Diverse, Cascade Or Compound Refrigeration-producing System Patents (Class 62/175)
  • Patent number: 9421845
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating and air-conditioning system (10) for a motor vehicle, in particular a utility vehicle, in order to heat or cool the inside of a motor vehicle during a journey and when the motor vehicle is stationary. The inside of the motor vehicle is divided into a front region and a back region, which can be heated and cooled separately, and comprises a front system (12) which is used to heat and cool the front region during a journey of the motor vehicle, a rear system (14) which is used to heat and cool the rear region during a journey of the motor vehicle and a stationary system (16) which is used to heat and to cool at least the rear region when the motor vehicle is stationary. According to the invention, the stationary system is integrated into the rear system. The invention further relates to a method for heating and air-conditioning a motor vehicle by means of a heating and air-conditioning system (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: WEBASTO AG
    Inventors: Noureddine Khelifa, Wolfgang Kraemer
  • Patent number: 9399995
    Abstract: Provided is a compressor system including: a guide vane; a compressor compressing a fluid flowing from the guide vane; a drive unit connected to the compressor and driving the compressor; a guide flow path connecting the compressor and an external device; a branch flow path branching off from the guide flow path; a flow control valve opening and closing the branch flow path; a sensor unit measuring a current of the drive unit and a pressure of the guide flow path; and a control unit controlling at least one of the guide vane, the drive unit, and the flow control valve, calculating an operation point of the compressor, comparing the operation point of the compressor with a greater one of a first anti-surge control line and a second anti-surge control line and controlling the flow control valve according to the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Geun-Yun Park, Do-Hyeong Kim
  • Patent number: 9328742
    Abstract: A refrigerant passage formed between an inner peripheral surface of a decompression space formed within a body part and an outer peripheral surface of a valve body that changes a refrigerant passage area of a minimum area part functions as a nozzle, and a refrigerant passage formed between an inner peripheral surface of a pressure increase space formed within the body part and an outer peripheral surface of a passage formation member functions as a diffuser to configure an ejector. Further, the valve body and the passage formation member are provided as separated members, and a load of the refrigerant on the valve body is reduced, thereby being capable of downsizing a drive device that displaces the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Etsuhisa Yamada, Haruyuki Nishijima, Yoshiaki Takano
  • Patent number: 9316404
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to heat pumps that utilize at least one solar receiver operating with the same working fluids. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a hybrid solar heat pump comprised of at least one microchannel heat exchanger with integral solar absorber, at least one compression device as the heat pump for concurrent compression to a higher pressure and mass flow regulator of the working fluid, and at least one working fluid accumulator with the entire system operating with the same working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: ECHOGEN POWER SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Michael H. Gurin
  • Patent number: 9227507
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle is provided with a chassis, wheels, a compressed air tank, a heat exchanger to heat the compressed air, and an air motor driven by the heated air and connected to at least one wheel. A pneumatic vehicle is provided with a chassis, wheels, a compressed air tank, and an air motor driven by the compressed air and connected to a wheel. The vehicle also has a ventilation system for the passenger compartment, a heat exchanger, and a restrictive solenoid valve for directing ventilation system air to the heat exchanger. A pneumatic vehicle is provided with a chassis, wheels, an aluminum compressed air tank, a carbon filament reinforced plastic layer over the tank, a fiberglass and aramid-fiber layer over the carbon filament reinforced plastic layer, and an air motor driven by the compressed air and connected to at least one wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Deakin University
    Inventors: Bernard Frank Rolfe, Timothy Ian De Souza, Gregory Ryan Pitts, Stuart James McFarlane Hanafin, Steven Lewis Anthony Agius, Benjamin Paul Adamson, Michael Pio Gordon Pereira, Timothy John Black, Christopher James Hurren, Noel Egan Miller
  • Patent number: 9228768
    Abstract: A method maintains, in a compressed gas dryer, working through condensation of moisture contained in the air and with dryer thermal load demands, an operation that keeps the temperature of the evaporator, near the outflow of the compressed air, in range between a value sufficiently high to avoid freezing the moisture in the compressed air and a value sufficiently low to avoid compromising the effect of moisture condensation generated by the decreased temperature. This objective is achieved with a compressor by-pass conduit on which is mounted a selectively controllable adjusting valve. The operation includes: measurement of the evaporation temperature (Tev), and verification the temperature is higher than a preset value (Set_Tev); starting the compressor; opening the valve for a preset time, and then closing it; verification that the temperature is higher than a preset value; if the time elapsed is longer than a predetermined time, then the valve is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: PARKER HANNIFIN MANUFACTURING S.R.L.
