US 11,940,188 B2
Hybrid heat-pump system
Brian R. Butler, Centerville, OH (US); Andrew M. Welch, Franklin, OH (US); David A. Alfano, Dayton, OH (US); and Natarajan Rajendran, Centerville, OH (US)
Assigned to Copeland LP, Sidney, OH (US)
Filed by Copeland LP, Sidney, OH (US)
Filed on Mar. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/210,160.
Prior Publication US 2022/0307737 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. F25B 30/02 (2006.01); F24H 4/02 (2022.01); F25B 13/00 (2006.01); F25B 41/31 (2021.01)
CPC F25B 30/02 (2013.01) [F24H 4/02 (2013.01); F25B 13/00 (2013.01); F25B 41/31 (2021.01); F25B 2313/02742 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat-pump system comprising:
a compressor;
an outdoor heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor;
an indoor heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor;
an expansion device in fluid communication with the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers; and
a supplemental heater including a burner and a working-fluid conduit, wherein the burner is configured to burn a fuel and heat the working-fluid conduit,
wherein the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the indoor heat exchanger, the expansion device, and the working-fluid conduit of the supplemental heater form a vapor-compression circuit through which the compressor circulates the working fluid, and
wherein when the heat-pump system is operating in a heating mode, the indoor heat exchanger receives working fluid from the working-fluid conduit such that the working fluid flows from an outlet of the working-fluid conduit to an inlet of the indoor heat exchanger without flowing through the compressor, without flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger, and without flowing through the expansion device.