Heat pump with pumped refrigerant remote condenser

Abstract

A heat pump system may include a remote condenser arranged in an outdoor unit. The heat pump system may include a flooded condenser arranged in an indoor unit, where the remote condenser is coupled to the flooded condenser via a remote condenser port. The heat pump system may include a refrigerant pump configured to move a refrigerant from the remote condenser to the flooded condenser. The heat pump system may include a segregation valve configured to segregate the remote condenser when not in use. The heat pump system may further include a compressor, an evaporator, and an expansion valve.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE RELATED TO APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 757,546, filed February 12, 2025, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of cooling systems, and more particularly, to a heat pump with a pumped refrigerant remote condenser.BACKGROUND

[0003] The goal of cooling units is to absorb the heat created by servers and transfer such heat outside of the physical location of the servers. Usually, the heat is collected in such a way that it is rejected to the environment. In most cases, the rejected heat is not directly usable due to the low temperature of the rejected heat. It is common practice to use heat pumps (e.g., water / water heat pumps) to raise the temperature of the rejected heat to make it usable.

[0004] Often a problem arises in data centers because the use of the rejected heat (or waste heat) is not always constant and may not reflect the cooling demand of the data center. Hydraulic circuits may be used to balance the unused portion of heat and dispose of it into the air through a dry cooler. However, using a dry cooler involves the use of glycol to prevent freezing, which worsens the heat exchange coefficients with a consequent increase in the electrical consumption of the compressor linked to a higher condensation temperature. The viscosity of the glycol also has a negative impact on the consumption of the pump that moves the glycol to the dry cooler. This means that in most cases, trying to utilize waste heat causes an inefficiency in the cooling system.

[0005] As such, there is a need for a system and method that cures one or more shortfalls of the existing approaches.SUMMARY

[0006] A heat pump system is disclosed, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In embodiments, the heat pump system includes: a compressor; a remote condenser arranged in an outdoor unit, where the remote condenser is configured to release heat from a refrigerant directly to ambient air; a flooded condenser arranged in an indoor unit, where the remote condenser is coupled to the flooded condenser via a remote condenser port, where the flooded condenser is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor; a refrigerant pump fluidly connected between the remote condenser and the flooded condenser, where the refrigerant is configured to move the refrigerant from the remote condenser to the flooded condenser; a segregation valve configured to selectively segregate the remote condenser when not in use; an evaporator arranged to absorb heat from a cooling load and evaporate the refrigerant; and an expansion valve.

[0007] A heat pump system is disclosed, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In embodiments, the heat pump system includes: a controller communicatively coupled to a refrigerant pump and a segregation valve, where the controller includes one or more processors and a memory, where the memory includes a set of program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to: adjust one or more parameters of the refrigerant pump and the segregation valve based on a plurality of working modes of the heat pump system; upon determining a heat recovery demand of the system is greater than a cooling demand of the system, generating one or more control signals configured to cause the segregation valve to close and deactivate the refrigerant pump; and upon determining a heat recovery demand of the system is less than a cooling demand of the system, generating one or more control signals configured to cause the segregation valve to open and activate the refrigerant pump.

[0008] A method is disclosed, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In embodiments, the method includes: activating one or more compressors; circulating a refrigerant through a flooded condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and back to the one or more compressors; moving the refrigerant from a remote condenser or the flooded condenser; monitoring a cooling demand and a heat recovery demand by comparing the cooling demand and the heat recovery demand; upon determining the heat recovery demand is greater than the cooling demand, closing a segregation valve and deactivating a refrigerant pump; and upon determining the heat recovery demand is less than the cooling demand, opening the segregation valve and activating the refrigerant pump.

[0009] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate subject matter of the disclosure. Together, the descriptions and the drawings serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The numerous advantages of the disclosure may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a simplified conceptual view of a cooling system.

[0012] FIG. 2A is a simplified conceptual view of a cooling system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2B is a simplified conceptual view of the cooling system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 2C is a simplified schematic view of the cooling system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting a method for monitoring heat recovery and cooling demands, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0017] The goal of cooling units is to absorb the heat created by servers and transfer such heat outside of the physical location of the servers. Usually, the heat is collected in such a way that it is rejected to the environment. In most cases, the rejected heat is not directly usable due to the low temperature of the rejected heat. It is common practice to use heat pumps (e.g., water / water heat pumps) to raise the temperature of the rejected heat to make it usable.

