Diverse, Cascade Or Compound Refrigeration-producing System Patents (Class 62/175)
  • Patent number: 10712026
    Abstract: An air handling system is disclosed that includes an integral chilled water refrigeration system. The air handling system additionally includes a first coil section that provides cooling and a second coil section that provides heating. The second coil section and associated terminal units are in fluid communication with the first refrigeration system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventor: Daniel P. McCarty
  • Patent number: 10684076
    Abstract: An air conditioning tower includes a tower casing, a compressor provided in the tower casing, a heat exchanger provided in the tower casing and connected to the compressor, an evaporative cooling system which includes at least one multiple-effect evaporative condenser, and a centrifugal fan. The multiple-effect evaporative condenser includes a pumping device, a first cooling unit, a second cooling unit, and a bottom water collecting basin. The first cooling unit includes a first water collection basin, a plurality of first heat exchanging pipes, and a first fill material unit. The second cooling unit includes a second water collection basin, a plurality of second heat exchanging pipes, and a second fill material unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Inventor: Lee Wa Wong
  • Patent number: 10628564
    Abstract: An air conditioner connection system includes an air conditioner having a first device connected via a power line in a communication-capable manner, and a second device capable of performing radio communication with the air conditioner. The air conditioner includes an authentication process control unit that controls the first device to perform an authentication process when a starting request of the authentication process for performing power carrier communication is received from the second device, the first device includes an authentication process unit that performs the authentication process under the control of the air conditioner, and the second device includes an authentication start process unit that transmits the starting request of the authentication process to the air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 10619880
    Abstract: A masterless building device system for controlling an environmental condition of a building, includes a first building device and a second building device. The first building device includes a first processing circuit configured to determine, via a first sensor of the first building device, a first environmental condition value of the environmental condition. The first processing circuit is configured to broadcast the first environmental condition value to a second building device via a network. The first processing circuit is configured to receive, via the network, a second environmental condition value broadcast by the second building device, generate a calculated environmental condition value based on the first environmental condition value and the second environmental condition value, and control the environmental condition based on the calculated environmental condition value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Kraig D. Ritmanich, Christopher R. Amundson, Aron M. Seiler
  • Patent number: 10614642
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for unlocking an air conditioning unit, including: when a server receives first identity information and unit information from a mobile terminal, performing a verification of the first identity information based on the unit information; and sending an unlocking instruction to the air conditioning unit corresponding to the unit information when the first identity information is verified, such that the air conditioning unit performs an unlocking operation based on the unlocking instruction. The present disclosure also provides a device for unlocking an air conditioning unit and a server. The present disclosure realizes unlocking the air conditioning unit when the first identity information is verified, thus ensuring that the current operator (user) is an authorized operator, and thus further avoiding problems that the air conditioning unit still have malfunctions and that irreversible damages are caused to the air conditioning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Inventors: Yongfeng Xu, Hongwei Li, Boqi Liang, Qihui Bu, Shilong Dong, Xiaohong Wu
  • Patent number: 10612800
    Abstract: HVAC systems and methods for delivering highly efficient heating and cooling using ambient air as the working fluid. A plenum has an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet, each in fluid communication with a target space to be heated or cooled. Ambient air is drawn into the inlet at an incoming pressure and an incoming temperature. The inlet and outlet are gated, respectively, by first and second rotary pumps. A heat exchanger in the plenum transfers heat into or out of the air, provoking a change in air volume within the plenum. The systems and methods are configured to operate essentially between the working temperatures, THIGH and TLOW. This technique, called Convergent Refrigeration or counter-conditioning, provides for the reduction of excess refrigerant lift by optimization of the heat transfer temperature. Two Convergent Refrigeration systems can be arranged back-to-back through a common heat exchanger for ultra-high efficiency operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Inventor: Gilbert S. Staffend
  • Patent number: 10591100
    Abstract: A refrigerant hammer arrestor includes a housing having an internal compartment communicating with a refrigerant line, a piston received in the housing and dividing the internal compartment into a first chamber and a second chamber and a damping mechanism to dampen displacement of the piston within the housing. Various refrigerant loops are also described incorporating a refrigerant hammer arrestor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin James Brohl, Trent Greear Sutherland
  • Patent number: 10539341
    Abstract: A multiple-evaporation cooling system in which the intermediate heat exchanger of first evaporation line includes at least a segment of the physically arranged expansion device in contact with at least a portion of the second row of evaporation and the intermediate heat exchanger's second evaporative line includes at least one expansion device segment physically disposed in contact with at least one portion of a first evaporation line. Considering the temperature of the intermediate heat exchanger of first evaporation line influences the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the second line of evaporative expansion device and the temperature of the intermediate heat exchanger of the second evaporative line influences the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the first line of evaporative expansion device. Features include varying the restriction of the respective expansion devices and then unduly inhibit mass transfer of refrigerant between at least two distinct evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Embraco—Industria De Compressores E Solucoes EM Refrigeracao LTDA.
