A heat source optimization system capable of alternating configurations between an air exchange system and a geothermal system and/or earth loop systems depending on an instantaneous need and/or desire for taking in or discharging heat, while simultaneously remaining operational and without reversing valving or changing the rotational direction of a refrigerant compressor. The system manages refrigerant, and, via a processor and/or controller system, determines where to obtain refrigerant and also the quantity of refrigerant to be obtained. Additionally, the system, via a processor and/or controller system, both determines the optimal location or locations from which to take in heat or to which heat is to be rejected.

A heat source optimization system capable of alternating configurations between an air exchange system and a geothermal system and/or earth loop systems depending on an instantaneous need and/or desire for taking in or discharging heat, while simultaneously remaining operational and without reversing valving or changing the rotational direction of a refrigerant compressor. The system manages refrigerant, and, via a processor and/or controller system, determines where to obtain refrigerant and also the quantity of refrigerant to be obtained. Additionally, the system, via a processor and/or controller system, both determines the optimal location or locations from which to take in heat or to which heat is to be rejected.

An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a heat exchanger, a flash tank, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, a load, a first compressor, and a second compressor. During a first mode of operation, the second expansion valve directs refrigerant from the flash tank to the load. The refrigerant from the load bypasses the first compressor. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the refrigerant from the load. The second compressor compresses the refrigerant from the heat exchanger. During a second mode of operation, the first expansion valve directs refrigerant from the flash tank to the load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the load and the second compressor compresses the refrigerant from the first compressor before the refrigerant from the first compressor reaches the high side heat exchanger.

An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a heat exchanger, a flash tank, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, a load, a first compressor, and a second compressor. During a first mode of operation, the second expansion valve directs refrigerant from the flash tank to the load. The refrigerant from the load bypasses the first compressor. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the refrigerant from the load. The second compressor compresses the refrigerant from the heat exchanger. During a second mode of operation, the first expansion valve directs refrigerant from the flash tank to the load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the load and the second compressor compresses the refrigerant from the first compressor before the refrigerant from the first compressor reaches the high side heat exchanger.

An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a flash tank, a first load, a first compressor, an auxiliary cooling system, and a first check valve. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The flash tank stores the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger. The first load uses the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the first load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the first load. The auxiliary cooling system removes heat from the refrigerant stored in the flash tank during a power outage. The first check valve directs the refrigerant between the first load and the first compressor back to the flash tank when the pressure of the refrigerant between the first load and the first compressor exceeds a threshold during the power outage.

An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a flash tank, a first load, a first compressor, an auxiliary cooling system, and a first check valve. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The flash tank stores the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger. The first load uses the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the first load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the first load. The auxiliary cooling system removes heat from the refrigerant stored in the flash tank during a power outage. The first check valve directs the refrigerant between the first load and the first compressor back to the flash tank when the pressure of the refrigerant between the first load and the first compressor exceeds a threshold during the power outage.

An HVAC system with a reheat coil is described, the system includes a compressor, a micro-channel condenser and an evaporator. A reversing valve is connected to the compressor, the micro-channel condenser and the reheat coil. The reversing valve is used to direct the refrigerant from the compressor to the micro-channel condenser in a normal mode, and to direct the refrigerant from the compressor to the reheat coil in a reheat mode. The reversing valve can be switched from normal mode to reheat mode when a high pressure condition is detected at an input to the micro-channel condenser, and switched back from reheat mode to normal mode when the high pressure condition has resolved or an amount of time has passed. In the normal mode the refrigerant is returned from the reheat coil into a refrigerant line between the evaporator and the compressor through a restrictor.

A method for operating a vapour compression system (1) comprising a heat recovery heat exchanger (4) is disclosed. The heat recovery system requests a required level of recovered heat to be provided by the heat recovery heat exchanger (4) to the heat recovery system, generates a signal indicating the required level of recovered heat, and supplies the generated signal to a control unit of the vapour compression system (1). A setpoint value for at least one control parameter of the vapour compression system (1) is calculated, based on the generated signal, and the vapour compression system (1) is operated in accordance with the calculated setpoint value(s).

A method for operating a vapour compression system (1) comprising a heat recovery heat exchanger (4) is disclosed. The heat recovery system requests a required level of recovered heat to be provided by the heat recovery heat exchanger (4) to the heat recovery system, generates a signal indicating the required level of recovered heat, and supplies the generated signal to a control unit of the vapour compression system (1). A setpoint value for at least one control parameter of the vapour compression system (1) is calculated, based on the generated signal, and the vapour compression system (1) is operated in accordance with the calculated setpoint value(s).

An air conditioner according to an embodiment includes: a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; an indoor heat exchanger configured to convert a vapor refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant in a heating mode; an outdoor heat exchanger configured to convert a liquid refrigerant into a vapor refrigerant in the heating mode; a main pipe connecting the indoor heat exchanger to the outdoor heat exchanger; an injection pipe branching from the main pipe and connecting to an injection port of the compressor; an injection valve installed on the injection pipe and configured to control a flux of the refrigerant flowing to the injection pipe; and a controller configured to calculate a target discharge superheat (DSH) based on a correlation between a compression coefficient, a compressor frequency, and a DSH that are represented by an operating condition , and control a current DSH based on the target DSH.