    Inventor: Chiara Favero
  • Patent number: 9121624
    Abstract: An information transfer system for a refrigeration air-conditioning apparatus in which one or more heat-source units for the refrigerating/air conditioning apparatus, one first relay unit, and one or more second relay units are connected by refrigerant piping, and the second relay units and one or more indoor units are connected by water piping, wherein communications are performed discretely between a pair of the heat-source unit and the first relay unit, a pair of the first relay unit and the second relay units, and a pair of the second relay units and the indoor units through transmission lines respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Matsui, Shigeo Takata
  • Patent number: 9092017
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to air handling systems for buildings, more particularly to energy recovery ventilation systems, and specifically to a calculation/estimation of effectiveness which may be used for informational and maintenance purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: AIR SYSTEM COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexis Rosa, Michael G. Longman, John Pinkston
  • Patent number: 9091451
    Abstract: A modular air conditioning (AC) system including one or more AC modules is provided. The AC modules may be adapted to function individually or cooperatively as part of a modular system. The AC modules may be further adapted to connect in a variety of advantageous ways to facilitate the supply of conditioned air to a variety of downstream applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: HOBART BROTHERS COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard L. Hansen, Benjamin Eric Newell, Ty Allan Newell, Alexander Yemma Long
  • Patent number: 9052125
    Abstract: A heat pump includes a compressor for compressing refrigerant. The compressed refrigerant is divided into a first portion and a second portion. Simultaneously, the first portion of the refrigerant is used in a first vapor-compression circuit to heat or cool a space and the second portion of the refrigerant is used in a second vapor-compression circuit to heat a fluid. In a single external source heat exchanger, both the first portion of the refrigerant in the first vapor-compression circuit and the second portion of the refrigerant in the second vapor compression circuit exchanges heat with an external source fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Inventor: Dennis S. Dostal
  • Patent number: 9038404
    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 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    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, Thomas Harvey, Zongtao Lu
  • Patent number: 9032747
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Yuji Motomura, Takeshi Hatomura
  • Patent number: 9027359
    Abstract: A modular heat exchange system having a refrigerant system for cycling a refrigerant through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, a heat source circulation system which circulates a heat exchange fluid between a heat source and the evaporator, a heat sink circulation system which circulates a heat absorption fluid between a heat sink and the condenser, a fluid management system having temperature gauges for respectively reading core temperatures of the heat source and the heat sink, and a thermal energy source from which thermal energy is transferred to the heat exchange fluid when the core temperature of the heat source falls below a threshold temperature while the core temperature of the heat sink is maintained at a constant temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Triea Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James O'Brien, Matthew Ginalick, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9010136
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a refrigerating installation, according to which the cooling liquid temperature is controlled and stabilized upstream of the expansion valve, and the suction vapor temperature is controlled and stabilized upstream of the condenser in dry expansion systems, thermosyphon installations, two-stage evaporation installations, dry expansion installations having a downstream internal heat exchanger (IWT), and all other refrigerating systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: BMS-Energietechnik AG
    Inventor: Remo Meister
  • Patent number: 9003823
    Abstract: A configuration provided with a heat source unit A, an indoor unit B, a circuit D for a hot-water supply heat source provided with a refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger and throttle for the hot-water supply heat source, and a branch unit C that distributes a refrigerant flowing through the indoor unit and the circuit for hot-water supply heat source and also provided with a refrigerating cycle for air conditioning in which the indoor unit and the circuit for hot-water supply heat source are connected in parallel and connected to the heat source unit by at least two connection pipelines via the branch unit and a refrigerating cycle for hot-water supply in which a compressor for hot-water supply, a heat-medium-refrigerant heat exchanger, throttle for hot-water supply, and the refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger are connected in series, in which the refrigerating cycle for air conditioning and the refrigerating cycle for hot-water supply are connected so as to exchange heat between the refrigerant for air