    Inventors: Dietmar Erich Bernhard Lilie, Gustavo Portella Montagner
  • Patent number: 10533765
    Abstract: A chiller plant including at least two chillers operating at different temperatures are disclosed. Process fluid circuits of the chillers can form fluid communication when, for example, one or more of the at least two chillers may fail, so that the other chiller(s) of the at least two chillers may provide backup operation to the failed chiller(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Lee R. Cline, John A. Murphy
  • Patent number: 10520213
    Abstract: Air conditioner units, including methods of operation, are provided herein. The air conditioner unit may include an indoor portion, an outdoor portion, and a compressor in fluid communication between the indoor portion and the outdoor portion. The method may include setting an operating temperature of the indoor portion based on a primary temperature target, determining a humidity value at the indoor portion, comparing the determined humidity value to a humidity threshold, resetting the operating temperature as a temporary temperature target when the determined humidity value is above the humidity threshold and the primary temperature target is reached at the indoor portion of the air conditioner, and directing refrigerant compression at the compressor based on the operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Isaac D'Souza, Richard Dustin Henderson
  • Patent number: 10495325
    Abstract: An outdoor unit of the heat pump includes a compressor, an oil separator provided in a discharge path of the compressor, an outdoor-unit connecting pipe connecting an intake path of the compressor and an outdoor unit of an another heat pump for supplying a refrigerant to the outdoor unit of the another heat pump, an oil supply pipe extending from a predetermined position of the oil separator and connecting to the outdoor-unit connecting pipe, an on-off valve provided on the oil supply pipe, an expansion valve provided in a portion of the outdoor-unit connecting pipe between a connecting part connected to the intake path and a connecting part connected to the oil supply pipe, and a refrigerant filling port provided in a portion of the outdoor-unit connecting pipe between the connecting part and the expansion valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideshi Okada, Norihiro Okuda, Tomoya Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10465683
    Abstract: A compressor includes two parallel arranged primary cylinders and a secondary cylinder arranged in the downstream of the two primary cylinders. The secondary cylinder includes a cylinder body and a sliding vane. The sliding vane is arranged inside the cylinder body. A locking part is used for locking and unlocking the sliding vane. The locking part is clamped with and separated from the sliding vane. When the sliding vane is in the locking position, the sliding vane is locked in a seal cavity inside the secondary cylinder, and the locking end of the locking part extends to the side at which the secondary cylinder is located. The compressor can be switched between a single-stage mode and a double-stage mode. In the condition of light load, energy efficiency can be improved and the waste of energy sources is avoided. An air conditioning system and compressor control method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Gree Green Refridgeration Technology Center Co., Ltd. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Shebing Liang, Liying Deng, Guomang Yang, Jian Zhang, Jia Xu, Yusheng Hu
  • Patent number: 10461954
    Abstract: Systems and methods for sequencing HVAC equipment of an HVAC system using data recorded in situ to build a model capable of making predictions about equipment efficiency and using that information, in combination with predictions about building load, to produce an operational sequence for the HVAC equipment that promotes an improved or optimized overall energy efficiency for the HVAC system. In one embodiment, the process is automated and utilizes Bayesian computational models or algorithms to generate an initial sequence. The process reduces engineering hours and may advantageously provide a means to predict potential sequencing problems for similar types of HVAC equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: OPTIMUM ENERGY LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Jones, Ian Dempster, Clark Matthys, Peng Chen
  • Patent number: 10436490
    Abstract: A working-fluid circuit may include an indoor heat exchanger, a variable-capacity compressor and a control module. The variable-capacity compressor pumps working fluid through the indoor heat exchanger. The control module may control the compressor and operate the compressor in one of a first capacity mode and a second capacity mode based on a demand signal, outdoor-air-temperature data and a compressor runtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hung M. Pham, Shane J. Angle, Edward J. Trudeau, Jr., Chetan Sowani
