Patent ID: 9109840
Filing Date: 2015-08-18
Classification: B60H,F25B,F28D

Abstract:
1. A unitary heat pump air conditioner (HPAC), comprising: a plate type heat exchanger assembly having a plurality of plates stacked and hermetically sealed between an upstream end plate and a downstream end plate, defining: a condenser/chiller portion adjacent said upstream end plate, wherein said upstream end plate includes a refrigerant inlet, a hot coolant inlet, and a hot coolant outlet; an accumulator portion adjacent said downstream end plate, wherein said downstream end plate includes a refrigerant outlet, a cold coolant inlet, and a cold coolant outlet; an evaporator/chiller portion sandwiched between said condenser/chiller portion and said accumulator portion; a refrigerant passageway extending through said plate type heat exchanger assembly and in hydraulic communication with said refrigerant inlet and said refrigerant outlet; a hot coolant passageway extending through said condenser/chiller portion and in hydraulic communication with said hot coolant inlet and said hot coolant outlet; and a cold coolant passageway extending through said evaporator/chiller portion and in hydraulic communication with said cold coolant inlet and said cold coolant outlet; wherein said hot coolant passageway and said cold coolant passageway are in non-contact thermal communication with said refrigerant passageway, such that a two phase refrigerant flowing through said refrigerant passageway as part of a refrigerant loop transfers heat energy from a cold side coolant flowing through said cold coolant passageway to a hot side coolant flowing through said hot coolant passageway.