Reversible Cycle Machine Patents (Class 62/160)
  • Publication number: 20140007601
    Abstract: An outdoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus includes: a compressor; an outdoor fan; a plurality of outdoor heat exchangers coupled to a plurality of indoor units; a switching member configured to switch functions of the outdoor heat exchangers to either condensers or evaporators by switching of coupling states between the compressor and the outdoor heat exchangers; and a control unit configured to calculate a low pressure saturation temperature during a cooling operation or a cooling-main operation, and configured to cause all of the plurality of outdoor heat exchangers to serve as condensers by controlling the switching member when a state in which an open-air temperature is lower than the low pressure saturation temperature continues for a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Hideya Tamura, Takahiro Matsunaga, Shinju Watanabe, Keito Kawai, Takashi Kimura, Kotaro Toya, Yasuhiro Oka, Ken Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8607582
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for a container for refrigerating chilled cargo includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator connected in series. The system further includes a heater and sensors configured to sense the temperature of the supply air and the temperature of the return air. A controller is programmed to determine one of a requirement for heating and a requirement for cooling based on the temperature of the return air and the temperature of the supply air. The controller is programmed to activate the evaporator fan when a requirement for heating is determined and to increase the speed of the evaporator fan when increased heating is determined. The controller is also programmed to activate the compressor and the evaporator fan when a requirement for cooling is determined and to increase the power supplied to the compressor and maintain the evaporator fan at a first speed when increased cooling is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Thermo King Corporation, Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Ole Thøgersen, Allan Dyrmose, Dan Vad Steffensen
  • Patent number: 8607855
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air-conditioning system for a motor-driven vehicle, having a refrigerant circuit (20) with a plurality of heat exchangers (4, 24) through which a refrigerant can be conducted for an exchange of heat with the air which flows through them, with it being possible for the heat exchangers (4, 24) to be operated as heaters or as evaporators as a function of the operating state of the air-conditioning system, and at least one third heat exchanger (16) is provided in the refrigerant circuit (20), which third heat exchanger (16) serves for an exchange of heat with a coolant circuit (13) which is formed separately from the refrigerant circuit (20). The vehicle can be both a motor vehicle and also a fuel-cell-driven vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Behr GmbH & Co. KG, Behr America, Inc., Behr France Rouffach SAS
    Inventors: Günther Feuerecker, Karl Lochmahr, Frank Müller, Dirk Neumeister, Thomas Strauβ, Marcus Weinbrenner, Richard Obradovich, Gunnar Schlinke, Christophe Schmittheisler
  • Publication number: 20130312442
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus is provided to prevent a frost from being formed on a heat exchanger under the condition that the outdoor temperature is low. During a heating and dehumidifying operation, the third solenoid valve 25c is closed when outdoor temperature Tam is predetermined temperature T1 or lower, or when temperature Thex of the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 22 is a predetermined temperature T2 or lower and temperature Te detected by the cooled air temperature sensor 44 is temperature Tet-? or lower. By this means, during the heating and dehumidifying operation, when a frost is likely to be formed on the heat exchanger 14, it is possible to prevent the refrigerant from flowing into the heat exchanger 14, and to prevent a frost from being formed on the heat exchanger 14.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Sanden Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Suzuki, Ryo Miyakoshi, Hidenori Takei, Kouhei Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20130269378
    Abstract: An air heating, air conditioning and water heating system includes a multi-communicative valve unit, a compressor arranged for compressing the refrigerant in a state of superheated vapor, a condenser communicated with the compressor through the multi-communicative valve unit, a heat exchanger communicated with the condenser through the multi-communicative valve unit, an expansion valve, and a water heater communicated with the heat exchanger and the compressor through the multi-communicative valve unit, wherein the multi-communicative valve unit is arranged to be operated to selectively establish at least an air conditioning route, an air heating route, and a water heating route for the refrigerant so that the air heating, air conditioning and water heating system is capable of selectively providing air conditioning, heating and delivering hot water for a predetermined premises.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventor: Lee Wa Wong
  • Publication number: 20130269379
