The invention provides a heat pump system and method comprising a Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) core (2a, 2b) positioned in a housing and adapted to absorb heat and store energy in response to a first fluid inputted at a first temperature. The housing is configured to receive a second fluid via an inlet wherein a device changes pressure in the housing to cause the SMA or NTE core to change state to release the heat absorbed into the second fluid. An outlet is adapted to output the second fluid at a higher temperature than the first temperature.

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.

Disclosed is a two-stage heating geothermal system using geothermal energy. The two-stage heating geothermal system includes a geothermal heat exchanger, a geothermal heat pump, a booster heat pump, a bypass line, and a bypass line opening and closing valve. The operating efficiency of the two-stage heating geothermal system using geothermal energy is significantly improved. Hot water supply, auxiliary heating, and the like are controlled to be completely independent of main heating.

Disclosed is a two-stage heating geothermal system using geothermal energy. The two-stage heating geothermal system includes a geothermal heat exchanger, a geothermal heat pump, a booster heat pump, a bypass line, and a bypass line opening and closing valve. The operating efficiency of the two-stage heating geothermal system using geothermal energy is significantly improved. Hot water supply, auxiliary heating, and the like are controlled to be completely independent of main heating.

A system for supplementing the heater for a swimming pool comprises the use of a heat exchanger for the heat generated by an air conditioning evaporator or condenser. The system can also recover and use the otherwise lost heat of an attic and redirect the same to augment the heating of the water of a swimming pool.

In order to provide a cascade heat pump with which a large temperature lift can be provided with high efficiency, a cascade heat pump comprising n stages where n≥2 is proposed. Each of the n stages has a heat pump with a coolant inlet, a first coolant outlet, and a second coolant outlet. Each heat pump has a hot side and a cold side and a flow divider to divide a coolant flow entering the coolant inlet between the hot side and the cold side. The first coolant outlet of the heat pump of each stage i, where i=1 . . . n−1, is connected to the coolant inlet of the heat pump of a subsequent stage i+1. The second coolant outlet of the heat pump of at least one subsequent stage i+1 is connected by a recirculation line to the coolant inlet of the heat pump of a preceding stage.

In order to provide a cascade heat pump with which a large temperature lift can be provided with high efficiency, a cascade heat pump comprising n stages where n≥2 is proposed. Each of the n stages has a heat pump with a coolant inlet, a first coolant outlet, and a second coolant outlet. Each heat pump has a hot side and a cold side and a flow divider to divide a coolant flow entering the coolant inlet between the hot side and the cold side. The first coolant outlet of the heat pump of each stage i, where i=1 . . . n−1, is connected to the coolant inlet of the heat pump of a subsequent stage i+1. The second coolant outlet of the heat pump of at least one subsequent stage i+1 is connected by a recirculation line to the coolant inlet of the heat pump of a preceding stage.

An injection-type heat exchange module includes an outer tank configured with upper and lower chambers, the upper chamber being connected in such a manner that refrigerant is introduced thereinto from an outer condenser or an inner condenser, and the lower chamber being connected in such a manner that the refrigerant is introduced thereinto from an evaporator and that the refrigerant is discharged therefrom to a compressor, an inner tank arranged inside the outer tank and connected in such a manner that the refrigerant is discharged therefrom to the compressor or the evaporator; a first valve arranged in an upper end portion of the inner tank, a second valve arranged in a lower end portion thereof, and an actuator connected to both the first valve and the second valve and operating in such a manner that the first and second valves are rotated at the same time.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus including a heat source side heat exchanger including a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger connected in parallel; an air-sending device that supplies air, which is an object to be heat exchanged in the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, in a variable manner; solenoid valves that each opens and closes a refrigerant passage of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; a third refrigerant circuit that is parallelly connected to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; and a flow control valve that controls the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing in the third refrigerant circuit. The refrigeration cycle apparatus can improve continuity of control of a heat exchange capacity of a heat source side heat exchanger.