Dividing Refrigerant Flow, E.g., Bypass Parallel Units Patents (Class 62/117)
  • Patent number: 11837708
    Abstract: A temperature control device of a vehicle may include an energy storage device, a first coolant circuit configured to temperature control the energy storage device, a refrigerant circuit, at least one refrigerant evaporator, a second coolant circuit, a refrigerant condenser, and a coolant cooler for transferring heat to an exterior environment. At least one section of the first coolant circuit and at least one section of the second coolant circuit may be defined by a shared circuit section. The coolant cooler may be fluidically connectable with at least one of the first coolant circuit and the second coolant circuit via the shared circuit section. The first coolant circuit may include a bypass for at least partially bypassing the coolant cooler. The first coolant circuit may include a valve device structured and arranged to distribute a first coolant flow to at least one of the shared circuit section and the bypass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventors: Markus Boger, Sascha Lindauer
  • Patent number: 11674722
    Abstract: System, method, and apparatus for controlling circulation of fluid to, and evacuation of the fluid from, an external fluid circuit for heat transfer. A single control valve selectively stops the circulation of fluid from a supply passageway to an external fluid circuit, and diverts fluid to a bypass passageway which creates a suction force at a fluid restriction therein. A suction passageway couples the suction force of bypass passageway to either return passageway or supply passageway, for evacuating fluid from external fluid circuit. No other valve is disposed or required in the supply passageway or the bypass passageway apart from the single control valve. No more than a single actuator is required to operate the apparatus. No more than a single suction passageway is required to be coupled to either supply passageway and/or return passageway. A return check valve disposed in return passageway prevents backflow of fluid through return passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Proteus Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Mark R Nicewonger
  • Patent number: 11669061
    Abstract: A variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system for a building includes an outdoor VRF unit, a plurality of indoor VRF units, a battery, and a predictive VRF controller. The outdoor VRF unit includes powered VRF components configured to apply heating or cooling to a refrigerant. The indoor VRF units are configured to use the heated or cooled refrigerant to provide heating or cooling to a plurality of building zones. The battery is configured to store electric energy and discharge the stored electric energy for use in powering the powered VRF components. The predictive VRF controller is configured to optimize a predictive cost function to determine an optimal amount of electric energy to purchase from an energy grid and an optimal amount of electric energy to store in the battery or discharge from the battery for use in powering the powered VRF components at each time step of an optimization period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Robert D. Turney, Nishith R. Patel
  • Patent number: 11555627
    Abstract: A system is provided and includes a first controller, a non-transitory computer-readable medium and a second controller. The first controller is configured to control operation of at least one compressor circuit including one or more compressors. The non-transitory computer-readable medium is configured to store instructions of a stage profiler for execution by the controller. The instructions include: determining a target system capacity profile for the at least one compressor circuit; determining system stage capacities for stages of the at least one compressor circuit; selecting some of the system stage capacities based on the target system capacity profile to provide an available system capacity profile; generating modulation information based on the available system capacity profile and a load request signal; and controlling operation of the one or more compressors based on the modulation information and according to the available system capacity profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Evans Speaker, Chetan Avinash Sowani, Kamalakkannan Muthusubramanian, Tanmay Hemant Deshpande
  • Patent number: 11498686
    Abstract: A refrigeration system can include a main flow circuit configured to flow a refrigerant therethrough and a heat input disposed in the main flow circuit and configured to receive heat and transfer the heat to the refrigerant in the main flow circuit to output heated refrigerant flow. The system can include a passive pump disposed in the main flow circuit downstream of the heat input configured to receive the heated refrigerant flow from the heat input and to use the heated refrigerant flow to generate a vacuum at a pump port and a condenser disposed in the main flow circuit downstream of the passive pump for receiving flow from the passive pump. The condenser can be configured to receive heat from the heated refrigerant flow and reject heat to cool the heated refrigerant flow to output partially cooled refrigerant flow. An outlet of the condenser can be upstream of the heat input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Abbas A. Alahyari, Abdelrahman I. Elsherbini
  • Patent number: 11480369
