Hydronic heating and cooling system

Claim 2

A hydronic heating and cooling system having heating and cooling modes and adapted to be connected to a terminal system to be heated or cooled comprising a chiller tank provided with a water reservoir in the bottom portion thereof, a refrigeration system operative during the cooling mode and including a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator in operative relationship to the water in said chiller tank, said evaporator being located in said chiller tank above said reservoir, a first conduit adapted to be connected on one end to the terminal system and extending therefrom into said chiller tank at a point below said evaporator, said first conduit including a riser portion extending upwardly through said evaporator and terminating above said evaporator to permit the water therein to be discharged therefrom and gravity fed across the evaporator into said reservoir during the cooling mode, a circulating pump, a second conduit connecting the reservoir in said chiller tank to the inlet side of said pump, a third conduit intersecting said first and second conduits, control valve means for controlling flow in said first and third conduits, a fourth conduit connected on one end to the discharge side of said pump and adapted to be connected on the other end to the terminal system, and heating means for heating the water in said fourth conduit during the heating mode, said valve means when the heating and cooling system is in the heating mode closing said first conduit and directing the flow of water from said first conduit through said third conduit into said second conduit where the water is adapted to be circulated by said pump through the fourth conduit to the terminal system, said valve means when said heating and cooling system is in the cooling mode blocking flow through said third conduit and opening said first conduit thereby permitting the water to be discharged from the riser portion of said first conduit where it is gravity fed across said evaporator into said reservoir, with the water from said reservoir entering the inside side of said pump through the second conduit and thereafter adapted to be circulated by the pump through the fourth conduit to the terminal system where the water returns to the heating and cooling system through said first conduit.

Claim 3

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 1 wherein said heating means and said refrigeration system are electrically energized.

Claim 4

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 1 wherein said heating means is an electric heater.

Claim 5

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 3 wherein said electric heater is of tubular construction and is interposed in and forms part of said fourth conduit, with the water flowing through said heater during the heating and cooling modes.

Claim 6

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 1 wherein said heating means is of tubular construction and is interposed in and forms part of said fourth conduit, with the water flowing through said tubular heating means during the heating and cooling modes.

Claim 7

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 1 wherein the water in the reservoir of said chiller tank is under atmospheric pressure.

Claim 8

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 1 wherein said control valve means is in the form of an electrically operated three-way valve interposed at the intersection of said first and third conduits.

Claim 9

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 1 wherein said control valve means is in the form of a pair of electrically operated two-way valves, one of said valves being located in said first conduit downstream of the intersection of said first and third conduits and being closed during the heating mode and being opened during the cooling mode, and the other of said valves being located in said third conduit and being opened during the heating mode and being closed during the cooling mode.

Claim 10

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 1 wherein during the heating mode, said pump is replenished with water from said reservoir through said second conduit.

Claim 11

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 1 wherein a vertical baffle is provided between said water cooling and air circulating sections, said baffle extending between and being secured to said top and bottom walls.

Claim 12

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 1 wherein an electric control panel is located in said heating section of said housing for controlling said control valve means, pump and heating means during the heating and cooling modes of the unit.

Claim 13

An integrated hydronic heat and cool unit comprising a housing having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, said housing being divided into a heating section, a water cooling section and an air circulating section, said water cooling section being located between said other sections and including a chiller tank having a water reservoir located in the bottom portion thereof, an evaporator located in said chiller tank above said water reservoir and forming part of a closed refrigeration system, a first conduit extending through an end wall of said housing into said heating section and extending therefrom into said chiller tank, said first conduit including a riser portion extending upwardly through said evaporator and terminating above said evaporator to permit water to be discharged therefrom and gravity fed across the evaporator into said reservoir, said heating section including a circulating pump, a second conduit connected on one end of the inlet side of said pump and extending through said chiller tank into said reservoir, a third conduit in said heating section of said housing connecting said first and second conduits, control valve means in said heating section of said housing for controlling flow of water through said first and third conduits during the heating and cooling modes of the unit, said heating section further including a fourth conduit extending from the discharge side of said pump through said first mentioned end wall of the housing, heating means located in said heating section for heating the water in said fourth conduit as it emerges from said circulating pump during the heating mode, openings in the other end wall of said housing, said air circulating section including a condenser mounted along said other end wall of the housing and a compressor, said compressor being connected to said condenser and to said evaporator to form said closed refrigeration system which is operative during the cooling mode of the unit, the top wall of said housing in said air circulating section being provided with an opening, and motor driven fan located in said last mentioned opening and when energized during the cooling mode being effective to draw air from outside the housing across the condenser to cool same and to discharge the air through said opening in which the fan is located, said control valve means when the unit is in the heating mode being adapted to close said first conduit and direct the flow of water from said first conduit through said third conduit into said second conduit where the water is adapted to be circulated by said pump through the fourth conduit, said control valve means when the unit is in the cooling mode being adapted to block the flow of water through said third conduit and to open said first conduit thereby permitting the water to be discharged from the riser portion of said first conduit where it is adapted to be gravity fed across said evaporator into said reservoir and from where said pump is adapted to withdraw water therefrom through said second conduit and to circulate same through the fourth concuit.