[0018] Often a problem arises in data centers because the use of the rejected heat (or wasted heat) is not always constant and may not reflect the cooling demand of the data center. Hydraulic circuits may be used to balance the unused portion of heat and dispose of it into the air through a dry cooler. However, using a dry cooler involves the use of glycol to prevent freezing, which worsens the heat exchange coefficients with a consequent increase in the electrical consumption of the compressor linked to a higher condensation temperature. The viscosity of the glycol also has a negative impact on the consumption of the pump that moves the glycol to the dry cooler. This means that in most cases, trying to utilize waste heat causes an inefficiency in the cooling system.

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional heat pump system 100. The conventional heat pump system 100 includes, but is not limited to, an evaporator 102, one or more compressors 104, a condenser 106, one or more expansion valves 108, one or more three-way valves 110, and one or more remote condensers 112.

[0020] It is contemplated herein that the conventional heat pump system 100, as shown in FIG. 1, has a number of disadvantages. For example, the three-way valve 110 introduces a pressure drop. With multi-compressor circuits (e.g., including centrifugal compressors) it is required to aggregate the discharge lines before approaching the three-way valve 110. The three-way valve 110 modulates the quantity of refrigerant to water heat recovery (or to air condenser). The aggregation on the lines and the three-way valve 110 introduces a consistent pressure drop that represents an inefficiency of the compressor (e.g., due to a higher compression ratio). By way of another example, the liquid line 101 from the condenser 106 cannot go back to the evaporator 102 because of the pressure drop, such that an additional expansion valve 108 is required to compensate for the pressure difference. This adds more complexity to the heat pump system 100 and increases costs. Additionally, this additional line 101 may cause oil to be trapped such that the system 100 cannot be used with oil-based compressors (e.g., can only be used with oil-free compressors). As such, there is a need for a system and method that cures one or more shortfalls of the existing approaches.

[0021] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a heat pump with a pumped refrigerant remote condenser. For example, the heat pump may be a water-water heat pump that uses a compressor (e.g., centrifugal compressor, or the like) with a remote condenser, through the use of a refrigerant pump. For instance, the heat pump system may avoid the use of glycol such that associated efficiency losses, as discussed previously herein, may be reduced. In this regard, the heat pump may provide improved efficiency in both heat recovery and data center cooling.

[0022] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate a heat pump system 200, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] The system 200 includes an indoor unit 201 and an outdoor unit 203. For example, the indoor unit 201 may be installed within a physical data center space, while the outdoor unit 203 may be positioned outside the building, such as on the rooftop of the data center, allowing for efficient heat exchange and optimized system performance.

[0024] The indoor unit 201 may include, but is not limited to, an evaporator 202, one or more compressors 204, one or more condensers 206, one or more expansion valves 208, one or more refrigerant pumps 210, one or more remote condenser ports 212, one or more segregation valves 218, and the like installed (or arranged) inside a building (e.g., data center).

[0025] The outdoor unit 203 may include, but is not limited to, one or more remote condensers 214, one or more condenser fans 216, and the like installed (or arranged) outside the building (e.g., on the rooftop of the data center).

[0026] The one or more evaporators 202 may be configured to absorb heat (e.g., cool) from a cooling load within the data center and evaporate the refrigerant thereof. For example, the one or more evaporators 202 may contain a refrigerant, such as a liquid or other suitable medium, to facilitate the absorption of heat within the system. For instance, the refrigerant of the one or more evaporators 202 may be configured to absorb heat from the circulating liquid (e.g., water or air) within the data center.

[0027] The one or more compressors 204 may be oil-free compressors (e.g., compressors without oil). For example, the one or more compressors 204 may include one or more centrifugal compressors. In some embodiments, the one or more compressors 204 may be oil-based compressors (e.g., compressors including oil). For example, the one or more compressors 204 may include a screw and / or scroll-type compressor.

[0028] For purposes of the present disclosure, the term “oil-free compressor” may refer to compressors that are designed to operate without the use of lubricating oil within the compression chamber. For example, the oil-free compressors may rely on advanced materials, coatings, or air bearings to minimize friction and wear, which results in cleaner output with no risk of oil contamination in the refrigerant or air stream. In contrast, “oil-based compressors” may refer to compressors that use oil for lubrication, sealing, and cooling during operation. For example, the oil may circulate through the oil-based compressor, reducing friction between moving parts and helping to dissipate heat; however, this can introduce traces of oil into the system, which may require additional filtration or maintenance to prevent contamination.

