Disclosed herein are heat pump systems for water heaters. The heat pump systems can comprise a housing defining an interior chamber, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The air inlet and the air outlet can form an air flow path through the interior chamber, and an evaporator unit can be positioned within the interior chamber such that the air flow path contacts the evaporator unit. The housing can also have a flue pipe having a cross-section to encourage aerodynamic flow and/or side baffles to encourage air flow into the evaporator unit. The housing can also have a second air inlet to increase air flow and a curved elbow around the first air inlet to direct the air flow path. The air flow path can flow from a top side of the housing to a side of the housing, and the air flow path can be reversible.

Heat pump system (100) comprising at least one heat medium circuit (210,220,230,240,250,310,320,410,420,430,440,450,460) in turn comprising a compressor (211), an expansion valve (232,242), at least two different primary heat sources or sinks selected from outdoor air, a water body, the ground or exhaust air, at least one of two different secondary heat sources or sinks selected from indoors air, pool water and tap water, a respective temperature sensor (412,432) at each of said primary heat sources or sinks, a valve means (421,431,451) for selectively directing the primary-side heat medium to at least one of said primary heat exchanging means, and a control means (500). The invention is characterised in that, in a secondary-side heating operating mode, the temperature of said primary heat sources or sinksis measured, and in that the primary-side heat medium is directed only to the primary heat exchanging means associated with the heat sources or sinks with the highest temperature. The invention also relates to a method.

Heat pump system (100) comprising at least one heat medium circuit (210,220,230,240,250,310,320,410,420,430,440,450,460) in turn comprising a compressor (211), an expansion valve (232,242), at least two different primary heat sources or sinks selected from outdoor air, a water body, the ground or exhaust air, at least one of two different secondary heat sources or sinks selected from indoors air, pool water and tap water, a respective temperature sensor (412,432) at each of said primary heat sources or sinks, a valve means (421,431,451) for selectively directing the primary-side heat medium to at least one of said primary heat exchanging means, and a control means (500). The invention is characterised in that, in a secondary-side heating operating mode, the temperature of said primary heat sources or sinksis measured, and in that the primary-side heat medium is directed only to the primary heat exchanging means associated with the heat sources or sinks with the highest temperature. The invention also relates to a method.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling setting of reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of a district thermal energy distribution system (1) in either a heating mode or a cooling mode. The method comprises: determining, at a control server, a first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) to be set in the heating mode during a future time period; determining, at the control server, a second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) to be set in the cooling mode during the future time period, wherein the second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) is separate from the first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100); sending, from the control server (200) to the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of the first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100), a respective control message to set the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in the heating mode for the future time period; sending, from the control server (200) to the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of the second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100), a respective control message to set the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in the cooling mode for the future time period; and setting the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in either the heating mode or the cooling mode for the future time period.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling setting of reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of a district thermal energy distribution system (1) in either a heating mode or a cooling mode. The method comprises: determining, at a control server, a first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) to be set in the heating mode during a future time period; determining, at the control server, a second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) to be set in the cooling mode during the future time period, wherein the second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) is separate from the first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100); sending, from the control server (200) to the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of the first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100), a respective control message to set the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in the heating mode for the future time period; sending, from the control server (200) to the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of the second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100), a respective control message to set the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in the cooling mode for the future time period; and setting the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in either the heating mode or the cooling mode for the future time period.

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system includes a heating fluid circuit, a cooling fluid circuit, and a storage fluid circuit. A thermal system of the HVACR system absorbs energy from the storage fluid circuit and rejects it to the heating fluid circuit. The storage fluid circuit includes thermal storage tanks containing thermal storage material that can provide energy for heating or absorb energy for cooling depending on the state of the thermal storage material. Heating can be provided using the heating fluid circuit and the heat provided by the thermal system. Cooling can be provided using the cooling fluid circuit by absorbing energy from the conditioned space using a cooling fluid and rejecting energy from the cooling fluid to the storage fluid circuit including the thermal storage tanks. The thermal storage tanks can also have heat added to them using an air source heat pump system to provide sufficient storage for heating operations.

An air-conditioning apparatus includes: a heat-source-side device that heats or cools a heat medium; a pump that sucks and transfers the heat medium; use-side heat exchangers; a heat medium circuit; flow rate control devices; indoor-side pressure sensors; a pump inlet-side pressure sensor and/or a pump outlet-side pressure sensor; a flow rate detection device that detects a pump flow rate; and a controller that performs a first operation in which the flow rate control devices are individually opened or closed and data regarding a flow passage resistance at a path related to each of the heat exchangers is obtained, and a second operation in which heat is supplied to indoor air, and calculates calculate flow rates of the heat medium that flows through the heat exchangers in the second operation, from pump flow rates and pressures detected by the pressure sensors in the first and second operations.

A system including a photovoltaic panel having a first heat exchanger for absorbing heat from the panel and/or from the environment by a heat exchanging fluid, connected to a heat pump. A second heat exchanger is provided for absorbing heat by the heat exchanging fluid and a control means for controlling a flow of the heat exchanging fluid through the first heat exchanger and/or the second heat exchanger. The heat pump is arranged to cool the heat exchanging fluid. The system has the following operating modes: a first mode in which cooled heat exchanging fluid is fed to the first heat exchanger; and a second mode in which cooled heat exchanging fluid is fed to the second heat exchanger and then fed to the first heat exchanger.

A hybrid multi-air conditioning system with no receiver is provided for optimal valve control. The hybrid multi-air conditioning system includes: a hot-water unit for exchanging heat between refrigerant and water; at least one indoor unit installed indoors and comprising an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor unit expansion valve; and an outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit and the hot-water unit via a refrigerant pipeline and comprising an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor, and an outdoor unit expansion valve, wherein, when an abnormal refrigerant enters either the at least one indoor unit or the outdoor unit according to an operation mode, the abnormal refrigerant is shut off from the hot-water unit and the at least one indoor unit or the outdoor unit which operates as a condenser. Accordingly, the hybrid multi-air conditioning system improves heat exchange efficiency via direct heat transfer between refrigerant and water by having a coil wound on the water tank to transfer heat between refrigerant and water.

A hybrid multi-air conditioning system with no receiver is provided for optimal valve control. The hybrid multi-air conditioning system includes: a hot-water unit for exchanging heat between refrigerant and water; at least one indoor unit installed indoors and comprising an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor unit expansion valve; and an outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit and the hot-water unit via a refrigerant pipeline and comprising an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor, and an outdoor unit expansion valve, wherein, when an abnormal refrigerant enters either the at least one indoor unit or the outdoor unit according to an operation mode, the abnormal refrigerant is shut off from the hot-water unit and the at least one indoor unit or the outdoor unit which operates as a condenser. Accordingly, the hybrid multi-air conditioning system improves heat exchange efficiency via direct heat transfer between refrigerant and water by having a coil wound on the water tank to transfer heat between refrigerant and water.