Heating and cooling optimization systems are disclosed. Such systems may include a superheater and desuperheater are disclosed. An example superheater may include a combined suction line accumulator and heat exchanger configured to receive a heated fluid from an external source. An example desuperheater may comprise an accumulation tank and a heat exchanger configured to receive a relatively cool fluid from an external source. Various external sources may be a solar thermal source, a wood chip boiler, a ground loop, a geothermal source, an attic space, a garage, and/or a chemical heat source. Disclosed heating and cooling systems may include a controller sub-system for selectively modulating a flow rate of heated fluid through the superheater and for selectively modulating a flow rate of cooled fluid through the desuperheater.

A refrigeration cycle device that includes a main refrigerant circuit and a sub-refrigerant circuit cools or heats a main refrigerant that flows between a main heat-source-side heat exchanger and a main usage-side heat exchanger by causing a sub-usage-side heat exchanger to function as an evaporator or a radiator of a sub-refrigerant. A first main expansion mechanism and a second main expansion mechanism that decompress the main refrigerant are provided on an upstream side and a downstream side of the sub-usage-side heat exchanger of the main refrigerant circuit.

In a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present invention, a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture is used. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a decompressor, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, and a blower. The blower blows air to the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger. The non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture circulates in a first circulation direction through the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the decompressor, the second heat exchanger, and the third heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is greater in flow path resistance than the third heat exchanger. The blower forms a parallel flow with the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture that flows through the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger.

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.

In a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present invention, a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture is used. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a decompressor, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, and a blower. The blower blows air to the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger. The non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture circulates in a first circulation direction through the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the decompressor, the second heat exchanger, and the third heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is greater in flow path resistance than the third heat exchanger. The blower forms a parallel flow with the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture that flows through the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger.

An air conditioning apparatus includes a first pump and a first intermediate heat exchanger connected in series, and a second pump and a second heat intermediate exchanger connected in series. A flow path switching mechanism including at least four pairs of first and second valves. The first valves select an outflow port of one of the first and second pumps, and the second valves select an inflow port of the other of the first and second pumps. A third intermediate heat exchanger operates as an auxiliary heat exchanger, and is detachably connected to one pair of first and second valves. A pipe is detachably connected to and communicating the inflow port and the outflow port of a second pair of the pairs of the first and second valves. At least one indoor heat exchanger is connected to a third pair of the first and second valves.

An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit in which pipes sequentially connect a compressor, a flow switching device, a heat source side heat exchanger, an expansion device, a load side heat exchanger, and the flow switching device, and configured to perform a cooling operation and a heating operation switched by the flow switching device, an oil separator configured to separate refrigerating machine oil from refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a first bypass passage in which fluid flowing out of the oil separator flows, an auxiliary heat exchanger configured to cool the fluid, a first flow control device configured to control passing of the fluid, a second bypass passage in which liquid refrigerant or two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flowing through one of the pipes connecting the heat source side heat exchanger and the expansion device flows, and a second flow control device configured to control passing of refrigerant.

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.

An air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit including a compressor configured to compress refrigerant, a relay unit connected to the outdoor unit, and an indoor unit connected to the relay unit. The compressor is driven to circulate the refrigerant between the outdoor unit, the relay unit, and the indoor unit. The air-conditioning apparatus includes a supplementary heat source unit in parallel with the indoor unit and connected to the relay unit. The outdoor unit includes an outdoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger and a fluid. The supplementary heat source unit includes a supplementary heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant flowing through the supplementary heat exchanger and hot water.

A refrigeration cycle device that includes a main refrigerant circuit and a sub-refrigerant circuit cools or heats a main refrigerant that flows between a main heat-source-side heat exchanger and a main usage-side heat exchanger by causing a sub-usage-side heat exchanger to function as an evaporator or a radiator of a sub-refrigerant. A first main expansion mechanism and a second main expansion mechanism that decompress the main refrigerant are provided on an upstream side and a downstream side of the sub-usage-side heat exchanger of the main refrigerant circuit.