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a refrigerant flow switching device, a refrigerant flow path of a heat exchanger related to heat medium that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a heat medium, an expansion device, and a heat source-side heat exchanger are connected by a refrigerant pipe to form a refrigeration cycle, and a heat medium circuit in which a heat medium flow path of the heat exchanger related to heat medium, a pump, and a use-side heat exchanger are connected by a heat medium pipe. The air-conditioning apparatus includes an opening and closing device that is provided in a heat medium supply pipe that supplies the heat medium to the heat medium circuit from outside the circuit, and that passes or cuts off the heat medium flowing from the heat medium supply pipe to the heat medium circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Ue, Osamu Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8549867
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a controller and a closed system that includes a condensing heat exchanger coil, an evaporating heat exchanger coil, a refrigerant and a compressor. The compressor is configured to compress the refrigerant, thereby causing the refrigerant to have a greater pressure in the condensing heat exchanger coil than in the evaporating heat exchanger coil. The controller is configured to perform a passive defrost of the evaporating heat exchanger coil. The passive defrost includes disabling the compressor and providing a bypass path between the condensing and evaporating heat exchanger coils that bypasses the compressor. The bypass path allows the refrigerant to flow from the condensing heat exchanger coil to the evaporating heat exchanger coil while the compressor is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Carl T. Crawford, Robert B. Uselton, Bruce Perkins
  • Publication number: 20130239602
    Abstract: A heat pump hot-water supply apparatus controls a second expansion device during a heating operation so as to adjust the amount of refrigerant flowing through an injection pipe, and controls a third expansion device during a cooling operation so as to adjust the amount of refrigerant flowing through the injection pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Katsuhiro Ishimura, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka
  • Publication number: 20130227978
    Abstract: An air conditioner 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, when all compressors 21a-21c have been stopping for a given time or more, starts an air conditioning operation without performing pressure equalizing control in switch units 6a-6d with starting the operation of the air conditioner 1. Also, when the stopping time of all compressors 21a-21c is less than the given time, the air conditioner 1 performs the pressure equalizing control by controlling switch units 6a-6d with starting the operation of the air conditioner 1. In this case, when the stopping time reaches the given time during execution of the pressure equalizing processing control, the pressure equalizing processing control being executed is stopped and the air conditioning operation is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Fujitsu General Limited
    Inventors: Keito KAWAI, Hideya TAMURA, Takahiro MATSUNAGA, Shinju WATANABE, Takashi KIMURA, Kotaro TOYA, Yasuhiro OKA, Ken NAKASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20130219939
    Abstract: A vehicle heat pump system includes a compressor, a first valve coupled to an outlet of the compressor, a cooling circuit between the first valve and the inlet of the compressor, a heating circuit between the first valve and the inlet of the compressor and a controller. The heating circuit includes a heating circuit evaporator and a second valve between the heating circuit evaporator and the inlet of the compressor. The controller is configured to operate the first valve to switch between a cooling mode and a heating mode, cycle the second valve opened and closed in the heating mode, such that when closed, the compressor draws refrigerant out of the cooling circuit and refrigerant pressure builds up within the heating circuit, and maintain the second valve open upon the controller determining that sufficient refrigerant has been drawn out of the cooling circuit during the cycling of the second valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Ronald Eisenhour
  • Publication number: 20130219940
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus controls a heat medium passage reversing device so that, when it detects a heat medium flowing through a heat medium flow passage of the heat exchanger will not be frozen, a refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant flow passage of the heat exchanger related to heat medium and the heat medium flowing through the heat medium flow passage of the heat exchanger related to heat medium are in counter flow, and control the heat medium passage reversing device so that, when it detects that there is a possibility of freezing of the heat medium flowing through the heat medium flow passage of the heat exchanger related to heat medium, the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow passage of the heat exchanger related to heat medium and the heat medium flowing through the heat medium flow passage of the heat exchanger related to heat medium are in parallel flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8516841
    Abstract: A heating and air conditioning device 20 for an automotive vehicle, including a refrigerant circuit 4 in which a refrigerant circulates between three distinctive units 6, 10, 14 exchanging with respective secondary liquid loops 8, 12, 16. An evaporating unit 6 is dedicated to the evaporation of the refrigerant when operating in a cooling mode. A cooling unit 10 is dedicated to the cooling or condensation of the refrigerant when operating in the cooling mode as well as operating in the heating mode. A reversible unit 14 is dedicated to the evaporation of the refrigerant when operating in the heating mode and dedicated to the cooling or condensation of the refrigerant when operating in the cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Valeo Systems Thermiques
