Patent ID: 6536221
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: F25B

Abstract:
In combination with an air conditioning system having a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and a water-recirculating fixture having a water recirculation loop with a pump therein for withdrawing water from said fixture and returning it to said fixture, the improvement which comprises: a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger in said recirculation loop comprising an insulated water tank having a water inlet connected to receive water from said water-recirculating fixture and a water outlet connected to pass water to said water-recirculating fixture; and a condenser coil positioned in said tank in heat exchange relationship with the water therein, said condenser coil of said heat exchanger having a refrigerant inlet for receiving hot refrigerant from said compressor and a refrigerant outlet for passing the refrigerant from said heat exchanger to said condenser of the air conditioning system after heating the water in said tank; a normally-closed first solenoid valve connected between said compressor and said refrigerant inlet; a normally-closed second solenoid valve connected between said refrigerant outlet and said condenser of the air conditioning system; a normally-open third solenoid valve connected between the upstream side of said first solenoid valve and the downstream side of said second solenoid valve; and means for energizing said first, second and third solenoid valves to open said first and second solenoid valves and close said third solenoid valve when said air conditioning system comes on.