Heat Pump Technology with Refrigerant-Based Thermal Storage

Abstract

A heat pump for transporting heat with a refrigerant between an interior and an exterior of a building. The heat pump includes an indoor coil having the refrigerant flow therethrough and transfer heat with the interior of the building and an outdoor coil having the refrigerant flow therethrough and transfer heat with the exterior of the building. The heat pump includes first and second fluid paths each extending between the indoor coil and the outdoor coil and a domestic hot water tank having a cold-water supply section and a hot-water supply section. The heat pump includes a first coil disposed in the cold-water supply section of the domestic hot water tank and defining a portion of to the first fluid path and a second coil disposed in the hot-water supply section of the domestic hot water tank and defining a portion of to the second fluid path.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat pump for transporting heat with a refrigerant between an interior and an exterior of a building, the heat pump comprising:
 an indoor coil configured to have the refrigerant flow therethrough and transfer heat with the interior of the building;   an outdoor coil configured to have the refrigerant flow therethrough and transfer heat with the exterior of the building;   a first fluid path and a second fluid path each extending between the indoor coil and the outdoor coil;   a domestic hot water tank having a cold-water supply section and a hot-water supply section;   a first coil disposed in the cold-water supply section of the domestic hot water tank and defining a portion of to the first fluid path; and   a second coil disposed in the hot-water supply section of the domestic hot water tank and defining a portion of to the second fluid path.   
     
     
         2 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a compressor defining a portion of to the second fluid path for moving the refrigerant through the heat pump. 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump of  claim 2 , wherein the compressor defines a portion of the second fluid path between the outdoor coil and the second coil. 
     
     
         4 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a blower configured to flow air across the indoor coil for transferring heat between the refrigerant and the air. 
     
     
         5 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal storage tank defining a portion of the first fluid path, wherein the thermal storage tank is configured to receive and store heat from the refrigerant in the first fluid path. 
     
     
         6 . The heat pump of  claim 5 , further comprising a thermal storage tank bypass line defining a portion of the first fluid path around the thermal storage tank for selectively bypassing use of thermal storage tank. 
     
     
         7 . The heat pump of  claim 5 , wherein the thermal storage tank comprises a housing defining an interior for holding a phase change material and an internal coil for flowing the refrigerant therethrough, the internal coil disposed within the interior and in contact the phase change material to cause heat transfer between the refrigerant and the phase change material. 
     
     
         8 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a diverting valve defining a portion of the second fluid path and configured to alternate flow of the refrigerant through the heat pump between a first direction and a second direction, opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         9 . The heat pump of  claim 8 , further comprising a first expansion valve defining a portion of the first fluid path adjacent the indoor coil and causing at least a portion of the refrigerant flowing in the second direction to phase change from a liquid to a gas. 
     
     
         10 . The heat pump of  claim 8 , further comprising a second expansion valve defining a portion of the first fluid path adjacent the outdoor coil and causing at least a portion of the refrigerant flowing in the first direction to phase change from a liquid to a gas. 
     
     
         11 . The heat pump of  claim 8 , further comprising a thermal storage tank defining a portion of the first fluid path, wherein the thermal storage tank is configured to receive and store heat from the refrigerant in the first fluid path when the refrigerant is flowing the in the first direction. 
     
     
         12 . The heat pump of  claim 11 , further comprising a third expansion valve defining a portion of the first fluid path adjacent the thermal storage tank and causing at least a portion of the refrigerant flowing in the first direction to phase change from a liquid to a gas. 
     
     
         13 . The heat pump of  claim 12 , further comprising a fourth expansion valve defining a portion of the first fluid path adjacent the thermal storage tank and causing at least a portion of the refrigerant flowing in the second direction to phase change from a liquid to a gas. 
     
     
         14 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a first bypass line defining a portion of the first fluid path around the first coil for selectively bypassing use of the first coil. 
     
     
         15 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a second bypass line defining a portion of the second fluid path around the second coil for selectively bypassing use of the second coil. 
     
     
         16 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising an indoor coil bypass line adjacent the indoor coil and extending across the indoor coil between the first fluid path and the second fluid path to selectively bypass use of the indoor coil. 
     
     
         17 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , further comprising an outdoor coil bypass line adjacent the outdoor coil and extending across the outdoor coil between the first fluid path and the second fluid path to selectively bypass use of the outdoor coil. 
     
     
         18 . A heat pump for transporting heat with a refrigerant between an interior and an exterior of a building, the heat pump comprising:
 an indoor coil configured to have the refrigerant flow therethrough and transfer heat with the interior of the building;   an outdoor coil configured to have the refrigerant flow therethrough and transfer heat with the exterior of the building;   a first fluid path and a second fluid path each extending between the indoor coil and the outdoor coil;   a compressor defining a portion of to the second fluid path for moving the refrigerant through the heat pump;   a blower configured to flow air across the indoor coil for transferring heat between the refrigerant and the air;   a domestic hot water tank having a cold-water supply section and a hot-water supply section;   a first coil disposed in the cold-water supply section of the domestic hot water tank and defining a portion of to the first fluid path;   a second coil disposed in the hot-water supply section of the domestic hot water tank and defining a portion of to the second fluid path; and   a thermal storage tank defining a portion of the first fluid path, wherein the thermal storage tank is configured to receive and store heat from the refrigerant in the first fluid path.   
     
     
         19 . The heat pump of  claim 18 , further comprising a diverting valve defining a portion of the second fluid path and configured to alternate flow of the refrigerant through the heat pump between a first direction and a second direction, opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         20 . A heat pump for transporting heat with a refrigerant between an interior and an exterior of a building, the heat pump comprising:
 an indoor coil configured to have the refrigerant flow therethrough and transfer heat with the interior of the building;   an outdoor coil configured to have the refrigerant flow therethrough and transfer heat with the exterior of the building;   a first fluid path and a second fluid path each extending between the indoor coil and the outdoor coil;   a domestic hot water tank having a cold-water supply section;   a first coil disposed in the cold-water supply section of the domestic hot water tank and defining a portion of to the first fluid path; and   a thermal storage tank defining a portion of the first fluid path, wherein the thermal storage tank is configured to receive and store heat from the refrigerant in the first fluid path.