Bypassing Or Reversing Internal Fluid Flow Patents (Class 62/278)
  • Patent number: 11953240
    Abstract: There is disclosed a reversible heat pump system 100 and a method of operating a reversible heat pump system to control the temperature of a process fluid of a chiller system 500. In a cooling mode, a working fluid is circulated for co-current flow with a process fluid at a heat exchanger 104 functioning as an evaporator heat exchanger, whereas in a heating mode, the working fluid is circulated for counter-current flow with the process fluid at the same heat exchanger 104 functioning as a condenser heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Yves Jacques Raimbault, Qingnan Huang
  • Patent number: 11940200
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control method of a refrigerator, comprising: a first defrosting step of defrosting an evaporator and terminating the defrosting when the evaporator reaches a first temperature; a step of detecting pressure difference by means of a differential pressure sensor for measuring pressure difference between a first thru-hole, disposed between the evaporator and an inlet through which air flows in from a storage compartment, and a second thru-hole disposed between the evaporator and an outlet through which the air is discharged into the storage compartment; and a second defrosting step of additionally defrosting the evaporator if the measured pressure difference is greater than a configured pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungwook Kim, Sangbok Choi, Wookyung Baik, Kyongbae Park
  • Patent number: 11933526
    Abstract: A compressor and a refrigeration device are disclosed. The compressor has a sealing container, a motor portion and a compressing mechanism portion, and a bypass valve. The motor portion and the compressing mechanism portion are both provided in the sealing container. The compressor has an exhaust side and a suction side spaced apart from each other. The exhaust side is connected to the bypass valve. The exhaust side is suitable for exhausting air to external parts through the bypass valve, or suitable for communicating with the suction side through the bypass valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: GUANGDONG MEIZHI COMPRESSOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bin Gao
  • Patent number: 11927381
    Abstract: When a controller performs a defrosting operation in which frost on an outdoor heat exchanger is caused to be melted, the controller is configured to perform a first defrosting control in which a switching state of a switching device is set to a first state, after the controller performs the first defrosting control, perform a second defrosting control in which the switching state of the switching device is set to a second state, and after the controller performs the second defrosting control, perform a third defrosting control in which the switching state of the switching device is set to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Tashiro, Yasuhide Hayamaru, Masakazu Kondo, Masakazu Sato, Naoki Nakagawa, Atsushi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 11920841
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a main circuit in which a compressor, a flow switching device, an indoor heat exchanger, a pressure reducing device, and a plurality of parallel heat exchangers connected in parallel with each other are connected by pipes, a bypass pipe, a flow control device provided to the bypass pipe and configured to adjust a flow rate of refrigerant flowing through the bypass pipe, an evaporating pressure sensor configured to measure an evaporating pressure of the refrigerant, and a controller. The air-conditioning apparatus is configured to operate in a normal heating operation mode and a heating-defrosting operation mode. When an operation associated with the normal heating operation mode is switched to an operation associated with the heating-defrosting operation mode, the controller adjusts an opening degree of the flow control device using the evaporating pressure in the parallel heat exchanger and a driving frequency of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shohei Ishimura, Soshi Ikeda, Kazuya Watanabe, Hideto Nakao, Masakazu Kondo, Yasuhide Hayamaru, Yusuke Tashiro, Masakazu Sato, Atsushi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 11846460
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes: a storage chamber; a cooler to cool the storage chamber; a first tray assembly and a second tray assembly configured to define an ice making cell; a heater disposed adjacent to at least one of the first tray assembly or the second tray assembly; and a controller configured to control the heater, wherein the controller controls the heater to be turned on to make transparent ice from water within the ice making cell, and the controller controls the heater so that when a heat transfer amount between the storage chamber and the water of the ice making cell increases, the heating amount of the heater increases, and when the heat transfer amount between the storage chamber and the water of the ice making cell decreases, the heating amount of the heater decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Donghoon Lee, Wookyong Lee, Seungseob Yeom, Donghoon Lee, Yongjun Bae, Sunggyun Son, Chongyoung Park
  • Patent number: 11820198
    Abstract: A method for operating a refrigeration system for a vehicle, the refrigeration system including a refrigerant circuit with a heat pump function. The refrigerant circuit has an exterior heat exchanger, which is operated as a condenser or gas cooler to perform a refrigeration system mode or which is operated as a heat pump evaporator to carry out a heat pump mode. The refrigerant circuit further has an interior heating condenser or heating gas cooler for carrying out a heating mode. The interior heating condenser or heating gas cooler is fluidically connected downstream of the exterior heat exchanger with a reheating expansion device therebetween to carry out a reheating mode. The opening cross-section of the reheating expansion device is controlled in accordance with a refrigeration system parameter indicating the required reheating power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Dirk Schroeder, Christian Rebinger, Helmut Rottenkolber
  • Patent number: 11760162
    Abstract: The present application relates to a thermal management system including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a first valve control device, a first indoor heat exchanger, a second indoor heat exchanger and a second valve control device connected by pipelines. The thermal management system includes a heating and dehumidifying mode. In the heating and dehumidifying mode, the compressor, the first indoor heat exchanger, the second valve control device, the second indoor heat exchanger, the first valve control device and the outdoor heat exchanger are in communication to form a loop. The first valve control device and the second valve control device both include a communication mode and a throttle mode. In the heating and dehumidifying mode, the second valve control device is in the throttle mode, and the first valve control device is in the throttle mode or the communication mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: HANGZHOU SANHUA RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junqi Dong, Shiwei Jia, Jie An
  • Patent number: 11692749
