Patents by Inventor Niel M. Hayes

Niel M. Hayes 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: 11940186
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit and a coolant circuit separate from the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a gas cooler/condenser, a receiver, and an evaporator. The coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration circuit into a coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, a heat sink configured to remove heat from the coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, and a magnetocaloric conditioning unit configured to transfer heat from the coolant within a first fluid conduit of the coolant circuit into the coolant within a second fluid conduit of the coolant circuit. The first fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat exchanger to an inlet of the heat sink, whereas the second fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat sink to an inlet of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Newel, John D. Bittner, Niel M. Hayes
  • Patent number: 11674719
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a receiver, a gas bypass valve, a parallel compressor, and a controller. The gas bypass valve and the parallel compressor are fluidly coupled to an outlet of the receiver in parallel and configured to control a pressure of a gas refrigerant in the receiver. The controller is configured to switch from operating the gas bypass valve to operating the parallel compressor to control the pressure of the gas refrigerant in the receiver in response to a value of a process variable crossing a switchover setpoint. The value of the process variable depends on an amount of the gas refrigerant produced by the refrigeration system. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the switchover setpoint in response to the amount of the gas refrigerant produced by the refrigeration system being insufficient to sustain operation of the parallel compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Niel M. Hayes, Jeffrey E. Newel
  • Publication number: 20220357081
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit and a coolant circuit separate from the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a gas cooler/condenser, a receiver, and an evaporator. The coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration circuit into a coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, a heat sink configured to remove heat from the coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, and a magnetocaloric conditioning unit configured to transfer heat from the coolant within a first fluid conduit of the coolant circuit into the coolant within a second fluid conduit of the coolant circuit. The first fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat exchanger to an inlet of the heat sink, whereas the second fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat sink to an inlet of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Newel, John D. Bittner, Niel M. Hayes
  • Patent number: 11397032
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit and a coolant circuit separate from the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a gas cooler/condenser, a receiver, and an evaporator. The coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration circuit into a coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, a heat sink configured to remove heat from the coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, and a magnetocaloric conditioning unit configured to transfer heat from the coolant within a first fluid conduit of the coolant circuit into the coolant within a second fluid conduit of the coolant circuit. The first fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat exchanger to an inlet of the heat sink, whereas the second fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat sink to an inlet of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Newel, John D. Bittner, Niel M. Hayes
  • Patent number: 11353246
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a receiver, a gas bypass valve, a parallel compressor, and a controller. The gas bypass valve and the parallel compressor are fluidly coupled to an outlet of the receiver in parallel and configured to control a pressure of a gas refrigerant in the receiver. The controller is configured to switch from operating the gas bypass valve to operating the parallel compressor to control the pressure of the gas refrigerant in the receiver in response to a value of a process variable crossing a switchover setpoint. The value of the process variable depends on an amount of the gas refrigerant produced by the refrigeration system. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the switchover setpoint in response to the amount of the gas refrigerant produced by the refrigeration system being insufficient to sustain operation of the parallel compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Niel M. Hayes, Jeffrey E. Newel
  • Publication number: 20210396433
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a receiver, a gas bypass valve, a parallel compressor, and a controller. The gas bypass valve and the parallel compressor are fluidly coupled to an outlet of the receiver in parallel and configured to control a pressure of a gas refrigerant in the receiver. The controller is configured to switch from operating the gas bypass valve to operating the parallel compressor to control the pressure of the gas refrigerant in the receiver in response to a value of a process variable crossing a switchover setpoint. The value of the process variable depends on an amount of the gas refrigerant produced by the refrigeration system. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the switchover setpoint in response to the amount of the gas refrigerant produced by the refrigeration system being insufficient to sustain operation of the parallel compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Niel M. Hayes, Jeffrey E. Newel
  • Patent number: 11022356
    Abstract: A system for starting a refrigeration system includes a liquid line regulating valve, a liquid line charging valve, a suction line expansion valve, a suction line charging valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to override normal operation of the refrigeration system and transmit a demand signal to enable partial system operation. The controller is configured to operate the liquid line regulating valve and the liquid line charging valve to charge a receiver tank, gradually increase the demand signal to a predetermined level of partial system operation, and release the liquid line charging valve to normal operation. The controller is configured to operate the suction line expansion valve and the suction line charging valve to charge a suction line, gradually increase the demand signal to full system operation, and release the liquid line regulating valve, the suction line expansion valve, and the suction line charging valve to normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Walden, Thomas W. Bradshaw, Peter J. Ferretti, Niel M. Hayes, Senthilkumar Kandappa Goundar Shanmugam
