Heat pump system for ensuring indoor thermal comfort during defrosting

Abstract

The utility model provides a heat pump system. The heat pump system comprises a water storage tank, heat pump equipment and gas water heating equipment. The water storage tank is provided with first and second water inlets and first and second water outlets. The heat pump apparatus includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger for transferring heat between a refrigerant and a first waterway, a throttling device, and a second heat exchanger. The gas water heating equipment comprises a combustor, a main heat exchanger and a first heat exchange water way, wherein the first heat exchange water way is communicated with the water storage tank through a second water way. The first water path is provided with a first water outlet pipeline connected with the first water inlet and a first water return pipeline connected with the first water outlet; the second water path is provided with a second water outlet pipeline connected with the second water inlet and a second water return pipeline connected with the second water outlet; a first electric control three-way valve is arranged between the first water outlet pipeline and the second water return pipeline, and a second electric control three-way valve is arranged between the first water return pipeline and the second water outlet pipeline. Through the arrangement, the indoor thermal comfort can be ensured during defrosting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a heat pump system, and more particularly to the defrosting operation of a heat pump system. Background Technology

[0002] As is well known, heat pumps are used to heat and / or cool the air inside buildings. A typical heat pump usually has a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The heat transfer medium (usually called refrigerant) circulates in the refrigerant circuit to transfer heat from a first location to a second location. During heating mode operation, outdoor air acts as the heat source, an outdoor heat exchanger acts as the evaporator, and an indoor heat exchanger acts as the condenser. Thus, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outside atmosphere through the evaporator and releases the heat to the interior air through the condenser. Heat pumps can also be designed to reverse the above operation in cooling mode to transfer heat from the interior air to the outside atmosphere.

[0003] Outdoor heat exchangers typically employ coil-type heat exchangers. In normal heating mode, the outdoor heat exchanger, acting as an evaporator, becomes colder than the outside air. When the outside temperature approaches or falls below the freezing point of water, moisture in the air condenses and forms ice / frost that accumulates on the coils of the outdoor heat exchanger. This ice formation restricts airflow through the coils, resulting in a reduction in the heat energy absorbed from the outside air, thus decreasing the performance and efficiency of the heat pump equipment. To restore performance, the equipment enters defrost mode. A common method for defrosting outdoor coils is to switch the heat pump system from heating mode to cooling mode. This mode reversal directs the hot refrigerant discharged from the compressor directly to the outdoor coils to melt the ice formed on them until the temperature of the outdoor coils rises to a predetermined value, ensuring all ice is removed.

[0004] However, in traditional defrosting mode, indoor heating must be stopped. In addition, since the internal heat exchanger is used as an evaporator at this time, it extracts heat from the indoor air, resulting in a decrease in indoor temperature and thus significantly reducing indoor thermal comfort. Utility Model Content

[0005] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this disclosure provides a heat pump system that can ensure indoor thermal comfort during defrosting.

[0006] This disclosure provides a heat pump system including a water storage tank, a heat pump device, and a gas-fired water heating device. The water storage tank has a first inlet, a first outlet, a second inlet, and a second outlet. The heat pump device has a refrigerant circuit and can operate in heating, cooling, and defrosting modes to transfer heat between outdoor air and a first water passage located indoors via refrigerant. The refrigerant circuit includes a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a first heat exchanger for transferring heat between the refrigerant and the first water passage, a throttling device for reducing refrigerant pressure, and a second heat exchanger for transferring heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air. The gas-fired water heating device includes a burner for burning a mixture of gas and air, a main heat exchanger that absorbs heat generated by the burner and transfers it to water flowing through it, and a first hot water exchange passage passing through the main heat exchanger. The first hot water exchange passage is connected to the water storage tank via a second water passage located indoors. The first water circuit has a first outlet pipe connected to the first inlet and a first return pipe connected to the first outlet; the second water circuit has a second outlet pipe connected to the second inlet and a second return pipe connected to the second outlet; a first electrically controlled three-way valve is installed between the first outlet pipe and the second return pipe, and a second electrically controlled three-way valve is installed between the first return pipe and the second outlet pipe.

