Air-to-water heat pump with water-to-water alternative and associated methods

Abstract

Heat pumps and thermal exchange systems including heat pumps are provided including heat pumps with a three-way reversible valve for selectively transferring thermal transfer fluid between a heating apparatus/process and/or a cooling apparatus/process. In certain embodiments, the heat pumps and thermal exchange systems include a controller for automatically adjusting the flow of thermal transfer fluid through the three-way reversible valve depending on whether a heating apparatus is present, whether a cooling apparatus is present, and depending on the desired thermal energy exchange characteristics.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat pump comprising:
 at least two air vents defining an airflow pathway therebetween;   a heating circuit inlet configured to receive a thermal transfer fluid from a heating apparatus;   a heating circuit outlet configured to deliver the thermal transfer fluid to the heating apparatus;   a cooling circuit inlet configured to receive the thermal transfer fluid from a cooling apparatus;   a cooling circuit outlet configured to deliver the thermal transfer fluid to the cooling apparatus;   an evaporator/condenser positioned adjacent to at least one of the at least two air vents;   a fan configured to move air through the airflow pathway and across the evaporator/condenser;   a compressor having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet;   a three-way reversible valve fluidly connected to the compressor inlet, the compressor outlet, the evaporator/condenser, and the heating circuit outlet, the three-way reversible valve being configured to selectively control a direction of flow of the thermal transfer fluid from the compressor outlet;   a two-way check valve positioned in between the three-way reversible valve and the compressor inlet, the two-way check valve having a first inlet fluidly connected to the three-way reversible valve, a second inlet fluidly connected to the cooling circuit inlet, and an outlet fluidly connected to the compressor inlet; and   a reversible air-to-water switch valve fluidly connected to the heating circuit inlet, the evaporator/condenser, and the cooling circuit outlet, the reversible air-to-water switch valve being configured to form an air-to-water heating circuit, a water-to-water dual circuit, or an air-to-water cooling circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The heat pump of  claim 1  wherein, when a heating apparatus is coupled to the heating circuit inlet and the heating circuit outlet, the air-to-water heating circuit is capable of being formed wherein a thermal transfer fluid is configured to be heated by the evaporator/condenser such that cool air is driven out of one of the at least two air vents by the fan, the thermal transfer fluid then passing through the three-way reversible valve to be heated by the compressor, then passing through the three-way valve to exit the heat pump through the heating circuit outlet to the heating apparatus, then entering the heat pump through the heating circuit inlet to be heated by the evaporator/condenser. 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump of  claim 1  wherein, when a cooling apparatus is coupled to the cooling circuit inlet and the cooling circuit outlet, the air-to-water cooling circuit is capable of being formed wherein a thermal transfer fluid is configured to be heated by the compressor, then passing through the three-way reversible valve to be cooled by the evaporator/condenser such that warm air is driven out of one of the at least two air vents by the fan, then exiting the heat pump through the cooling circuit outlet to the cooling apparatus, then entering the heat pump through the cooling circuit inlet to be heated by the compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The heat pump of  claim 1  wherein, when a heating apparatus is coupled to the heating circuit inlet and the heating circuit outlet and a cooling apparatus is coupled to the cooling circuit inlet and the cooling circuit outlet:
 the air-to-water heating circuit is capable of being formed wherein a thermal transfer fluid is configured to be heated by the evaporator/condenser such that cool air is driven out of one of the at least two air vents by the fan, the thermal transfer fluid then passing through the three-way reversible valve to be heated by the compressor, then passing through the three-way valve to exit the heat pump through the heating circuit outlet to the heating apparatus, then entering the heat pump through the heating circuit inlet and passing through the air-to-water switch valve to be heated by the evaporator/condenser; 
 the air-to-water cooling circuit is capable of being formed wherein a thermal transfer fluid is configured to be heated by the compressor, then passing through the three-way valve to be cooled by the evaporator/condenser such that warm air is driven out of one of the at least two air vents by the fan, then exiting the heat pump through the cooling circuit outlet to the cooling apparatus, then entering the heat pump through the cooling circuit inlet to be heated by the compressor; and 
 the water-to-water dual circuit is capable of being formed wherein a thermal transfer fluid is configured to be heated by the compressor, then passing through the three-way reversible valve to exit the heat pump through the heating circuit outlet to the heating apparatus, then entering the heat pump through the heating circuit inlet, then exiting the heat pump through the cooling circuit outlet to the cooling apparatus, then entering the heat pump through the cooling circuit inlet to be heated by the compressor. 
 
     
     
         5 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator/condenser is configured to (i) cool a heated thermal transfer fluid through a condensation process when the air-to-water cooling circuit is formed, and (ii) heat a cooled thermal transfer fluid through an evaporation process when the air-to-water heating circuit is formed. 
     
     
         6 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the three-way reversible valve is configured to direct the thermal transfer fluid heated by the compressor to (i) the heating circuit outlet, when the air-to-water heating circuit or the water-to-water dual circuit is formed, or (ii) the evaporator/condenser, when the air-to-water cooling circuit is formed. 
     
     
         7 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the reversible air-to-water switch valve is configured to direct the thermal transfer fluid (i) from the heating circuit inlet to the evaporator/condenser, when the air-to-water heating circuit is formed, (ii) from the heating circuit inlet to the cooling circuit outlet, when the water-to-water dual circuit is formed, or (iii) from the evaporator/condenser to the cooling circuit outlet, when the air-to-water cooling circuit is formed. 
     
