Patent Application
20210041142
Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to heat pump water heaters and, more specifically, to a heat pump water heater having dual condensers.
Conventional heat pump water heaters utilize a combination of a heat pump and electric water heating elements to heat water contained in a tank. The heat pump component generally utilizes electricity to move heat generated through a reverse refrigeration process to the water. The electric water heating elements, such as resistive heating elements, are positioned within the tank to heat the water.
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to heat pump water heaters that utilize a heat pump to heat water contained in a tank. In one embodiment, the heat pump water heater includes a tank, a first condenser, a second condenser, a heat pump, valving and a controller. The tank includes an input port, through which water is input to an interior cavity of the tank, and an output port, through which water is discharged from the interior cavity. The first condenser is configured to heat an upper portion of the interior cavity and includes an input port and an output port. The second condenser is configured to heat a lower portion of the interior cavity and includes an input port and an output port. The heat pump is configured to drive a fluid in a heated state through a heat pump output and receive the fluid through a heat pump input. The valving has a first valve setting, in which the heat pump output is fluidically coupled to the input port of the first condenser, and the heat pump output is fluidically disconnected from the input port of the second condenser. The valving also has a second valve setting, in which the heat pump output is fluidically coupled to the input port of the second condenser, and the heat pump output is fluidically disconnected from the input port of the first condenser. The controller is configured to selectively direct the valving to the first or second valve setting.
Another embodiment of the heat pump water heater includes a tank, a first condenser, a second condenser, a heat pump, valving and a controller. The tank includes an input port, through which water is input to an interior cavity of the tank, and an output port, through which water is discharged from the interior cavity. The first condenser is configured to heat an upper portion of the interior cavity and includes first and second ports. The second condenser is configured to heat a lower portion of the interior cavity and includes a first port, and a second port fluidically coupled to the second port of the first condenser. The heat pump is configured to drive a fluid in a heated state through a heat pump output and receive the fluid through a heat pump input. The valving has a first valve setting, in which the heat pump output is fluidically coupled to the first port of the first condenser and the heat pump input is fluidically coupled to the first port of the second condenser, and a second valve setting, in which the heat pump output is fluidically coupled to the first port of the second condenser and the heat pump input is fluidically connected to the first port of the first condenser. The controller is configured to selectively direct the valving to the first or second valve setting.
In yet another embodiment, the heat pump water heater includes a tank, a first condenser, a second condenser, a heat pump, valving, a first temperature sensor and/or a second temperature sensor, and a controller. The tank includes an input port, through which water is input to an interior cavity of the tank, and an output port, through which water is discharged from the interior cavity. The first condenser includes a first section of tubing configured to heat an upper portion of the interior cavity, the first section of tubing having an input port and an output port. The second condenser includes a second section of tubing configured to heat a lower portion of the interior cavity that is displaced from the upper portion along a central axis, the second section of tubing having an input port and an output port. The heat pump is configured to drive a fluid in a heated state through a heat pump output and receive the fluid through a heat pump input. The valving has a first valve setting, in which the heat pump output is fluidically coupled to the input port of the first section of tubing and the heat pump output is fluidically disconnected from the input port of the second section of tubing, and a second valve setting, in which the heat pump output is fluidically coupled to the input port of the second section of tubing and the heat pump output is fluidically disconnected from the input port of the first section of tubing. The first temperature sensor is configured to generate a first temperature signal indicative of a temperature of water contained in the upper portion of the interior cavity. The second temperature sensor is configured to generate a second temperature signal indicative of a temperature of water contained in the lower portion of the interior cavity. The controller is configured to selectively direct the valving to the first or second valve setting based on the first temperature signal and/or the second temperature signal.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the Background.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Elements that are identified using the same or similar reference characters refer to the same or similar elements. The various embodiments of the present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.
Computer program or software aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise computer readable instructions or code stored in a computer readable medium or memory. Execution of the program instructions by one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit or controller) results in the one or more processors performing one or more functions or method steps described herein. Any suitable patent subject matter eligible computer readable media or memory may be utilized including, for example, hard disks, CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, or magnetic storage devices. Such computer readable media or memory do not include transitory waves or signals.