[0007] In some embodiments, when the heat pump device is operating in heating mode and cooling mode, the first electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first outlet water pipe and disconnects from the second return water pipe, and the second electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first return water pipe and disconnects from the second outlet water pipe; when the heat pump device is operating in defrosting mode, the first electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first outlet water pipe and the second return water pipe and disconnects from the water connection between them and the first inlet water port; the second electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first return water pipe and the second outlet water pipe and disconnects from the water connection between them and the first outlet water port.

[0008] In some embodiments, a first electrically controlled valve is provided in the water passage connected to the second water inlet at the upstream position of the second electrically controlled three-way valve in the second water outlet pipeline; a second electrically controlled valve is provided in the water passage connected to the second water outlet at the downstream position of the first electrically controlled three-way valve in the second water return pipeline.

[0009] In some embodiments, when the heat pump device is operating in heating mode, both are in a connected state; when the heat pump device is operating in defrost mode, both are in a disconnected state.

[0010] In some embodiments, the gas-fired water heater further includes an auxiliary heat exchanger, a second hot water exchange circuit, and a heat exchange branch connected to the first hot water exchange circuit; wherein the second hot water exchange circuit is connected to the water circuit of the water-using equipment installed indoors, the heat exchange branch is connected to the first hot water exchange circuit through a third electrically controlled three-way valve, and both the heat exchange branch and the second hot water exchange circuit pass through the auxiliary heat exchanger to achieve heat exchange.

[0011] In some embodiments, when the heat pump device is operating in defrost mode, the third electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first heat exchange circuit and disconnects from the heat exchange branch.

[0012] In some embodiments, the heat pump system also includes a system controller that is wired or wirelessly connected to the heat pump equipment and the gas water heating equipment.

[0013] In some embodiments, the heat pump system further includes a third water passage disposed indoors, and a heat dissipation device and a fan coil unit connected in the third water passage; the water storage tank also has a third water inlet and a third water outlet, and the third water passage is connected to the third water inlet and the third water outlet.

[0014] In some embodiments, the third water passage is further provided with a fourth electrically controlled three-way valve connected to the heat dissipation device and the fan coil unit, and a circulating water pump located upstream of the fourth electrically controlled three-way valve.

[0015] In some embodiments, the heat dissipation device and the fan coil unit are connected in parallel in the third water circuit, and are selectively connected to the water storage tank through the fourth electrically controlled three-way valve.

[0016] The technical solutions provided by one or more embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: when the heat pump equipment is operating in defrost mode, the hot water output by the gas water heater can be directly used for defrosting of the heat pump equipment by controlling the first and second electrically controlled three-way valves, so that all the hot water in the storage tank can be used for indoor heating, thereby ensuring indoor thermal comfort. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the connections between various devices in a heat pump system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connections between the various devices of the heat pump system in another embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments shown will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure, and any structural, methodological, or functional modifications made by those skilled in the art based on these embodiments are included within the scope of protection claimed in the appended claims.

[0021] like Figure 1 The heat pump system 100 shown in one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a gas-fired water heater 10, a water storage tank 20, and a heat pump device 30.

