Through An Evaporator, I.e., Parallel Patents (Class 62/199)
  • Patent number: 12055322
    Abstract: A compressor includes a casing, compression mechanism disposed inside the casing, a discharge tube, a first temperature sensor, and a second temperature sensor. The compression mechanism compresses a sucked refrigerant, and discharges the compressed refrigerant to a refrigerant channel formed in an inner space of the casing. The compressed refrigerant flows from the inner space of the casing to an outside through the discharge tube. The first temperature sensor includes a temperature sensing portion disposed in the refrigerant channel, and directly measuring a temperature of the refrigerant. The second temperature sensor is disposed at a different position from the first temperature sensor. The second temperature sensor measures a temperature of one of a surface of the discharge tube, an inner space of the discharge tube, and a surface of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Okamoto, Yasuhiro Kouno
  • Patent number: 11988424
    Abstract: A device is provided that may include a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the compressed refrigerant, an expander configured to expand the refrigerant condensed by the condenser, an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant expanded by the expander, a separation mechanism connected to an outlet pipe of the evaporator to separate liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant discharged from the evaporator, a bypass pipe to guide the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to the compressor, a first pipe connected to the separation mechanism and through which the liquid refrigerant discharged from the separation mechanism flows, an accumulator connected to the first pipe to separate the gaseous refrigerant, which is not separated from the liquid refrigerant by the separation mechanism, from the liquid refrigerant and discharge the separated gaseous refrigerant, and a second pipe configured to guide the gaseous refrigerant discharged from
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Eunjun Cho, Minsoo Kim, Hojin Seo, Dongkeun Yang
  • Patent number: 11828502
    Abstract: A valve structure that may control the flow rate of a fluid when the fluid starts to be released is provided. In a valve structure including a valve sheet having two outlets to release a fluid and a valve body arranged to be rotational against the valve sheet to regulate a degree of opening of the outlet, the valve body has a fluid control recess formed in the circumferential direction whose area overlapping the outlet is changed by rotation of the valve body, and the center of the outlet is forced to deviate from a rotation trajectory of a front end portion of the fluid control recess that starts to overlap the outlet by the rotation of the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsuzaki, Tatsuya Seo
  • Patent number: 11788739
    Abstract: An evaporator coil system includes a segmented evaporator coil. The segmented evaporator coil includes a primary segment and a secondary segment. A first plurality of evaporator circuit lines are fluidly coupled to the primary segment and a second plurality of evaporator circuit lines are fluidly coupled to the secondary segment. A suction line includes a first connection fluidly coupled to the primary segment and a second connection fluidly coupled to the secondary segment. A valve is arranged in fluid communication with the secondary segment so as to selectively restrict refrigerant flow through the secondary segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Rakesh Goel, John N. Tran
  • Patent number: 11585559
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling operation state of multi-split air conditioner and system, and a heat pump multi-split. The control method includes: determining a target operation mode of each indoor unit according to an operation mode set by a user for the indoor unit; performing statistics on heat exchange demands of the indoor units corresponding to different target operation modes, and determining a dominant operation mode among the target operation modes according to the heat exchange demands; and using the dominant operation mode as the operation mode of an outdoor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignees: Gree Electric Appliances (Wuhan) Co., Ltd., Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Huachao Jiao, Jianguo Xiong, Shiqiang Zhang, Lianfa Wu, Bing Zhou, Zhiguang Huang, Donghui Li, Bo Qiu
  • Patent number: 11448408
    Abstract: A multi-type air conditioner is provided that includes an outdoor unit having a liquid pipe through which a liquid refrigerant flows, and a gas pipe through which a gas refrigerant flows; a plurality of indoor units including a first indoor unit and a second indoor unit each connected to the liquid pipe and the gas pipe to circulate a refrigerant; a gas pipe connecting tube connecting the gas pipe and the plurality of indoor units so that a gas refrigerant flows therethrough; and a liquid pipe connecting tube connecting the liquid pipe and the plurality of indoor units so that a liquid refrigerant flows therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Eunjun Cho, Yongcheol Sa, Jiyoung Jang
  • Patent number: 11402134
