Gas cooler configuration integrated into heat pump chassis

Abstract

A thin-profiled gas cooler and chassis suitable for a transcritical heat pump water heater are provided. The heat pump system includes a chassis for supporting such system components as a gas cooler and evaporator. The dimensions of the gas cooler are designed to minimize the impact that the gas cooler has on the cooling capacity of the evaporator by reducing the amount of air flow that the gas cooler blocks. This is achieved by reducing the depth that the gas cooler extends into the chassis cavity. As a result, the height and / or width of the gas cooler is increased compared to other similar volume gas coolers is providing comparable water heating capacity.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a gas cooler and chassis for a transcritical heat pump water heater. [0002] One type of transcritical heat pump water heater uses a heat pump cycle that utilizes CO2 as the working fluid. The heat pump may be located indoors or on the exterior of a building, for example, mounted on a roof top of a building. Numerous components are located within a chassis that supports the components, which includes for example a compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion device, an evaporator, an accumulator, and other various components. [0003] In a CO2 heat pump water heating system, super critical CO2 rejects heat in the gas cooler to water, and sub-critical CO2 absorbs heat in the evaporator from the outdoor air. The heat pump system must operate desirably under a wide range of conditions. For example, the outdoor air temperature may vary from −10° F. in the winter to the 120° F. in the summer. A draft fan is usually used to force ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about a new design for a gas cooler and chassis integration in a transcritical heat pump water heater. The gas cooler is designed to minimize its impact on the evaporator by reducing air flow and increasing the water heating capacity while still maintaining comparable system performance. The dimensions of the gas cooler are optimized to minimize the impact on the cooling capacity of the evaporator. The chassis provides support to the components of the heat pump water heater and also forms the access interface for operation and maintenance purposes. The gas cooler may provide one of the exterior sides of the chassis and may be removably received within a portion of the housing. Overall, the invention provides an improved gas cooler and chassis arrangement that optimizes system performance.

Problems solved by technology

As a result, the gas cooler blocks and significantly inhibits the air flow through the chassis compromising the efficiency of the heat pump evaporator and ability of the evaporator to perform desirably under the various operating conditions.

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