[0022] Gas-fired water heaters use combustible gases as fuel, such as natural gas, town gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and biogas, to provide heat to meet users' hot water and / or heating needs. Gas-fired water heaters are typically installed indoors, but in some embodiments, they can also be installed outdoors. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a housing, housing a burner 11, a main heat exchanger 12, a flue gas exhaust device 13, a fan 14, a valve assembly 15, a secondary heat exchanger 18, and first and second hot water exchange circuits. The housing can be mounted on a wall, with its back panel facing the wall. The burner 11 can be an atmospheric burner, which typically includes burner units, such as several burner plates arranged side by side (not shown). Each burner plate is provided with a gas-air mixing channel, in which gas supplied through a gas delivery pipeline mixes with primary air and is then delivered to the burner holes located at the top of the burner plate for combustion to generate hot flue gas. Since the construction and arrangement of the burner plates are well known to those skilled in the art, the applicant will not elaborate further here. The main heat exchanger 12 is typically located above the burner 11 and can be a finned tube heat exchanger, i.e., the heat exchanger housing has multiple fins, and a hot water suction pipe 105 meanders through these fins. The heat carried by the hot flue gas generated by the combustion of the burner 11 is absorbed by the fins and further transferred to the water flowing through the hot water suction pipe 105. The heated water is then output through the first hot water output pipe 102. The flue gas exhaust device 13 is typically installed on the main heat exchanger 12 and includes a fume hood and an exhaust pipe located on top of the fume hood. The flue gas generated by combustion (containing exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides) is collected by the fume hood and discharged to the outside through the exhaust pipe.

[0023] The gas valve assembly 15 is installed on the gas supply line and typically includes an integrated gas valve and a gas proportional valve. Both the gas valve and the gas proportional valve can be electrically controlled. The gas valve connects or disconnects the gas supply passage, while the gas proportional valve controls the gas flow rate supplied to the burner. The gas proportional valve operates by adjusting its output pressure by controlling the valve opening, thereby controlling the output gas flow rate. The fan 14 can be installed below the burner 11 to drive airflow, thereby providing the air required for combustion and causing the flue gas produced by combustion to be collected by the fume hood of the exhaust system.

[0024] The first hot water exchange circuit includes a first cold water inlet pipe 101, a hot water suction pipe 105, and a first hot water outlet pipe 102; the second hot water exchange circuit includes a second cold water inlet pipe 103 and a second hot water outlet pipe 104. A heat exchange branch 106 is connected to the first hot water exchange circuit, with its two ends connected to the first cold water inlet pipe 101 and the first hot water outlet pipe 102 respectively, and connected in parallel with the hot water suction pipe 105. The auxiliary heat exchanger 18 can be a traditional plate heat exchanger, which is connected to the heat exchange branch 106 and the second hot water exchange circuit to achieve heat exchange between the two. The heat exchange branch 106 is connected to the first hot water exchange circuit through a third electrically controlled three-way valve 172, which can be controlled by a stepper motor to selectively connect the first hot water exchange circuit and the heat exchange branch. For example, by controlling a stepper motor, the valve ports 171 and 172 of the third electrically controlled three-way valve 17 can be connected, while valve port 173 is disconnected, so that water flows in the first hot water exchange circuit and cannot be connected to the heat exchange branch 106; alternatively, by controlling a stepper motor, the valve ports 172 and 173 of the third electrically controlled three-way valve 17 can be connected, while valve port 171 is disconnected, so that water circulates and is heated in the loop formed by the hot water suction pipe 105 and the heat exchange branch 106, and the heat is transferred to the second hot water exchange circuit through the auxiliary heat exchanger 18. In some embodiments, the second hot water exchange circuit is connected to the water-using equipment 70 installed indoors, such as the mixing valve circuit, so that cold water from the external tap water pipe 71 enters the second cold water inlet pipe 103, is heated by the auxiliary heat exchanger 18, and is output to the water-using equipment 70 through the second hot water outlet pipe 104 for domestic hot water use such as washing. In some embodiments, the second hot water exchange circuit, the auxiliary heat exchanger 18, the heat exchange branch circuit 106, and the third electrically controlled three-way valve 17 can also be omitted, that is, the water circuit of the gas-fired hot water equipment 10 only retains the first hot water exchange circuit. In addition, a circulating water pump 16 is provided in the first hot water exchange circuit to drive the water circulation within it.

[0025] A gas-fired water heater controller 19 is housed within a casing for detecting and controlling the operation of various components and circuit devices within the device. The controller may be a circuit board containing several circuit devices, including control components and a communication unit. In some embodiments, the control components may be a control circuit comprising a processor, a memory, and several electronic components connected in a specific wiring configuration. The processor may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. In some embodiments, the controller 19 is the control center of the gas-fired water heater, connecting various parts of the device via various interfaces and lines. For example, the controller 19 is wired or wirelessly connected to the burner 11, fan 14, gas valve assembly 15, circulating water pump 16, and third electrically controlled three-way valve 17.

