Abstract: An improved high-efficiency furnace for use with manufactured housing has a modular heat exchanger assembly having a drum and a plurality of serpentine shaped tubes. A burner extends at least partially into the drum portion of the heat exchanger which acts as a combustion chamber. Hot combustion gases flow upwardly within the drum and enter the tubes heating the drum and tubes. Room air is drawn into the furnace by a circulating blower and blown against the plurality of tubes. The room air is then directed to flow around the drum portion of the heat exchanger where it is further heated before being discharged into the space being heated. The burner includes an inwardly tilted target plate having a plurality of fingers for facilitating the formation of a stable ball of flame within the drum.

Abstract: A heat pump unit for use in small buildings where the unit must be stored in a confined space, not having access to the exterior walls of the building. The unit is contained within a rectangular housing that is divided into three compartments. An outdoor air compartment is vertically disposed between the top and bottom walls at the rear of the housing and an indoor air compartment and a compressor compartment are mounted one over the other at the front of the housing. An outdoor air blower is mounted outside of the housing to save space and is arranged to move air through the outdoor air compartment along a vertical path of travel. An interior vertical wall separates the rear compartment from the two front compartments and contains an upper vertical section and rear wall offset lower vertical section joined by an angularly disposed intermediate section along a vertical path of travel.

Abstract: A single package heat pump unit is field-reconfigurable from a horizontal discharge configuration to a top discharge configuration. A supply panel covers the top and upper part of the back wall, and contains a supply vent in a vent wall, with a blank wall joining it at a ninety degree crease. The supply panel can be removed and installed in the top discharge position, using standard fasteners.

Abstract: An integrated heat pump and hot water system can be operated in a space heating mode, a space cooling mode, or a water heating mode, with or without space heating or cooling. In the event that water heating is demanded without either space heating or cooling, a flow restriction arrangement in the liquid refrigerant line is actuated to limit the capacity of the compressor, and thus match the water heat exchanger capacity as much as possible. The selective restrictive arrangement has a valve arrangement selectively blocking the full flow of refrigerant along the condensed refrigerant line, and a restrictive bypass arrangement bridging around the valve arrangement. This can comprise one or more capillary tubes. A quenching branch line extends between the selective restricting arrangement and the suction line that returns evaporated refrigerant to the suction port of the compressor. This quenching branch line favorably comprises a solenoid valve and a flow restricting device connected in series.

Abstract: A refrigerant flow metering device for use in a refrigeration system includes a body having a flow passage extending therethrough. A piston having a flow metering port extending therethrough is movably disposed within the flow passage. An elongated member extends into the metering port of the piston and cooperates with the port to define a flow metering passage therebetween. The elongated member is configured such that it will vary the cross-sectional area of the flow metering passage a function of the position of the member to the metering port. Means are provided for supporting the elongated member within the housing and for controlling the relative axial position of the elongated member and the piston with respect to one another as a function of the differential pressure across the piston. The refrigerant expansion device is capable of responding to certain pressure and flow conditions within a refrigeration system to provide optimum expansion areas within the device for such pressure and flow conditions.

Abstract: A heat pump system that includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger is provided with automatic refrigerant charge adjustment. A refrigerant reservoir has an inlet branch coupled to a liquid refrigerant line between the two heat exchangers and a discharge branch that is coupled to the suction line that feeds low pressure vapor to the compressor. Solenoid valves on the two branches are controlled by a thermostat that is in thermal contact with the discharge line from the compressor. If the discharge temperature is low, refrigerant liquid is transferred to the reservoir. If the discharge temperature is high, the refrigerant is injected into the suction gas.

Abstract: A refrigerant flow metering device for use in a refrigeration system includes a housing having a flow metering passage extending therethrough. A partition is located within the flow passage of the housing and defines a flow metering port therethrough. The partition divides the flow passage into a high pressure and a low pressure portion. An elongated member extends into the metering port. The elongated member and the metering port cooperate to define a flow metering passage therebetween. The elongated member is configured to vary the cross-sectional area of the flow metering passage in relation to the position of the elongated member to the flow metering port. One end of the elongated rod extends into the low pressure portion of the flow passage.

