Patents by Inventor Benjamin Elias Dingel

Benjamin Elias Dingel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11365912
    Abstract: A suction duct is disposed within a shell and tube heat exchanger. The suction duct is located relatively high and above the tube bundle so as to not entrain liquid or droplets that may be splashing and spraying upward. The suction duct is configured with an area schedule in fluid communication with a flow path inside the suction duct. The flow path is in fluid communication with an outlet of the shell. This is advantageous relative to traditional top of the shell outlets which generally have higher vertical footprints. The area schedule of the suction duct can facilitate and/or maintain relatively smooth vapor flow within the shell. The area schedule can achieve vapor flows that have some uniformity along the length of the shell, which can manage and/or avoid localized vapor flow and/or local currents, such as where high velocity may be present and where entrainment can result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jon P. Hartfield, H. Kenneth Ring, Jr., Steven E. Meloling, Florian Weber, Alain Fleurette, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Publication number: 20210396436
    Abstract: Systems and methods for lubricant management of a compressor in an HVACR system are disclosed. A heat transfer circuit can utilize a working fluid to provide heating or cooling includes a compressor for compressing the working fluid and a heat source configured to increase a suction temperature of the working fluid entering the compressor. One or more lubricant rheological properties in a compressor system based on measurements taken at or near a bearing cavity of the compressor are determinable. A lubricant reservoir can be in thermal communication with a discharge flow path of the compressor. An internal heat exchanger can be disposed within a compressor for improving viscosity of the lubricant to be cycled back into the compressor. A heater can be located on a fluid line between a lubricant separator and a lubricant inlet. Condenser fans can be controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Jon P. Hartfield, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Publication number: 20200248937
    Abstract: A suction duct is disposed within a shell and tube heat exchanger. The suction duct is located relatively high and above the tube bundle so as to not entrain liquid or droplets that may be splashing and spraying upward. The suction duct is configured with an area schedule in fluid communication with a flow path inside the suction duct. The flow path is in fluid communication with an outlet of the shell. This is advantageous relative to traditional top of the shell outlets which generally have higher vertical footprints. The area schedule of the suction duct can facilitate and/or maintain relatively smooth vapor flow within the shell. The area schedule can achieve vapor flows that have some uniformity along the length of the shell, which can manage and/or avoid localized vapor flow and/or local currents, such as where high velocity may be present and where entrainment can result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Jon P. HARTFIELD, H. Kenneth RING, Steven E. MELOLING, Florian WEBER, Alain FLEURETTE, Benjamin Elias DINGEL
  • Patent number: 10627139
    Abstract: A suction duct is disposed within a shell and tube heat exchanger. The suction duct is located relatively high and above the tube bundle so as to not entrain liquid or droplets that may be splashing and spraying upward. The suction duct is configured with an area schedule in fluid communication with a flow path inside the suction duct. The flow path is in fluid communication with an outlet of the shell. This is advantageous relative to traditional top of the shell outlets which generally have higher vertical footprints. The area schedule of the suction duct can facilitate and/or maintain relatively smooth vapor flow within the shell. The area schedule can achieve vapor flows that have some uniformity along the length of the shell, which can manage and/or avoid localized vapor flow and/or local currents, such as where high velocity may be present and where entrainment can result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jon P. Hartfield, H. Kenneth Ring, Jr., Steven E. Meloling, Florian Weber, Alain Fleurette, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Patent number: 10422559
    Abstract: Methods and systems to manage refrigerant levels in a chiller system are provided. An evaporator of the chiller system may be configured to have a spill over port allowing oil containing refrigerant to spill over through the spill over port. The spill over port may be positioned at a place that corresponds to a desired refrigerant level in the evaporator. The spill over refrigerant may be directed into a heat exchanger that is configured to substantially vaporize refrigerant of the spill over refrigerant to a slightly superheat temperature. A method of maintaining a proper refrigerant level in the evaporator may include regulating a refrigerant flow to the evaporator so that the vaporized refrigerant of the spill over refrigerant is maintained at the slightly superheat temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jon Phillip Hartfield, Harry Kenneth Ring, Lee L. Sibik, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Publication number: 20180299172
