Hybrid Space And Hot Water Heating Heat Pump

Abstract

A hybrid space and water heating heat pump system includes a heat pump including an outdoor assembly and an indoor assembly; a hot water module including a first heat exchanger, a controller, and a water pump connected to a water line, the first heat exchanger being configured for heating water; and a water heater in fluid communication with the hot water module, the water heater configured for receiving heated water from the first heat exchanger; wherein the controller is configured to select between one of conditioning an interior space or heating of the water in the first heat exchanger; and wherein the heat pump is configured for circulating a refrigerant through a first refrigerant circuit in response to the conditioning of the interior space and circulating the refrigerant through a second refrigerant circuit in response to the heating of the water in the first heat exchanger.

1 . A hybrid space and water heating heat pump system, comprising:
 a heat pump including an outdoor assembly and an indoor assembly;   a hot water module including a first heat exchanger, a controller, and a water pump connected to a water line, the first heat exchanger being configured for heating water; and   a water heater in fluid communication with the hot water module, the water heater being configured for receiving the heated water from the first heat exchanger;   wherein the controller is configured to select between one of conditioning an interior space or heating of the water in the first heat exchanger; and   wherein the heat pump is configured for circulating a refrigerant through a first refrigerant circuit in response to the conditioning of the interior space and configured for circulating the refrigerant through a second refrigerant circuit in response to the heating of the water in the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump operates in a heating mode in response to the heating of the water in the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one valve for switching the refrigerant between the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the flow of the refrigerant between the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger for transferring heat from the second refrigerant circuit to water from the water line. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor assembly includes a second heat exchanger, a compressor, an outdoor fan, and an expansion device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the indoor assembly includes a third heat exchanger and an indoor fan. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein a discharge line of the compressor is coupled to one of the third heat exchanger in response to the conditioning of the interior space or to the first heat exchanger in response to the heating of the water. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to disable the conditioning of the interior space in response to the heating of the water. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a compressor discharge pressure and divert a portion of the refrigerant from the second refrigerant circuit to the indoor assembly in response to the compressor discharge pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pressure regulating valve at a refrigerant inlet of the first heat exchanger; and   a bypass line connecting the pressure regulating valve to the indoor assembly.   
     
     
         12 . A method for controlling space and hot water heating with a hybrid heat pump system including a heat pump coupled to a hot water module and a hot water heater, comprising:
 receiving, via a sensor, a control signal indicative of a call for the hot water heating;   determining, via a controller, whether the heat pump is being used for conditioning an interior space; and   switching, via the controller, the heat pump to hot water heating, the switching of the heat pump in response to determining whether to disable the heat pump for conditioning the interior space;   wherein the heat pump includes an outdoor assembly and an indoor assembly;   wherein the hot water module includes a first heat exchanger, the controller, and a water pump connected to a water line, the first heat exchanger being configured for the hot water heating of water in the first heat exchanger; and   wherein the hot water heater being configured for receiving heated water from the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising selecting between one of conditioning the interior space or the hot water heating of the water in the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising circulating a refrigerant through a first refrigerant circuit in response to the conditioning of the interior space and circulating the refrigerant through a second refrigerant circuit in response to the hot water heating in the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising switching, via at least one valve, between the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the controller controls flow of the refrigerant between the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising configuring the heat pump for a heating mode in response to the hot water heating. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the hot water heater includes a hot water retention tank in fluid communication with the hot water module via the water line. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the hot water retention tank includes one of electric resistance heating elements or gas heating elements for heating the water contained therein. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising diverting refrigerant from a refrigerant inlet of the first heat exchanger to the indoor assembly in response to a pressure of the refrigerant.