Abstract: In one embodiment, a cooling system may include a thermosyphon cooler that cools a cooling fluid through dry cooling and a cooling tower that cools a cooling fluid through evaporative cooling. The thermosyphon cooler may use natural convection to circulate a refrigerant between a shell and tube evaporator and an air cooled condenser. The thermosyphon cooler may be located in the cooling system upstream of, and in series with, the cooling tower, and may be operated when the thermosyphon cooler is more economically and/or resource efficient to operate than the cooling tower. According to certain embodiments, factors, such as the ambient temperature, the cost of electricity, and the cost of water, among others, may be used to determine whether to operate the thermosyphon cooler, the cooling tower, or both.

Abstract: A cooling-abnormality detecting system in which a heat generating component and a cooling component contact each other via a contact section, and the cooling component cools the heat generating component. The cooling-abnormality detecting system includes: a heat-generating-component-temperature detecting sensor, a heat-generating-component-power-consumption detecting sensor, a cooling-component-temperature detecting sensor, and a processor that calculates a heat resistance value of the contact section between the heat generating component and the cooling component and determines the presence or absence of an abnormality in the contact section.

Abstract: A control system for a multi-stage compressor. The control system includes an AC line voltage source, a variable-voltage variable-frequency drive, and a processor. The AC line voltage source is configured to operate the multi-stage compressor. The variable-voltage variable-frequency drive is coupled to the AC line voltage source and is configured to operate the multi-stage compressor at a variable speed. The processor is coupled to the AC line voltage source and the variable-voltage variable-frequency drive, and is configured to alternatively coupled the AC line voltage source and the variable-voltage variable-frequency drive to the multi-stage compressor to operate the multi-stage compressor. The processor is further configured to transmit a capacity control signal to the multi-stage compressor. The capacity control signal is instructive to operate the multi-stage compressor in one of a high-capacity setting and a low-capacity setting.

Abstract: A method for operating a refrigeration system for a mobile unit includes steps of: 1) providing a refrigeration unit having a compressor, an evaporator, and at least one fan operable to move air towards the evaporator, a generator dedicated to the refrigeration unit, and a battery; 2) determining at least one environmental parameter in one or both of the mobile unit and the refrigeration unit; and 3) selectively operating the refrigeration unit in one of a plurality of modes based on the environmental parameter. The plurality of modes includes a first mode wherein at least the fan is powered by the battery, and a second mode wherein the compressor and the fan are powered by the generator.

Abstract: An energy saving controller for an air handler having a heater and a dual speed fan adapted to switch between a first speed and a second higher speed via a gas furnace controller, the energy saving controller being configured to be mounted between a thermostat and the gas furnace controller, and having: input terminals configured to connect to corresponding thermostat output terminals and receive output signals; a microcontroller configured to: process the output signals into revised signals; and cause the gas furnace controller to alternate between the first speed and the second higher speed to mimic a behavior of a variable speed fan; drivers configured to receive the revised signals and use the revised signals to actuate mechanical relays; wherein the mechanical relays are configured to actuate the fan or the compressor via ESC output terminals.

Abstract: An outdoor device of an air conditioner includes a compressor, an outdoor fan, and an outdoor control board. The outdoor device includes: a control unit that controls the compressor and the outdoor fan; and a temperature detector that detects an ambient temperature of an electric component provided on the outdoor control board. The control unit, when the compressor is stopped, stops the outdoor fan and then determines whether a temperature detected by the temperature detector is equal to or higher than a threshold, and, when it is determined that the temperature detected by the temperature detector is equal to or higher than the threshold, operates the outdoor fan at a protective rotation number that is lower than a rotation number of the outdoor fan while the compressor is in operation so as to circulate air, thereby cooling the outdoor control board.

Abstract: An air-conditioning unit including an air circuit with an air inlet, a main fan and an air outlet designed to be connected to a chamber, preferably via one or more flexible ducts, and a refrigerant circuit including a heat exchanger/evaporator positioned in the air circuit to cool the air by evaporating the refrigerant, a compressor and a condenser for condensing the refrigerant before it is returned to the heat exchanger/evaporator. The heat exchanger/evaporator includes several parallel circuits each having at least one regulator valve. The air circuit also includes a temperature probe downstream of the heat exchanger/evaporator and connected to a controller which controls the regulator valves to regulate the flow of refrigerant, and a pressure probe at the air outlet and connected to a regulator for regulating the speed and/or the power of the main fan so as not to exceed a maximum raised pressure at air outlet.

Abstract: An air conditioner includes a refrigerant charge port provided in an outdoor liquid-side connection valve or an outdoor gas-side connection valve, a liquid-side valve provided between the outdoor liquid-side connection valve and an expansion valve, and a gas-side valve between the indoor gas-side connection valve and a compressor. When an outdoor unit and indoor unit are separated, the liquid-side and gas-side valves are closed, and a refrigerant is charged into an outdoor connection pipe that is closed by the liquid-side valve and the gas-side valve. A control unit is adapted to close the refrigerant charge port, and then open the liquid-side valve and the gas-side valve when a pressure detector detects a predetermined degree of vacuum.