    Inventors: Klaus Wittmann, Daniel Neveu, Jean Luc Thuez, Didier Barat
  • Publication number: 20130145785
    Abstract: An air conditioner which controls capacity of an outdoor heat-exchanger unit without an on-off valve that exhibits high pressure loss, which prevents accumulation of refrigerant in an outdoor heat-exchanger, and which maintains reliability of a compressor or refrigeration cycle. The air conditioner includes a first expansion valve on a liquid line of a first outdoor heat- exchanger, a second expansion valve on a liquid line of a second outdoor heat-exchanger, a first connection line to connect a suction line to one port of the first 4-way valve, the suction line connecting a suction port of the compressor and an indoor heat-exchanger unit, a second connection line to connect the suction line to one port of the second 4-way valve, and a check valve provided on the second connection line to allow flow of refrigerant only from the second 4-way valve to the suction line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8424333
    Abstract: An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes: an outdoor heat exchange unit in which a plurality of refrigerant tubes are disposed to be separated in a plurality of columns in a vertical direction to exchange heat of outdoor air and a refrigerant; a first refrigerant distribution device having branch pipes connected to a plurality of refrigerant tubes, respectively, of an upper part among the plurality of refrigerant tubes; a second refrigerant distribution device having branch pipes connected to a plurality of refrigerant tubes, respectively, of a lower part among the plurality of refrigerant tubes; and a communication pipe for communicating one of the branch pipes of the first refrigerant distribution device and one of the branch pipes of the second refrigerant distribution device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Pil Hyun Yoon, Hyun Ju Kwag, Seok Hoon Jang
  • Patent number: 8417386
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided for monitoring a condition and selectively executing a certification defrost algorithm for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in response to the status of the monitored condition. A system and a method are provided for selectively operating a certification defrost algorithm in parallel to a field defrost algorithm. A system and a method are also provided for causing a controller to execute a first algorithm and for causing the controller to selectively execute a second algorithm while also executing the first algorithm where each of the first algorithm and the second algorithm are configured to selectively cause the HVAC system to operate in a defrost mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Douglas, Darryl E. Denton, Alan D. Marble, Kevin B. Mercer, Gary L. Sapp, Kristen L. Schaefer, Steven A. Tice
  • Publication number: 20130081417
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus 1 includes first start control and second start control as its start control. In the first start control, first outdoor heat exchangers 24a, 24b are controlled to function as evaporators and second outdoor heat exchangers 25a, 25b are controlled to function as condensers. Thus, even when the compressors 21a, 21b are driven on at a given rotation number, the discharge pressures thereof can be prevented from increasing, thereby being able to prevent the internal pressures of the compressors 21a, 21b from increasing. Also, after end of the first start control, the first outdoor heat exchangers 24a, 24b and second outdoor heat exchangers 25a, 25b are all controlled to function as evaporators, and the compressors 21a, 21b are driven on at a given rotation number. This can shorten the rising time of the heating capacity in the start of the normal heating operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Hideya TAMURA, Takahiro MATSUNAGA, Shinju WATANABE, Keito KAWAI, Takashi KIMURA, Kotaro TOYA, Yasuhiro OKA, Ken NAKASHIMA
  • Patent number: 8393172
    Abstract: An heat pump drying machine has a normal dry mode (e.g., compression ratio is equal to or greater than 3) for operating a compressor at a predetermined dry operation frequency and an energy saving dry mode (e.g., compression ratio is equal to or greater than 2.3 and is less than 3) for operating the compressor at an energy saving operation frequency that is lower than the dry operation frequency. A control device is provided to control an operation frequency of the compressor 5so that the two dry operation modes are switched to each other. The control device can execute the control for increasing the operation frequency of the compressor to the dry operation frequency during the operation of the energy saving dry mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Sato, Haruhisa Yamasaki, Eiji Fukuda, Yoshiaki Noguchi, Tetsuya Masuda, Hiroyuki Kuribara, Satoshi Imai, Toshikazu Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20130019622