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to heat pump water heaters that utilize a heat pump to heat water contained in a tank.
The heat pump 102 may take on any suitable form, such as, for example, an air-source heat pump, a geothermal heat pump, an absorption-style heat pump, or another suitable heat pump. In the example shown in
In some embodiments, the heat pump 102 includes an expansion valve 116, an evaporator 118 and a compressor 120. The expansion valve 116 produces a pressure drop in the circuit 108 that reduces the temperature and pressure of the fluid flow 110. A fan 122 may pass ambient air 124 over the evaporator 118 to transfer heat to the fluid flow 110, which boils and evaporates the fluid into a vapor state. The vaporized fluid flow 110 travels to the compressor 120, which increases the temperature and pressure of the vapor. The fluid circuit 108 delivers the heated vapor fluid flow 110 from the output 114 through the interior cavity 104 of the tank 106 where it is used to heat the water contained therein, as discussed in greater detail below.
In some embodiments, the water heater 100 includes an upper condenser 130 and a lower condenser 132. The upper condenser 130 is configured to heat water contained in an upper portion 136 of the interior cavity 104 of the tank 106, and the lower condenser 132 is configured to heat water contained in a lower portion 138 of the interior cavity 104 of the tank, which is displaced from the upper portion 136 along a central axis 134. In some embodiments, the condensers 130 and 132 are positioned within the interior cavity 104, as indicated in
Each of the condensers 130 and 132 is configured to receive the fluid flow 110 at an input port 140 and discharge the fluid flow 110 through an output port 142. As the fluid flow 110 travels through the condensers 130 and 132, heat is transferred from the fluid flow 110 to the water contained within the cavity 104. The circuit 108 and the condensers 130 and 132 may include suitable check valves to prevent undesired back flow of the fluid flow 110. For example, check valves may be positioned at the ports 140 or 142 to prevent the fluid flow 110 from traveling back through the ports 140 and 142.
The condensers 130 and 132 may take on any suitable form. For example, the condensers 130 and 132 may include thermally conductive tubing that transfers heat from the fluid flow 110 to the water contained in the interior cavity 104 as the fluid flow 110 travels from the port 140 to the port 142 of the tubing. The heat transfer between the fluid flow 110 and the water contained in the cavity 104 using the condenser 130 or the condenser 132 causes the vapor fluid flow 110 to cool and condense to a liquid, which may be discharged through the port 142 and returned to the input 112 of the heat pump 102 for reheating in accordance with the reverse refrigeration cycle.
In some embodiments, the water heater 100 includes valving 150 that is configured to selectively direct the fluid flow 110 received from the output 114 of the heat pump 102 to the condenser 130 and/or the condenser 132. The valving 150 may be configured to simultaneously direct a fluid flow 110 to both the condenser 130 and the condenser 132. In some embodiments, the valving 150 is configured to selectively direct a fluid flow 110 to either the condenser 130, as indicated by the solid fluid flow arrows 110, or the condenser 132, as indicated by the dashed fluid flow arrows 110. That is, the valving 150 has a first setting, in which the output 114 of the heat pump 102 is fluidically coupled to the port 140 of the condenser 130, and the output 114 of the heat pump 102 is fluidically disconnected from the port 140 of the condenser 132, as indicated by the solid arrows in
In some embodiments, the water heater 100 includes a controller 152, which represents one or more processors that control components of the water heater 100, such as the valving 150 and the heat pump 102 (e.g., the compressor 120, the fan 122, etc.) to perform one or more functions described herein in response to the execution of instructions, which may be stored locally in memory of the water heater 100 or in memory that is remote from the water heater 100. In some embodiments, the processor or processors of the controller 152 are components of one or more computer-based systems. In some embodiments, the controller 152 includes one or more control circuits, microprocessor-based engine control systems, one or more programmable hardware components, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), that are used to control components of the water heater 100 to perform one or more functions described herein.
