Ut-battelle, Inc.

Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

Bo Shen

Kyle R Gluesenkamp

David Scott Dunn

David G Beers

Ayyoub Mehdizadeh Momen

Kashif Nawaz

James E Parks

Omar Abdelaziz

Zhiming Gao

Timothy J LaClair

Edward Allan Vineyard

Philip R Boudreaux

Jeffrey D Munk

Alex E Pawlowski

Xiaobing Liu

Josh A Pihl

Puxian Gao

An improved heat pump including an integrated system for the management of refrigerant charge is provided. The integrated system actively adjusts charge allocation and thereby optimizes operational efficiencies in all modes of operation. In one embodiment, the integrated system includes three four-way valves, two expansion valves, two one-way check valves, and a suction line accumulator to optimize charge allocation. The four-way valves dictate the mode switch and refrigerant flow directions, and the expansion valves automatically allocate refrigerant mass in active components and store excess charge in an idle heat exchanger and suction line accumulator by controlling the compressor discharge pressure (equivalent to controlling condenser subcooling degree) as a function of the entering air and water temperatures. The integrated system provides seven working modes and is uniquely suited for spacing cooling, spacing heating, and water heating in both residential and commercial applications.

Managing charge allocation and optimizing multi-mode performance of air-source integrated heat pumps

An improved method and system for treating flue gases from a natural gas furnace are provided. The method and system include an acidic gas trap (AGT) adsorber which enables the continuous adsorption and storage of SOx, NOx redox, and formic acid/CO/HC/CHoxidation, with a negligible pressure drop. The AGT adsorber includes a catalyst coating having a nanotube structure (e.g., a uniform nanostructure forest coating) or a uniform porous nanostructure of various low-cost oxides through scalable low temperature solution processes, including oxides of Ti, Cu, Ba, Mn, Zr, Zn, Sr, Ca, Li, K, Na, Al, or Ce.

Monolithic gas trap adsorber for high efficiency, cost effective, low-emission condensing furnace

A method for controlling a heat pump is provided. A working mode of the heat pump is determined. Based on a determination that the working mode of the heat pump is a heating mode, an ambient temperature of the heat pump is determined. Based on a determination that the ambient temperature of the heat pump is higher than a first predetermined temperature, a first compressor of the heat pump is operated. Based on a determination that the ambient temperature of the heat pump is lower than the first predetermined temperature, both the first compressor and a second compressor of the heat pump are enabled to operate, in response to a two-stage thermostat. The first compressor and the second compressor are coupled in parallel. The method allows the heat pump to be suitable for a cold climate.

Method and device for controlling heat pump

A dryer appliance including an air circulation duct is provided herein. The dryer appliance may also include a cabinet, a drum, an air handler, and a heat exchange section. The air circulation duct may define a recirculation loop with the drum. The air circulation duct may define a drum air inlet upstream from the drum and a drum air outlet downstream from the drum. The air circulation duct may further define a predetermined leakage port in fluid communication between the recirculation loop and the interior volume of the cabinet. The air handler may be disposed along the air circulation duct in fluid communication between the drum air outlet and the drum air inlet. The heat exchange section may be disposed along the air circulation duct in thermal communication with air within the recirculation loop.

Dryer appliances including an air circulation duct

Growing community of inventors

Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America

Bo Shen