US 6,149,066 AGranted

Method and apparatus for controlling supplemental heat in a heat pump system

AssigneeCarrier Corporation

InventorsTimothy J. Perry, Hongmei Liang, Larry J. Burkhart, Nathan D. Wright, Raymond A. Rust, Jr., Louis J. Sullivan

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling supplemental heat added to the air stream passing from an indoor coil to an air supply duct of a heat pump system, the heat pump system being of the type that includes an indoor thermostat having a first set point for initiating heat supplied by the indoor coil and a second set point for initiating additional heat supplied by supplemental heating means. The supplemental heating elements include an adjustable output heating element for heating air passing from the indoor coil to the air supply duct. The coil discharge temperature of the air stream heated by the indoor coil is determined at a position between the indoor coil and the supplemental heating means. The adjustable output heating element is selectively energized in response to the coil discharge temperature, independent of the second set point of the indoor thermostat.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A heat pump system, comprising:

outdoor and indoor heat exchange coils with associated fans;
a compressor;
an expansion device;
means for reversing the flow of refrigerant for purposes of selecting between heating, cooling, and defrost modes of operation;
supplemental heating means for heating an air stream passing from the indoor coil to an air supply duct, said supplemental heating means comprising an adjustable output heating element;
an indoor thermostat having a first set point for initiating heat supplied by the indoor coil and a second set point for initiating additional heat supplied by the supplemental heating means;
means for determining the coil discharge temperature of the air stream heated by the indoor coil at a position between the indoor coil and the supplemental heating means;
and
control means for selectively energizing the adjustable output heating element in response to the coil discharge temperature, independent of the second set point of the indoor thermostat.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/375,859Filed 17 Aug 1999 · division
Priority: 23 Jan 1998
Granted: 21 Nov 2000
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification20 codes

F24D 5/12
Hot-air central heating systems ; Exhaust gas central heating systems: using heat pumps
F24F 11/30
Control or safety arrangements: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
F24F 11/62
Control or safety arrangements: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or…
F24F 11/63
Characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values: electronic…