Split heat pump with modular housing and hydraulic module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat pumps using hazardous refrigerants face challenges in safely managing leaks, ensuring efficient heat transfer, and maintaining energy efficiency while minimizing equipment and installation complexity, particularly in split systems where refrigerants can contaminate indoor spaces.
Innovation Solution
A split heat pump design with a modular housing encapsulated to prevent leaks from entering buildings, featuring a module housing with a gas separator and exhaust duct, allowing safe refrigerant discharge outside, and a decoupled hydraulic module for heat transfer functions, enabling easy installation and retrofitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If hazardous refrigerants are used in heat pumps, then environmental performance is improved, but safety risks increase due to potential leaks and explosion hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pump system is divided into separate functional modules: an outdoor unit containing the compressor and refrigerant circuit, and an indoor unit containing the heat exchanger and hydraulic module. This segmentation isolates the hazardous refrigerant to the outdoor unit, preventing it from entering indoor spaces where leaks could create safety hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
A refrigerant barrier (encapsulation) is introduced as an intermediary between the refrigerant and the indoor environment. This barrier encapsulates the refrigerant circuit components and includes a refrigerant barrier layer that prevents refrigerant migration into the building interior, thus mediating the safety risk while allowing hazardous refrigerants to be used.
2Reliability
If refrigerant barrier encapsulation is implemented, then safety is improved by preventing leaks, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant barrier encapsulation is merged with the housing structure of the outdoor unit. Instead of being a separate additional component, the encapsulation forms an integrated part of the unit housing, combining the protective function with the structural housing to minimize additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The outdoor unit housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, houses the refrigerant circuit components, and simultaneously acts as the refrigerant barrier encapsulation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated safety components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If modular housing design is used, then ease of installation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pump system is divided into separate modular units (outdoor unit and indoor unit) that can be manufactured independently and then installed separately at the installation site. This segmentation enables easier installation and retrofitting while the modular design allows each unit to be optimized for its specific manufacturing requirements.
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
Ensures safe operation by preventing hazardous refrigerant leaks indoors, reduces space and safety concerns during installation, and maintains energy efficiency by keeping refrigerant lines short and eliminating the need for additional insulation, while allowing versatile heat and cooling applications.
Implementation Method 1
a gas separator connected to a heat transfer fluid circuit
Implementation Method 2
at least one heat exchanger connected to the refrigeration circuit
Implementation Method 3
Heat transfer via the condenser in the indoor unit
Implementation Method 4
a hazardous working fluid acting as a refrigerant is circulated in a thermodynamic cycle, such as the Clausius-Rankine cycle
Implementation Method 5
heat is drawn from the outside air
Data Source
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AI summary
Split heat pump for an installation building, comprising an outdoor unit (1) and a module housing (2), in which a refrigerant circuit with a refrigerant is carried together, comprising in the outdoor unit (1) a compressor, at least one heat exchanger and an expansion valve, and in the module housing (2) at least one heat exchanger (5), a safety valve (6) and a gas separator (7), wherein the outdoor unit (1) and the module housing (2) are connected to each other by refrigerant lines (3), the module housing (2) has connections for heat transfer lines (8), the module housing (2) is further connected to an exhaust air line (12) with an open end and is otherwise airtight, wherein the module housing (2) can be directly connected to an exterior wall (11) of a building, the module housing (2) with its heat transfer lines (8) is connected to at least one hydraulic module (10, 10a, 10b) via heat transfer couplings (9),which is to be installed inside the installation building and the hydraulic module (10, 10a, 10b) fulfills heat utilization functions.