Heat pump unit and heat pump system
By adding an antifreeze section to the main water pipe of the heat pump unit and dismantling the branch water pipes to form a stepped structure, the problem of branch water pipe freezing was solved, achieving a low-cost antifreeze effect.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202423286397.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-16
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-12-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing heat pump units are prone to freezing in low-temperature environments, especially in branch water pipes, which can lead to pipe damage. Furthermore, existing antifreeze measures are costly or complex.
An antifreeze section is added to the main water pipe, and the branch water pipe is split into two parts, which are connected to different positions of the main water pipe respectively, shortening the length of the branch water pipe. Combined with the installation of expansion tank and safety valve, a stepped antifreeze structure is formed.
It effectively prevents the branch water pipes of the heat pump unit from freezing in low-temperature environments, reduces costs, has a simple structure, and improves the antifreeze effect.
Smart Images
Figure CN223807372U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The utility model relates to the field of heat pump and air conditioner, concretely relates to a heat pump unit and heat pump system. BACKGROUND
[0002] With the increasing popularity of heat pump systems, more and more users use clean, energy-saving, low-carbon heat pump units as the main equipment for household heating. In heating mode, the heat pump unit compresses the refrigerant through the compressor, increases its temperature, and releases heat in the condenser to transfer heat to the medium (water in the pipeline) that needs to be heated, achieving heating effect. The refrigerant after releasing heat is depressurized by the throttling device to become low-temperature and low-pressure state, and in the evaporator, the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant absorbs heat from the environment to become low-temperature and low-pressure gas again, completing the cycle.
[0003] When the heat pump system is working, the water in the pipeline circulates and transfers heat. When the system is turned off, the water in the pipeline stops flowing. When a cold wave suddenly comes in winter but the user has not turned on the heat pump unit, or the heat pump unit suddenly stops working due to abnormal conditions in the cold night, if the water in the pipeline of the heat pump unit is not cleaned in time, after the ambient temperature is lower than 0℃, the water in the pipeline and the water inside the heat exchanger will form ice expansion, causing pipe ice expansion and damage to the pipeline and heat exchanger. Once the heat exchanger is frozen, the refrigerant pipeline will be waterlogged, the entire heat pump unit cannot operate, and needs to be repaired in the factory, which may even cause the entire unit to be scrapped, causing loss to the user. In addition, during the repair period, the user needs to find other heating ways, which will also cause great inconvenience.
[0004] The heat pump units on the market currently all have anti-freezing function, which prevents freezing by timely emptying the water in the pipeline or keeping the water temperature in the pipeline above a certain value. For example, when the occupants are out for a period of time, the heat pump unit can run in so-called "vacation mode", which controls the water temperature in the pipeline to the minimum limit (such as about 10℃), thereby preventing the water in the pipeline from freezing and causing damage to the pipeline or components while saving energy.
[0005] However, in addition to the main water pipe for water circulation in the pipeline system inside the heat pump unit, there are also branch water pipes connected to safety valves, exhaust valves and other components. The temperature of these branch water pipes will decrease with the increase of pipeline length, and the temperature will be lower and lower as it goes to the end. Therefore, in the case of low ambient temperature, the water in the branch water pipe may reach 0℃ or below, causing freezing, which may cause the water pipe to expand or damage the components at the end of the branch.
[0006] Although it can be considered to set a heating element on the branch water pipe to heat the water pipe for anti-freezing, the heating element needs to be linked with a control system, for example, to start and control the power or heating time of the heating element according to the water temperature in the water pipe, resulting in an increase in the cost of the system.
[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a heat pump unit and a heat pump system capable of preventing pipeline freezing, especially branch water pipe freezing, at low cost. Utility model content
[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the utility model
[0009] In view of the above, the purpose of the utility model is to provide a heat pump unit and a heat pump system with anti-freezing piping structure, which are simple in structure and low in cost.
[0010] Technical means for solving the technical problem
[0011] To solve the above technical problem, according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a heat pump unit is provided,
[0012] including a housing, and a main circuit and a branch circuit received in the housing,
[0013] The main circuit includes a heat exchanger and a water pump communicated via a main water pipe,
[0014] The branch circuit includes an expansion tank connected to the main water pipe via a branch water pipe,
[0015] A freeze-proof pipe section is formed in the main water pipe close to the branch circuit side, and the freeze-proof pipe section is formed to have a stepped portion protruding to the expansion tank side relative to the main water pipe.
