Outdoor air-to-air heat pump system with thermally insulated condenser chamber

Abstract

A self-installed heat pump installation comprising a thermally insulated outdoor condenser chamber (5) for heating an indoor air flow led to the outdoors through a two-way flow path (4) in a suitable opening in an external wall (10) by means of a fan (2) for heating in a condenser (6) installed in a closed heat pump circuit with a suitable cooling medium, the heat pump installation being composed of a compressor (9), an evaporator (7) with associated fan (3), a condenser (6) and a choke valve (8), the heated air being led back to the building in a second part of the two-way flow path (4) and separated from the intake air flow by an indoor vent (1).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an outdoor heat pump system and installation that includes a condenser unit installed outdoors in a thermally insulated housing / chamber and associated components for directing air outside the building through existing vents for heating in the condenser and then directing the warm air into the building.

[0002] A heat pump is a known device consisting of a compressor, a condenser, a pressure reducing valve, and an evaporator, which are used to transfer thermal energy from a low temperature location to a high temperature location. This is achieved by compressing a suitable cooling medium and subsequently directing it through a condenser, which cools the cooling medium and releases heat to the surroundings. The cooling medium condenses and changes to a liquid state. This liquid then exits through a choke valve, which removes pressure and lowers the boiling point of the cooling medium, which then evaporates in the evaporator, taking thermal energy from the surroundings. Once the cooling medium has evaporated to its gaseous state, it enters the compressor for a new cycle. This method usually delivers thermal energy equivalent to about 3 to 5 times the input power.

[0003] A disadvantage of known solutions is that the condenser unit must be installed inside the building, which typically results in a large and cumbersome component that must be installed by a refrigeration installer, who must pressure test and fill the system with gas.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to obviate or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the prior art.

[0005] This object is achieved by the features set forth in the following description and in the claims that follow.

[0006] The invention is defined by the independent claims. The dependent claims define advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0007] The invention specifically relates to a heat pump device as claimed in claim 1.

[0008] The heat pump device itself can be provided to the customer as a complete unit that is easy to install, utilizing existing and known technology and not requiring a certified cooling equipment installer or electrician. This can be likened to how consumers today purchase and install appliances such as refrigerators and freezers themselves. The heat pump can be installed entirely on the exterior of a building, with air being directed outside the building through an existing vent, passing through a condenser which heats the air, and then directed back into the building through the same vent, split into different flow paths. In another embodiment, the inflow and outflow of air can be directed in two different flow paths.

[0009] The invention can be described as having four distinct parts: a) An indoor vent that separates the cold air flow from the hot air flow b) Thermally insulated pipes / channels that separate the outgoing cold air from the incoming warm air. c) Transitions from existing exterior vents in buildings or from new vent solutions where air-tight and water-tight ducts are ensured. d) A heat pump unit with a thermally insulated "housing" for the condenser and associated fan, and multiple flow paths for efficiently directing air through the condenser. The compressor, pressure reducing valve, and evaporator are located within the same unit, but the evaporator and associated fan may be located outside the thermally insulated "housing" of the condenser.

[0010] The present invention distinguishes itself from existing heat pump solutions in that the entire heat pump circuit is installed outdoors and supplied as a complete unit. Air from the building is directed outdoors through an existing or new vent, heated in the heat pump, and then directed back indoors, preferably through the same vent. Power is supplied from indoors through the vent to outdoors. This makes the solution a good fit for most homes and rooms adjacent to exterior walls.

[0011] The present invention can be seen as the arrangement of this heat pump system with a thermally insulated outdoor "housing" for the heat pump condenser unit, as well as associated components. The objective of the present invention is to lower the price of purchasing and installing heat pump solutions. Given the rising energy prices, heat pumps are a quick way to reduce heating costs, as they receive thermal energy equivalent to about 3-5 times the input power. However, current solutions are expensive and require installation by a certified installer.

