Hot water heating and defrost in a heat pump circuit

Patent · Tue Mar 03 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6737175

Crawford, J G

This patent describes a refrigeration circuit operable in modes and including heat exchange means, one of the heat exchange means operating as an evaporator in each mode of circuit operation, comprising: a refrigerant compressor having a suction port and a discharge port; means for storing liquid; first heat exchange means for transferring heat between refrigerant and an indoor space; second heat exchange means for transferring heat between refrigerant and an outdoor space; third heat exchange means for transferring heat between refrigerant and a liquid stored in the storage means; conduit means for providing a plurality of refrigerant flow paths among the first heat exchange means, the second heat exchange means, and the third heat exchange means within the refrigeration circuit; means disposed in the conduit means for selectively metering refrigerant to the one of the first, the second and the third heat exchange means operating as an evaporator in accordance with the mode in which the circuit is operating; and means for establishing direct refrigerant flow from the compressor discharge port to a selected one of the first.

• Assignee: American Standard, Inc., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4646537
• OSTI ID: 6737175
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320106* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Equipment-- (1987-)
COMPRESSORS
DEFROSTING
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY TRANSFER
EVAPORATORS
FLUIDS
HEAT PUMPS
HEAT STORAGE
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
REFRIGERANTS
REFRIGERATORS
SPACE HEATING
STORAGE
WATER HEATING
WORKING FLUIDS