Modular de-superheater and water heater system

Abstract

Described herein is a modular de-superheater and water heater system. The system comprises a refrigerant-to-water (RW) heat exchanger comprising a first coil, and a second coil in thermal communication with each other. A first end of the first coil is connected to a first port of a heat pump and a second end of the first coil is connected to an inlet of an indoor fan coil unit. A first end of the second coil is connected to an outlet of a DHW tank and a second end of the second coil is connected to an inlet of the DHW tank. The system further comprises a solenoid valve connected between an outlet of the fan coil unit and a second port of the heat pump, and an electronic expansion valve connected between the second port of the heat pump and the second end of the first coil.

1 . A modular de-superheater and water heater system, the system comprising:
 a refrigerant-to-water (RW) heat exchanger comprising a first coil, and a second coil in thermal communication with the first coil to facilitate heat exchange therebetween,   wherein a first end of the first coil is configured to be fluidically connected to a first port of a heat pump associated with an outdoor unit and a second end of the first coil is configured to be fluidically connected to an inlet of an indoor fan coil unit associated with an area of interest (AOI), and   wherein a first end of the second coil is configured to be fluidically connected to an outlet of a domestic hot water (DHW) tank associated with the AOI and a second end of the second coil is configured to be fluidically connected to an inlet of the DHW tank;   a solenoid valve configured to be fluidically connected between an outlet of the fan coil unit and a second port of the heat pump; and   an electronic expansion valve (EXV) configured to be fluidically connected between the second port of the heat pump and the second end of the first coil of the RW heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a water pump configured to be fluidically connected between the first end of the second coil and an outlet of the DHW tank to control flow of water between the DHW tank and the RW heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the water pump is a variable-speed water pump. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump is a variable-speed heat pump. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in a de-superheating mode, the system is configured to close the EXV, open the solenoid valve, and operate the heat pump to enable flow of high-temperature, high-pressure vapor phase of the refrigerant from the first port of the heat pump through the first coil of the RW heat exchanger, and further actuate the water pump to enable flow of water from the DHW tank through the second coil of the RW heat exchanger, wherein the RW heat exchanger facilitates heat exchange between the vapor phase of the refrigerant and the water while flowing therethrough to de-super heat the vapor and further heat the water. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the system is configured to supply the heated water into the DHW tank and the de-superheated vapor into the heat pump via the fan coil unit and the solenoid valve. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein when the heat pump is operated in a defrost mode, the system is configured to close the solenoid valve, open the EXV, and operate the heat pump to enable flow of the refrigerant from the second port of the heat pump into the first coil of the RW heat exchanger via the EXV while restricting flow of the refrigerant into the fan coil unit, and further actuate the water pump to enable flow of hot water from the DHW tank through the second coil of the RW heat exchanger, wherein the RW heat exchanger facilitates heat exchange between the refrigerant and the hot water while flowing therethrough to heat the refrigerant. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the system is configured to supply the heated refrigerant into the heat pump via the first port of the heat pump to defrost an outdoor coil associated with the outdoor unit. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein when the water in the DHW tank is to be heated in a cooling dominant season or in between heating cycles, the system is configured to close the solenoid valve, open the EXV, and operate the heat pump to enable flow of the refrigerant from the first port of the heat pump through the first coil of the RW heat exchanger while restricting flow of the refrigerant into the fan coil unit, and further actuate the water pump to enable flow of water from the DHW tank through the second coil of the RW heat exchanger, wherein the RW heat exchanger facilitates heat exchange between the refrigerant and the hot water while flowing therethrough to heat the water being supplied back into the DHW tank. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein when the water in the DHW tank is to be heated in the cooling dominant season or in between heating cycles, the system can be configured to operate the water pump to supply the water from the DHW tank through the second coil of the RW heat exchanger at a maximum flow rate and the heat pump is operated at a minimum heating capacity. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein when the AOI is to be cooled, the system is configured to open the solenoid valve, close the EXV, and operate the heat pump to enable flow of the refrigerant from the first port of the heat pump into the inlet of the fan coil unit and further back into the heat pump via the outlet of the fan coil unit, wherein the flow of refrigerant through the fan coil unit facilitates absorption of heat from the AOI to cool the AOI. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises:
 a first refrigerant line extending from the first end and the second end of the RW heat exchanger, wherein a first end of the first refrigerant line is configured to be fluidically connected to the first port of the heat pump and a second end of the first refrigerant line is configured to be fluidically connected to the inlet of the fan coil unit;   a second refrigerant line extending from an inlet and an outlet of the solenoid valve, wherein a first end of the second refrigerant line is configured to be fluidically connected to the second port of the heat pump and a second end of the second refrigerant line is configured to be fluidically connected to the outlet of the fan coil unit; and   a third refrigerant line fluidically connecting the EXV to the first refrigerant line and the second refrigerant line;   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises:
 a first water line having a first end fluidically connected to the second end of the second coil via the water pump and a second end configured to be fluidically connected to the outlet of the DHW tank; and   a second water line having a first end fluidically connected to the first end of the second coil and a second end configured to be fluidically connected to the inlet of DHW tank.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the RW heat exchanger, the water pump, the solenoid valve, and the EXV are enclosed within a housing, such that corresponding ends of the first and second refrigeration lines, and the first and second water lines extend out of the housing to facilitate fluidic coupling of the system to the heat pump, the fan coil unit, and the DHW tank. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second refrigeration lines, and the first and second water lines comprise a set of conduits. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a control unit in communication with a controller associated with one or more of the heat pump, the water pump, the solenoid valve, and the EXV via a network, wherein the control unit comprises one or more processor coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the processors, which causes the control unit to:
 actuate one or more of the heat pump, the water pump, the solenoid valve, and the EXV to control the de-superheating of the refrigerant, adjust the temperature of the AOI at a first predefined temperature, heat the water of the DHW tank to a second predefined temperature, and/or control defrosting of the outdoor coil associated with the outdoor unit.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the control unit is configured to close the EXV, open the solenoid valve, and actuate the heat pump to adjust the heating capacity of the heat pump and/or flow rate of the refrigerant supplied by the heat pump to the RW heat exchanger, and further actuate the water pump to adjust flow rate of the water supplied by the DHW tank to the RW heat exchanger, to de-super heat the refrigerant and further heat the water at the second predefined temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the control unit is configured to open the EXV, close the solenoid valve, and actuate the heat pump to adjust the heating capacity of the heat pump and/or flow rate of the refrigerant supplied by the heat pump to the RW heat exchanger, and further actuate the water pump to adjust flow rate of the hot water supplied by the DHW tank to the RW heat exchanger, to heat the refrigerant and further supply the heated refrigerant to the heat pump to defrost the outdoor coil, while restricting flow of the refrigerant into the fan coil unit. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein when the water in the DHW tank is to be heated in a cooling dominant season or in between heating cycles, the control unit is configured to close the solenoid valve, open the EXV, and actuate the heat pump to adjust the heating capacity of the heat pump and/or flow rate of the refrigerant supplied by the heat pump to the RW heat exchanger, and further actuate the water pump to enable flow of water from the DHW tank through the second coil of the RW heat exchanger, to heat the water and further supply the heated water back into the DHW tank. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein when the water in the DHW tank is to be heated in the cooling dominant season or in between heating cycles, the control unit is configured to actuate the water pump to supply the water at a maximum flow rate from the DHW tank into the RW heat exchanger and further actuate the heat pump to operate at a minimum heating capacity.