[0026] The heat pump unit 30 can be installed outdoors and can operate in several modes, such as heating mode, cooling mode, and defrosting mode. The heat pump unit 30 has a refrigerant circuit in which heat is transferred between outdoor air and indoor water circuits by the movement of the refrigerant. This refrigerant circuit typically includes a compressor 31, a first heat exchanger 32, a throttling device 33, and a second heat exchanger 34, all housed within the unit casing. The compressor 31 typically uses electricity to compress the refrigerant from a low-pressure gaseous state to a high-pressure gaseous state, thereby increasing the temperature, enthalpy, and pressure of the refrigerant. The first heat exchanger 32 can be a plate heat exchanger used to transfer heat between the refrigerant and a first water circuit located indoors. In heating mode, the first heat exchanger 32 acts as a condenser. Refrigerant exiting compressor 31 flows through first heat exchanger 32, condensing at a substantially constant pressure to a saturated liquid state. During this process, circulating water flowing in the first water path, driven by a water pump 36 located between the first heat exchanger 32 and the first water path, flows through the first heat exchanger 32 and absorbs heat released from the refrigerant, thus being heated to a higher temperature (e.g., 43°C). A throttling device 33, which can be in the form of an electronic expansion valve, controls the amount of refrigerant entering the second heat exchanger 34. Liquid refrigerant from the first heat exchanger 32 flows through the electronic expansion valve 33, causing a decrease in liquid pressure. During this process, the refrigerant partially evaporates, causing it to become a mixed liquid state, lowering its temperature to a value that allows heat exchange to occur in the second heat exchanger 34. The second heat exchanger 34 can be a coil-type heat exchanger equipped with a blower (not shown), which acts as an evaporator in heating mode, utilizing the heat energy in the air to evaporate the refrigerant from a liquid state to a gaseous state. The gaseous refrigerant discharged from the second heat exchanger 34 is further drawn into the compressor 11 to repeat the refrigerant cycle described above. The refrigerant circuit also includes a reversing valve 35, which can be a four-way valve for reversing the refrigerant cycle, i.e., switching between different operating modes by reversing the direction of the refrigerant cycle. In the cooling mode, the first heat exchanger 32 operates as an evaporator, and the second heat exchanger 34 operates as a condenser; at this time, the circulating water flowing in the first water circuit flows through the first heat exchanger 32 and is cooled to a lower temperature (e.g., 8°C) by absorbing heat from the evaporated refrigerant.

[0027] The water storage tank 20 can be a metal bucket covered with insulation material, such as foam material, and has a first inlet 21, a first outlet 22, a second inlet 23, and a second outlet 24. A first water circuit is connected to the first inlet 21 and the first outlet 22 of the water storage tank to achieve water circulation. The first hot water exchange circuit of the gas-fired water heater 10 is connected to the water storage tank 20 through a second water circuit located indoors, wherein the second water circuit is connected to the second inlet 23 and the second outlet 24 of the water storage tank to achieve water circulation. The first water circuit has a first outlet pipe 75 connected to the first inlet 21 and a first return pipe 76 connected to the first outlet 22; the second water circuit has second outlet pipes 72 and 73 connected to the second inlet 23 and a second return pipe 74 connected to the second outlet 24. In this embodiment, a first electrically controlled three-way valve 83 is provided between the first outlet pipe 75 and the second return pipe 74, and a second electrically controlled three-way valve 84 is provided between the first return pipe 76 and the second outlet pipe 72. Similar to the third electrically controlled three-way valve 17 described above, the first and second electrically controlled three-way valves 83 and 84 can both be driven by a stepper motor to selectively connect two of their valve ports and simultaneously disconnect the remaining third valve port.

