Heat Storage Branching in Heat Pumps for Continuous Defrost Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pump systems face challenges in providing continuous heating during defrosting mode, as they either fail to heat indoors or incur significant costs, and have design complexities due to the installation of heat storage heat exchangers on outdoor units.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump system with a heat storage unit on the refrigerant gas-phase pipeline, featuring parallel branches with a heat storage heat exchanger and throttling devices, and a control valve to manage refrigerant flow, allowing for operation in cooling, heating, heat storage, and defrosting modes while maintaining indoor heating during defrosting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heat storage heat exchanger is installed on outdoor unit to enable heating during defrosting, then continuous heating is achieved, but system cost increases significantly and design difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat storage heat exchanger is extracted from the outdoor unit and relocated to the indoor unit. This separation allows the outdoor unit to remain simple while the indoor unit gains the heat storage functionality needed for continuous heating during defrosting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant pipeline serves as an intermediary medium, connecting the outdoor unit's heat exchanger with the indoor unit's heat storage heat exchanger. This allows thermal energy to be transferred and stored remotely, enabling heating continuity without modifying the outdoor unit's internal structure.
2Reliability
If heat storage heat exchanger is installed on outdoor unit to enable heating during defrosting, then continuous heating is achieved, but manufacturing and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat storage heat exchanger is extracted from the outdoor unit assembly and repositioned in the indoor unit, simplifying outdoor unit manufacturing while maintaining the heat storage function through the refrigerant pipeline connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The indoor unit's heat storage heat exchanger serves multiple functions: it acts as both a heat storage device and part of the refrigerant circulation system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, lowering manufacturing and installation costs.
3Speed
If high-temperature refrigerant is delivered to outdoor heat exchanger for defrosting, then defrosting speed is improved, but indoor heating is interrupted and indoor heat exchanger absorbs heat from room
Solution Approach 1:
The heat storage heat exchanger in the indoor unit performs preliminary heat storage during normal heating operation. When defrosting is needed, this pre-stored heat is immediately available to maintain indoor heating continuity, preventing the interruption that would otherwise occur when high-temperature refrigerant is diverted to the outdoor unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat storage heat exchanger ensures continuous useful heating action in the indoor unit during defrosting operations. By storing heat in advance and releasing it when needed, the system maintains uninterrupted indoor heating while the outdoor unit undergoes defrosting.
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
Enables continuous heating during defrosting, reduces manufacturing and installation costs, and simplifies outdoor unit design by integrating heat storage without altering existing components.
Implementation Method 1
a heat storage unit is arranged on the refrigerant gas-phase pipeline between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, the heat storage unit comprising a first branch and a second branch arranged in parallel, wherein the first branch is provided with a heat storage heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
allow refrigerant to flow through the heat storage heat exchanger to absorb heat for evaporation
Implementation Method 3
the first branch is provided with a heat storage heat exchanger and a second throttling device
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A heat pump system comprises an indoor unit and an outdoor unit communicated through a refrigerant pipeline, where the outdoor unit comprises a compressor (1), a first heat exchanger (2), a first throttling device (3), and a change-over valve (4), and the indoor unit comprises a second heat exchanger (5). A heat storage unit (P) is arranged on the refrigerant gas-phase pipeline between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, the heat storage unit comprising a first branch (L1) and a second branch (L2) arranged in parallel, wherein the first branch is provided with a heat storage heat exchanger (6) and a second throttling device (7), and the second branch is provided with a control valve device (8) capable of cutting off refrigerant flowing through the second branch in a controlled manner. The heat pump system can operate in a cooling mode, a heating mode, a heat storage and heating mode, and a defrosting mode. The heat pump system of the present invention can achieve continuous heating during defrosting. By adopting optional heat storage units, not only can the internal space of the outdoor unit be saved, but also the costs can be effectively reduced.