WO2008018698A1

WO2008018698A1 - Heat pump-type heating apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2008018698A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/003504
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeng Ryeol Yoon
Original assignee: Sconet Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2006-08-10
Filing date: 2007-07-20
Publication date: 2008-02-14

Abstract

A heat pump-type heating apparatus is disclosed, which can provide a user with quick and stable supply of heat water by constantly maintaining a temperature of hot water to be supplied as the heating water using a water-cooled evaporator having a three-way valve, irrespective of external temperature variations due to the season, and can prevent the overload and malfunction of a heat pump and maximize the thermal efficiency of the apparatus by organically adjusting condensation and evaporation using an inverter having a PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) control mode and a proportional control mode.

Description

HEAT PUMP-TYPE HEATING APPARATUS

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a heating apparatus, and more particularly, to a heat pump-type heating apparatus which can provide a user with quick and stable supply of heat water by constantly maintaining a temperature of hot water to be supplied as the heating water using a water-cooled evaporator having a three-way valve, irrespective of external temperature variations due to the season, and can prevent the overload and malfunction of a heat pump and maximize the thermal efficiency of the apparatus by organically adjusting condensation and evaporation using an inverter having a PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) control mode and a proportional control mode. Background Art

[2] A heating system generally includes a heating water reservoir connected to an indoor heating circuit, a hot water auxiliary tank for storing the water supplied from the heating water reservoir, a heat pump for heating the water supplied from the hot water auxiliary tank, and a plurality of ducts for circulating the water heated by the heat pump into the heating water reservoir.

[3] In this instance, the heat pump includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, so that a refrigerant is circulated to absorb heat of outer atmosphere and heat the hot water for heating.

[4] More specifically, the hot water is heated in the condenser by the refrigerant which is compressed at high temperature and high pressure in the compressor. The condensed refrigerant is again expanded by the expansion pump, absorbs the heat in the evaporator, and is fed to the compressor. The condensed refrigerant is circulated through the above cycle.

[5] In such a heating cycle, if the temperature of the water fed from the heating water reservoir is too high, the compressor of the heat pump is overloaded to cause the trouble in the apparatus. In addition, since the temperature of the water is low in the winter season, much time is required to heat the cold water and supply the hot water to a user. That is, there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce variations in power consumption and temperature.

[6] In other words, in case that the hot water flowing in the heat exchanger is continuously heated in the spring and autumn of normal temperature, when the hot water is fed into the heat pump, it collides against the hot refrigerant to induce the overload in the system. Meanwhile, since the temperature of the water in the hot water auxiliary tank is relatively low in the cold winter, much time is required to quickly exchange the heat. In addition, since the heat source absorbed from the outer atmosphere is insufficient, it results in the malfunction in the heat pump, which deteriorates the efficiency of the apparatus. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[7] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems.

[8] An object of the present invention is to provide a heat pump-type heating apparatus which can provide a user with quick and stable supply of heat water by constantly maintaining a temperature of hot water to be supplied as the heating water using a water-cooled evaporator having a three-way valve, irrespective of external temperature variations due to the season, and can prevent the overload and malfunction of a heat pump and maximize the thermal efficiency of the apparatus by organically adjusting condensation and evaporation using an inverter having a PID control mode and a proportional control mode. Technical Solution

[9] In order to achieve these and other objects, the present invention provides a heat pump-type heating apparatus including a heating pipe for storing a heating water, a heating water tank supplied with the heating water from the heating pipe, a heat pump for heating the water fed from the heating water tank, and a plurality of first to fourth ducts for connecting the heating pipe, the heating water tank, and the heat pump, the heat pump-type heating apparatus: a water-cooled evaporator connected to a lower portion of the heating water tank and one side of the second duct for an outlet port of the heating water tank, and has a three-way valve installed at one end of a feed pipe connected to the second duct, and a refrigerant pipe connected to the other end of the feed pipe by an expansion valve which is communicated with the air-cooled evaporator; a mixing heat exchange device for collecting and mixing waste heat on the third duct between an outlet port of the three-way valve and an inlet port of the heat pump to collect and mix the waste heat; and an inverter for enabling the heat pump to control condensation and evaporation of the heat pump in a PID control mode or a proportional control mode, and having a plurality of temperature sensors.

