Self operating excess refrigerant storage system for a heat pump

In a heat pump closed loop refrigeration and heating system including an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, a compressor and conduit means connecting the indoor coil and the outdoor coil in series and defining a closed loop, a mass of refrigerant within said closed loop, a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, and a reversing valve within said closed loop for reversing the direction of flow of refrigerant between said indoor and outdoor coils, and expansion means for said coils to permit one of said coils to selectively act as an evaporator coil and the other as a condenser and vice versa, the improvement comprising:

• a refrigerant pot surrounding a portion of said conduit means connecting said outdoor coil and said reversing valve and forming a closed chamber in heat exchange relation to said conduit means, and
• a small diameter bleed tube connecting said refrigerant pot to said conduit means connecting said indoor coil to said outdoor coil at a point upstream of said expansion means;
• whereby, during the heating cycle, relatively cool refrigerant passing from said outdoor coil to said reversing valve through said conduit means within said refrigerant pot causes condensation of refrigerant vapor within said chamber to reduce the chamber pressure such that liquid refrigerant migrates from said conduit means through small diameter bleed tube to said chamber thereby removing excess condensed refrigerant from said system.