    Abstract: An outdoor unit is connected to a refrigerator and has two compressors that are connected in series, and a control method thereof. The outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a low pressure side compressor for compressing a refrigerant; a high pressure side compressor for compressing the refrigerant compressed by the low pressure side compressor; an outdoor heat exchanger for condensing the refrigerant compressed by the high pressure side compressor; a heat recovery unit for cooling the refrigerant condensed in the outdoor heat exchanger by exchanging heat with the refrigerant evaporated in the air conditioner; and a supercooler for expanding a part of the refrigerant cooled in the heat recovery unit to cool another part of the refrigerant cooled in the heat recovery unit, so that the discharge temperature of the low pressure side compressor and/or the high pressure side compressor can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaeheuk Choi, Byoungjin Ryu, Yoonho Yoo
  • Patent number: 11364769
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a passenger cabin of a hybrid vehicle includes a refrigerant loop in fluid communication with a compressor, a condenser, and a chiller. A main cabin evaporator is in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop. A first valve is configured to regulate refrigerant flow through the main cabin evaporator. A temperature sensor disposed at the main cabin evaporator is configured to output a signal indicative of a main cabin evaporator temperature. An auxiliary evaporator is in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop. A second valve is configured to regulate refrigerant flow through the auxiliary evaporator. A controller is programmed to, in response to the main cabin evaporator temperature being less than a threshold while the main cabin evaporator is operated with the second valve closed, open the second valve to cycle refrigerant through the auxiliary evaporator to increase the main cabin evaporator temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mary Bellino, Nicholas David Moore, Joseph George, Rohan Shrivastava
  • Patent number: 11320170
    Abstract: A heat pump cycle includes a compressor, a heat exchanger, a gas-liquid separator, and an outdoor heat exchanger. The heat pump cycle includes a main circuit connecting the compressor, the heat exchanger, the gas-liquid separator, and the outdoor heat exchanger such that refrigerant flows therethrough. The heat pump cycle includes an exhaust-heat recovery heat exchanger, and an exhaust-heat recovery circuit forming a flow path leading to the compressor not through the outdoor heat exchanger but through the exhaust-heat recovery heat exchanger. The heat pump cycle includes an expansion valve that is disposed upstream of the exhaust-heat recovery heat exchanger in the exhaust-heat recovery circuit and expands the refrigerant such that the refrigerant changes from liquid phase to gas phase in the exhaust-heat recovery heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuo Kozasa
  • Patent number: 11293674
    Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus includes: a heat source unit including a compressor for refrigerant and a heat-source-side heat exchanger; utilization units, each of which is connected in parallel to the heat source unit and includes a utilization-side heat exchanger; a refrigerant-flow-path switching unit that includes first gas-side control valves, each of which switches a flow of refrigerant in a corresponding one of the utilization units, and individually switches a flow of refrigerant in each of the utilization units; a first gas-side connection pipe disposed between the heat source unit and each of the first gas-side control valves and through which high-pressure gas refrigerant flows; first gas-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the first gas-side connection pipe and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units; and a blocking valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Yamada, Yuusuke Nakagawa, Yuusuke Oka, Masahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 11248806
    Abstract: An air-conditioning unit is provided, comprising: an input vent for receiving return air; an intermediate vent; an output vent; a blower fan proximate to the input vent for moving the return air from the input vent to the intermediate vent; and an air-conditioner coil between the intermediate vent and the output vent including an active portion including one or more operational air-conditioning coils that receive a first portion of the return air from the intermediate vent, for circulating a coolant, condition the first portion of the return air by heat exchange with the coolant to create conditioned air, and pass the conditioned air to the output vent, and an inactive portion that does not circulate coolant and passes a second portion of the return air as unconditioned air to the output vent, wherein the conditioned air and the unconditioned air pass through the output vent as supply air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC US, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph Paul Bush
  • Patent number: 11247536
