Patents Assigned to Trane International Inc.
  • Patent number: 11976234
    Abstract: Embodiments are described herein to provide refrigerant and/or refrigerant composition that is suitable for providing lubrication to, for example, moving parts of a chiller system. Embodiments are also described herein to provide an additive, such as a corrosion inhibitor and/or stabilizers, that can be added to the refrigerant to form refrigerant compositions that is suitable for providing lubrication to, for example, moving parts of a chiller system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Stephen Anthony Kujak
  • Patent number: 11976858
    Abstract: A method of converting a refrigerant includes recovering a refrigerant from a refrigeration unit with an evacuation pump and containing the recovered refrigerant in a container. The method also includes converting the recovered refrigerant. The converted refrigerant is different from the recovered refrigerant. A system for converting a refrigerant includes an evacuation pump, a container, and one or more refrigerant containers. The evacuation pump and container are configured to recover a refrigerant from a refrigeration unit. The one or more refrigerant containers deliver one or more refrigerant components into the container to convert the recovered refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Dermott Crombie, Stephen A. Kujak
  • Patent number: 11976854
    Abstract: An HVACR system, a direct expansion evaporator, and a direct expansion heat exchanger tube arranged to evaporate a working fluid inside the tube are disclosed. The tube includes an exterior surface of the tube opposing an inner surface of the tube, and a cavity layer on the inner surface configured to evaporate the working fluid flowing in a first flow path arranged to direct the first fluid to flow through the tube and contact the cavity layer on the inner surface. A second flow path, separate from the first flow path, is arranged to direct a second fluid across the tube and to contact the extended member on the exterior surface of the tube such that the first fluid exchanges thermal energy with the second fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Evraam I Gorgy, Jon P. Hartfield
  • Patent number: 11971183
    Abstract: Refrigerant leak detection systems as well as related climate control systems and methods are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the refrigerant leak detection system includes a transmitter configured to emit an acoustic wave, and a receiver configured to detect the acoustic wave. The transmitter and the receiver are mounted within a space outside a conduit configured to carry a refrigerant of a climate control system. In addition, the refrigerant leak detection system includes a controller coupled to the transmitter and the receiver. The controller is configured to: determine a time of flight for the acoustic wave between the transmitter and the receiver, and determine whether a refrigerant is present in the space based on the time of flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Youssef A. Jaber, Raymond Walter Rite
  • Patent number: 11959690
    Abstract: A heat pump includes a compressor, a metering device, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first fan, a second fan, and a refrigerant circuit between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. A thermal storage device coupled to the refrigerant circuit is configured to store thermal energy when the refrigerant fluid is above a threshold temperature and discharge thermal energy when the refrigerant fluid is below the threshold temperature. The heat pump is operated in a heating mode in which heat is transferred from the refrigerant fluid at the first heat exchanger and the temperature of the refrigerant fluid at the thermal storage device is above the threshold temperature, and a defrost mode in which heat is transferred to the refrigerant fluid at the first heat exchanger and the temperature of the refrigerant fluid at the thermal storage device is below the threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventor: Jason T. LeRoy
  • Patent number: 11959483
    Abstract: A compressor includes a bore, a rotor disposed within the bore, a compressor inlet, a compressor outlet and a compression chamber defined between the bore and the rotor. A volume of the compression chamber gradually reduces from the compressor inlet to the compressor outlet. An economizer is configured to fluidically connect to the compression chamber. The economizer is configured to inject a working fluid into the compression chamber at an injection position. The injection position is changeable according to a working condition of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Jay H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11952300
    Abstract: Methane is generated from animal waste by anaerobic digestion using bacteria. A screen separator removes suspended solids greater in size than a predetermined size ranging from about 50? to about 150?. An electrocoagulation unit electrochemically hydrolyses the waste, causing particles to settle out. A dissolved carbon air flotation has a CO2 bubbler for separating large particles from small particles by flotation. An anaerobic digester produces biogas. The digester has a biocurtain for growing the bacteria and a heat exchanger for heating the bacteria. The biocurtain surface is convoluted to retain the bacteria. A membrane module removes CO2. A knock out pot for removes droplets of water. A scrubber removes water vapor, particulates, and contaminant gas. A compressor boosts pressure. A gas chromatograph monitors the biogas composition. A flare skid lowers excess pressure for safety. Biogas is injected into a local pipeline system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Charles Don Yochum, Stanley Scott Selman, Nathalie Shaffer