[0029] The one or more condensers 206 may include one or more flooded condensers 206. The one or more flooded condensers 206 may transfer heat from the return fluid (or return air) from the system 200 to a cooler medium, such as outside ambient air. For example, the one or more flooded condensers 206 may include a shell and pipe heat exchanger, where water (or other cooling medium) flows inside the pipe and the refrigerant condenses (thereby rejecting heat) inside the shell outside the pipe.

[0030] The one or more remote condensers 214 may include one or more air-cooled condensers 214. For example, the one or more remote condensers 214 may be configured to release heat from the refrigerant directly to ambient air, such that the one or more remote condensers 214 are configured to provide cool air to the system 200.

[0031] The one or more flooded condensers 206 may include one or more remote condenser ports 212 for coupling to the one or more remote condensers 214 (or one or more components coupled to the one or more remote condensers 214). While embodiments of the present disclosure contemplate the system 200 including the flooded condenser 206 for heat recovery, it is contemplated herein that the system 200 may include other types of heat exchangers, such as a brazed-plate heat exchanger or any suitable liquid-cooled condenser.

[0032] The one or more segregation valves 218 may be configured to selectively segregate the one or more remote condensers 214 (e.g., air-cooled condensers 214) when not used. For example, the one or more segregation valves 218 may be arranged between the one or more remote condensers 214 and the one or more refrigerant pumps 210. For instance, the one or more segregation valves 218 may enable or disable fluid communication between the one or more flooded condensers 206 and the one or more remote condensers 214 as needed. In one instance, the one or more segregation valves 218 may be configured to divert refrigerant flow toward the remote condenser 214 for direct heat rejection. In another instance, the one or more segregation valves 218 may reroute the refrigerant flow to the flooded condenser 206 when heat recovery is desired within the facility. As such, the one or more segregation valves 218 may ensure that the system 200 can dynamically balance efficient heat rejection to ambient air and internal heat recovery, improving overall energy management and system adaptability.

[0033] The one or more segregation valves 218 may include any suitable valve for segregating the one or more remote condensers 214 including, but not limited to, one or more ball valves, one or more butterfly valves, or the like.

[0034] The one or more refrigerant pumps 210 may provide refrigerant to the system 200 via a liquid line 205. The refrigerant pump 210 may include any suitable volumetric pump or centrifugal pump. In some instances, the system 200 may be a phase change refrigerant system having refrigerant compressors, such as a direct expansion (DX) system. The phase change refrigerant may be any suitable non-glycol refrigerant (except glycol) such as, but not limited to, a low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant (e.g., R513A, R515B, R1234ze, or the like), or the like. For example, the low-GWP of the refrigerant may meet the industry standards and / or regulations (e.g., EU F-Gas Regulation 2024 / 573), where the low-GWP of the refrigerant used by the system 200 may be below 750. The one or more flooded condensers 206 may be coupled to the refrigerant pump 210. The one or more remote condensers 214 may be coupled to the refrigerant pump 210.

[0035] The phase change refrigerant may be circulated by the one or more compressors 204 through the condenser 206, the expansion valve 208, the evaporator 202, and back to the one or more compressors 204 of the system 200. For example, the one or more refrigerant pumps 210 may be configured to move the liquid refrigerant from the air-cooled condensers 214 to the flooded condenser 206.

[0036] As previously discussed herein, the remote condenser 214 may be installed outside. For example, the remote condenser 214 may be installed on a rooftop or mezzanine on a rooftop. In this regard, the remote condenser 214 may transfer heat from the return fluid (or return air) from the system 200 to a cooler medium, such as the outside ambient air. As will be discussed further herein, one or more controllers of the system 200 may be configured to adjust a speed of the one or more refrigerant pumps 210 to adjust the mass flow of the heat rejection based on an amount needed to dissipate the heat into the atmosphere.

