Solar hot water and recovery system

A system of capturing waste heat generated by a heating/cooling unit, the system comprising:

• a heat recovery unit (20) having:
• a first heat exchanger (35) arranged to transfer heat between a first fluid circulating in a refrigerant loop (60) of the first heat exchanger (35) and a second different fluid circulating in a solar loop (70) of the heat exchanger (35);
• a second heat exchanger (39) arranged to transfer heat arranged to transfer heat between the second different fluid circulating in the solar loop (70) and a third different fluid circulating in a water loop (50) of the second heat exchanger (39);
• a first, second and third valve (V1-V3), each valve being a three-way valve providing or preventing an A-B, B-C, and A-C flow path through the valve, the first valve (V1) arranged in the water loop (50) upstream of the second heat exchanger (39), the second (V2) arranged in the solar loop (70) upstream of the second heat exchanger (39), the third valve (V3) arranged in the solar loop (70) downstream of the second heat exchanger (39) and ahead of the first heat exchanger (35);
• a control system in communication with the valves (V1-V3) and arranged to change a flow path through the valves (V1-V3) in response to a temperature of the first, second, and third fluids.

A method for capturing waste heat generated by a heating/cooling unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• routing a fluid contained in a water loop 50 to a first valve (V1), the first valve (V1) being a three-way valve and arranged to allow or prevent a flow of the fluid between a water reservoir (51) and a second heat exchanger (39) of a heat recovery unit (20);
• routing a fluid contained in a solar loop (70) to a second and third valve (V2, V3), the second and third valves (V2, V3) each being a three-way valve, the second valve (V2) arranged to allow or prevent a flow of the fluid to a solar panel (71) and the second heat exchanger (39), the third valve (V3) arranged to allow or prevent a flow of the fluid to a first heat exchanger (35) of the heat recovery unit (20);
• routing a fluid contained in a refrigerant loop (60) containing a fluid and being in communication with a heating/cooling unit (61) to the first heat exchanger (35), the heating/control unit (61) having an on- and off-state;
• measuring a temperature of the fluid in the water loop (50), the fluid in the solar loop (70), and the fluid in the refrigerant loop (60);
• and
• selectively opening or closing a fluid pathway in each of said valves (V1-V3) based in part on a relative temperature of each said fluid.