[0028] The heat pump system 100 also includes a third water circuit located indoors, and a fan coil unit 40 and a radiator 50 connected in parallel within the third water circuit. The water storage tank 20 also has a third inlet 25 and a third outlet 26, with the third water circuit connected to both. The fan coil unit 40 is typically installed within the room's ceiling and connected to the room via an air vent. When cool water at a lower temperature (e.g., 8°C) flows through the third water circuit, it passes through the fan coil unit 40 to lower the room's air temperature, thus achieving a cooling effect. The radiator 50 can be an underfloor heating coil laid under the room's floor or a metal radiator installed inside the room. When hot water at a higher temperature (e.g., 43°C) flows through the third water circuit, it passes through the radiator 50 to release heat, thereby heating the room's air and achieving a heating effect. The third water passage is also equipped with a fourth electrically controlled three-way valve 82 connected to the radiator 50 and the fan coil unit 40, and a circulating water pump 81 located upstream of the fourth electrically controlled three-way valve. The circulating water pump 81 can be used to drive the water flow in the third water passage to circulate. The fourth electrically controlled three-way valve 82 is similar to the above-mentioned electrically controlled three-way valve. It can be operated by a stepper motor to selectively connect two of its valve ports and simultaneously disconnect the remaining third valve port, thereby allowing the radiator 50 and the fan coil unit 40 to be selectively connected to the water storage tank 20 through the third water passage.

[0029] The heat pump system 100 also includes room thermostats 60 installed in each room, which can be connected to the circulating water pump 81 and the fourth electrically controlled three-way valve 82 via wired or wireless connection to control their operation. In winter, the storage tank 20 typically contains hot water at a higher temperature. When the room thermostat 60 detects that the room temperature is lower than the set temperature, it controls the fourth electrically controlled three-way valve 82 to connect the heat dissipation device 50 to the storage tank 20 and triggers the circulating water pump 81 to operate, causing the hot water in the storage tank 20 to pass through the heat dissipation device 50 via the third water path to heat the air in the room. In summer, the storage tank 20 typically contains cold water at a lower temperature. When the room thermostat 60 detects that the room temperature is higher than the set temperature, it controls the fourth electrically controlled three-way valve 82 to connect the fan coil unit 40 to the storage tank 20 and triggers the circulating water pump 81 to operate, causing the cold water in the storage tank 20 to pass through the fan coil unit 40 via the third water path to cool the air in the room.

[0030] The heat pump system 100 also includes a system controller 70, which is wired or wirelessly connected to the heat pump unit 30 and the gas water heater 10. In some embodiments, the system controller 70 is connected to the controller (not shown) of the heat pump unit 30 and the controller 19 of the gas water heater 10. The system controller 70 may adopt a similar structure to the gas water heater controller 19 described above, which will not be elaborated further here. The system controller 70 may also be wired or wirelessly connected to the first electrically controlled three-way valve 83 and the second electrically controlled three-way valve 84 to control their operation. In summer, the heat pump unit 30 operates in cooling mode. The first electrically controlled three-way valve 83 is controlled to connect the first outlet water pipe 75 and disconnect the connection to the second return water pipe 74; at the same time, the second electrically controlled three-way valve 84 is controlled to connect the first return water pipe 76 and disconnect the connection to the second outlet water pipe 72; thus, the lower-temperature chilled water output by the heat pump unit 30 enters the storage tank 20 through the first water path for storage, to be used by the fan coil unit 40. In winter, the heat pump unit 30 operates in cooling mode. The first electrically controlled three-way valve 83 is controlled to connect the first outlet water pipe 75 and disconnect it from the second return water pipe 74. Simultaneously, the second electrically controlled three-way valve 84 is controlled to connect the first return water pipe 76 and disconnect it from the second outlet water pipe 72. Thus, the higher-temperature hot water output by the heat pump unit 30 enters the storage tank 20 through the first water path for storage and is used by the heat dissipation device 50. In this mode, the gas-fired water heater 10 can be turned on to output hot water to the storage tank 20 through the second water path, thereby accelerating the rise in water temperature in the storage tank 20.

