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US 5,239,838 AGranted
Heating and cooling system having auxiliary heating loop
OwnerSteven N. Tresslerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for exchanging heat energy between a refrigeration circuit and a hot water system utilizes a solar heated water tank or a conventional water heater. In a wintertime operation, condensed refrigerant receives heat from either the solar heated water tank or the water heater and the additional heat is delivered to living spaces by an indoor condenser and fan assembly. In summertime operation, condensed refrigerant bypasses the hot water storage arrangement so as to function as a normal air conditioning system.
Claims2
A new and improved heating and cooling system comprising:
- a first loop comprising a compressor, an outside air heat exchanger, first expansion means, and a condenser connected in series to facilitate the flow of a refrigerant therethrough,
- conduit means connected between said compressor and said condenser adapted to cause said refrigerant to bypass said outside air heat exchanger, first valve means in said conduit means operable between a first condition to cause said refrigerant to flow through said outside air heat exchanger and said first expansion means and a second condition to cause said refrigerant to bypass said outside heat exchanger and said first expansion means and flow via said conduit means directly through said condenser from said compressor,
- a second loop comprising second expansion means, a second heat exchanger, and one-way valve means connected in series between said condenser and said compressor of said first loop, said second heat exchanger adapted to transfer heat to said refrigerant as said refrigerant flows between said second expansion means and said one-way valve, and
- second valve means connected between said first loop and said second loop, said second valve means being operable between first and second conditions whereby said refrigerant is caused to flow directly from said condenser to said compressor thereby bypassing said second loop in said first condition and through said second expansion means, said second heat exchanger, and said one-way valve of said second loop in said second condition such that heat from said second heat exchanger is transferred to the refrigerant flowing through said second loop and said condenser functions as an evaporator effective to transfer heat from said refrigerant to the air outside thereof when said first and second valve means are in their second conditions respectively;
- wherein said second heat exchanger comprises a coil mounted in a storage tank, and means for circulating heated water through said storage tank from an external source, and
- wherein said external source comprises a domestic hot water heater.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.