Heat pump unit and control method thereof, control device, heat pump system, and combined supply system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11892215-B2
Application number	US-202217681895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 1, 2021
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

A control method for a heat pump unit includes acquiring a first output capability set when the heat pump unit reaches a first preset energy efficiency ratio set at a current ambient temperature; acquiring a total demand load demanded by an indoor area having a heating demand or a cooling demand; and causing the heat pump unit to operate in accordance with the first output capability set when the total demand load is smaller than the first output capability set.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control method for a heat pump unit, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
determining a current ambient temperature;
acquiring a first output capability set corresponding to the heat pump unit operating at a first preset energy efficiency ratio set at the current ambient temperature;
acquiring a total demand load demanded by an indoor area having a heating demand or a cooling demand;
comparing the first output capability set and the total demand load;
determining that the total demand load is smaller than the first output capability set; and
causing the heat pump unit to operate in accordance with the first output capability set in response to determining that the total demand load is smaller than the first output capability set.

2. The control method according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the first preset energy efficiency ratio set includes at least one value or at least a value range between a maximum energy efficiency ratio of 0.8 times and a maximum energy efficiency ratio of 1.2 times.

3. The control method according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the first preset energy efficiency ratio set includes a maximum energy efficiency ratio.

4. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein the first preset energy efficiency ratio set is a first preset energy efficiency ratio range, and wherein the control method further comprises:
determining that the heat pump unit reaches the first preset energy efficiency ratio range at a current ambient temperature;
acquiring a first output capability range in response to determining that the heat pump unit reaches the first preset energy efficiency ratio range at the current ambient temperature;
determining the total demand load is smaller than a minimum value of the first output capability range, and
operating the heat pump unit in accordance with the minimum value of the first output capability range in response to determining that the total demand load is smaller than the minimum value of the first output capability range.

5. The control method according to claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining the total demand load is greater than the minimum value of the first output capability range; and
operating the heat pump unit in accordance with the total demand load in response to determining that the total demand load is greater than the minimum value of the first output capability range.

6. The control method according to claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining the total demand load is within the first output capability range; and
operating the heat pump unit in accordance with the total demand load or the first output capability range in response to determining that the total demand load is within the first output capability range.

7. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining the total demand load is higher than the first output capability set; and
operating the heat pump unit operate in accordance with the total demand load response to determining that the total demand load is higher than the first output capability set.

8. The control method according to claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:
operating the heat pump unit in accordance with the total demand load,
determining the total demand load is smaller than the first output capability set after operating the heat pump unit in accordance with the total demand load; and
operating the heat pump unit in accordance with the first output capability set in response to determining the total demand load is smaller than the first output capability set.

9. The control method according to claim 1 , characterized in comprising acquiring the first output capability set based on prestored output capability set data corresponding to a first preset energy efficiency ratio set at different ambient temperatures.

10. The control method according to claim 1 , characterized in comprising taking a sum of loads required for the indoor areas having a heating demand or a cooling demand as the total demand load.

11. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat pump unit has a compressor and a heat exchange module for exchanging heat between a refrigerant and water; wherein the heat exchange module has a water outlet and a water return port; and wherein the control method further comprises:
determining an actual return water temperature of the heat pump unit in a heating mode is not lower than a set return water temperature or determining the actual return water temperature in a cooling mode is not higher than the set return water temperature, and
shutting down the compressor in response to determining that the actual return water temperature of the heat pump unit in the heating mode is not lower than the set return water temperature or determining the actual return water temperature in the cooling mode is not higher than the set return water temperature.

12. The control method according to claim 11 , wherein the heat pump unit has a water pump for driving water to flow; and
wherein the control method further comprises:
determining the actual return water temperature attic heat pump unit in the heating mode is not lower than the set return water temperature or determining the actual return water temperature in the cooling mode is not higher than the set return water temperature;
determining there is an indoor area having a heating demand or a cooling demand; and
shutting down the compressor and maintaining the water pump to operate in response to: (i) determining the actual return water temperature of the heat pump unit in the heating mode is not lower than the set return water temperature or determining the actual return water temperature in the cooling mode is not higher than the set return water temperature, and (ii) determining the indoor area has the heating demand or the cooling demand.

13. The control method according to claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining that an actual mom temperature of the in nor area reaches or exceeds a set room temperature; and
shutting down the compressor and maintaining the water pump to operates in response to determining that the actual room temperature of the indoor area reaches or exceeds the set room temperature.

14. The control method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining a temperature difference between the actual return water temperature and the set return water temperature of the heat pump unit exceeds a predetermined return water temperature difference;
determining the indoor area has the heating demand or the cooling demand; and
starting to operate the compressor in response to determining: (i) the temperature difference between the actual return water temperature and the set return water temperature of the heat pump unit exceeds the predetermined return water temperature difference, and (ii) the indoor area has the heating demand or the cooling demand.

15. The control method according to claim 11 , wherein a water outlet of the heat exchange module is controllably communicated with an energy storage module for energy storage; and
wherein the control method further comprises:
determining the total demand load is smaller than the first output capability set; and
communicating the water outlet of the heat exchange module with the energy storage module in response to determining the total demand load is smaller than the first output capability set; or
determining the total demand load is higher than the first output capability set; and
blocking

Assignees

• Smith A O China Water Heater
• Smith Corp A O

Inventors

• Gao Wenwei
• Jing Yufeng
• Chen Miao

Classifications

• F25B49/02 Primary

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title

• F25B30/02

  of the compression type · CPC title

• F24D3/18 Primary

  using heat pumps · CPC title

• F24D19/1039

  the system uses a heat pump · CPC title

• F25B2500/26

  characterised by the startup of the refrigeration cycle · CPC title