Patents by Inventor Shitong Zha

Shitong Zha 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: 20200132351
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a subcooler heat exchanger, a flash tank, a load, and a compressor. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The subcooler heat exchanger receives the refrigerant. The flash tank stores the refrigerant. During a first mode of operation, the load uses the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the load and the compressor compresses the refrigerant. During a second mode of operation, the subcooler heat exchanger receives the refrigerant from the flash tank, transfers heat from the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the refrigerant from the flash tank and directs the refrigerant from the flash tank to the compressor. During the second mode of operation, the compressor compresses the refrigerant from the subcooler heat exchanger and directs the compressed refrigerant to the load to defrost the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Shitong Zha, Michael Hollister
  • Publication number: 20200132345
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a flash tank, a first load, a first oil separator, and a first compressor. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The flash tank stores the refrigerant. The first load uses the refrigerant to cool a first space proximate the first load. During a first mode of operation, the first oil separator separates an oil from the refrigerant from the first load and directs the refrigerant to an ejector. The ejector directs the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger and the refrigerant form the first oil separator to the flash tank. The flash tank directs the refrigerant from the first oil separator to the first compressor. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the flash tank. During a second mode of operation, the first oil separator directs the oil separated from the refrigerant to the first compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Xi Sun, Shitong Zha
  • Patent number: 10605494
    Abstract: A method for a refrigeration system includes applying, by a gas cooler of the refrigeration system, a first cooling stage to refrigerant circulating through the refrigeration system load. The method further comprises applying, by a heat exchanger located downstream from the gas cooler, a second cooling stage to the refrigerant, wherein the second cooling stage removes heat from the refrigerant, and applying, by the heat exchanger located downstream from the gas cooler, the heat removed during the second cooling stage to a water heating system operable to heat water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Product LLC
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Patent number: 10578348
    Abstract: A method includes receiving moisturized air from a refrigerated room and absorbing, in a portion of a desiccant wheel, moisture from the moisturized air, wherein absorbing moisture from the moisturized air produces dehumidified air. The method further includes discharging the dehumidified air to the refrigerated room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Patent number: 10551135
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system includes a high side heat exchanger, a load, a compressor, and a horizontal oil separator. The high side heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from a refrigerant. The horizontal oil separator comprises a centrifugal chamber, an oil, a cut line, a filter, a collector, and an outlet. The centrifugal chamber is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor and rotate the refrigerant, wherein rotating the refrigerant separates an oil from the refrigerant. The cut line is configured to prevent the oil separated in the centrifugal chamber from combining with the refrigerant. The filter is configured to separate additional oil from the refrigerant. The collector is configured to collect the oil separated in the centrifugal chamber and the additional oil. The outlet is configured to discharge the refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, LLC
    Inventors: Xi Sun, Shitong Zha
  • Publication number: 20200003468
    Abstract: A system includes a flash tank, a first load, a second load, a first compressor, a second compressor, a first valve, and a second valve. The flash tank stores a refrigerant. The first and second loads use the refrigerant to cool first and second spaces. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the first load during a first mode of operation and a flash gas from the flash tank during a second mode of operation. The second compressor compresses a mixture of the refrigerant from the first and second loads during the first mode of operation. The first valve directs the flash gas from the flash tank to the first compressor during the second mode of operation. The second valve directs the compressed flash gas from the first compressor to the first load during the second mode of operation to defrost the first load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Mike Hollister, Shitong Zha
  • Publication number: 20190376732
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a flash tank, a medium temperature load, a low temperature load, a first compressor, a second compressor, and an ejector. The flash tank stores a refrigerant. The medium temperature load uses the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the medium temperature load to a first temperature. The low temperature load uses the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the low temperature load to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the low temperature load. The second compressor compresses the refrigerant from the medium temperature load. The ejector directs a mixture of the refrigerant from the first compressor and the refrigerant from the second compressor to the low temperature load during a defrost cycle. The mixture defrosts the low temperature load. The flash tank receives the mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Publication number: 20190368784