[10] The heating water tank includes a temperature sensor installed in a lower end of the heating water tank for detecting a temperature of a hot water before the hot water is drained to the second duct, so as to operate or stop the heat pump, and a waste heat supply pipe installed on an upper portion of the heating water tank for connecting the upper end of the heating water tank with the fourth duct.

[11] The first duct is provided with a heating water circulating pump between an outlet port of the heating pipe and an inlet port of the heating water tank. The third duct is provided with a hot water generating pump between an outlet port of a three-way valve and an inlet port of the heat pump. The fourth duct is provided with a check valve at one end thereof to prevent the hot water from flowing back into the heat pump.

[12] The inverter is adapted to enable the heat pump to control condensation and evaporation of the heat pump in a PID control mode and a proportional control mode, in which the PID control mode is to adjust a supply amount of the hot water from the hot water generating pump according to a signal from the temperature sensor installed on an outlet port of the heat pump, and the proportional control mode is to control a flow rate of a fan motor of an air-cooled evaporator according to a signal from the temperature sensor installed on the fourth duct for the outlet port of the heat pump.

[13] In another embodiment of the PID control mode of the inverter, a condensation pressure sensor corresponding to the condensation temperature sensor is built in a gas coolant pipe of the heat pump. The pressure sensor is adapted to detect the pressure of the coolant gas immediately before it enters the condenser, thereby controlling the supply amount of the hot water using the hot water generating pump.

[14] In another embodiment of the proportional control mode, a separate pressure sensor corresponding to the temperature sensor is built in the gas refrigerant pipe of the heat pump to detect the pressure of a low-pressure gas pipe before the refrigerant enters the compressor from the evaporator, thereby controlling the flow rate using the fan motor.

[15]

Advantageous Effects

[16] The heat pump-type heating apparatus of the present invention can prevent the overload of the heat pump in the season of high atmosphere temperature (e.g., spring and autumn) to smoothly drive the apparatus, and maintain the temperature of the circulated hot water in the optimum state by using the water-cooled evaporator including the three-way valve and the inverter comprising the PID control mode and the proportional control mode, thereby preventing the overload and malfunction of the apparatus.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[17] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[18] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a heating cycle according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[19] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the circulation cycle of a water-cooled evaporator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[20] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the following examples are illustrative only and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[21] Referring to FIGs. 1 and 2, the heating apparatus of the present invention includes a heating pipe 10, a heating water tank 20, and a heat pump 30, which are connected to each other by first to fourth ducts 40a, 40b, 40c, and 4Od.

[22] More specifically, the heating pipe 10 supplies hot water into a room, in which a user lives, to supply heat the interior of the room. The hot water is heated by the heat pump 30, and is circulated by a heating water circulating pump 500 which is installed on a duct 40a.

[23] In this instance, the heating water tank 20 is a tank for temporarily storing the heating water supplied from the heating pipe 10, and again supplies the hot water into the heat pump 30 according to the circulated hot water cycle, so that the hot water is reheated therein.

[24] The heating water tank 20 includes an inlet pipe 21 at one side of a bottom thereof and a drain pipe 22 at the other side of the bottom. Preferably, the hot water fed to the drain pipe 22 is previously detected by a temperature sensor 300 at a lower end of the heating water tank 20.

[25] The temperature sensor 300 is to control that the apparatus is operated or stopped depending upon the temperature value set in the heating water tank 20. That is, the temperature sensor serves as a starter key.

[26] In this instance, the heat pump 30 consists of a compressor 30a, a condenser 30b, an expansion valve 30c, and an air-cooled evaporator 30d.

[27] The heat pump 30 is adapted so that condensation and evaporation are adjusted by an inverter 800, and the air-cooled evaporator 30d is communicated with a separate water- cooled evaporator 100.

[28] The first duct 40a is provided with a heating water circulating pump 500 between an outlet port of the heating pipe 10 and an inlet port of the heating water tank 20. The third duct 40c is provided with a hot water generating pump 600 between an outlet port of a three-way valve 110 and an inlet port of the heat pump 30. The fourth duct 4Od is provided with a check valve 700 at one end thereof to prevent the hot water from flowing back into the heat pump 30.

