Dual circuit heat pump

摘要

A heat pump includes a compressor for compressing refrigerant. The compressed refrigerant is divided into a first portion and a second portion. Simultaneously, the first portion of the refrigerant is used in a first vapor-compression circuit to heat or cool a space and the second portion of the refrigerant is used in a second vapor-compression circuit to heat a fluid. In a single external source heat exchanger, both the first portion of the refrigerant in the first vapor-compression circuit and the second portion of the refrigerant in the second vapor compression circuit exchanges heat with an external source fluid.

主权项

1. A heat pump comprising:
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a first vapor-compression circuit configured to heat or cool a space, the first vapor-compression circuit including at least a first portion of the refrigerant and an external source heat exchanger; and a second vapor-compression circuit configured to heat a fluid, the second vapor-compression circuit including at least a second portion of the refrigerant that is different from the first portion of refrigerant and the external source heat exchanger; wherein the external source heat exchanger includes three pathways, the first pathway including the first portion of refrigerant from the first vapor-compression circuit, the second pathway including the second portion of refrigerant from the second vapor-compression circuit and the third pathway including an external source fluid.