[0016] The branch water pipe is connected to the stepped portion.
[0017] In some embodiments, the freeze-proof pipe section is provided in the main water pipe between the heat exchanger and the water pump.
[0018] In some embodiments, in the housing, the expansion tank in the branch circuit is arranged above the heat exchanger and the water pump in the main circuit.
[0019] In some embodiments, the freeze-proof pipe section includes a first pipe section extending to the expansion tank side perpendicularly to the main water pipe, a second pipe section extending parallel to the main water pipe, and a third pipe section extending to the water pump side perpendicularly to the second pipe section,
[0020] The first pipe section, the second pipe section and the third pipe section are connected in sequence to form the freeze-proof pipe section.
[0021] In some embodiments, the freeze-proof pipe section is formed integrally with the main water pipe.
[0022] In some embodiments, the branch further comprises a main water pipe safety valve and a branch water pipe safety valve,
[0023] The branch water pipe safety valve and the expansion tank are connected to the freeze-proof pipe section in the main water pipe via a first branch water pipe,
[0024] The main water pipe safety valve is connected to a position outside the freeze-proof pipe section of the main water pipe via a second branch water pipe.
[0025] In some embodiments, the water pump is located downstream of the heat exchanger along the direction of water flow in the main water pipe,
[0026] The second branch water pipe is connected to the main water pipe downstream of the water pump.
[0027] In some embodiments, the branch further comprises an exhaust valve connected to the freeze-proof pipe section in the main water pipe via the first branch water pipe.
[0028] In some embodiments, a flow sensor is further arranged between the freeze-proof pipe section and the water pump.
[0029] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit has a low-temperature operation mode in which the temperature of the main water pipe is in the range of 5-10℃.
[0030] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit is an outdoor unit.
[0031] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a heat pump system is also provided, comprising the heat pump unit of any one of the above.
[0032] Inventive effects
[0033] In the heat pump unit and heat pump system of the present application, a freeze-proof pipe section is added to the main water pipe, and the length of the branch water pipe is shortened, which can effectively prevent the damage of the pipeline and components caused by the freezing of water in the pipeline in the low-temperature operation mode of the heat pump unit. Moreover, by separating the branch water pipe connected to the expansion tank and the branch water pipe connected to the safety valve, the length of the branch water pipe can be further shortened, and the effect of preventing freezing of the pipeline can be further improved. Therefore, by adding the freeze-proof pipe section and shortening the branch water pipe, a heat pump unit and heat pump system with simple structure and low cost and having a freeze-proof piping structure can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0034] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and are used to explain the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In the drawings:
[0035] Figure 1A is the appearance perspective view of the heat pump unit of the present application.
[0036] Figure 1B is the front view of the heat pump unit of the present application.
[0037] Figure 2 is the structural schematic view of the heat pump unit of the present application.
[0038] Figure 3 is the structural schematic view of the existing heat pump unit.
[0039] Figure 4A , Figure 4B are respectively the enlarged schematic view of the main water pipe in the heat pump unit of the present application and the existing heat pump unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] The specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below, it should be noted that in the specific description of these embodiments, in order to be brief and concise, the present specification cannot make detailed description of all the features of the actual embodiments. It should be understood that in the actual implementation process of any one embodiment, as in the process of any engineering project or design project, in order to achieve the specific goals of the developers, in order to meet the system related or business related restrictions, often make a variety of specific decisions, and this will also change from one embodiment to another. In addition, it can also be understood that although the effort made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, however, for those skilled in the art related to the content disclosed in the present disclosure, some design, manufacture or production changes based on the technical content disclosed in the present disclosure are only routine technical means, and should not be understood as the content of the present disclosure is not sufficient.
[0041] Unless otherwise defined, technical terms or scientific terms used in the claims and the specification have their ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms "first", "second", and similar terms do not imply any order, quantity, or importance, but are used to distinguish one element from another, and are used interchangeably with the terms "one", "another", and "at least one". The terms "include", "comprise", and similar terms are used synonymously with the term "comprising". The terms "connected", "coupled", and "linked" are not restricted to direct or physical connections or associations.
