Temperature control system with replacement module electric heat pump

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for controlling a temperature within an interior space of a building, and modifying a pre-existing temperature control system by replacing a gas heater with a heat pump. In one embodiment, a temperature control system includes a cooling unit, a heat pump, and ductwork connecting the cooling unit and the heat pump. In one embodiment, a method of operating a temperature control system includes providing to an interior space of a building heated air with a heat pump, providing cooled air with the heat pump, and providing dehumidified air with the heat pump. The method may further include providing supplemental cool air to the interior with the heat pump. In one embodiment, a method of modifying or retrofitting a pre-existing temperature control system includes replacing a pre-existing gas heater with a heat pump, while retaining a cooling unit and ductwork of the pre-existing system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A temperature control system comprising:
 a cooling unit;   a heat pump, the heat pump being a replacement module electric heat pump; and   ductwork connecting the cooling unit and the heat pump.   
     
     
         2 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit is an evaporative cooler. 
     
     
         3 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump includes:
 a fan module; and   a coil module.   
     
     
         4 . The temperature control system of  claim 3 , wherein the coil module includes at least one coil, the at least one coil being one of:
 at least one microchannel coil; and   at least one finned tube coil.   
     
     
         5 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump includes a conditioned air module and an outdoor component. 
     
     
         6 . The temperature control system of  claim 5 , wherein the conditioned air module includes a fan module and a coil module. 
     
     
         7 . A method of operating a temperature control system, the temperature control system including a cooling unit and a heat pump, the method comprising:
 operating the temperature control system in any of a plurality of modes of operation, wherein the heat pump is a replacement module electric heat pump.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the plurality of modes of operation includes a first mode of operation, a second mode of operation, and a third mode of operation,   the first mode of operation includes providing heated air to an interior space of a building with the heat pump;   the second mode of operation includes providing cooled air to the interior space of the building with the heat pump; and   the third mode of operation includes providing dehumidified air to the interior space of the building with the heat pump.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of modes of operation further includes a fourth mode of operation, the fourth mode of operation including providing cooled air to the interior space of the building with the cooling unit, the heat pump being in an inactive state. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second mode of operation further includes providing cooled air to the interior space of the building with the cooling unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the cooling unit is an evaporative cooler. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising switching from a first one of the plurality of modes of operation to any of a different one of the plurality of modes of operation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method is performed automatically by a control module. 
     
     
         14 . A method of retrofitting a pre-existing temperature control system, the method comprising:
 disconnecting and removing a pre-existing heating unit of the pre-existing temperature control system from a building, the pre-existing temperature control system including retained components;   installing a replacement module electric heat pump in place of the pre-existing heating unit of the pre-existing temperature control system; and   placing the replacement module electric heat pump in operable communication with the retained components of the pre-existing temperature control system.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the replacement module electric heat pump includes a coil module and a fan module. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the replacement module electric heat pump includes a conditioned air component and an outdoor component, the conditioned air component including the coil module and the fan module, and the outdoor component including a compressor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the step of disconnecting and removing a pre-existing heating unit of the pre-existing temperature control system from a building includes removing the pre-existing heating unit from an overhead space of the building; and   the step of installing a replacement module electric heat pump in place of the pre-existing heating unit of the pre-existing temperature control system includes installing the conditioned air component of the replacement module electric heat pump in the overhead space of the building, installing the conditioned air component of the replacement module electric heat pump at a location external to the building, or installing the conditioned air component of the replacement module electric heat pump in a subspace of the building that is different than the overhead space of the building.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the pre-existing heating unit includes an indoor component and an outdoor component, and wherein:
 the step of disconnecting and removing a pre-existing heating unit of the pre-existing temperature control system from a building includes removing the indoor component of the pre-existing heating unit from the overhead space of the building, and further includes removing the outdoor component of the pre-existing heating unit from an exterior location of the building; and   the step of installing a replacement module electric heat pump in place of the pre-existing heating unit of the pre-existing temperature control system further includes installing the outdoor component of the replacement module electric heat pump at a location external to the building.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of installing a replacement module electric heat pump in place of the pre-existing heating unit of the pre-existing temperature control system includes installing the conditioned air component of the replacement module electric heat pump in a subspace of the building that is different than the overhead space of the building and installing the outdoor component of the replacement module electric heat pump at a location external to the building. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the retained components of the pre-existing temperature control system include a cooling unit and ductwork configured to be connected between the cooling unit and the pre-existing heating unit, the method further including not removing the retained components from the pre-existing temperature control system, the step of placing the replacement module electric heat pump in operable communication with the retained components of the pre-existing temperature control system including:
 connecting a conditioned air component of the replacement module electric heat pump to the ductwork of the pre-existing temperature control system.