    Abstract: A CPU 110 compares the extracted outside air temperature with a first low pressure saturation temperature. When the outside air temperature is lower than the first low pressure saturation temperature, the CPU 110 switches a first three-way valve 22 and a second three-way valve 23 so that a second outdoor heat exchanger 25 is used as a condenser and that a first outdoor heat exchanger 24 is not used. When the outside air temperature is higher than a second low pressure saturation temperature which is the first low pressure saturation temperature to which a predetermined temperature is added, the CPU 110 switches the first three-way valve 22 and the second three-way valve 23 so that the first outdoor heat exchanger 24 is used as a condenser and that the second outdoor heat exchanger 25 is not used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Ken NAKASHIMA, Hideya TAMURA, Takahiro MATSUNAGA, Shinju WATANABE, Keito KAWAI, Kotaro TOYA, Yasuhiro OKA
  • Patent number: 8347644
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a first circulation module and a second circulation module. Two circulation modules are joined by a heat exchanger. The first circulation is a modular refrigeration system includes a compressor, expansion device, and heat exchangers. The second circulation module includes a main liquid refrigerant tank, a number of distributed liquid refrigerant tanks, liquid pumps and a plurality of indoor units which includes a heat exchange device and a vapor propelling device. The heat exchange device is connected to the main liquid tank. The vapor propelling device propels the working fluid in a saturated vapor state to the first heat exchanger, thus forming a working fluid loop. It can be switched between the heating and cooling modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chung-Che Liu, Ling-Yu Chao, Hsu-Cheng Chiang, Chia-Hung Liu
  • Publication number: 20120285188
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a refrigerant circuit and a controller. The refrigerant circuit has usage units connected to a heat source unit. The usage units have first usage-side heat exchangers and second usage-side heat exchangers. The heat source unit has heat-source-side heat exchanger and a compressor. The controller causes the heat-source-side heat exchanger to function as an evaporator or as a radiator in accordance with an overall heat load of the usage units when the heating operation or the cooling operation has been set for each of the usage units. The aqueous medium is heated by heat radiation of the refrigerant in the first usage-side heat exchangers in the heating operating, and is cooled by evaporation of the heat-source-side refrigerant in the second usage-side heat exchangers in the cooling operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicants: DAIKIN EUROPE N.V., DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Honda
  • Publication number: 20120279241
    Abstract: A control is provided that includes a sensor that provides an output indicative of a sensed temperature of a condenser coil of the heat pump, and a controller for controlling activation of at least a compressor of the heat pump. The controller is configured to compare the output of the sensor to a representation of sensed ambient temperature to determine whether the reversing valve is in heat mode where the sensed ambient temperature exceeds the sensed temperature of the condenser coil, or in cool mode where the sensed ambient temperature is less than the sensed temperature of the condenser coil. The controller is further configured to deactivate at least the compressor of the heat pump when the reversing valve is determined to be in a mode that is inconsistent with the heat pump's heating operation or cooling operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventor: Randy T. Ruiz
  • Publication number: 20120260685
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a heat-source-side refrigerant circuit and a controller. The heat-source-side refrigerant circuit has a plurality of usage units having usage-side heat exchangers. The plurality of usage units are connected to a heat source unit having a plurality of heat-source-side heat exchangers and a heat-source-side compressor configured to compress a heat-source-side refrigerant. The controller causes the plurality of heat-source-side heat exchangers to function as evaporators and radiators of heat-source-side refrigerant to perform an air-cooling operation and an air-warming operation using an aqueous medium. The heat pump system operates so that the heat-source-side condensing temperature is below 40° C. in the case that an outside air temperature is 25° C. or lower and the cooling and heating operations coexist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicants: DAIKIN EUROPE N.V., DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 8290628
    Abstract: An air conditioner and an associated control method are provided in which performance of one or more indoor units may be adapted so as to minimize power consumption while maintaining cooling/heating effectiveness. The method may include receiving electric power related information, determining whether a current power rate included in the received information is higher than a preset reference value, determining a temperature distribution of at least one space to be air conditioned if the current power rate is higher than the preset reference value, and individually controlling a plurality of indoor units provided to the at least one spaced based on the determined temperature distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jongseob Yeo
  • Publication number: 20120255319
