Abstract: A thermal bridge utilizes a piping and operational strategy to provide chilled water to meet chiller plant demand during both thermal storage charge and discharge modes of operation. The thermal storage comprises a thermal storage device, such as a thermal storage tank. The thermal bridge includes a loop comprising one or more chillers and chilled water pumps that generate chilled water flow. Multiple operating modes for nominal, thermal storage charging, thermal storage charging and discharge, or thermal storage discharge are provided.

Abstract: Ultraviolet radiation is directed within an area. The storage area is scanned and monitored for the presence of biological activity within designated zones. Once biological activity is identified, ultraviolet radiation is directed to sterilize and disinfect designated zones within the storage area.

Abstract: An ice crushing device includes an ice storage container and an ice knife assembly arranged in the ice storage container. The ice knife assembly includes a rotary shaft, a fixed ice knife, a movable ice knife and an ice cube separator, the rotary shaft is capable of driving the movable ice knife to rotate, the fixed ice knife and the ice cube separator are located at two sides of the rotary shaft separately, and the fixed ice knife and the ice cube separator are both fixed relative to the ice storage container.

Abstract: A method for cool drying gas having the steps of determining the evaporator temperature and/or evaporator pressure and measuring the lowest gas temperature. The method includes the step of determining the load of the cooling circuit on the basis of the evaporator temperature and/or evaporator pressure and the lowest gas temperature and calculating a desired value for the evaporator temperature and/or evaporator pressure that is required to cool the gas supplied to a set lowest gas temperature which includes the load. The speed of the compressor is then controlled to make the evaporator temperature and/or evaporator pressure equal to the desired value.

Abstract: A thermal load based automatic valve arrangement including an actuator responsive to fluid temperature flowing through the arrangement, a closure member operably connected to the actuator, and a seat receptive to the closure member to prevent or restrict fluid flow through the arrangement in a first direction when actuated while still allowing fluid flow in a second direction. A method for controlling steam movement in a production string of a SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) installation including sensing with an actuator, temperature of fluid moving through a valve arrangement, automatically adjusting the valve arrangement pursuant to thermal load on the actuator.

Abstract: In controlling the HVAC system, a need to determine an expected indoor temperature profile for a particular schedule of setpoint temperatures may arise. To make such a determination, a thermodynamic model of the structure is used. The thermodynamic model is generated by fitting weighting factors of a set of basis functions to a variety of historical data including time information, temperature information, and HVAC actuation state information. The set of basis functions characterize an indoor temperature trajectory of the structure in response to a change in HVAC actuation state, and include an inertial carryover component that characterizes a carryover of a rate of indoor temperature change that was occurring immediately prior to the change in actuation state.

Abstract: At least one forced convection unit added to a passive heat transport system is operated during transient heat loading periods but not operated under steady state conditions for cooling and maintaining a set point temperature of a chamber or surface. Forced convection is selectively employed based on temperature data and/or set point temperature values. A reject heat transport system includes first and second reject heat sinks each coupled via main and crossover transport tubes to first and second reject heat exchangers, permitting both heat sinks to dissipate heat from first and second thermoelectric heat pumps regardless of whether the first, the second, or the first and second heat pumps are in operation.

Abstract: A system based on temperature and/or pressure switches connected to a fan controller. An HVAC circuit includes at least one condenser coil with a plurality of tubes, one or more stages coupled to one or more compressors, at least one temperature sensor, at least one fan configured to provide airflow across the plurality of tubes, and a controller. Instead of cycling the fan off and on, fans associated with the condenser are kept running at a low speed.

Abstract: A method for automatically operating a heating system controller for heating an indoor space so that the indoor temperature measurement signals are kept a) at approximately or above a default set point when the automatically obtained outdoor temperature indicator signals reflect an outdoor temperature indicator that is above a freeze protection point, or b) at approximately a computed set point that is higher than the default set point when the outdoor temperature indicator signals reflect an outdoor temperature indicator that is below the freeze protection point. The computed set point can be based on an outdoor temperature indicator. A heating system comprising a furnace, a thermostatic controller, a sensor of indoor temperature operatively connected to the thermostatic controller, a receiver operatively connected to the thermostatic controller for receiving a signal indicative of an outdoor temperature indicator, wherein the thermostatic controller is configured to operate according to the method.

Abstract: A method controls a vapor compression system including a variable speed compressor. A desired discharge temperature of the compressor is determined using a mapping between values of the discharge temperature of the compressor and values of speed of the compressor and outdoor air temperature. A transition function for transitioning a current discharge temperature to the desired discharge temperature is determined, such that the transition function is continuous and a rate of change of the transition function is limited. Next, a valve of the vapor compression system is controlled such that the discharge temperature is transitioned to the desired discharge temperature based on the transition function.

