A heat pump includes an indoor heat exchanger; an outdoor heat exchanger that is connected to the indoor heat exchanger; an accumulator that is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger; an evaporative heat exchanger that is provided between the outdoor heat exchanger and the accumulator; and a bypass circuit that that is configured to enable a refrigerant that has flowed out of the indoor heat exchanger to flow into the evaporative heat exchanger.

A heat pump includes an indoor heat exchanger; an outdoor heat exchanger that is connected to the indoor heat exchanger; an accumulator that is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger; an evaporative heat exchanger that is provided between the outdoor heat exchanger and the accumulator; and a bypass circuit that that is configured to enable a refrigerant that has flowed out of the indoor heat exchanger to flow into the evaporative heat exchanger.

A valve opening circuit mounted on a heat pump device having a valve on a refrigerant circuit includes a DC electric path to which a DC voltage generated from an AC voltage for normal use is applied, a valve drive circuit that opens and closes the valve by using the DC voltage of the DC electric path, a control unit that acquires a control power source voltage based on the DC voltage of the DC electric path and controls the valve drive circuit, and a power feed port connected to the DC electric path and connectable to a DC power source line provided from outside for emergency. The control unit causes the valve drive circuit to open the valve when the AC voltage is lost and the DC voltage is fed from the DC power source line to the power feed port.

A valve opening circuit mounted on a heat pump device having a valve on a refrigerant circuit includes a DC electric path to which a DC voltage generated from an AC voltage for normal use is applied, a valve drive circuit that opens and closes the valve by using the DC voltage of the DC electric path, a control unit that acquires a control power source voltage based on the DC voltage of the DC electric path and controls the valve drive circuit, and a power feed port connected to the DC electric path and connectable to a DC power source line provided from outside for emergency. The control unit causes the valve drive circuit to open the valve when the AC voltage is lost and the DC voltage is fed from the DC power source line to the power feed port.

A method for optimizing a water sourced heat pump (WSHP) system using reinforcement learning (RL) agent is disclosed. The method comprises deploying, via at least one processor, a trained RL agent in the WSHP system comprising a plurality of WSHPs; analyzing state variables associated with the WSHP system in real-time, using the trained RL agent, generating, via the at least one processor, one or more action variables using the trained RL agent based at least on the analyzed state variables associated with the WSHP system, wherein the one or more action variables comprises at least one of water loop temperature and water loop flow rate; generating at least one reward function based on the generated one or more action variables, and optimizing at least one of the water loop temperature and the water loop flow rate of the WSHP system based on the generated at least one reward function.

A method for optimizing a water sourced heat pump (WSHP) system using reinforcement learning (RL) agent is disclosed. The method comprises deploying, via at least one processor, a trained RL agent in the WSHP system comprising a plurality of WSHPs; analyzing state variables associated with the WSHP system in real-time, using the trained RL agent, generating, via the at least one processor, one or more action variables using the trained RL agent based at least on the analyzed state variables associated with the WSHP system, wherein the one or more action variables comprises at least one of water loop temperature and water loop flow rate; generating at least one reward function based on the generated one or more action variables, and optimizing at least one of the water loop temperature and the water loop flow rate of the WSHP system based on the generated at least one reward function.

An embodiment multi-way coolant valve includes an outer housing including first to third outer inlets, first to third outer outlets, and a pump mount portion coupled to one of the outer outlets, an inner housing rotatably provided within the outer housing and including penetration holes corresponding to the outer inlets and outlets, a coolant line defined by a selective connection of the penetration holes such that the outer inlets and outlets are selectively connected, pads interposed between an interior circumference of the outer housing and an exterior circumference of the inner housing at locations of the outer inlets and outlets, respectively, and a driving unit connected to a rotation center of the inner housing to selectively rotate the inner housing within the outer housing, wherein the inner housing is configured to rotate by a preset interval according to a selected vehicle mode.

The invention provides a heat pump system comprising a base support; a top support and one or more elongated support structures connected to the base support and the top support. A hydraulic system configured to provide a compression stress to at least one SMA or NTE or elastocaloric core during use. An inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet for exiting the fluid; and at least one valve configured to control the inlet and the outlet. The elongated support is configured to engage with the SMA core to prevent the SMA material buckling when a compression stress is applied.

A method and apparatus for defrosting a cascade heat pump. The cascade heat pump may include a first stage compressor circulating refrigerant in a first stage refrigerant circuit, a second stage compressor circulating refrigerant in a second stage refrigerant circuit, and an interstage heat exchanger thermally coupling the first stage and second stage. The defrost process for the cascade heat pump may include initiating a defrost mode in response to an indication of ice formation on a first stage heat exchanger, reversing a flow of refrigerant in the first stage during the defrost mode, and diverting a flow of refrigerant in the second stage through a bypass line during the defrost mode, wherein the bypass line directs the flow of refrigerant to the interstage heat exchanger and to bypass a second stage heat exchanger.

A method and apparatus for defrosting a cascade heat pump. The cascade heat pump may include a first stage compressor circulating refrigerant in a first stage refrigerant circuit, a second stage compressor circulating refrigerant in a second stage refrigerant circuit, and an interstage heat exchanger thermally coupling the first stage and second stage. The defrost process for the cascade heat pump may include initiating a defrost mode in response to an indication of ice formation on a first stage heat exchanger, reversing a flow of refrigerant in the first stage during the defrost mode, and diverting a flow of refrigerant in the second stage through a bypass line during the defrost mode, wherein the bypass line directs the flow of refrigerant to the interstage heat exchanger and to bypass a second stage heat exchanger.