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner capable of making a determination that the dehumidification is unnecessary in a vehicle interior early to make a prompt transition from a dehumidifying mode to a heating mode and reduce power consumption is provided. A control device executes a heating mode to let a refrigerant discharged from a compressor 2 radiate heat in a radiator, decompress the refrigerant, and then let the refrigerant absorb heat in an outdoor heat exchanger 7, and a dehumidifying mode to let the refrigerant flow into the outdoor heat exchanger without flowing to the radiator to radiate heat therein, decompress the refrigerant, and then let the refrigerant absorb heat in a heat absorber 9 and let an auxiliary heater 23 generate heat. The control device shifts from the dehumidifying mode to the heating mode on the basis of the heat absorber suction air temperature Tevain being lowered more than a target heat absorber temperature TEO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Sanden Automotive Climate Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Yamashita, Ryo Miyakoshi
  • Patent number: 11214116
    Abstract: An integrated heat management system for a vehicle includes a refrigerant circulation line configured to cool or heat a passenger compartment while operating in an air conditioner mode or a heat pump mode according to a flow direction of a refrigerant, an electric component module side cooling water circulation line configured to circulate the cooling water through the electric component module to cool the electric component module, a water-cooled outdoor heat exchanger configured to allow the refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant circulation line to exchange heat with the cooling water circulating through the electric component module side cooling water circulation line, and a cooling water flow control unit configured to control a cooling water flow in the electric component module side cooling water circulation line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Chul Hee Kim, Doo Hoon Kim, Hyeon Gyu Kim, Joong Man Han
  • Patent number: 11079184
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are provided for thermal enhancement. Thermal enhancement may include absorbing heat from one or more devices. In some cases, this may improve the efficiency of the one or more devices. In general, a phase transition may be induced in a storage material. The storage material may be combined with a freeze point suppressant in order to reduce its melt point. The mixture may be used to boost the performance of device, such as an electrical generator, a heat engine, a refrigerator, and/or a freezer. The freeze point suppressant and storage material may be separated. By delaying the periods between each stage by prescribed amounts, the methods, systems, and devices may be able to shift the availability of electricity to the user and/or otherwise boost a device at different times in some cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Rebound Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Russell Goldfarbmuren
  • Patent number: 11067324
    Abstract: A control method for a refrigerator comprises: sensing a temperature of a first storage chamber; increasing an output of a first cooling fan if the temperature reaches a value greater than or equal to a second reference temperature; reducing the output of the first cooling fan if the temperature reaches a value less than or equal to a first reference temperature; increasing the output of the first cooling fan if a first reference time has passed after the temperature has reached the value or if the temperature reaches a first setting temperature between the first reference temperature and the second reference temperature; and reducing the output of the first cooling fan if a second reference time has passed after the output of the first cooling fan has been changed, or if the temperature reaches a preset second setting temperature between the first setting temperature and the first reference temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Namgyo Lee, Yonghyeon Cho, Jindong Kim, Sunghee Kang, Jihyun Im, Youngseung Song, Namgi Lee, Namsoo Cho
  • Patent number: 10921029
    Abstract: A test chamber (10) for conditioning air has a test space (12), and a temperature control device (11) for controlling the temperature of the test space and allowing a temperature in a range of ?80° C. to +180° C., preferably ?100° C. to +200° C., to be established within the test space, the temperature control device having a cooling device (16) with a cooling circuit (17), a heat exchanger (18), a compressor (19), a condenser (20), and an expansion element (21), wherein the refrigerant is a nearly azeotropic and/or zeotropic refrigerant mixture of a mass percentage of carbon dioxide and a mass percentage of at least one of the components ethane, ethene, hexafluoroethane, pentafluoroethane, monofluoro-ethane, 1,1-difluoroethene, fluoromethane and/or propane and/or xenon, the refrigerant having a relative CO2 equivalent of <3000, preferably <500, in particular preferably <10, with respect to 20 years.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: WEISS UMWELTTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Haack, Gerald Klee
  • Patent number: 10913369
    Abstract: An exemplary charging energy recapture assembly includes a fluid loop outside a traction battery of an electrified vehicle. The fluid loop communicates a charger fluid through a charger to the electrified vehicle and returns the charger fluid to a charging station without combining the charger fluid with a vehicle fluid. An exemplary charging energy recapture method includes circulating a charger fluid through a charger between a charging station and an electrified vehicle without the charger fluid commingling with a vehicle fluid or communicating through a traction battery of the electrified vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin James Rhodes, Erik J. Christen, Pallav Sohoni, Joseph Giacchina
