Apparatuses and methods for use of a pump with a heatable pump chamber in a heat-pump apparatus and for operating the heat-pump apparatus

Abstract

A heat-pump apparatus for heating purposes has a collector circuit for a heat source with a collector pump for a collector fluid, also has a refrigerant circuit with an evaporator and a condenser for a refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit and with a compressor and a pressure-relief valve, and additionally has a heating circuit with a heating pump for a heating fluid, with heating means for heating purposes. At least the collector pump and/or the heating pump are/is designed in the form of a pump with a heatable pump chamber for heating the fluid delivered by the pump.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A heat-pump apparatus for heating purposes, said heat-pump apparatus comprising:
 a collector circuit for a heat source, said collector circuit having a collector fluid and a collector pump for said collector fluid;   a refrigerant circuit, said refrigerant circuit having a refrigerant in said refrigerant circuit, having an evaporator and a condenser for said refrigerant, having a compressor and a pressure-relief valve; and   a heating circuit, said heating circuit having a heating fluid and a heating pump for said heating fluid, and having heating means for heating purposes,   wherein said collector circuit interacts with said evaporator in order to dissipate heat to said refrigerant, wherein said condenser interacts with said heating circuit in order to dissipate heat from said refrigerant, and   wherein at least said collector pump or said heating pump is provided with a heatable pump chamber for heating said fluid delivered by said pump.   
     
     
         2 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said collector pump comprises said heatable pump chamber and is arranged in said collector circuit upstream of said evaporator, provided in a flow direction of said collector fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said collector pump is arranged just upstream of said evaporator. 
     
     
         4 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said collector pump is arranged just upstream of said evaporator without any further functional structural units between said collector pump and said evaporator. 
     
     
         5 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating pump comprises said heatable pump chamber and is arranged in said heating circuit downstream of said condenser, provided in a flow direction of said heating fluid, just downstream of the condenser and without any functional structural units therebetween. 
     
     
         6 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said heating pump is arranged just downstream of said condenser. 
     
     
         7 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said heating pump is arranged just downstream of said condenser without any further functional structural units between said heating pump and said condenser. 
     
     
         8 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pump with said heatable pump chamber comprises a pump housing with said pump chamber therein, wherein heating means are provided on or in said pump chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said heating means form at least partly a wall of said pump chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said wall of said pump chamber comprises an encircling lateral wall. 
     
     
         11 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said heating means comprises thick-film heating elements. 
     
     
         12 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said heating means comprises a temperature sensor with a temperature-dependent electrical resistance. 
     
     
         13 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said heating means are provided with a temperature sensor, said temperature sensor comprising a temperature-dependent electrical resistance. 
     
     
         14 . The heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said temperature-dependent electrical resistance has a negative temperature coefficient. 
     
     
         15 . A method of using a pump with a heatable pump chamber in a heat-pump apparatus for heating purposes, comprising:
 a collector circuit for a heat source, said collector circuit having a collector fluid and a collector pump for said collector fluid;   a refrigerant circuit, said refrigerant circuit having a refrigerant in said refrigerant circuit, having an evaporator and a condenser for said refrigerant, having a compressor and a pressure-relief valve; and   a heating circuit, said heating circuit having a heating fluid and a heating pump for said heating fluid, and having heating means for heating purposes,   wherein said collector circuit interacts with said evaporator in order to dissipate heat to said refrigerant, wherein said condenser interacts with said heating circuit in order to dissipate heat from said refrigerant, and   wherein at least said collector pump or said heating pump is provided with a heatable pump chamber for heating said fluid delivered by said pump.   
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a heat-pump apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein heat is absorbed from a heat source, such as air, water or the ground, by means of a collector fluid and wherein said collector fluid is pumped in a collector circuit, wherein said collector fluid dissipates its heat to a refrigerant in a heat exchanger, wherein said refrigerant is evaporated in an evaporator, wherein then said refrigerant is compressed, and heated in the process, and thereafter, in a condenser as a heat exchanger, dissipates its heat to a heating fluid of a heating circuit for heating purposes, wherein then said refrigerant is evaporated again and guided into said evaporator, and wherein said heating fluid is pumped in said heating circuit, wherein said collector fluid in said collector circuit or said heating fluid in said heating circuit is heated at the same time of a pumping operation and in said pump. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said pump with a heatable pump chamber is operated or said heating means thereof are operated, only when more heat is required for heating purposes than is generated by said heat-pump apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein initially said heating means of said heating pump is operated, followed by said heating means of said collector pump.