[0012] The present invention makes heat pump technology accessible to more people, by lowering the purchase price and allowing users to install heat pumps themselves. The present invention also simplifies the installation of heat pumps in rural areas and places where cooling equipment installers are not available. The present invention is based on existing heat pump technology, where a liquid phase, low pressure cooling medium passes through an evaporator to absorb energy from the surroundings and the liquid passes into a gaseous state. The gas is then pressurized in a compressor and passes through a condenser where the gas is condensed into a liquid and releases heat. Downstream of the condenser, the liquid passes through a valve that reduces the pressure and then the process starts again. Heat pump technology will not be described in further detail here, as the theory is assumed to be known.

[0013] The present invention uses an outdoor, thermally insulated condenser room and simplifies the installation of the heat pump system, making heat pump technology available to more people and in places where standard heat pump installers can be difficult to find, and is priced significantly lower than what is available on the market, making it economically viable for installation in even small rooms.

[0014] Because the heat pump unit is supplied as a complete system for installation outside a building, the distances between the components are shorter and therefore less gas is required compared to traditional heat pump solutions where the condenser is installed indoors and the evaporator is installed outdoors. Condensate from the heat exchanger is discharged at a low point on the unit.

[0015] By utilizing existing vents in the exterior walls, no holes need to be drilled into the walls to install the heat pump. The exterior vents can be fitted with sheet metal cut to size and transition pieces, or replaced entirely with the provided vent solution, ensuring an airtight and watertight duct.

[0016] Power can come from inside the home via a cord that runs through a vent / hole in the exterior wall and out to the compressor and fan, complete with a plug to plug into an existing outlet.

[0017] Another advantage is that the new vents that direct the cold and hot air flows away from each other have smaller dimensions compared to current indoor solutions for heat pumps, so they require less space indoors.

[0018] In short, the result will be a significant reduction in the costs for households when installing a heat pump. In a normal detached house, the installation of several such heat pump units could be an option to achieve a better heat distribution in the building. The new units could replace most panel heaters installed in vented rooms adjacent to the external walls and would be very beneficial in studio apartments and small apartments, where the installation of a conventional heat pump solution was not economically justified before.

[0019] An example of a preferred embodiment is described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a heat pump system according to the present invention; [Figure 2A] 1 is a front perspective view of an indoor vent used in a heat pump system according to the present invention; [Figure 2B] 1 is a perspective view of an indoor vent used in a heat pump system according to the present invention, seen from the rear. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] The heat pump system comprises a circuit for air and a separate circuit for the cooling medium, which are described below.

[0022] Here, the air circuit is described. Cold air is drawn into the lower part of the indoor vent 1 and blown into the condenser chamber 5 by means of a fan 2, passing through the lower half of the insulated channel 4 and into the condenser chamber 5. The air is then directed through the condenser 6, where it is heated and directed in the upper part of the channel 4 back to the upper part of the indoor vent 1, where it is blown into the room. The indoor vent is designed to separate the hot and cold air flows. The indoor vent is preferably designed to minimize pressure losses, and the cross section at any point of the vent is preferably not smaller than the cross section of the air channel 4 that directs the air to and from the condenser chamber 5. The advantage of such an indoor vent 1 compared to a standard split air-to-air heat pump is that it does not have a fan 2 or a condenser 6 and can therefore be designed very compact. In the illustrated embodiment, the vent 1 is designed with a cover 14 located against the indoor side of the outer wall 10. The lower and upper openings respectively constitute the inlet 12 and the outlet 13. In an advantageous embodiment, as shown in Figure 2B, the indoor vent 1 may be equipped with a dust / particle filter at the air inlet 12 as well as a damper (not shown) for regulating the air flow exiting the vent 1.

