US 12,169,083 B2
Vapor injection heat pump
Rachael E. Shey, Clawson, MI (US); Jeffrey Paul Brown, Farmington Hills, MI (US); Leyuan Yu, Cypress, TX (US); and James C. Rollinson, Superior Township, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on May 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/740,593.
Prior Publication US 2023/0366591 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. F25B 30/02 (2006.01); F25B 41/24 (2021.01); F25B 41/48 (2021.01)
CPC F25B 30/02 (2013.01) [F25B 41/24 (2021.01); F25B 41/48 (2021.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat pump, comprising:
a refrigerant loop comprising:
a compressor having a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet;
a first region of a first heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger is positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor;
a second heat exchanger positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger;
a bypass branch having an entrance positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of the first region of the first heat exchanger, wherein an exit of the bypass branch is positioned upstream of the second heat exchanger;
a bypass shutoff valve positioned along the bypass branch, wherein the bypass shutoff valve is downstream of the entrance to the bypass branch and upstream of the outlet of the bypass branch;
a first branching point positioned immediately downstream of the first region of the first heat exchanger, wherein the refrigerant loop splits into a first path and a second path at the first branching point;
a first shutoff valve positioned along the first path and immediately downstream of the first branching point;
a second shutoff valve positioned along the second path and immediately downstream of the first branching point;
a second branching point positioned immediately downstream of the second heat exchanger;
a third shutoff valve positioned immediately downstream of the second branching point; and
an intersection point positioned immediately downstream of the third shutoff valve, wherein the intersection point operates as a branching point in a first mode of operation, and wherein the intersection point operates as a coupling point in a second mode of operation.