    Abstract: A suction duct is disposed within a shell and tube heat exchanger. The suction duct is located relatively high and above the tube bundle so as to not entrain liquid or droplets that may be splashing and spraying upward. The suction duct is configured with an area schedule in fluid communication with a flow path inside the suction duct. The flow path is in fluid communication with an outlet of the shell. This is advantageous relative to traditional top of the shell outlets which generally have higher vertical footprints. The area schedule of the suction duct can facilitate and/or maintain relatively smooth vapor flow within the shell. The area schedule can achieve vapor flows that have some uniformity along the length of the shell, which can manage and/or avoid localized vapor flow and/or local currents, such as where high velocity may be present and where entrainment can result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Jon P. HARTFIELD, H. Kenneth RING, Jr., Steven E. MELOLING, Florian WEBER, Alain FLEURETTE, Benjamin Elias DINGEL
  • Patent number: 9851130
    Abstract: A refrigeration system that induces lubricant-liquid refrigerant mixture flow from a flooded or falling film evaporator by means of the lubricant-liquid refrigerant mixture flow adsorbing heat from an electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Todd J. Love, Jon P. Hartfield, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Publication number: 20170268807
    Abstract: Methods and systems to manage refrigerant levels in a chiller system are provided. An evaporator of the chiller system may be configured to have a spill over port allowing oil containing refrigerant to spill over through the spill over port. The spill over port may be positioned at a place that corresponds to a desired refrigerant level in the evaporator. The spill over refrigerant may be directed into a heat exchanger that is configured to substantially vaporize refrigerant of the spill over refrigerant to a slightly superheat temperature. A method of maintaining a proper refrigerant level in the evaporator may include regulating a refrigerant flow to the evaporator so that the vaporized refrigerant of the spill over refrigerant is maintained at the slightly superheat temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Jon Phillip HARTFIELD, Harry Kenneth RING, Lee L. SIBIK, Benjamin Elias DINGEL
  • Patent number: 9677795
    Abstract: Methods and systems to manage refrigerant levels in a chiller system are provided. An evaporator of the chiller system may be configured to have a spill over port allowing oil containing refrigerant to spill over through the spill over port. The spill over port may be positioned at a place that corresponds to a desired refrigerant level in the evaporator. The spill over refrigerant may be directed into a heat exchanger that is configured to substantially vaporize refrigerant of the spill over refrigerant to a slightly superheat temperature. A method of maintaining a proper refrigerant level in the evaporator may include regulating a refrigerant flow to the evaporator so that the vaporized refrigerant of the spill over refrigerant is maintained at the slightly superheat temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jon Phillip Hartfield, Harry Kenneth Ring, Lee L. Sibik, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Publication number: 20150354873
    Abstract: Methods and systems to manage refrigerant levels in a chiller system are provided. An evaporator of the chiller system may be configured to have a spill over port allowing oil containing refrigerant to spill over through the spill over port. The spill over port may be positioned at a place that corresponds to a desired refrigerant level in the evaporator. The spill over refrigerant may be directed into a heat exchanger that is configured to substantially vaporize refrigerant of the spill over refrigerant to a slightly superheat temperature. A method of maintaining a proper refrigerant level in the evaporator may include regulating a refrigerant flow to the evaporator so that the vaporized refrigerant of the spill over refrigerant is maintained at the slightly superheat temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Jon Phillip HARTFIELD, Harry Kenneth RING, Lee L. SIBIK, Benjamin Elias DINGEL
  • Publication number: 20150300707
    Abstract: A refrigeration system that induces lubricant-liquid refrigerant mixture flow from a flooded or falling film evaporator by means of the lubricant-liquid refrigerant mixture flow adsorbing heat from an electronic component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Todd J. Love, Jon P. Hartfield, Benjamin Elias Dingel