Heat pump system and method of controlling the same

Abstract

Provided are a heat pump system and a method of controlling the same. In a heating operation, a refrigerant circulating in an air-conditioning device is heat-exchanged with a working fluid heated by a heating device so as to be heated, and the heating device is controlled according to a temperature of the working fluid. Thus, various types of heating members are conveniently used as the heating device for heating the refrigerant.

1 . A heat pump system, comprising:
 an air-conditioning device configured to cool or heat a space through heat exchange between a circulating refrigerant and both outdoor air and indoor air; and   a heating device configured to heat a working fluid heat-exchanged with the refrigerant circulating in the air-conditioning device, wherein operation of the heating device is controlled according to one of a temperature of the working fluid and a temperature of the refrigerant.   
   
   
       2 . The heat pump system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bypass pipe to couple the air-conditioning device to the heating device, wherein the refrigerant is selectively directed to the bypass pipe such that the refrigerant is heat-exchanged with the working fluid. 
   
   
       3 . The heat pump system according to  claim 1 , wherein the air-conditioning device comprises:
 at least one outdoor unit equipped with an outdoor heat exchanger and a compressor; and   at least one indoor unit equipped with an indoor heat exchanger.   
   
   
       4 . The heat pump system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating device comprises:
 a heating unit heating the working fluid; and   a heat-exchanging unit heat-exchanging the working fluid heated in the heating unit with the refrigerant.   
   
   
       5 . The heat pump system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating device is stopped when the temperature of the working fluid is a preset reference temperature or more. 
   
   
       6 . The heat pump system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating device is stopped when the temperature of the refrigerant is a preset reference temperature or more. 
   
   
       7 . A method of controlling a heat pump system to prevent overheating of a refrigerant circulating in a heat exchanging unit and in an air-conditioning device, the method comprising:
 driving the air-conditioning device in a heating operation;   heat-exchanging a working fluid circulating in the heat exchanging unit and heated by a heating unit, with the refrigerant circulating in the heat exchanging unit and in the air-conditioning device; and   stopping the heating unit when a temperature of the working fluid is a preset reference temperature or more.   
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the heat-exchanging of the working fluid comprises operating the heating unit only when the refrigerant is required to be heated. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the heat-exchanging of the working fluid comprises determining whether the refrigerant is required to be heated, at least in consideration of a difference between a temperature of the refrigerant circulating in the air-conditioning device and a temperature of outdoor air. 
   
   
       10 . The heat pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating unit is started when a difference between a temperature of outdoor air and a temperature of the refrigerant circulating in the air-conditioning device is less than or equal to a predetermined value. 
   
   
       11 . The heat pump system of  claim 4 , wherein operation of the heating device is controlled according to one of a temperature of the working fluid a temperature of the refrigerant and a temperature of a heat transferring medium in the heat-exchanging unit.