Self contained water-to-water heat pump

Abstract

A self-contained water-to-water heat transfer system is provided that mixes hot water produced by a heat exchange with cold output fluid expelled from the heat pump to make source fluid. More specifically, in order to reduce the fluid flow rate required within a heat pump and substantially prevent freezing of evaporator coils within the heat pump, source water fed into the heat pump is taken from a mixture of the output hot water that was generated in the heat pump and the cool water exiting the heat pump. The system alleviates the need to employ a ground loop outside of a structure that is required by traditional geothermal heating systems.

1 . A self-contained water-to-water heat transfer system comprising:
 a first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger;   a refrigerant conduit interconnecting said first heat exchanger to said second heat exchanger in a closed circuit;   a compressor associated with said refrigerant conduit;   an expansion valve associated with said refrigerant conduit;   a first fluid input conduit in communication with said first heat exchanger;   a first fluid output conduit in communication with said first heat exchanger;   a second fluid input conduit in communication with said second heat exchanger;   a second fluid output conduit in communication with said second heat exchanger; and   a fluid conduit in communication with said first fluid output conduit and said second fluid input conduit, wherein a portion of fluid positioned within said first fluid output conduit is directed to said second fluid input conduit, thereby providing heat to refrigerant positioned within said second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first valve associated with said second fluid input conduit for controlling the fluid flow thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein fluid in said first fluid input conduit is about 135 degrees Fahrenheit, fluid in said first fluid output conduit is about 143 degrees Fahrenheit, fluid in said second fluid input conduit is about 143 degrees Fahrenheit, and the fluid in said second fluid output conduit is about 61 degrees Fahrenheit 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid and the first fluid input conduit is flowing at about 12 gallons per minute, the fluid flowing in the first fluid output conduit is flowing at about 12 gallons per minute, the fluid flowing in said second fluid input conduit is about 0.8 gallons per minute and the fluid flowing in said second fluid output conduit is flowing at about 0.8 gallons per minute. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first heat exchanger is a condenser and said second heat exchanger is an evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the change of energy between the first fluid input conduit and the first fluid output conduit is about 48,690 BTU/hr and the difference in energy of the second fluid input conduit and the fluid in the second fluid output conduit is about 33,120 BTU/hr. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the majority of the fluid exiting from the first fluid output conduit is directed to a storage tank. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the storage tank includes an outlet conduit associated with at least one of a indoor heater and an infloor heating system wherein the fluid directed thereto is redirected to said storage tank after a predetermined time. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump associated with at least one of said first fluid input conduit, said first fluid outlet conduit, said second fluid input conduit, and said second fluid output conduit. 
     
     
         10 . A self-contained water-to-water heat transfer system comprising:
 a heat pump having a source side with a first fluid input conduit and a first fluid output conduit and a load side with a second fluid input conduit and a second fluid output conduit;   a fluid conduit in communication with said first fluid output conduit and said second fluid input conduit, wherein a portion of fluid positioned within said first fluid output conduit is directed to said second fluid input conduit.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said heat pump comprises
 a first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger;   a refrigerant conduit interconnecting said first heat exchanger to said second heat exchanger in a closed circuit;   a compressor associated with said refrigerant conduit;   an expansion valve associated with said refrigerant conduit;   wherein said first fluid input conduit in communication with said first heat exchanger;   wherein said first fluid output conduit in communication with said first heat exchanger;   wherein said second fluid input conduit in communication with said second heat exchanger; and   wherein said second fluid output conduit in communication with said second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a first valve associated with said second fluid input conduit for controlling the fluid flow thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein fluid in said first fluid input conduit is about 135 degrees Fahrenheit, fluid in said first fluid output conduit is about 143 degrees Fahrenheit, fluid in said second fluid input conduit is about 143 degrees Fahrenheit, and the fluid in said second fluid output conduit is about 61 degrees Fahrenheit 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid and the first fluid input conduit is flowing at about 12 gallons per minute, the fluid flowing in the first fluid output conduit is flowing at about 12 gallons per minute, the fluid flowing in said second fluid input conduit is about 0.8 gallons per minute and the fluid flowing in said second fluid output conduit is flowing at about 0.8 gallons per minute. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said first heat exchanger is a condenser and said second heat exchanger is an evaporator. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the change of energy between the first fluid input conduit and the first fluid output conduit is about 48,690 BTU/hr and the difference in energy of the second fluid input conduit and the fluid in the second fluid output conduit is about 33,120 BTU/hr. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the majority of the fluid exiting from the first fluid output conduit is directed to a storage tank. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the storage tank includes an outlet conduit associated with at least one of a indoor heater and an infloor heating system wherein the fluid directed thereto is redirected to said storage tank after a predetermined time. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a pump associated with at least one of said first fluid input conduit, said first fluid outlet conduit, said second fluid input conduit, and said second fluid output conduit.