Heat pump for a vehicle
A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a first heat exchanger, a first region of a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger, a compressor, a vapor generator, a first check valve, and a second check valve. The compressor includes a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet. The vapor generator is positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of both the low-pressure inlet and the mid-pressure inlet. The first check valve is positioned immediately downstream of the third heat exchanger. The second check valve is positioned immediately downstream of the fourth heat exchanger.
1. A heat pump, comprising:
a refrigerant loop comprising:
a first heat exchanger;
a first region of a second heat exchanger;
a third heat exchanger;
a fourth heat exchanger;
a compressor having a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet;
a vapor generator positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of both the low-pressure inlet and the mid-pressure inlet;
a first check valve positioned immediately downstream of the third heat exchanger; and
a second check valve positioned immediately downstream of the fourth heat exchanger.
2. The heat pump of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a first three-way valve positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of an inlet of the first heat exchanger, wherein the first three-way valve is positioned upstream of the first region of the second heat exchanger.
3. The heat pump of claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a second three-way valve positioned immediately downstream of the first heat exchanger.
4. The heat pump of claim 3 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a third three-way valve positioned immediately upstream of the third heat exchanger, wherein the third three-way valve enables a bypassing of the third heat exchanger.
5. The heat pump of claim 4 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
an accumulator positioned immediately upstream of the low-pressure inlet of the compressor.
6. The heat pump of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a first shutoff valve plumbed in series with the first heat exchanger, wherein the first shutoff valve is positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger.
7. The heat pump of claim 6 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a second shutoff valve plumbed in series with a second region of the vapor generator, wherein the second shutoff valve is positioned downstream of the second region of the vapor generator.
8. The heat pump of claim 7 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a third shutoff valve positioned downstream of a second three-way valve, wherein the second three-way valve is positioned immediately downstream of the first heat exchanger and immediately downstream of the second shutoff valve.
9. The heat pump of claim 1 , wherein the vapor generator is a liquid-gas separator valve.
10. The heat pump of claim 1 , wherein the vapor generator is a plate-style heat exchanger.
11. The heat pump of claim 10 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a first expansion valve positioned upstream of a first region of the vapor generator.
12. The heat pump of claim 11 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a second expansion valve positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger.
13. The heat pump of claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a third expansion valve positioned upstream of the third heat exchanger.
14. The heat pump of claim 13 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a fourth expansion valve positioned immediately upstream of the fourth heat exchanger.
15. The heat pump of claim 1 , further comprising:
a coolant loop comprising:
a second region of the second heat exchanger;
a pump;
a fifth heat exchanger;
a reservoir; and
a coolant network of conduits that fluidly couples components of the coolant loop.
16. A heat pump, comprising:
a refrigerant loop comprising:
a first heat exchanger;
a first region of a second heat exchanger;
a third heat exchanger;
a fourth heat exchanger;
a compressor having a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet;
a vapor generator positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of both the low-pressure inlet and the mid-pressure inlet;
a first check valve positioned immediately downstream of the third heat exchanger;
a second check valve positioned immediately downstream of the fourth heat exchanger;
a first three-way valve positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of an inlet of the first heat exchanger, wherein the first three-way valve is positioned upstream of the first region of the second heat exchanger;
a second three-way valve positioned immediately downstream of the first heat exchanger;
a third three-way valve positioned immediately upstream of the third heat exchanger;
a first shutoff valve plumbed in series with the first heat exchanger, wherein the first shutoff valve is positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger;
a second shutoff valve plumbed in series with a second region of the vapor generator, wherein the second shutoff valve is positioned downstream of the second region of the vapor generator; and
a third shutoff valve positioned downstream of the second three-way valve, wherein the second three-way valve is positioned immediately downstream of the second shutoff valve.
17. The heat pump of claim 16 , wherein the vapor generator is a liquid-gas separator valve.
18. The heat pump of claim 16 , wherein the vapor generator is a plate-style heat exchanger.
19. The heat pump of claim 16 , wherein the refrigerant loop further comprises:
a first expansion valve positioned upstream of a first region of the vapor generator;
a second expansion valve positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger;
a third expansion valve positioned upstream of the third heat exchanger, wherein the third three-way valve enables a bypassing of the third heat exchanger while maintaining use of the third expansion valve; and
a fourth expansion valve positioned immediately upstream of the fourth heat exchanger.
20. The heat pump of claim 16 , further comprising:
a coolant loop comprising:
a second region of the second heat exchanger;
a pump;
a fifth heat exchanger;
a reservoir; and
a coolant network of conduits that fluidly couples components of the coolant loop.