[0042] In the present disclosure, all the embodiments and preferred embodiments mentioned herein can be combined to form new technical solutions, unless otherwise specified. In the present disclosure, all the technical features and preferred features mentioned herein can be combined to form new technical solutions, unless otherwise specified.
[0043] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B, which can represent the three cases of A alone, A and B together, and B alone. In addition, the character " / " in this paper generally represents that the front and rear associated objects are a "or" relationship.
[0044] The heat pump unit and the heat pump system provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0045] <Basic structure of heat pump unit>
[0046] Figure 1A is a perspective view of the heat pump unit of the present utility model, Figure 1B In the present embodiment, the heat pump unit 10 of the heat pump floor heating system is taken as an example for illustration. In the drawings, the horizontal direction is taken as the left-right direction of the heat pump unit 10, the left side in the horizontal direction is taken as the left side or the left side, the right side in the horizontal direction is taken as the right side or the right side, the vertical direction is taken as the up-down direction of the heat pump unit 10, the upper side in the vertical direction is taken as the upper side, the lower side in the vertical direction is taken as the lower side, the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is taken as the front-rear direction of the heat pump unit 10, the position in the front is taken as the front side or the front side, and the position in the back is taken as the back side or the back side or the back plate side.
[0047] Referring to Figure 1AThe heat pump unit 10 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 11, and the various functional components of the heat pump unit 10, including an expansion tank, a heat exchanger, a water pump, etc. (not shown), are housed inside the housing 11. The front panel of the housing 11 can be opened to expose the internal space of the heat pump unit 10.
[0048] like Figure 1B As shown, below the casing 11 of the heat pump unit 10, there are refrigerant inlet / outlet, water inlet, and water outlet. The refrigerant inlet / outlet is connected to a refrigerant pipeline (not shown) to provide refrigerant circulation to the heat exchanger described later. The water inlet and water outlet are connected to a water circulation pipeline (not shown).
[0049] In heating mode, the heat pump unit 10 compresses the refrigerant to raise its temperature. The heat released by the high-temperature refrigerant exchanges heat with water from the water circulation pipes. The heated water is then transported through the water circulation pipes to various terminal devices of the heat pump system, such as underfloor heating pipes, radiators, and water tanks. At these terminal devices, it exchanges heat with the indoor air to achieve the heating effect. The refrigerant, after releasing heat, is depressurized and returns to a low-temperature, low-pressure gas, completing the cycle.
[0050] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat pump unit of this utility model. Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of an existing heat pump unit. Before describing the internal structure of the heat pump unit of this utility model in detail, the conventional structure in the prior art will be described first.
[0051] according to Figure 3 As shown, the heat pump unit 30 typically houses a heat exchanger 312, a water pump 317, an expansion tank 322, and other main components. It also includes various valves and sensors for control and monitoring. Based on the connecting pipes, the internal structure of the heat pump unit 30 can generally be divided into a main circuit 31 and branch circuits 32.
[0052] The main circuit 31 is the main structure of the water circulation system, including the main water pipe 310, refrigerant pipe 311, heat exchanger 312, throttle valve 313, inlet valve 314, filter 315, flow sensor 316, water pump 317, and outlet valve 318.
[0053] Water from the water circulation pipeline enters through the inlet, passes through the inlet valve 314 and the filter 315, and then enters the heat exchanger 312. After heat exchange in the heat exchanger 312, it flows out of the heat exchanger 312, passes through the flow sensor 316, and then flows into the water pump 317 and the outlet valve 318 in sequence. Finally, it flows back into the water circulation pipeline through the outlet.
[0054] Here, the water pipe connected between the water inlet and the water outlet of the heat pump unit 30 is referred to as the main water pipe 310. The main water pipe 310 is the main pipe for water circulation in the heat pump unit 30, and is usually a copper pipe with a relatively large diameter, for example, a copper pipe with an outer diameter of 34 mm, as shown in FIG. 3 by a thick solid line. Figure 3
[0055] The flow sensor 316 can monitor the water flow in the main water pipe 310 in real time and send a signal to a control system (not shown).