[0037] The remote condenser 214 may be in the form of one or more coils. In some instances, the remote condenser 214 may include a “v-coil” assembly (or “V-condenser block”) including one or more “v-shaped” coils. In other instances, the remote condenser 214 may include a slab coil assembly including one or more slab coils. It is contemplated herein that the remote condenser 214 may include any type of coil, therefore the above description and associated figures shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0038] The one or more fans 216 may be arranged proximate to the remote condenser 214, such that air may be drawn in via the one or more fans 216.

[0039] The system 200 may include one or more sensors 217 configured to monitor / measure one or more system parameters. For example, the one or more sensors 217 may include one or more temperature sensors configured to monitor / measure the temperature within the system 200. By way of another example, the one or more sensors 217 may include one or more pressure sensors configured to monitor / measure the pressure within the system 200. For instance, the one or more remote condensers 214 and / or the flooded condenser 206 may include one or more pressure sensors to monitor the condensing pressure within the respective condenser. By way of another example, the one or more sensors 217 may include one or more flow meters to monitor / measure the flow of the refrigerant within the system 200. As will be discussed further below, the one or more system parameters measured by the one or more sensors may be used to determine when to activate the one or more refrigerant pumps 210 and / or open / close the one or more segregation valves 218.

[0040] The system 200 may further include one or more controllers 220 including one or more processors 222 and memory 224. A set of program instructions may be stored in the memory 224 and be configured to cause the one or more processors 222 to perform a set of steps. In embodiments, the one or more controllers 220 may be configured to adjust one or more parameters of the one or more refrigerant pumps 210 based on a plurality of working modes of the system 200. The one or more controllers 220 may be configured to receive the one or more system parameters measured by the one or more sensors to determine which working mode to activate.

[0041] For example, in a non-limiting example, the cooling demand and compressor power may be lower than the heat recovery demand. In this case, the system 200 may operate as a normal heat pump without using the remote air condenser 214. In this regard, the one or more segregation valves 218 may be closed and the refrigerant pump 210 may be stopped (or deactivated) to avoid natural thermosyphon phenomena.

[0042] For purposes of the present disclosure, the “natural thermosyphon phenomena” may refer to the passive movement of fluid caused by differences in temperature and density within a system. For example, when one section of the system is heated, the fluid in that area becomes less dense and rises, while cooler, denser fluid sinks. This creates a continuous circulation without the need for mechanical pumps, relying solely on gravity and thermal gradients to drive the flow.

[0043] By way of another example, in a non-limiting example, the cooling demand and compressor power may be greater than the heat recovery demand. In this case, the one or more segregation valves 218 may be open and the refrigerant pump may be deactivated, such that exceeding heat rejection (not absorbed by the water heat recovery line) is dissipated by the remote air condensers 214. In this regard, the condensing pressure is adjusted to be equal to the heat recovery desired.

[0044] By way of another example, in a non-limiting example, there is no heat recovery demand. In this case, the full heat rejection may be dissipated by the remote condensers 214, such that the efficiency of the system 200 is adjusted based on a lower condensing pressure setpoint.

[0045] Although FIGS. 2A-2C depict a specific configuration, it is noted herein that the configuration shown in the figures is provided merely for illustrative purposes and shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in certain high-capacity installations, multiple remote condensers 214 may be connected in parallel, each with its own refrigerant pump 210 or sharing a common pump manifold. Continuing with the above example, each remote condenser branch may include the one or more segregation valves 218, allowing the one or more controllers 220 to incrementally add or remove condenser capacity based on demand.

[0046] FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method 300 for monitoring heat recovery and cooling demands, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0047] In a step 302, the one or more compressors 204 may be activated.

[0048] In a step 304, the refrigerant may be circulated through the remote condensers 206, the expansion valve 208, the evaporator 202, and back to the one or more compressors 204. For example, activation of the one or more compressors 204 may initiate circulation of the refrigerant through the remote condensers 206, the expansion valve 208, the evaporator 202, and back to the one or more compressors 204.

[0049] In a step 306, the refrigerant pumps 210 may transfer the refrigerant from the remote condensers 214 to the flooded condenser 206, ensuring efficient heat exchange.

[0050] In a step 308, after refrigerant circulation is established, current cooling demand and heat recovery may be monitored. For example, the one or more controllers 220 of the system 200 may receive the one or more system parameters measured by the one or more sensors 217 of the system and monitor the current cooling demand and heat recovery requirements thereof. For instance, the one or more controllers 220 of the system 200 may compare the cooling and heat recovery demands and adjust one or more parameters of the one or more refrigerant pumps 210 based on a plurality of working modes of the system 200.