  • Patent number: 10837672
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, and/or manufacture that is configured for operably releasing condensate from a furnace combustion gas containment system without allowing a substantial quantity of drain air to enter the condensate producing system from a drain or a substantial quantity of combustion gas to flow through the system, machine, device, and/or manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Inventor: Nicholas Howard Des Champs
  • Patent number: 10816242
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are connected by pipes. The first heat exchanger includes a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage that share a plurality of fins with each other and provided in parallel in the refrigerant circuit. The apparatus further includes a high-and-low-pressure switching mechanism which is located on an inlet side of the second refrigerant passage of the first heat exchanger in flowing of refrigerant in an operation in which the first heat exchanger functions as a condenser, and which performs switching between flow directions of the refrigerant. The apparatus further includes a refrigerant blocking mechanism located on an outlet side of the second refrigerant passage of the first heat exchanger in the flowing of the refrigerant in the operation, and which blocks the flowing of the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Chitose Tanaka, Takuya Matsuda, Kosuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10749229
    Abstract: A system and method for heating or cooling a battery include a controller and a tempering circuit containing an auxiliary medium configured to exchange heat with a container having a latent heat storage medium, and a vehicle traction battery, a pump configured to circulate the auxiliary medium, and an activation device having a sealing element moveable to selectively expose a nucleation surface to the latent heat storage medium to trigger a phase change process and exchange heat with the auxiliary medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Mazen Hammoud, Daniel Benjamin Kok
  • Patent number: 10718255
    Abstract: A cooling system may include a cooling pump that causes cooling fluid received from a thermal load to flow to a cooling source, a low-load valve, a high-load valve, a thermal energy store, and a mixing valve. The cooling source and the low-load valve may be downstream from the cooling pump. The high load valve and thermal energy storage may be downstream from the cooling source. The first input of the mixing valve may be downstream from the thermal energy storage. The second input of the mixing valve may be downstream from the low-load valve and the high-load valve. The thermal load may be downstream from an output of the mixing valve. The cooling system may switch between a low load mode and a high load mode with coordinated operation of the low-load valve and high-load valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel G. Edwards, Eric E. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10712044
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, and/or manufacture that is configured for operably releasing condensate from a condensate-producing unit without allowing a substantial quantity of gas to enter the condensate-producing unit and/or a substantial quantity of gas to flow through the system, machine, device, and/or manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventor: Nicholas Howard Des Champs
  • Patent number: 10690383
    Abstract: A method for controlling an air conditioning system includes detecting an operation mode of the air conditioning system, an indoor temperature, an outdoor temperature, and a user-set temperature, and controlling a direction switching assembly to communicate a first pipe port to a second pipe port or a third pipe port according to the operation mode, the outdoor temperature, and a difference value between the indoor temperature and the user-set temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: GD MIDEA AIR-CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ligao Xie, Jinbo Li
  • Patent number: 10591185
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, and/or manufacture that is configured for operably releasing condensate from a furnace combustion gas containment system without allowing a substantial quantity of drain air to enter the condensate producing system from a drain or a substantial quantity of combustion gas to flow through the system, machine, device, and/or manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventor: Nicholas Howard Des Champs
  • Patent number: 10533767
    Abstract: The invention concerns predominantly enclosed spaces, typically buildings, which are at least exposed to directionally and temporally varying levels of solar electromagnetic radiation as well as temporally varying levels of ambient air temperature and ambient air flow velocity and direction. Methods for at least approximating any one or any combination of system targets of a) reducing the average energy expenditure for keeping at least one primary compartment of a building within a desired temperature range by means of active air conditioning, or b) reducing temperature variations during a typical 24-hour cycle within said at least one primary compartment of said building, or c) reducing one or both of the average temperature or the peak temperature of said at least one primary compartment of said building. Methods for at least partially increasing the typical lifetime of some components of buildings and thus reducing resources associated with maintaining at least some buildings function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventors: Andreas Hieke, William Boone Daniels, II