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a flash tank, a load, a first compressor, a coil, a first pipe, and a second compressor. The flash tank stores a refrigerant. The load uses the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the load. The coil within the flash tank receives the refrigerant from the first compressor such that the received refrigerant is within the coil. The refrigerant stored within the flash tank cools the refrigerant within the coil. The first pipe is within the flash tank. The first pipe directs the refrigerant from within the coil out of the flash tank. The second compressor compresses the refrigerant directed out of the flash tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Publication number: 20190368791
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a flash tank, a first load, a second load, a first compressor, a second compressor, and an expansion valve. The flash tank stores a refrigerant. The first load uses the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the first load. The second load uses the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the second load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the second load. The second compressor compresses a mixture of the refrigerant from the first load and the refrigerant from the first compressor. The expansion valve controls a flow of the refrigerant from the flash tank to the first load such that the flow of refrigerant to the first load is increased when a temperature of the mixture exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Patent number: 10496108
    Abstract: A flood prevention system includes a first load, a second load, a third load, a fourth load, a first compressor, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a controller. The first, second, third, and fourth loads are configured to use a refrigerant to remove heat from a first, second, third, and fourth space, respectively, proximate to the first, second, third, and fourth load, respectively. The first compressor is configured to compress the refrigerant from the fourth load. The first temperature sensor is configured to detect a first temperature of the refrigerant from the first load, the second load, and the third load. The second temperature sensor is configured to detect a second temperature of the refrigerant from the first load, the second load, the third load, and the compressor. The controller is configured to trigger an alarm in response to certain conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Shitong Zha, Douglas Cole
  • Publication number: 20190301772
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a flash tank, a first load, a first compressor, an auxiliary cooling system, and a first check valve. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The flash tank stores the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger. The first load uses the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the first load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the first load. The auxiliary cooling system removes heat from the refrigerant stored in the flash tank during a power outage. The first check valve directs the refrigerant between the first load and the first compressor back to the flash tank when the pressure of the refrigerant between the first load and the first compressor exceeds a threshold during the power outage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Patent number: 10365023
    Abstract: A system includes a heat exchanger coupled to an air conditioning system, and a flash tank is coupled to refrigeration cases, and houses a first refrigerant. The system includes solenoid valves coupled to the flash tank, where the solenoid valves reduce a pressure of the first refrigerant flowing from the flash tank to the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may be coupled to the solenoid valves, and the heat exchanger may be configured to receive an amount of the first refrigerant from the solenoid valves, receive a second refrigerant from the air conditioning system, where the second refrigerant is associated with an air conditioning load, and provide cooling to the second refrigerant, using the first refrigerant. Finally, the system includes a check valve coupled to the flash tank, where the check valve reduces a pressure of the first refrigerant flowing from the flash tank away from the solenoid valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Shitong Zha, Augusto Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 10352604
    Abstract: An improved system, method, and controller for a refrigeration system is provided. The improved system, method, and controller operates the refrigeration system in a manner that extends the operation of a parallel compressor relative to the operation of a parallel compressor in a conventional refrigeration system. The improved method includes determining whether a parallel compressor of the refrigeration system is operational, and if operational, directing refrigerant discharged from a first compressor of the refrigeration system to the parallel compressor. The first compressor of the refrigeration system is operable to compress refrigerant discharged from a first refrigeration case, the second compressor is operable to compress refrigerant discharged from a second refrigeration case, and the parallel compressor, when operational, is operable to provide parallel compression for the second compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Publication number: 20190154317
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a flash tank, a load, a first compressor, a heat exchanger, and a second compressor. The flash tank stores a refrigerant and releases the refrigerant as a flash gas. The load uses the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the load and directs the refrigerant to the flash tank. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the refrigerant from a high side heat exchanger to the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas. The second compressor compresses the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Publication number: 20190072299