[0051] If the cooling demand and compressor power are lower than the heat recovery demand, in a step 310, the one or more segregation valves 218 may be closed and the one or more refrigerant pumps 210 halted to prevent passive thermosyphon flow. For example, the one or more controllers 220 may be configured to generate one or more signals to cause the one or more segregation valves 218 to close (or remain closed if they are closed) and turn off the one or more refrigerant pumps 210. In this regard, the system 200 operates as a standard heat pump, where all refrigerant is forced to condense in the flooded condenser 206 such that unnecessary heat rejection to ambient is avoided.

[0052] Conversely, if cooling demand exceeds heat recovery needs (e.g., heat recovery is less than cooling demand), in a step 312, the one or more segregation valves 218 may be open, allowing excess heat to be dissipated through the remote condensers 214. For example, the one or more controllers 220 may be configured to generate one or more signals to cause the one or more segregation valves 218 to gradually open (or remain open if they are open) and activate the one or more refrigerant pumps 210. For instance, hot refrigerant vapor beyond the heat recovery capacity may flow to the one or more remote condensers 214, where the refrigerant condenses and rejects heat to ambient air outside. The one or more controllers 220 may adjust the condensing pressure of the remote condensers 214 such that it remains high enough to satisfy the heat recovery loop’s requirements (e.g., the condensing pressure is locked to the water loop’s setpoint and any excess capacity is rejected to air).

[0053] In cases where no heat recovery is needed (or the system is offline), in a step 314, all heat rejection is managed by the remote condensers 214 (e.g., the path to the remote condensers 214 is fully open). For example, the one or more controllers 220 may lower the condensing pressure setpoint of the system 200, such that all heat is rejected to ambient air via the one or more remote condensers 214 and the flooded condenser 206 effectively becomes idle.

[0054] As previously discussed herein, the heat pump with pumped refrigerant remote condenser of the present disclosure avoids the drawbacks of the conventional system 100. Notably, because the system 200 uses the one or more refrigerant pumps 210 to drive refrigerant through the one or more remote condensers 214, the system 200 does not require a three-way diverting valve in the compressor discharge line. This eliminates the significant pressure drop associated with the three-way valve 110 and the need to manifold multiple compressors into a single valve, thereby improving compressor efficiency (e.g., a lower compression ratio is needed for the same condensing pressure). Further, the absence of a three-way valve within the system 200 means the hot gas either goes entirely to the flooded condenser 206 or to both condensers without a restrictive junction, simplifying control. The heat pump with pumped refrigerant remote condenser of the present disclosure also eliminates the second expansion valve that was necessary in prior systems for the remote condenser path. For example, in the system 200 of the present disclosure, condensed liquid from the one or more remote condensers 214 is pumped back into the flooded condenser 206 (or into the same liquid line feeding the expansion valve 208) without needing a pressure-breaking expansion device. As a result, there is no extra liquid line 101 acting as a dead-leg and oil circulation is maintained, such that oil-based compressors may be used safely in the system 200 of the present disclosure, unlike in the system 100 of FIG. 1 where there is a risk of oil accumulation in the separate condenser loop and thus oil-free compressors are required. The heat pump with pumped refrigerant remote condenser of the present disclosure also avoids the use of glycol for outdoor heat rejection. For example, because the one or more remote condensers 214 are part of the refrigeration circuit, no intermediate fluid (such as glycol water) is needed to transfer heat to the outside air. This direct refrigerant cooling of the present disclosure improves heat exchange efficiency and reduces pumping losses, addressing the inefficiencies with dry coolers, as previously discussed herein.

[0055] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that the various aspects described herein which can be implemented, individually and / or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof can be viewed as being composed of various types of "electrical circuitry." Consequently, as used herein "electrical circuitry" includes, but is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at least one discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one application specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry forming a general purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer program which at least partially carries out processes and / or devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computer program which at least partially carries out processes and / or devices described herein), electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g., forms of random access memory), and / or electrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a modem, communications switch, or optical-electrical equipment). Those having skill in the art will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital fashion or some combination thereof.

[0056] The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as "associated with" each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably coupled", to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being "operably couplable", to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited to physically mateable and / or physically interacting components and / or wirelessly interactable and / or wirelessly interacting components and / or logically interacting and / or logically interactable components.

