Controller for condenser-side-storage solar heat-pump systems
AssigneeThe Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska Regents Hall
InventorRichard C. Bourne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To improve the efficiency of a condenser-side-storage solar heat-pump system, the controller for the heat pump measures the temperature outside the house and: (1) subtracts it from the temperature within a collector for the solar heat system; and (2) adds the product of a minimum temperature which is set for the solar heat system storage in accordance with the season and a constant factor. If this sum is greater than the product of storage temperature and the same constant factor, the heat pump is run. This mode of operation causes the heat pump to: (1) store to higher temperatures during full sun conditions; (2) run continuously during low storage conditions; and (3) bias towards sunny weather operation.
Claims33
A method of operating a solar heat pump, comprising the steps of:
- periodically transferring heat from the solar collector to a storage medium;
- said step of periodically transferring heat including the step of operating a heat pump to transfer the heat from the solar collector to the storage medium periodically;
- and
- the step of operating the heat pump including the step of operating the heat pump for longer periods of time as one of the temperature difference between the collector and outdoors decreases and storage temperature decreases.
A method of operating a solar heat pump comprising the steps of:
- periodically transferring heat from the solar collector to a storage medium;
- said step of periodically transferring heat including the step of operating a heat pump to transfer the heat from the solar collector to the storage medium periodically;
- and
- the step of operating the heat pump further includes the step of running the heat pump continuously when the temperature of the storage medium falls below a predetermined temperature.
Apparatus for controlling a condensor-side-storage solar heat-pump system comprising:
- a solar collector;
- a storage medium;
- means for periodically withdrawing heat from the solar collector and transferring it to the storage medium;
- said means for periodically withdrawing heat including heat-pump means for transferring the heat from the solar collector to the storage medium periodically;
- and
- said heat-pump means including control means for operating the heat pump more as one of the temperature difference between the collector and outdoors decreases and storage temperature decreases.
Apparatus comprising:
- a solar collector;
- a storage medium;
- means for periodically withdrawing heat from the solar collector and transferring it to a storage medium;
- said means for periodically transferring heat including a heat-pump means for transferring the heat from the solar collector to the storage medium periodically;
- and
- means for operating the heat-pump means includes means for running the heat-pump means continuously when the temperature of the storage medium falls below a predetermined temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.