Heat pump and control method thereof

Abstract

The present subject matter provides a heat pump and a control method thereof. The heat pump according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a circulation flow path in which a flow path switching valve configured to switch a flow direction of a refrigerant according to a cooling mode or a heating mode is disposed; and a first outdoor heat exchanger and a second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger disposed on the circulation flow path, wherein the circulation flow path includes a first connection flow path, arranged in parallel with the first outdoor heat exchanger and in which a first opening/closing valve configured to open and close a flow path is disposed to bypass the first outdoor heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat pump, comprising:
 a circulation flow path in which a flow path switching valve configured to switch a flow direction of a refrigerant according to a cooling mode or a heating mode is disposed; and   a first outdoor heat exchanger and a second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger disposed on the circulation flow path,   wherein the circulation flow path includes a first connection flow path, arranged in parallel with the first outdoor heat exchanger and in which a first opening/closing valve configured to open and close a flow path is disposed to bypass the first outdoor heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger are connected to each other in series on the circulation flow path,
 a first expansion valve is disposed between the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger on the circulation flow path, and a second expansion valve is disposed on one side of the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger, which is opposite to the first expansion valve, and   the circulation flow path includes a bypass flow path, arranged in parallel with the first expansion valve and in which a second opening/closing valve configured to open and close a flow path is disposed to bypass the first expansion valve.   
     
     
         3 . The heat pump according to  claim 2 , wherein the heating mode includes:
 a first heating mode of controlling the refrigerant to be evaporated while flowing in the order of the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger and the first outdoor heat exchanger; and   a second heating mode of controlling the refrigerant to be evaporated while flowing in the order of the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger and the first connection flow path.   
     
     
         4 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the circulation flow path includes a second connection flow path connected in parallel with the first connection flow path,
 the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger and the second expansion valve are disposed in the first connection flow path, and   the first outdoor heat exchanger and the first expansion valve are disposed in the second connection flow path.   
     
     
         5 . The heat pump according to  claim 4 , wherein the heating mode includes:
 a third heating mode of controlling the refrigerant to be evaporated while flowing through the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger, respectively; and   a fourth heating mode of controlling the refrigerant to be evaporated while flowing alternately through the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger.   
     
     
         6 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the first outdoor heat exchanger is comprised of a first outdoor air-cooling type heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The heat pump according to  claim 6 , wherein the first outdoor air-cooling type heat exchanger includes a tube through which refrigerant flows and a fin disposed on the tube. 
     
     
         8 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger are disposed adjacently to each other, and
 one outdoor fan disposed between the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger is included.   
     
     
         9 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the second outdoor evaporative condenser includes a water injection module configured to supply cooling water toward the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger to perform a water injection operation in the cooling mode and configured not to perform a water injection operation in the heating mode. 
     
     
         10 . A control method of a heat pump in which a first outdoor heat exchanger and a second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger are disposed on a circulation flow path in which a flow direction of a refrigerant is switched depending on a cooling mode or a heating mode, and the circulation flow path includes a first connection flow path configured to bypass the first outdoor heat exchanger,
 wherein in a process in which in the heating mode, the refrigerant is evaporated while flowing through at least one of the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger, when frost formation occurs in the first outdoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant is controlled to be evaporated while flowing through the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger and the first connection flow path.   
     
     
         11 . The control method of a heat pump according to  claim 10 , wherein in a process in which in the heating mode, the refrigerant is evaporated while flowing in the order of the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger and the first outdoor heat exchanger connected in series on the circulation flow path, when the frost formation occurs in the first outdoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant is controlled to be evaporated while flowing through the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger and the first connection flow path. 
     
     
         12 . The control method of a heat pump according to  claim 10 , wherein in the heating mode, the refrigerant is controlled to be evaporated while flowing alternately through the first outdoor heat exchanger connected in parallel on the circulation flow path and the second outdoor evaporative heat exchanger disposed in the first connection flow path.