Patents by Inventor Lee R. Cline

Lee R. Cline 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).

  • Publication number: 20250102202
    Abstract: A packaged heating and/or cooling unit for a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system. The packaged unit includes a heat pump configured to provide heating and/or cooling; a connection to a piping distribution system to selectively connect to a hot fluid circuit and/or a cold fluid circuit; and a controller. The controller is configured to connect to and receive a signal from a building automation system for a heating requirement or a cooling requirement, and further configured to selectively control connection to either the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit and independently control the packaged heating and/or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for either the heating requirement or the cooling requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Lee R. Cline, Susanna Staubly Hanson
  • Patent number: 12235031
    Abstract: Multi-compressor chiller systems can be efficiently operated by determining real time efficiency curves for the compressors currently in operation, along with any compressors that may be added to address demand, and using these efficiency curves to determine changes to compressor operation to improve efficiency in meeting chiller demand. The efficiency curves can be parabolic curves. The data used to determine the efficiency curves can be obtained through operation at a variety of lift points and a variety of load points within those lift points. The efficiency curves can be solved to find intersections where there may be staging points for adding or subtracting compressors from operation to efficiently meet demand. This operation can be automated through a controller of a control system for the multi-compressor chiller system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Brian A. Kirkman, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20240418422
    Abstract: Process fluid from a hydronic system can be directed to an air-to-fluid heat exchanger in a heat exchange relationship with an outdoor heat exchanger of a thermal system connected to the hydronic system. The flow from the hydronic system to the air-to-fluid heat exchanger can be controlled using one or more valves. The process fluid at the air-to-fluid heat exchanger can defrost the outdoor heat exchanger, be used for free heating or cooling by being directed to a secondary load, or be used for balancing of cascade systems. A reversible fan can be provided at the outdoor heat exchanger and the air-to-fluid heat exchanger to facilitate these operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Lee R. Cline, Ronald Maurice Cosby, II, Brian J Fiegen, Changiz Mirza-Tolouee
  • Patent number: 12163704
    Abstract: A packaged heating and/or cooling unit for a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system. The packaged unit includes a heat pump configured to provide heating and/or cooling; a connection to a piping distribution system to selectively connect to a hot fluid circuit and/or a cold fluid circuit; and a controller. The controller is configured to connect to and receive a signal from a building automation system for a heating requirement or a cooling requirement, and further configured to selectively control connection to either the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit and independently control the packaged heating and/or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for either the heating requirement or the cooling requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Lee R. Cline, Susanna Staubly Hanson
  • Patent number: 12092348
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for efficiently operating a chiller plant while minimizing or eliminating the occurrence of centrifugal compressor surge. Taking into account chiller design specifications and current operating conditions, a compressor lift point at which surge is predicted to occur is established. Minima and maxima for various chiller setpoints that avoid or eliminate the occurrence of compressor surge are imposed on setpoints provided by a conventional optimizing chiller controller. The chiller system is operated in accordance with the resultant anti-surge setpoints. Energy savings is realized by modulating coolant tower flow to enable the compressor to operate at near-surge conditions while preventing the onset of actual surge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher R. Vause, Scott A. Munns, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20240110732
    Abstract: A packaged heating and/or cooling unit for a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system. The packaged unit includes a heat pump configured to provide heating and/or cooling; a connection to a piping distribution system to selectively connect to a hot fluid circuit and/or a cold fluid circuit; and a controller. The controller is configured to connect to and receive a signal from a building automation system for a heating requirement or a cooling requirement, and further configured to selectively control connection to either the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit and independently control the packaged heating and/or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for either the heating requirement or the cooling requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Lee R. Cline, Susanna Staubly Hanson
  • Publication number: 20240110720
    Abstract: A method is provided for the controlled routing of hydronic flow within a climate control system. The method includes determining a condition type request for a plurality of area zones corresponding to a particular thermal zone. The method further includes determining a supply temperature type associated with at least a supply line of a primary supply loop and a supply line of a secondary supply loop. The supply temperature type is indicative of a thermal transport fluid temperature within the respective supply line. The method further includes providing an actuation signal set to a valve assembly. The actuation signal set is configured to describe a position for each value of the valve assembly and the position for each valve is based on the conditioning type request and the determined supply temperature types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Ronnie R. Moffitt, Brian J. Fiegen, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20230375242