Claim 14

An integrated hydronic heat and cool unit comprising a housing having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, said housing being divided into a heating section, a water cooling section and an air circulating section, said water cooling section being located between said other sections and including a chiller tank having a water reservoir located in the bottom portion thereof, an evaporator located in said chiller tank above said water reservoir and forming part of a closed refrigeration system, a first conduit extending through an end wall of said housing into said heating section and extending therefrom into said chiller tank, said first conduit including a riser portion extending upwardly through said evaporator and terminating above said evaporator to permit water to be discharged therefrom and gravity fed across the evaporator into said reservoir, said heating section including a circulating pump, a second conduit connected on one end of the inlet side of said pump and extending through said chiller tank into said reservoir, a third conduit in said heating section of said housing connecting said first and second conduits, control valve means in said heating section of said housing for controlling flow of water through said first and third conduits during the heating and cooling modes of the unit, said heating section further including a fourth conduit extending from the discharge side of said pump through said first mentioned end wall of the housing, heating means located in said heating section for heating the water in said fourth conduit as it emerges from said circulating pump during the heating mode, openings in the other end wall of said housing, said air circulating section including a condenser mounted along said other end wall of the housing and a compressor, said compressor being connected to said condenser and to said evaporator to form said closed refrigeration system which is operative during the cooling mode of the unit, the top wall of said housing in said air circulating section being provided with an opening, and motor driven fan located in said last mentioned opening and when energized during the cooling mode being effective to draw air from outside the housing across the condenser to cool same and to discharge the air through said opening in which the fan is located, said control valve means when the unit is in the heating mode being adapted to close said first conduit and direct the flow of water from said first conduit through said third conduit into said second conduit where the water is adapted to be circulated by said pump through the fourth conduit, said control valve means when the unit is in the cooling mode being adapted to block the flow of water through said third conduit and to open said first conduit thereby permitting the water to be discharged from the riser portion of said first conduit where it is adapted to be gravity fed across said evaporator into said reservoir and from where said pump is adapted to withdraw water therefrom through said second conduit and to circulate same through the fourth concuit.

Claim 15

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 12 wherein said heating means and said refrigeration system are electrically energized.

Claim 16

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 12 wherein said heating means is an electric heater.

Claim 17

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 14 wherein said electric heater is of tubular construction and is interposed in and forms part of said fourth conduit, with the water flowing through said heater during the heating and cooling modes.

Claim 18

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 12 wherein said heating means is of tubular construction and is interposed in and forms part of said fourth conduit, with the water flowing through said tubular heating means during the heating and cooling modes.

Claim 19

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 12 wherein the water in the reservoir of said chiller tank is under atmospheric pressure.

Claim 20

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 12 wherein said control valve means is in the form of an electrically operated three-way valve interposed at the intersection of said first and third conduits in the heating section of said housing.

Claim 21

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 12 wherein said control valve means is in the form of a pair of electrically operated two-way valves, one of said valves being located in said first conduit downstream of the intersection of said first and third conduits and being closed during the heating mode and being opened during the cooling mode, and the other of said valves being located in said third conduit and being opened during the heating mode and being closed during the cooling mode.

Claim 22

An integrated hydronic heat and cool unit comprising a housing having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, said housing being divided into a heating section, a water cooling section and an air circulating section, said water cooling section being located between said other sections and including a chiller tank having a water reservoir located in the bottom portion thereof, an evaporator located in said chiller tank above said water reservoir and forming part of a closed refrigeration system, a first conduit extending through a wall of said housing into said heating section and extending therefrom into said chiller tank, said first conduit including a riser portion extending upwardly through said evaporator and terminating above said evaporator to permit water to be discharged therefrom and gravity fed across the evaporator into said reservoir, said heating section including a circulating pump, a second conduit connected on one end of the inlet side of said pump and extending through said chiller tank into said reservoir, a third conduit in said heating section of said housing connecting said first and second conduits, control valve means in said heating section of said housing for controlling flow of water through said first and third conduits during the heating and cooling modes of the unit, said heating section further including a fourth conduit heating extending from the discharge side of said pump through a wall of the housing, heating means located in said heating section for heating the water in said fourth conduit as it emerges from said circulating pump during the heating mode, said heating means being of tubular construction and being interposed in and forming part of said fourth conduit with the water flowing through said tubular heating means during the heating and cooling modes, said air circulating section including a condenser and a compressor, said compressor being connected to said condenser and to said evaporator to form said closed refrigeration system which is operative during the cooling mode of the unit.

