Thermal energy conserving air handler

Abstract

A heating and cooling system including a heat pump system and a thermal energy storage (TES) and retrieval system. The TES and retrieval system includes a Phase Change Material (PCM) unit housing a PCM and a first refrigerant line at least partially immersed in the PCM or embedded within the PCM unit for the PCM to exchange heat with refrigerant in flow through the first refrigerant line, the refrigerant directed from a compressor of the reversible heat pump system to the first refrigerant line and back to the reversible heat pump system after the first refrigerant line. The TES and retrieval system further includes a first water line at least partially immersed in the PCM or embedded within the PCM unit for the PCM to exchange heat with water in the first water line.

1 . A heating and cooling system comprising:
 a heat pump system; and   a heat exchange system including:
 a Phase Change Material (PCM) unit housing a PCM and a first refrigerant line extending through the PCM unit for the PCM to exchange heat with refrigerant in the first refrigerant line, the refrigerant received from a compressor of the heat pump system and returned to the heat pump system; and 
 a first water line extending through the PCM unit for the PCM to exchange heat with water in the first water line. 
   
     
     
         2 . The heating and cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heat recovery valve configured to selectively direct the refrigerant from the compressor to bypass the heat exchange system and return to the heat pump system in response to detecting a bypass condition.   
     
     
         3 . The heating and cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein detecting the bypass condition is based on at least one of: a PCM charge signal, a temperature measurement of the PCM, an indication of a state of charge of the PCM, an air temperature measurement, and an indication of a hot air demand. 
     
     
         4 . The heating and cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second water line fluidly connected to the first water line and configured for heat exchange with ambient air surrounding the second water line; and   a blower configured to blow the ambient air for secondary heating or cooling.   
     
     
         5 . The heating and cooling system of  claim 4 , wherein the blower is integrated into the heat pump system. 
     
     
         6 . The heating and cooling system of  claim 4 , wherein the first water line and the second water line form a loop, the heat exchange system further comprising:
 at least one of a check valve and a circulating pump to circulate the water in the loop.   
     
     
         7 . The heating and cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange system further comprises:
 a cold-water inlet for feeding cold water to the first water line and a hot-water outlet for retrieving hot water from the first water line.   
     
     
         8 . The heating and cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a conditioning unit including a fluid line and a second refrigerant line fluidly connected to the heat pump system, the fluid line and the second refrigerant line proximal to each other for heat exchange between a fluid in the fluid line and the refrigerant in the second refrigerant line.   
     
     
         9 . The heating and cooling system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a first directing valve configured to direct the refrigerant from the heat pump system to the second refrigerant line; and   a second directing valve configured to return the refrigerant to the compressor after the second refrigerant line.   
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 circulating refrigerant from a compressor of a heat pump through a heat exchange system;   storing heat from the refrigerant in a phase change material (PCM) of the heat exchange system as latent heat; and   heating water in a water line extending through the phase change material of the heat exchange system using the latent heat stored in the phase change material.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 detecting a bypass condition; and   directing the refrigerant from the compressor to bypass the heat exchange system and return to the heat pump.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the bypass condition is based on at least one of: a PCM charge signal, a temperature measurement of the PCM, an indication of a state of charge of the PCM, an air temperature measurement, and an indication of a hot air demand. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 drawing heated water from the water line to a second water line;   heating ambient air surrounding the second water line using the heated water; and   distributing the heated ambient air.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 detecting a secondary heating condition; and   in response to detecting the secondary heating condition, actuating a check valve or a circulating pump to draw the heated water from the water line to the second water line.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 circulating the refrigerant from the heat pump through a conditioning system; and   absorbing heat from a fluid in a fluid line of the conditioning system by the refrigerant.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 cooling the refrigerant prior to circulating the refrigerant through the conditioning system.   
     
     
         17 . A heat exchange system comprising:
 a housing;   a refrigerant line extending through the housing, the refrigerant line configured to receive refrigerant circulated from a heat pump system; and   a fluid line extending through the housing, the fluid line configured to contain a fluid; and   wherein the refrigerant line and the fluid line are configured for a heat exchange between the refrigerant and the fluid.   
     
     
         18 . The heat exchange system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a phase change material (PCM) stored in the housing; and   wherein the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the fluid occurs via heat exchange with the phase change material as an intermediate.   
     
     
         19 . The heat exchange system of  claim 18 , wherein the refrigerant line and the fluid line each extend through the phase change material. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchange system of  claim 17 , wherein the refrigerant line and the fluid line are configured to be disposed within a threshold distance of each other to enable the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the fluid.