  • Patent number: 10514046
    Abstract: A fan assembly includes a fan housing having an inlet and an outlet. A recess formed in the inlet is configured to receive a portion of a heat exchanger. A fan rotor is positioned within the housing and is configured to rotate about a fan axis. The fan rotor includes a hub having a plurality of fan blades mounted thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richie C. Stauter, Peter R. Bushnell
  • Patent number: 10514179
    Abstract: The invention concerns predominantly enclosed spaces, typically buildings, which are at least exposed to directionally and temporally varying levels of solar electromagnetic radiation as well as temporally varying levels of ambient air temperature and ambient air flow velocity and direction. Methods for at least approximating any one or any combination of system targets of a) reducing the average energy expenditure for keeping at least one primary compartment of a building within a desired temperature range by means of active air conditioning, or b) reducing temperature variations during a typical 24-hour cycle within said at least one primary compartment of said building, or c) reducing one or both of the average temperature or the peak temperature of said at least one primary compartment of said building. Methods for at least partially increasing the typical lifetime of some components of buildings and thus reducing resources associated with maintaining at least some building function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Inventors: Andreas Hieke, William Boone Daniels, II
  • Patent number: 10457118
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a first cooling loop, a second cooling loop, and a controller. The first cooling loop includes a compressor and a chiller. The second cooling loop includes a valve and an evaporator. The second cooling loop extends from an input side to an output side of the chiller on the first loop. The controller is programmed to, responsive to operation of the chiller but not the evaporator, close and intermittently pulse open the valve each time a discharge pressure of the compressor exceeds a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jianqing Xu, Jasbir Jaglan, Mark G. Smith, Yinhua Zheng
  • Patent number: 10427491
    Abstract: A thermal management system and method of use are provided, the system including a heat exchanger, a refrigeration system, a coolant loop thermally coupled to the heat exchanger, and a by-pass valve that regulates the amount of coolant within the coolant loop that either passes through the heat exchanger or is diverted away from the heat exchanger. The coolant loop is thermally coupled to the battery pack of an electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: TESLA, INC.
    Inventors: Vincent George Johnston, Curt Raymond O'Donnell, Wulfer Adrijan de Bruijn, Marco Elkenkamp
  • Patent number: 10386871
    Abstract: The air conditioner has a configuration such that, in an air-warming operation: the average refrigerant exit temperature, which is obtained by averaging the temperature of the refrigerant exits of indoor heat exchangers 7 in a plurality of indoor units 10, as detected by heat-exchanger-refrigerant-exit temperature probes 34 in the indoor units 10, is determined; the temperature difference between the average refrigerant exit temperature and the refrigerant exit temperatures of the indoor heat exchangers 7 of each of the indoor units 10 is determined; and the degree to which indoor expansion valves 9 of the indoor units 10 are open is controlled such that the determined temperature difference falls within a predetermined temperature difference range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikihito Tokudi, Kazuhiko Tani, Yoshiyuki Akiyama, Masami Inaba, Takafumi Ota
  • Patent number: 10352606
    Abstract: A cooling system comprises a refrigeration circuit (1) circulating a refrigerant and comprising in the flow direction of the refrigerant at least one compressor (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d); at least one condenser (4); at least one expansion device (8, 10); and at least one evaporator (11) for providing a cooling capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sascha Hellmann, Hans-Joachim Huff
  • Patent number: 10203139
    Abstract: The present invention provides precise temperature control of a cooling chamber and comprises: a cooling chamber; a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, a condenser installed at the outlet side of the compressor, an evaporator, installed between the outlet side of the condenser and the inlet side of the compressor, for cooling the cooling chamber, and a decompression means installed at the inlet side of the evaporator; and a refrigerant control unit which has a refrigerant control valve installed between the condenser and the evaporator, and which adjusts the refrigerant flow rate that flows into the evaporator by controlling the opening/closing time of the refrigerant control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kobayashi, Tomoharu Iwamoto, Manabu Motegi, Ryota Aoki, Isamu Takatsuki
