PURPOSE: To supply hot water by effecively utilizing the waste heat developed during cooling operation and at the same time utilize the hot heat of stored hot water for the temperature rise at starting of heating operation and for defrosting and consequently contrive to improve the comfortability and thermal efficiency by a structure wherein an in-the-tank heat exchanger consisting of a heat pump cycle is imbedded in a hot water storage tank.
CONSTITUTION: For cooling operation during the summer season, a first and a second four-way valves 13 and 14 and a second solenoid valve 23 are actuated so as to comprise a cycle, in which an in-the-tank heat exchanger 7 acts as a condenser and an indoor heat exchanger 17 acts as an evaporator, and at the same time a pump 9 and an indoor fan 18 are put into operation in order to cool indoor, while storing the waste heat developed by condensation in the form of hot water in a hot water storage tank 6. On the other hand, for heating operation, the first and the second four-way valves 13 and 14 and a third solenoid valve 24 are actuated so as to comprise a cycle, in which the indoor heat exchanger 17 acts as a condenser and an outdoor heat exchanger 15 acts as an evaporator in order to perform heat pump heating by the atmospheric heat source. However, when the temperature rise at starting of heating is slow due to low outside temperature or the like, the first and the second four-way valves and a first solenoid valve are actuated so as to act the in-the-tank heat exchanger 7 as an evaporator in order to perform quick starting temperature rise operation by utilizing hot water in the hot water storage tank 6 and consequently to improve the comfortability of heating.
KODAMA TATSUAKI
OHAMA MASAHIRO
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