[0056] The heat exchanger 312 also has a refrigerant pipe 311 and a throttling valve 313, and the refrigerant pipe 311 is in communication with the refrigerant inlet and outlet of the heat pump unit 30. During the heating process, the refrigerant from the refrigerant pipe of the heat pump system flows into the heat exchanger 312 through the refrigerant pipe 311, exchanges heat with the water in the main water pipe 310 in the heat exchanger 312, and then flows out of the heat exchanger 312, and finally flows into the refrigerant pipe of the heat pump system again through the refrigerant outlet to circulate.
[0057] The branch circuit 32 is in communication with the main water pipe 310 in the main circuit 31 and includes an air vent valve 321, an expansion tank 322, and safety valves 323 and 324. Here, the water pipe connected in the branch circuit 32 is referred to as the branch water pipe 320. The branch water pipe 320 is a branch of the main water pipe 310 and is usually a copper pipe with a relatively small diameter, for example, a copper pipe with an outer diameter of about 9.52 mm, as shown in FIG. 3 by a thin solid line. Figure 3
[0058] In the branch circuit 32, the air vent valve 321 is used to vent the air in the main water pipe 310 to prevent the air content from being too high to affect the efficiency of the water pump 317.
[0059] The expansion tank 322, the safety valve 323, and the safety valve 324 are safety protection units of the heat pump unit 30 and can be used to drain water in stages to relieve pressure when the flow sensor 316 detects that the water pressure in the main water pipe 310 exceeds a safety threshold, thereby preventing the water pipe pressure inside the heat pump unit 30 from being too high to cause damage to the pipe or components.
[0060] When the water temperature in the main water pipe 310 rises and causes the pressure in the main water pipe 310 to increase, for example, to 1 bar to 3 bar, the expansion tank 322 allows excess water in the main water pipe 310 to enter the expansion tank 322 through the branch water pipe 320, thereby reducing the pressure in the main water pipe 310. When the water temperature in the main water pipe 310 decreases, the water in the expansion tank 322 reenters the main water pipe 310 to maintain water pressure balance due to the decrease in the pressure in the main water pipe 310, for example, less than 1 bar.
[0061] The safety valve 323 discharges the water in the main water pipe 310 through the safety valve 323 when the water pressure in the main water pipe 310 is higher than a certain value, for example, greater than 3 bar, so as to prevent the pipe or components from being damaged due to excessive pressure. Therefore, the safety valve 323 corresponds to a "main water pipe safety valve".
[0062] The safety valve 324 discharges the water in the branch water pipe 320 through the safety valve 324 when the water pressure in the main water pipe 310 is higher, for example, greater than 5 bar, so as to prevent the expansion tank from being damaged due to excessive pressure. Therefore, the safety valve 324 corresponds to a "branch water pipe safety valve".
[0063] The heat pump unit 30 with the above structure can provide heating in cold seasons, for example, when the air temperature is in the range of -20°C to 15°C. The heat pump unit 30 can include various operating modes. For example, in a home mode, the heat pump unit 30 operates normally, and the heating temperature is set to 20-30°C; in a commuting mode, when the user is at home, the heat pump unit 30 is turned on, and the heating temperature is set to 20-30°C, and when the user goes out to work, the heating temperature is set to 5-10°C, and a low-temperature operating mode is executed; in a vacation mode, the heat pump unit 30 always operates in a low-temperature mode of 5-10°C; and in a long-term vacancy mode, the circulating water in each pipe of the heat pump system is drained, and the heat pump unit is turned off.
[0064] When the heat pump system is not used for a long time, the water in the water circulation pipe needs to be drained to prevent freezing in a low-temperature environment and causing damage. In addition, when the user goes out to work or goes on vacation and does not use the heat pump system for a short time, the cost of draining the circulating water is high, so from the economic and energy-saving point of view, the heat pump system is operated in a low-temperature mode, that is, the heating temperature of the unit is controlled to the minimum limit to ensure that the water in the pipe does not freeze.
