US 2026/0287201 A1Published application

Heat pump with receiver and active charge management system

AssigneeTyco Fire & Security GmbH

InventorAndrew Leroy Hjortland

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A heat pump for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a working fluid circuit, where the working fluid circuit includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first expansion device, and a second expansion device. The heat pump also includes a compressor having a suction port and an injection port, a receiver disposed along the working fluid circuit, where the receiver includes a vessel and a heat exchange tube within the vessel, and the vessel is configured to retain working fluid. The heat pump includes an injection conduit extending from the liquid conduit portion to the injection port of the compressor, where the injection conduit is fluidly coupled to a heat exchange tube disposed within the vessel, and the injection conduit is configured to direct working fluid from the liquid conduit portion, through the heat exchange tube, and to the injection port of the compressor.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A heat pump for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

a working fluid circuit configured to circulate a working fluid therethrough, wherein the working fluid circuit comprises a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat between the working fluid and a supply air flow, a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat between the working fluid and an ambient air flow, a first expansion device, and a second expansion device;
a liquid conduit portion of the working fluid circuit extending between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the first expansion device and the second expansion device are disposed along the liquid conduit portion;
a compressor disposed along the working fluid circuit, wherein the compressor is configured to direct the working fluid along the working fluid circuit, and the compressor comprises a suction port and an injection port;
a receiver disposed along the working fluid circuit, wherein the receiver comprise a vessel and a heat exchange tube disposed within the vessel, and the vessel is fluidly coupled to the liquid conduit portion and is configured to retain a first portion of the working fluid therein;
and
an injection conduit extending from the liquid conduit portion to the injection port of the compressor, wherein the injection conduit is fluidly coupled to a heat exchange tube disposed within the vessel, and the injection conduit is configured to direct a second portion of the working fluid from the liquid conduit portion, through the heat exchange tube, and to the injection port of the compressor.

3 more elements

A heat pump, comprising:

a working fluid circuit, comprising:
a liquid conduit portion configured to direct a working fluid between a first heat exchanger of the working fluid circuit and a second heat exchanger of the working fluid circuit;
and
an injection conduit configured to direct a first portion of the working fluid from the liquid conduit portion to a compressor of the working fluid circuit;
a receiver disposed along the working fluid circuit, wherein the receiver comprises:
a vessel disposed along the liquid conduit portion, wherein the vessel is configured to receive the working fluid from the liquid conduit portion and retain a second portion of the working fluid within the vessel;
and
a heat exchange tube disposed within the vessel and disposed along the injection conduit, wherein the heat exchange tube is configured to direct the first portion of the working fluid therethrough and place the first portion of the working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with the working fluid within the vessel.

5 more elements

A heat pump, comprising:

a working fluid circuit configured to circulate a working fluid, wherein the working fluid circuit comprises a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first expansion device, a second expansion device, and a reversing valve, wherein the reversing valve is configured to adjust a flow direction of the working fluid through the working fluid circuit;
a receiver disposed along the working fluid circuit, wherein the receiver comprises a vessel and a heat exchange tube disposed within the vessel;
a liquid conduit portion of the working fluid circuit, wherein the liquid conduit portion extends between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, the vessel of the receiver is disposed along the liquid conduit portion, and vessel is configured to retain a first portion of the working fluid therein;
an injection conduit extending from the liquid conduit portion to an injection port of the compressor, wherein the injection conduit comprises a third expansion device, the heat exchange tube is disposed along the injection conduit, and the injection conduit is configured to direct a second portion of the working fluid from the liquid conduit portion, through the heat exchange tube, and to the injection port of the compressor;
and
a controller communicatively coupled to the first expansion device, the second expansion device, and the third expansion device, wherein the controller is
configured, in a heating mode of the heat pump, to:
adjust the first expansion device based on data indicative of an amount of subcooling of the working fluid exiting the first heat exchanger;
adjust the second expansion device based on data indicative of an amount of superheat of the working fluid exiting the second heat exchanger;
and
adjust the third expansion device based on data indicative of an amount of superheat of the working fluid exiting the heat exchange tube, data indicative of an amount of superheat of the working fluid exiting the compressor, or both.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.