  • Patent number: 10663201
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a gas cooler/condenser configured to remove heat from a refrigerant, a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the refrigerant leaving the gas cooler/condenser, a pressure sensor located along the high pressure conduit and configured to measure a pressure of the refrigerant leaving the gas cooler/condenser, a pressure control valve operable to regulate the pressure of the refrigerant leaving the gas cooler/condenser, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether the refrigerant leaving the gas cooler/condenser is in a subcritical region based on at least one of the measured temperature of the refrigerant or the measured pressure of the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventor: Niel M. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20200124330
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a gas cooler/condenser configured to remove heat from a refrigerant, a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the refrigerant leaving the gas cooler/condenser, a pressure sensor located along the high pressure conduit and configured to measure a pressure of the refrigerant leaving the gas cooler/condenser, a pressure control valve operable to regulate the pressure of the refrigerant leaving the gas cooler/condenser, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether the refrigerant leaving the gas cooler/condenser is in a subcritical region based on at least one of the measured temperature of the refrigerant or the measured pressure of the refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventor: Niel M. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20190376728
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a receiver, a gas bypass valve, a parallel compressor, and a controller. The gas bypass valve and the parallel compressor are fluidly coupled to an outlet of the receiver in parallel and configured to control a pressure of a gas refrigerant in the receiver. The controller is configured to switch from operating the gas bypass valve to operating the parallel compressor to control the pressure of the gas refrigerant in the receiver in response to a value of a process variable crossing a switchover setpoint. The value of the process variable depends on an amount of the gas refrigerant produced by the refrigeration system. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the switchover setpoint in response to the amount of the gas refrigerant produced by the refrigeration system being insufficient to sustain operation of the parallel compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Niel M. Hayes, Jeffrey E. Newel
  • Publication number: 20190368786
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit and a coolant circuit separate from the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a gas cooler/condenser, a receiver, and an evaporator. The coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration circuit into a coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, a heat sink configured to remove heat from the coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, and a magnetocaloric conditioning unit configured to transfer heat from the coolant within a first fluid conduit of the coolant circuit into the coolant within a second fluid conduit of the coolant circuit. The first fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat exchanger to an inlet of the heat sink, whereas the second fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat sink to an inlet of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Newel, John D. Bittner, Niel M. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20190212043
    Abstract: A system for starting a refrigeration system includes a liquid line regulating valve, a liquid line charging valve, a suction line expansion valve, a suction line charging valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to override normal operation of the refrigeration system and transmit a demand signal to enable partial system operation. The controller is configured to operate the liquid line regulating valve and the liquid line charging valve to charge a receiver tank, gradually increase the demand signal to a predetermined level of partial system operation, and release the liquid line charging valve to normal operation. The controller is configured to operate the suction line expansion valve and the suction line charging valve to charge a suction line, gradually increase the demand signal to full system operation, and release the liquid line regulating valve, the suction line expansion valve, and the suction line charging valve to normal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Walden, Thomas W. Bradshaw, Peter J. Ferretti, Niel M. Hayes, Senthilkumar Kandappa Goundar Shanmugam
  • Patent number: 10260787
    Abstract: A system for starting a refrigeration system includes a liquid line regulating valve, a liquid line charging valve, a suction line expansion valve, a suction line charging valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to override normal operation of the refrigeration system and transmit a demand signal to enable partial system operation. The controller is configured to operate the liquid line regulating valve and the liquid line charging valve to charge a receiver tank, gradually increase the demand signal to a predetermined level of partial system operation, and release the liquid line charging valve to normal operation. The controller is configured to operate the suction line expansion valve and the suction line charging valve to charge a suction line, gradually increase the demand signal to full system operation, and release the liquid line regulating valve, the suction line expansion valve, and the suction line charging valve to normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Walden, Thomas W. Bradshaw, Peter J. Ferretti, Niel M. Hayes, Senthilkumar Kandappa Goundar Shanmugam
  • Publication number: 20170336113
    Abstract: A system for starting a refrigeration system includes a liquid line regulating valve, a liquid line charging valve, a suction line expansion valve, a suction line charging valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to override normal operation of the refrigeration system and transmit a demand signal to enable partial system operation. The controller is configured to operate the liquid line regulating valve and the liquid line charging valve to charge a receiver tank, gradually increase the demand signal to a predetermined level of partial system operation, and release the liquid line charging valve to normal operation. The controller is configured to operate the suction line expansion valve and the suction line charging valve to charge a suction line, gradually increase the demand signal to full system operation, and release the liquid line regulating valve, the suction line expansion valve, and the suction line charging valve to normal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Walden, Thomas W. Bradshaw, Peter J. Ferretti, Niel M. Hayes, Senthilkumar Kandappa Goundar Shanmugam