Abstract: A device and method are provided to allow replacement of costlier motors with a retrofittable control board and a lower cost motors operating a several speeds to provide variable (but not continuously variable) blower airflow. The control signals normally used to command the motor being replaced are only used to detect the need to activate the blower motor; once detected, the control board activates the replacement blower motor by energizing a blower motor speed tap with the evaporator blower initially set to a high speed. Then the blower speed is lowered if a predetermined negligibly small, acceptable change in evaporator temperature has occurred. Given the number of speed taps on the replacement blower motor, the evaporator blower speed is continued to be reduced from the initially set high speed as long as there is only an acceptably small change in the measured evaporator temperature.

Abstract: An anti-clogging liquid dispersion system and method for an air conditioner or heat pump is disclosed. A tank holds an anti-clogging liquid. A pump or valve connected with the tank periodically supplies the liquid to a condensate drain pan or the outlet of an existing drain line located exteriorly of a structure. One or more sensors are provided to detect moisture, flooding and/or lack of condensate flow and, when so detected, a control circuit causes the liquid to be supplied to the condensate drain pan to prevent flooding of a condensate drain pan or to clear a clogged drain line of an air handler of the air conditioner or heat pump. An additional dose of the liquid can also be supplied at any time when an unacceptable amount of condensate moisture and/or a clogged drain line has been detected.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to allow the replacement of a costly electrically commutated blower or fan motor with a less efficient motor such as a permanent split capacitor motor operating at a predetermined speed, without regard to the specific electrically commutated motor command signals or programming being used by the original equipment manufacturer. A retrofittable control board is employed to activate the replacement motor by energizing the replacement blower motor when an electrically commutated blower motor command signal is observed on any one of the signal lines which are continuously monitored simultaneously.

Abstract: A window assembly heat transfer system is disclosed in which a window member has a selected transparency to monitored or sensed light wavelengths. One or more passages are provided in the window member for flowing a single-phase or two-phase heat transfer fluid, the passages being optically non-transparent to the monitored or sensed light wavelengths. A mechanism allows either evaporation or condensation of the fluid and/or balancing of a flow of the fluid within the passages. In one embodiment, the window assembly can be made by producing passages in a top surface of a first single plate, optionally producing passages in a bottom surface of a second single plate and bonding the top surface of the first plate to a bottom surface of a second single plate to form the window member with the passage or passages. In another embodiment, the window assembly can be made by providing a core around which the window member material is grown and thereafter removing the core to produce the passage or passages.

Abstract: A mounting pad system and method for an HVAC outdoor unit that includes providing a lightweight fillable pad shell containing a gelling material and having securing slots extending from an underside surface to an upper side surface of the shell. The shell is filled with water through a port at its upper surface. Prior to leveling the filled pad on the soil at the site and installation of the outdoor unit, securing straps are inserted into the slots from the underside surface of the shell so as to extend through an upper surface thereof. The filling port is covered when the HVAC unit is placed on top of the pad. One or more securing anchors can be used to anchor the pad to the ground, which are also covered when the HVAC unit is place on top of the pad and an anti-theft cable can be employed to further prevent theft.

Abstract: A mounting pad system for securing equipment, such as an HVAC outdoor unit or a standby generator, is provided in the form of a lightweight fillable pad member having a plurality of receivers located on a top surface of the pad member. The receivers are associated with attachment points located on the equipment and are used to secure the equipment to the pad. The pad member contains a filling port on its top surface and is configured as a molded hollow shell containing a gelling material which, when mixed with water, provides support to reduce deflection of the pad member caused by the equipment secured to the pad, prevents damage to the pad that would otherwise be caused by the expansion of internal contents upon freezing and prevents leakage of internal contents of the fillable pad in the event of an unintended breach in the hollow shell. The pad member is provided with at least one through-hole that acts as a supporting structure.

Abstract: A refrigerant and oil treatment composition for introduction into a vapor-compression system such as a refrigerator, heat pump, freezer, air conditioner, thermal control device, and refrigerant recovery apparatus has a composition alcohol and a drying agent. The drying agent is 2,2 -dimethoxypropane which can react with moisture in the system to form an alcohol as a reaction product. The alcohol reaction product along with the composition alcohol separates any acid in the system from oil, refrigerant and hard surfaces of the system to form an acid-containing solvent composition. The quantity of the composition introduced into the system is based on the adsorption capacity of the filter-drier.

Abstract: A mounting pad system for securing equipment, such as an HVAC outdoor unit, is provided in the form of a lightweight fillable pad member having securing slots extending from an underside surface to an upperside surface of the pad member. Securing strap assemblies are associated with at least some of the securing slots and are insertable into the latter to secure the equipment therebetween. The pad member contains a filling port on its upper surface and is configured as a molded hollow shell containing a gelling material which, when mixed with water, provides support to reduce deflection of the pad member caused by the equipment secured to the pad, prevents damage to the pad that would otherwise be caused by the expansion of internal contents upon freezing and prevents leakage of internal contents of the fillable pad in the event of an unintended breach in the hollow shell.