  • Patent number: 10429088
    Abstract: Body air outlets 10d of an air-conditioning-apparatus indoor unit 100 each has a substantially trapezoidal shape in plan view and are each defined by a body-air-outlet outer side wall 10d2, a body-air-outlet inner side wall 10d4, and a pair of body-air-outlet end walls 10d1. The body-air-outlet outer side wall 10d2 is provided with a deflection guide 2 at each of long-side ends thereof. The body-air-outlet end walls 10d1 are each provided with a sloping guide 3. The deflection guide 2 has a deflection-guide upper surface 2a that gradually projects toward the body-air-outlet inner side wall 10d4 in a direction toward a body open face 10e (toward a downstream side) and in a direction toward the central part of the body air outlet 10d. The sloping guide 3 has a sloping-guide upper surface 3a that gradually projects toward the central part of the body air outlet 10d as the sloping guide 3 extends closer to the body open face 10e (toward the downstream side).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ikeda, Masahiko Takagi, Makoto Kurihara
  • Patent number: 10391833
    Abstract: A method for controlling a superheat degree of a vehicle air-conditioning system, and a vehicle air-conditioning system are provided. The method comprises: acquiring an actual superheat degree in real time, a preset superheat degree and a feed-forward information which influences a change of the actual superheat degree; and adjusting an opening degree of an electronic expansion valve in real time according to the actual superheat degree, the preset superheat degree and the feed-forward information that are acquired, so as to control the superheat degree of the vehicle air-conditioning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Li Tang, Rongrong Zhang, Edwin J. Stanke
  • Patent number: 10371420
    Abstract: An air conditioning device for a vehicle having a compressor that supplies a high-pressure refrigerant, an air heating heat exchanger heating air that is to be blown into a vehicle cabin, a pressure reduction part expanding and decompressing the high-pressure refrigerant so as to supply an intermediate-pressure refrigerant and a low-pressure refrigerant, a first low-pressure side heat exchanger exchanging heat between the intermediate-pressure refrigerant and a heating medium other than the air, a second low-pressure side heat exchanger cooling the heating medium by exchanging heat between the low-pressure refrigerant and the heating medium, a first heating medium circuit through which the heating medium cooled in the second low-pressure side heat exchanger circulates, and a heating medium-air heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiki Katoh, Masamichi Makihara, Kazutoshi Kuwayama, Norihiko Enomoto, Kengo Sugimura
  • Patent number: 10371426
    Abstract: A climate-control system may include a variable-capacity compressor unit and a control module controlling the compressor unit. The compressor unit may be operable in a first capacity mode and in a second capacity mode that is higher than the first capacity mode. The control module may be configured to switch the compressor unit among a shutdown state, the first capacity mode and the second capacity mode based on a demand signal and outdoor-air-temperature data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hung M. Pham, Shane J. Angle, Edward J. Trudeau, Jr., Chetan Sowani
  • Patent number: 10371406
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided including a controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with at least one compressor. The controller communicates with a tracking module configured to diagnose health of a compressor in the compressor rack. In response to rated performance data for the compressor being unavailable, the tracking module is configured to generate baseline data for the compressor and to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing operational data of the compressor to the baseline data for the compressor. In response to the rated performance data for the compressor being available, the tracking module is configured to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing the operational data of the compressor to the rated performance data for the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wallace, Franklin Beltran, Frank S. Wallis, Paul L. Fullenkamp, Karen Richard
  • Patent number: 10364998
    Abstract: An environmental control device (100, 200), such as a thermostat, is disclosed. The environmental control device (100, 200) has one or more terminals (104, 104a-104i) for connecting to an HVAC system (14) and performs over current management of the terminal (104, 104a-104i) when connected to the HVAC system (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Pei Jin Li, Zhan Jun Ding, William J. Fenske, Michael S. Schuler
