Abstract: An improved method and apparatus is disclosed for removing condensable material from a gas. The gas is caused to flow in series through a chiller for cooling the gas and condensing the condensable material from the gas, then through a separator to separate the condensate from the gas, and then passing the gas through a reheater to reheat the gas. A predetermined charge of refrigerant is passed in a closed cycle through the chiller to cool the gas by absorbing the heat from the gas and evaporating, then the gaseous refrigerant is compressed by a compression unit having an electric drive means in which an amount of energy is added to the gaseous refrigerant. The hot, pressurized, gaseous refrigerant is then passed through an auxiliary condenser sized to remove the energy that was added to the refrigerant by the compression unit at no load conditions, then the refrigerant is passed through the reheater to further condense the refrigerant and to transfer heat to the exiting gas.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a heating or cooling system includes a neural network for computing the status of one or more expansion valves within the system. The neural network is trained to learn certain characteristics of the heating or cooling system during a development mode of operation. The thus trained neural network timely computes the status of the one or more expansion valves during a run time mode of operation. Information as to the status of the one or more expansion valves is made available for real time assessment during the run time mode of operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for activating climate control systems in response to the entry and/or presence of person(s) in a dwelling. An interior sensor apparatus includes a motion or thermal energy detection unit which emits a signal in response to the presence of person(s) within a room. A door entry sensor emits a signal upon entry of person(s) into the dwelling. A climate control unit, such as an air conditioner, has a default temperature setting which is activated upon the expiration of a timing sequence maintained by a timing circuit. The timing circuit is reset upon detection of persons by the motion/thermal detection unit or the door entry sensor.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically controlling a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit of a vehicle includes multiple electric motors for actuating multiple respective doors directing air flow through the HVAC unit and temperature of the air flow. A plurality of sensors sense a plurality of temperatures. A controller determines a desired temperature and desired direction of air flow based on the plurality of temperatures. The controller also controls the multiple electric motors so that their respective doors move at the same time while preventing preselected doors from operating at the same time based on the desired temperature and desired direction of air flow.

Abstract: The invention is a method for programming a programmable thermostat having a default program set and one or more pre-programmed program sets, wherein each pre-programmed program set has a plurality of times and a plurality of temperatures. The method includes the steps of selecting one of the plurality of pre-programmed program sets; programming the programmable thermostat with the times and temperatures of the selected pre-programmed program set; and altering the times and temperatures of the selected pre-programmed program set to create a tailored program set. An auto-programmable thermostat may include a first memory having a default program set which receives at least one of a plurality of pre-programmed program sets, wherein each pre-programmed program set includes a plurality of times and at least a plurality of temperatures.

Abstract: An automotive air conditioner which conditions air making use of radiation of heat of a condenser and absorption of heat of an evaporator effectively. The evaporator 207 and the condenser 203 are disposed in a duct 100. A bypass passageway 150 is provided sidewardly of the condenser 203 in the duct 100, and a flow rate of air bypassing the condenser 203 is controlled by pivotal motion of an air mixing damper 154. Another bypass passage is provided sidewardly of the evaporator 207 in the duct 100, and a flow rate of air bypassing the evaporator 207 is controlled by pivotal motion of a bypass damper 159. Air is conditioned to an optimum blown out air temperature by varying the cooling rate at the evaporator 207 and the heating rate at the condenser 203 and is blown out to a room of an automobile from spit holes 141, 142 and 143.

Abstract: A heating apparatus of a re-heat type for an air conditioning system for a vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine. The heating apparatus includes a flow control valve for controlling an amount of an engine hot water directed to a heat exchanger for heating. When the degree of the opening of the flow control valve is 2/8 or less and when the target degree of the opening of the flow control valve is 2/8 or more, a control of the degree of the opening of the flow control valve to the target opening plus a predetermined overshoot amount is initially executed, which is followed by a control to the target opening. When both of the initial and target opening is larger than 2/8 or the initial and target opening are identical, the overshoot control is not carried out, i.e., the degree of the opening of the flow control valve is directly controlled to the target value.

Abstract: The control system includes a sealed chamber for storing products such as food products in a desired condition until scheduled for delivery. The conditions may be cooling, freezing, heating, dehydrating, rehydrating, etc., of fruit, bakery products, meat, or other products requiring rapid and controlled changes in temperature, humidity, or gases to preserve them. Alignment structure within the chamber floor spaces rows of product such as supported pallets apart from the sidewalls to define high and low pressure plenums. A sealing member extends from the chamber ceiling to one side of each row to form a seal therewith. The sealing member and palletized product, along with other seals within the chamber, divide the chamber into multiple volumes. One or more movable sealing baffles may be constructed for selectively forming a seal between a sidewall and the palletized product for a partially filled chamber.

Abstract: A distributed cooling system for environmentally testing products comprises at least two insulated chambers, at least three cooling compressors and a computer control. A first one of the compressors is permanently allocated to a first one of the chambers, a second one of the compressors is permanently allocated to a second one of the chambers. The control selectively allocates the remaining compressor(s) to either of the chambers to meet a cooling requirement of a batch. Consequently, the compressors are allocated where needed such that the total number of compressors provided for the entire system is minimized.