    Abstract: A fresh-air air conditioning system comprises: a first electromagnetic valve connected to a first interior heat exchanger, and the first electromagnetic valve is connected via a first accumulator to a compressor and a third electromagnetic valve; the third electromagnetic valve is connected via a second accumulator to the compressor and a second electromagnetic valve; and the second electromagnetic valve is connected to a second interior heat exchanger. When the first interior heat exchanger or the second interior heat exchanger is closed, the third electromagnetic valve opens so that the first accumulator and the second accumulator simultaneously communicate with the open one of the first interior heat exchanger or the second interior heat exchanger, avoiding poor oil return as a result of prolonged single-cylinder operation of the compressor, and ensuring the reliability of the compressor as well as interior comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI HIGHLY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Chunhui Liu
  • Patent number: 11359844
    Abstract: A packaged, pumped liquid, recirculating refrigeration system with charges of 10 lbs or less of refrigerant per ton of refrigeration capacity. The compressor and related components are situated in a pre-packaged modular machine room, and in which the condenser is mounted on the machine room and the evaporator is close coupled to the pre-packaged modular machine room. Prior art large receiver vessels may be replaced with a single or dual phase cyclonic separator also housed in the pre-packaged modular machine room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Evapco, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Liebendorfer, Gregory S. Derosier, Trevor Hegg
  • Patent number: 11342603
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery and a battery cooling system arranged to cool the battery. A controller of the vehicle is programmed to, responsive to current of the battery exceeding a current threshold and a temperature of the battery being less than a threshold temperature, activate the battery cooling system to cool the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Allen Tomai, Zachary March
  • Patent number: 11326830
    Abstract: A modular refrigeration system includes refrigeration modules that contain a high side cassette including a compressor and a condenser that is slidable into and out of a framework. A low side cassette including an evaporator is positioned in an area to be refrigerated in proximity to the framework and the high side cassette. A suction refrigerant pipe extends between the high side and low side cassettes and supplies refrigerant to the condenser from the evaporator. A liquid refrigerant pipe returns refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator. The suction refrigerant pipe and/or liquid refrigerant pipes may include threaded connections and/or quick connects/disconnects to be easily disconnected and allow removal of the high side cassette from the framework. Heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the coolant in the condenser in the high side cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Robert W. Jacobi
  • Patent number: 11268746
    Abstract: A cooling system is provided that partially floods one of its freezers (e.g., the ice cream freezer) such that the refrigerant discharged by the freezer includes a liquid component. In this manner, the freezers in the system can operate at the same saturated suction temperature. A heat exchanger can be used to transfer heat to the liquid component of the discharge to evaporate the liquid component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Patent number: 11268744
    Abstract: A method of controlling a refrigeration system including a medium temperature refrigeration load and a low temperature refrigeration load. The method includes selectively bypassing refrigerant between a medium temperature suction group and a low temperature suction group via a bypass line using an electronic valve positioned in the bypass line. The method also includes controlling flow of refrigerant between the medium temperature suction group and the low temperature suction group via a controller communicatively coupled to the valve, and modulating the valve at any position between a closed position and a full open position to vary an amount of refrigerant flow between the medium temperature suction group and the low temperature suction group in response to determining, via the controller, one or both of a state of the medium temperature suction group and a state of the low temperature suction group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventors: Quentin Crowe, Carlton Hardie, Justin Thomas, Kuntady Poornaprajna
  • Patent number: 11226145
    Abstract: A method for controlling a refrigerator includes turning on a compressor to operate with a predetermined cooling power for cooling a storage compartment, turning off the compressor when a temperature of the storage compartment reaches a temperature equal to or lower than a first reference temperature, and turning on the compressor again when the temperature of the storage compartment reaches a temperature equal to or higher than a second reference temperature higher than the first reference temperature. In the turning on the compressor again, the compressor is operated with a cooling power determined based on an on slope, which is a temperature change slope of the storage compartment during an on time of the compressor, and an off slope, which is a temperature change slope of the storage compartment during an off time of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Giseok Seong, Yoonseong Nam, Yonghun Suh, Myungjin Chung
  • Patent number: 11215182
    Abstract: A compressor is disclosed which can include a first stage and a second stage. In one form the compressor includes contact cooled compressor stages. The compressor can include a rod useful to inject a lubricant for purposes of cooling/lubricating/sealing the rotating components of the compressor. In one form the rod is an elongate rod with openings which permit a lubricant such as oil to be injected. The injected oil can be atomized via the openings. The rod can be positioned in the interstage space between the first and second stages, and can include a variety of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL U.S., INC.