  • Patent number: 10309363
    Abstract: An integrated automated idle reduction system is disclosed. The system may include an APU and various controllers providing automation. The system may enable automating features, such as automatically controlling various power sources, engine start, engine stop, the APU, and accessory systems. The APU may be an engine, battery and/or other power source that is selectably connectable to vehicle systems to provide electrical power while the OEM engine of the vehicle is not running. The APU may also provide electrical power while the OEM engine is not running. Additionally, the APU may drive an air conditioning compressor while the OEM engine is not running, such as to keep the cab of a vehicle cool. Prior cold starting the OEM engine, the APU may warm engine coolant, and the integrated automated idle reduction system may circulate the warmed coolant through the OEM engine in preparation for starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: ECOMPLETE, LLC
    Inventors: Debra Johnson, Russ Webster
  • Patent number: 10288324
    Abstract: A pumped refrigerant cooling system having cooling units with associated pumping units for providing working fluid to the cooling unit to enable cooling of a space. The pumped refrigerant cooling system also includes a redundant pumping unit which is activated when a primary pumping unit associated with a cooling unit becomes inactive. The primary pumping unit is deactivated in favor of the redundant pumping unit. Once the primary pumping unit is placed in a condition suitable for reactivation, the redundant pumping unit is deactivated, and the primary pumping unit is reactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Vertiv Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas E. Werner, James Hom, Tien-Chih Lin, Norman Chow, Richard G. Brewer, Brandon R. Leong
  • Patent number: 10267531
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present disclosure a cooling and heating system includes a plurality of branch holes configured to provide different refrigerants to at least one indoor units. The device also includes a plurality of valves configured to respectively correspond to the plurality of branch holes wherein each valve is configured to select a refrigerant to be provided to at least one indoor unit. The different refrigerants are provided from an outdoor unit. The device further includes a plurality of ports configured to respectively correspond to the plurality of branch holes. The device also includes a processor configured to, in response to an input through the plurality of ports that include an indoor unit information including refrigerant information, control each of the plurality of valves to provide refrigerant corresponding to the refrigerant information through a branch hole corresponding to a port that the refrigerant information is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-kue Lee, Jeong-mun Yeom
  • Patent number: 10254016
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: a low-stage refrigeration cycle including a low-stage compressor, a low-stage condenser, a low-stage pressure reducing device, and a low-stage evaporator, and circulating low-stage refrigerant; a high-stage refrigeration cycle including a high-stage compressor, a high-stage condenser, a high-stage pressure reducing device, and a high-stage evaporator, and circulating high-stage refrigerant; a cascade condenser exchanging heat between the low-stage refrigerant in the low-stage condenser and the high-stage refrigerant in the high-stage evaporator, and a controller. The low-stage refrigerant is a refrigerant that undergoes disproportionation. The low-stage refrigerant is maintained at a pressure lower than a disproportionation pressure at which the low-stage refrigerant undergoes disproportionation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, AGC INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sata, Tomotaka Ishikawa, Takashi Ikeda, Yusuke Arii
  • Patent number: 10215476
    Abstract: A refrigeration device has a housing with an inner liner, a lower housing plate, and a beam connecting the inner liner and the lower housing plate. A reinforcing member is fixed on the beam for enhancing a strength of a bottom wall. A cavity is formed between the reinforcing member and a front wall. Thermal insulation material formed by foaming is disposed inside and outside the cavity. The reinforcing member and the front wall of the beam enclose the cavity, so that the thermal insulation material enables the beam and the reinforcing member to form a whole for bearing a force. The assembly is thus improved for preventing deformation of the bottom wall due to impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Roberto Bajak, Xiangfan Guo, Wuba Lei, Rainer Spaag, Jinghui Chen, Yueqiang Lu