In some embodiments, the controller 152 is configured to control the valving 150 and direct the valving 150 into a desired setting. Thus, the controller 152 may selectively direct the valving 150 to the first setting or the second setting. In some embodiments, the controller 152 directs the valving 150 to the first or second setting based upon a temperature of the water contained in the upper portion 136 of the tank and/or a temperature of the water contained in the lower portion 138 of the tank 106. In accordance with this embodiment, the water heater 100 includes a temperature sensor 156 that is configured to generate a temperature signal 157 that is indicative of a temperature of water contained in the upper portion 136 of the tank 106, and/or a lower temperature sensor 158 that is configured to generate a temperature signal 159 that is indicative of a temperature of water contained in the lower portion 138 of the tank 106. In some embodiments, the controller 152 directs the valving 150 to either the first setting or the second setting based upon the temperature signals 157 and/or 159.
The temperature sensors 156 and 158 may take on any suitable form. In some embodiments, the sensors 156 and 158 may be contained within the interior cavity 104 of the tank 106 as indicated in
With the heat pump 102 operating, the controller 152 may control the valving 150 based on the temperature signals 157 and/or 159 in accordance with a heating protocol. In one exemplary embodiment, the controller 152 directs the valving 150 to the first setting to heat the water contained in the upper portion 136 of the tank 106 using the upper condenser 130 when the temperature indicated by the signal 157 output from the temperature sensor 156 indicates that the water contained in the upper portion 136 of the tank 106 is below an upper portion threshold temperature setting 160 that is accessible by the controller 152. The upper portion threshold temperature setting 160 may be set using a suitable thermostat or a setting contained in memory that is accessible by the controller 152, for example. After the water in the upper portion 136 is heated to the upper portion threshold temperature setting 160, the controller 152 may direct the valving 150 to the second setting to heat the water contained in the lower portion 138 using the lower condenser 132, until the temperature indicated by the lower temperature signal 159 indicates that the water in the lower portion 138 has reached a lower portion threshold temperature setting 162. As with the setting 160, the lower portion threshold temperature setting 162 may be provided by a lower thermostat, or a setting contained in memory that is accessible by the controller 152, for example. When the temperature of the water contained in the upper portion 136 and the lower portion 138 meets the corresponding upper portion threshold temperature setting 160 and the lower portion threshold temperature setting 162, the controller 152 may shut down the heat pump 102.
As hot water is drawn from the top or upper portion 136 of the tank 106 through the hot water outlet 107B, cold water is delivered to the bottom portion 138 of the tank 106 through the cold water inlet 107A. Eventually, the cold water mixes with the hot water contained in the lower portion 138 and lowers the temperature of the water contained in the lower portion 138 below the lower portion threshold temperature setting 162. The controller 152 then responds by setting the valving 150 in the second setting and activating the heat pump 102 (if necessary) to drive the heated fluid flow 110 from the output 114 of the heat pump 102 through the lower condenser 132 and heat the water in the lower portion 138, until the temperature of the water in the lower portion 138 reaches the lower portion threshold temperature setting 162. If enough cold water is drawn through the inlet 107A of the tank 106 to cool the water contained in the upper portion 136 below the upper threshold temperature setting 160, the controller 152 directs the valving 150 to the first setting, and the heated fluid flow 110 is directed through the upper condenser 130 to heat the water in the upper portion 136 until it reaches the temperature setting 160.
In some embodiments, unlike conventional heat pump water heaters, the water heater 100 does not include an electric water heating element that is configured to heat the water contained in the interior cavity 104 of the tank 106. As used herein, an electric water heating element includes resistive heating elements and the like whose primary function is to generate heat for heating water contained in the interior cavity 104 of the tank 106 using electrical energy, such as in response to a detected temperature of the water contained in the tank 106. As a result, some embodiments of the water heater 100 only utilize the heated fluid flow 110 as the primary source of heat to heat the water contained in the tank 106.