Abstract: A flow control cartridge is used with a cold plate to form a cold plate assembly within which a refrigerant circulates for cooling at least one heat generating device. The cartridge includes a thermal expansion valve and a sensing portion that with a bellows-type actuator within the cartridge. The bellows-type actuator is located directly in a stream of the refrigerant exiting the cold plate. The thermal expansion valve is comprised of a main body having an inlet orifice arranged to receive refrigerant that has been subcooled from a condenser of a vapor compression system or a recuperative heat exchanger, and a needle arranged in an expanded section of the main body in association with discharge ports in the expanded section for discharging the refrigerant in a two-phase state into the cold plate.

Abstract: A two-phase fluid flow distribution system and method for a parallel flow evaporator or condenser are disclosed. Uniform distribution of the two-phase flow within a parallel microchannel heat transfer passages and increased system performance is achieved by integrating an orientation-insensitive, two-phase flow distribution device within the inlet. manifolds of the microchannel heat exchanger passages.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for uniformly cooling a cooling plate of a heat generating device. Sub-cooled refrigerant is flowed through a thermal expansion valve and then into the cooling plate as a two-phase refrigerant where the refrigerant is superheated. Any refrigerant remaining in a fluid state before reaching a sensing portion associated with the thermal expansion valve and exiting the cooling plate can be completely vaporized by a recuperative heat exchanger. The superheated refrigerant is then passed to the sensing portion so that the superheated refrigerant directly transfers heat to a fluid within the sensing portion and causes a pressure change that is communicated to a needle of the thermal expansion valve.

Abstract: A moisture treatment and leak sealant product for a vapor-compression system has two separate components. One of the components includes a viscosity modifying additive, excluding oil compounds, to more closely match a viscosity of the product to that of lubricating oil in the system and a drying agent to remove moisture from the system. The second of the components includes a silane leak sealant and also the viscosity modifying additive.

Abstract: A diagnostic monitoring system and method is employed for one or more vapor compression systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps having a compressor, an indoor air handler fan coil and an outdoor condensor. Temperature, voltage and current sensors are provided at the outdoor condensor to determine that at least one vapor compression system is operating properly. Data obtained from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted to a receiving-device for use by the systems' custodian or repair service provider and includes information concerning an occurrence of periods when one or more of the vapor compression systems are operating at an abnormal state.

Abstract: A refrigerant and oil treatment composition for introduction into a vapor-compression system such as a refrigerator, heat pump, freezer, air conditioner, thermal control device, and refrigerant recovery apparatus has a composition alcohol and a drying agent. The drying agent is 2,2-dimethoxypropane which can react with moisture in the system to form an alcohol as a reaction product. The alcohol reaction product along with the composition alcohol separates any acid in the system from oil, refrigerant and hard surfaces of the system to form an acid-containing solvent composition. The quantity of the composition introduced into the system is based on the adsorption capacity of the filter-drier.

Abstract: A diagnostic monitoring system and method is employed for one or more vapor compression systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps having a compressor, an indoor air handler fan coil and an outdoor condensor. Temperature, voltage and current sensors are provided at the outdoor condensor to determine that at least one vapor compression system is operating properly. Data obtained from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted to a receiving-device for use by the systems' custodian or repair service provider and includes information concerning an occurrence of periods when one or more of the vapor compression systems are operating at an abnormal state.

Abstract: A diagnostic monitoring system and method is employed for one or more vapor compression systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps having a compressor, an indoor air handler fan coil and an outdoor condensor. Temperature, voltage and current sensors are provided at the outdoor condensor to determine that at least one vapor compression system is operating properly. Data obtained from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted to a receiving-device for use by the systems' custodian or repair service provider and includes information concerning an occurrence of periods when one or more of the vapor compression systems are operating at an abnormal state.

Abstract: A diagnostic monitoring system and method is employed for one or more vapor compression systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps having a compressor, an indoor air handler fan coil and an outdoor condensor. Temperature, voltage and current sensors are provided at the outdoor condensor to determine that at least one vapor compression system is operating properly. Data obtained from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted to a receiving-device for use by the systems' custodian or repair service provider and includes information concerning an occurrence of periods when one or more of the vapor compression systems are operating at an abnormal state.

Abstract: A method and device for improving moisture removal capacity of a vapor compression system is disclosed. The vapor compression system is started up with the evaporator blower initially set to a high speed. A relative humidity in a return air stream is measured with the evaporator blower operating at the high speed. If the measured humidity is above the predetermined high relative humidity value, the evaporator blower speed is reduced from the initially set high speed to the lowest possible speed. The device is a control board connected with the blower and uses a predetermined change in measured relative humidity to control the blower motor speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for uniform cooling of a single power electronics device, an array of discrete power electronics devices or types of other heat-generating by integrating discrete thermostatic expansion devices (TXVs) and their control directly into each discrete cold plate. The thermostatic expansion device is positioned such that a sensing element is located directly within the exit refrigerant stream.

Abstract: A device and method are provided to improve performance of a vapor compression system using a retrofittable control board to start up the vapor compression system with the evaporator blower initially set to a high speed. A baseline evaporator operating temperature with the evaporator blower operating at the high speed is recorded, and then the device detects if a predetermined acceptable change in evaporator temperature has occurred. The evaporator blower speed is reduced from the initially set high speed as long as there is only a negligible change in the measured evaporator temperature and therefore a negligible difference in the compressor's power consumption so as to obtain a net increase in the Coefficient of Performance.