    Abstract: Multi-compressor chiller systems can be efficiently operated by determining real time efficiency curves for the compressors currently in operation, along with any compressors that may be added to address demand, and using these efficiency curves to determine changes to compressor operation to improve efficiency in meeting chiller demand. The efficiency curves can be parabolic curves. The data used to determine the efficiency curves can be obtained through operation at a variety of lift points and a variety of load points within those lift points. The efficiency curves can be solved to find intersections where there may be staging points for adding or subtracting compressors from operation to efficiently meet demand. This operation can be automated through a controller of a control system for the multi-compressor chiller system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Brian A. Kirkman, Lee R. Cline
  • Patent number: 11808483
    Abstract: Chiller control systems and methods for chiller control use iterative modeling of cooling towers, heat exchangers, and pumps to determine the feasibility of integrated free cooling and the ability to take advantage of free cooling. The control systems and control methods can further include selecting the parameters for operating in the free cooling or integrated free cooling mode to improve efficiency and/or reduce energy consumption when operating in these modes. The models can have inputs and outputs that feed into one another, and converge at a solution over multiple iterations. The feasibility of integrated free cooling can be based on providing cooling to a cooling load process fluid at a heat exchanger. The availability of free cooling can be based on the cooling provided at the heat exchanger achieving a target temperature for the cooling load process fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Brian A. Kirkman, Susanna Staubly Hanson, Lee R. Cline
  • Patent number: 11639809
    Abstract: Control systems and methods for control of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) systems that include cooling and one or both of heating and heat recovery can include adaptive and balanced modes for each of heating and cooling operations. The adaptive heating and cooling modes each respectively include controlling the HVACR system to achieve a target temperature for the respective heating or cooling process fluid and to unload or stop the compressor when the temperature of a the other of the cooling or heating process fluid exceeds a threshold. The balanced heating and cooling modes respectively include controlling a quantity of flow of the cooling or heating process fluids to meet balanced heating or cooling target temperatures for the respective heating or cooling process fluids and also the other of the cooling or heating process fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Lee R. Cline, Michael C. A. Schwedler
  • Patent number: 11639820
    Abstract: Multi-compressor chiller systems can be efficiently operated by determining real time efficiency curves for the compressors currently in operation, along with any compressors that may be added to address demand, and using these efficiency curves to determine changes to compressor operation to improve efficiency in meeting chiller demand. The efficiency curves can be parabolic curves. The data used to determine the efficiency curves can be obtained through operation at a variety of lift points and a variety of load points within those lift points. The efficiency curves can be solved to find intersections where there may be staging points for adding or subtracting compressors from operation to efficiently meet demand. This operation can be automated through a controller of a control system for the multi-compressor chiller system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Brian A. Kirkman, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20220381525
    Abstract: Chiller control systems and methods for chiller control use iterative modeling of cooling towers, heat exchangers, and pumps to determine the feasibility of integrated free cooling and the ability to take advantage of free cooling. The control systems and control methods can further include selecting the parameters for operating in the free cooling or integrated free cooling mode to improve efficiency and/or reduce energy consumption when operating in these modes. The models can have inputs and outputs that feed into one another, and converge at a solution over multiple iterations. The feasibility of integrated free cooling can be based on providing cooling to a cooling load process fluid at a heat exchanger. The availability of free cooling can be based on the cooling provided at the heat exchanger achieving a target temperature for the cooling load process fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Brian A. Kirkman, Susanna Staubly Hanson, Lee R. Cline
  • Patent number: 11408621
    Abstract: Chiller control systems and methods for chiller control use iterative modeling of cooling towers, heat exchangers, and pumps to determine the feasibility of integrated free cooling and the ability to take advantage of free cooling. The control systems and control methods can further include selecting the parameters for operating in the free cooling or integrated free cooling mode to improve efficiency and/or reduce energy consumption when operating in these modes. The models can have inputs and outputs that feed into one another, and converge at a solution over multiple iterations. The feasibility of integrated free cooling can be based on providing cooling to a cooling load process fluid at a heat exchanger. The availability of free cooling can be based on the cooling provided at the heat exchanger achieving a target temperature for the cooling load process fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Brian A. Kirkman, Susanna Staubly Hanson, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20220196309