[29] As described above, the basic circuit of the present invention includes the heating pipe 10, the heating water tank 20, and the heat pump 30, which are connected to each other by the first to fourth ducts 40a, 40b, 40c, and 4Od.

[30] Explaining the major construction, the heating water circulating pump 500 circulates the hot water heated by the heat pump 30 to a set temperature through the heating pipe 10, the first duct 40a, the heating water tank 20, and a waste heat supply pipe 400, which forms a heating water circulating cycle.

[31] In this instance, the waste heat supply pipe 400 assists the heating water circulating pump 500 to induce the heating water circulating cycle. The waste heat supply pipe 400 is connected to an upper end of the heating water tank 20 and the fourth pipe 4Od.

[32] The hot water generating pump 600 adjusts a flow rate of the hot water by PID control of the inverter 800, so that the heat pump 30 regulates the condensation of the condenser. The hot water generating pump 600 is disposed between the heating water tank 20 and the heat pump 30, and receives a signal from a temperature sensor 810 installed at the outlet port of the heat pump to adjust the supply amount of the hot water from the hot water generating pump 600, thereby improving the condensation efficiency of the heat pump 30.

[33] That is, if the temperature of the hot water is higher than the set value of the inverter, the hot water generating pump 600 increases the supply amount of the hot water to be fed from the heat pump 30, while if the temperature of the hot water is lower than the set value of the inverter, the hot water generating pump 600 decreases the supply amount of the hot water. Thus, the condenser 32b of the heat pump controls the condensation in the PID mode.

[34] In another embodiment of the PID control mode of the inverter, a condensation pressure sensor (not shown) corresponding to the condensation temperature sensor is built in a gas coolant pipe of the heat pump. The pressure sensor is adapted to detect the pressure of the coolant gas immediately before it enters the condenser, thereby controlling the supply amount of the hot water using the hot water generating pump.

[35] Preferably, the check valve 700 is adapted to prevent backflow of the hot water heated in the fourth duct 4Od to the heat pump 30. More specifically, a part of the hot water circulated through the heating pipe 10 and the heating water tank 20 by the heating water circulating pump 500 does not flow backward into the heat pump 30 at a bottleneck position of the waste heat supply pipe 400 and the fourth duct 4Od.

[36] The water-cooled evaporator 100 is connected to the lower portion of the heating water tank 20 and one side of the second duct 40b for the outlet port of the heating water tank. The three-way valve 110 is installed at one end of a feed pipe 120 connected to the second duct 40b, and a refrigerant pipe 33 is connected to the other end of the feed pipe 120 by an expansion valve 130 which is communicated with the air-cooled evaporator 32d.

[37] In this instant, the water-cooled evaporator 100 is supplied with the refrigerant which is heat-exchanged by the expansion valve 130, the refrigerant being circulated by the refrigerant pipe 33 branched from the inlet port and the outlet port of the air-cooled evaporator 32d in the refrigerant pipe 31 of the heat pump 30 including the compressor, the condenser, the expander, and the evaporator, as shown in FIG. 2. The hot water in the feed pipe 120 is cooled by the water-cooled evaporator 100 to prevent overload of the apparatus due to the excessive hot water when the hot water is re- circulated into the heat pump 30 by the three-way valve 110.

[38] More specifically, the water-cooled evaporator 100 which is one element of the heat pump 30 is supplied with the refrigerant from the heat pump 30 through the expansion valve 130 and the refrigerant pipe 33, and lowers the temperature of the heated heating water by the supplied cold refrigerant gas to a given temperature according to the set value.

[39] For example, in the circulation of the heating water of 6O⁰C heated by the heat pump

30 which passes the indoor (heating pipe 10) from the fourth duct 4Od and returns to the heat pump 30 through the heating water tank 20, if the heated heating water is fed into the heat pump 30 intact, it may induce the overload of the apparatus (the first to third ducts 40a, 40b and 40c). In order to prevent the overload previously, the hot water passes through the water-cooled evaporator 100 comprising the three- wavy valve 110 between the heating water tank 20 and the heat pump 30. Consequently, the circulated hot water is lowered to 4O⁰C (in the duct 40c), and then is fed into the air- cooled evaporator 32d of the heat pump.