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Tanaka, Junichi Kameyama, Hirofumi Koge, Hironori Yabuuchi
  • Patent number: 9003817
    Abstract: A discharged warm/cold heat of a refrigerant circuit is effectively utilized in order to attain high energy efficiency. Appropriate operation control is executed when a hot-water supplying operation and an air cooling operation are simultaneously performed, whereby high energy efficiency is attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Endoh, Tatsuo Fujii
  • Patent number: 8991204
    Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus including a first refrigeration cycle circuit having a first compressor, a first radiator, a supercooler, a first pressure-reducing device and an evaporator that are connected through a refrigerant pipe, a second refrigeration cycle circuit having a second compressor, a second radiator, a second pressure-reducing device and the supercooler that are connected through a refrigerant pipe, a refrigeration unit in which the first compressor and the first radiator are mounted, a showcase in which the first pressure-reducing device and the evaporator are mounted, a supercooling hot water supply device in which the second compressor, the second radiator, the second pressure-reducing device and the supercooler are mounted, and a hot-water stock device having a hot water supply tank that is connected to the second radiator of the supercooling hot water supply device through a second radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahisa Otake, Hidetaka Sasaki, Setsu Hasegawa, Ken Kawakubo, Kazuhiko Mihara
  • Patent number: 8984901
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes: a heat-source-side refrigerant circuit having a heat-source-side compressor, a first usage-side heat exchanger operable as a radiator of heat-source-side refrigerant, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger operable as a radiator of heat-source-side refrigerant; and a usage-side refrigerant circuit having a usage-side compressor, a refrigerant/water heat exchanger operable as a radiator of usage-side refrigerant to heat an aqueous medium, and the first usage-side heat exchanger operable as an evaporator of usage-side refrigerant by radiation of heat-source-side refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: Daikin Industries, Ltd., Daikin Europe N.V.
    Inventor: Masahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 8984904
    Abstract: A refrigerating device is provided which can improve COP when a required load is 50% of a maximum load or below. When the load required of a common evaporator is 50% or less, a control unit stops a second compressor and controls the volume of a first compressor. Accordingly, it becomes possible to improve COP when the required load is equal to or below 50% as compared to the case of controlling the first and second compressors simultaneously to a low volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Tamura, Yasuhiro Kondou
  • Patent number: 8966930
    Abstract: A container data center system includes a container, a plurality of servers, at least a regulation device, a first refrigeration device and a second refrigeration device. The container defines a first receiving room and a second receiving room isolated from the first receiving room. The servers are received in the first receiving room. The at least a regulation device is received in second receiving room. The at least regulation device is electrically connected to the servers for regulating the servers. The first refrigeration device is installed outside the container for cooling the first receiving room. The second refrigeration device is installed outside the container for cooling the second receiving room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tai-Wei Lin
  • Publication number: 20150040596
    Abstract: A helium management control system for controlling the helium refrigerant supply from a common manifold supplies cryogenic refrigerators with an appropriate helium supply. The system employs sensors to monitor and regulate the overall refrigerant supply. An appropriate supply of helium is distributed to each cryopump. If the total refrigeration supply exceeds the demand, or consumption, excess refrigerant is directed to cryogenic refrigerators which can utilize the excess helium to complete a current cooling function more quickly. If the total refrigeration demand exceeds the total refrigeration supply, the refrigerant supply to some or all of the cryogenic refrigerators will be reduced accordingly so that detrimental or slowing effects are minimized based upon the current cooling function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
    Inventors: Paul E. Dresens, Gary S. Ash, Allen J. Bartlett, Bruce R. Andeen, Y. Roberto Than, Joseph Chopy, JR.
