High-efficiency, ambient-assisted, integrated heating and cooling system

Patent · Tue Feb 02 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5282530

McEntire, B

A closed, ambient-energy-assisted system for heating and refrigeration with unidirectional refrigerant flow is described comprising: ambient energy, collector means for collecting heat energy from the ambient and exchanging the ambient heat to the refrigerant to product a super-heated gaseous refrigerant; compressor means downstream of the collector means for compressing the super-heated, gaseous refrigerant to a heated liquid refrigerant; first heat exchanger means downstream of the compressor means for exchanging heat from the heated liquid refrigerant to a heating load; precooler means downstream of the first heat exchanger means for exchanging heat from the heated liquid refrigerant to outside air for precooling the liquid refrigerant before the liquid refrigerant is expanded for cooling; first expansion valve means downstream of the precooler means for expanding the precooled liquid refrigerant to a gas, whereby the expanded refrigerant is chilled; second heat exchanger means downstream of the first expansion valve and upstream of the collector means for exchanging heat from a cooling load to the chilled refrigerant, second expansion valve means for expanding the liquid refrigerant, connectable downstream of the first heat exchanger and upstream of the collector means and in parallel with the precooler means, of the first expansion value means and the second heat exchanger means; and first selector valve means for selectively directing the refrigerant, responsive to a cooling load demand, to direct the hot liquid refrigerant from the first heat exchanger means to the precooler means in response to a cooling load demand and to direct the hot liquid refrigerant to the second expansion valve means otherwise, whereby the precooler means, the first expansion valve means and the second heat exchanger means are bypassed.

• Assignee: M and H Research and Development Corp., Salt Lake City, UT
• Patent Number(s): US 4722197
• OSTI ID: 5282530
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320106* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Equipment-- (1987-)
COMPRESSORS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DESIGN
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
EXPANSION
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEATING SYSTEMS
LIQUID FLOW
OPERATION
REFRIGERANTS
REFRIGERATORS
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
THERMAL EXPANSION
VALVES
WORKING FLUIDS