[0023] The high temperature and pressure cooling medium leaves the compressor 9 and enters the condenser 6, where it is subsequently cooled by the air flow in the condenser chamber 5, so that it releases energy and condenses into a liquid phase. The cooling medium then passes through a pressure reducing valve 8, which reduces the pressure of the cooled cooling medium before it enters the evaporator 7, where the outside air, which is at a higher temperature than the cooling medium, heats it, so that the liquid evaporates into gas. A fan 3 blows the outside air over the surface of the evaporator 7. The gas leaving the evaporator 7 then enters the compressor 9, where the circuit starts all over again. In the illustrated embodiment, a power cord 11 runs from the heat pump device through the lower part of the two-way flow path 4 to an indoor socket. In other embodiments, the power cord can be run through the upper flow path or other ducts in the exterior wall, or to an outdoor socket.

[0024] The invention works by having a fan 2 blow cool air out of the building and into a thermally insulated condenser chamber 5 which contains a condenser unit 6 associated with a heat pump circuit made up of a compressor 9, a condenser 6, a pressure reducing valve 8 and an evaporator 7. As the air passes through the condenser 6 it becomes heated and the heated air is then directed back into the building.

[0025] The heat pump circuit must also be charged with an appropriate cooling medium for the operating temperature of the unit. In some embodiments, the cooling medium type can be R290 (propane) or R32 (difluoromethane).

[0026] The vent unit 1 is designed to direct warm air in a direction different from the intake of cool air therein.

[0027] The pipe section / channel 4 installed in the hole in the exterior wall 10 is designed to maintain separation between hot and cold air while minimizing heat transfer from hot to cold. The pipe section / channel 4 is configured to fit standard dimensions of vents, but may be provided in other dimensions to fit new holes. In some embodiments, the dual channel 4 and / or condenser chamber 5 may be insulated with vacuum cell insulation (approximately 0.007 W / (m*K)), Armaflex® 0.033 W / (m*K), polystyrene (expanded polystyrene) 0.026-0.04 W / (m*K), or other suitable material with comparable insulating performance.

[0028] The pipe section 4 or condenser chamber 5 will be fitted with a fan 2 providing air circulation through the condenser chamber 5 .

[0029] The condenser room 5 is insulated to minimize heat loss to the surroundings and is primarily constructed of materials that require minimal maintenance. The condenser room 5 is designed and sized to ensure good heat transfer from the condenser to the air and to efficiently direct the warm air back into the building. The compressor 9 may be located inside the condenser room 5 or outside. If located inside the condenser room 5, heat loss from the compressor to the surroundings may be eliminated, but an external location may be appropriate due to noise.

[0030] The remaining components in the heat pump circuit can be installed either to the side of the condenser chamber 5 or above or below it, although they would need to be pre-installed in the same unit as the condenser chamber 5 in order to avoid the need to fill it with cooling medium and to avoid damaging the pipes and equipment during installation. It may also be sensible to manufacture the heat pump in both embodiments to suit various building facades.

[0031] It may also be beneficial to run the heat pump circuit in reverse to cool the building on hot days.

Claims

1. A self-installation type heat pump device, The heat pump device comprises a thermally insulated outdoor condenser chamber (5) with a condenser (6) for heating an indoor air flow led to the outdoors by means of a fan (2) through a two-way flow path (4) in one or more suitable openings in an exterior wall (10), The condenser (6) is installed in a closed heat pump circuit with a suitable cooling medium, The heat pump circuit further comprises a compressor (9), an evaporator (7) with an associated fan (3), a condenser (6) and a choke valve (8), and the heated air is directed back into the building in a second part of the two-way flow path (4) and separated from the intake air flow by an indoor vent (1).

2. 2. The heat pump device according to claim 1, wherein the two-way flow path (4) is thermally insulated and designed to reduce heat transfer between the cold and hot air flows.

3. 3. Heat pump installation according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the indoor vent (1) is designed to separate the cold and hot air flows.

4. 3. Heat pump arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the compressor (9) is located in the condenser chamber (5).

5. 3. The heat pump arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the compressor (9) is installed outside the condenser chamber (5).

6. A heat pump apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein the compressor (9) is installed in the condenser chamber (5).

7. A heat pump apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein the compressor (9) is installed outside the condenser chamber (5).

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