Abstract: A system includes a condenser and an evaporator. The condenser is configured to condense a working fluid, and the evaporator is configured to evaporate the working fluid. The system also includes piping that is configured to circulate the working fluid between the condenser and the evaporator. In addition, the system includes a low point configured to collect condensed working fluid. A controller is configured to selectively enable heating of the condensed working fluid collected within the low point based on a working fluid pressure of the low point.

Abstract: An energy saving controller for an air handler having a fan and a heater or a compressor, the energy saving controller having circuitry for monitoring of ON and OFF durations of the heater if the air handler is in a heating mode, or the compressor if the air handler is in a cooling mode, in a previous cycle, and, of ON duration of a current cycle, and determining the fan's first run time extension based on the ON and OFF durations of the previous cycle and the ON duration of the current cycle.

Abstract: An air conditioning system having a compact configuration may include an evaporator and a heater core that have a cylindrical shape. The evaporator defines a cavity. The heater core is positioned within the cavity such that the evaporator and the heater core are coaxially positioned with each other about a center axis. The heater core is configured to rotate about the center axis to draw in air.

Abstract: A method for operating a defrost mode of a transport refrigerant vapor compression system includes initiating a defrost operation for the transport refrigerant vapor compression system by energizing heaters operatively coupled to a heat absorption heat exchanger operable to defrost the heat absorption heat exchanger. During the defrost operation, the method includes comparing the heat absorption heat exchanger pressure to the first predetermined limit; in response to the heat absorption heat exchanger pressure being less than the first predetermined limit, performing at least one operation to determine if the defrost operation should be exited; and in response to the heat absorption heat exchanger pressure being greater than the first predetermined limit, exiting the defrost operation.

Abstract: An energy saving controller configured for mounting between a thermostat and the controller for an air handler unit having a fan and at least a member of a group consisting of a heater and a compressor, the energy saving controller including a temperature probe for reading the temperature of a room where the thermostat is located and being configured to control the air handler unit based on a demand response request received from a utility provider via the Internet and an input from the temperature probe.

Abstract: A home appliance includes a main body having a storage compartment, a door that opens or closes the storage compartment, a detection unit to detect an opening or closing of the door, a display unit disposed on the main body or the door to display information, and a control unit to control the display unit on the basis of the detection by the detection unit. The control unit changes a display on the display unit from a main screen to a function management screen in response to a command inputted on the main screen when the main screen is displayed on the display unit, and the control unit changes a display on the display unit from the main screen to the function management screen in response to the opening or closing of the door detected by the detection unit when the main screen is displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: An HVAC system for a vehicle includes infrared skin temperature sensors for measuring actual skin temperatures of the driver and a cabin temperature sensor for measuring an actual cabin temperature of ambient air within the passenger cabin. A controller module stores a target cabin temperature. The controller module controls the HVAC system according to a first error between the target cabin temperature and the actual cabin temperature. A personalization module stores a target skin temperature, and the personalization module determines an offset to be applied to the target cabin temperature according to a second error between the target skin temperature and the actual skin temperature. Infrared temperature measurements are collected for the left and right sides of a person's face, and the actual skin temperature is selected as the one that deviates most from the actual cabin temperature.

Abstract: An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be a thermostat including a housing that houses a temperature sensor, a microphone, and a controller. The controller may identify a trigger phrase in an audio stream provided by the microphone. In response to identifying the trigger phrase, the controller initiates processing of the audio stream to identify a command following the trigger phrase and to generate a command understandable by the thermostat that instructs the controller to perform the identified command. The controller then executes the generated command understandable by the thermostat. A user may communicate with the thermostat via the microphone of the thermostat and/or a remote device having a microphone.

Abstract: A method for controlling an air handler including a fan and a heater or a compressor, the method including installing an energy saving controller (“ESC”) between a thermostat and the air handler, monitoring by the ESC of ON and OFF durations of the heater if the air handler is in a heating mode, or the compressor if the air handler is in cooling mode, in a first cycle and of ON duration of a second cycle, and determining the fan's first run time extension amount based on the ON and OFF durations of the first cycle and the ON duration of the second cycle.

Abstract: A transport refrigerant vapor compression system includes a controller for controlling operation of the transport refrigerant vapor compression system. The controller is configured to modulate a discharge pressure of the refrigerant compression device to control a cooling capacity of the transport refrigerant vapor compression system. The controller is configured to modulate the discharge pressure of a refrigerant compression device to control the cooling capacity of the transport refrigerant vapor compression system using both a refrigerant reservoir and an auxiliary expansion device without affecting superheat of the transport refrigerant vapor compression system.

Abstract: A cooling system is provided with a refrigerator using helium gas, a compressor that compresses the helium gas returned from the refrigerator and supplies the gas to the refrigerator, and a control unit. The control unit includes a measurement acquisition unit that acquires measurements of a plurality of different parameters representing a status of the refrigerator, or the compressor, or both, and an analysis unit that conducts multivariate analysis of the measurements acquired by the measurement acquisition unit.

Abstract: A personal comfort system, for use with a bedding assembly having a mattress, includes an air conditioning system configured to condition air within an air flow and a delivery system to receive and provide the conditioned air to a mattress. The air conditioning system includes a housing coupled with a fan and a thermal transfer device having a thermoelectric engine operable for conditioning air within the air flow.