  • Patent number: 10179500
    Abstract: An ejector-type refrigeration cycle includes an ejector module integrated with a gas-liquid separation device. A length of an inlet pipe that connects a liquid-phase refrigerant outflow port of an ejector module to a refrigerant inflow port of an evaporator is shorter than a length of a suction pipe that connects a gas-phase refrigerant outflow port of the ejector module to a suction port of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kataoka, Shun Kurata, Isamu Takasugi, Haruyuki Nishijima, Youhei Nagano, Yoshiyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10174966
    Abstract: An energy saving controller for an air handler having a heater and a dual speed fan adapted to switch between a first speed and a second higher speed via a gas furnace controller, the energy saving controller being configured to be mounted between a thermostat and the gas furnace controller, and having: input terminals configured to connect to corresponding thermostat output terminals and receive output signals; a microcontroller configured to: process the output signals into revised signals; and cause the gas furnace controller to alternate between the first speed and the second higher speed to mimic a behavior of a variable speed fan; drivers configured to receive the revised signals and use the revised signals to actuate mechanical relays; wherein the mechanical relays are configured to actuate the fan or the compressor via ESC output terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Inventor: James Leych Lau
  • Patent number: 10107510
    Abstract: A method of providing cooled air to electronic equipment includes capturing heated air from a volume containing electronic equipment, cooling the heated air by more than fifteen degrees Celsius in an air-to-water heat exchanger, and supplying cooling water to the air-to-water heat exchanger at a temperature above a dew point temperature of the heated air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Andrew B. Carlson, William H. Whitted, Jimmy Clidaras, William Hamburgen, Gerald Aigner, Donald L. Beaty
  • Patent number: 10047759
    Abstract: A method for controlling speeds of compressors arranged in series for compressing a fluid. The desired inlet pressure is predefined and the actual inlet pressure is detected. The actual discharge pressure of the fluid is recorded and the actual total pressure ratio is recorded. A proportional integral value is determined from the deviation of the actual inlet pressure from the desired inlet pressure and a capacity factor is determined from the proportional integral value and the actual total pressure ratio. A model total pressure ratio is determined from the actual total pressure ratio and the capacity factor. A reduced desired speed for each compressor is determined as a function value of the control function associated with the respective compressor. The control function assigns a reduced desired speed to each value pair of capacity factor and model total pressure ratio and is used to adjust the speed of each compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Andres KĂĽndig, Can Ăśresin
  • Patent number: 10041314
    Abstract: A drilling mud cooler includes a first mud heat exchanger that is adapted to receive a flow of drilling mud, a first closed-loop cooling system that is adapted to cool a first cooling fluid that is circulated through the first mud heat exchanger so as to reduce a temperature of the flow of drilling mud from a first temperature to a second temperature, a second mud heat exchanger that is adapted to receive the flow of reduced temperature drilling mud from the first mud heat exchanger, and a second closed-loop cooling system that is adapted to cool a second cooling fluid that is circulated through the second mud heat exchanger so as to further reduce the temperature of the flow of drilling mud from the second temperature to a third temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Garry McCraw
  • Patent number: 10012419
    Abstract: Provided is a heat-pump system including a plurality of compressors, wherein the plurality of compressors includes a first compressor and a second compressor that compress refrigerant, an oil separator provided on a discharge side of the plurality of compressors to separate oil mixed with refrigerant compressed by the plurality of compressors, an oil separation pipe extended from the oil separator to allow the plurality of compressors to recover oil, and a compressor side oil balance pipe extended from the second compressor to allow the first compressor to recover oil stored in the second compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hojong Jeong, Song Choi, Minhwan Choi
