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US 4,281,519 AGranted
Refrigeration circuit heat reclaim method and apparatus
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorsHerbert J. Spath, Glendon A. Raymond
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for exchanging heat energy between a refrigeration circuit and a hot water system. A restricted flow by-pass line is used in conjunction with a pump continuously operated with the compressor of a refrigeration system such that a continual restricted flow of water by-passes the heat exchanger when temperature conditions are such that water is not flowing through the heat exchanger.
Claims11
A combination hot water heater-refrigerant desuperheater assembly for use in conjunction with a refrigeration circuit and a hot water system which comprises:
- a water inlet for receiving water to be heated;
- a refrigerant inlet for receiving refrigerant;
- a water outlet for discharging water;
- a refrigerant outlet for discharging refrigerant;
- heat exchange means for transferring heat energy between the refrigerant and the water, said heat exchange means being connected to the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet;
- pump means connected to the water inlet for circulating water through the assembly;
- first pipe means connecting the pump means to the heat exchange means;
- second pipe means connecting the heat exchange means to the water outlet;
- a valve associated with the second pipe means, said valve having an open position allowing water flow from the heat exchange means to the water outlet and a closed position preventing water flow from the heat exchange means to the water outlet;
- by-pass means connecting the first pipe means to the second pipe means allowing water to flow from the water inlet to the water outlet without passing through the heat exchange means;
- and
- said by-pass means including restriction means to substantially limit the flow of water through the by-pass means such that whenever the pump means is energized a flow of water passes through the by-pass means notwithstanding the position of the valve, said flow volume through the by-pass means being substantially less than the volume flow through the heat exchange means when the valve is in the open position.
9 more elements
A refrigeration system which comprises:
- a refrigeration circuit having an evaporator, condenser, expansion device and a compressor;
- a heat exchanger connected to receive refrigerant from the compressor of the refrigeration circuit and to discharge refrigerant to the condenser of the refrigeration circuit;
- a tank containing a reservoir of water;
- means for circulating a selected volume flow per unit time of water in the tank through a flow path having the primary flow in heat exchange relation with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger and a lesser secondary flow bypassing the heat exchanger under a first set of water temperature conditions when the compressor of the refrigeration circuit is operating, and
- means for circulating a substantially reduced volume flow per unit of time of water in the tank through the flow path bypassing the heat exchanger when the compressor of the refrigeration circuit is operating and when there exists a second set of water temperature conditions.
2 more elements
A method of transferring heat energy from a refrigeration circuit used to heat or cool a space upon demand to a hot water system which comprises the steps of:
- energizing the refrigeration circuit on demand to circulate the refrigerant flowing within the circuit through a heat exchanger;
- energizing a pump simultaneously with the refrigeration circuit to circulate water between the hot water system and the heat exchanger;
- sensing the temperature of the water from the hot water system;
- sensing the temperature of the water being discharged from the heat exchanger;
- routing water primarily through the heat exchanger when the water from the hot water system is below a first predetermined temperature and the water being discharged from the heat exchanger is above a second predetermined temperature, and
- by-passing a restricted flow of water around the heat exchanger when either the temperature of the incoming water is above the first predetermined temperature or the temperature of the water being discharged from the heat exchanger is below the second predetermined temperature, said step of by-passing serving to allow continuous but reduced flow circulation of water between the tank and the heat exchanger to allow the water temperature of the tank to be continuously monitored.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.