Abstract: A motor test fixture for connection to motor terminal lugs. The fixture includes a housing including a plurality of external apertures positioned and formed to enclose the motor terminal lugs; an aperture in the housing; a chamber within the housing having a first end open to the aperture; and a slide bar moveably located in the chamber and moveable between at least a first position and a second position. The fixture also includes a plurality of plates moveably mounted in the housing to move between a motor lug engagement position and a motor lug disengagement position; and a plurality of plate motivators. Each plate motivator is arranged on the slide bar to engage a respective one of the plates and, when the slide bar is in the first position, to motivate the respective plate to the lug disengagement position and, when the bar is in the second position, to motivate the respective plate to the lug engagement position. The motor test fixture also preferably includes a polarity bar.

Abstract: An absorption apparatus for an absorption chiller includes a series of eliminator blades situated between a vaporizing chamber (e.g., a generator or an evaporator) and a devaporizing chamber (e.g., a condenser or an absorber). Each of the blades includes an upstream leg, a downstream leg and a deflection tab. With respect to the direction of vapor flowing from the vaporizing chamber to the devaporizing chamber, the upstream leg is at an upward incline and the downstream leg is at a downward incline. The deflection tab extends out over the downstream leg to create a concavity that helps prevent liquid in the devaporizing chamber from splashing back across the eliminator blade. In some embodiments, a tube support plate includes a series of holes for not only supporting the tube bundles of two heat exchangers but also for supporting the eliminator blades.

Abstract: An absorption apparatus includes a generator with an integrated outlet box comprising a liquid sensing chamber and a solution outlet chamber. The sensing chamber has an opening into the generator, with the opening being sized according to the liquid surface area inside the sensing chamber. The outlet chamber has a larger opening into the generator to provide a more open flow path for solution to exit the generator through the outlet chamber. The more restricted opening in the sensing chamber allows a liquid level sensor therein to sense a relatively calm liquid level that tends to be at an average elevation of a boiling-disrupted liquid level in the generator. With the opening in the sensing chamber being appropriately sized, a variable speed pump, responsive to the liquid level sensor, controls the flow of solution into the generator to maintain a desired solution liquid level in the generator.

Abstract: A purging device for a system accumulating condensable and non-condensable gases. The purging device comprises: a purge tank; apparatus receiving the condensable and non-condensable gases from the system and directing said gases into the purge tank; apparatus condensing the non-condensable gases into a condensed form; apparatus accumulating the non-condensable gases in a header space; apparatus returning the condensed gases from the purge tank to the system; apparatus controllably removing the accumulated non-condensable gases from the header space; and apparatus generating controlled flow in the condensable and non-condensable gases.

Abstract: A refrigeration chiller employs a centrifugal compressor the impellers of which are mounted on a shaft which is itself mounted for rotation using rolling element bearings lubricated only by the refrigerant which constitutes the working fluid of the chiller system. Apparatus is taught for providing liquid refrigerant to (1.) the bearings immediately upon chiller start-up, during chiller operation and during a coastdown period subsequent to shutdown of the chiller and (2.) the drive motor of the chiller's compressor for motor cooling purposes. By use of a variable speed-driven motor to drive the compressor, optimized part load chiller performance is achieved in a chiller which does not require or employ an oil-based lubrication system.

Abstract: A motor starter. The motor starter comprises a motor; start, run, shorting and transition contactors operably associated with the motor; and run, start, shorting and transition auxiliary contactors. The transition auxiliary contactor operably controls the operation of a shorting contactor, and the shorting auxiliary operatively controls the operation of the run contactor.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the design of a chiller involves placing more emphasis on the chiller's performance at part load than at full load and rating the chiller accordingly. In some embodiments, compressor speed and impeller diameter are chosen to optimize the chiller's performance at part load. With the chosen impeller diameter, operation at full load is then achieved by increasing compressor speed, opening inlet guide vanes, and perhaps sacrificing some efficiency. If necessary, an inverter over speeds the compressor by driving it at a speed beyond that which the compressor would normally run if it were driven at the nominal line frequency of the electrical power feeding the inverter.

Abstract: An evaporator for a refrigeration chiller includes a tube bundle in which at least a portion of the tubes of the tube bundle are immersed in a pool which include both liquid refrigerant and is lubricant. Liquid refrigerant and lubricant are deposited into the pool at a first pool location. Because of the vaporization of refrigerant that occurs within the pool, a pattern of flow is established and managed that causes the lubricant in the pool to migrate from the location of its deposit into the pool to a second pool location. An outlet is provided at the second pool location from which lubricant is drawn out of the evaporator.