amount of the fluid to flow, via the third additional conduit, from the third additional location to the first input port of the evaporator so that first heat is transported to the evaporator;
• transporting the first heat by way of flowing refrigerant within the heat pump from the evaporator to the gas cooler;
• causing a second amount of the fluid to flow from the second additional location to the first additional location, via the second and first additional conduits and through the gas cooler, so that the second amount of the fluid receives the first heat at the gas cooler and so that the first heat is delivered to the interior of the STST by way of the first additional location;
• and
• pumping a third amount of the fluid to flow from the first location via the first conduit for receipt by the heating load, so that at least a portion of the first heat is delivered to the heating load.

A heating and cooling system configured to perform water temperature conditioning, the heating and cooling system comprising:

• a first stratified thermal storage tank (STST) having, within an interior region thereof, a fluid having a decreasing temperature distribution from a first end to a second end of the STST;
• first and second conduits respectively coupled to the STST at first and second locations, respectively, the first location being proximate the first end and the second location being along a thermocline section of the interior region between the first and second ends, wherein the conduits are configured to be coupled at least indirectly to a heating load so that a first amount of the fluid can flow between the STST and the heating load;
• a mixing valve having first and second input ports respectively coupled by first and second additional conduits, respectively, to first and second additional locations along the STST, respectively, wherein the first and second additional locations are between the first and second ends, respectively;
• and
• a heat pump including an evaporator and a gas cooler,
• wherein a first output port of the gas cooler is coupled by a third additional conduit to a third additional location proximate the first end of the STST and wherein a first input port of the first gas cooler is coupled to an output port of the mixing valve, so that at least a second amount of the fluid can flow between the STST and the gas cooler via the mixing valve,
• wherein a first input port of the evaporator is coupled to the STST at least indirectly by a fourth additional conduit and wherein a first output port of the evaporator is coupled to the STST at least indirectly by a fifth additional conduit, so that at least a third amount of the fluid can flow between the STST and the evaporator, and
• wherein the heat pump operates to circulate therewithin a refrigerant between the evaporator and the gas cooler in accordance with a transcritical cycle, so that first heat transported from the STST to the evaporator by the third amount of the fluid is communicated by way of the heat pump to the gas cooler and then delivered from the gas cooler by the second amount of fluid to a hot section of the interior region of the STST proximate the first end,
• whereby at least some of the first heat can be further transported by the first amount of fluid via the first conduit for receipt by the load.