  • Patent number: 10006684
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for use in a vehicle includes at least one compressor, a condenser disposed downstream of the at least one compressor and a plurality of evaporators disposed downstream of the condenser with first and second evaporators fluidly coupled to each other in parallel. The at least one compressor, the condenser, and the plurality of evaporators are fluidly connected by refrigerant lines to form a refrigerant circuit. The air conditioning system also includes a plurality of shut-off valves, with one shut-off valve installed at a refrigerant inlet and another shut-off valve installed at a refrigerant outlet of the first evaporator. The shut-off valves are controlled to prevent undesired collection of refrigerant in the first evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Bergstrom, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett S. Connell, Brett J. Herrmann, Terry Zeigler
  • Patent number: 10006649
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system is configured to determine an evaporating temperature control range of a first refrigerant circuit on the basis of the temperature of outdoor air, control an evaporating temperature of the first refrigerant circuit to a target evaporating temperature determined within the evaporating temperature control range of the first refrigerant circuit, determine an evaporating temperature control range of a second refrigerant circuit on the basis of the humidity of the outdoor air, and control an evaporating temperature of the second refrigerant circuit to a target evaporating temperature determined within the evaporating temperature control range of the second refrigerant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Hamada, Fumitake Unezaki, Naomichi Tamura, Kazunobu Nishimiya, Hidemoto Arai
  • Patent number: 9989280
    Abstract: A cascade refrigeration system comprising a first cycle for circulating a first refrigerant, a second cycle for circulating a second refrigerant and a heat exchanger. The first refrigerant and the second refrigerant are in thermal communication, and the second cycle includes a receiver that receives a liquid form of the second refrigerant from the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventor: Masood M. Ali
  • Patent number: 9980413
    Abstract: A cooling system has a cabinet and a plurality of separate cooling stages including an upstream cooling stage and a downstream cooling stage. At least the upstream cooling state is a variable capacity cooling stage. Each cooling stage has a cooling circuit. Evaporators of the cooling circuits are arranged in the cabinet so that air passes over them in serial fashion. A controller when a Call for Cooling first reaches a point where cooling is needed, operating the upstream cooling circuit to provide cooling and not the downstream cooling circuit. When the Call for Cooling has increased to a second point, the controller additionally operates the downstream cooling circuit to provide cooling. The cooling capacity at which the upstream cooling circuit is being operated is less than its full capacity when the Call for Cooling reaches the second point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventors: John F. Judge, Timothy J. Schrader, Stephen Sillato, Roger Noll, Gary A. Helmink, Pierpaolo Barbato, Giuseppe Dalla Mana, Lou Monnier, Zhiyong Lin, Benedict J. Dolcich, Daniel J. Schutte, Greg Haggy
  • Patent number: 9970670
    Abstract: A method of providing cooled air to electronic equipment includes capturing heated air from a volume containing electronic equipment, cooling the heated air by more than fifteen degrees Celsius in an air-to-water heat exchanger, and supplying cooling water to the air-to-water heat exchanger at a temperature above a dew point temperature of the heated air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Andrew B. Carlson, William H. Whitted, Jimmy Clidaras, William Hamburgen, Gerald Aigner, Donald L. Beaty
  • Patent number: 9958170
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Yuji Motomura
  • Patent number: 9951964
    Abstract: A dehumidifier is provided that may include a main body, a compressor provided within the main body to compress a refrigerant, a plurality of heat exchangers provided within the main body to condense the refrigerant compressed in the compressor or to evaporate the refrigerant, a first fan to discharge air, having undergone heat exchange with the refrigerant evaporated in the plurality of heat exchangers and having subsequently undergone heat exchange with the refrigerant condensed in the plurality of heat exchangers, out of the main body, a mode switch to perform switching between operating modes, including a cooling mode and a dehumidification mode, and a second fan to discharge air, having undergone heat exchange with the refrigerant evaporated in the plurality of heat exchangers in the cooling mode, out of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Byungsoon Kim, Jongchul Ha, Jiwon Chang, Junho Min
