Meltwater management systems and methods for cold-climate heat pumps
A heat pump system comprising an external unit that includes an external unit heat exchanger and an external unit reservoir configured to receive fluid from the external unit heat exchanger. The heat pump system further comprises a fluid handling system that includes one or more sprayers configured to obtain fluid from the external unit reservoir and expel the obtained fluid from the external unit.
1 . A heat pump system, the heat pump system comprising:
an internal unit that includes:
an internal unit heat exchanger,
an internal unit fan, and
an internal unit reservoir disposed below the internal unit heat exchanger and configured to receive fluid dripping from the internal unit heat exchanger;
an external unit that includes:
an external unit heat exchanger,
an external unit fan, and
an external unit reservoir disposed below the external unit heat exchanger and configured to receive fluid dripping from the external unit heat exchanger;
a bridge extending between the internal unit and the external unit;
a heat pump system cavity defined by the internal unit, the external unit and the bridge;
and
a fluid handling system that includes:
a first fluid line,
a fluid pump that pumps fluid from the internal unit reservoir into the external unit reservoir via the first fluid line, and
at least one sprayer disposed proximate to a front face and a bottom face of the external unit, the at least one sprayer configured to obtain fluid from the external unit reservoir and expel the fluid obtained from the external unit reservoir into an outdoor space, wherein:
the external unit reservoir is defined as an integral part of an external unit housing base comprising a collection area and comprising a linear slope to allow for fluid to drain toward the collection area of the external unit housing base, with the linear slope being from a rear face of the external unit reservoir toward a front face of the external unit reservoir and terminating at the collection area,
the housing base comprises at least one fluid port fluidly coupled with the collection area, and
each of the at least one sprayer is fluidly coupled to the collection area via one of the at least one fluid port to obtain fluid from the collection area.
2 . The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sprayer are ultrasonic perforated mesh atomizers having between 7.0 μm mesh size and 14.0 μm mesh size and collectively configured to generate a spray rate of at least 6.67 L/day at 0° C. and a spray rate of at least 11.2 L/day at 30° C. and operating at a driving voltage of 15-42.4 V peak.
3 . The heat pump system of claim 1 , wherein the external unit reservoir is configured to hold between 3.5 to 5 Liters of fluid without overflowing.
4 . The heat pump system of claim 1 , further comprising a heating assembly that includes a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heating element that snakes within a plurality of at least one bracket that defines the at least one fluid port, the heating element heated via electric power to heat the at least one bracket along with heating the at least one sprayer that is respectively associated with the at least one bracket and the at least one fluid port, the heating of the heating element preventing fluid proximate to the heating element from freezing, which may otherwise clog the at least one sprayer and/or clog one or more intake tubes associated with the at least one sprayer, the heating element being between 4 and 6 feet in length and operating with a power of <45 W.
5 . A heat pump system, the heat pump system comprising:
an internal unit;
an external unit that includes:
an external unit heat exchanger, and
an external unit reservoir disposed below the external unit heat exchanger and configured to receive fluid dripping from the external unit heat exchanger;
a bridge extending between the internal unit and the external unit;
a heat pump system cavity defined by the internal unit, the external unit and the bridge; and
a fluid handling system that includes:
at least one sprayer configured to obtain fluid from the external unit reservoir and expel the obtained fluid from the external unit, wherein:
the external unit reservoir is defined as an integral part of an external unit housing base comprising a collection area and comprising a linear slope to allow for fluid to drain toward the collection area of the external unit housing base, with the linear slope being from a rear face of the external unit reservoir toward a front face of the external unit reservoir and terminating at the collection area,
the housing base comprises at least one fluid port fluidly coupled with the collection area, and
each of the at least one sprayer is fluidly coupled to the collection area via one of the at least one fluid port to obtain fluid from the collection area.
6 . The heat pump system of claim 5 , wherein the internal unit includes:
an internal unit heat exchanger, and
an internal unit reservoir disposed below the internal unit heat exchanger and configured to receive fluid dripping from the internal unit heat exchanger.
7 . The heat pump system of claim 5 , wherein the fluid handling system further comprises a first fluid line and a fluid pump that pumps fluid from an internal unit reservoir into the external unit reservoir via the first fluid line.
8 . The heat pump system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one sprayer is disposed proximate to a front face and a bottom face of the external unit.
9 . A heat pump system, the heat pump system comprising:
an external unit that includes:
an external unit heat exchanger, and
an external unit reservoir configured to receive fluid from the external unit heat exchanger; and
a fluid handling system that includes:
one or more sprayers configured to obtain fluid from the external unit reservoir and expel the obtained fluid from the external unit, wherein:
the external unit reservoir is defined as an integral part of an external unit housing base comprising a collection area and comprising a linear slope to allow for fluid to drain toward the collection area of the external unit housing base, with the linear slope being from a rear face of the external unit reservoir toward a front face of the external unit reservoir and terminating at the collection area,
the housing base comprises at least one fluid port fluidly coupled with the collection area, and
each of the one or more sprayer is fluidly coupled to the collection area via one of the at least one fluid port to obtain fluid from the collection area.
10 . The heat pump system of claim 9 , wherein the external unit reservoir is disposed below the external unit heat exchanger and configured to receive fluid dripping from the external unit heat exchanger.
11 . The heat pump system of claim 9 , wherein the fluid handling system further comprises a first fluid line and a fluid pump that pumps fluid from an internal unit reservoir into the external unit reservoir via the first fluid line.
12 . The heat pump system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sprayers are disposed proximate to a front face and a bottom face of the external unit.
13 . The heat pump system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sprayers are rotary or ultrasonic atomizers having between 7.0 μm mesh size and 14.0 μm mesh size.
14 . The heat pump system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sprayers are configured to generate a spray rate of at least 6.67 L/day at 0° and a spray rate of at least 11.2 L/day at 30°.
15 . The heat pump system of claim 9 , wherein the external unit reservoir is configured to hold between 2 to 6 Liters of fluid.
16 . The heat pump system of claim 9 , further comprising a heating assembly that includes a heating element configured to prevent fluid proximate to the heating element from freezing, which may otherwise clog the one or more sprayers and/or clog one or more intake tubes associated with the one or more sprayers.