Heat pump refrigerant loop arrangements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023109595-A1
Application number	US-202218075663-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 6, 2022
Priority date	Jun 24, 2021
Publication date	Apr 6, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a compressor, a first condenser, a vapor generator having a first region and a second region, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, and a first evaporator. A branching point is positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator. The branching point diverts a portion of a first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop to the vapor generator. The first expansion valve is positioned between the branching point and the vapor generator. An outlet of the vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the compressor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heat pump, comprising:
a refrigerant loop, wherein the refrigerant loop comprises:
a compressor;
a first condenser downstream of the compressor and coupled to an outlet port of the compressor;
a vapor generator downstream of the first condenser, wherein the vapor generator comprises a first region having a first inlet and a first outlet and a second region having a second inlet and a second outlet, and wherein the vapor generator receives a first heat exchange fluid;
a first receiver-dryer positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator;
a first branching point positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator, wherein the first branching point diverts a portion of the first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop to the first inlet of the vapor generator;
a first expansion valve positioned between the first branching point and the first inlet of the vapor generator, wherein the first outlet of the vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the compressor;
a first evaporator downstream of the vapor generator and coupled to the second outlet of the vapor generator;
a second expansion valve positioned between the first evaporator and the vapor generator, wherein the first evaporator is upstream of the compressor and is coupled to a low-pressure inlet port of the compressor; and
a heat exchanger having a first region and a second region, wherein the first region of the heat exchanger is positioned between the second outlet of the vapor generator and the second expansion valve, wherein the first region of the heat exchanger is plumbed in series with the second region of the vapor generator such that an inlet of the first region of the heat exchanger is directly coupled to an outlet of the second region of the vapor generator.

2 . The heat pump of claim 1 , wherein an inlet of the second region of the heat exchanger is positioned downstream of the first evaporator.

3 . The heat pump of claim 1 , wherein an outlet of the second region of the heat exchanger is positioned upstream of the low-pressure inlet port of the compressor.

4 . The heat pump of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second evaporator downstream of the vapor generator and coupled to the second outlet of the vapor generator.

5 . The heat pump of claim 4 , wherein the second evaporator is plumbed in parallel to the first evaporator.

6 . The heat pump of claim 4 , further comprising:
a third expansion valve positioned between the second evaporator and the vapor generator.

7 . The heat pump of claim 6 , wherein the third expansion valve is plumbed in parallel with the second expansion valve.

8 . The heat pump of claim 4 , wherein an inlet of the second region of the heat exchanger is positioned downstream of the second evaporator.

9 . The heat pump of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bypass loop having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the bypass loop is configured to bypass the second region of the heat exchanger.

10 . The heat pump of claim 9 , wherein the inlet of the bypass loop is positioned immediately upstream of the second region of the heat exchanger.

11 . The heat pump of claim 9 , wherein the outlet of the bypass loop is positioned immediately upstream of the low-pressure inlet port of the compressor.

12 . The heat pump of claim 9 , wherein the bypass loop comprises a shutoff valve positioned between the inlet of the bypass loop and the outlet of the bypass loop.

13 . The heat pump of claim 1 , further comprising:
an auxiliary refrigerant loop, wherein the auxiliary refrigerant loop comprises:
an auxiliary compressor;
an auxiliary condenser downstream of the auxiliary compressor and coupled to an outlet port of the auxiliary compressor;
an auxiliary expansion valve downstream of the auxiliary condenser; and
an auxiliary evaporator downstream of the auxiliary expansion valve and coupled to the auxiliary expansion valve, wherein the auxiliary evaporator is upstream of the auxiliary compressor and is coupled to a low-pressure inlet port of the auxiliary compressor.

14 . The heat pump of claim 13 , further comprising:
an auxiliary receiver-dryer positioned downstream of the auxiliary condenser, wherein the auxiliary receiver-dryer is positioned upstream of the auxiliary evaporator.

15 . A heat pump, comprising:
a refrigerant loop, wherein the refrigerant loop comprises:
a compressor;
a first condenser downstream of the compressor and coupled to an outlet port of the compressor;
a vapor generator downstream of the first condenser, wherein the vapor generator comprises a first region having a first inlet and a first outlet and a second region having a second inlet and a second outlet, and wherein the vapor generator receives a first heat exchange fluid;
a first receiver-dryer positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator;
a first branching point positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator, wherein the first branching point diverts a portion of the first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop to the first inlet of the vapor generator;
a first expansion valve positioned between the first branching point and the first inlet of the vapor generator, wherein the first outlet of the vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the compressor;
a first evaporator downstream of the vapor generator and coupled to the second outlet of the vapor generator;
a second expansion valve positioned between the first evaporator and the vapor generator, wherein the first evaporator is upstream of the compressor and is coupled to a low-pressure inlet port of the compressor;
a heat exchanger having a first region and a second region, wherein the first region of the heat exchanger is positioned between the second outlet of the vapor generator and the second expansion valve, wherein the first region of the heat exchanger is plumbed in series with the second region of the vapor generator such that an inlet of the first region of the heat exchanger is directly coupled to an outlet of the second region of the vapor generator, wherein an inlet of the second region of the heat exchanger is positioned downstream of the first evaporator, wherein an outlet of the second region of the heat exchanger is positioned upstream of the low-pressure inlet port of the compressor;
a second evaporator downstream of the vapor generator and coupled to the second outlet of the vapor generator, wherein the second evaporator is plumbed in parallel to the first evaporator, and wherein an inlet of the second region of the heat exchanger is positioned downstream of the second evaporator; and
a third expansion valve positioned between the second evaporator and the vapor generator, wherein the third expansion valve is plumbed in parallel to the second expansion valve.

16 . The heat pump of claim 15 , further comprising:
a bypass loop having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the bypass loop is configured to bypass the second region of the heat exchanger, and wherein the inlet of the bypass loop is positioned immediately upstream of the second region of the heat exchanger.

17 . The heat pump of claim 16 , wherein the outlet of the bypass loop is positioned immediately upstream of the low-pressure inlet port of the compressor.

18 . The heat pump of claim 16 , wherein the bypass loop comprises a shutoff valve positioned between the inlet of the bypass loop and the outlet of the bypass loop.

19 . The h

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Brown Jeffrey Paul
• Koberstein Manfred
• Lohmeyer Loren John
• Shey Rachael

Classifications

• B60H1/3228 Primary

  characterised by refrigerant circuit configurations · CPC title

• B60H1/3227

  characterised by the arrangement or the type of heat exchanger, e.g. condenser, evaporator (condensed liquid drainage means B60H1/3233) · CPC title

• F25B6/02

  arranged in parallel · CPC title

• B60H1/32284

  comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side · CPC title

• F25B41/24

  Arrangement of shut-off valves for disconnecting a part of the refrigerant cycle, e.g. an outdoor part · CPC title