  • Patent number: 9879886
    Abstract: A turbo refrigerator (1) includes: a turbo compressor (5) to which a gas-phase component (X3) of a refrigerant from an economizer (3) is supplied, wherein the turbo compressor (5) includes a first flow path (R10) through which a compressed refrigerant gas (X1) flows, and a connecting pipe (5b) connected to the first flow path (R10) and a second flow path (R3) through which the gas-phase component (X3) of the refrigerant flows, and the diameter of the connecting pipe (5b) reduces toward the first flow path (R10) from the second flow path (R3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kentarou Oda, Nobuyoshi Sakuma
  • Patent number: 9840129
    Abstract: There are provided a vehicle, a cooling apparatus, and a cooling method. The vehicle includes passenger space to accommodate a user gets, a tank to store the compressed air, and a control unit to release the compressed air stored in the tank into the passenger space. The passenger space is cooled by discharging the compressed air into the passenger space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Furuse, Masahiko Ikeo, Hideaki Morishita, Kentaro Kamei
  • Patent number: 9766009
    Abstract: A method of refrigeration control through a refrigeration system of a refrigerated transport container includes performing a defrost cycle on the refrigeration system by activating a heat source; and restarting the refrigeration system after the defrost cycle has completed, wherein restarting the refrigeration system includes performing a liquid slugging avoidance process including: initiating a compressor of the refrigeration system at a speed; opening a pressure equalization valve in parallel with the compressor in response to the initiating; opening a liquid valve in series between a condenser and an evaporator after opening of the pressure equalization valve; and closing the pressure equalization valve after a period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fabienne Peyaud, JeanPhilippe Goux, Virginie Choquart
  • Patent number: 9759457
    Abstract: Methods for and systems of controlling operation of one or more chillers in a primary-secondary chiller plant system. The chillers utilize a set point temperature that is based upon measuring a temperature of water at a supply side of the load on the secondary loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Donald Gillooly
  • Patent number: 9746223
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a high-pressure side pressure detection device detecting high-pressure side pressure, a low-pressure side pressure detection device detecting low-pressure side pressure, a high-low pressure bypass pipe connecting a pipe on a discharge side of a compressor and a pipe on a suction side of the compressor, a bypass expansion device disposed in the high-low pressure bypass pipe, a high-pressure side temperature detection device detecting high-pressure side temperature, and a low-pressure side temperature detection device detecting low-pressure side temperature; an outdoor unit side controller that detects circulation composition of refrigerant on the basis of the high-pressure side pressure, the low-pressure side pressure, the high-pressure side temperature, and the low-pressure side temperature; and a relay unit side controller performing at least one of a calculation of evaporating temperature and degree of superheat, and a calculation of condensing temperature and degree o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9746234
    Abstract: A refrigerant circuit includes a first compression stage for compressing a mixed refrigerant gas, the first compression stage including at least a first compressor body and a second parallel compressor body, each compressor body including a suction inlet and an outlet, a first distribution means for splitting the flow of refrigerant gas to the first stage of compression across the at least two parallel compressor bodies, such that a first stream of refrigerant gas is fed to the suction inlet of the first compressor body and a second stream of refrigerant gas is fed to the suction inlet of the second compressor body, a second compression stage for compressing the mixed refrigerant gas, and a first merging means for recombining the first stream of refrigerant gas with the second stream of refrigerant gas downstream of the first compression stage for delivery to the second compression stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Woodside Energy LTD