  • Patent number: 8950204
    Abstract: A heat pump interoperating hot water feeding apparatus is provided that may determine whether to activate only the first coolant circulation circuit along which the first coolant is circulated or the first coolant circulation circuit as well as the second coolant circulation circuit along which the second coolant is circulated depending on an external air temperature or target water temperature, thus providing the optimal performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyoungsuk Woo, Donghyuk Lee
  • Patent number: 8939196
    Abstract: A secondary pump-type heat source system includes: heat sources connected in parallel; a load system in which the heat source water flows; a primary pump supplying the heat source water to the load system; a secondary pump provided for each heat source and supplies the heat source water subjected to heat exchange in the load system to the heat source; and a heat source controller calculating flow quantity of the heat source water flowing in the heat source side and flow quantity of the heat source water flowing in the load system side by assigning a result from measurement by a water temperature sensor detecting heat source temperature to an operating characteristic of each heat source and controlling operation of the secondary pumps based on the calculation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Takeru Morita, Yuuji Matsumoto, Seiji Tsukiyama, Manabu Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20150013363
    Abstract: A cooling device utilizes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and an accumulator to cool a heat source with a coolant. The receiver separates the coolant having been subjected to heat exchange by the condenser into gas and liquid. The accumulator separates the coolant having been subjected to heat exchange by the evaporator into gas and liquid. The cooling device opens a switch valve capable of bringing the receiver and the accumulator into communication with each other to move the coolant liquid in the accumulator to the receiver. The cooling device restores the pressure difference between the receiver and the accumulator after the movement of the coolant liquid to the pressure difference before the movement of the coolant liquid by a pressure regulating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiko Arai, Yoshiaki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 8931290
    Abstract: An auxiliary cooling device is configured to be operated outside of an aircraft. The auxiliary cooling device is configured to be connected to an aircraft liquid cooling system which includes a refrigerating device, a coolant supply connection, a coolant discharge connection, and a control device. The auxiliary cooling device includes a cold source that is adapted to cool a coolant down to a desired low temperature, an auxiliary cooling device outlet which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant supply connection. The auxiliary cooling device also includes an auxiliary cooling device inlet which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant discharge connection of the aircraft liquid cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH, Airbus S.A.S.
    Inventors: Kenan Soenmez, Luc Leroy
  • Patent number: 8904815
    Abstract: A heating installation is provided with a first circuit (K1) containing a first medium, a second circuit (K2) containing a second medium, a first heat pump (2) arranged in the first circuit (K1) for heating the first medium, a third circuit (K3) containing a third medium, a heat exchanger (40) arranged in the third circuit (K3) and connected between the condenser (2d) and expansion valve (2f) of the first heat pump to transfer heat from the working medium of the first heat pump to the third medium in the third circuit (K3), and a second heat pump (3) arranged for heating the second medium in the second circuit (K2) by absorbing heat energy from the third medium in the third circuit (K3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Energy Machines S.A.