[40] It is to improve the overload of a conventional heat pump 30 which is driven only by air cooling according to the atmosphere temperature. In particular, the heating water is heat-exchanged by the combination of the air-cooled evaporator 32d and the water- cooled evaporator 100, thereby improving the thermal efficiency of the heat pump 30.

[41] The air-cooled evaporator 32d of the heat pump which is associated with the water- cooled evaporator 100 is driven in a proportional control mode by the inverter 800. The air-cooled evaporator 32d receives the signal from the temperature sensor 820 installed at the fourth duct 4Od passing through the heat pump 30 to adjust the air flow (evaporation) using a fan motor according to the set temperature value.

[42] More specifically, if the temperature of the hot water is higher than the value set in the inverter 800, the fan motor is slowly driven to reduce the evaporation, while if the temperature of the hot water is lower than the value set in the inverter 800, the fan motor is fast driven to increase the evaporation. Consequently, the air-cooled evaporator 32d of the heat pump is controlled in proportion to the temperature of the hot water.

[43] A separate temperature sensor (not shown) is built in the water-cooled evaporator to detect the temperature of the hot water flowing through the feed pipe 120. The temperature sensor adjusts the flow rate of the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe 120 to control the temperature of the hot water, thereby preventing over-cooling of the hot water in comparison with the set value.

[44] If the temperature of the hot water supplied from the heating water tank 20 is high, the flow rate of the hot water fed from the second duct 40b is reduced by using the three-way valve 110, while the flow rate of the lower hot water fed from the feed pipe 120 via the water-cooled evaporator 100 is increased, so that they are mixed in the third duct 40c to form the hot water of the set temperature value.

[45] In another embodiment of the proportional control mode, a separate pressure sensor

(not shown) corresponding to the temperature sensor is built in the gas refrigerant pipe of the heat pump to detect the pressure of a low-pressure gas pipe before the refrigerant enters the compressor from the evaporator, thereby controlling the flow rate using the fan motor.

[46] A mixing heat exchange device 200 is installed between the outlet port of the three- way valve 110 and the inlet port of the heat pump 30 to collect and mix the waste heat. A vapor supply part 21 is installed at one side of the mixing heat exchange device 200 to collect the waste vapor and preheat the third duct 40c passing through the heat pump 30, thereby quickly supplying the heating water in the winter season.

[47] The inverter 800 is adapted to enable the heat pump to organically control the condensation and the evaporation. Such a control is mainly classified into the PID control mode and a proportional control mode.

[48] The PID control mode is to enable the heat pump 30 to adjust the condensation of the condenser using the heating water generating pump 600. The PID control mode is carried out between the heating water tank 20 and the heat pump 30, and the supply amount of the hot water from the hot water generating pump 600 is adjusted according to the signal from the temperature sensor 810 installed on the outlet port of the heat pump 30, thereby controlling the condensation of the heat pump 30.

[49] If the temperature of the hot water is higher than the value set in the inverter 800, the hot water generating pump 600 increases the supply amount of the hot water fed to the heat pump 30, while if the temperature of the hot water is lower than the value set in the inverter 800, the hot water generating pump 600 reduces the supply amount of the hot water fed to the heat pump 30, so that the condenser 32b of the heat pump controls the condensation in the PID control mode.

[50] The proportional control mode is to enable the inverter 800 to control the evaporation in proportion to the temperature of the hot water using the air-cooled evaporator 30d of the heat pump. The flow rate is adjusted by the fan motor corresponding to the set temperature according to the signal from the temperature sensor 820 installed on the fourth duct 4Od passing through the heat pump 30.

[51] If the temperature of the hot water is higher than the value set in the inverter 800, the fan motor is slowly driven to reduce the evaporation, while if the temperature of the hot water is lower than the value set in the inverter 800, the fan motor is fast driven to increase the evaporation. Consequently, the air-cooled evaporator 32d of the heat pump is controlled in proportion to the temperature of the hot water.

[52] The operation of the apparatus according to the present invention will now be described herein.

[53] 1. The temperature of the hot water in the heating water tank 20 is detected by the temperature sensor 300, and the detected temperature is compared with the set value (e.g., 40 to 5O⁰C in the spring and autumn), so as to operate or stop the whole heating apparatus comprising the heat pump 30.