    Inventors: Ryan D. Hartman, Daniel R. Crum, Ryan Coleman, Philipp Bothe
  • Patent number: 11209199
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a flash tank, a load, a compressor, and a heat exchanger. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The flash tank stores the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger and to discharge a flash gas. The load uses the refrigerant from the cool a space proximate the load. The compressor compresses the refrigerant from the load. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the refrigerant from the compressor to the flash gas before the refrigerant from the compressor reaches the high side heat exchanger. The heat exchanger directs the flash gas to the compressor after heat from the refrigerant from the compressor is transferred to the flash gas and directs the refrigerant from the compressor to the high side heat exchanger after heat from the refrigerant from the compressor is transferred to the flash gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Shitong Zha, Xi Sun
  • Patent number: 11193703
    Abstract: A method of operating a thermal system including at least a compressor, a condenser, a flow control valve, and at least one heat exchanger connected in a closed fluid loop charged with refrigerant. The method includes: regulating refrigerant pressure at a selected point within the fluid loop using a pressure regulating apparatus including: a main pressure regulator including a dome in fluid communication with a diaphragm that seals directly against at least one process void and at least one vent void; and a pilot pressure regulator in fluid communication with the dome so as to provide fluid thereto at a setpoint pressure. The setpoint pressure is maintained by the pilot pressure regulator utilizing refrigerant tapped from the fluid loop The refrigerant is tapped from a point upstream of the main pressure regulator and tapped refrigerant is returned to the fluid loop downstream of the main pressure regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Equilibar, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Matthew Heffner, Eugene Charles Jansen, Jeffrey Dean Jennings
  • Patent number: 11180000
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted temperature controller includes a first heat circuit having a battery heat exchange part exchanging heat with a battery and a first heat exchange part, with a first heat medium circulating therethrough; and a refrigeration circuit having a compression part compressing a refrigerant, a second heat exchange part radiating heat from the refrigerant, an expansion part expanding the refrigerant, and the first heat exchange part evaporating the refrigerant by making the refrigerant absorb heat from the first heat medium, realizing a refrigeration cycle by the refrigerant circulating therethrough. The first heat circuit includes a bypass flow path bypassing the battery heat exchange part, and an adjusting device adjusting a flow rate of the first heat medium flowing through the bypass flow path based on the temperature of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidefumi Aikawa, Manabu Orihashi, Yoshio Hasegawa, Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11133540
    Abstract: A battery thermal management system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery assembly and a coolant subsystem that circulates coolant through the battery assembly. The battery assembly is heated by a first portion of the coolant from an engine if a temperature of the battery assembly is below a first temperature threshold and is cooled by a second portion of the coolant from a chiller if the temperature is above a second temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jim William Dunham, Eric Emil Jackson, Paul Elia, Timothy Alan Mouch, Jagjit Romana, Chris P. Roxin, Charlie Qian, Stephen Pien
  • Patent number: 11009267
    Abstract: A method of operating an HVAC system comprising a first and second portion of evaporator circuits, the first portion being adapted to receive refrigerant from a first refrigerant path and the second portion being adapted to receive the refrigerant from a second refrigerant path. The method comprises determining a first value that is calculated based on a speed of an air blower and a total capacity of the HVAC system, and the air blower is operable to push a minimum volume of air in to the enclosed space. The method further comprises upon determining that the first value exceeds a cooling threshold or that the first value exceeds a dehumidification threshold, instructing a valve to close such that refrigerant cannot flow to the first portion of evaporator circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Siddarth Rajan, Rakesh Goel
  • Patent number: 10969145
    Abstract: An evaporator coil system includes a segmented evaporator coil. The segmented evaporator coil includes a primary segment and a secondary segment. A first plurality of evaporator circuit lines are fluidly coupled to the primary segment and a second plurality of evaporator circuit lines are fluidly coupled to the secondary segment. A suction line includes a first connection fluidly coupled to the primary segment and a second connection fluidly coupled to the secondary segment. A valve is arranged in fluid communication with the secondary segment so as to selectively restrict refrigerant flow through the secondary segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Rakesh Goel, John N. Tran
  • Patent number: 10921012
