Combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system including heat pump
A combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system including a first heat exchanger, a heat pump, a chilling tower loop, a burner and a second heat exchanger to provide hot water, air heating and air cooling. The system provides hot water, air heating and cooling all in one single unit. The system utilizes a heat pump to remove heat from ambient air and transfer the rejected heat into a hot water system, thereby using waste heat to heat the hot water system. The system utilizes a heat exchanger not only for the purpose of transferring heat from a heating source to a fluid in the heat exchanger but also for the purpose of dissipating heat from the fluid in the heat exchanger to the surroundings of the heat exchanger, thereby allowing a heat pump to act both as an air heating and conditioning device.
1. A combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system ( 2 ) comprising:
(a) a first heat exchanger ( 6 ) comprising an inlet adapted to receive at least one of a fluid supply ( 80 ) and a recirculation flow ( 82 ), an outlet adapted to provide at least one of an output flow and said recirculation flow ( 82 ) and a first fluid mover ( 12 ) adapted to push the output flow and the recirculation flow;
(b) a heat pump ( 4 ) comprising an evaporator ( 22 ), a condenser ( 62 ), a blower ( 24 ) configured to draw air surrounding said evaporator ( 22 ) and impinges the air upon said evaporator ( 22 );
(c) a chilling tower loop ( 60 ) configured for selectively receiving a portion of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and a catch basin ( 14 ) configured for containing effluent of said chilling tower loop ( 60 );
(d) a chilling tower blower ( 58 ) adapted to increase heat transfer between at least one of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 ) within said first heat exchanger ( 6 ) and the surroundings of said first heat exchanger ( 6 );
(e) a heating source ( 44 ) adapted to heat at least one of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 ) within said first heat exchanger ( 6 ); and
(f) a second heat exchanger ( 26 ) adapted to cause heat transfer between said condenser ( 62 ) and one of the fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 ), whereby if water heating is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned on and said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on, wherein acidic condensate is formed on outer surfaces of said first heat exchanger ( 6 ) such that said outer surfaces are descaled; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off and said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on;
If air heating is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned on, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on and said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on,
said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on and said chilling tower blower ( 58 ) is turned on;
if air cooling is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on;
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on and said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on and said chilling tower blower ( 58 ) is turned on.
2. The combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system ( 2 ) of claim 1 , wherein said catch basin ( 14 ) further comprises an inducer fan ( 76 ) adapted to enhance evaporation of a flow collected in said catch basin ( 14 ) from said chilling tower loop ( 60 ).
3. A combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system ( 2 ) comprising:
(a) a first heat exchanger ( 6 ) comprising an inlet adapted to receive at least one of a fluid supply ( 80 ) and a recirculation flow ( 82 ), an outlet adapted to provide at least one of an output flow and said recirculation flow and a first fluid mover ( 12 ) adapted to push the output flow and the recirculation flow;
(b) a heat pump ( 4 ) comprising an evaporator ( 22 ), a condenser ( 62 ), a blower ( 24 ) configured to draw air surrounding said evaporator ( 22 ) and impinges the air upon said evaporator ( 22 ) and a heat transfer coil ( 18 ) connected to a location downstream from said evaporator ( 22 );
(c) a chilling tower loop ( 60 ) configured for selectively receiving a portion of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and a catch basin ( 14 ) configured for containing effluent of said chilling tower loop ( 60 );
(d) a chilling tower blower ( 58 ) adapted to increase heat transfer between at least one of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 ) within said first heat exchanger ( 6 ) and the surroundings of said first heat exchanger ( 6 ) and heat transfer between a fluid within said heat transfer coil ( 18 ) and the surroundings of said heat transfer coil ( 18 );
(e) a heating source ( 44 ) adapted to heat at least one of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 ) within said first heat exchanger ( 6 ) and said fluid within said heat transfer coil ( 18 ); and
(f) a second heat exchanger ( 26 ) adapted to cause heat transfer between said condenser ( 62 ) and at least one of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 ),
whereby if water heating is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned on and said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on, wherein acidic condensate is formed on outer surfaces of said first heat exchanger ( 6 ) and said heat transfer coil ( 18 ) such that said outer surfaces are descaled; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off and said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on;
If air heating is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned on, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on and said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on and said chilling tower blower ( 58 ) is turned on;
if air cooling is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on;
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on and said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on, said
first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on and said chilling tower blower ( 58 ) is turned on.