    Abstract: A system includes a flash tank coupled to refrigeration cases, and the flash tank houses a first refrigerant. The system further includes a gas cooler to cool the first refrigerant, a heat exchanger coupled to an air conditioning system, and a first high pressure expansion valve coupled to the gas cooler. The first high pressure expansion valve reduces a pressure of the first refrigerant flowing from the gas cooler to the heat exchanger. The system includes a second high pressure expansion valve coupled to the gas cooler, which reduces a pressure of the first refrigerant flowing from the gas cooler to the flash tank. The heat exchanger is coupled to the first high pressure expansion valve, and the heat exchanger receives the first refrigerant from the high pressure expansion valve, receives a second refrigerant from an air conditioning system, and provides cooling to the second refrigerant using the first refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Fardis Najafifard, Shitong Zha
  • Publication number: 20190072305
    Abstract: A system includes a heat exchanger coupled to an air conditioning system, and a flash tank is coupled to refrigeration cases, and houses a first refrigerant. The system includes solenoid valves coupled to the flash tank, where the solenoid valves reduce a pressure of the first refrigerant flowing from the flash tank to the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may be coupled to the solenoid valves, and the heat exchanger may be configured to receive an amount of the first refrigerant from the solenoid valves, receive a second refrigerant from the air conditioning system, where the second refrigerant is associated with an air conditioning load, and provide cooling to the second refrigerant, using the first refrigerant. Finally, the system includes a check valve coupled to the flash tank, where the check valve reduces a pressure of the first refrigerant flowing from the flash tank away from the solenoid valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Shitong Zha, Augusto Zimmermann
  • Publication number: 20190041102
    Abstract: A system includes a high side heat exchanger, a flash tank, a first load, a second load, and a thermal storage tank. The high side heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from a refrigerant. The flash tank is configured to store the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger and discharge a flash gas. The first load is configured to use the refrigerant from the flash tank to remove heat from a first space proximate to the first load. The second load is configured to use the refrigerant from the flash tank to remove heat from a second space proximate to the second load. The thermal storage tank is configured, when a power outage is determined to be occurring, to receive the flash gas from the flash tank, and remove heat from the flash gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Shitong Zha, Fardis Najafifard, Xi Sun
  • Publication number: 20190024994
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system includes a high side heat exchanger, a load, a compressor, and a horizontal oil separator. The high side heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from a refrigerant. The horizontal oil separator comprises a centrifugal chamber, an oil, a cut line, a filter, a collector, and an outlet. The centrifugal chamber is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor and rotate the refrigerant, wherein rotating the refrigerant separates an oil from the refrigerant. The cut line is configured to prevent the oil separated in the centrifugal chamber from combining with the refrigerant. The filter is configured to separate additional oil from the refrigerant. The collector is configured to collect the oil separated in the centrifugal chamber and the additional oil. The outlet is configured to discharge the refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Xi Sun, Shitong Zha
  • Publication number: 20190025859
    Abstract: A flood prevention system includes a first load, a second load, a third load, a fourth load, a first compressor, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a controller. The first, second, third, and fourth loads are configured to use a refrigerant to remove heat from a first, second, third, and fourth space, respectively, proximate to the first, second, third, and fourth load, respectively. The first compressor is configured to compress the refrigerant from the fourth load. The first temperature sensor is configured to detect a first temperature of the refrigerant from the first load, the second load, and the third load. The second temperature sensor is configured to detect a second temperature of the refrigerant from the first load, the second load, the third load, and the compressor. The controller is configured to trigger an alarm in response to certain conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Shitong Zha, Douglas Cole
  • Publication number: 20180259274
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system includes a high side heat exchanger, a load, a compressor, and a horizontal oil separator. The high side heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from a refrigerant. The horizontal oil separator comprises a centrifugal chamber, an oil, a cut line, a filter, a collector, and an outlet. The centrifugal chamber is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor and rotate the refrigerant, wherein rotating the refrigerant separates an oil from the refrigerant. The cut line is configured to prevent the oil separated in the centrifugal chamber from combining with the refrigerant. The filter is configured to separate additional oil from the refrigerant. The collector is configured to collect the oil separated in the centrifugal chamber and the additional oil. The outlet is configured to discharge the refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Xi Sun, Shitong Zha