Heat pump with multiple expansion valves

Abstract

A refrigerant circuit of a heat pump is disclosed. The circuit may include a flow of a refrigerant and a plurality of expansion valves. The plurality of expansion valves includes a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve. The first and the second expansion valves are configured to receive the flow of the refrigerant. Further, the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve are disposed in a parallel arrangement in the refrigerant circuit. Further, a size of the first expansion valve is different from a size of the second expansion valve.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerant circuit comprising:
 a flow of a refrigerant; and   a plurality of expansion valves,   wherein the plurality of expansion valves comprise at least a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve,   wherein the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve are configured to receive the flow of the refrigerant,   wherein the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve are disposed in a parallel arrangement in the refrigerant circuit, and   wherein a parameter of the first expansion valve is different than a parameter of the second expansion valve.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the parameter of the first expansion valve comprises a first expansion valve size, and wherein the parameter of the second expansion valve comprises a second expansion valve size. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one control valve configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to one or more of the plurality of expansion valves. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one control valve comprises:
 a first control valve configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to the first expansion valve; and   a second control valve configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to the second expansion valve.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 4 , wherein the first control valve and the second control valve are solenoid valves. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one control valve is configured to direct the flow of the refrigerant to the first expansion valve in a first control valve operation mode, wherein the at least one control valve is configured to direct the flow of the refrigerant to the second expansion valve in a second control valve operation mode, and wherein the at least one control valve is configured to direct the flow of the refrigerant to the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve in a third control valve operation mode. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 3 , further comprising a controller communicatively connected with the at least one control valve. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the at least one control valve based on at least one of: an ambient temperature, a refrigerant circuit interior portion temperature, and a refrigerant circuit interior portion pressure. 
     
     
         9 . A heat pump comprising:
 a first expansion valve; and   a second expansion valve,   wherein the first expansion valve, the second expansion valve, or a combination thereof is configured to receive a flow of a refrigerant,   wherein the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve are disposed in a parallel arrangement in the heat pump, and   wherein a parameter of the first expansion valve is different than a parameter of the second expansion valve.   
     
     
         10 . The heat pump of  claim 9 , wherein the parameter of the first expansion valve comprises a first expansion valve size, and wherein the parameter of the second expansion valve comprises a second expansion valve size. 
     
     
         11 . The heat pump of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one control valve configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to the first expansion valve, the second expansion valve, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The heat pump of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one control valve comprises:
 a first control valve configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to the first expansion valve; and   a second control valve configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to the second expansion valve.   
     
     
         13 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , wherein the first control valve and the second control valve are solenoid valves. 
     
     
         14 . The heat pump of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one control valve is configured to direct the flow of the refrigerant to the first expansion valve in a first control valve operation mode, wherein the at least one control valve is configured to direct the flow of the refrigerant to the second expansion valve in a second control valve operation mode, and wherein the at least one control valve is configured to direct the flow of the refrigerant to the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve in a third control valve operation mode. 
     
     
         15 . The heat pump of  claim 11 , further comprising a controller communicatively connected with the at least one control valve. 
     
     
         16 . The heat pump of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the at least one control valve based on at least one of: an ambient temperature, a refrigerant circuit interior portion temperature, and a refrigerant circuit interior portion pressure. 
     
     
         17 . A method to operate a refrigerant circuit comprising a plurality of expansion valves and at least one control valve configured to control a flow of a refrigerant to one or more of the plurality of expansion valves, the method comprising:
 determining at least one of an ambient temperature, a refrigerant circuit interior portion temperature, and a refrigerant circuit interior portion pressure; and   directing, based on at least one of the ambient temperature, the refrigerant circuit interior portion temperature, and the refrigerant circuit interior portion pressure, the refrigerant to one or more of the plurality of expansion valves,   wherein the plurality of expansion valves comprise a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve,   wherein the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve are disposed in a parallel arrangement in the refrigerant circuit, and   wherein a parameter of the first expansion valve is different than a parameter of the second expansion valve.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the parameter of the first expansion valve comprises a first expansion valve size, and wherein the parameter of the second expansion valve comprises a second expansion valve size. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one control valve comprises a first control valve and a second control valve. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 controlling the flow of the refrigerant to the first expansion valve via the first control valve; and   controlling the flow of the refrigerant to the second expansion valve via the second control valve.