Water circulation apparatus associated with refrigerant system

Abstract

A water circulation apparatus performs a variety of heat exchange operations for various refrigerants. The apparatus may be applied for a first refrigerant system having a first compressor and first heat-exchanger and a second refrigerant system having a second compressor. An intermediate heat-exchanger performs heat-exchange operations between first and second refrigerants flowing in respective ones of the systems. A water circulator is then used to circulate water which is heat-exchanged with the second refrigerant while the water is circulated. The apparatus performs these functions for operating modes which include a heating mode and a cooling mode. Defrosting operations are also performed for one or more of the heat exchangers.

1 . A water circulation apparatus associated with a refrigerant system, comprising:
 a first refrigerant system which includes a first compressor and a first heat-exchanger in which air is heat-exchanged with a first refrigerant, the first refrigerant system performing a refrigerant cycle in which the first refrigerant flows;   a second refrigerant system which includes a second compressor, the second refrigerant system performing a refrigerant cycle in which a second refrigerant flows;   an intermediate heat-exchanger to perform a heat-exchange operation between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant during flow of the first and second refrigerants and   a water circulator to circulate water which is heat-exchanged with the second refrigerant while the water is circulated, wherein:   the water circulator includes a water pipe through which the water flows, a branch pipe branched from the water pipe to pass through the intermediate heat-exchanger, and a valve disposed in the branch pipe to regulate a flow of the water,   when a defrosting condition for defrosting the first heat-exchanger is satisfied during heating mode operations of the first refrigerant system and the second refrigerant system, the first refrigerant system is operated in a cooling mode and a heat-exchange operation is performed between water in the branch pipe and one or more refrigerants flowing into the intermediate heat-exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the valve is opened during the heating mode operations of the first and second refrigerant systems and   the valve is closed when the defrosting condition is satisfied.   
     
     
         3 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein operation of the second refrigerant system is stopped when the defrosting condition is satisfied. 
     
     
         4 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the valve is closed during the heating mode operations of the first and second refrigerant systems, and   the valve is opened when the defrosting condition is satisfied.   
     
     
         5 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is maintained in an opened state regardless of an operation mode of the second refrigerant system. 
     
     
         6 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein when the defrosting condition is satisfied:
 the second refrigerant system is operated in a defrosting mode, and   an operation frequency of the second compressor during the defrosting mode operation of the second refrigerant system is less than that of the second compressor during the heating mode operation of the second refrigerant system.   
     
     
         7 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the water circulator includes an inverter pump regulating a flow amount of water pumped into the water pipe, and   when the defrosting condition is satisfied, the inverter pump is operated to reduce the flow amount of the water pipe than that of the water pipe in the heating mode.   
     
     
         8 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the water circulator includes a water collection tank in which the water passing through the second heat-exchanger is stored, and   the water pipe includes an inlet pipe of the second heat-exchanger and an outlet pipe of the second heat-exchanger,   the outlet pipe of the second heat-exchanger is connected to the water collection tank.   
     
     
         9 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the branch pipe is branched from the inlet pipe and joint at the outlet pipe. 
     
     
         10 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the branch pipe is branched from the inlet pipe, passes through the intermediate heat-exchanger, and is connected to the water collection tank. 
     
     
         11 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a bypass pipe bypassing the first refrigerant or the second refrigerant into the intermediate heat-exchanger is disposed at an outlet-side of the first compressor or the second compressor, and   a bypass valve regulating a flow amount of the refrigerant is in the bypass pipe,   when the defrosting condition for defrosting the first heat-exchanger is satisfied, the bypass valve is opened.   
     
     
         12 . The water circulation of  claim 11 , wherein the bypass pipe comprises:
 a first bypass pipe to allow the refrigerant discharged from the first compressor to be bypassed toward the intermediate heat-exchanger, and   a second bypass pipe to allow the refrigerant discharged from the second compressor to be bypassed toward the intermediate heat-exchanger, and   wherein the bypass valve comprises:   a first bypass valve and a second bypass valve disposed in respective ones of the first and second bypass pipes, and wherein, when the defrosting condition is satisfied, the number of opened bypass valves is varied based on an outdoor temperature.   
     
     
         13 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first refrigerant includes R 410   a  refrigerant and the second refrigerant includes R 134   a  refrigerant. 
     
     
         14 . A water circulation apparatus for a refrigerant system, comprising:
 a first refrigerant system which includes a first compressor and a first heat-exchanger in which air is heat-exchanged with a first refrigerant, the first refrigerant system performing a refrigerant cycle in which the first refrigerant flows;   a second refrigerant system which includes a second compressor, the second refrigerant system performing a refrigerant cycle in which a second refrigerant flows;   an intermediate heat-exchanger to perform a heat-exchange operation between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant while the first and second refrigerants flow, the intermediate heat-exchanger including a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage; and   a water circulator to circulate water that is heat-exchanged with the second refrigerant while the water is circulated, wherein:   at least one bypass pipe to allow at least one of the first refrigerant or the second refrigerant to bypass into the intermediate heat-exchanger, the at least one bypass pipe disposed at an outlet-side of at least one of the first or second compressor, and   at least one bypass valve to regulate a flow amount of refrigerant in the at least one bypass pipe,   when a defrosting condition for defrosting the first heat-exchanger is satisfied during heating mode operations of the first and second refrigerant systems, the first refrigerant system is operated in a cooling mode and the bypass valve is opened.   
     
     
         15 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one bypass pipe comprises:
 a first bypass pipe to allow the refrigerant discharged from the first compressor to be bypassed toward an inlet-side of the first refrigerant passage, and   a second bypass pipe to allow the refrigerant discharged from the second compressor to be bypassed toward an inlet-side of the second refrigerant passage,   the at least one bypass valve comprises:   a first bypass valve and a second bypass valve disposed in the bypass pipes respectively, wherein a number of opened bypass valves is varied according to an outdoor temperature when the defrosting condition is satisfied.   
     
     
         16 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein:
 when an outdoor temperature is greater than a first reference temperature, the first bypass valve is opened,   when the outdoor temperature is between a second reference temperature less than the first reference temperature and the first reference temperature, the second bypass valve is opened, and   when the outdoor temperature is less than the second reference temperature, the first and second bypass valves are opened.   
     
     
         17 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein when the defrosting condition is satisfied:
 the second refrigerant system is operated in a defrosting mode, and   an operation frequency of the second compressor during the defrosting mode operation of the second refrigerant system is less than that of the second compressor during the heating mode operation of the second refrigerant system.   
     
     
         18 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the water circulator includes an inverter pump regulating a flow amount of water pumped into the water pipe, and   when the defrosting condition is satisfied, the inverter pump is operated to reduce the flow amount of the water pipe than that of the water pipe in the heating mode.   
     
     
         19 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first refrigerant includes R 410   a  refrigerant and the second refrigerant includes R 134   a  refrigerant. 
     
     
         20 . The water circulation apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein:
 when each of the refrigerant systems is operated in the heating mode, the intermediate heat-exchanger serves as a condenser with respect to the first refrigerant system and an evaporator with respect to the second refrigerant system, and   when the first refrigerant system is operated in the defrosting mode, the intermediate heat-exchanger serves as an evaporator with respect to the respective refrigerant systems.