    Abstract: A refrigerant cycle device includes a first refrigerant passage for guiding refrigerant from a refrigerant radiator to an inlet side of an outdoor heat exchanger, a first throttle part capable of varying an opening area of the first refrigerant passage, a second refrigerant passage for guiding the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger to a compressor-suction side, a first opening/closing part for opening/closing the second refrigerant passage, a third refrigerant passage for guiding the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger to the compressor-suction side via an evaporator, a second throttle part capable of varying an opening area of the third refrigerant passage, a bypass passage for guiding the refrigerant flowing between the refrigerant radiator and the first throttle part to a position between the outdoor heat exchanger and the second throttle part in the third refrigerant passage, and a second opening/closing part for opening/closing the bypass passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Itoh, Atsushi Inaba, Mikiharu Kuwahara
  • Publication number: 20120247137
    Abstract: Provided is an air conditioner for a vehicle which can prevent the controls over cooling cycle and heating cycle from interfering with each other and thereby prevent hunting between the cooling and heating cycles even when a compressor is operated to perform the heating cycle in an overlapping temperature range where air cooling and air heating are both required. An air conditioner (4) for a vehicle includes a refrigerant circulation circuit (9b) for air heating to circulate a refrigerant, and a control unit (29) to selectively perform a normal air conditioning mode in which a normal cooling operation is feasible by circulating the refrigerant through a refrigerant circulation circuit (9a) for air cooling and an auxiliary heating mode in which an auxiliary heating operation is performed by circulating the refrigerant through the refrigerant circulating circuit (9b) for air heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Nakajo, Toshihiro Takei, Hiroshi Soma
  • Publication number: 20120234032
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit having a plurality of expansion devices that controls a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing in each of a plurality of heat exchangers related to heat medium; a heat medium circuit having the heat exchangers related to heat medium and a use side heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the heat medium and air; heat medium flow switching devices disposed on an inflow side and an outflow side of the use side heat exchanger to mix or diverge the heat medium pertaining to the heat exchangers related to heat medium; and a controller that controls at least the heat medium flow switching device on the inflow side or the outflow side that controls the amount of heat exchange in each of the heat exchangers related to heat medium during cooling only operation mode or heating only operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Yuji Motomura
  • Publication number: 20120204585
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus capable of achieving energy saving is provided. In the air-conditioning apparatus, even when a switching state of a first refrigerant flow switching device varies, a pressure state of a heat source side refrigerant in a bypass pipe is switched between high and low pressures by second refrigerant flow switching devices and a third refrigerant flow switching device (on-off device).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Takeshi Hatomura
  • Publication number: 20120204584
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling the operation of a heat pump in a load management system. The system includes a heat pump control module positioned between a thermostat and the heat pump. The heat pump module includes a pair of switching elements positioned between the control outputs of the thermostat and the compressor and heating element of the heat pump. A transfer switch control unit can selectively open and close each of the switching element to interrupt the control signals from the thermostat to the compressor and the heating element of the heat pump. The heat pump module is a self-contained unit including both of the switching elements such that a single load control module can be positioned between the thermostat and the heat pump and control both elements of the heat pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brandon Michael Batzler, Kenny J. Stair, Sie Teong Lim
  • Publication number: 20120198874
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes indoor units including a plurality of use side heat exchangers that exchange heat between air and a heat medium, and a heat medium relay unit having a plurality of heat exchangers related to heat medium. A plurality of pumps deliver the heat medium involved in heating or cooling performed by the plurality of heat exchangers related to heat medium to each passage and circulate the heat medium. A plurality of heat medium flow switching devices perform switching so that the heat medium from a selected passage flows into and flows out of each use side heat exchanger. An expansion tank is connected to a passage alleviates a pressure change caused by a volumetric change of the heat medium, and a pressure equalizing pipe connects each inlet passage or each outlet passage of the heat medium sending devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Yuji Motomura
  • Publication number: 20120198873
    Abstract: Obtained is an air-conditioning apparatus that is capable of saving energy. A pressure in a passage of the second refrigerant flow switching device in which a refrigerant from an outdoor unit flows into is higher than a pressure in a passage of the second refrigerant flow switching device in which the refrigerant flows out to the outdoor unit regardless of switching states of a first refrigerant flow switching device, the second refrigerant flow switching devices, and a third refrigerant flow switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Yuji Motomura, Takeshi Hatomura