    Inventor: Hans-Göran Göransson
  • Patent number: 8899067
    Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus including a control unit which starts the operation of the refrigerant compressor in response to an operation signal and which regulates the pressure reducing device so that the temperature of a refrigerant in the water heat exchanger becomes +80 ° C. or more and the temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator becomes 0 ° C. or less. The control unit detects a state where a cold storage amount in the cold storage unit reaches a predetermined amount or more and another state where the control unit judges whether the hot water storage tank is full of the hot water, after the elapse of a predetermined time from the start of the operation of the refrigerant compressor, and it stops the operation of the refrigerant compressor when one of the states is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahisa Otake, Setsu Hasegawa, Ken Kawakubo, Hidetaka Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8898927
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments or implementations are disclosed of systems for drying materials and control apparatus and methods relating to material drying systems. In an exemplary embodiment, a control apparatus for a material drying system is configured to select one or more heat sources from a plurality of heterogeneous heat sources for drying the material. The selecting is performed based on one or more sensor inputs. The control apparatus controls the selected heat source(s) to provide heat to dry the material. In some configurations, a material drying system operates as a typical heat pump only when more cost-effective auxiliary heat cannot be provided to maintain a drying temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Ping Shan, Weihua Guo
  • Patent number: 8881541
    Abstract: A cooling system has a tandem compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve and an evaporator arranged in a direct expansion cooling circuit. The tandem compressor includes a variable capacity compressor and a fixed capacity compressor. A controller controls the electronic expansion valve and selects which of a plurality of superheat control modes to use in operating the electronic expansion valve based on control parameters and a current operating status of each of the variable capacity compressor and fixed capacity compressor of the tandem compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventors: Roger Noll, Gary A. Helmink, Pierpaolo Barbato, Giuseppe Dalla Mana, Lou Monnier
  • Patent number: 8869552
    Abstract: A helium management control system for controlling the helium refrigerant supply from a common manifold supplies cryogenic refrigerators with an appropriate helium supply. The system employs sensors to monitor and regulate the overall refrigerant supply to deliver an appropriate refrigerant supply to each of the cryogenic refrigerators depending on the computed aggregate cooling demand of all of the cryogenic refrigerators. An appropriate supply of helium is distributed to each cryopump by sensing excess and sparse helium and redistributing refrigerant accordingly. If the total refrigeration supply exceeds the demand, or consumption, excess refrigerant is directed to cryogenic refrigerators which can utilize the excess helium to complete a current cooling function more quickly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Dresens, Gary S. Ash, Allen J. Bartlett, Bruce Andeen, Y. Roberto Than, Joseph Chopy, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8857199
    Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus includes first and second refrigerant circuits including respective first and second compressors, condensers, pressure reducers, and evaporators, connected circularly with first and second refrigerant pipes, respectively, refrigerants discharged from the first and second compressors being respectively condensed at the first and second condensers and thereafter respectively evaporated at the first and second evaporators to acquire a cooling effect; a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of an internal portion of a cold storage cabinet, the first and second evaporators being disposed to cool the internal portion simultaneously; and a first control device that controls the first and second compressors such that the first compressor and the second compressor start being alternately operated each time a temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches a first temperature, and are continuously operated until the detected temperature reaches a second temperature lower than th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Shinya, Susumu Kobayashi, Satoshi Okuda, Ryuichi Tsuruma, Yuichi Tamaoki, Ryuzo Tobe
  • Patent number: 8850838
    Abstract: A commercial refrigeration system has a control system which distributes intelligence to increase granularity of the control and simplify wiring, assembly and installation. Compressors of the refrigeration system each have a bus compatible compressor safety and control module including a processor and sensors. All control and safety modules communicate over a single power and communications line with the controller, providing digital transmissions to the controller of measurements taken by the sensors. The information provided may include that the compressor is outside of a specific safety parameter, so that the controller knows not only that a safety parameter has been traversed, but exactly which one. The control and safety modules are capable of executing commands from the controller to cycle the compressors. The control and safety modules preferably contain sufficient intelligence to continue system operation upon failure of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventors: Norman E. Street, Ted W. Sunderland, Charles D. Thomas, Doron Shapiro, Michael J. D'Anna
  • Patent number: 8769974
