US 11,987,098 B2
Heat pump for a vehicle
Rachael Shey, Clawson, MI (US); and Jeffrey Paul Brown, Farmington Hills, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/510,740.
Prior Publication US 2023/0131019 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B60H 1/32 (2006.01); B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60H 1/22 (2006.01); F25B 30/02 (2006.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 41/24 (2021.01); F25B 41/31 (2021.01)
CPC B60H 1/3213 (2013.01) [B60H 1/00278 (2013.01); B60H 1/00735 (2013.01); B60H 1/00899 (2013.01); B60H 1/2225 (2013.01); F25B 30/02 (2013.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 41/24 (2021.01); B60H 2001/00307 (2013.01); B60H 2001/00928 (2013.01); B60H 2001/3252 (2013.01); B60H 2001/3285 (2013.01); F25B 41/31 (2021.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat pump, comprising:
a refrigerant loop comprising:
a first heat exchanger;
a first region of a second heat exchanger;
a third heat exchanger;
a fourth heat exchanger;
a compressor having a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet;
a vapor generator including a single inlet and positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of both the low-pressure inlet and the mid-pressure inlet, wherein the vapor generator removes at least a portion of a gaseous component of a first heat exchange fluid and provides the at least a portion of the gaseous component of the first heat exchange fluid to the mid-pressure inlet of the compressor;
an accumulator positioned immediately upstream of the compressor, wherein the accumulator comprises an inlet and an outlet;
a first expansion valve positioned upstream of the accumulator, wherein the first expansion valve comprises an inlet and an outlet; and
a first three-way valve positioned immediately downstream of the first expansion valve and immediately upstream of the accumulator, wherein the first three-way valve directs the first heat exchange fluid from the outlet of the first expansion valve to the inlet of the accumulator during at least one mode of operation.