Abstract: A ventilation display system determines when a ventilation system has remained in recirculation mode for a predefined time, and in response generates a stale air alert message inside the cab of a truck. The system can generate messages alerting the driver that the HVAC system has switched into recirculation mode, and alerting the driver that the recirculation mode has remained active for the predefined time. When equipped with a CO.sub.2 sensor, the system can generate air quality messages based on either the status of the recirculation mode or the level of CO.sub.2 in the cab of the truck or both.

Abstract: An energy transfer system (12) for a household refrigeration appliance (110). The energy transfer system (12) includes a venting system (120) within the refrigeration appliance (110), and a set of conduits (130,132) for enabling the transfer of outside air into, through and out of the venting system. The system (120) moves cooling air around the storage compartment (122,124) and compressor (162). In one form of the present invention, the system may also include a thermostatically actuated valve (38) for enabling outside air into, through and out of the compartment (114) in response to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A helical-screw rotary compressor having a twin rotor configuration or a multi-rotor (i.e., at least three) configuration with defined compressor induction and discharge ends has at least one unloader piston disposed at said compressor discharge end with an economizer injection port therein. The unloader pistons being opened and closed in fine discrete steps by microprocessor controlled stepping motors which drive linear actuators.

Abstract: An evaporative device for cooling a stream of air for cooling a space into which the air is discharged. The device includes psychrometric sensors installed in the air stream at an evaporation pad which provide signals to a control device. The stream of air is cooled by one or more mist nozzles in the incoming air stream, the flow of water to which is controlled through analog or digital control devices, enabling cooling of the stream of air to the maximum permitted by psychrometric relationships without unnecessarily high humidity or overwetting of the evaporative pad.

Abstract: A method of controlling the temperature in an enclosure comprising providing means for dispersing a vaporized cryogenic life-supporting gas within the enclosure to supplement and/or replace a mechanical refrigeration system normally provided therein. The chilling capacity of such a cryogenic system is significantly greater than that available in any presently known mechanical system and hence enhanced overall operation may be achieved. Additionally, the fact that the cryogenic gas is breathable permits an operator to enter the enclosure without presenting any hazard thereto.

Abstract: The flow of refrigerant is controlled by a strategy that strives to seek and maintain a fluctuating superheat condition. The control system causes optimal use of the evaporator coil by ensuring that the refrigerant in the coil is in the liquid state. A temperature sensor at the evaporator coil exit senses refrigerant temperature and the control system regulates refrigerant flow so that the liquid dry out point (transition between liquid state and superheat state) occurs in the vicinity of this sensor. Thus a single sensor may be used to effect closed loop control.

Abstract: A heat pump apparatus includes a start assist valve for permitting refrigerant to flow from an outlet of a condenser to an inlet of an evaporator during start-up of the heat pump apparatus. The heat pump apparatus preferably includes an expansion orifice connected in fluid communication between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the evaporator. The start assist valve provides a bypass for refrigerant flow around the expansion orifice during start-up of the heat pump apparatus. The apparatus also preferably includes a series of check valves cooperating with the start assist valve so that the start assist valve is operable only when the heat pump apparatus is in the cooling mode. The invention is particularly applicable to a direct expansion heat pump apparatus where one or more earth tap heat exchangers serve as the condenser when operating in the cooling mode.

Abstract: An operating method for a room air conditioner(RAC) which is capable of enhancing an alertness level of a user based upon a human electroencephalogram(EEG), includes inputting an alertness operation mode key when the user desires to heighten an alertness degree of the user, performing an air conditioning operation to maintain a first standard temperature and a range of a temperature variation corresponding thereto to enhance the user's alertness degree, performing an air conditioning operation to maintain a second standard temperature and the range of the temperature variation corresponding thereto when the user feels cold at the first standard temperature, and to maintain a third standard temperature and the range of the temperature variation corresponding thereto when the user feels hot at the first standard temperature, repeating the second step when the user feels cold at the third standard temperature, and when the user feels hot at the second standard temperature, and performing an air conditioning oper

Abstract: A compressor having plural banks of cylinders can be operated multi-stage, single stage, plural parallel single stages and, when multi-stage, with or without an economizer. One of the low stage banks of cylinders can be unloaded to reduce the first stage output during multi-stage operation or to permit operation of a single stage when the second stage is bypassed.

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle comprises a compressor, an indoor heat exchange, an outdoor heat exchanger, a liquid receiver; and a pressure reducer connected in series to form a closed loop. The liquid receiver and the pressure reducer connected in series are connected between the indoor heat exchanger and said outdoor heat exchanger. A non-azeotropic mixture refrigerant comprising at least two kinds of refrigerant of different boiling temperatures mixed together is charged in and circulated through the refrigeration cycle. The mixing ratio of the azeotropic mixture refrigerant circulated thorough the refrigeration cycle is controlled substantially constant.

Abstract: A control strategy for rejecting supply air temperature disturbances in variable air volume air conditioning units using staged DX cooling. The strategy, and corresponding system, minimizes supply air temperature disturbances by controlling zone air dampers through a mapping of zone heat transfer requirements and damper positions. The mapping maintains a zone temperature setpoint, even with relatively large temperature swings caused by system-supplied conditioned air. The primary parameter that is controlled by the strategy of the present invention is a heat transfer rate associated with a temperature-controlled zone. The control strategy of the present invention estimates the zone heat transfer rate at a particular sampling instant and controls the damper position in response thereto.