Heat pump system

Abstract

A reversible vapor compression system having control means associated therewith for automatically routing refrigerant through the heat exchangers in response to a system mode of operation to produce optimum system performance when the system is called upon to produce either heating or cooling.

What is claimed is: .[.1. In a heat pump system having a compressor, a pair of heat exchangers and means for selectively reversing the flow of refrigerant through the system so that the function of the exchangers is also reversed, the improvement comprising: 
       means for separating each exchanger into a plurality of heat transfer zones, each zone containing a number of flow circuits, 
       flow control means for routing refrigerant discharged from the compressor through each of the zones of one exchanger in a series flow progression and routing the refrigerant discharged from said one exchanger into the other exchanger simultaneously through each of the zones of said other exchanger whereby flow is parallel through the zones; and 
       switching means operatively associated with said flow control means for automatically reversing the flow geometry through the exchangers in response to reversing the flow of refrigerant through the system whereby refrigerant flow is parallel through said one exchanger and in series through said other exchanger..]. .[.2. The heat pump system of claim 1 further including expansion means associated with each of the exchanges for expanding refrigerant flow from one of said exchangers to the other into each of the circuits of said other exchanger..]. .[.3. A heat pump system having a compressor, an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, a reversing valve for delivering refrigerant discharged from the compressor to the indoor coil during heating operations and to the outdoor coil during cooling operations, the method of processing refrigerant through the system including the steps: 
       separating the indoor and outdoor coils into a plurality of heat transfer zones, each zone having a number of flow circuits passing through the coil associated therewith; 
       routing the refrigerant delivered from the compressor to the outdoor coil during the cooling operation so that refrigerant flows through each of the heat transfer zones in a series progression; 
       delivering the refrigerant discharged from the outdoor coil to each of the heat transfer zones of the indoor coil simultaneously so that the refrigerant flows through the zones in a parallel flow; 
       returning the refrigerant from the indoor coil to the compressor to complete the cycle; and 
       reversing the flow geometry through the indoor and outdoor coils in response to a change in the systems operation whereby refrigerant flow in series through the zones of the indoor coil and in parallel through the zones of the outdoor coil..]. .[.4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of expanding the refrigerant directly into each of the circuits of the heat transfer zones to establish a parallel flow therethrough..]. .[.5. The method of claim 3 further including the steps of arranging the number of circuits in each heat transfer zone so that the number decreases in respect to the direction of series flow through the exchanger..]. .[.6. The method of claim 5 wherein the last zone in the series contains a single circuit..]. .Iadd.7. A heat pump system having a compressor, an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, a reversing valve for delivering refrigerant discharged from the compressor to the indoor coil during heating operations and to the outdoor coil during cooling operations, the method of processing refrigerant through the system including the steps of: 
       separating the indoor and outdoor coils into a plurality of heat transfer zones, each zone having a number of flow circuits passing through the coil associated therewith; 
       routing the refrigerant delivered from the compressor to the outdoor coil during the cooling operation so that refrigerant flows through each of the heat transfer zones in a series progression; 
       delivering the refrigerant discharged from the outdoor coil to each of the heat transfer zones of the indoor coil simultaneously so that the refrigerant flows through the zones in a parallel flow; 
       returning the refrigerant from the indoor coil to the compressor to complete the cycle; 
       reversing the flow geometry through the indoor and outdoor coils in response to a change in the systems operation whereby refrigerant flow in series through the zones of the indoor coil in parallel through the zones of the outdoor coil; and 
       arranging the number of circuits in each heat transfer zone so that the number decreases in respect to the direction of series flow through the exchanger. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. The method of claim 7 wherein the last zone in the series contains a single circuit. .Iaddend.