  • Patent number: 11953240
    Abstract: There is disclosed a reversible heat pump system 100 and a method of operating a reversible heat pump system to control the temperature of a process fluid of a chiller system 500. In a cooling mode, a working fluid is circulated for co-current flow with a process fluid at a heat exchanger 104 functioning as an evaporator heat exchanger, whereas in a heating mode, the working fluid is circulated for counter-current flow with the process fluid at the same heat exchanger 104 functioning as a condenser heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Yves Jacques Raimbault, Qingnan Huang
  • Patent number: 11953218
    Abstract: Architectures or techniques are presented that can prioritize operating a consumption device in a manner that is efficient in terms of consumption of a resource over satisfying a specified demand assigned to the consumption device. This re-prioritizing can be performed in response to a price of the resource exceeding a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: John Hughes, Thomas B. Krugler, Youssef A. Jaber, Steven Brooks
  • Patent number: 11953216
    Abstract: A ventilation system for a building in some cases includes a main HVAC blower for moving temperature-conditioned air through the building plus a smaller ventilation blower for providing fresh air. A controller regulates the ventilation blower's speed to provide a target ventilation flow rate regardless of changes in the pressure differential between the indoor and outdoor air. To ensure that the target rate is appropriate for a particular building, the target flow rate is determined based on a ventilation setting that reflects a specified number of bedrooms and a specified amount of floor space of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Wayne Helt, Roy Randall Crawford
  • Patent number: 11940175
    Abstract: A sound level control system for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is provided. The sound level control system comprises an outdoor unit with a compressor, an outdoor fan, and an outdoor controller and a communication device located at a predefined distance from the outdoor unit. The communication device measures sound levels in response to operating the outdoor unit. The outdoor controller is configured to receive a first noise level limit for a predefined time period, receive an instruction related to selective control of the outdoor unit, selectively control both of the compressor to rotate at a first compressor speed and the outdoor fan to rotate at a first fan speed based on the noise level limit for the predefined time period, and receive information related to whether a sound pressure level at a predefined location exceeds the first noise level limit for the predefined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Arvind Chitrala, Don A. Schuster, John Hughes, Karl J. Mutchnik
  • Patent number: 11933301
    Abstract: A variable capacity screw compressor comprises a suction port, at least two screw rotors and a discharge port being configured in relation to a selected rotational speed that operates at least one screw rotor at an optimum peripheral velocity that is independent of a peripheral velocity of the at least one screw rotor at a synchronous motor rotational speed for a rated screw compressor capacity. A motor is configured to drive the at least one screw rotor at a rotational speed at a full-load capacity that is substantially greater than the synchronous motor rotational speed at the rated screw compressor capacity. A variable speed drive receives a command signal from a controller and generates a control signal that drives the motor at the selected rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Dennis R. Dorman, John R. Sauls
  • Patent number: 11927364
    Abstract: An air handling unit (AHU) for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system includes a housing and a combustion heater disposed within the housing. The housing includes a combustion section with a first channel and a second channel. The combustion heater includes heat exchanger tubes and a tube support that supports heat exchanger tubes within the combustion section. The tube support slidably disposed in the first channel and the second channel. The combustion heater configured to be slidably removable from the AHU. An AHU for an HVACR system includes a housing with a fan section and a fan assembly disposed within the housing. The fan assembly including a pair of grooves slidably disposed on a pair of rails of the housing. The fan assembly configured to be both slidably removable from the AHU and liftably removable from the AHU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Daniel, Jason William Parks, Gregory L. Meeuwsen, Nathan Wagers, Chasity Webb, Anthony Chiles, Gregory Edmund Beltran, Aaron Allison Stevens, Stephen Kowalski, Jason Harpst
  • Patent number: 11927375