    Abstract: A system and method are described for conserving energy in HVAC systems. During certain temperature requests, ambient air can be supplied to a conditioned space and the HVAC compressor can be turned off to conserve power. During certain temperature requests, supply air can be adjusted through cycling of heating or cooling elements to conserve power and maintain desired space temperature. In various embodiments, supply air temperature, coil temperature, cabinet temperature and other values can be monitored for their effect on cooling and/or heating, and taken into account for determining how to best cool or heat a conditioned space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: EnTouch Controls Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Walton, Frank I. Menocal, Tejasbhai D. Patel
  • Patent number: 10895259
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to economized screw compressors. Particularly, this synchronized economizer ports on both the female and the male rotor sides of a compressor housing. The economizer ports simultaneously provide gas to a compression chamber formed by male and female rotors. The synchronized male side and female side economizer ports are configured to open and close at opening and closing angles, respectively. The opening angles and the closing angles each differ by at most half of an angular width of a male lobe of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Alberto Scala
  • Patent number: 10881031
    Abstract: A cooling system of a data center computer room and a data center are provided. A specific embodiment of the system comprises: a liquid cooling system, including a liquid cooling cabinet, a heat exchanger forming a first circulation loop with the liquid cooling cabinet, and a cooling tower forming a second circulation loop with the heat exchanger; and a radiant cooling system, including a water pipe absorbing radiant heat in the data center computer room, a water chilling unit forming a third circulation loop with the water pipe, and a cooling tower forming a fourth circulation loop with the water chilling unit. The embodiment has improved the cooling efficiency of the data center computer room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJING BAIDU NETCOM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhiming Luo, Tianyu Zhou, Binghua Zhang
  • Patent number: 10868453
    Abstract: The rotor of the rotating electric machine includes the rotor shaft and the rotor core. The rotor shaft has the shaft refrigerant passage and the refrigerant supplying port on the outer peripheral surface of the rotor shaft, the shaft refrigerant passage extending in an axial direction, the refrigerant supplying port communicating with the shaft refrigerant passage. The rotor core has the rotor core refrigerant passage and the refrigerant receiving port on the inner peripheral surface of the rotor core, the rotor core refrigerant passage extending in the axial direction, the refrigerant receiving port communicating with the rotor core refrigerant passage and facing the refrigerant supplying port of the rotor shaft. A clearance groove part is provided at a portion that is on the inner peripheral surface of the rotor core and that faces the refrigerant supplying port of the rotor shaft, the clearance groove part extending in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Noda, Shinya Sano, Hiroyuki Hattori, Masayuki Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 10816251
    Abstract: An exemplary heat pump includes: a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger configured to condense the compressed refrigerant; a flow rate adjustment valve configured to adjust a flow rate of the condensed refrigerant; an expansion valve having an adjustable opening and configured to decompress the refrigerant having passed the flow rate adjustment valve; a second heat exchanger configured to cool a temperature control target by using the refrigerant decompressed by the expansion valve; and a control device configured to control the opening of the expansion valve based on a difference between the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger and the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out from the second heat exchanger, and to control the opening of the flow rate adjustment valve based on the flow rate of the refrigerant to be supplied to the second heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiro Okuda, Hirotoshi Kihara, Keisuke Ota, Terunori Aikawa
  • Patent number: 10814700
    Abstract: A vehicle thermal management system including an electric powertrain, a single thermal loop, and a controller is provided. The electric powertrain includes a high voltage battery. The single thermal loop is for managing thermal conditions of the high voltage battery and a vehicle cabin and may include a climate control system, a blower, and a front evaporator in fluid communication with the vehicle cabin. The controller is programmed to, responsive to detection of a climate control system off request, output a command to direct the blower to push air through a heater core to the vehicle cabin at a predetermined temperature such that a temperature within the vehicle cabin is maintained at a predetermined temperature and refrigerant continues to flow through the front evaporator. The system may include a vehicle cabin temperature sensor and an ambient temperature sensor, each in electrical communication with the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Mark Jones, William Stewart Johnston, Manfred Koberstein
  • Patent number: 10785996