[0031] In winter, when the heat pump equipment operates in defrost mode, the first electrically controlled three-way valve 83 is controlled to connect the first outlet water pipe 75 and the second return water pipe 74, and disconnect the water connection between them and the first inlet water port 21; simultaneously, the second electrically controlled three-way valve 84 is controlled to connect the first return water pipe 76 and the second outlet water pipe 72, and disconnect the water connection between them and the first outlet water port 22. In this mode, the gas-fired water heater 10 starts operating, the burner 11 ignites and burns, and the third electrically controlled three-way valve 17 is controlled to connect the first heat exchange water circuit and disconnect the connection with the heat exchange branch circuit 106. Thus, the hot water heated by the gas water heater 10 enters the heat pump 30 via the second outlet pipe 72 and the first return pipe 76, where it heats the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger 32 for defrosting. The water, after heat exchange in the first heat exchanger 32, is cooled and then enters the first hot water exchange circuit of the gas water heater 10 via the first outlet pipe 75 and the second return pipe 74 to be heated before being output. This cycle repeats until the second heat exchanger 34 of the heat pump 30 finishes defrosting. In other words, when the heat pump 30 is operating in defrost mode, the heat required by the first heat exchanger 32, which acts as an evaporator, comes entirely from the gas water heater 10, not the storage tank 20. Therefore, all the hot water in the storage tank 20 can be used for indoor heating, ensuring indoor thermal comfort.

[0032] In some embodiments, a first electrically controlled valve 85 is installed in the water passage of the second outlet pipe 73, upstream of the second electrically controlled three-way valve 84 and connected to the second inlet 23; a second electrically controlled valve 86 is installed in the water passage of the second return pipe 75, downstream of the first electrically controlled three-way valve 83 and connected to the second outlet 24. The first electrically controlled valve 85 and the second electrically controlled valve 86 are used to connect or disconnect the water passages, and can be ordinary solenoid valves or driven by stepper motors. When the heat pump equipment is operating in heating mode, both the first electrically controlled valve 85 and the second electrically controlled valve 86 are controlled to be in the connected state, so that the gas water heater 10 can be used to heat the water in the storage tank 20. When the heat pump equipment is operating in defrost mode, both the first electrically controlled valve 85 and the second electrically controlled valve 86 are controlled to be in the disconnected state, so that the hot water output after being heated by the gas water heater 10 will not enter the storage tank 20, but will be used entirely for the defrosting work of the heat pump equipment 30.

[0033] like Figure 2The heat pump system 200 of another embodiment shown differs from the above embodiment mainly in that the first electrically controlled three-way valve 83, the second electrically controlled three-way valve 84, the first electrically controlled valve 85, the second electrically controlled valve 86, and the corresponding connecting pipes are all omitted. When the heat pump device 30 operates in defrost mode, the gas water heater 10 starts operating, the burner 11 ignites, and the third electrically controlled three-way valve 17 is controlled to connect the first hot water exchange circuit and disconnect from the heat exchange branch circuit 106. Thus, the hot water output by the gas water heater 10 after heating is input into the storage tank through the second water circuit until the heat pump device defrosts. In other words, when the heat pump device 30 operates in defrost mode, although the heat required by the first heat exchanger 32, which serves as the evaporator, still comes from the storage tank 20, the gas water heater 10 simultaneously outputs hot water to the storage tank 20. Therefore, the storage tank 20 contains sufficient hot water for indoor heating, thereby ensuring indoor thermal comfort. Alternatively, it can be argued that the hot water output from the gas-fired water heater can be indirectly used for the defrosting of the heat pump equipment.

[0034] In the description of the above embodiments in this disclosure, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "longitudinal", "lateral", "vertical", "radial", "circumferential", "horizontal", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", and "rear" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of description and simplification. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0035] In the above disclosure, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the designation "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. In the above description, terms such as "several," "multiple," etc., mean at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0036] In the foregoing disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "adjacent," "connected," "linked," and "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0037] In the above disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," or "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," or "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0038] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of units in the controller is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For instance, multiple units may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the connections between the components, parts, and units discussed above can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms of connection; they can be direct connections or indirect connections through interfaces, etc.; they can be wired connections or wireless connections.

