Enviormental Chamber question?

Question

I have to rebuild an environmental chamber, and that environmental chamber need to be holding constant temperature(within 3 degree C) in a range of 20 to 25 and 30 to 35.

So I have an idea of routing a air compressor, condenser, evaporator, and a valve which could alternate the flow of r134. so when I need the enviormental chamber hotter the valve can make this "air conditioning system" hotter, and colder the other way.

My question is: Is this going to work like this, if not, any suggestion.

Answer 1

Designing a reversable heat pump (what you describe) is a lot more difficult that you might think.  The concept is easy, but to put it into practical application is difficult.

It would be much easier to have an A/C unit that is one-way (non reversable).  That is -- make it a chiller, only.  For heat use an electrical heater and a fan to blow hot air into the chamber or heat exchanger (after the chiller is turned off).

This is how most commercial environmental chambers work: chiller / heater.

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