Patent ID: 8596068

Claim:
An open-loop air aspirated hybrid heat pump and heat engine system ( 20 ) for selectively heating and cooling a target space ( 22 ) comprising: a flow path ( 24 ) for a working fluid extending from an inlet ( 26 ) to an outlet ( 28 ), said inlet ( 26 ) disposed to receive ambient air as a working fluid and said outlet ( 28 ) disposed for expelling the air out of the flow path ( 24 ), a heat exchanger ( 32 ) in said flow path ( 24 ) between said inlet ( 26 ) and said outlet ( 28 ), said heat exchanger ( 32 ) disposed in thermodynamic communication with the target space ( 22 ) for transferring heat between the target space ( 22 ) and the air in said heat exchanger ( 32 ), a compressor ( 76 ) in said flow path ( 24 ) between said inlet ( 26 ) and said heat exchanger ( 32 ) for compressing and delivering the air from said inlet ( 26 ) to said heat exchanger ( 32 ), an expander ( 78 ) in said flow path ( 24 ) between said heat exchanger ( 32 ) and said outlet ( 28 ) for expanding and delivering the air from said heat exchanger ( 32 ) to said outlet ( 28 ), an energy receiving device mechanically connected to said expander ( 78 ) for harnessing energy from the air, a combustion chamber ( 62 ) in direct communication with said flow path ( 24 ) between said compressor ( 76 ) and said heat exchanger ( 32 ) for combusting a fuel in the air in said flow path ( 24 ), said combustion chamber ( 62 ) being selectively operable between a standard heating/cooling mode wherein said combustion chamber ( 62 ) remains dormant and a high heating mode wherein said combustion chamber ( 62 ) actively combusts a fuel with the air to further increase the pressure aid temperature of the air upstream of said heat exchanger ( 32 ), and further including a controller ( 82 ) in communication with said compressor ( 76 ) and said expander ( 78 ), said controller ( 82 ) having a standard cooling mode with said compressor ( 76 ) operating at a slow speed to direct the air through said flow path ( 24 ) and said expander ( 78 ) operating at a high speed to pull the air through said compressor ( 76 ) to reduce the pressure and the temperature of the air between the compressor ( 76 ) and the heat exchanger ( 32 ) and wherein said heat exchanger ( 32 ) transfers heat from the target space ( 22 ) to the air in the flow path ( 24 ) to cool the target space ( 22 ).