US 12,270,580 B2
Heat pump and control method therefor
Jihyeong Ryu, Seoul (KR); Eunjun Cho, Seoul (KR); Minsoo Kim, Seoul (KR); Youngmin Lee, Seoul (KR); and Hojin Seo, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 18/015,569
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Jul. 12, 2021, PCT No. PCT/KR2021/008879
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 11, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/014984, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 20, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0086867 (KR), filed on Jul. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0288105 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. F25B 25/00 (2006.01); F24D 3/10 (2006.01); F24D 3/18 (2006.01); F25B 49/02 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 25/005 (2013.01) [F24D 3/1008 (2013.01); F24D 3/18 (2013.01); F25B 49/02 (2013.01); F25B 2500/24 (2013.01); F25B 2700/19 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat pump, comprising:
an outdoor unit comprising a compressor that compresses a first refrigerant, a first outdoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and outdoor air, an expansion mechanism that expands the first refrigerant, and a second outdoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and a second refrigerant;
a first refrigerant pipe that connects the compressor, the first outdoor heat exchanger, and the expansion mechanism, and through which the first refrigerant flows;
a pressure sensor disposed in the first refrigerant pipe;
a second refrigerant pipe that is connected to the second outdoor heat exchanger, and through which the second refrigerant flows;
an indoor heat exchanger that is disposed in the second refrigerant pipe, and exchanges heat between indoor air and the second refrigerant;
a controller configured to determine a supply of the second refrigerant by determining a flow rate of the second refrigerant based on surging occurring in a pressure of the first refrigerant measured by the pressure sensor; and
a second refrigerant pipe port disposed in the second refrigerant pipe, wherein the controller supplies the second refrigerant through the second refrigerant pipe port, when it is determined that a flow rate of the second refrigerant is insufficient.