Method for managing a refrigerant charge in a multi-purpose HVAC system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10006670-B2
Application number	US-201414249652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2014
Priority date	May 2, 2013
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A method for managing a refrigerant charge in a system for heating water and conditioning an interior space by removing power from an indoor fan for a first duration of time prior to switching at least one valve to configure a second refrigerant circuit for satisfying a water heating demand. A method for managing a refrigerant charge in a system for heating water and conditioning an interior space by removing power from a water pump for a second duration of time prior to switching at least one valve to reconfigure a first refrigerant circuit to satisfy an interior space heating demand.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for managing a refrigerant charge in a multi-purpose HVAC system including an outdoor unit assembly operably coupled to a water heater module, the water heater module including at least one valve, a heat exchanger, and a pump, the multi-purpose HVAC system further including an indoor unit assembly operably coupled to the water heater module and including a fan, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) operating the at least one valve to configure a first refrigerant circuit;
(b) operating the multi-purpose HVAC system in a heating mode to condition an interior space and not in a water heating mode;
(c) receiving a first signal at the water heater module;
(d) removing power from the fan for a first duration of time;
(e) operating the at least one valve to configure a second refrigerant circuit;
(f) operating the multi-purpose HVAC system in the water heating mode and not in the heating mode to condition the interior space;
(g) receiving a second signal at the water heater module;
(h) removing power from the pump for a second duration of time;
(i) operating the at least one valve to reconfigure the first refrigerant circuit;
(j) wherein the at least one valve comprises;
a first valve coupled to an inlet of the heat exchanger via a first conduit;
a second valve coupled to an outlet of the heat exchanger via a second conduit;
a third valve coupled to the first valve via a third conduit;
a fourth valve coupled to the second valve via a fourth conduit;

(k)wherein step (a) and step (i) each comprise opening the third and fourth valves and closing the first and second valves.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first refrigerant circuit circulates the refrigerant from the outdoor unit assembly, through the water heater module, through the indoor unit assembly, and returns to the outdoor unit assembly.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal designates a demand to heat water.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first duration of time is less than or equal to 30 seconds.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first duration of time equals a time during which a sensor indicates a vapor is present within a conduit operably coupled to the outdoor unit assembly.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second refrigerant circuit circulates the refrigerant from the outdoor unit assembly through the water heater module, and returns to the outdoor unit assembly.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second signal designates a demand for heating water is satisfied.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second duration of time is less than or equal to 30 seconds.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second duration of time equals a time during which a sensor indicates a vapor is present within a conduit operably coupled to the outdoor unit assembly.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one valve comprises a pair of three way valves.

11. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein step (e) comprises opening the first and second valves and closing the third and fourth valves.

12. A multi-purpose HVAC system comprising an outdoor unit assembly;
an indoor unit assembly including a fan;
a water heater module including at least one valve, a heat exchanger, and a pump;
a plurality of conduits operatively coupling the heat exchanger to the outdoor unit assembly and the indoor unit assembly;
wherein the at least one valve comprises:
a first valve;
a first conduit coupling the first valve to an inlet of a heat exchanger; a second valve;
a second conduit coupling the second valve to an outlet of the heat exchanger; a third valve;
a third conduit coupling the third valve to the first valve; a fourth valve;
a fourth conduit coupling the fourth valve to the second valve; and

a controller operably coupled to the fan, the at least one valve and the pump;
wherein the controller is configured to:
(a) operate the at least one valve to configure a first refrigerant circuit by opening the third and fourth valves and closing the first and second valves;
(b) operate the indoor unit assembly, the outdoor unit assembly, and the water heater module in a heating mode to condition an interior space and not in a water heating mode;
(c) receive a first signal;
(d) remove power from the fan for a first duration of time;
(e) operate the at least one valve to configure a second refrigerant circuit;
(f) operate the outdoor unit assembly and the water heater module in a water heating mode and not in the heating mode to condition the interior space;
(g) receive a second signal;
(h) remove power from the pump for a second duration of time; and
(i) operate the at least one valve to reconfigure the first refrigerant circuit.

13. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the controller configures the first refrigerant circuit to circulate a refrigerant from the outdoor unit assembly, through the water heater module, through the indoor unit assembly, and returns to the outdoor unit assembly.

14. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the first signal designates a demand to heat water.

15. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the first duration of time is less than or equal to 30 seconds.

16. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the first duration of time equals a time during which a sensor indicates a vapor is present within the outdoor unit assembly.

17. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein step (e) comprises the controller configuring the second refrigerant circuit to circulate a refrigerant from the outdoor unit assembly through the water heater module, and returns to the outdoor unit assembly.

18. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the second signal designates a demand for heating water is satisfied.

19. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the second duration of time is less than or equal to 30 seconds.

20. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the second duration of time equals a time during which a sensor indicates a vapor is present within a conduit operably coupled to the outdoor unit assembly.

21. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one valve comprises a pair of three way valves.

22. The multi-purpose HVAC system of claim 12 ,
wherein the controller is configured to open the first and second valves and close the third and fourth valves to configure the second refrigerant circuit.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Leman Derek
• Austin Matthew
• Bright Aaron M

Classifications

• F24H4/04

  Storage heaters · CPC title

• F25B41/04

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F25B2313/003

  Indoor unit with water as a heat sink or heat source · CPC title

• F24D17/02

  using heat pumps · CPC title

• Y02B30/12

  Hot water central heating systems using heat pumps · CPC title