[0065] However, when the heat pump unit is installed outdoors, if the outdoor temperature is below -10°C, or even if the heat pump unit is installed indoors but the indoor temperature drops below the freezing point due to extremely cold weather, in the above low-temperature operating mode, the temperature of the main water pipe is 5-10°C, and the temperature of the branch water pipe decreases as the pipe lengthens and the temperature of the end of the branch pipe decreases. For Figure 3 According to the conventional structure of the heat pump unit 30 shown in the figure, through test tests, when the length of the branch water pipe 320 exceeds 500 mm, the temperature will reach 0°C, at which time the water in the branch water pipe 320 will freeze, and in severe cases, the water pipe will burst or the components at the end of the branch will be damaged.
[0066] Therefore, the pipe in the heat pump unit 30 needs to be modified, and the anti-freezing performance of the branch water pipe needs to be further improved.
[0067] <Pipe structure>
[0068] The utility model discloses the piping structure of heat pump unit 30 is improved to make it have more excellent antifreezing performance, especially in low temperature operation mode can also ensure that main road water pipe and branch water pipe do not freeze. Figure 2 It is the structure schematic diagram of heat pump unit 20 of the utility model.
[0069] With Figure 3 As shown in the same, the inside of heat pump unit 20 also receives the refrigerant pipe 211, heat exchanger 212, throttle valve 213, water inlet valve 214, filter 215, flow sensor 216, water pump 217, water outlet valve 218, exhaust valve 221, expansion tank 222, safety valve 223, 224 etc. as basic components. These constructs with Figure 3 The refrigerant pipe 311, heat exchanger 312, throttle valve 313, water inlet valve 314, filter 315, flow sensor 316, water pump 317, water outlet valve 318, exhaust valve 321, expansion tank 322, safety valve 323, 324 shown in
[0070] As Figure 2 Shown, if according to connecting pipeline is divided, the internal structure of heat pump unit 20 can be divided into main circuit 21, first branch 22A and second branch 22B.
[0071] Main circuit 21 is the main road structure of water circulation, including main road water pipe 210, refrigerant pipe 211, heat exchanger 212, throttle valve 213, water inlet valve 214, filter 215, flow sensor 216, water pump 217 and water outlet valve 218. Figure 2 The main circuit 21 of heat pump unit 20 of the utility model is different from the main circuit 31 of heat pump unit 30 of the prior art. Figure 3 The difference between the main circuit 21 of heat pump unit 20 of the utility model and the main circuit 31 of heat pump unit 30 of the prior art lies in the structure of main road water pipe 210.
[0072] Figure 2 In heat exchanger 210, the main road water pipe 210 between the water outlet end and flow sensor 216 is additionally provided with anti-freezing pipe section 2100. One end of anti-freezing pipe section 2100 is communicated to heat exchanger 210, and the other end is communicated to flow sensor 216 and water pump 217. The anti-freezing pipe section 2100 protrudes more to the side of expansion tank 220 relative to main road water pipe 210, that is, compared with main circuit 21, it is closer to the side of first branch 22A located above main circuit 21.
[0073] Figure 4A And Figure 4B The main road water pipe 210 in heat pump unit 20 of the utility model and the main road water pipe 310 in existing heat pump unit 30 are shown in the enlarged schematic view. In order to simplify the description, in Figure 4AIn the diagram, 212out and 216in represent the outlet of the heat exchanger 212 connected to the main water pipe 210 and the input of the flow sensor 216, respectively. Similarly, in... Figure 4B In the diagram, 312out and 316in represent the outlet end of the heat exchanger 312 connected to the main water pipe 310 and the input end of the flow sensor 316, respectively.
[0074] A comparison of the two main water pipes 210 and 310 reveals that in the existing structure, the main water pipe 310 is directly connected between the heat exchanger 312 and the flow sensor 316 via a straight pipe section 310. However, in this embodiment, the main water pipe 210 incorporates an antifreeze section 2100, giving the pipe between the heat exchanger 212 and the flow sensor 216 an upward-protruding stepped section. This upward section is located in the direction of the expansion tank 222, i.e., the first branch 22A. This shortens the connection distance between the main circuit 21 and the first branch 22A, thus reducing the length of the branch water pipe 220A.
