Method of operating a heat-augmented heat pump system

Claim 1

A method of heating and defrosting in a heat pump system which includes at least an outside heat exchange coil defining a substantially enclosed interior chamber and an open lower end portion, an inside heat exchange coil, a compressor, an expansion valve and a refrigerant line connecting an inlet and outlet of the compressor to an outlet and inlet of the outside heat exchange coil and the inside heat exchange coil, respectively, and connecting an outlet of the inside heat exchange coil through the expansion valve to an inlet of the outside heat exchange coil comprising the steps of; operating the compressor to deliver refrigerant vapor the inside heat exchange coil; blowing air across coils of the inside heat exchange coil whereby the inside heat exchange coil functions as a condenser with the refrigerant vapor giving off its heat to air blowing across the inside heat exchange coil so that refrigerant returned to the outside heat exchange coil, after passing through the expansion valve, tends to cause the formation of frost on the outside surface of said outside heat exchange coil; creating a source of heat in the form of a flame generally contiguous and below the outside heat exchange coil and introducing the flame upwardly and substantially entirely into the interior chamber; and preventing the formation of frost on the outside heat exchange coil solely through the utilization of the created flame and in the absence of reversing the operation of the heat pump system to its cooling mode.

Claim 2

A method of heating and defrosting in a heat pump system which includes at least an outside heat exchange coil defining a substantially enclosed interior chamber and an open lower end portion, an inside heat exchange coil, a compressor, an expansion valve and a refrigerant line connecting an inlet and outlet of the compressor to an outlet and inlet of the outside heat exchange coil and the inside heat exchange coil, respectively, and connecting an outlet of the inside heat exchange coil through the expansion valve to an inlet of the outside heat exchange coil comprising the steps of; operating the compressor to deliver refrigerant vapor the inside heat exchange coil; blowing air across coils of the inside heat exchange coil whereby the inside heat exchange coil functions as a condenser with the refrigerant vapor giving off its heat to air blowing across the inside heat exchange coil so that refrigerant returned to the outside heat exchange coil, after passing through the expansion valve, tends to cause the formation of frost on the outside surface of said outside heat exchange coil; creating a source of heat in the form of a flame generally contiguous and below the outside heat exchange coil and introducing the flame upwardly and substantially entirely into the interior chamber; and preventing the formation of frost on the outside heat exchange coil solely through the utilization of the created flame and in the absence of reversing the operation of the heat pump system to its cooling mode.