    Abstract: A liquid-vapor separator includes a housing, an inlet disposed on the housing and configured to receive a working fluid into the housing, a vapor stream outlet disposed on the housing and configured to release a vapor stream of the working fluid, and a demister disposed in the housing and configured to transfer thermal energy between the working fluid and the vapor stream. In some embodiments, the working fluid absorbs thermal energy and evaporates to provide the vapor stream that includes entrained droplets. At least a portion of the entrained droplets absorbs thermal energy from the working fluid to evaporate when the vapor stream flows through the demister. In some embodiments, the liquid-vapor separator includes a passive demisting portion that demists by obstructing at least a portion of the entrained droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Erica L. Gallant, Justin D. Piggush, Jon P. Hartfield
  • Patent number: 11920822
    Abstract: An air handling unit has an interior wall configured to selectively retain a removable component of the air handling unit. An air handling unit has an interior wall configured as a drain pan. An air handling unit has an outer skin joined to the interior wall, an insulator disposed between the interior wall and the outer skin, and the interior wall has a mounting channel configured to selectively retain a removable component of the air handling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Stewart, Mark Hudgins, Richard Lee Jameson, Keith Adam Novak, Leslie Zinger
  • Patent number: 11916444
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hermetic AC electric motor that includes harmonics shunting such that high frequency harmonics are shunted from the AC electric motor without the use of one or more high frequency filters in the associated motor drive. A related method of operating an AC electric motor includes shunting high frequency harmonics to a fluid passing through the AC electric motor. Also disclosed is a simplified variable speed motor drive system which eliminates the need for a filter for removing high frequency harmonics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Richard M. Heiden, Jay H. Johnson, Joseph M. Heger, Charles J. Peterson
  • Patent number: 11913463
    Abstract: A compressor for a heat transfer circuit includes a variable frequency drive (VFD), an electric motor that rotates a driveshaft, bearing(s) for supporting the driveshaft, a backup gas supply, and a power supply. During a utility power interruption, the backup gas supply operates utilizing DC electrical power generated by a back electromotive force of the electric motor. A method of operating an electric power supply system for a compressor includes operating in a utility power mode and operating in a backup power mode during a utility power interruption. In the utility power mode, AC electrical power is supplied from the VFD to the motor. In the backup power mode, DC electrical power generated in the VFD by a back electromotive force of the motor it used to operate a backup gas supply to supply compressed working fluid to gas bearing(s) of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Seth M. McGill, Charles J. Peterson, Robert S. Bakkestuen, Kevin P. Hughes
  • Patent number: 11906175
    Abstract: Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a control system for controlling an HVAC device where the control system includes a temperature sensor that provides a signal indicative of a temperature associated with the HVAC device, an orientation sensor that provides a signal indicative of an operating orientation of the HVAC device, and control circuitry that receives the temperature signal and the orientation signal from the orientation sensor. The control circuitry selects an operating thermal control set point from a plurality of stored thermal control set points based at least in part on an orientation signal, determines a temperature sensor input based on the temperature signal and compares the temperature sensor input to the operating thermal control set point, and operates the HVAC device based at least in part on that comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Neal Harrington, Thomas Gort, James R. M. Neal
  • Patent number: 11898768
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are disclosed for retrieving personality data for a first unit a climate control system. In an embodiment, the method includes querying a second unit controller that has replaced the first unit controller. In addition, the method includes determining that the second unit controller lacks personality data that is unique to the first unit. Further, the method includes transferring the personality data to the second unit controller from a memory of the climate control system that is separate from the second unit controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Stewart, Drew Whitehurst
  • Patent number: 11898571
    Abstract: A lubricant supply system is for a compressor that compresses a first working fluid in a heat transfer circuit. The lubricant supply system includes a lubricant tank, a lubricant pathway for supplying lubricant from the lubricant tank to one or more bearings of the compressor, and a lubricant refrigeration system with a lubricant heater and a lubricant cooler. The lubricant heater configured to heat the lubricant discharged from the one or more bearings and the lubricant cooler configured to cool the lubricant flowing through the lubricant pathway. A method of lubricating a compressor includes heating the lubricant, directing the lubricant from a lubricant tank through a lubricant pathway to one or more bearings of the compressor, and cooling the lubricant passing through the lubricant pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Mark W. Harrison, Steven J. Pitts, Todd W. Smith