[0075] The antifreeze pipe section 2100 consists of a pipe section 2100a extending upwards perpendicular to the main water pipe 210, a pipe section 2100b extending parallel to the main water pipe 210, and a pipe section 2100 extending downwards perpendicular to the main water pipe 210 and connected to the flow sensor 216. Pipe sections 2100a, 2100b, and 2100c are connected sequentially to form a stepped antifreeze pipe section 2100. By connecting a component such as the expansion tank 222 in the first branch 22A to pipe section 2100b, the length of the branch water pipe 220A can be shortened. As shown in the figure, at least the distance d corresponding to the length of pipe section 2100a or 2100c can be shortened.
[0076] in addition, Figure 4A The stepped section is not limited to a strictly vertical stepped section. As long as a section of pipe protrudes to one side of the expansion tank 222 to form an antifreeze pipe section 2100, it can also be a stepped section of other types.
[0077] Back Figure 2 The antifreeze pipe section 2100 is connected to the first branch 22A of the heat pump unit 20 via a branch water pipe 220A. The first branch 22A includes an exhaust valve 221, an expansion tank 222, and a safety valve 224. Figure 2 The diagram schematically shows one end of the antifreeze pipe section 2100 connected to the air vent valve 221 and the expansion tank 222 via a branch water pipe 220A, used to purge air from the main water pipe 210 and balance the water pressure (e.g., around 1 bar) in the main water pipe 2100. The other end of the antifreeze pipe section 2100 is connected to the safety valve 224 via the branch water pipe 220A. When the water pressure in the pipe is too high, the water in the branch water pipe 220 is discharged through the safety valve 224 to prevent excessive pressure from damaging the expansion tank.
[0078] The heat pump unit 20 is also provided with a second branch 22B. The safety valve 223 in the second branch 22B is connected to the main circuit water pipe 210 near the water outlet through the branch water pipe 220B, for example Figure 2 The safety valve 223 is connected to the main circuit water pipe 210 near the water outlet. When the water pressure in the main circuit water pipe 210 is too high, the safety valve 223 allows the water in the main circuit water pipe 210 to be discharged through the safety valve 323 to prevent the pipe or components from being damaged due to excessive pressure.
[0079] According to the piping structure of the heat pump unit 20 of the present embodiment, by adding the freeze-proof pipe section 2100 in the main circuit water pipe 210, which is closer to the side of the expansion tank 220, the length of the branch water pipe 220A between the main circuit 21 and the first branch 22A can be shortened. In addition, the branch of the heat pump unit 20 is divided into the first branch 22A and the second branch 22B, wherein the expansion tank 222, the exhaust valve 221, and the safety valve 224 in the first branch 22A are respectively connected to the freeze-proof pipe section 2100 through the branch water pipe 220A, and the safety valve 223 in the second branch 22B is connected to the main circuit water pipe 210 near the water outlet through the branch water pipe 220B. That is, the branch water pipe is split into the branch water pipe 220A and the branch water pipe 220B, and the connection length of the branch water pipe is shortened.
[0080] If compared with the existing piping structure shown in Figure 3 , Figure 3 The main circuit water pipe 310 in the main circuit 31 of the existing piping structure is directly connected from the water outlet end of the heat exchanger 312 to the flow sensor 316, the water pump 317, and the water outlet, and the branch water pipe 320 in the branch 32 needs to connect the exhaust valve 321, the expansion tank 322, the safety valves 323, 324 to each other and finally to the main circuit water pipe 310, especially Figure 3 The connection of the safety valve 323 in the branch 32 makes the total length of the branch water pipe 320 longer, which is not conducive to the freeze-proof of the water pipe.
[0081] Therefore, the piping structure of adding the freeze-proof pipe section 2100 adopted by the heat pump unit 20 of the present embodiment can shorten the length of the branch water pipe 220A in the first branch 22A, and at the same time, the branch water pipe 220B in the second branch 22B is connected to the main circuit water pipe 210 near other positions (for example Figure 2 downstream of the water pump 217 in the main circuit 31), which can also shorten the length of the branch water pipe 220B in the second branch 22B, so that the total length of the branch water pipe composed of the branch water pipes 220A and 220B is shortened, which can effectively prevent the water pipe from freezing in a low-temperature environment, and the structure is simple, and the heat pump unit that effectively prevents the water pipe from freezing can be provided at a low cost.
