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US 4,646,538 AGranted
Triple integrated heat pump system
AssigneeMississipi Power Co.
InventorsAndrew L. Blackshaw, Glen P. Robinson, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat pump system with three heat exchangers, two of which are connected through a reversible expander and the third of which is connected to both of the first mentioned exchangers through an expander and check valve arrangement for refrigerant to flow from the third to either of the first two heat exchangers but not vice versa. A flow control valve selectively connects the other side of either of the first two heat exchangers to the suction side of the compressor while selectively connecting the other side of any one of the heat exchangers to the high pressure side of the compressor to form a refrigeration loop including two of the heat exchangers. Refrigerant flow through the heat exchanger not being used is blocked.
Claims18
A heat pump system comprising:
- a first heat exchange means having first and second refrigerant connections;
- a second heat exchange means having first and second refrigerant connections;
- a third heat exchange means having first and second refrigerant connections;
- a refrigerant pressurizing device having a suction inlet and a high pressure outlet;
- a reversible refrigerant expansion means for expanding refrigerant from condenser to evaporator pressure connected between the second refrigerant connections on said first and second heat exchange means;
- an alternate refrigerant expansion means for expanding refrigerant from condenser to evaporator pressure connected to the second refrigerant connection on said third heat exchange means;
- check valve means connecting said alternate refrigerant expansion means to the common points between said reversible expansion means and each of said first and second heat exchange means so that refrigerant can flow from said alternate expansion means to said first and second heat exchange means but flow of refrigerant from said first and second heat exchange means is prevented;
- control valve means for selectively:
- (a) connecting the first connection on said first heat exchange means to the suction inlet on said pressurizing device while connecting the high pressure outlet on said pressurizing device to the first connection on said second heat exchange means and while blocking the first connection on said third heat exchange means against refrigerant flow therethrough;
- (b) connecting the first connection on said second heat exchange means to the suction inlet on said pressurizing device while connecting the high pressure outlet on said pressurizing device to the first connection on said first heat exchange means and while blocking the first connection on said third heat exchange means against refrigerant flow therethrough;
- and,
- (c) connecting the first connection on said first heat exchange means to the suction inlet on said pressurizing device while connecting the high pressure outlet on said pressurizing device to the first connection on said third heat exchange means and while blocking the first connection on said second heat exchange means against refrigerant flow therethrough.
9 more elements
A refrigeration circuit comprising:
- a first heat exchange means having first and second refrigerant connections;
- a second heat exchange means having first and second refrigerant connections;
- a third heat exchange means having first and second refrigerant connections;
- a refrigerant pressurizing device having a suction inlet and a high pressure outlet;
- first refrigerant expansion means for expanding refrigerant from condenser to evaporator pressure connected between the second refrigerant connections on said first and second heat exchange means;
- second refrigerant expansion means for expanding refrigerant from condenser to evaporator pressure connected to the second refrigerant connection on said third heat exchange means;
- check valve means connecting said second refrigerant expansion means to the common points between said first refrigerant expansion means and each of said first and second heat exchange means so that refrigerant can flow from said alternate expansion means to said first and second heat exchange means but flow of refrigerant from said first and second heat exchange means to said third heat exchange means is prevented;
- control valve means for selectively:
- (a) connecting the first connection on said second heat exchange means to the suction inlet on said pressurizing device while connecting the high pressure outlet on said pressurizing device to the first connection on said first heat exchange means and while blocking the first connection on said third heat exchange means against refrigerant flow therethrough;
- (b) connecting the first connection on said first heat exchange means to the suction inlet on said pressurizing device while connecting the high pressure outlet on said pressurizing device to the first connection on said third heat exchange means and while blocking the first connection on said second heat exchange means against refrigerant flow therethrough;
- and
- (c) connecting the first connection on said second heat exchange means to the suction inlet on said pressurizing device while connecting the high pressure outlet on said pressurizing device to the first connection on said third heat exchange means and while blocking the first connection on said first heat exchange means against refrigerant flow therethrough.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.