  • Patent number: 10180257
    Abstract: A high-efficiency air conditioning system for conditioning a plurality of rooms within an interior of a building, the air conditioning system including: two separate rooms within a building, a single outdoor unit a refrigerant flow pathway that includes a plurality of refrigerant conduits having a common refrigerant flow path portion and at least two divergent flow path portions, a first divergent flow path where the first evaporator and second evaporator are in parallel with one another; at least one throttling device and at least a first indoor air handling unit positioned within and providing cooling to the first room and a second indoor air handling unit positioned within and providing cooling to a second room. The compressor is incapable of simultaneously supplying both the first evaporator and the second evaporator at their full cooling capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Timothy A. Kee, Steven J. Kuehl, Guolian Wu
  • Patent number: 10168068
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes: a first bypass pipe connected to an inlet-side passage of an accumulator through a second expansion device, a second passage of a subcooling heat exchanger for exchanging heat between refrigerant flowing through the second passage of the subcooling heat exchanger and refrigerant flowing through a first passage of the subcooling heat exchanger, and a first opening and closing device; a second bypass pipe branched from the first bypass pipe between the subcooling heat exchanger and the first opening and closing device and connected to an injection port of a compressor through a second opening and closing device; and a third bypass pipe branched from a refrigerant pipe between a heat source-side heat exchanger and a use-side heat exchanger and connected to a refrigerant pipe between an inlet side of the compressor and an outlet side of the accumulator through a third expansion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10107533
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit formed by connecting, with pipes, a compressor to compress refrigerant and discharge the compressed refrigerant, a first heat exchanger, a subcooling heat exchanger exchanges heat between a portion of the refrigerant flowing in a first flow passage and another portion of the refrigerant flowing in a second flow passage to subcool the portion of refrigerant flowing in the first flow passage, a first expansion device to decompress the refrigerant, a second heat exchanger, and an accumulator connected to a suction side of the compressor and configured to store excess refrigerant, so that the refrigerant is circulated through the refrigerant circuit. The air-conditioning apparatus is configured to prevent the discharge temperature of the compressor from being excessively increased irrespective of the operation mode and therefore prevent damage to the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Katsuhiro Ishimura, Takeshi Hatomura, Soshi Ikeda, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka
  • Patent number: 10098260
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for electronics includes a compressor disposed on a main line and configured to compress a refrigerant in the refrigeration system and a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor on the main line. An evaporator line is in fluid communication with the main line downstream of the condenser and has an evaporator configured to receive heat into the refrigerant from an external heat source. The system also includes an immersion line in fluid communication with main line downstream of the condenser. The immersion line includes an immersion cooling container that is configured to at least partially house electronics such that the electronics are in direct fluid communication with the refrigerant to cool the electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Scott R. Bouras, Kris H. Campbell, Shin Katsumata, Charles Shepard
  • Patent number: 10088205
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes: a first bypass pipe connected to an inlet-side passage of an accumulator through a second expansion device, a second passage of a subcooling heat exchanger for exchanging heat between refrigerant flowing through the second passage of the subcooling heat exchanger and refrigerant flowing through a first passage of the subcooling heat exchanger, and a first opening and closing device; a second bypass pipe branched from the first bypass pipe between the subcooling heat exchanger and the first opening and closing device and connected to an injection port of a compressor through a second opening and closing device; and a third bypass pipe branched from a refrigerant pipe between a heat source-side heat exchanger and a use-side heat exchanger and connected to a refrigerant pipe between an inlet side of the compressor and an outlet side of the accumulator through a third expansion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9970702
    Abstract: A defrosting apparatus includes: an evaporator; a defrosting heater removing frost formed on the evaporator; and a controller controlling the defrosting heater until defrosting for the evaporator is completed when a driving start command for the defrosting apparatus is input, wherein the controller controls the defrosting heater to have an idle section in which the defrosting heater is not operated between a point in time in which the driving start command is input and a point in time in which the defrosting is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-beom Ahn, Yang-gyu Kim, Sinn-bong Yoon, Jong-hoon Kim, Yong-sun Song, Han-sol Choi