[54] 2. The water-cooled evaporator 120 is fully operated irrespective of the seasons. If the temperature of the hot water in the second duct 4Od discharged from the heating water tank 20 is high, the supply of the hot water from the water-cooled evaporator is increased by the thee-way valve 110, so that the hot water mixed and discharged from the three-way valve 110 is decreased to the set temperature value of about 35⁰C.

[55] 3. The inverter 800 adjusts the flow rate of the hot water supplied from the hot water generating pump 600 in the PID control mode according to the signal from the temperature sensor 810 installed on the outlet port of the heat pump, thereby adjusting the condensation of the heat pump. In addition, the inverter proportionally controls the evaporation using the air-cooled evaporator according to the signal from the temperature sensor 820 installed on the outlet port of the heat pump, thereby smoothly supplying the hot water.

[56] Finally, it can prevent the overload of the heat pump in the season of high atmosphere temperature (e.g., spring and autumn) to smoothly drive the apparatus. If the temperature of the circulated hot water is too high, the temperature is properly lowered by using the three-way valve and the water-cooled evaporator. In addition, the inverter adjusts the flow rate of the hot water fed to the heat pump according to the temperature, and the evaporation is additionally controlled by the air-cooled evaporator, thereby preventing the overload and malfunction of the apparatus.

[57] While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment and the drawings. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and variations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Industrial Applicability

[58] As can be seen from the foregoing, the heat pump-type heating apparatus of the present invention can prevent the overload of the heat pump in the season of high atmosphere temperature (e.g., spring and autumn) to smoothly drive the apparatus, and maintain the temperature of the circulated hot water in the optimum state by using the water-cooled evaporator including the three-way valve and the inverter comprising the PID control mode and the proportional control mode, thereby preventing the overload and malfunction of the apparatus.

[59]

[60]

Claims

[1] L A heat pump-type heating apparatus including a heating pipe 10 for storing a heating water, a heating water tank 20 supplied with the heating water from the heating pipe 10, a heat pump 30 for heating the water fed from the heating water tank 20, and a plurality of first to fourth ducts 40a, 40b, 40c and 4Od for connecting the heating pipe 10, the heating water tank 20, and the heat pump 30, the heat pump-type heating apparatus: a water-cooled evaporator 100 connected to a lower portion of the heating water tank 20 and one side of the second duct 40b for an outlet port of the heating water tank 20, and has a three-way valve 110 installed at one end of a feed pipe 120 connected to the second duct 40b, and a refrigerant pipe 33 connected to the other end of the feed pipe 120 by an expansion valve 130 which is communicated with the air-cooled evaporator 32d; a mixing heat exchange device 200 for collecting and mixing waste heat on the third duct 40c between an outlet port of the three-way valve 110 and an inlet port of the heat pump 30 to collect and mix the waste heat; and an inverter 800 for enabling the heat pump to control condensation and evaporation of the heat pump 30 in a PID control mode or a proportional control mode, and having a plurality of temperature sensors 810 and 820.

[2] The heat pump-type heating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating water tank 20 includes a temperature sensor 300 installed in a lower end of the heating water tank 20 for detecting a temperature of a hot water before the hot water is drained to the second duct 40b, so as to operate or stop the heat pump 30; and a waste heat supply pipe 400 installed on an upper portion of the heating water tank 20 for connecting the upper end of the heating water tank with the fourth duct 4Od.

[3] The heat pump-type heating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first duct 40a is provided with a heating water circulating pump 500 between an outlet port of the heating pipe 10 and an inlet port of the heating water tank 20; the third duct 40c is provided with a hot water generating pump 600 between an outlet port of a three-way valve 110 and an inlet port of the heat pump 30; and the fourth duct 4Od is provided with a check valve 700 at one end thereof to prevent the hot water from flowing back into the heat pump 30.

[4] The heat pump-type heating apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inverter

800 is adapted to enable the heat pump to control condensation and evaporation of the heat pump in a PID control mode and a proportional control mode, in which the PID control mode is to adjust a supply amount of the hot water from the hot water generating pump 600 according to a signal from the temperature sensor 810 installed on an outlet port of the heat pump 30; and the proportional control mode is to control a flow rate of a fan motor of an air- cooled evaporator 30d according to a signal from the temperature sensor 820 installed on the fourth duct 4Od for the outlet port of the heat pump 30.