[0082] According to some embodiments of the present application, the heat pump unit can be installed indoors or outdoors, and the heat pump unit with the above-mentioned piping structure is particularly suitable for effective anti-freezing when installed outdoors, and by running in the low-temperature mode, not only can the main water pipe be ensured not to freeze, but the branch water pipe is also less likely to freeze due to the shortened length, so as to cope with extremely cold weather.
[0083] According to some embodiments of the present application, the heat pump unit with the above-mentioned piping structure is not only suitable for heating for heating, but also suitable for refrigeration.
[0084] According to some embodiments of the present application, the main water pipe of the heat pump unit circulates water for heating, but other heating media such as anti-freezing fluid can also be circulated.
[0085] According to some embodiments of the present application, the branch water pipe of the heat pump unit is split into two parts and connected to different positions of the main water pipe, but it can also not be split, for example Figure 2 The safety valve 223 in the above-mentioned embodiment can also be arranged in the first branch 22A and connected to the main water pipe 210.
[0086] According to some embodiments of the present application, in the housing of the heat pump unit, the expansion tank is arranged above the heat exchanger, so that the anti-freezing pipe section of the main water pipe is arranged protruding towards the expansion tank. However, the expansion tank can also be arranged at other positions, and at this time, the arrangement of the anti-freezing pipe section can only shorten the connection length of the branch water pipe.
[0087] According to some embodiments of the present application, the heat pump system with the heat pump unit includes but is not limited to a heat pump water heater, a heat pump floor heating, a heat pump air conditioner, a heat pump multi-supply (such as air conditioner floor heating two-supply, air conditioner floor heating and hot water three-supply, etc.
[0088] It should be understood that the above description is illustrative but not limiting. For example, the above embodiments (and / or aspects thereof) can be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the various embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Although the sizes and types of materials described herein are used to define the parameters of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, the various embodiments are not meant to be limiting but are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the appended claims, as well as the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
Claims
1. A heat pump unit characterized by comprising a casing, and a main circuit and a branch circuit housed in the casing, the main circuit including a heat exchanger and a water pump connected to each other via a main water pipe, the branch circuit including an expansion tank connected to the main water pipe via a branch water pipe, a freeze-proof pipe section is formed in the main water pipe near the branch circuit side, the freeze-proof pipe section being formed to have a stepped portion projecting toward the expansion tank side with respect to the main water pipe, the branch water pipe is connected to the stepped portion.
2. The heat pump unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the freeze-proof pipe section is provided in the main water pipe between the heat exchanger and the water pump.
3. The heat pump unit according to claim 2, characterized in that in the casing, the expansion tank in the branch circuit is provided above the heat exchanger and the water pump in the main circuit.
4. The heat pump unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the freeze-proof pipe section includes a first pipe section extending perpendicularly to the main water pipe toward the expansion tank side, a second pipe section extending parallel to the main water pipe, and a third pipe section extending perpendicularly to the second pipe section toward the water pump side, the first pipe section, the second pipe section, and the third pipe section are connected in this order to form the freeze-proof pipe section.
5. The heat pump unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the freeze-proof pipe section is formed integrally with the main water pipe.
6. The heat pump unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the branch circuit further includes a main water pipe safety valve and a branch water pipe safety valve, the branch water pipe safety valve and the expansion tank are connected to the freeze-proof pipe section in the main water pipe via a first branch water pipe, the main water pipe safety valve is connected to a position other than the freeze-proof pipe section of the main water pipe via a second branch water pipe.
7. The heat pump unit according to claim 6, characterized in that the water pump is located downstream of the heat exchanger in a water flow direction in the main water pipe, the second branch water pipe is connected to the main water pipe downstream of the water pump.
8. The heat pump unit according to claim 6, characterized in that the branch circuit further includes a gas discharge valve connected to the freeze-proof pipe section in the main water pipe via the first branch water pipe.
9. The heat pump unit according to claim 6, characterized in that a flow rate sensor is further provided between the freeze-proof pipe section and the water pump.
10. The heat pump unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the heat pump unit has a low-temperature operation mode in which a temperature of the main water pipe is in a range of 5 to 10°C.
11. The heat pump unit according to claim 10, characterized in that the heat pump unit is an outdoor unit.
12. A heat pump system characterized by comprising the heat pump unit according to any one of claims 1 to 11.