Rheem Manufacturing Company

Sivakumar Gopalnarayanan

Yang Zou

Robert L Long

Karl S Tallakson

Swapnil Khaire

Kenneth D Frederick

Kevin M Ray

Christopher Day

Michael W Branson

Derek Brasuell

Harshad V Inamdar

Baojie Mu

Christina M Hughes

Atilhan Manay

Vishwanath Reddy Ardha

Ammar K Sakarwala

Chitra Sadanandan

The disclosed technology includes devices, systems, and methods for a battery-integrated heat pump system. The disclosed technology can include a heat pump system having a battery, a compressor, and a variable speed drive in electrical communication with the battery and the compressor. The variable speed drive can be configured to control a speed of the compressor. The heat pump system can include a fan that can be configured to move air across a heat exchanger coil of the heat pump system and the battery can be located in an airflow path of the fan such that the fan can also move air across the battery to regulate a temperature of the battery.

Battery-integrated heat pump systems and methods thereto

Embodiments include overflow sensor assemblies for water heaters, HVAC systems, and other devices for which temperature control systems may be used. An example overflow sensor assembly for detecting fluid leaks at a device may include a sensor probe configured to be in electrical communication with a power supply, and a sensor mounting bracket that forms a ground, where the sensor mounting bracket is configured to be adjustably coupled to a mounting surface on the device, such that the sensor mounting bracket can deflect about the mounting surface. The sensor probe is suspended from the sensor mounting bracket.

Overflow sensor assembly in temperature control systems

Systems and methods for a heat pump water heater can include a heat pump water heater system having an evaporator, a condenser, a vapor injection line, a compressor, and a multi-fluid heat exchanger. The vapor injection line can include an expansion valve to transition refrigerant received from the condenser at a first pressure to a second pressure. The compressor can be configured to circulate refrigerant through the condenser, the multi-fluid heat exchanger, the vapor injection line, and the evaporator. The multi-fluid heat exchanger can be configured to receive refrigerant at a first pressure from the condenser, refrigerant at a second pressure from the vapor injection line, and water. The multi-fluid heat exchanger can further facilitate heat transfer between the refrigerants at the first and second pressures and the water to preheat the water before the water is passed through the condenser.

Low ambient temperature heat pump water heater systems, heat exchangers, and methods thereto

Embodiments include systems and methods for heating water and cooling air simultaneously, as well as other simultaneous heating and cooling operations. An example variable refrigerant flow conditioning system includes an outdoor unit having a compressor, a condenser coil, and a fan, a water heater coupled to the outdoor unit, a first air conditioning unit coupled to the outdoor unit, and a controller. The controller may be configured to determine that a cooling operation mode is active during a first time interval, cause vapor refrigerant to be directed from the outdoor unit to the water heater and liquid refrigerant to be directed from the outdoor unit to the first air conditioning unit, determine that a heating operation mode is active during a second time interval, and cause the vapor refrigerant to be directed from the outdoor unit to both the water heater and the first air conditioning unit.

Integrated space conditioning and water heating/cooling systems and methods thereto

The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for controlling an air conditioning system. The method of controlling the air conditioning system can include receiving air temperature data from an air temperature sensor and determining that the air conditioning system should operate in a reheat mode based on the air temperature being less than a threshold air temperature. The method can include outputting a control signal to a first electronic expansion valve to close and thereby prevent refrigerant to flow through an outdoor condenser coil. The method can also include outputting a control signal to a second electronic expansion valve to open and thereby permit refrigerant to flow through a reheat coil.

Air conditioning reheat systems and methods thereto

An interlaced heat exchanger is described. The interlaced heat exchanger includes a plurality of microchannel tubes configured to allow flow of a first fluid therethrough and a plurality of flat tubes configured to allow flow of a second fluid therethrough to exchange heat with the first fluid. The plurality of microchannel tubes and the plurality of flat tubes are stacked in an alternating arrangement along a longitudinal axis of the interlaced heat exchanger such that the plurality of microchannel tubes and the plurality of flat tubes are interlaced. The interlaced heat exchanger further includes a plurality of fin plates interspersed with the plurality of microchannel tubes and the plurality of flat tubes. The plurality of fin plates allows a flow of air across a width of the interlaced heat exchanger to exchange heat with at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid.

Systems and methods for heat exchange

An air mover system for use in an indoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a blower comprising a motor and a blower control unit configured to control operations of the motor. The blower control unit includes a controller and a sensor communicably coupled to the controller. The sensor is configured to sense air inside the indoor unit and to provide sensor information to the controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a refrigerant is present in the air based on the sensor information and to control the blower to move the air out of the indoor unit in response to determining that the refrigerant is present in the air.

