A method of auxiliary heat staging in a heat pump system having a geothermal water source or open loop. The method includes receiving a demand for heating in the heat pump system, receiving a temperature signal indicative of a temperature associated with a liquid in the geothermal loop, determining if the temperature associated with the liquid in the geothermal loop is lower than a first selected threshold. If the temperature is lower than the first selected threshold, then operating the heat pump system and the auxiliary heat at an increased capacity.

An intelligent heat pump system having a dual heat exchanger structure includes a heat source side heat exchange member, a heat pump, an external expansion valve, a refrigerant-water heat exchanger, a heat storage tank, and a target side end unit. A refrigerant flows through the heat pump, the refrigerant-water heat exchanger, and the target side end unit, and in a non-air-conditioning state for the target site, circulates between the heat pump and the refrigerant-water heat exchanger, so that cooled or heated water is stored in the heat storage tank. In an air-conditioning state for the target site, the heat pump and the heat storage tank supply cooling and heating to the target site, so that the power consumption for normal operation is reduced in order to improve the operation efficiency of the intelligent heat pump system.

A system and method for providing useable source fluid from a thermal exchange unit and/or one or more thermal exchange and storage units is disclosed. Topologies described allow operation in an air source, a ground source, a preconditioning, a parallel and a simultaneous mode. In the air source mode conditioned source fluid is obtained exclusively from an air-to-liquid heat exchanger. In the ground source mode source fluid is obtained exclusively from a ground heat exchanger. In the preconditioning mode source fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger is used to condition a ground heat exchanger. In the parallel mode source fluid is obtained from both the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and a ground heat exchangers. In the simultaneous mode, source fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger is used to improve the thermal condition of a ground heat exchanger while source fluid for the heat pump is obtained from another ground heat exchanger.

An industrial heat transfer unit including a compressor, a condenser heat exchanger, an expansion valve structure, and an evaporator heat exchanger. The compressor outlet is fluidly connected to the condenser heat exchanger inlet; the condenser heat exchanger outlet is fluidly connected to the expansion valve inlet; the expansion valve outlet is fluidly connected to the evaporator heat exchanger inlet; and the evaporator heat exchanger outlet is fluidly connected to the compressor inlet. The condenser heat exchanger is retained vertically above the compressor to provide enhanced operational efficiency. In some embodiments, service regions of the compressor and heat exchangers face a housing window. Process lines of the heat exchanger(s) can be high pressure stainless steel tubes. The compressor can be a scroll compressor and can include a variable frequency drive controlling delivery of power to a motor.

A method and system for optimizing the operation of a geo-exchange system, by generating predictive models pertaining to energy demand and energy capacity for a particular building or district, based on data from sensors associated with components of a district geo-exchange system, historical and real-time operational data associated with district modules, including weather forecast data and current weather conditions.

A heat transfer medium liquid circulation flow channel having a first heat exchange unit exchanging heat to a second heat exchange unit is provided, and a fixed amount of first heat transfer medium liquid circulates therein. A feed pipe couples heat source holding second heat transfer medium liquid having temperature difference from the first medium liquid to the heat transfer medium liquid circulation flow channel. The feed pipe is coupled to an inlet end side of the first heat exchange unit and a discharge pipe is coupled to an outlet end side thereof. A necessary amount of second medium liquid is supplied to the inlet end side via the feed pipe so that a detected temperature of the first medium liquid in the outlet end maintains required set temperature. The same amount of the first medium liquid as the supplied second medium liquid is discharged out of the discharge pipe.

A system and method for providing useable source fluid from a thermal exchange unit and/or one or more thermal exchange and storage units is disclosed. Topologies described allow operation in an air source, a ground source, a preconditioning, a parallel and a simultaneous mode. In the air source mode conditioned source fluid is obtained exclusively from an air-to-liquid heat exchanger. In the ground source mode source fluid is obtained exclusively from a ground heat exchanger. In the preconditioning mode source fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger is used to condition a ground heat exchanger. In the parallel mode source fluid is obtained from both the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and a ground heat exchangers. In the simultaneous mode, source fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger is used to improve the thermal condition of a ground heat exchanger while source fluid for the heat pump is obtained from another ground heat exchanger.

A heat pump system provides at least six modes of heating, cooling, and/or domestic water heating operation, where domestic water heating may occur concurrently with heating or cooling a space in a structure. The heat pump system comprises a desuperheater positioned downstream of the compressor and operable as a desuperheater, a condenser or an evaporator, a source heat exchanger operable as either a condenser or an evaporator, a load heat exchanger operable as either a condenser or an evaporator, a reversing valve positioned downstream of the desuperheater heat exchanger and configured to alternately direct refrigerant flow from the desuperheater heat exchanger to one of the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger and to alternately return refrigerant flow from the other of the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger to the compressor, and an expansion valve positioned between the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger.

An air conditioner may prevent a refrigerant stored in a refrigerant storage from rapidly flowing into a main refrigerant circuit when the type of operation is switched. The air conditioner may include a refrigerant circuit provided with a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator; a refrigerant amount detection device configured to determine whether a refrigerant state in an outlet of the compressor is a subcooled state or a gas-liquid two phase state. The refrigerant amount detection device is configured to calculate a refrigerant amount ratio in the refrigerant circuit based on a predetermined set value according to at least one of a temperature and a pressure detected and the refrigerant state; and a controller configured to control the refrigerant circuit according to the refrigerant amount ratio calculated by the refrigerant amount detection device.

A geothermal heat exchanger, a geothermal heat arrangement and to a method in connection with a geothermal heat arrangement. The geothermal heat exchanger includes a piping arrangement having a rise pipe and a drain pipe, and a first pump arranged to the piping arrangement. The rise pipe and drain pipe are arranged in fluid communication with each other for circulating the primary working fluid. The rise pipe is provided with a first thermal insulation surrounding the rise pipe along at least part of the length of the rise pipe and the first pump is arranged to circulate the primary working fluid in a direction towards a lower end of the rise pump.