    Abstract: Multi-compressor chiller systems can be efficiently operated by determining real time efficiency curves for the compressors currently in operation, along with any compressors that may be added to address demand, and using these efficiency curves to determine changes to compressor operation to improve efficiency in meeting chiller demand. The efficiency curves can be parabolic curves. The data used to determine the efficiency curves can be obtained through operation at a variety of lift points and a variety of load points within those lift points. The efficiency curves can be solved to find intersections where there may be staging points for adding or subtracting compressors from operation to efficiently meet demand. This operation can be automated through a controller of a control system for the multi-compressor chiller system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Brian A. Kirkman, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20220186944
    Abstract: Chiller control systems and methods for chiller control use iterative modeling of cooling towers, heat exchangers, and pumps to determine the feasibility of integrated free cooling and the ability to take advantage of free cooling. The control systems and control methods can further include selecting the parameters for operating in the free cooling or integrated free cooling mode to improve efficiency and/or reduce energy consumption when operating in these modes. The models can have inputs and outputs that feed into one another, and converge at a solution over multiple iterations. The feasibility of integrated free cooling can be based on providing cooling to a cooling load process fluid at a heat exchanger. The availability of free cooling can be based on the cooling provided at the heat exchanger achieving a target temperature for the cooling load process fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Brian A. Kirkman, Susanna Staubly Hanson, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20220136723
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for efficiently operating a chiller plant while minimizing or eliminating the occurrence of centrifugal compressor surge. Taking into account chiller design specifications and current operating conditions, a compressor lift point at which surge is predicted to occur is established. Minima and maxima for various chiller setpoints that avoid or eliminate the occurrence of compressor surge are imposed on setpoints provided by a conventional optimizing chiller controller. The chiller system is operated in accordance with the resultant anti-surge setpoints. Energy savings is realized by modulating coolant tower flow to enable the compressor to operate at near-surge conditions while preventing the onset of actual surge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher R. Vause, Scott A. Munns, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20220099326
    Abstract: Control systems and methods for control of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) systems that include cooling and one or both of heating and heat recovery can include adaptive and balanced modes for each of heating and cooling operations. The adaptive heating and cooling modes each respectively include controlling the HVACR system to achieve a target temperature for the respective heating or cooling process fluid and to unload or stop the compressor when the temperature of a the other of the cooling or heating process fluid exceeds a threshold. The balanced heating and cooling modes respectively include controlling a quantity of flow of the cooling or heating process fluids to meet balanced heating or cooling target temperatures for the respective heating or cooling process fluids and also the other of the cooling or heating process fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Lee R. Cline, Michael C. A. Schwedler
  • Patent number: 11287169
    Abstract: Cooling systems and methods of controlling a cooling system which includes one or more pumps and one or more fans, wherein the pumps and the fans are controlled by a controller. The controller controls the cooling system by a determination of an operation of the cooling system for sequencing activations, deactivations, and/or controlling parameters of the pumps, the fans, and/or other component(s) of the cooling system based on a first sensitivity of a power input as a function of lift, and a second sensitivity of a power input as a function of lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Brian T. Sullivan, Lee R. Cline
  • Patent number: 11248823
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for operating a chiller plant while minimizing or eliminating the occurrence of centrifugal compressor surge. Taking into account chiller design specifications and current operating conditions, a compressor lift point at which surge is predicted to occur is established. Minima and maxima for various chiller setpoints that avoid or eliminate the occurrence of compressor surge are imposed on setpoints provided by a conventional optimizing chiller controller. The chiller system is operated in accordance with the resultant anti-surge setpoints. Coolant tower flow is modulated to enable the compressor to operate at near-surge conditions while preventing the onset of actual surge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher R. Vause, Scott A. Munns, Lee R. Cline
  • Publication number: 20210063057
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for efficiently operating a chiller plant while minimizing or eliminating the occurrence of centrifugal compressor surge. Taking into account chiller design specifications and current operating conditions, a compressor lift point at which surge is predicted to occur is established. Minima and maxima for various chiller setpoints that avoid or eliminate the occurrence of compressor surge are imposed on setpoints provided by a conventional optimizing chiller controller. The chiller system is operated in accordance with the resultant anti-surge setpoints. Energy savings is realized by modulating coolant tower flow to enable the compressor to operate at near-surge conditions while preventing the onset of actual surge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher R. Vause, Scott A. Munns, Lee R. Cline