Patent · US Expired

Air conditioner with combustion heater for refrigerant

US6289685A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
5References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 22, 1999
Grant dateSep 18, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 22, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25B2313/021
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, and the like are connected to each other with refrigerant piping to form a refrigerant circuit in a closed loop configuration. The refrigerant circuit is provided with a four-way switch valve such that the direction of circulation of a refrigerant is reversible. The refrigerant circuit is provided with a refrigerant heater. During a cooling operation, an electromagnetic valve is closed so that the outdoor heat exchanger serves as a condenser to perform a refrigeration cycle operation. During a heating operation, natural gas is caused to burn in the refrigerant heater to heat and evaporate the refrigerant with high-temperature combustion gas. The evaporated refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger, exchanges heat with indoor air, and is condensed, whereby the indoor air is heated.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.