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a heat source unit, a first usage unit, and a second usage unit. The heat source unit has a heat-source-side compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger, a heat-source-side blower and a heat-source-side switching mechanism. The first usage unit has at least a radiation amount adjusting element and a first usage-side flow rate adjustment valve. The second usage unit has at least a second usage-side flow rate adjustment valve. In a case in which the second usage unit performs an air-cooling operation and the first usage unit performs an aqueous medium heating operation, the amount of radiation adjusted by the radiation amount adjusting element or operating capacity of the heat-source-side blower is controlled in accordance with a state of the first usage-side flow rate adjustment valve and the second usage-side flow rate adjustment valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 8769976
    Abstract: A method for controlling a refrigerant distribution in a vapour compression system, such as a refrigeration system, e.g. an air condition system, comprising at least two evaporators. The refrigerant distribution determines the distribution of the available amount of refrigerant among the evaporators. While monitoring a superheat, SH, at a common outlet for the evaporators, the distribution of refrigerant is modified in such a manner that a mass flow of refrigerant to a first evaporator is altered in a controlled manner. The impact on the monitored SH is then observed, and this is used for deriving information relating to the behaviour of the first evaporator, in the form of a control parameter. This is repeated for each evaporator, and the refrigerant distribution is adjusted on the basis of the control parameters. The impact may be in the form of a significant change in SH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Claus Thybo, Rafael Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 8756948
    Abstract: A system for conditioning air in a structure includes a first conditioning system and a second conditioning system. The first conditioning system is capable of supplying conditioned air to a first space of the structure. The first space is enclosed, at least in part, by one or more external walls. The second conditioning system is capable of supplying conditioned air to a second space of the structure that is located above the first space. The second space is enclosed, at least in part, by a roof that is sealed to prevent a flow of air between the second space and an outside environment. The first space and the second space are separated by a ceiling that permits thermal energy to pass between the first space and the second space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: EcoMePlease, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph K. Kirby, Victor M. Menendez
  • Patent number: 8713950
    Abstract: In a method of the application, cooling energy is produced by a refrigerating device. The cooling energy produced by the refrigerating device is supplied to at least one cooling station by a cooling circuit, circulating in which is a refrigerant, which upon release of its cooling energy to the at least one cooling station is converted from the liquid to the gaseous state and is then converted back to the liquid state by corresponding pressure- and temperature control in the cooling circuit. Upon transfer of the cooling system to its state of rest, a control value disposed in the cooling circuit is controlled in such a way that a desired operating pressure (??) arises in the cooling circuit downstream of the control valve. Refrigerant cooled by the refrigerating device is received in a reservoir disposed upstream of the control valve in the cooling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Sebastian Roering
  • Patent number: 8667805
    Abstract: An air conditioner for communication equipment is provided. The air conditioner includes an indoor module disposed at an indoor space of a base station having communication equipment and including an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor ventilator, an outdoor module disposed at an outside of the base station and including an outdoor ventilator, a brine cooling cycle including first and second outdoor brine heat exchangers, and first and second brine coolers, the indoor heat exchanger, and a brine pump, which are connected through a brine pipe, a first refrigerant cooling cycle including an expansion valve, the first brine cooler, a compressor, and a first outdoor refrigerant heat exchanger, which are connected through a first refrigerant pipe, and a second refrigerant cooling cycle including an expansion valve, the second brine cooler, a compressor, and a second outdoor refrigerant heat exchanger, which are connected through a second refrigerant pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Chang Jo 21 Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hee Tae Park
  • Publication number: 20140060098
    Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus includes first and second refrigerant circuits including respective first and second compressors, condensers, pressure reducers, and evaporators, connected circularly with first and second refrigerant pipes, respectively, refrigerants discharged from the first and second compressors being respectively condensed at the first and second condensers and thereafter respectively evaporated at the first and second evaporators to acquire a cooling effect; a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of an internal portion of a cold storage cabinet, the first and second evaporators being disposed to cool the internal portion simultaneously; and a first control device that controls the first and second compressors such that the first compressor and the second compressor start being alternately operated each time a temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches a first temperature, and are continuously operated until the detected temperature reaches a second temperature lower than th
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi SHINYA, Susumu KOBAYASHI, Satoshi OKUDA, Ryuichi TSURUMA, Yuichi TAMAOKI, Ryuzo TOBE
