US 6,751,974 B1 · Sub-surface and optionally accessible direct expansion refrigerant flow regulating device

Abstract

A sub-surface direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in sub-surface ground and/or water, consisting of at least one smaller interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line with an optional vertically oriented U bend at the bottom, operatively connected to at least one larger interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line, with at least one refrigerant flow metering device installed at either an accessible location in the liquid/fluid line or at the sub-surface point where the liquid/fluid line connects with the vapor/fluid line, for use when the system is operating in the heating mode, together with a refrigerant flow metering device by-pass means so as to enable additional refrigerant fluid flow around the refrigerant metering device when the system is operating in the cooling mode.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A direct expansion heat pump system geothermal heat exchange arrangement comprising:

a smaller interior diameter liquid refrigerant fluid transport line having at least a lower segment of the liquid refrigerant fluid transport line positioned in a subsurface location;
a larger interior diameter vapor refrigerant fluid transport line having a lower distal end disposed proximate to the lower end segment of the liquid fluid transport line in the sub-surface location, with at least a lower segment of the vapor refrigerant fluid transport line in thermal contact with subsurface material in the subsurface location;
and
a refrigerant flow regulator disposed in the subsurface location and operatively coupling the lower end segment of the liquid refrigerant fluid transport line to the lower distal end of the vapor refrigerant fluid transport line.

1 more element

A direct expansion heat pump system geothermal heat exchange arrangement comprising:

a common liquid refrigerant header/distributor means;
a common vapor refrigerant header/distributor means;
a plurality of sub-surface heat exchange means, each comprising
a smaller interior diameter liquid refrigerant fluid transport line having at least a lower segment of the liquid refrigerant fluid transport line positioned in a sub-surface location, and
a larger interior diameter vapor refrigerant fluid transport line having a lower distal end disposed proximate to the lower end segment of the liquid fluid transport line in the sub-surface location, with at least a lower segment of the vapor refrigerant fluid transport line in thermal contact with subsurface material in the subsurface location;
and
a refrigerant flow regulator disposed in the subsurface location and operatively coupling the lower end segment of the liquid refrigerant fluid transport line to the lower distal end of the vapor refrigerant fluid transport line;
and
wherein each liquid refrigerant fluid transport line is operatively connected to the liquid refrigerant header/distributor means and each vapor fluid transport line is operatively connected to the common vapor refrigerant header/distributor means.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sub-surface and optionally accessible direct expansion refrigerant flow regulating device

Life of this patent

Sub-surface and optionally accessible direct expansion refrigerant flow regulating device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35