Heat pump water heater

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 further including an elongated, linear heat exchanger having: a. a first passageway coupled at a first end to said compressor and at a second end to the outer passageway of said earth tap for transferring vaporized refrigerant from said earth tap to said compressor; and b. a second passageway coupled at a first end to said heat exchanger and at a second end to the inner passageway of said earth tap for transferring liquid refrigerant from said heat exchanger to said earth tap; Whereby heat is transferred from the liquid refrigerant flowing in a first direction through said linear heat exchanger into the vaporized refrigerant flowing in a second opposing direction through said linear heat exchanger.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein said circulating means includes a pump.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 wherein said restricting means includes a capillary tube.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1 further including second restricting means coupled between said heat exchanger and said linear heat exchanger for restrcting the flow of refrigerant between said heat exchanger and said linear heat exchanger

Claim 7

The system of claim 1 wherein said compressor and said heat exchanger are positioned within said container for transferring heat from said compressor to the fluid

Claim 8

The system of claim 1 wherein said earth tap further includes an external housing for increasing the surface area of said earth tap in contact with said heat source.

Claim 9

The system of claim 1 where said circulating means includes a pump.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1 wherein said fluorocarbon is Freon.

Claim 11

The system of claim 1 wherein said restricting means includes a capillary tube.

Claim 12

The system of claim 1 further including second restricting means for restricting the flow of the refrigerant between said heat exchanger and said earth tap.

Claim 13

A fluid heating system comprising: a. a fluid storage container; b. a closed circuit having a flurocarbon refrigerant therein; c. means for compressing and circulating said refrigerant through said circuit; d. a heat exchanger coupled in said circuit and with said container for transferring heat from the refrigerant to the fluid to heat the fluid and to condense the refrigerant from a gas to a liquid; e. a coaxial earth tap heat exchanger having upper and lower ends coupled in said circuit between said heat exchanger and said compressor for transferring heat from the earth to the refrigerant including i. an inner passageway for transferring liquid refrigerant from the upper end to the lower end of said earth tap; ii. Restricting means coupled to the lower end of the inner passageway of said earth tap for maintaining the refrigerant within said inner passageway in a liquid state and for vaporizing the refrigerant as it is discharged from the lower end of the inner passageway, wherein the vaporized refrigerant discharged from the restricting means is in contact with the inner surface of the outer wall of the coaxial earth through out that portion of the inner surface of the coaxial earth tap that is located below ground level; iii. An outer coaxial passageway thermally coupled with a heat source for transferring heat from said heat source to vaporize the refrigerant discharged from said restricting means and to increase the temperature of the refrigerant as the refrigerant travels from the lower end to the upper end of the outer passageway of said earth tap; and f. an elongated, linear heat exchanger coupled in said circuit between said heat exchanger and said earth tap for transferring heat from the liquid refrigerant received from said heat exchanger to the vaporized refrigerant received from said earth tap, said linear heat exchanger having a bidirectional refrigerant flow and serving to physically couple together said compressor with said earth tap.

Claim 14

A fluid heating system comprising: a. a fluid storage container; b. a closed circuit having a flurocarbon refrigerant therein; c. means for compressing and circulating said refrigerant through said circuit; d. a heat exchanger coupled in said circuit and with said container for transferring heat from the refrigerant to the fluid to heat the fluid and to condense the refrigerant from a gas to a liquid; e. a coaxial earth tap heat exchanger having upper and lower ends coupled in said circuit between said heat exchanger and said compressor for transferring heat from the earth to the refrigerant including i. an inner passageway for transferring liquid refrigerant from the upper end to the lower end of said earth tap; ii. Restricting means coupled to the lower end of the inner passageway of said earth tap for maintaining the refrigerant within said inner passageway in a liquid state and for vaporizing the refrigerant as it is discharged from the lower end of the inner passageway, wherein the vaporized refrigerant discharged from the restricting means is in contact with the inner surface of the outer wall of the coaxial earth through out that portion of the inner surface of the coaxial earth tap that is located below ground level; iii. An outer coaxial passageway thermally coupled with a heat source for transferring heat from said heat source to vaporize the refrigerant discharged from said restricting means and to increase the temperature of the refrigerant as the refrigerant travels from the lower end to the upper end of the outer passageway of said earth tap; and f. an elongated, linear heat exchanger coupled in said circuit between said heat exchanger and said earth tap for transferring heat from the liquid refrigerant received from said heat exchanger to the vaporized refrigerant received from said earth tap, said linear heat exchanger having a bidirectional refrigerant flow and serving to physically couple together said compressor with said earth tap.

Claim 17

The system of claim 12 wherein said heat exchanger is helical in configuration.

Claim 18

The system recited in claim 12 wherein said restricting means comprises a capillary tube.

Claim 19

The system recited in claim 12 further comprising circuit restricting means between the exit of said heat exchanger and the entry port for said liquid refrigerant at said linear heat exchanger.