Variable refrigerant flow system with reheating of dehumidified air

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11828486-B2
Application number	US-202117644721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2021
Priority date	Aug 26, 2019
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a reheater, a first valve, a second heat exchanger, a four-way valve, a cap tube, and a blower. The compressor compresses a refrigerant. The blower moves air proximate the second heat exchanger to the reheater. During a heating mode of operation, the four-way valve is configured to direct refrigerant from the compressor to the second heat exchanger; the second heat exchanger is configured to use the refrigerant from the compressor to heat air proximate the second heat exchanger; and the cap tube is configured to allow refrigerant to bypass the reheater.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;
a first heat exchanger;
a reheater;
a first valve;
a second heat exchanger;
a four-way valve;
a cap tube; and
a blower configured to move air proximate the second heat exchanger to the reheater;
wherein during a heating mode of operation:
the four-way valve is configured to direct refrigerant from the compressor to the second heat exchanger;
the second heat exchanger is configured to use the refrigerant from the compressor to heat air proximate the second heat exchanger; and
the cap tube is configured to allow refrigerant to bypass the reheater.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flow restrictor configured to control a flow of a portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to the second heat exchanger.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein during a first mode of operation:
the first heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from a first portion of the refrigerant from the compressor;
the first valve is configured to open such that a second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor flows to the reheater;
the second heat exchanger is configured to use the first portion of the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to cool air proximate the second heat exchanger; and
the reheater is configured to use the second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor to heat the air moved by the blower.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second heat exchanger is further configured to reduce a humidity level of the air when the second heat exchanger cools the air.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first mode of operation transitions to a second mode of operation when a temperature of the air proximate the second heat exchanger is above a threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein during a second mode of operation:
the first heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from the refrigerant from the compressor;
the first valve is configured to close to prevent refrigerant from the compressor from flowing to the reheater; and
the second heat exchanger is configured to use the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to cool the air proximate the second heat exchanger.

7. A method comprising:
compressing, by a compressor, a refrigerant; and
during a first mode of operation:
removing, by a first heat exchanger, heat from a first portion of the refrigerant from the compressor;
opening a first valve such that a second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor flows to a reheater;
using, by a second heat exchanger, the first portion of the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to cool air proximate the second heat exchanger;
moving, by a blower, air proximate the second heat exchanger to the reheater; and
using, by the reheater, the second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor to heat air moved by the blower;

during a heating mode of operation:
adjusting a four-way valve to direct refrigerant from the compressor to the second heat exchanger;
using, by a second heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the compressor to heat air proximate the second heat exchanger; and
allowing, by a cap tube, refrigerant to bypass a reheater.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising controlling, by a flow restrictor, a flow of the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to the second heat exchanger.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, reducing, by the second heat exchanger, a humidity level of the air when the second heat exchanger cools the air.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the refrigerant is larger than the second portion of the refrigerant.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein a speed of a flow of the refrigerant through one or more of the compressor, first heat exchanger, and second heat exchanger is variable.

12. A system comprising:
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;
a first heat exchanger;
a reheater;
a first valve;
a second heat exchanger;
a four-way valve; and
a cap tube;
during a heating mode of operation:
the four-way valve is configured to direct refrigerant from the compressor to the second heat exchanger;
the second heat exchanger is configured to use the refrigerant from the compressor to heat air proximate the second heat exchanger; and
the cap tube is configured to allow refrigerant to bypass the reheater.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a flow restrictor configured to control a flow of a portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to the second heat exchanger.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein during a first mode of operation:
the first heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from a first portion of the refrigerant from the compressor;
the first valve is configured to open such that a second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor flows to the reheater;
the second heat exchanger is configured to use the first portion of the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and the second portion of the refrigerant from the reheater to cool air proximate the second heat exchanger; and
the reheater is configured to use the second portion of the refrigerant from the compressor to heat the air cooled by the second heat exchanger.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second heat exchanger is further configured to reduce a humidity level of the air when the second heat exchanger cools the air.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein during a second mode of operation:
the first heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from the refrigerant from the compressor;
the first valve is configured to close to prevent refrigerant from the compressor from flowing to the reheater;
the second heat exchanger is configured to use the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to cool the air proximate the second heat exchanger; and
the first mode of operation transitions to the second mode of operation when a temperature of the air proximate the second heat exchanger is above a threshold.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first portion of the refrigerant is larger than the second portion of the refrigerant.

Assignees

• Lennox Ind Inc

Inventors

• Hung Der-Kai
• Lan Lin
• Drury Christopher John

Classifications

• F24F3/06 Primary

  characterised by the arrangements for the supply of heat-exchange fluid for the subsequent treatment of primary air in the room units · CPC title

• F24F11/84

  using valves · CPC title

• F25B13/00 Primary

  Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02) · CPC title

• F25B41/20

  Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves (expansion valves F25B41/31) · CPC title

• F25B2400/0419

  for superheaters · CPC title