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US 4,507,936 AGranted
Integral solar and heat pump water heating system
AssigneesSystem Homes Company, Ltd., Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHozo Yoshino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-mode water heating system wherein a capacity control mechanism is provide so that no additional heat source is required and via use of capacity control, either solar radiation energy or ambient air energy is selectively utilized dependent on the availability of sunshine. A system configuration is so arranged as to maximize the system seasonal coefficient of performance by a refrigeration cycle optimization which adjusts both a pump/compressor speed and pressure regulating valve opening.
Claims28
A water heating system utilizing a condenser, comprising:
- a solar evaporator including a heat collection chamber, first heat transfer means for receiving and transferring solar radiation heat, second heat transfer means receiving and transferring heat of ambient air, and an evaporator coil for passing refrigerant therethrough to perform heat exchange between said refrigerant and said first and second heat transfer means, thereby evaporating said refrigerant, said first and second heat transfer means and said evaporator coil being integrally incorporated in said heat collection chamber;
- an accumulator with an accumulator coil by which the liquid refrigerant from said condenser rejects heat to the liquid refrigerant accumulated in said accumulator;
- a compressor inlet heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between the liquid refrigerant from said condenser and the vapor refrigerant from said accumulator;
- a variable speed pump/compressor connected to said solar evaporator for selectively circulating or compressing the vapor refrigerant from said evaporator;
- a water storage tank for storing water;
- said condenser being disposed on a bottom side in said water storage tank for passing the vapor refrigerant from said pump/compressor and for performing heat exchange between the water contained in said water storage tank and said vapor refrigerant and thus condensing said vapor refrigerant to liquid refrigerant;
- a variable opening pressure regulating valve for selectively allowing passage or adiabatic expansion of the liquified refrigerant and supplying the refrigerant to said solar evaporator;
- first and second pressure measuring means for measuring the saturated vapor pressure of the refrigerant passing through said solar evaporator and said in-tank condenser, respectively;
- first, second, third, fourth and fifth temperature measuring means for measuring a suction side temperature of said pump/compressor, an inlet side temperature of said pressure regulating valve, a heat collection chamber temperature, an ambient air temperature and tank water temperature, respectively;
- and
- control means for controlling rotational speed of said pump/compressor and opening of said pressure regulating valve so as to satisfy load demand and at least substantially maximize a coefficient of performance of the refrigeration cycle including said solar evaporator, said pump/compressor, said in-tank condenser and said pressure regulating valve, in response to pressures and temperatures measured by said first and second pressure measuring means and said first, second, third, fourth and fifth temperature measuring means.
8 more elements
A water heating system utilizing a condenser, comprising:
- a solar evaporator including a heat collection chamber, first heat transfer means for receiving and transferring solar radiation heat, second heat transfer means receiving and transferring heat of ambient air, and an evaporator coil for passing refrigerant therethrough to perform heat exchange between said refrigerant and the said first and second heat transfer means, thereby evaporating said refrigerant, said first and second heat transfer means and said evaporator coil being integrally incorporated in said heat collection chamber;
- an accumulator with an accumulator coil by which the liquid refrigerant from said condenser rejects heat to the liquid refrigerant accumulated in said accumulator;
- a compressor inlet heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between the liquid refrigerant from said condenser and the vapor refrigerant from said accumulator;
- a variable speed pump/compressor connected to said solar evaporator for selectively circulating or compressing the vapor refrigerant from said evaporator;
- a water storage tank for storing water;
- said condenser being disposed on a bottom side in said water storage tank for passing the vapor refrigerant from said pump/compressor and for performing heat exchange between the water contained in said water storage tank and said vapor refrigerant and thus condensing said vapor refrigerant to liquid refrigerant;
- a variable opening pressure regulating valve for selectively allowing passage or adiabatic expansion of the liquifed refrigerant and supplying the refrigerant to said solar evaporator;
- first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh temperature measuring means for measuring a suction side temperature of said pump/compressor, an inlet side temperature of said pressure regulating valve, a heat collection chamber temperature, an ambient air temperature, a tank water temperature, an evaporating temperature and a condensing temperature;
- and
- control means for controlling rotational speed of said pump/compressor and opening of said pressure regulating valve so as to satisfy load demand and at least substantially maximize a coefficient of performance of the refrigeration cycle including said solar evaporator, said pump/compressor, said in-tank condenser and said pressure regulating valve, in response to temperatures measured by said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh temperature measuring means.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.