  • Publication number: 20120180511
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for collection of thermal energy. The system comprises an energy collector, an energy reservoir, an energy collection medium enclosed in a loop allowing fluid flow of the energy collection medium between the energy collector and the energy reservoir in a forward flow from the energy collector and in a backward flow to the energy collector for transferring energy between the energy collector and the energy reservoir, a collector pump adapted to control a flow rate of the energy collection medium, and a reservoir temperature measuring device being adapted to measure a reservoir temperature of the energy reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: COLIPU A/S
    Inventor: Troels Gottfried Pedersen
  • Publication number: 20120151949
    Abstract: To provide an air-conditioning apparatus capable of achieving energy saving. An air-conditioning apparatus controls first heat medium flow switching devices and second heat medium flow switching devices in a heating only operation mode and a cooling only operation mode such that a flow rate through which a heat medium circulates is formed between all of the heat exchangers related to heat medium and at least one of use side heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Yuji Motomura, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka
  • Patent number: 8171747
    Abstract: A refrigeration device includes a compression mechanism, a radiator, a first expansion mechanism (15), a liquid receiver (16), a second expansion mechanism, an evaporator, a temperature detector, a first pressure storing unit (23a), and a second pressure determining unit, a pressure detector, and a control unit (23c). The first pressure storing unit stores an upper limit and lower limit of an intermediate pressure. The second pressure determining unit determines an upper limit and lower limit of a high pressure based on the upper limit and lower limit of the intermediate pressure and on a temperature in a vicinity of an exit of the radiator. The control unit controls the first expansion mechanism and the second expansion mechanism so that a pressure detected by the pressure detector will be equal to or less than the upper limit and equal to or greater than the lower limit of the high pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kurihara, Shinichi Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20120102991
    Abstract: A heat pump type water heating apparatus is provided that includes a refrigeration cycle circuit having a first refrigerant and water heat exchanger to perform a heat exchange between a first refrigerant and water, and a first refrigerant and second refrigerant heat exchanger to perform a heat exchange between the first refrigerant and a second refrigerant. The heat pump type water heating apparatus may also include a cascade circuit having the first refrigerant and second refrigerant heat exchanger to operate jointly with the refrigeration cycle circuit, the cascade circuit also having a second refrigerant and water heat exchanger to perform a heat exchange between the second refrigerant and water, and a water heating channel connected to the first refrigerant and water heat exchanger and the second refrigerant and water heat exchanger so water passes through the first refrigerant and water heat exchanger and then through the second refrigerant and water heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Donghyuk LEE, Jongchul Ha
  • Patent number: 8157183
    Abstract: A first expansion valve is provided in an outdoor unit, and a second expansion valve is provided in an indoor unit. A pipe line connects a first joint pipe of the first expansion valve and a second joint pipe of the second expansion valve. When a refrigerant flows in from the second joint pipe and flows out from the first joint pipe, the first and second expansion valves are in a full open state due to pressure of the refrigerant. When the refrigerant flows in from the first joint pipe and flows out from the second joint pipe, the first and second expansion valves are in semi-closed state (flow rate controlling state). In a cooling mode, the second expansion valve expands the refrigerant just before an indoor heat exchanger, and in a heating mode, the first expansion valve expands the refrigerant just before an outdoor heat exchanger. In both heating and cooling mode, a large amount of refrigerant flows through the pipe line to reduce pressure loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Saginomiya Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takahito Hayashi, Hideki Sekiguchi, Yutaka Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8157184
    Abstract: A first expansion valve is provided in an outdoor unit, and a second expansion valve is provided in an indoor unit. A pipe line connects a first joint pipe of the first expansion valve and a second joint pipe of the second expansion valve. When a refrigerant flows in from the second joint pipe and flows out from the first joint pipe, the first and second expansion valves are in a full open state due to pressure of the refrigerant. When the refrigerant flows in from the first joint pipe and flows out from the second joint pipe, the first and second expansion valves are in semi-closed state (flow rate controlling state). In a cooling mode, the second expansion valve expands the refrigerant just before an indoor heat exchanger, and in a heating mode, the first expansion valve expands the refrigerant just before an outdoor heat exchanger. In both heating and cooling mode, a large amount of refrigerant flows through the pipe line to reduce pressure loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Saginomiya Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takahito Hayashi, Hideki Sekiguchi, Yutaka Kaneko, Tamami Fukuyasu, Takashi Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 8151583
