Heat pump system reversing valve fault recovery

Abstract

A method of operating a heat pump system includes detecting a fault condition of a reversing valve of a sealed system and stopping a compressor of the sealed system in response to the detected fault condition of the reversing valve. The method also includes actuating the reversing valve from a first position to a second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor. The method further includes restarting the compressor after actuating the reversing valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a heat pump system, the heat pump system comprising an outdoor portion, an indoor portion, and a sealed system coupled between the outdoor portion and the indoor portion to circulate refrigerant through an indoor heat exchanger of the indoor portion and an outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor portion, the sealed system comprising a reversing valve to selectively reverse flow direction of the refrigerant, the method comprising:
 detecting a fault condition of the reversing valve;   stopping a compressor of the sealed system in response to the detected fault condition of the reversing valve;   actuating the reversing valve from a first position to a second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor; and   restarting the compressor after actuating the reversing valve.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reversing valve comprises a solenoid, wherein actuating the reversing valve from the first position to the second position and back to the first position comprises energizing and deenergizing the solenoid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising waiting for refrigerant pressures in the outdoor heat exchange and the indoor heat exchanger to equalize after stopping the compressor and before actuating the reversing valve. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising actuating the reversing valve to the second position after actuating the reversing valve back to the first position and before restarting the compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting a second fault condition of the reversing valve after restarting the compressor, stopping the compressor in response to the detected second fault condition of the reversing valve, actuating the reversing valve from the first position to the second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor in response to the detected second fault condition of the reversing valve, and restarting the compressor after actuating the reversing valve from the first position to the second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor in response to the detected second fault condition of the reversing valve. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising detecting a third fault condition of the reversing valve after restarting the compressor after actuating the reversing valve from the first position to the second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor in response to the detected second fault condition of the reversing valve, and providing a reversing valve fault user notification in response to the third fault condition of the reversing valve. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the fault condition, the second fault condition, and the third fault condition were detected while in one of a heating mode or a cooling mode of the heat pump system, further comprising disabling the one of the heating mode or the cooling mode during which the fault condition, the second fault condition, and the third fault condition were detected. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the fault condition of the reversing valve comprising determining whether the heat pump system is in a heating mode or a cooling mode, and determining the heat pump system is providing cooling when in the heating mode or is providing heating when in the cooling mode. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the heat pump system is providing cooling when in the heating mode or is providing heating when in the cooling mode comprises performing a plurality of status checks, wherein each status check comprises comparing a respective set of measurements of a plurality of measurements obtained from a plurality of sensors in the heat pump system. 
     
     
         10 . A heat pump system, comprising:
 an outdoor portion;   an indoor portion;   a sealed system coupled between the outdoor portion and the indoor portion to circulate refrigerant through an indoor heat exchanger of the indoor portion and an outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor portion, the sealed system comprising a reversing valve to selectively reverse flow direction of the refrigerant; and   a controller, the controller configured for:
 detecting a fault condition of the reversing valve; 
 stopping a compressor of the sealed system in response to the detected fault condition of the reversing valve; 
 actuating the reversing valve from a first position to a second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor; and 
 restarting the compressor after actuating the reversing valve. 
   
     
     
         11 . The heat pump system of  claim 10 , wherein the reversing valve comprises a solenoid, wherein actuating the reversing valve from the first position to the second position and back to the first position comprises energizing and deenergizing the solenoid. 
     
     
         12 . The heat pump system of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured for waiting for refrigerant pressures in the outdoor heat exchange and the indoor heat exchanger to equalize after stopping the compressor and before actuating the reversing valve. 
     
     
         13 . The heat pump system of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured for actuating the reversing valve to the second position after actuating the reversing valve back to the first position and before restarting the compressor. 
     
     
         14 . The heat pump system of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured for detecting a second fault condition of the reversing valve after restarting the compressor, stopping the compressor in response to the detected second fault condition of the reversing valve, actuating the reversing valve from the first position to the second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor in response to the detected second fault condition of the reversing valve, and restarting the compressor after actuating the reversing valve from the first position to the second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor in response to the detected second fault condition of the reversing valve. 
     
     
         15 . The heat pump system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured for detecting a third fault condition of the reversing valve after restarting the compressor after actuating the reversing valve from the first position to the second position and back to the first position after stopping the compressor in response to the detected second fault condition of the reversing valve, and providing a reversing valve fault user notification in response to the third fault condition of the reversing valve. 
     
     
         16 . The heat pump system of  claim 15 , wherein the fault condition, the second fault condition, and the third fault condition were detected while in one of a heating mode or a cooling mode of the heat pump system, wherein the controller is further configured for disabling the mode during which the fault condition, the second fault condition, and the third fault condition were detected. 
     
     
         17 . The heat pump system of  claim 10 , wherein detecting the fault condition of the reversing valve comprising determining whether the heat pump system is in a heating mode or a cooling mode, and determining the heat pump system is providing cooling when in the heating mode or is providing heating when in the cooling mode. 
     
     
         18 . The heat pump system of  claim 17 , wherein determining the heat pump system is providing cooling when in the heating mode or is providing heating when in the cooling mode comprises performing a plurality of status checks, wherein each status check comprises comparing a respective set of measurements of a plurality of measurements obtained from a plurality of sensors in the heat pump system.