  • Patent number: 8616271
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal control device intended to dissipate the heat generated by a payload on a spacecraft, comprising a number of surfaces and including means for circulating a refrigerant. An evaporation zone (Z1) comprises means for circulating the refrigerant, a compression zone (Z2), a condensation zone (Z3) comprising at least one radiating panel, linked to a part of the means for circulating the refrigerant, including several branches and comprising means to allow or inhibit the circulation of the refrigerant within these branches so as to vary the area of the heat exchange surface in the condensation zone, a pressure reduction zone (Z4) comprising means for circulating the refrigerant. Such a device is particularly well adapted to thermal problems encountered in telecommunications satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Julien Hugon, Thierry Dargent, Isabelle Nann, Paul De Larminat
  • Patent number: 8590327
    Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus for keeping an inside of a storage at a predetermined low-temperature state includes first and second refrigerant circuits including compressors, condensers, decompressors, and evaporators, connected circularly with pipings to form refrigerating cycles, the circuit having a first or second refrigerant sealed therein as a working refrigerant, a first sensor which detects a temperature of a cascade condenser constituted by integrating the evaporator of the first refrigerant circuit and the condenser of the second refrigerant circuit in a heat exchangeable manner, first and second controllers which control operation performances of the first and second compressors in a variable manner based on first and second sensor detected temperatures in order that the first and second sensor detected temperatures are first and second temperatures, respectively, and a second sensor which detects a temperature inside the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuzo Tobe, Tetsuo Sakurai, Ryuichi Tsuruma
  • Patent number: 8584477
    Abstract: A air channeling sub-system may include a mechanical cooling section and a direct evaporative cooling section. The direct evaporative cooling section may be downstream from the mechanical cooling section. Cooling air is channeled through the air channeling sub-system and into the room. If a first set of control conditions is met, the air channeling sub-systems is operated in an adiabatic mode. The adiabatic mode includes channeling cooling air through the direct evaporative cooling section to evaporate water into the cooling air. If a second set of control conditions is met, the air channeling sub-system is operated in a hybrid mode. The hybrid mode includes channeling cooling air through the mechanical cooling section to remove heat from the cooling air and channeling the cooling air through the direct evaporative cooling section to evaporate water into the cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan David Hay
  • Patent number: 8584485
    Abstract: An aircraft cooling system evaporator arrangement has an evaporation device including four evaporators that are hydraulically separate from each other with respect to coolant flow. Refrigerant flows from a feed line into first and second evaporators, from the first evaporator into and through a third evaporator, and from the second evaporator into and through a fourth evaporator. The first and third evaporators define a first pair of evaporators arranged parallel to a second pair of evaporators defined by the second and fourth evaporators. First and second coolant supply lines of a first coolant circuit supply coolant to one of the evaporators in each of the first and second pair of evaporators respectively, and first and second coolant supply lines of a second, independent coolant circuit supply coolant to the other of the evaporators in each of the first and second pair of evaporators respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Ebigt, Wilson Willy Casas Noriega
  • Patent number: 8584484
    Abstract: An aircraft cooling system evaporator arrangement has at least two mutually independent coolant circuits, at least two evaporation devices arranged to be hydraulically parallel for enabling an exchange of heat between the coolant and a refrigerant, at least two supply lines for supplying refrigerant to the evaporation devices, and at least two discharge lines for discharging refrigerant from the evaporation devices. A different one of the evaporation devices, a different one of the supply lines and a different one of the discharge lines are assigned to each of the coolant circuits, and the supply lines are hydraulically separate from each other as are the discharge lines. At least one refrigerant sensor monitors a refrigerant state of each of the discharge lines and an expansion valve is driven in accordance with the refrigerant sensors to control streams of refrigerant through the supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Ebigt, Wilson Willy Casas Noriega
  • Patent number: 8578726
    Abstract: A air channeling sub-system may include a mechanical cooling section and a direct evaporative cooling section. The direct evaporative cooling section may be downstream from the mechanical cooling section. Cooling air is channeled through the air channeling sub-system and into the room. If a first set of control conditions is met, the air channeling sub-systems is operated in an adiabatic mode. The adiabatic mode includes channeling cooling air through the direct evaporative cooling section to evaporate water into the cooling air. If a second set of control conditions is met, the air channeling sub-system is operated in a hybrid mode. The hybrid mode includes channeling cooling air through the mechanical cooling section to remove heat from the cooling air and channeling the cooling air through the direct evaporative cooling section to evaporate water into the cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan David Hay
