Patent ID: 8220531
Filing Date: 2012-07-17
Classification: F25B

Abstract:
1. A refrigerant circuit heat pump system operable in at least an air cooling mode and an air heating air mode and having liquid heating capability comprising: a refrigerant compressor having a suction port and a discharge port; a selectively positionable reversing valve having a first port, a second port, a third port and a fourth port, said reversing valve being positionable in a first position for coupling the first port and the second port in fluid flow communication and the third port and the fourth port in fluid flow communication, said reversing valve being positionable in a second position for coupling the first port and the third port in fluid flow communication and the second port and the fourth port in fluid flow communication; a refrigerant circuit providing a closed loop refrigerant circulation flow path, said refrigerant circuit having a first refrigerant line establishing a flow path between the discharge port of said compressor and the first port of said reversing valve, a second refrigerant line establishing a flow path between the second port of said reversing valve and the third port of said reversing valve, and a third refrigerant line establishing a flow path between the fourth port of said reversing valve and the suction port of said compressor; an outdoor heat exchanger operatively associated with the second refrigerant line and adapted for passing refrigerant passing through the second refrigerant line in heat exchange relationship with ambient air; an indoor heat exchanger operatively associated with the second refrigerant line and adapted for passing refrigerant passing through the second refrigerant line in heat exchange relationship with the air from the comfort zone, said indoor heat exchanger disposed downstream of said outdoor exchanger with respect to refrigerant flow in the air cooling mode and upstream of the outdoor heat exchanger with respect to refrigerant flow through the second refrigerant line in the air heating mode; a refrigerant to liquid heat exchanger operatively associated with the first refrigerant line and adapted for passing refrigerant passing through the first refrigerant line in heat exchange relationship with a liquid; a refrigerant reservoir having an inlet coupled in fluid flow communication to said second refrigerant line at a location intermediate said outdoor heat exchanger and said indoor heat exchanger and an outlet line coupled in fluid flow communication to said third refrigerant line, the outlet line bypassing the refrigerant to liquid heat exchanger; a first flow control valve operatively associated with said refrigerant reservoir for controlling the flow refrigerant from the second refrigerant line to the inlet of said refrigerant reservoir, said first control valve having an open position and a closed position; a second flow control valve operatively associated with said refrigerant reservoir for controlling the flow refrigerant between the outlet of said refrigerant reservoir and the third refrigerant line, said second control valve having an open position and a closed position; and a controller operatively associated with said first and second flow control valves, said controller operative to selectively control the respective positioning of said first and second flow control valves between their respective open and closed positions so as to selectively control the refrigerant charge within the refrigerant circuit.