Direct expansion ground source heat pump
AssigneeOntario Hydro
InventorFrank J. Lenarduzzi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A direct expansion ground source heat pump operable in heating mode and cooling mode. The heat pump comprises an outdoor coil, an indoor coil and a compressor. The outdoor coil and the indoor coil are coupled to the compressor through a reversing valve and the compressor provides a refrigerant flow through the coils. The indoor coil and outdoor coil are coupled together through a controllable valve. The outdoor coil comprises two coil circuits. In heating mode both ground coil circuits are active, while in cooling mode, the heat pump utilizes one of the coil circuits and alternates between coil circuits each compressor cycle.
Claims8
A heat pump operable in heating mode to heat a building space and cooling mode to cool the building space, said heat pump comprising:
- (a) a compressor coupled to a reversing valve for providing a refrigerant flow in the heat pump;
- (b) an indoor coil coupled to said reversing valve for receiving refrigerant;
- (c) an outdoor coil coupled to said compressor, and said outdoor coil having first and second coil circuits coupled to said reversing valve for receiving refrigerant;
- (d) coupling means for coupling said indoor coil to said outdoor coil for providing a flow path for said refrigerant between said indoor coil and said outdoor coil, and including means for reversing said flow path;
- and
- (e) actuator means for alternately actuating one of said coil circuits in said outdoor coil when operating said heat pump in cooling mode, so that one of said coil circuits is active for receiving refrigerant from said compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.