Heat pump

Abstract

A heat pump including a boiler is disclosed. The heat pump may include the boiler which may be selectively operated based on a temperature of external air or an electric power rate per unit heat quantity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat pump, comprising:
 an outdoor device configured to compress a refrigerant;   a hydro-device configured to heat-exchange the compressed refrigerant with water;   a boiler configured to heat water circulating through the hydro-device or water supplied from a commercial water supply system;   a radiation heater configured to perform heating using the water heated by the hydro-device or the boiler; and   a controller configured to control the outdoor device, the hydro-device, and the boiler.   
     
     
         2 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the boiler is operated, when a temperature of external air is equal to or less than a predetermined first temperature below approximately 0° C., and wherein the hydro-device is operated, when the temperature of the external air is equal to or greater than the predetermined first temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the first temperature is equal to or greater than approximately −7° C. and equal to or less than approximately −3° C. 
     
     
         4 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein, when the temperature of the external air is equal to or less than a predetermined second temperature above approximately 0° C., water circulating through the radiation heater after being heat-exchanged with refrigerant in the hydro-device passes through the boiler. 
     
     
         5 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the first temperature is equal to or greater than approximately −7° C. and equal to or less than approximately −3° C., and wherein the second temperature is equal to or greater than 3° C. and equal to or less than approximately 7° C. 
     
     
         6 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein when the temperature of the external air is equal to or greater than the predetermined first temperature below approximately 0° C. and equal to or less than a predetermined second temperature above approximately 0° C., water circulating through the radiation heater after being heat-exchanged with refrigerant in the hydro-device passes through the boiler and only a pump provided in the boiler is operated. 
     
     
         7 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the first temperature is equal to or greater than approximately −7° C. and equal to or less than approximately −3° C., and wherein the second temperature is equal to or greater than 3° C. and equal to or less than approximately 7° C. 
     
     
         8 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein when the temperature of the external air is equal to or greater than a predetermined second temperature above approximately 0° C., water circulating through the radiation heater after being heat-exchanged with refrigerant in the hydro-device does not pass through the boiler. 
     
     
         9 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the first temperature is equal to or greater than approximately −7° C. and equal to or less than approximately −3° C., and wherein the second temperature is equal to or greater than 3° C. and equal to or less than approximately 7° C. 
     
     
         10 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each of the hydro-device and the boiler comprises at least one pump configured to pump heat-exchanged water, and wherein the at least one pump is operated when the temperature of the external air is equal to or less than a predetermined second temperature above approximately 0° C. 
     
     
         11 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first temperature is equal to or greater than approximately −7° C. and equal to or less than approximately −3° C., and wherein the second temperature is equal to or greater than 3° C. and equal to or less than approximately 7° C. 
     
     
         12 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein, when the temperature of the external air is equal to or less than the predetermined first temperature below approximately 0° C. and when it is determined that the boiler has malfunctioned, the controller operates the hydro-device. 
     
     
         13 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the first temperature is equal to or greater than approximately −7° C. and equal to or less than approximately −3° C., and wherein the second temperature is equal to or greater than 3° C. and equal to or less than approximately 7° C. 
     
     
         14 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein when the temperature of the external air is equal to or greater than the predetermined first temperature below approximately 0° C. and when it is determined that the hydro-device has malfunctioned, the controller operates the boiler. 
     
     
         15 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the first temperature is equal to or greater than approximately −7° C. and equal to or less than approximately −3° C., and wherein the second temperature is equal to or greater than 3° C. and equal to or less than approximately 7° C. 
     
     
         16 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the controller compares an electric power rate per unit heat quantity with a gas rate per unit heat quantity, and the controller selectively operates the boiler and the hydro-device based on a result of the comparison to minimize the rates per unit heat quantity. 
     
     
         17 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the controller stops operation of the hydro-device and operates the boiler, or the controller stops operation of the boiler and operates the hydro-device, based on a temperature of external air. 
     
     
         18 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a quick-hot-water-supply device configured to receive water selectively heated by the boiler after being supplied from a commercial water supply system.   
     
     
         19 . A heat pump, comprising:
 an outdoor device comprising an outdoor heat exchanger and a compressor;   a hydro-device comprising at least one heat exchanger configured to heat-exchange refrigerant supplied by the outdoor device with water;   a boiler configured to selectively heat water circulating through the hydro-device or water supplied by a commercial water supply system;   a radiation heater configured to perform heating using the water having passed through the hydro-device, or the hydro-device and the boiler; and   a controller configured to control the outdoor device, the hydro-device and the boiler.   
     
     
         20 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the radiation heater is configured to heat a floor by circulating the water having passed through the hydro-device, or the hydro-device and the boiler. 
     
     
         21 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein a floor supply pipe and a floor collection pipe connect the hydro-device with the radiation heater, and wherein a boiler supply pipe and a boiler collection pipe, which are branched from the floor supply pipe, connect the floor supply pipe with the boiler. 
     
     
         22 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the boiler comprises:
 a combustion heater configured to heat water supplied to the radiation heater using combustion heat; and   a heat exchange heater configured to heat water supplied by the commercial water supply system using the water heated by the combustion heater.   
     
     
         23 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the boiler is connected and communicates with the hydro-device and a control signal of the boiler is transmitted via the hydro-device. 
     
     
         24 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the controller is connected to an energy management system configured to receive information on an electric power rate, and wherein the energy management system provides information on an electric power rate per unit heat quantity for a predetermined period. 
     
     
         25 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the controller compares the electric power rate per unit heat quantity with a gas rate per unit heat quantity; stops operation of the boiler and operates the hydro-device, when the electric power rate per unit heat quantity is lower than the gas rate per unit heat quantity; and stops operation of the hydro-device and operates the boiler, when the gas rate per unit heat quantity is lower than the electric power rate per unit heat quantity. 
     
     
         26 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein when a user sets a peak rate per unit heat quantity, the controller compares the electric power rate per unit heat quantity and the gas rate per unit heat quantity with the set peak rate per unit heat quantity, and operates the boiler only in a period in which the electric power rate per unit heat quantity is higher than the set peak rate per unit heat quantity. 
     
     
         27 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein when a temperature of external air is equal to or less than a predetermined first temperature below approximately 0° C. even in a case in which the electric power per unit heat quantity is lower than the set peak rate per unit heat quantity and the gas rate per unit heat quantity, the controller stops operation of the hydro-device and operates the boiler. 
     
     
         28 . The heat pump as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the first temperature is equal to or greater than approximately −7° C. and equal to or less than approximately −3° C., and wherein the second temperature is equal to or greater than 3° C. and equal to or less than approximately 7° C.