  • Patent number: 9970667
    Abstract: A high-efficiency air conditioning system for conditioning a plurality of zones within an interior of a building that includes: at least two independent ductwork systems within a building wherein each independent ductwork system directs heating and cooling to one zone within the building; a single outdoor unit a refrigerant flow pathway having a common refrigerant flow path portion, a first divergent flow path, and a second divergent flow path; at least one throttling device and at least a first indoor air handling unit providing cooling to a first independent ductwork system and a second indoor air handling unit providing cooling to a second indoor ductwork system. The compressor is incapable of simultaneously supplying both the first evaporator and the second evaporator at their full cooling capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Steven J. Kuehl, Guolian Wu
  • Patent number: 9873826
    Abstract: This chemical heat pump includes two reaction sections R1 and R2 containing a thermal storage medium; an evaporation-condensation section D containing water or steam; and two fluid channels individually disposed so as to correspond to the reaction sections. A “first state in which R1 is set to a heat-storing state and R2 is set to a heat-release state” and a “second state in which R1 is set to a heat-release state and R2 is set to a heat-storing state” are alternately applied every time after a first period elapses. For each reaction section, in the heat-release state, a fluid is caused to flow from a first side to a second side of the corresponding fluid channel over a first period; and, in the heat-storing state, a fluid is caused to flow from the second side to the first side of the corresponding fluid channel over a second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Hanzawa, Kouji Ogura
  • Patent number: 9738505
    Abstract: A cooling system for a beverage comprises an enclosure for housing a beverage container, a cold plate through which the beverage flows, and a refrigeration system that controllably cools the enclosure and the cold plate in a differential manner. In preferred embodiments, preference is given during normal operation to cooling the cold plate, and only cooling the enclosure when the cold plate is determined to be at or below a desired temperature. In some embodiments a special defrost cycle warms the cold plate while continuing to cool the enclosure. Controls can be mechanical, electronic or any combination of the two, and preferably utilizes information from both pressure and temperature sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Cleland Sales Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Cleland, Adam Cleland
  • Patent number: 9739514
    Abstract: Chiller apparatus performs temperature-control operation without placing excessive load on an electric compressor even when temperature difference between set and work temperatures are small; little temperature difference between refrigerant intake side and refrigerant discharge side of an evaporator in freezing-cycle, at time of temperature-control setting with small temperature difference between set and work temperatures; PCB2 performs PID operation on refrigerant detection temperature by sensor near the side of refrigerant inflow of a heating apparatus in a refrigerant-cycle; a PCB1 performs serial communication of a drive control signal for an inverter generated based on a result, and controls the compressor rotational speed according to work temperature within range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SHINWA CONTROLS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Atsushi Seki, Shigeo Aoki, Fumiyuki Hosoi
  • Patent number: 9638455
    Abstract: A refrigerator including an evaporator to carry out heat exchange, a frost sensing unit to sense an amount of frost formed on the frost sensing unit, and a heater to be operated for removing the frost from the frost sensing unit is provided. The heater is operated in at least a portion of a defrosting section. Methods for operating the refrigerator are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seojung Kim, Yonghwan Eom, Kyeongyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9612047
    Abstract: An internal heat exchanger and a first flow control valve are connected in series between a condenser and a refrigerant inlet of an ejector. A gas refrigerant outlet of a gas-liquid separator is connected to a suction port of a compressor. A first bypass circuit connects a refrigerant outlet of the condenser to an intermediate pressure portion of the compressor via a second flow control valve and the internal heat exchanger. A second bypass circuit connects a refrigerant outlet of the internal heat exchanger to the liquid refrigerant outlet of the gas-liquid separator via a third flow control valve. While the second flow control valve is opened such that the refrigerant flows through the first bypass circuit, the fourth flow control valve is switched to be opened or closed, and the third flow control valve is switched to be closed or opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya Higashiiue, Takashi Okazaki, So Nomoto, Hirokazu Minamisako
  • Patent number: 9523522
