Integrated space conditioning and water heating/cooling systems and methods thereto

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022010978-A1
Application number	US-202016927125-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2020
Priority date	Jul 13, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosed technology includes a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) conditioning system including a single outdoor unit and a VRF path extending between the single outdoor unit and a plurality of terminals. The plurality of terminals can include a first terminal configured to condition air of an interior room and a second terminal configured to heat or cool a liquid. The VRF system can provide heating or cooling of air in different rooms or zones within a building or home while also providing heating or cooling of water. In response to a demand for heating or cooling at each terminal, the VRF system can vary the supply of refrigerant to each terminal, such that efficient and precise temperature regulation of air and liquid can be provided.

First claim

1 . A variable refrigerant flow (VRF) conditioning system comprising:
a single outdoor unit comprising:
a compressor,
a condenser coil, and
a fan; and
a VRF network extending between the outdoor unit and a plurality of terminals, the plurality of terminals comprising:
a first terminal configured to condition air of a room, the first terminal comprising an evaporator; and
a second terminal configured to heat or cool liquid, the second terminal comprising a liquid heating device,
wherein the VRF conditioning system is configured to simultaneously direct refrigerant from the outdoor unit to the first terminal and the second terminal to simultaneously provide an air-cooling effect via the first terminal and a liquid-heating effect via the second terminal.

2 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the VRF network includes a supply refrigerant conduit and a return refrigerant conduit extending between the outdoor unit and the plurality of terminals.

3 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 2 , further comprising a branch circuit controller configured to:
separate a mixture of vapor refrigerant and liquid refrigerant being directed from the outdoor unit to the branch circuit controller via the supply refrigerant conduit into a vapor refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant; and direct the vapor refrigerant to each terminal operating in a heating mode and direct the liquid refrigerant to each terminal operating in a cooling mode.

4 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the VRF network includes a vapor refrigerant conduit, a liquid refrigerant conduit, and a return refrigerant conduit.

5 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 4 , further comprising a branch circuit controller configured to direct vapor refrigerant to each terminal operating in a heating mode and to direct liquid refrigerant conduit to each terminal operating in a cooling mode.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the VRF conditioning system is further configured to:
simultaneously (i) provide an air-heating effect via the first terminal and (ii) provide a liquid-cooling effect via the second terminal.

8 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the outdoor unit further comprises a refrigerant diverter configured to direct vapor refrigerant to each terminal operating in a heating mode.

9 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the VRF network is a three-pipe network.

10 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the compressor is configured to operate at variable speeds.

11 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the second terminal is configured to heat or cool water for a pool.

12 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal is positioned in a first interior area of a building and the second terminal is positioned in a second interior area of the building, the second interior area being different than the first interior area.

13 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal is positioned in a first interior area and the second terminal is positioned in a second interior area, the first interior area and the second interior area being the same.

14 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal is in electrical communication with a first controller and the second terminal is in electrical communication with a second controller.

15 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 14 , wherein the first controller and the second controller are in electrical communication with a main controller, the main controller being in communication with the outdoor unit and being configured to:
receive a signal from the first controller and the second controller indicating a demand for heating or cooling; and output instructions to the outdoor unit to vary a supply of refrigerant based on the demand.

16 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 15 , wherein the outdoor unit varies the supply of refrigerant by varying a speed of the compressor.

17 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 15 , wherein the outdoor unit varies the supply of refrigerant by varying a speed of the fan.

18 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid heating device is a heat pump water heater.

19 . A variable refrigerant flow (VRF) conditioning system comprising:
a plurality of outdoor units, each outdoor unit comprising:
a compressor,
a condenser coil, and
a fan;
a plurality of terminals comprising:
a first terminal configured to condition air of a room, the first terminal comprising an evaporator; and
a second terminal configured to heat or cool liquid, the second terminal comprising a liquid heating device; and
a single refrigerant network in communication with each of the plurality of outdoor units and each of the plurality of terminals wherein the VRF conditioning system is configured to simultaneously direct refrigerant from at least one outdoor unit of the plurality of outdoor units to the first terminal and the second terminal to simultaneously provide an air-cooling effect via the first terminal and a liquid-heating effect via the second terminal.

20 . The VRF conditioning system of claim 19 , wherein the liquid heating device is a heat pump water heater.

Assignees

• Rheem Mfg Co

Inventors

• Day Christopher
• Gopalnarayanan Sivakumar

Classifications

• F24F3/06

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

• F25B13/00

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

• F24F2221/18

  combined with domestic apparatus · CPC title

• F24F11/54

  using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers · CPC title

• F24F11/67

  Switching between heating and cooling modes · CPC title