    Abstract: A gas injection system for injecting a gas into a liquid to form a solution includes a flow channel that conveys a liquid from an upstream inlet configured to receive the liquid and a downstream outlet configured to dispense the solution, sparger positioned in the flow channel, a solution pressure detection device configured to sense a pressure of the solution in the flow channel, and a liquid valve configured to regulate flow of the liquid in the flow channel based on the pressure sensed by the solution pressure detection device. The sparger is configured to inject the gas into the liquid through the porous surface as the liquid flows across the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Cornelius, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Giardino, Jacob Lukjanowicz, José Renteriá
  • Patent number: 10788203
    Abstract: An Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) device and method for transforming waste heat from a heat source containing compressed gas into mechanical energy. The ORC includes a closed circuit containing a two-phase working fluid, the circuit including a liquid pump for circulating the working fluid in the circuit consecutively through an evaporator which is in thermal contact with the heat source; through an expander like a turbine for transforming the thermal energy of the working fluid into mechanical energy; and through a condenser which is in thermal contact with a cooling element. The ORC determines the mechanical energy generated by the expander. A control device regulates the fraction of the working fluid entering the expander based on the determined mechanical energy such that the mechanical energy generated by the expander is maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
    Inventor: Henrik Ohman
  • Patent number: 10742085
    Abstract: The rotor of the rotating electric machine includes the rotor shaft and the rotor core. The rotor shaft has the shaft refrigerant passage and the refrigerant supplying port on the outer peripheral surface of the rotor shaft, the shaft refrigerant passage extending in an axial direction, the refrigerant supplying port communicating with the shaft refrigerant passage. The rotor core has the rotor core refrigerant passage and the refrigerant receiving port on the inner peripheral surface of the rotor core, the rotor core refrigerant passage extending in the axial direction, the refrigerant receiving port communicating with the rotor core refrigerant passage and facing the refrigerant supplying port of the rotor shaft. A clearance groove part is provided at a portion that is on the inner peripheral surface of the rotor core and that faces the refrigerant supplying port of the rotor shaft, the clearance groove part extending in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Noda, Shinya Sano, Hiroyuki Hattori, Masayuki Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 10718547
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus according to the present invention includes: a heat-source-side unit including a heat-source-side heat exchanger and a compressor; a plurality of load-side units including respective load-side heat exchangers and respective load-side expansion devices; and a relay unit connected between the heat-source-side unit and the plurality of load-side units by a first gas pipe and a first liquid pipe. The relay unit includes a gas/liquid separator which separates refrigerant supplied from the heat-source-side unit into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, a gas-refrigerant supply pipe and a liquid-refrigerant supply pipe which are connected to the gas/liquid separator and each of the plurality of load-side units, a drain pan which is provided in a housing of the relay unit and which receives dew-condensation water, and a heat transfer body which is provided in the drain pan and which is in contact with the liquid-refrigerant supply pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yohei Baba
  • Patent number: 10571158
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigeration method, during which a user is supplied with frigories by means of a working gas, such as helium, that is cooled by having the same flow into a cold box that comprises, in series, at least one first aluminum heat exchanger having brazed plates and flanges, one second heat exchanger having welded plates, and one third aluminum heat exchanger having brazed plates and flanges in such a way that the flow of said working gas is at least partially caused to pass, consecutively, through the first exchanger, then through the second exchanger, and finally through the third exchanger before said working gas flow is directed to the user in order to supply the user with frigories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Frederic Bonne, Mustapha Tebbani, Alain Briglia, Oriane De La Forterie
  • Patent number: 10527333
    Abstract: An air conditioner and a method for controlling an air conditioner are provided. The air conditioner may include an EHP outdoor device configured to drive a first compressor using electric power, and having a first heat exchanger that evaporates or condenses a refrigerant; a GHP outdoor device having an engine configured to drive a second compressor using a burned gas and a second heat exchanger that evaporates or condenses the refrigerant; and a flow rate balancing device configured to connect the first heat exchanger with the second heat exchanger, and to control a flow rate of the refrigerant through the EHP outdoor device and the GHP outdoor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hojong Jeong, Kwangho Shin, Minho Chung, Song Choi
  • Patent number: 10520232