    Abstract: A vapor compression air conditioning system includes a motor operated expansion valve and control unit including sensors for determining the amount of superheat of the working fluid at or adjacent to the compressor inlet. Expansion valve position is adjusted to maintain a predetermined amount of superheat. The sensors may sense working fluid evaporator temperature and temperature downstream of the evaporator. Dual motor operated expansion valves may be disposed in the working fluid conduit between the heat exchangers in a reversible system. In operation, the expansion valve position may be set as a function of ambient temperature, a previous position, and predetermined superheat requirements to minimize liquid ingestion by the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan David Douglas
  • Publication number: 20120043390
    Abstract: A heat pump including a boiler is disclosed. The heat pump may include a quick-hot-water-supply tank and the boiler, which may be operated selectively based on a temperature of external air or an electric power rate per unit heat quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Jinhee NOH, Woohyun Paik, Heewoong Park, Noma Park, Hwanjong Choi, Samchul Ha
  • Patent number: 8117858
    Abstract: An air conditioner is switchable between a cooling mode and a heating mode using highly pressurized hot gas in a refrigerant cycle. During the cooling mode, a controller controls an input electric current to a solenoid to operate the control valve based on a lower pressure side pressure of the refrigerant cycle acting on a pressure sensitive mechanism and a quantity of the input electric current to the solenoid. During the heating mode, the controller controls the input electric current to the solenoid to operate the control valve based not on the lower pressure side pressure of the refrigerant cycle acting on the pressure sensitive mechanism, but only on the quantity of the input electric current to the solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiko Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8109105
    Abstract: In a refrigerating air conditioning system using refrigerant such as CO2 used in a supercritical area, a highly efficient refrigerating air conditioning system is provided by adjusting the amount of refrigerant in a radiator which contributes to the efficiency of the system stably and quickly. During heat utilizing operation, the superheat at the exit of an evaporator is controlled to a predetermined value by controlling the opening of an expansion valve provided on the upstream side of the evaporator, and an expansion valve is controlled so that the state of refrigerant in a connection pipe on the high-pressure side becomes a supercritical state. In this state, a flow rate control valve is controlled to change the density of the refrigerant stored in a refrigerant storage container and the amount of refrigerant existing in the radiator is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Fumitake Unezaki, Tetsuji Saikusa, Takashi Okazaki, Makoto Saitou, Hirokuni Shiba, Sou Nomoto
  • Patent number: 8104299
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger (radiator) and a controller. The radiator causes heat radiation to be performed with respect to air from a supercritical refrigerant during heating operation. The controller controls a room temperature by causing a high-pressure side pressure and a refrigerant outlet temperature of the radiator to reach respective target values. Preferably, the controller detects a refrigerant outlet temperature of the radiator with an outlet temperature sensor and detects a room temperature with a room temperature sensor. The controller increases or decreases a target value of the high-pressure side pressure when the controller has judged that there is an excess or a deficiency of capacity in view of the room temperature inside a room that is to be heated even when the refrigerant outlet temperature of the radiator has reached a target value during heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Okamoto, Shinichi Kasahara
  • Patent number: 8091377
    Abstract: A heat pump capable of performing heating and cooling simultaneously is provided. The heat pump includes a compressor, indoor devices that heat or cool an indoor space, outdoor heat exchangers, and switching devices. The outdoor heat exchangers are configured to individually operate as a condenser or an evaporator depending on a ratio of heating to cooling of the indoor devices. When an operation mode is changed, continuous heating and cooling is performed without stopping the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ho Jong Jeong, Il Nahm Hwang, Baik Young Chung
  • Publication number: 20110308265
    Abstract: An integrated ventilation unit configured to provide ventilation and conditioned air to an indoor space may include a heat pump system, an energy recovery device and a control unit. The heat pump system may include a first coil located at a supply air side of the ventilation unit, a second coil located at an exhaust air side of the ventilation unit, and a compressor. The energy recovery device may be configured to transfer heat between a return air stream and a supply air stream and the control unit may be configured to control operation of the heat pump system and the energy recovery device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: THOMAS & BETTS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Seng K. Phannavong, Christopher A. Hughes, Thomas W. Clark, John P. McKissack, David G. Street, Timothy J. Roberts