     
         8 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control (i) a direction of the reversible air-to-water switch valve, (ii) a direction of the three-way reversible valve, (iii) a compressor duty, (iv) a fan speed, or (v) a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The heat pump of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to receive data from one or more temperature sensors, the data comprising (i) a temperature of a heating apparatus (if present), (ii) a temperature of a cooling apparatus (if present), or (iii) both, and in response to the data, the controller is configured to control (i) the direction of the reversible air-to-water switch valve, (ii) the direction of the three-way reversible valve, (iii) the compressor duty, (iv) the fan speed, or (v) a combination thereof in order to maintain a desired temperature in the heating apparatus, maintain a desired temperature in the cooling apparatus, prevent the heating apparatus from exceeding a maximum temperature, and/or prevent the cooling apparatus from falling below a minimum temperature. 
     
     
         10 . A thermal exchange system comprising:
 a heat pump according to  claim 1 ;   a heating apparatus comprising a water tank and a heat exchanger; and   a cooling apparatus,   wherein when the air-to-water heating circuit or the water-to-water dual circuit is formed, the thermal exchange fluid exits the heat pump through the heating circuit outlet and enters the heat exchanger, transfers thermal energy to water in the water tank, exits the heat exchanger, and then enters the heat pump through the heating circuit inlet.   
     
     
         11 . The thermal exchange system of  claim 10 , wherein the cooling apparatus is a water cooling coil configured to cool a stream of water by extracting thermal energy from the stream of water. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal exchange system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 when the water-to-water dual circuit or the air-to-water cooling circuit is formed, the thermal exchange fluid exits the heat pump through the cooling circuit outlet and enters the water cooling coil, extracts thermal energy from water in the water cooling coil thereby cooling the water in the water cooling coil, exits the water cooling coil, and then enters the heat pump through the cooling circuit inlet.   
     
     
         13 . The thermal exchange system of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller and a first temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature in the heating apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal exchange system of  claim 13 , wherein the first temperature sensor is further configured to provide data to the controller relating to the temperature in the heating apparatus, and
 wherein, in response to the data relating to the temperature in the heating apparatus, the controller is configured to (i) form the air-to-water cooling circuit, if a cooling apparatus is present, or (ii) disable the thermal exchange system, upon determining that the temperature in the heating apparatus exceeds a maximum temperature.   
     
     
         15 . The thermal exchange system of  claim 13 , wherein the first temperature sensor is further configured to provide data to the controller relating to the temperature in the heating apparatus, and
 wherein, in response to the data relating to the temperature in the heating apparatus, the controller is configured to form the air-to-water heating circuit or the water-to-water dual circuit upon determining that the temperature in the heating apparatus is below a set-point heating temperature.   
     
     
         16 . The thermal exchange system of  claim 13 , further comprising a second temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature in the cooling apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal exchange system of  claim 16 , wherein the second temperature sensor is further configured to provide data to the controller relating to the temperature in the cooling apparatus, and
 wherein, in response to the data relating to the temperature in the cooling apparatus, the controller is configured to form the air-to-water heating circuit upon determining that the temperature in the cooling apparatus is below a minimum temperature.   
     
     
         18 . The thermal exchange system of  claim 16 , wherein the second temperature sensor is further configured to provide data to the controller relating to the temperature in the cooling apparatus, and
 wherein, in response to the data relating to the temperature in the cooling apparatus, the controller is configured to form the air-to-water cooling circuit or the water-to-water dual circuit upon determining that the temperature in the cooling apparatus is above a set-point cooling temperature.   
     
     
         19 . A method of exchanging thermal energy using a heat pump comprising an evaporator/condenser, the method comprising:
 determining, with a controller, a desired thermal energy duty, wherein the desired thermal energy duty comprises (i) a need to provide heat to a heating apparatus, (ii) a need to extract heat from a cooling apparatus, or (iii) a need to provide heat to a heating apparatus and extract heat from a cooling apparatus;   selecting, based on the desired thermal energy duty, a thermal exchange circuit, wherein the thermal exchange circuit comprises (i) an air-to-water heating circuit, selected when there is the need to provide heat to a heating apparatus, (ii) an air-to-water cooling circuit, selected when there is the need to extract heat from a cooling apparatus, or (iii) a water-to-water dual circuit, selected when there is the need to provide heat to a heating apparatus and a need to extract heat from a cooling apparatus;   adjusting, based on the thermal exchange circuit, a position of a three-way reversible valve, a two-way check valve, and a reversible air-to-water switch valve, wherein:
 when the air-to-water heating circuit is selected, (a) the three-way reversible valve is configured to (i) pass thermal transfer fluid from the evaporator/condenser to a compressor, and (ii) pass thermal transfer fluid from the compressor to the heating apparatus, (b) the two-way check valve is configured to pass thermal transfer fluid from an evaporator/condenser to the compressor by way of the three-way reversible valve, and (c) the reversible air-to-water switch valve is configured to pass thermal transfer fluid from the heating apparatus to the evaporator/condenser, 
 when the air-to-water cooling circuit is selected, (a) the three-way reversible valve is configured to pass thermal transfer fluid from a compressor to the evaporator/condenser, (b) the two-way check valve is configured to pass thermal transfer fluid from the cooling apparatus to the compressor, and (c) the reversible air-to-water switch valve is configured to pass thermal transfer fluid from the evaporator/condenser to the cooling apparatus, and 
 when the water-to-water dual circuit is selected, (a) the three-way reversible valve is configured to pass thermal transfer fluid from the compressor to the heating apparatus, (b) the two-way check valve is configured to pass thermal transfer fluid from the cooling apparatus to the compressor, and (c) the reversible air-to-water switch valve is configured to pass thermal transfer fluid from the heating apparatus to the cooling apparatus. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the desired thermal energy duty further comprises: (iv) a need to disable thermal energy exchange, and
 wherein the thermal exchange circuit selected in response to determining the need to disable thermal exchange comprises disengaging flow of the thermal transfer fluid.