Heat Pump Hot Water Circulation for Extreme Cold Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing hot water circulation systems associated with heat pumps face challenges in achieving efficient heat exchange, particularly in cold front areas, leading to deteriorated performance and the inability to simultaneously perform floor heating and hot water supply, resulting in reduced convenience and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A hot water circulation system that includes an outdoor unit with a heat pump refrigerant cycle, an indoor unit for air conditioning, and a refrigerant heating apparatus that selectively heats the refrigerant by using heated water from a closed-circuit water heating passage, enhancing heating efficiency in extreme cold conditions by optimizing the heat exchange process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a water-refrigerant heat exchanger is used for heat exchange between refrigerant and water, then the system structure is simplified, but heat-exchange efficiency deteriorates making it difficult to attain enough heat for heating water and floor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heating system into multiple independent heating elements (sub-heaters) with heat generating elements that can be selectively activated. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the insufficient heat output of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger by adding supplemental heating capacity without changing the fundamental heat exchanger structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the heat pump system with electric sub-heaters to create a hybrid heating system. The sub-heaters are integrated into the water storage container and work in conjunction with the heat pump to provide sufficient heating capacity, merging two different heating technologies to overcome the limitations of each individual system.
2Use of energy by moving object
If only one of floor heating or hot water supply is performed due to low heat-exchange efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but use convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of multiple heating sources (heat pump and sub-heaters) that can be selectively activated based on system needs. The controller dynamically adjusts which heating elements operate and at what capacity, allowing the system to efficiently provide both floor heating and hot water supply simultaneously by optimizing the contribution of each heating source.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the heating system by introducing variable capacity sub-heaters that can be selectively activated. This allows the system to adjust total heating output dynamically, enabling simultaneous operation of floor heating and hot water supply by modulating the contribution of each heating element according to demand.
3Reliability
If refrigerant heating apparatus is added to heat refrigerant in extreme cold front area, then heating efficiency in cold conditions is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a refrigerant heating apparatus as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between the heat pump system and extreme cold conditions. This intermediary device pre-heats the refrigerant before it enters the heat exchanger, ensuring the heat pump can operate effectively in cold front areas without requiring a complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant heating apparatus performs preliminary heating of the refrigerant before it reaches the main heat exchange process. This preliminary action ensures that the refrigerant is at an appropriate temperature for efficient heat pump operation in cold conditions, preventing performance degradation before the main heating cycle begins.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables simultaneous performance of floor heating, hot water supply, and multi-space heating, improving heat exchange efficiency and user convenience by effectively heating the refrigerant even in extreme cold conditions.
Implementation Method 1
heating the water circulating a water heating passage, which is a closed-circuit along which the water circulates, using a heating source
Implementation Method 2
allowing the heated water to heat-exchange with the refrigerant in the heat pump refrigerant cycle
Data Source
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AI summary
A hot water circulation system associated with a heat pump. The system includes a water-refrigerant exchanger (750) for heating the refrigerant and a pump (770) for forcedly circulating the heated water, and a heating tank (780) for storing the heated water.