  • Patent number: 8583289
    Abstract: A climate control system or a data center includes a computer room air conditioner (CRAC) and an air economizer. A control module determines whether outside air is suitable for use in cooling the data. If the outside air is suitable for use, outside air and not the CRAC is used to cool the data center when the dry bulb temperature of the outside air is below a minimum set point. The outside air is conditioned before it is introduced as supply air so that it is above a minimum temperature. If the outside air is suitable for use and the dry bulb temperature of the outside air is above the set point, the control module determines a cooling percentage of cooling of the data center to be provided by the CRAC and a cooling percentage to be provided by the outside air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventors: John F. Stack, Stephen A. Mowrer
  • Patent number: 8555663
    Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus includes first and second refrigerant circuits including respective first and second compressors, condensers, pressure reducers, and evaporators, connected circularly with first and second refrigerant pipes, respectively, refrigerants discharged from the first and second compressors being respectively condensed at the first and second condensers and thereafter respectively evaporated at the first and second evaporators to acquire a cooling effect; a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of an internal portion of a cold storage cabinet, the first and second evaporators being disposed to cool the internal portion simultaneously; and a first control device that controls the first and second compressors such that both of them are operated each time a temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches a first temperature, and the first and second compressors are alternately operated each time a temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches a second temperature lower t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Shinya, Susumu Kobayashi, Satoshi Okuda, Ryuichi Tsuruma, Yuichi Tamaoki, Ryuzo Tobe
  • Publication number: 20130233003
    Abstract: A cooling system, in particular for use on board an aircraft, includes a first cooling circuit allowing circulation of a two-phase refrigerant therethrough, a first evaporator disposed in the first cooling circuit, a first condenser disposed in the first cooling circuit, and a first heat sink adapted to provide cooling energy to the first condenser. The cooling system further includes a second cooling circuit allowing circulation of a two-phase refrigerant therethrough, a second evaporator disposed in the second cooling circuit, a second condenser disposed in the second cooling circuit, a second heat sink adapted to provide cooling energy to the second condenser, and a cooling energy transfer arrangement which is adapted to transfer cooling energy provided by the first heat sink and/or the first condenser to the second cooling circuit or to transfer cooling energy provided by the second heat sink and/or the second condenser to the first cooling circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Piesker, Martin Sieme, Ahmet Kayihan Kiryaman
  • Patent number: 8528348
    Abstract: An aircraft cooling system for cooling heat loads on board an aircraft includes a cold producing device, a first cold carrier fluid circuit thermally coupled to the cold producing device and connected to a first heat load in order to carry off heat from the first heat load, a second cold carrier fluid circuit connected to a second heat load in order to carry off heat from the second heat load, a heat exchanger disposed in the second cold carrier fluid circuit and configured to thermally couple the second cold carrier fluid circuit to an ambient temperature surrounding the aircraft, and a coupling system configured to selectively thermally couple the first cold carrier fluid circuit to the second cold carrier fluid circuit or thermally uncouple it from the second cold carrier fluid circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Ebigt, Wilson Willy Casas Noriega, Andreas Frey, Dirk Kastell
  • Publication number: 20130227979
    Abstract: A unitary-side heat pump unit is configured so that a refrigerant circulates sequentially through a first compressor, a first heat exchanger, a cascade heat exchanger, a first expansion valve and an evaporator, and heat exchange with heat media of a heating unit is carried out in the first heat exchanger; a binary-side heat pump unit is configured so that a refrigerant circulates sequentially through a second compressor, a second heat exchanger, a second expansion valve and a cascade heat exchanger, and heat exchange with heat media of the heating unit is carried out in the second heat exchanger; the refrigerants of the unitary-side and binary-side heat pump units include carbon dioxide (CO2) as a main component; and high pressure-side sections of the unitary-side and binary-side heat pump units are activated within substantially identical pressure ranges of supercritical pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: Junichiro Kasuka, Yasuaki Kanou, Syou Ishii
  • Patent number: RE44815
    Abstract: A method for cooling inlet air to a gas turbine is provided. For example, a method is described including passing inlet air through a cooling coil that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant. The gas turbine power plant may include at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air. The method may further include passing circulating water through a water chiller at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the circulating water, the water chiller including a conduit through which the circulating water is capable of passing and passing the circulating water having the first flow rate through the cooling coil in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: TAS Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas L. Pierson