Claim 23

An integrated hydronic heat and cool unit comprising a housing having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, said housing being divided into a heating section, a water cooling section and an air circulating section, said water cooling section being located between said other sections and including a chiller tank having a water reservoir located in the bottom portion thereof, an evaporator located in said chiller tank above said water reservoir and forming part of a closed refrigeration system, a first conduit extending through a wall of said housing into said heating section and extending therefrom into said chiller tank, said first conduit including a riser portion extending upwardly through said evaporator and terminating above said evaporator to permit water to be discharged therefrom and gravity fed across the evaporator into said reservoir, said heating section including a circulating pump, a second conduit connected on one end of the inlet side of said pump and extending through said chiller tank into said reservoir, a third conduit in said heating section of said housing connecting said first and second conduits, control valve means in said heating section of said housing for controlling flow of water through said first and third conduits during the heating and cooling modes of the unit, said heating section further including a fourth conduit heating extending from the discharge side of said pump through a wall of the housing, heating means located in said heating section for heating the water in said fourth conduit as it emerges from said circulating pump during the heating mode, said heating means being of tubular construction and being interposed in and forming part of said fourth conduit with the water flowing through said tubular heating means during the heating and cooling modes, said air circulating section including a condenser and a compressor, said compressor being connected to said condenser and to said evaporator to form said closed refrigeration system which is operative during the cooling mode of the unit.

Claim 24

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 20 wherein a vertical baffle is provided between said water cooling and air circulating sections, said baffle extending between and being secured to said top and bottom walls.

Claim 25

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 20 wherein said tubular heating means is electrically operated during the heating mode.

Claim 26

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 20 wherein said control valve means is in the form of an electrically operated three-way valve interposed at the intersection of said first and third conduits in the heating section of said housing.

Claim 27

The hydronic heat and cool unit defined in claim 20 wherein said control valve means is in the form of a pair of electrically operated two-way valves, one of said valves being located in said first conduit downstream of the intersection of said first and third conduits and being closed during the heating mode and being opened during the cooling mode, and the other of said valves being located in said third conduit and being opened during the heating mode and being closed during the cooling mode.

Claim 28

A hydronic heating and cooling system having heating and cooling modes and adapted to be connected to a terminal system to be heated or cooled comprising a chiller tank provided with a water reservoir in the bottom portion thereof, a refrigeration system operative during the cooling mode to cool the water in said chiller tank, said refrigeration system including an evaporator located in said chiller tank above said reservoir, a first conduit adapted to be connected on one end to the terminal system and extending therefrom into said chiller tank at a point below said evaporator, said first conduit including a riser portion extending upwardly through said evaporator and terminating above said evaporator to permit the water therein to be discharged therefrom and gravity fed across the evaporator into said reservoir during the cooling mode, a circulating pump, a second conduit connecting the reservoir in said chiller tank to the inlet side of said pump, a third conduit intersecting said first and second conduits, control valve means for controlling flow in said first and third conduits, a fourth conduit connected on one end to the discharge side of said pump and adapted to be connected on the other end to the terminal system, and heating means for heating the water in said fourth conduit during the heating mode, said heating means being of tubular construction and being interposed in and forming part of said fourth conduit with the water flowing through said tubular heating means during the heating and cooling modes.

Claim 29

A hydronic heating and cooling system having heating and cooling modes and adapted to be connected to a terminal system to be heated or cooled comprising a chiller tank provided with a water reservoir in the bottom portion thereof, a refrigeration system operative during the cooling mode to cool the water in said chiller tank, said refrigeration system including an evaporator located in said chiller tank above said reservoir, a first conduit adapted to be connected on one end to the terminal system and extending therefrom into said chiller tank at a point below said evaporator, said first conduit including a riser portion extending upwardly through said evaporator and terminating above said evaporator to permit the water therein to be discharged therefrom and gravity fed across the evaporator into said reservoir during the cooling mode, a circulating pump, a second conduit connecting the reservoir in said chiller tank to the inlet side of said pump, a third conduit intersecting said first and second conduits, control valve means for controlling flow in said first and third conduits, a fourth conduit connected on one end to the discharge side of said pump and adapted to be connected on the other end to the terminal system, and heating means for heating the water in said fourth conduit during the heating mode, said heating means being of tubular construction and being interposed in and forming part of said fourth conduit with the water flowing through said tubular heating means during the heating and cooling modes.

Claim 30

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 25 wherein said tubular heating means is electrically operated during the heating mode.

Claim 31

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 25 wherein said control valve means is in the form of an electricall operated three-way valve interposed at the intersection of said first and third conduits.

Claim 32

The hydronic heating and cooling system defined in claim 25 wherein said control valve means is in the form of a pair of electrically operated two-way valves, one of said valves being located in said first conduit downstream of the intersection of said first and third conduits and being closed during the heating mode and being opened during the cooling mode, and the other of said valves being located in said third conduit and being opened during the heating mode and being closed during the cooling mode.