4. The combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system ( 2 ) of claim 3 , wherein said catch basin ( 14 ) further comprises an inducer fan ( 76 ) adapted to enhance evaporation of a flow collected in said catch basin ( 14 ) from said chilling tower loop ( 60 ).
5. A combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system ( 2 ) comprising:
(a) a first heat exchanger ( 6 ) comprising an inlet adapted to receive at least one of a fluid supply ( 80 ) and a recirculation flow ( 82 ), an outlet adapted to provide one of an output flow and said recirculation flow ( 82 ) and a first fluid mover ( 12 ) adapted to push said output flow and said recirculation flow ( 82 );
(b) a heat pump ( 4 ) comprising an evaporator ( 22 ), a condenser ( 62 ) and a blower ( 24 ) configured to draw air surrounding said evaporator ( 22 ) and impinges the air upon said evaporator ( 22 );
(c) a chilling tower loop ( 60 ) having a first end configured for heat transfer with said condenser ( 62 ), a second end, a fluid conductor connecting said first end and said second end, a second fluid mover ( 30 ) configured to push a fluid through said fluid conductor, wherein said second end comprising a heat transfer coil ( 18 ), a first flow path ( 50 ) configured to contain flow through said heat transfer coil ( 18 ) and a second flow path ( 84 ) configured to contain flow over at least one of said heat transfer coil ( 18 ) and said first heat exchanger ( 6 ), a catch basin ( 14 ) for receiving the flow through said second flow path ( 84 ) and a chilling tower blower ( 58 ) adapted to increase heat transfer between at least one of said first flow path ( 50 ) and said second flow path ( 84 ) and the surroundings of said at least one of said first flow path ( 50 ) and said second flow path ( 84 ) and heat transfer between the surroundings of said first heat exchanger ( 6 ) and said at least one of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 );
(d) a heating source ( 44 ) adapted to heat at least one of said fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 ) within said first heat exchanger ( 6 ); and
(e) a second heat exchanger ( 26 ) adapted to cause heat transfer between the fluid of said fluid conductor and one of the fluid supply ( 80 ) and said recirculation flow ( 82 ),
whereby if water heating is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned on and said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on, wherein acidic condensate is formed on outer surfaces of said first heat exchanger ( 6 ) and said heat transfer coil ( 18 ) such that said outer surfaces are descaled; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said second fluid mover ( 30 ) is turned on, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on and said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on;
If air heating is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned on, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on, said second fluid mover ( 30 ) is turned on and said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on,
said second fluid mover ( 30 ) is turned on, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on and
said chilling tower blower ( 58 ) is turned on;
if air cooling is desired, at least one of:
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said second fluid mover ( 30 ) is turned on, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on, and at least one of said first flow path ( 50 ) and said second flow path ( 84 ) is selected;
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said second fluid mover ( 30 ) is turned on, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on and at least one of said first flow path ( 50 ) and said second flow path ( 84 ) is selected; and
said heating source ( 44 ) is turned off, said second fluid mover ( 30 ) is turned on, said heat pump ( 4 ) is turned on, said first fluid mover ( 12 ) is turned on,
said chilling tower blower ( 58 ) is turned on and at least one of said first flow path ( 50 ) and said second flow path ( 84 ) is selected.
6. The combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system of claim 5 , wherein said second heat exchanger ( 26 ) is a plate-type heat exchanger.
7. The combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system of claim 5 , wherein said chilling tower loop ( 60 ) further comprises a third flow path ( 54 ) configured for connecting said chilling tower loop ( 60 ) to said inlet of said first heat exchanger ( 6 ).
8. The combined hot water and air heating and conditioning system of claim 5 , wherein said catch basin ( 14 ) further comprises an inducer fan ( 76 ) adapted to enhance evaporation of a flow collected in said catch basin ( 14 ) from said chilling tower loop ( 60 ).