Refrigeration system and method with controllable heat recovery

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of co-pending and commonly owned provisional application Ser. No. 60/615,440, filed Sep. 30, 2004.

The invention relates to a refrigeration system and method for providing heat recovery on a flexible basis as desired by the end-user.

Cooling circuits of refrigeration units frequently include heat recovery units which allow heat from refrigerant discharged by the compressor to be used for heating other fluids. One example of use of this type of system would be in heating water for satisfying the hot water requirements of a building. This advantageously allows the use of such heat to satisfy other energy needs.

The needs of various different buildings or other end-users in connection with the amount of heat provided to other fluids from the refrigerant circuit can vary substantially from end-user to end-user, and further can vary significantly over time for any end-user.

Unfortunately, refrigeration systems with heat recovery circuits are not capable of providing sufficient flexibility to meet the various demands of different end-users, and further the time-changing demands of individual end-users.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a system and method which address these needs.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.

In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects and advantages have been readily attained.

According to the invention, a method is provided for providing controllable amounts of heat recovery from a refrigerant circuit, which method comprises the steps of providing a cooling circuit comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator connected in series by refrigerant flow lines; providing a heat recovery circuit comprising a heat recovery heat exchanger, the heat recovery circuit being connected to the cooling circuit so that the heat recovery heat exchanger is in parallel with the condenser, and the heat recovery heat exchanger being in heat exchange relationship with a fluid to be heated based upon an end-user demand for heat; and selectively flowing refrigerant through the condenser of the cooling circuit and the heat recovery heat exchanger of the heat recovery circuit so as to maintain temperature of the fluid within a temperature band around a set point provided by the end user.

In further accordance with the present invention, the system may further comprise a plurality of cooling circuits and a plurality of heat recovery circuits, and the selectively flowing step may suitably comprise selectively flowing refrigerant through heat recovery heat exchangers of one or more of the heat recovery circuits.

The foregoing system and method allow flexible heating of fluid with the heat recovery heat exchanger to satisfy different and changing heat recovery needs of different end-users with a single system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention follows, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a single circuit adapted for cooling and heat reclaim operation according to the invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a multiple-circuit system embodiment according to the invention; and

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