As mentioned above, the condensers 130 and 132 may include tubing through which the fluid flow 110 travels to transfer heat from the fluid flow 110 to the water contained in the cavity 104 of the tank 106. One example of this is shown in
Additionally, when the interior cavity 104 is defined by an exterior wall 176, such as a tubular wall that is coaxial with the central axis, the tubing sections 170 and 172 may be immersed within the water contained in the interior cavity 104, as indicated in
The valving 150 may take on any suitable form. One exemplary embodiment of the valving 150 is shown in
As a result, when the valving 150 is in the first setting, the heated fluid flow 110 travels from the output 114 of the heat pump 102 through the valve 180A and through the upper condenser 130, such as the tubing section 170, and is discharged through the port 142 of the condenser 130 and returned to the inlet 112 of the heat pump 102. The fluid flow 110 is prevented from flowing through the lower condenser 132, such as the tubing section 172, when the valving 150 is in the first setting due to the closing of the valve 180B. When the valving 150 is in the second setting, the valve 180A is closed and the valve 180B is opened to allow the heated fluid flow 110 to travel from the output 114 of the heat pump 102 to the input 140 of the lower condenser 132, through the lower condenser 132, such as through the tubing section 172, discharged through the output 142 of the condenser 132, and returned to the input 112 of the heat pump 102. The fluid flow 110 is prevented from flowing through the upper condenser 130 when the valving 150 is in the second setting due to the closed valve 180A. Accordingly, water contained in the upper portion 136 of the tank 106 is heated by the fluid flow 110 traveling through the upper condenser 130 when the valving 150 is in the first setting, and water contained in the lower portion 138 of the tank 106 is heated by the fluid flow 110 (dashed arrows) traveling through the lower condenser 132 when the valving 150 is in the second setting.
In some embodiments, the upper condenser 130 and the lower condenser 132 are displaced from each other along the central axis 134 by a gap 186, as shown in
In some embodiments, the ports 142 of the condensers 130 and 132 are fluidically connected together. The controller 152 (
The controller 152 (
The valving 150 may take on any suitable form to provide the desired settings for placing the water heater 100 in the upper heating configuration (FIG. 3) or the lower heating configuration (
In some embodiments, the valving 150 includes an input port 190 that is fluidically coupled to the output 114 of the heat pump 102 and an output port 192 that is fluidically coupled to the input 112 of the heat pump 102, as shown in
The valving 150 also includes a second setting corresponding to the lower heating configuration (
In some embodiments, the heat pump water heater 100 includes a valve 198, which is shown in phantom lines in
In some embodiments, the water heater 100 includes one or more pumps for driving the fluid flow 110. Such pumps may be used to replace and/or supplement the valving 150.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a water cooler 200, an example of which is illustrated in
In some embodiments, the heat pump 202 of the water cooler 200, like the heat pump 102 of the water heater 100, includes the expansion valve 116, the evaporator 118 and the compressor 120. However, these components are arranged in reverse order. Thus, the compressor 120 compresses the vaporized fluid flow 110 received through the input 112 to further heat the fluid flow 110. A fan 122 may pass ambient air 124 over the evaporator 118 to transfer heat from the fluid flow 110, which may transition to a liquid state. The fluid flow 110 then travels to the expansion valve 116, which reduces the pressure and further cools the fluid flow 110. The fluid circuit 108 delivers the cold fluid flow 110 from the output 114 through the interior cavity 104 of the tank 106 where it is used to cool the water contained therein.
This cooling process may proceed in accordance with one or more of the embodiments described above, but with the focus on cooling the water contained in the cavity 104 rather than heating it. Thus, the water cooler 200 may utilize the condensers 130 described above, which operate as evaporators in the cooling cycle. Additionally, the fluid flow 110 may be controlled in accordance with one or more of the embodiments described above to facilitate the cooling of the water in the cavity 104. For example, the controller 152 may control the valving 150 to deliver the fluid flow 110 to the one or more evaporators 130, generally in accordance with the embodiments described above with reference to
Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
