Abstract: A system includes a compressor driven by a motor. A condenser receives working fluid from the compressor. An evaporator is in fluid communication with the condenser and the compressor. A first sensor produces a first signal, and a second sensor produces a second signal. A processing circuitry processes the first signal and the second signal to determine a new baseline freeze time. The processing circuitry determines the new baseline freeze time for a predetermined time following an installation event, a service event, or a power outage of the compressor.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for cooling batteries in hybrid or electric vehicles includes a plurality of spaced apart, discrete heat exchanger panels, each having a coolant inlet manifold section, a coolant outlet manifold section, and a plurality of coolant flow passages extending between the inlet and outlet manifold sections. The inlet and outlet manifold sections of the discrete panels are connected by tubes to define continuous coolant inlet and outlet manifolds, each having a coolant opening. The flow of coolant through discrete panels may be balanced by providing the fluid flow passages of the panels with various cross-sectional areas and/or hydraulic diameters, depending partly on the proximity of each panel to the coolant opening. In an embodiment, where the panels are formed from pairs of stamped plates, variation of the cross-sectional area and/or hydraulic diameter of the coolant flow passages may be achieved by deliberately offsetting the plates during assembly.

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: A multi-zone vapor compression system (MZ-VCS) includes a compressor connected to a set of heat exchangers controlling environments in a set of zones. A supervisory controller includes a processor configured for optimizing a cost function subject to constraints on an operation of the MZ-VCS to produce a set of values of the thermal capacity requested for the set of heat exchangers to achieve setpoint temperatures in the corresponding zones. The supervisory controller is a model predictive controller for determining the set of control inputs using a model of the MZ-VCS including a linear relationship between the thermal capacity of each heat exchanger and the temperature in a corresponding zone controlled by the heat exchanger. A set of capacity controllers, wherein there is one capacity controller for each heat exchanger, such that each capacity controller is configured for controlling the corresponding heat exchanger to achieve the requested thermal capacity.

Abstract: An auxiliary HVAC system includes an engine-on module configured to provide cooling or heating during an engine-on mode and an engine-off module connected to the engine-on module and configured to provide cooling or heating during an engine-off mode.

Abstract: A cooler system has at least first and second coolers which are arranged in series, at least a third cooler which is arranged in parallel with the first and second coolers, and at least one flow control device for directing a fluid flow through at least one of the coolers. At least one of the coolers includes a bypass circuit or a recirculation loop for the fluid flow.

Abstract: An air conditioning that includes a housing. The housing encloses a mode control unit that switches a zone coil associated with a zone from a cooling mode to a heating mode by switching from a cooling medium to a heating medium flowing through the zone coil. The zone coil receives the heating or cooling medium and conditions incoming air from a supply fan to be exhausted in a zone associated with the zone coil. A variable refrigerant flow cooling/heating unit provides a cooling medium or a heating medium at varying rates to control a temperature of a zone.

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: Air conditioning systems for heating and air conditioning a motor vehicle including a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first flow channel, a second flow channel, and a flow guidance element fixed on the second heat exchanger or a retaining device. A flow is able to pass around both heat exchangers along the second flow channel and around only the first heat exchanger along the first flow channel. The flow guidance element projects into a branching region where air inside the system branches at an angle with respect to a face of the second heat exchanger, and the flow guidance element influences such air in the region between the heat exchangers.

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: A climate control system having a coolant subsystem, a heat pump subsystem, and an intermediate heat exchanger. The intermediate heat exchanger may transfer thermal energy from the heat pump subsystem to the coolant to increase the temperature of the coolant when the climate control system is in a heating mode.

Abstract: A method for operating a heat exchanger, through which a heat transfer medium flows on a primary side, entering the heat exchanger with a first temperature and exiting the heat exchanger with a second temperature. The heat transfer medium emits on a secondary side a heat flow to a secondary medium flowing through the heat exchanger in the case of heating or, in the case of cooling, absorbs a heat flow from the secondary medium which enters the heat exchanger with a third temperature and exits the heat exchanger again with a fourth temperature. The heat exchanger is capable of transferring a maximum heat flow. At least three of the four temperatures are measured and the respective saturation level of the heat exchanger is determined from these measured temperatures and is used for controlling the operation of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A sealing mechanism (40) includes: a ring-shaped sealing body (41) which surrounds a rotating shaft (24) when viewed from an axial direction; a sealing-body support part (42) which supports the sealing body (41) so as to be movable in a radial direction of the rotating shaft (24); and an elastic member (44) which is interposed between the sealing body (41) and the sealing-body support part (42).

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: A system and method for reducing the refrigerant charge in a refrigeration system by preheating the liquid refrigerant before it is introduced to the evaporator inlet. When refrigerant liquid is introduced to the evaporator inlet, a portion of the refrigerant liquid vaporizes. This refrigerant vapor displaces refrigerant liquid at the inlet of the evaporator. As more refrigerant vapor is introduced, the amount of liquid inside the evaporator is reduced. A heat exchanger is placed before the liquid refrigerant inlet of the evaporator to generate more vapor when the refrigerant enters the evaporator.

Abstract: A hybrid air handler cooling unit has a bi-modal heat exchanger. In a direct expansion mode or a pumped refrigerant economization mode, the bi-modal heat exchanger is in a refrigerant path in parallel with first and second condenser coils and functions as a condenser coil. In a mixed direct expansion/pumped refrigerant economization mode, the bi-modal heat exchanger is in a refrigerant path in series between an outlet of a pump and an inlet of the first condenser coil and functions as a pre-cooler evaporator coil with return air first flowing across the bi-modal heat exchanger and then across an evaporator coil of an evaporator.

Abstract: Apparatus to control device temperature wherein a thermal fluid path transfers a thermal transfer fluid to heat or cool the device; wherein a first path in thermal contact with a heating assembly is fluidly connected at a first end to the thermal fluid path, a second path in thermal contact with a cooling assembly is fluidly connected at a first end to the thermal fluid path, a third path is fluidly connected at a first end to the thermal fluid path, and a valve assembly regulates flow of thermal transfer fluid flow through the first, the second, and the third paths.

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 unit includes a coil located in an air stream of the air unit. The air stream has an air flow direction. An air temperature sensor is located in the air stream of the air unit and is further located downstream, relative to the air flow direction, of the coil. A smart valve is in fluid communication with the coil and in electronic communication with the air temperature sensor. The smart valve is operable to control an amount of water flow through the coil. The smart valve receives a temperature setpoint signal, and the smart valve is programmed to modulate a valve position of a smart valve actuator based on the temperature setpoint signal and based on a signal from the air temperature sensor.