    Abstract: A packaged, pumped liquid, recirculating refrigeration system with charges of 10 lbs or less of refrigerant per ton of refrigeration capacity. The compressor and related components are situated in a pre-packaged modular machine room, and in which the condenser is mounted on the machine room and the evaporator is close coupled to the pre-packaged modular machine room. Prior art large receiver vessels may be replaced with a single or dual phase cyclonic separator also housed in the pre-packaged modular machine room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Evapco, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Liebendorfer, Gregory S. Derosier, Trevor Hegg
  • Patent number: 10480834
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed to prime a refrigerant pump by decoupling the condenser from the refrigerant pump and the refrigerant pump line or shielding from a condenser operation prior to startup of the system, so that liquid refrigerant can be appropriately sourced from the condenser and/or the evaporator using flow control device(s) such as a source valve on a source line of the condenser and/or on a source line of the evaporator and the control of such valve(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Daoud A. Jandal, Brian Thomas Sullivan, Reginald Loyd Berry, Dennis Lee Justin, Matthew Aron Witt, Damion Scott Plymesser
  • Patent number: 10473374
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigeration apparatus in which a decrease in a temperature of an indoor heat exchanger can be suppressed as much as possible while depletion of refrigerator oil in a compressor is also suppressed. An air-conditioning apparatus configured from a parallel connection of a plurality of outdoor units to an indoor unit, wherein when a predetermined defrosting condition has been fulfilled, a controller includes at least one processor programmed to selectively execute a reverse-cycle defrost mode when a predetermined outflow condition pertaining to an outflow integrated quantity of refrigerator oil has also been fulfilled, and selectively execute an alternating defrost mode, in which the outdoor unit that is to be defrosted is changed in sequence, when the predetermined outflow condition has not been fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuuta Ohura, Junya Minami
  • Patent number: 10393418
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit, indoor units, and a relay unit, and forms a refrigerant circuit. The air-conditioning apparatus further includes a fourth flow control device that regulates the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat source unit-side heat exchanger, a switching valve that regulates the flow rate of the refrigerant passing through a bypass pipe, and a control unit that controls the first heat-source-unit flow control device and the switching valve based on a pressure on a refrigerant inlet side of the heat source unit-side heat exchanger, an inlet temperature and an outlet temperature of a medium passing through the heat source unit-side heat exchanger, and the ratio of a cooling operation capacity to a heating operation capacity of the use-side heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Koge, Koji Azuma
  • Patent number: 10335906
    Abstract: System and methods are provided and include a compressor operable in a refrigeration circuit, a first sensor detecting high-side data indicative of a high-side operating condition of a high-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit, a second sensor detecting low-side data indicative of a low-side operating condition of a low-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry receives the high-side data and the low-side data, determines a high-side fault, a low-side fault, a severe high-side fault, or a severe low-side fault based on the high-side data and the low-side data, operates the compressor in a limp-along mode by restricting power to the compressor or reducing a capacity of the compressor in response to determining at least one of the high-side fault and the low-side fault, and shuts down the compressor in response to determining at least one of the severe high-side fault and the severe low-side fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Hung M. Pham
  • Patent number: 10330351
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a first compressor configured to compress first refrigerant, a first condenser configured to condense the compressed first refrigerant, a first expansion valve configured to reduce a temperature and a pressure of the condensed first refrigerant, a first evaporator configured to evaporate the first refrigerant having passed through the first expansion valve, a second compressor configured to compress second refrigerant, a second condenser configured to condense the compressed second refrigerant, a second expansion valve configured to reduce a temperature and a pressure of the condensed second refrigerant, a second evaporator configured to evaporate the second refrigerant having passed through the second expansion valve, a first heat exchanger arranged after and connected to the first expansion valve, and a second heat exchanger arranged after and connected to the second expansion valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyeongyun Kim, Sunam Chae, Kyungseok Kim
  • Patent number: 10330331
    Abstract: An independent temperature and humidity processing air conditioning system driven by low-level thermal energy, comprising an absorption-type refrigeration circulation loop, a solution dehumidification and regeneration circulation loop, a water cooling circulation loop, and a central air conditioning air supply and air return pipeline; the absorption-type refrigeration circulation loop comprises an evaporator (21), an absorber (26), a generator pump (25), a second solution heat exchanger (27), a generator (1), a condenser (2), a water-water heat exchanger (3), and a throttle valve (20); the solution dehumidification and regeneration circulation loop comprises a regenerator (8), a first solution pump (9), a solution heater (10), a first solution heat exchanger (12), a second solution pump (16), a solution cooler (17), and a dehumidifier (18); the water cooling circulation loop comprises two branches; and the central air conditioning air supply and a return pipeline comprises an air supply pipeline (13), an air