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a refrigeration device includes: walls substantially forming a liquid-impermeable container configured to hold phase change material internal to a refrigeration device; at least one active refrigeration unit including a set of evaporator coils positioned within an interior of the liquid-impermeable container; walls substantially forming a storage region; and a heat transfer system including a first group of vapor-impermeable structures with a hollow interior connected to form a condenser in thermal contact with the walls substantially forming a liquid-impermeable container, a second group of vapor-impermeable structures with a hollow interior connected to form an evaporator in thermal contact with the walls substantially forming a storage region, and a connector with a hollow interior affixed to both the condenser and the evaporator, the connector forming a liquid and vapor flow path between the hollow interior of the condenser and the hollow interior of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Tokitae LLC
    Inventors: Fong-Li Chou, Philip A. Eckhoff, Lawrence Morgan Fowler, William Gates, Jennifer Ezu Hu, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Fridrik Larusson, Shieng Liu, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Brian L. Pal, Nels R. Peterson, David Keith Piech, Maurizio Vecchione, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood, David J. Yager
  • Patent number: 9513034
    Abstract: A multi-type air conditioner includes an outdoor unit disposed at an exterior space, a plurality of indoor units disposed at interior spaces, and a mode conversion unit connected to the outdoor unit and the plurality of indoor units through refrigerant pipes to circulate a refrigerant between the outdoor unit and the plurality of indoor units. The mode conversion unit includes a plurality of subcooling units which are configured to subcool a refrigerant before the refrigerant is introduced to the plurality of indoor units, using a subcooling refrigerant pipe which sequentially passes through at least one of the plurality of subcooling units, so that a refrigerant after having passed through the subcooling unit, is in a state of pure gas while ensuring a desired subcooling degree that is suitable for each indoor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Suk Ho Lee, Min Chang
  • Patent number: 9372015
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a liquid receiver valve that adjusts the amount of a refrigerant stored in a liquid receiver so that a circulation amount of the refrigerant that circulates the heat pump system can be adjusted according to a driving speed of a compressor and performance of the compressor and the heat pump system can be further improved. Also, since a plurality of liquid receiver refrigerant outlets can be selectively opened using a pressure difference between an inlet and an outlet of the compressor, active control can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Gil Bong Lee, Young Soo Lee, Min Sung Kim, Ki Chang Chang, Jun Hyun Cho, Ho Sang Ra
  • Patent number: 9310105
    Abstract: The temperatures in a refrigerating chamber and freezing chamber are monitored with sensors. An amount of change in a refrigerating chamber temperature, or an amount of change of a freezing chamber temperature is calculated per time period. A load corresponding driving is executed if the amount of change in a current time period differs from an amount of change in a previous time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hoyoun Lee, Sung Jhee, Sunam Chae
  • Patent number: 9217594
    Abstract: A method of controlling a cooling device capable of stably cooling a heat source is provided. A cooling device includes a first passage through which a coolant discharged from a compressor flows into a cooling unit for cooling EV equipment; a second passage through which the coolant is circulated between a heat exchanger and the cooling unit; a switching valve switching communication of the first passage and communication of the second passage; and a liquid storage container storing a liquid coolant condensed in the heat exchanger. The control method includes the steps of: increasing an amount of the liquid coolant stored in the liquid storage container; and switching the switching valve so as to block the first passage and allow communication of the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kawakami, Yuki Jojima, Eizo Takahashi, Kousuke Sato
  • Patent number: 9182161
    Abstract: An object is to provide a turbo-refrigeration-unit control device capable of achieving stable operation and reducing the amount of refrigerant. Provided is a control device for controlling a turbo refrigeration unit that includes a centrifugal compressor, a first-non-refrigerant pump for supplying a first non-refrigerant, a condenser that performs heat exchange between the first non-refrigerant and a refrigerant, an expansion valve that expands the refrigerant, a second-non-refrigerant pump for supplying a second non-refrigerant, an evaporator that performs heat exchange between the second non-refrigerant and the refrigerant, a bypass circuit that is used to inject part of the refrigerant from a discharge port of the centrifugal compressor into a suction port of the centrifugal compressor, and a bypass-circuit control valve that controls the flow rate of the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Matsukura, Kenji Ueda, Seiichi Okuda, Tatsuru Nagai