HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER HAVING A SUB-COOLING ARRANGEMENT

摘要

A system for supplying heated water to a consumer, including: a first heat exchanger, fluidly communicating with a refrigerant circulation pipe, and adapted to effect an indirect exchange of heat between a first flow of water and a compressed refrigerant gas, to heat the first flow of water, and to condense the gas into a refrigerant fluid including a refrigerant liquid; a second heat exchanger, fluidly communicating with the pipe, and adapted to effect an exchange of heat between a second refrigerant liquid and a heat source, whereby a second refrigerant gas is produced; a compression arrangement, associated with the pipe, adapted to compress the second gas to produce the compressed gas; a tank adapted to operate at a superatmospheric temperature, and to provide a heated flow of water for the consumer; a circulation arrangement adapted to circulate the first flow of water to the first heat exchanger, and after being heated therein, to return the first flow of water to the tank or the consumer, and a third heat exchanger, having a first flow path fluidly communicating with the pipe, and a second flow path, fluidly sealed with respect to the first flow path, and adapted to receive and discharge a second flow of water, the flow paths juxtaposed to effect an indirect exchange of heat between the refrigerant fluid and the second flow of water, the second flow of water adapted to have a temperature below a temperature of the first flow of water, whereby the refrigerant fluid undergoes sub-cooling to produce the second refrigerant liquid, and whereby the second flow of water is heated to produce a heated second flow of water.