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yonggao Yin, Yaming Dong, Xiaosong Zhang
  • Patent number: 10330361
    Abstract: A passive liquid collecting device includes a reservoir including a reservoir exit line and at least one rigid structure disposed within the reservoir configured to collect a liquid and direct the liquid to the reservoir exit line. A first porous capillary media is supported by the at least one rigid structure and a vapor-liquid separator in contact with at least one of the at least one rigid structure and the first porous capillary media. The vapor-liquid separator includes a guide member extending along a guide member axis having a guide inlet and a guide outlet connected by a spiral conduit. A second porous capillary media is located radially outward from the spiral conduit on an exterior surface of the guide member. A thermal control loop is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wei-Lin Cho
  • Patent number: 10254018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for carrying out a vapour refrigeration process. The apparatus has a motor-operated main compressor which is equipped to suck-in a mass flow of a fluid serving as a refrigerant which is at evaporating pressure level and to compress this mass flow to a high pressure level, and also a high-pressure heat exchanger which is equipped to cool the mass flow of the fluid at a high pressure level, to increase a density and to reduce a temperature of the fluid. Also provided is an expander which is equipped to expand the mass flow of the fluid coming from the high pressure heat exchanger to evaporating pressure level in work-performing manner, and an evaporator which is equipped to absorb heat such that the density of the fluid decreases as it passes through the evaporator and the temperature of the mass flow coming from the expander at evaporating pressure and the temperature of the fluid being fed through the evaporator increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: BITZER Kuehlmaschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Joerg Nickl
  • Patent number: 10240837
    Abstract: An outdoor unit includes at least a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, and an outdoor heat exchanger of a refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant circuit being formed by connecting, by pipes, the compressor, a condenser, a pressure reducing device, the gas-liquid separator, and the outdoor heat exchanger that acts as an evaporator including at least a plurality of heat transfer tubes and an inlet header that distributes incoming refrigerant to the heat transfer tubes. The outdoor unit further includes a gas-liquid-separator bypass pipe, a gas-liquid-separator-side flow control valve, a header bypass pipe, a header-side flow control valve, and a determination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoji Onaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Mizuo Sakai, Hiroki Murakami, Hiroaki Nakamune
  • Patent number: 10234182
    Abstract: Provided are a flash tank and an air conditioner having the same. The flash tank includes a flash tank liquid inlet (11) and a flash tank liquid outlet (12). The flash tank further includes: a plurality of flash chambers, wherein the flash chambers are arranged in sequence, every two adjacent flash chambers communicating; and a plurality of air replenishment openings (14), the air replenishment openings (14) and the flash chambers corresponding one to one and communicating with each other. The flash tank liquid inlet (11) communicates with the first flash chamber of the flash chambers, and the flash tank liquid outlet (12) communicates with the last flash chamber of the flash chambers. The flash tank may meet an air replenishment demand of a multi-stage compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
    Inventors: Tang Zhou, Yu Zhou, Chenguang Wang, Juan Wang, Xianquan Liu, Cui Pan, Liang Wan, Chengzhao Jin
  • Patent number: 10215450
    Abstract: The invention relates to heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning equipment (1) including a device (9) for controlling the temperature of a battery (7) of an automobile including at least a compressor (11), a condenser (13), a first expansion member (15), a thermal-conditioning exchanger (17) for exchanging heat between a coolant and a heat-transport fluid (FC), and switching means. The temperature control device (9) includes at least one bypass line (9b) connecting an outlet of the compressor (11) to an inlet of the thermal-conditioning exchanger (17) while bypassing the condenser (13). The invention also relates to a method for controlling the temperature of an automobile battery (7) implemented by means of such heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning equipment (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES
    Inventors: Pascal Guigou, Mohamed Yahia
  • Patent number: 10203140
    Abstract: A refrigeration system is provided, such as for use with chillers. The system uses a tube-side condenser, such as a microchannel condenser, along with a shell-side evaporator such as a falling film evaporator. A flash tank economizer is disposed between the condenser and the evaporator, and an inlet valve to the flash tank is controlled based upon subcooling of condensate from the condenser. The vapor exiting the flash tank may be fed via an economizer line to a system compressor. Liquid phase refrigerant combined with some gas phase refrigerant exits the flash tank and is directed through an orifice before entering the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: William L. Kopko, Israel Federman, Satheesh Kulankara, Andrew John Graybill
