Patent attributes
A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a first heat exchanger, a first region of a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger, a first heat exchange fluid, a compressor, a vapor generator, and a four-way valve. The compressor includes a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet. The vapor generator is positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of both the low-pressure inlet and the mid-pressure inlet. The four-way valve is positioned immediately upstream of the first heat exchanger. At least one component chosen from the group including the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the vapor generator is free from compressor-driven flow of the first heat exchange fluid during a predetermined set of heating modes of operation of the heat pump and a predetermined set of cooling modes of operation of the heat pump.