[0057] While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A heat pump system comprising:a compressor;a remote condenser arranged in an outdoor unit, wherein the remote condenser is configured to release heat from a refrigerant directly to ambient air;a flooded condenser arranged in an indoor unit, wherein the remote condenser is coupled to the flooded condenser via a remote condenser port, wherein the flooded condenser is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor;a refrigerant pump fluidly connected between the remote condenser and the flooded condenser, wherein the refrigerant is configured to move from the remote condenser to the flooded condenser;a segregation valve configured to selectively segregate the remote condenser when not in use;an evaporator arranged to absorb heat from a cooling load and evaporate the refrigerant; andan expansion valve.

2. The heat pump system of claim 1, further comprising:one or more sensors configured to measure one or more system parameters.

3. The heat pump system of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of:a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, or a flow meter.

4. The heat pump system of claim 2, further comprising:a controller communicatively coupled to the refrigerant pump, the segregation valve, and the one or more sensors, wherein the controller includes one or more processors and a memory, wherein the memory includes a set of program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:receive the one or more system parameters measured from the one or more sensors; andadjust one or more parameters of the refrigerant pump and the segregation valve based on a plurality of working modes of the heat pump system and the one or more system parameters measured.

5. The heat pump system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:upon determining a heat recovery demand of the system is greater than a cooling demand of the system, generating one or more control signals configured to cause the segregation valve to close and deactivate the refrigerant pump.

6. The heat pump system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:upon determining a heat recovery demand of the system is less than a cooling demand of the system, generating one or more control signals configured to cause the segregation valve to open and activate the refrigerant pump.

7. The heat pump system of claim 1, wherein the compressor includes an oil-based compressor.

8. The heat pump system of claim 7, wherein the compressor includes at least one of:a screw type compressor or a scroll-type compressor.

9. The heat pump system of claim 1, wherein the remote condenser includes an air-cooled condenser.

10. The heat pump system of claim 1, wherein the segregation valve includes at least one of:a ball valve or a butterfly valve.

11. The heat pump system of claim 1, further comprising:a fan arranged in the outdoor unit proximate to the remote condenser.

12. The heat pump system of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant includes a non-glycol phase change refrigerant.

13. A heat pump system comprising:a controller communicatively coupled to a refrigerant pump and a segregation valve, wherein the controller includes one or more processors and a memory, wherein the memory includes a set of program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:adjust one or more parameters of the refrigerant pump and the segregation valve based on a plurality of working modes of the heat pump system;upon determining a heat recovery demand of the system is greater than a cooling demand of the system, generating one or more control signals configured to cause the segregation valve to close and deactivate the refrigerant pump; andupon determining a heat recovery demand of the system is less than a cooling demand of the system, generating one or more control signals configured to cause the segregation valve to open and activate the refrigerant pump.

14. The heat pump system of claim 13, further comprising:a compressor;a remote condenser arranged in an outdoor unit, wherein the remote condenser is configured to release heat from a refrigerant directly to ambient air;a flooded condenser arranged in an indoor unit, wherein the remote condenser is coupled to the flooded condenser via a remote condenser port, wherein the flooded condenser is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor;an evaporator arranged to absorb heat from a cooling load and evaporate the refrigerant; andan expansion valve.

15. The heat pump system of claim 14, wherein the compressor includes an oil-based compressor.

16. The heat pump system of claim 15, wherein the compressor includes at least one of:a screw type compressor or a scroll-type compressor.

17. The heat pump system of claim 14, wherein the remote condenser includes an air-cooled condenser.

18. The heat pump system of claim 14, further comprising:a fan arranged in the outdoor unit proximate to the remote condenser.

19. The heat pump system of claim 14, wherein the refrigerant includes a non-glycol phase change refrigerant.

20. A method comprising:activating one or more compressors;circulating a refrigerant through a flooded condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and back to the one or more compressors;moving the refrigerant from a remote condenser or the flooded condenser;monitoring a cooling demand and a heat recovery demand by comparing the cooling demand and the heat recovery demand;upon determining the heat recovery demand is greater than the cooling demand, closing a segregation valve and deactivating a refrigerant pump; andupon determining the heat recovery demand is less than the cooling demand, opening the segregation valve and activating the refrigerant pump.

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