Air mover refrigerant leak detection and risk mitigation

Embodiments include overflow sensor assemblies for water heaters, HVAC systems, and other devices for which temperature control systems may be used. An example overflow sensor assembly for detecting fluid leaks at a device may include a sensor probe configured to be in electrical communication with a power supply, and a sensor mounting bracket that forms a ground, the sensor mounting bracket configured to attach to a mounting surface on the device and suspend the sensor probe in a condensate drain pan of the device. An overflow detection circuit can be activated when the sensor probe and the sensor mounting bracket come in contact with a condensate fluid.

The disclosed technology includes a method for identifying and determining a fault or a potential fault in an air system having an outdoor unit and an indoor unit in fluid communication via a refrigerant circuit. The method can include receiving, from a sensor, vibration data indicative of one or more sounds or vibrations detected by at least a portion of the refrigerant circuit. The method can include identifying, based at least in part on the vibration data and stored baseline vibration data, an abnormality in the vibration data. The abnormality can be indicated by vibration data indicative of a frequency that is outside a range of acceptable frequencies. The method can include analyzing the identified abnormality according to a predetermined set of evaluation factors to determine the fault or the potential fault.

Systems and methods for determining a fault of an air system for heating, ventilation and/or cooling

The disclosed technology includes devices and systems for an economizer of a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The disclosed technology can include an economizer for an HVAC system comprising a housing, an air inlet extending through a wall of the housing, a sliding door configured to transition between a closed position and an open position, and a controller configured to cause the sliding door to transition between the closed position and the open position based on temperature data. The sliding door can comprise a first portion forming a barrier and a second portion comprising at least one aperture. In the closed position, the first portion can align with the air inlet and substantially prevent ambient air from moving through the air inlet. In the open position, the second portion can align with the air inlet and permit the ambient air to move through the air inlet.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system economizers having sliding doors

The disclosed technology includes a heat pump having a thermal energy storage (TES) material. The heat pump can include a first heat exchanger to exchange heat between ambient air and refrigerant, a second heat exchanger to exchange heat between the refrigerant and air supplied to a climate-controlled space, and a third heat exchanger to exchange heat between the TES material and the refrigerant in a first fluid path and the refrigerant in a second fluid path. The heat pump can include a first compressor to circulate refrigerant to the first, second, and third heat exchangers and a second compressor to circulate refrigerant to the second and third heat exchangers. The first compressor can facilitate heat exchange between the ambient air and the TES material and the second compressor can facilitate heat exchange between the TES material and the air supplied to the climate-controlled space.

Thermal energy storage integrated heat pump

The disclosed technology includes devices, systems, and methods for heat pump systems configured to operate in low ambient temperatures. The disclosed technology can include a heat pump water heater system having an evaporator, a first compressor configured to compress refrigerant to a first pressure, and a second compressor configured to compress the refrigerant to a second pressure. The second pressure can be greater than the first pressure. The heat pump water heater system can include a preheater configured to receive the refrigerant at the first pressure and heat water and a condenser configured to receive the refrigerant at the second pressure and heat water. The water can be passed through the preheater before being passed through the condenser.

Heat pump water heater systems and methods for low ambient temperature conditions

The disclosed technology includes an integrated system including a space conditioning system, a liquid heating system, and a controller. The space conditioning system can include a refrigerant circuit fluidly connecting a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a reversing valve such that refrigerant can flow through the circuit. The liquid heating system can include a liquid heating device and a liquid circuit configured to direct liquid from the liquid heating device through the first heat exchanger. The controller can be in electrical communication with the space conditioning system and the liquid heating system. The controller can be configured to determine a demand of the space conditioning system and the liquid heating system, and in response, output instructions to a plurality of valves to direct the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit and direct the liquid through the liquid circuit.

Integrated space conditioning and water heating systems and methods thereto

The disclosed technology includes a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) conditioning system including a single outdoor unit and a VRF path extending between the single outdoor unit and a plurality of terminals. The plurality of terminals can include a first terminal configured to condition air of an interior room and a second terminal configured to heat or cool a liquid. The VRF system can provide heating or cooling of air in different rooms or zones within a building or home while also providing heating or cooling of water. In response to a demand for heating or cooling at each terminal, the VRF system can vary the supply of refrigerant to each terminal, such that efficient and precise temperature regulation of air and liquid can be provided.

A compression refrigeration system includes a switch to select between a plurality of operation modes of a metering device that controls a rate of flow of a refrigerant to an evaporator of the compression refrigeration system. Each operation mode is associated with a respective refrigerant. Further, the compression refrigeration system includes a reference database that comprises pressure-temperature data associated with a plurality of refrigerants. Furthermore, the compression refrigeration system includes a valve adjustment engine that is communicatively coupled to the switch and the reference database. The valve adjustment engine controls the metering device based on an operation mode of the metering device that is selected using the switch. The operation mode is selected based on a refrigerant with which the compression refrigeration system is currently charged.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Sivakumar Gopalnarayanan