[0039] Furthermore, the units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units; some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of the disclosed embodiments according to actual needs. Additionally, the functional units in the above embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated units described above can be implemented in hardware or in a combination of hardware and software functional units.

[0040] It should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A heat pump system that ensures indoor thermal comfort during defrosting, characterized in that: The system includes a water storage tank having a first inlet, a first outlet, a second inlet, and a second outlet; A heat pump device having a refrigerant circuit, capable of operating in heating, cooling, and defrosting modes to transfer heat between outdoor air and a first water circuit located indoors via refrigerant; the refrigerant circuit includes a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a first heat exchanger for transferring heat between the refrigerant and the first water circuit, a throttling device for reducing refrigerant pressure, and a second heat exchanger for transferring heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air; A gas-fired hot water system includes a burner for burning a mixture of gas and air, a main heat exchanger that absorbs heat generated by the burner and transfers the heat to water flowing through it, and a first hot water exchange passage passing through the main heat exchanger; the first hot water exchange passage is connected to a water storage tank via a second water passage located indoors. The first water circuit has a first outlet pipe connected to the first inlet and a first return pipe connected to the first outlet; the second water circuit has a second outlet pipe connected to the second inlet and a second return pipe connected to the second outlet; a first electrically controlled three-way valve is provided between the first outlet pipe and the second return pipe, and a second electrically controlled three-way valve is provided between the first return pipe and the second outlet pipe.

2. The heat pump system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the heat pump is operating in heating and cooling modes, the first electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first outlet water pipe and disconnects from the second return water pipe; the second electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first return water pipe and disconnects from the second outlet water pipe. When the heat pump is operating in defrosting mode, the first electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first outlet water pipe and the second return water pipe and disconnects from the water connection between them and the first inlet water port; the second electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first return water pipe and the second outlet water pipe and disconnects from the water connection between them and the first outlet water port.

3. The heat pump system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A first electrically controlled valve is installed in the water circuit that connects to the second water inlet upstream of the second electrically controlled three-way valve in the second water outlet pipeline; a second electrically controlled valve is installed in the water circuit that connects to the second water outlet downstream of the first electrically controlled three-way valve in the second water return pipeline.

4. The heat pump system according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the heat pump is operating in heating mode, both are connected; when the heat pump is operating in defrost mode, both are disconnected.

5. The heat pump system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas-fired water heater also includes an auxiliary heat exchanger, a second hot water exchange circuit, and a heat exchange branch circuit connected to the first hot water exchange circuit. The second hot water exchange circuit is connected to the water circuit of the water-using equipment installed indoors. The heat exchange branch circuit is connected to the first hot water exchange circuit through a third electrically controlled three-way valve. Both the heat exchange branch circuit and the second hot water exchange circuit pass through the auxiliary heat exchanger to achieve heat exchange.

6. The heat pump system according to claim 5, characterized in that: When the heat pump equipment is operating in defrost mode, the third electrically controlled three-way valve connects to the first heat exchange circuit and disconnects from the heat exchange branch.

7. The heat pump system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a system controller, which is wired or wirelessly connected to the heat pump equipment and gas water heater.

8. The heat pump system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a third water passage installed indoors, as well as a heat dissipation device and a fan coil unit connected in the third water passage; the water storage tank also has a third water inlet and a third water outlet, and the third water passage is connected to the third water inlet and the third water outlet.

9. The heat pump system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The third water circuit is also equipped with a fourth electrically controlled three-way valve that is connected to the heat dissipation device and the fan coil unit, and a circulating water pump located upstream of the fourth electrically controlled three-way valve.

10. The heat pump system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The heat dissipation device and the fan coil unit are connected in parallel in the third water circuit, and are selectively connected to the water storage tank through the fourth electrically controlled three-way valve.

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