Patent · US Expired

Heat-pump water heater

US6430949B1 · kind B1 · utility

16Cited by
8References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 18, 2001
Grant dateAug 13, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 18, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B30/70
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

In a heat-pump water heater, an ECU sets a target temperature difference between water flowing into a water heat exchanger and refrigerant flowing out from the water heat exchanger, and controls a valve opening degree of an expansion valve so that the target temperature difference is obtained. When a refrigerant temperature discharged from a compressor is higher than a predetermined value, the target temperature difference is increased until the refrigerant temperature discharged from the compressor becomes lower than the predetermined value. Further, when water-heating capacity is decreased due to the increase of the target temperature difference, a rotation speed of the compressor is increased.

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