Heat pump systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11761641-B2
Application number	US-202117160975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2021
Priority date	Jan 28, 2021
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed herein are heat pump systems for water heaters. The heat pump systems can comprise a housing defining an interior chamber, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The air inlet and the air outlet can form an air flow path through the interior chamber, and an evaporator unit can be positioned within the interior chamber such that the air flow path contacts the evaporator unit. The housing can also have a flue pipe having a cross-section to encourage aerodynamic flow and/or side baffles to encourage air flow into the evaporator unit. The housing can also have a second air inlet to increase air flow and a curved elbow around the first air inlet to direct the air flow path. The air flow path can flow from a top side of the housing to a side of the housing, and the air flow path can be reversible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat pump system for a water heater, the heat pump system comprising:
a housing defining an interior chamber having a first air inlet, a second air inlet, and an air outlet;
an air flow path in the interior chamber extending from the first air inlet and the second air inlet to the air outlet;
an evaporator unit positioned at least partially in the air flow path to interact with air flowing along the air flow path;
a first side baffle and a second side baffle positioned at a first and a second lateral end of the evaporator unit and along the air flow path, respectively, wherein the first side baffle and the second side baffle are disposed at an angle such that the first side baffle and the second side baffle are configured to direct air toward the evaporation unit, and wherein the second air inlet is proximate to the first side baffle; and
a flue pipe positioned in the air flow path and defined by a flue pipe cross-section, the flue pipe cross-section having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a central portion between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the flue pipe being oriented such that the leading edge is positioned in the air flow path at a location upstream of the central portion and the trailing edge, wherein (i) a width of the leading edge is less than or equal to a width of the central portion and (ii) for at least a portion of the flue pipe, a length of the flue pipe is greater than a width of the flue pipe, the length of the flue pipe being parallel to an air flow direction and the width of the flue pipe being perpendicular to the air flow direction,
wherein the flue pipe extends from a bottom side of the housing through the interior chamber.

2. The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the flue pipe has a cross-sectional shape that is elliptical, a major axis of the elliptical cross-section being parallel to the air flow path.

3. The heat pump system of claim 1 further comprising a curved elbow attached to the first air inlet and configured to direct the air flow path to the evaporator unit.

4. The heat pump system of claim 1 further comprising a top pan configured to engage a top end of the heat pump system, wherein the top pan comprises the first air inlet.

5. The heat pump system of claim 4 , wherein the top pan defines a top side of the interior chamber.

6. The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein the first air outlet is positioned on a side of the heat pump system.

7. The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein the first air inlet is positioned on a side of the heat pump system and the air outlet is positioned on a top side of the interior chamber.

8. A heat pump system comprising:
a housing having an internal volume and a partition defining a first interior chamber and a second interior chamber within the internal volume, the first interior chamber and the second interior chamber being fluidly separated, the first interior chamber having a first air inlet, a second air inlet, and an air outlet;
an air flow path extending through the first interior chamber from the first air inlet and the second air inlet to the air outlet;
an evaporator unit positioned at least partially in the air flow path to interact with air flowing along the air flow path;
a side baffle positioned at a first end of the evaporator unit and along the air flow path, the side baffle disposed at an angle such that the side baffle directs the air flow path to the evaporator unit, wherein the second air inlet is proximate to the side baffle; and
a flue pipe positioned in the second interior chamber such that the flue pipe is separated from the air flow path, the flue pipe having a cross-section having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a central portion between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the flue pipe being oriented such that the leading edge is positioned in the air flow path at a location upstream of the central portion and the trailing edge, wherein (i) a width of the leading edge is less than or equal to a width of the central portion and (ii) for at least a portion of the flue pipe, a length of the flue pipe is greater than a width of the flue pipe, the length of the flue pipe being parallel to an air flow direction and the width of the flue pipe being perpendicular to the air flow direction.

9. The heat pump system of claim 8 further comprising a curved elbow attached to the first air inlet and configured to direct the air flow path to the evaporator unit.

10. The heat pump system of claim 8 further comprising a top pan configured to engage a top end of the heat pump system, wherein the top pan comprises the first air inlet.

11. The heat pump system of claim 10 , wherein the top pan defines a top side of the first interior chamber.

12. The heat pump system of claim 8 , wherein the air outlet is positioned on a side of the heat pump system.

13. The heat pump system of claim 8 , wherein the first air inlet is positioned on a side of the heat pump system and the air outlet is positioned on a top side of the first interior chamber.

14. The heat pump system of claim 8 , wherein the evaporator unit is curved thereby increasing a surface area of the evaporator unit exposed to the air flow path.

15. A heat pump system comprising:
a housing defining an interior chamber having a first air inlet, a second air inlet, and an air outlet;
an air flow path in the interior chamber extending from the first air inlet and the second air inlet to the air outlet;
an evaporator unit positioned at least partially in the air flow path to interact with air flowing along the air flow path;
side baffles between the evaporator unit and the housing, each of the side baffles being disposed at an angle such that the side baffles direct the air flow path to the evaporator unit, wherein the second air inlet is proximate to at least one of the side baffles; and
a flue pipe extending from a bottom side of the housing through the interior chamber, the flue pipe positioned in the air flow path and defined by a flue pipe cross-section having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a central portion between the leading edge and the trailing edge,
wherein a width of the leading edge is less than or equal to a width of the central portion.

16. The heat pump system of claim 15 , wherein the flue pipe is oriented such that the leading edge is positioned in the air flow path at a location upstream of the central portion and the trailing edge, wherein (i) a width of the leading edge is less than or equal to a width of the central portion and (ii) for at least a portion of the flue pipe, a length of the flue pipe is greater than a width of the flue pipe, the length of the flue pipe being parallel to an air flow direction and the width of the flue pipe being perpendicular to the air flow direction.

17. The heat pump system of claim 15 further comprising a curved elbow attached to the first air inlet and configured to direct the air flow path to the evaporator unit.

Assignees

• Rheem Mfg Co

Inventors

• Ardha Vishwanath
• Beyhaghi Saman
• Chen Hongchu
• Gibbons David
• Amaravadhi Prudhvi Vishnu Vardhan

Classifications

• F24H4/02 Primary

  Water heaters · CPC title

• F24D3/18 Primary

  using heat pumps · CPC title

• F24H9/02

  Casings; Cover lids; Ornamental panels · CPC title

• F25B30/02

  of the compression type · CPC title

• F24D19/082

  for water heating systems · CPC title