  • Patent number: 10203155
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and device for condensing a first fluid rich in carbon dioxide using a second fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Michel Lestrade, Fabrice Rivoal
  • Patent number: 10184705
    Abstract: An actuation method of a refrigerating machine (10) provided with an economizer apparatus (16) and including an auxiliary laminating member (18) having the opening adjustable for modulating a tapping flow rate of refrigerating fluid flowing through the economizer apparatus (16) including a checking phase of the value of the condensing temperature (Tc) compared to a first threshold value (Tc-max); a first adjustment phase of the opening of the auxiliary laminating member (18) in order to keep the temperature of said tapping flow rate at the entrance of the compressor (15) of the refrigerating machine (10) substantially equal to a predetermined overheating value, if the condensing temperature (Tc) is lower than the first threshold value (Tc-max); a second adjustment phase of the opening of the auxiliary laminating member (18) depending on the value of the condensing temperature (Tc).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: CAREL INDUSTRIES S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Dal Pra′
  • Patent number: 10166838
    Abstract: When a refrigerant evaporation temperature of an interior evaporator cannot be set lower than a dew-point temperature of air flowing into the interior evaporator in a heating operation, a refrigerant circuit is switched to a normal heating operation mode in which a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into the interior evaporator is set to zero by allowing the refrigerant to flow toward a bypass passage. In a case where the air cannot be dehumidified by the interior evaporator, an unnecessary heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant in the interior evaporator can be suppressed. Thus, the energy of the vehicle air conditioner can be effectively prevented from being wasted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Inaba
  • Patent number: 9951975
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide refrigerant vapor compression system and method of operating that system are provided. The refrigerant vapor compression system includes a compression device, a flash tank receiver disposed in the refrigerant circuit intermediate a refrigerant heat rejection heat exchanger and a refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger, and a compressor unload circuit including a refrigerant line establishing refrigerant flow communication between an intermediate pressure stage of the compression device and the refrigerant circuit at a location downstream of the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger and upstream of a suction inlet to the compression device, and a unload circuit flow control device disposed in said unload circuit refrigerant line. In response to at least one system operating parameter sensed by at least one sensor, the controller selectively positions the unload flow control device to maintain the refrigerant vapor compression system operating below a preselected high pressure limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu H. Chen, Suresh Duraisamy, Lucy Yi Liu, Jason Scarcella, Zvonko Asprovski, Kursten Lamendola, Biswajit Mitra
  • Patent number: 9945606
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cryogenic distillation of air. In a system of air separation columns, all the air is taken to a high pressure which is 5 to 10 bar greater than a medium pressure. A portion of air, between 10% and 50% of the high pressure air stream, is boosted in a cold booster. This boosted air is then sent to an exchanger and a portion of it liquefies at the cold end of the exchanger. Part of the air is sent to one column of the column system, and another fraction is partly expanded in a Claude turbine. After expansion in the turbine, the air is sent to a medium pressure column, and a liquid stream is withdrawn for one of the columns of the system. The withdrawn stream is pressurized and vaporizes in the exchange line. The cold booster is coupled to either an expansion turbine, an electric motor, or a combination of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
    Inventors: Patrick Le Bot, Olivier De Cayeux, Frédéric Judas
  • Patent number: 9943014
    Abstract: Some modular heat-transfer systems can have an array of at least one heat-transfer element being configured to transfer heat to a working fluid from a heat dissipator. A manifolded heat exchanger can be configured to receive heated working fluid from a plurality of heat-transfer elements and to reject heat to a working fluid of a second fluid circuit. In some embodiments, the heat exchanging manifold can split an incoming flow of working fluid from the second fluid circuit into two or more streams having different bulk flow directions. In some instances, heat exchanger portions of the heat exchanging manifold are configured to provide counter flow heat exchange between the working fluid of the first fluid circuit and the working fluid of the second fluid circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: CoolIT Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoff Sean Lyon, Mike Holden, Brydon Gierl