Abstract: A refrigerator including a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion unit that constitute a refrigeration cycle, an evaporator that evaporates a refrigerant that has passed through the expansion unit, a heater that provides heat for defrosting the evaporator, and a frost sensor that is provided at one side of the evaporator to sense the amount of frost on the evaporator, the frost sensor including a sound-source transmitter that generates a sound-source of a first volume to the evaporator, and a sound-source receiver that receives a sound-source of a second volume formed after the sound-source transmitted by the sound-source transmitter reflects from or passes through the evaporator, and a controller that controls the heater to generate heat, when the difference between the first volume and the second volume reaches a predetermined volume.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that involve detecting a flammable refrigerant associated with a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. In one instance a damper covers an access port allowing a single sensor to monitor at least two separate spaces. In another instance, a multi-probe sensor allows a single sensor to monitor at least two separate spaces.

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).

Abstract: An ice maker having a refrigeration system, a water system and a control system. The refrigeration system includes an ice formation device. The water system supplies water to the ice formation device, and includes a water reservoir (e.g., a sump or float chamber) for holding water to be formed into ice and a discharge valve in fluid communication with the water reservoir. The control system includes an ice level sensor adapted to sense the ice level in an ice storage bin, and a controller adapted to cause water to drain from the water reservoir when the ice storage bin is full. Substantially or all of the water remaining in the water reservoir is drained such that while the ice maker is not making ice the water reservoir is empty of water.

Abstract: A refrigeration system includes compressor and a duct assembly that includes a duct frame and a sensor unit. The duct frame provides a path for evaporating refrigerant from a lubricant sump of the compressor. The sensor unit obtains temperature measurements of the refrigerant and a lubricant within the lubricant sump and heats and evaporates the refrigerant located within the duct frame of the duct assembly. A control module receives temperature measurements from the sensor unit, determines a presence of liquid refrigerant within the lubricant sump of the compressor in response to a determination that an actual temperature change does not correspond with an expected temperature change for the lubricant, and in response to a determination that the actual temperature change corresponds with the expected temperature change for the lubricant, operates the compressor.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a water supply system with one or more water consuming appliances includes a water heater fluidly coupled to a water consuming appliance through a supply conduit. The water consuming appliance includes an appliance communication module for communicating a target temperature. A mixing valve is positioned on the supply conduit, is in operative communication with the appliance communication module, and heats water from the water heater and cold water from the water supply to provide a flow of supply water to the water consuming appliance at the target temperature.

Abstract: A method of controlling an air conditioner, including inputting, by an operation command input part, an operation command for the air conditioner through which a refrigerating cycle circulates; sensing, by an outside temperature sensor, an outside temperature; sensing, by an outside humidity recognition part, an outside humidity; sensing, by a low pressure sensor, a low pressure of the refrigerating cycle; recognizing, by a controller, information about the outside temperature, the outside humidity, and the low pressure; entering, by the controller, a changing mode in which a first target high pressure of the refrigerating cycle is changed when the low pressure is less than a first reference low pressure; and changing, by the controller, an operation frequency of a compressor of the air conditioner in response to a range of the low pressure when the changing mode is performed.

Abstract: An air conditioner that includes a compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a main outdoor heat exchanger that condenses the refrigerant in a cooling mode and that evaporates the refrigerant in a heating mode, an indoor heat exchanger that evaporates the refrigerant in the cooling mode while condensing the refrigerant in the heating mode, a switch that guides the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to the main outdoor heat exchanger in the cooling mode and that guides the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to the indoor heat exchanger in the heating mode, and a sub outdoor heat exchanger that evaporates a portion of the refrigerant condensed in the main outdoor heat exchanger in a low-load cooling mode and that condenses a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor in a low-load heating mode.

Abstract: An air conditioner including an outside unit, which includes a compressor and an evaporator, an outside temperature sensor attached to the outside unit to sense outside temperature, an outside humidity recognition part attached to the outside unit to recognize information about outside humidity, a low pressure sensor that senses an evaporation pressure of the evaporator, and a control part that controls an operation of the compressor, based on both information about dew-point temperature sensed from the outside temperature sensor and the outside humidity recognition part and information about the evaporation pressure sensed from the low pressure sensor. The control part changes an operation frequency of the compressor according to whether the evaporation pressure is not lower than a preset reference low pressure, to prevent frosting of the evaporator.

Abstract: An HVAC&R system that includes a first pumping device configured to circulate a first volume of a first two-phase medium, a second pumping device configured to circulate a second volume of the first two-phase medium, a first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, a second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, a first primary HVAC&R unit, and a second primary HVAC&R unit. At least one of the first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the first pumping device. At least one of the second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the second pumping device. The first primary HVAC&R unit is operably coupled to at least one of the first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units and the first pumping device. The second primary HVAC&R unit is operably coupled to at least one of the second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units and the second pumping device.