    Inventors: Geoffrey Brian Byfield, Prabhu Pandalaneni
  • Patent number: 9719423
    Abstract: An inlet air chilling system for use with a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The inlet air chilling system may include an inlet air filter house, an air chilling/heating coil positioned within the inlet air filter house, and an energy recovery/heating coil positioned downstream of the air chilling/heating coil within the inlet air filter house and in communication with the air chilling/heating coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abbas Motakef, Bhalchandra Arun Desai
  • Patent number: 9719709
    Abstract: It is determined whether thermo-off postponement control is allowed or not on the basis of a current compressor operating frequency when a thermo-off condition is satisfied. If it is determined that thermo-off postponement control is allowed, the thermo-off postponement control in which a lowest operating frequency in an operating frequency range of a compressor is temporarily reduced within a range greater than or equal to a minimum operating frequency of the compressor in use so as to continue an operation. If it is determined that thermo-off postponement control is not allowed, thermo-off of stopping the compressor is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Abe, Masanori Aoki
  • Patent number: 9688181
    Abstract: A method for controlling a transport refrigeration system (TRS) for refrigeration of a transport unit is disclosed. The TRS includes a TRS controller connected to the TRS for operating the TRS, a eutectic device including a eutectic medium, a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) having a refrigerant circuit for directing a refrigerant fluid there through, and a cooling fluid circuit in thermal contact with the eutectic medium for directing a cooling fluid to be in thermal contact with the eutectic medium. The method includes the TRS controller receiving a selection of a cooling mode for the TRS, and cooling an inside of a transport unit according to the cooling mode selected. The cooling includes one or more of a first cooling type and a second cooling type. The cooling mode for the TRS includes a manual cooling mode, a local automatic cooling mode, a dynamic cooling mode, and a preset cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Samvit Dutta, Herman H. Viegas
  • Patent number: 9638447
    Abstract: In an air-conditioning apparatus, a controller controls an amount of refrigerant injection into a compressor by controlling an opening area of an expansion device such that the electric power consumption of the compressor becomes smaller, or such that a heating capacity or a cooling capacity of an intermediate heat exchanger becomes larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka, Kosuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9470440
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an energy efficient thermoelectric heat pump assembly. The thermoelectric heat pump assembly preferably comprises two to nine thermoelectric unit layers capable of active use of the Peltier effect; and at least one capacitance spacer block suitable for storing heat and providing a delayed thermal reaction time of the assembly. The capacitance spacer block is thermally connected between the thermoelectric unit layers. The present invention further relates to a thermoelectric transport and storage devices for transporting or storing temperature sensitive goods, for example, vaccines, chemicals, biologicals, and other temperature sensitive goods. Preferably the transport or storage devices are configured and provide on-board energy storage for sustaining, for multiple days, at a constant-temperature, with an acceptable temperature variation band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Ambassador Asset Management Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Alp Ilercil
  • Patent number: 9464837
    Abstract: A method of controlling an air conditioning compressor in a heating ventilation and air conditioning system having a evaporator including a phase change material is presented. The method includes the steps of measuring an evaporator output air temperature, determining a state of charge value by calculating a difference between an estimated refrigerant temperature based on the evaporator output air temperature and a phase change material freeze temperature and integrating this difference over time and operating the air conditioning compressor to maintain the state of charge value between an upper and lower limit. A method of recovering braking energy in a vehicle containing a heating ventilation and air conditioning system having the evaporator including the phase change material is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Mingyu Wang, Prasad S. Kadle, Edward Wolfe, IV