IP Library Granted Patent US 11,859,880
Granted Patent B2
US 11,859,880 · App. 17/344,678 · Granted Jan 2, 2024

Reheat operation for heat pump system

Inventors: Stephen Blake Pickle (Norman, OK); Kerry Lyman Shumway (Norman, OK); Thinh Huy Nguyen (Oklahoma City, OK); Bradford Graham Briley (Norman, OK)
Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
F25B30/02F25B29/003F25B41/20F25B41/26F25B2300/00F25B2313/0292
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,859,880
App. No.
17/344,678
Granted
Jan 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heat pump system includes a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a reversing valve, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a reheat heat exchanger, and a three-way valve. The reversing valve is configured to receive refrigerant from the compressor and adjust between a first configuration to direct the refrigerant toward the three-way valve and a second configuration to direct the refrigerant toward the first heat exchanger. The three-way valve is configured to adjust between a first position to direct the refrigerant between the reversing valve and the second heat exchanger and a second position to direct the refrigerant from the reversing valve to the reheat heat exchanger.

Claims (36)

1. A heat pump system, comprising:

a refrigerant circuit comprising a compressor, a reversing valve, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a reheat heat exchanger, a first three-way valve, and a second three-way valve,

wherein the reversing valve is configured to receive refrigerant from the compressor and adjust between a first configuration to direct the refrigerant toward the first three-way valve and a second configuration to direct the refrigerant toward the first heat exchanger,

wherein the first three-way valve is configured to adjust between a first position to direct the refrigerant between the reversing valve and the second heat exchanger and a second position to direct the refrigerant from the reversing valve to the reheat heat exchanger, and

wherein the second three-way valve is configured to adjust between a third position to direct the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and a fourth position to block flow of the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

2. The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein the first three-way valve is configured to block flow of the refrigerant from the reversing valve to the reheat heat exchanger in the first position, and the first three-way valve is configured to block flow of the refrigerant between the reversing valve and the second heat exchanger in the second position.

3. The heat pump system of claim 1 , comprising a control system configured to:

position the reversing valve in the second configuration and position the first three-way valve in the first position to operate the heat pump system in a heating mode;

position the reversing valve in the first configuration and position the first three-way valve in the first position to operate the heat pump system in a cooling mode; and

position the reversing valve in the first configuration and position the first three-way valve in the second position to operate the heat pump system in a reheat mode.

4. The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is an indoor heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger is an outdoor heat exchanger.

5. The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein the second three-way valve is configured to direct the refrigerant from the reheat heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger in the fourth position and to block flow of the refrigerant between the reheat heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger in the third position.

6. The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant circuit comprises a check valve configured to block flow of the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to the reheat heat exchanger.

7. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to:

position a reversing valve of a heat pump system in a first configuration to direct flow of refrigerant from the reversing valve toward a first three-way valve of the heat pump system and position the first three-way valve in a first position to direct flow of the refrigerant from the first three-way valve to an outdoor heat exchanger of the heat pump system in a cooling mode of the heat pump system;

position the reversing valve in the first configuration to direct flow of the refrigerant from the reversing valve toward the first three-way valve and position the first three-way valve in a second position to direct flow of the refrigerant from the first three-way valve to a reheat heat exchanger of the heat pump system in a reheat mode of the heat pump system;

position the reversing valve in a second configuration to direct flow of the refrigerant from the reversing valve toward an indoor heat exchanger of the heat pump system in a heating mode of the heat pump system;

position a second three-way valve of the heat pump system in a third position in the heating mode and in the cooling mode of the heat pump system to enable flow of the refrigerant between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger; and

position the second three-way valve in a fourth position in the reheat mode of the heat pump system to block flow of the refrigerant between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger.

8. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to position the first three-way valve in the first position to direct flow of the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger to the reversing valve via the first three-way valve in the heating mode of the heat pump system.

9. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to position the first three-way valve in the second position to block flow of the refrigerant from the first three-way valve to the outdoor heat exchanger in the reheat mode.

10. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to operate a fan in the cooling mode to direct an air flow across the outdoor heat exchanger to maintain flow of the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger toward the indoor heat exchanger above a threshold flow rate.

11. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to operate the fan based on a pressure of the refrigerant, a temperature of the refrigerant, a detected flow rate of the refrigerant, a temperature of outdoor air, or any combination thereof.

12. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to:

operate a fan in the cooling mode and in the heating mode to direct an air flow across the outdoor heat exchanger; and

suspend operation of the fan in the reheat mode.

13. A heat pump system, comprising:

a refrigerant circuit comprising a compressor, a reversing valve, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a reheat heat exchanger, a three-way valve, and a first flow path and a second flow path arranged in parallel with one another and extending between the second heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger,

wherein the reversing valve is configured to receive refrigerant from the compressor and adjust between a first configuration to direct the refrigerant toward the three-way valve and a second configuration to direct the refrigerant toward the first heat exchanger,

wherein the three-way valve is configured to adjust between a first position to direct the refrigerant between the reversing valve and the second heat exchanger and a second position to direct the refrigerant from the reversing valve to the reheat heat exchanger, and

wherein the first flow path comprises a check valve configured to enable flow of the refrigerant from the second heat exchanger toward the first heat exchanger, and the second flow path comprises a solenoid valve configured to adjust between a third position to direct the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and a fourth position to block flow of the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

14. The heat pump system of claim 13 , comprising a control system communicatively coupled to the solenoid valve, wherein the control system is configured to cause the solenoid valve to:

adjust to the third position in a heating mode of the heat pump system;

adjust to the fourth position in a cooling mode of the heat pump system, and

adjust to the fourth position in a reheat mode of the heat pump system.

15. The heat pump system of claim 14 , wherein the third position is an open position, and the fourth position is a closed position.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2025
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
Reel/Frame 072264/0789 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2025
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
Reel/Frame 072276/0622 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2025
From: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS LIGHT COMMERCIAL IP GMBH
Reel/Frame 071930/0565 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2024
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
To: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
Reel/Frame 067832/0947 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2023
From: PICKLE, STEPHEN BLAKE; SHUMWAY, KERRY LYMAN; NGUYEN, THINH HUY; BRILEY, BRADFORD GRAHAM
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 065644/0661 →