  • Patent number: 8079405
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus has a blower, a unit case, a cooling heat exchanger and a heating heat exchanger. The heat exchangers are disposed in the unit case such that ends thereof are adjacent to the blower. The unit case has a side opening on its side wall and a tubular part between the end of the heating heat exchanger and a casing of the blower. The tubular part has a communication portion for allowing communication between a hollow space provided therein and a space downstream of the second heat exchanger. The unit case has a passage opening at an end of the tubular part and adjacent to the side opening for allowing the air introduced in the hollow space to flow out from the hollow space. Further, a door is provided in the unit case to open and close the side opening and the communication portion simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohide Shindoh
  • Publication number: 20110296855
    Abstract: A dual mode, thermal management system for use in a vehicle is provided. At a minimum, the system includes a first coolant loop in thermal communication with a battery system, a second coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one drive train component (e.g., electric motor, power electronics, inverter), and a dual mode valve system that provides means for selecting between a first mode where the two coolant loops operate in parallel, and a second mode where the two coolant loops operate in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Vincent George Johnston, Andrew David Baglino, Scott Ira Kohn, Vineet Haresh Mehta, Christopher David Gadda, Curt Raymond O'Donnell, Wulfer Adrijan de Bruijn
  • Publication number: 20110289950
    Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus associated with a heat pump is provided. In the hot water supply apparatus, refrigerant flowing through an evaporator and a compressor of a refrigerant cycle may perform a heat-exchange operation with water so that, a hot water supply operation may be substantially continuously performed without performing a defrosting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Byungsoon KIM, Jahyung Koo, Kyongmin Kwon
  • Publication number: 20110283726
    Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus associated with a heat pump is disclosed herein. The hot water supply apparatus may include a main refrigerant circuit that includes a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an expander, and an outdoor heat exchanger; a hot water supply circuit connected to the main refrigerant circuit; a first flowrate regulator that adjusts a first flowrate of refrigerant that flows from the compressor through the main refrigerant circuit; a second flowrate regulator that adjusts a second flowrate of refrigerant that flows from the compressor to the hot water supply circuit; and a controller configured to control the first and second flowrate regulators based on a load on at least one of the main refrigerant circuit or the hot water supply circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: Jieseop SIM
  • Publication number: 20110283725
    Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus associated with a heat pump is provided. The hot water supply apparatus performs a hot water supply operation using a high temperature refrigerant that has been discharged from a compressor, and simultaneously performs an indoor heating operation using a two-stage refrigerant cycle. This allows the apparatus to supply hot water while simultaneously providing heating/cooling to an indoor space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: Jieseop SIM
  • Patent number: 8047014
    Abstract: A humidity control system (10) is disclosed which includes a refrigerant circuit (60). The refrigerant circuit (60) includes first and second absorbent-supported heat exchangers (61, 62) and performs a refrigeration cycle by the circulation of refrigerant. In addition, in the refrigerant circuit (60), the circulation direction of refrigerant is reversible. The first and second heat exchangers (61, 62) are disposed in a casing (11). In the humidity control system (10), the distribution route of air is changed such that a first air stream is passed through either one of the first and second heat exchangers (61, 61) that is functioning as an evaporator while a second air stream is passed through the other heat exchanger that is functioning as a condenser. A compressor (63), an expansion mechanism (65), and a four-way valve (64) in the refrigerant circuit (60) are disposed together with the heat exchangers (61, 62) in the casing (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Yabu, Shuji Ikegami, Yoshinori Narikawa
  • Patent number: RE43312
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to reduce the constraint that the density ratio is constant as small as possible, and to obtain high power recovering effect in a wide operation range. A refrigeration cycle apparatus uses carbon dioxide as refrigerant and has a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger evaporator, an expander and an indoor heat exchanger a radiator. An injection circuit for introducing high pressure refrigerant is provided in a halfway of an expansion process of said expander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Nakatani, Yoshikazu Kawabe, Yuji Inoue, Noriho Okaza, Akira Hiwata