Abstract: A rolling rotor motor/compressor has a stator/cylinder with an internal rotor/piston. The stator/cylinder and rotor/piston together define a chamber and a vane extends into this chamber when the device is compressor. The rotor/piston has a pair of axially extending shafts and a pair of counterweights coact with the shafts for balancing while permitting radial movement of the rotor/piston within the stator/cylinder. This permits unloading of the compressor such as when there is a liquid slug.

Abstract: An integrated heat pump and hot water system having a refrigerant to water heat exchanger that includes first and second refrigerant circuits in heat transfer relation with a hot water circuit for circulating water from a storage tank through the heat exchanger. One refrigerant circuit is connected between the discharge side of the refrigerant compressor and the heat pump reversing valve. The second circuit is connected between the suction side of the compressor and the indoor coil side of the heat pump expansion device. A pair of control valves are positioned to provide for water heating when the heat pump is in either a heating or cooling mode of operation or, alternatively, when the heat pump is not required to provide air conditioning. In addition, energy in the hot water on the water side of the system is used to evaporate refrigerant in a novel defrost cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for integrating the operation of a fossil fuel fired furnace with a heat pump. A microprocessor control is utilized to regulate the operation of the furnace such that should the compressor of the heat pump be operating even in a malfunction condition the fossil fuel fired furnace may not be energized. The logic further provides for the compressor being de-energized should the fossil fuel fired furnace be operated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for regulating delay periods in the operation of an air conditioning system. A speedup means is provided for a serviceman to speed up the delay intervals to avoid long waiting periods between modes of operation of the air conditioning unit. Means are provided for removing the speedup means after delay periods have occurred to prevent inadvertent operation of the air conditioning system with shortened delay intervals.

Abstract: A method for controlling the energization of a crankcase heater for use in a refrigeration circuit is disclosed. The crankcase heater is energized through normally closed relay contacts except when the compressor is operating and except for a delay period after compressor operation. A microprocessor control is utilized to calculate the delay period based on the length of the period of compressor operation and to control the energization of the crankcase heater.

Abstract: A refrigerant expansion device for use in a vapor compression refrigeration system is disclosed. The device has a body portion with a bore extending therethrough. At least that portion of the body portion which forms the bore walls is made of a shape memory alloy which undergoes a metallurgical transformation at a predetermined transformation temperature to change the bore size of the device in response to the temperature of refrigerant flowing through the device. In this manner, the bore size of the device is adjusted in response to different operating conditions of the refrigeration system.

Abstract: An electrical control system for environmental conditioning equipment such as a heat pump is disclosed. An electronic control module in the control system has input and output plugs which may be disconnected from the module and connected to each other so that the module is bypassed while maintaining basic operation of the equipment. This allows the electronic control module to be serviced, tested, and/or repaired while maintaining basic operation of the equipment.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a tight seal between a coupling and a tube of variable sizes. A cylindrical housing defining an opening therein is provided such that a plurality of jaws having gripping teeth and gear teeth are mounted within the housing by being rotatably secured on a pin. A sleeve having rack teeth for engaging the gear teeth of the jaws is provided for rotating the jaws such that the inward extension of the gripping teeth may be varied. A piston having a seal mounted thereon and a projecting member extending therethrough is slidably maintained within the cylindrical opening such that a joint may be formed between the tube and the coupling. The piston defines together with the housing an expansible chamber which may be filled with a pressurized fluid to move the piston against the tube to assure a tight seal. A limit switch may additionally be provided such that if the gripping teeth do not properly engage the exterior of the tube the piston will be displaced sufficiently to engage the limit switch.

Abstract: A control system for monitoring frost accumulation on the coil of a heat pump. An operational parameter of the heat pump compressor responsive to frost accumulation, such as compressor current, is compared to a reference level developed during a non-frost condition of the coil to initiate and terminate coil defrosting in response to a predetermined variation between the operational and reference parameter levels.