Multi-circuit heat pump

Abstract

A multi-circuit heat pump is disclosed. The heat pump comprises an evaporator, a plurality of condensers fluidically connected in series, and a plurality of compressor units configured between the evaporator and the plurality of condensers such that one of the compressor units is fluidically configured between the evaporator and one of the condensers.

1 . A multi-circuit heat pump comprising:
 an evaporator;   a plurality of condensers fluidically connected in series; and   a plurality of compressor units configured between the evaporator and the plurality of condensers such that one of the compressor units is fluidically configured between the evaporator and one of the condensers.   
     
     
         2 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein each of the compressor units comprises a compressor operatively coupled to a motor, wherein each of the motors is configured to be independently operated at a predefined speed. 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump comprises a plurality of economizers, wherein one of the economizers is fluidically configured between the evaporator, one of the condensers, and the respective compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of condensers is a multi-pass heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of condensers is a single-pass heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein each of the condensers comprises a conduit having a predefined number of turns and passes, disposed within a housing of the condenser and in thermal contact with a refrigerant coil associated with the corresponding condenser, wherein the conduit is configured to facilitate flow of a working-fluid therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein an outlet of the conduit associated with one of the condensers is fluidically connected to an inlet of the conduit associated with the adjacent condenser to connect the plurality of condensers in series. 
     
     
         8 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein an outlet of the conduit associated with each of the condensers is adapted to facilitate tapping of the working-fluid from the respective condensers. 
     
     
         9 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump comprises a controller operatively coupled to one or more of the motor of the compressor unit, the evaporator, and the plurality of condensers,
 wherein the controller is configured to independently operate the motor of the compressor unit associated with each of the condensers based on temperature of the working-fluid to be maintained in and tapped from the conduit across each of the condensers.   
     
     
         10 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the working-fluid is water and the plurality of condensers is a water-cooled condenser. 
     
     
         11 . The heat pump of  claim 1  wherein the working-fluid is air and the plurality of condensers is an air-cooled condenser. 
     
     
         12 . A multi-circuit heat pump comprising:
 an evaporator;   a condenser comprising a housing having a plurality of compartments isolated from each other and arranged in series within the housing, wherein each of the compartments comprises a refrigerant coil; and   a plurality of compressor units configured between the evaporator and the plurality of compartments of the condenser such that one of the compressor units is fluidically configured between the evaporator and one of the compartments.   
     
     
         13 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein each of the compressor units comprises a compressor operatively coupled to a motor, wherein each of the motors is configured to be independently operated at a predefined speed. 
     
     
         14 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein the heat pump comprises a plurality of economizers, wherein one of the economizers is fluidically configured between the evaporator, one of the compartments, and the respective compressor. 
     
     
         15 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein the condenser comprises a conduit having a predefined number of turns and passes disposed of within the housing and extending through each of the compartments, wherein the conduit is in thermal contact with the condenser coil of each of the compartments and configured to facilitate flow of a working-fluid therethrough. 
     
     
         16 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein the conduit is adapted to facilitate tapping of the working-fluid from each of the compartments. 
     
     
         17 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein the condenser comprises one or more partition walls disposed of within the housing to create and isolate the plurality of compartments, wherein the conduit extends through the one or more partition walls. 
     
     
         18 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein the heat pump comprises a controller operatively coupled to one or more of the motor of the compressor unit, the evaporator, and the condenser,
 wherein the controller is configured to independently operate the motor of the compressor unit associated with each of the compartments based on temperature of the working-fluid to be maintained in and tapped from the conduit across each of the compartments.   
     
     
         19 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein the working-fluid is water and the condenser is a water-cooled condenser. 
     
     
         20 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein the working-fluid is air and the condenser is an air-cooled condenser.