    Abstract: A method for operating a refrigeration appliance includes the steps of running a compressor and opening at least one of a first branch and a second branch, where the first branch has a first evaporator, the second branch has a second evaporator, and the first branch and the second branch are connected in parallel at inlets thereof. The method further determines, according to an ambient temperature, whether the first branch is open after the compressor is turned off and determines, based on the ambient temperature, whether the second branch is open after the compressor is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Xiangyu Liu, Guike Shen, Baoyang Wang, Qiwu Zhu, Weizhong Zhu
  • Patent number: 11674725
    Abstract: A device for heating by absorbing latent heat of solidification of water, including a compressor (1), a condenser (2) and multiple evaporators (E1, E2) connected in parallel, each evaporator (E1, E2) has an electronic expansion valve (D1, D2) at its inlet, a solenoid valve (V1, V2) at its outlet; after the evaporators (E1, E2) are connected in parallel, outlets of the evaporators (E1, E2) are connected to an inlet of the compressor (1) and inlets of the evaporators (E1, E2) are connected to an outlet of the condenser (2); an outlet of the compressor (1) is connected to an inlet of the condenser (2); the compressor (1), the condenser (2) and the multiple parallel evaporators (E1, E2) form a closed loop system through pipelines; there are circulating refrigerants in the closed loop system, and heating and deicing processes are realized through a circulation of refrigerants; the solenoid valves (V1, V2) at the outlets of the evaporators (E1, E2) are switched between opening or closing to realize switching betwee
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Ji Yang
  • Patent number: 11644024
    Abstract: A cryopump includes a cryocooler which includes a high-temperature cooling stage and a low-temperature cooling stage, a radiation shield which is thermally coupled to the high-temperature cooling stage and axially extends in a tubular shape from a cryopump intake port, and a low-temperature cryopanel section which is thermally coupled to the low-temperature cooling stage, is surrounded by the radiation shield, and includes a plurality of cryopanels and a plurality of heat transfer bodies axially arranged in columnar shape, and in which the plurality of cryopanels and the plurality of heat transfer bodies are axially stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kakeru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11555243
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for trapping a reaction by-products produced during an organic film deposition process, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a trapping apparatus having an internal trapping tower in which disc-type trapping units, which each have structure-type trapping plates having a large surface area per unit area in order to trap reaction by-products contained in an unreacted gas introduced into the trapping apparatus after an organic film deposition process, among semiconductor manufacturing processes, is performed in the process chamber, and a trapping disc configured to concentrate a flow of the gas or disperse or discharge the gas, are vertically arranged in multiple layers, such that the trapping apparatus traps the reaction by-products in the form of a thin film in a state in which the residence time of the gas is increased and uniform temperature distribution is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: MILAEBO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Che Hoo Cho, Yeon Ju Lee, Pyung Hee Son, Jin Woong Kim
  • Patent number: 11466909
    Abstract: A refrigeration system operable in cooling mode and defrosting mode is provided. The refrigeration system includes a defrost line connecting a first reservoir to an evaporation stage for conveying at least part of the flash gas from the first reservoir to the evaporation stage when the refrigeration system is operating in defrosting mode. The flash gas thereby releases heat in the evaporation stage for defrosting the evaporation stage. The refrigeration system can also include a discharge line connecting the evaporation stage to a second reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: Marc-André Lesmerises
  • Patent number: 11226144
    Abstract: A transcritical R-744 refrigeration system with a medium temperature section having a plurality of circuits, at least one evaporator receiving an R-744 refrigerant in a medium-pressure liquid state from a receiver and feeding at least one transcritical compressor to compress the R-744 refrigerant from a low-pressure gaseous state into a high-pressure gaseous state to feed a gas cooler and a throttling device to partially condense the R-744 refrigerant into a medium-pressure gaseous-liquid state, the system comprising a pressure reducing valve connected to a discharge conduit of the at least one transcritical compressor and feeding hot gas to a defrost manifold to defrost one of the plurality of circuits of the medium temperature section, wherein the hot gas being fed to the defrost manifold has a pressure value less than or equal to a maximum operating pressure of the at least one evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: SYSTEMES LMP INC.
    Inventors: Gaétan Lesage, Jordan Kantchev
  • Patent number: 11215370
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a first heat pump and a second heat pump. The first heat pump includes a first outdoor unit. The first outdoor unit includes a compressor, an outdoor-unit connecting pipe, and a refrigerant filling port. The outdoor-unit connecting pipe connects an intake path of the compressor and a second outdoor unit of the second heat pump for supplying a refrigerant to the second outdoor unit of the second heat pump. The refrigerant filling port is provided in a portion of the outdoor-unit connecting pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideshi Okada, Norihiro Okuda, Tomoya Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 11148814
    Abstract: A refrigeration circuit includes a primary loop, a secondary loop connected to the primary loop, a first expansion valve connected to the secondary loop, and a second expansion valve. The second expansion valve is connected to the secondary loop and is in parallel with the first expansion valve to control thermal communication between the refrigeration circuit and a first heat load independent of thermal communication between the refrigeration circuit and a second heat load. Environmental control systems and methods of controlling refrigerant flow in refrigeration circuits are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Abdelrahman I. Elsherbini, Brian St. Rock
  • Patent number: 10928113
    Abstract: A system and method for generation of hydrogen-rich ice (HRI) by introducing water that has been mixed with H2 and CO2 into the vertical tubes of a tube-ice machine is disclosed. The temperature and pressure within the vertical tubes can be maintained by refrigerant surrounding the vertical tubes to form carbon dioxide clathrate hydrates which entrap hydrogen molecules. The carbon dioxide clathrate hydrates cages with entrapped H2 are encased, transported and then delivered after HRI discharge Later, when the HRI tube-ice is formed and released from tube-ice machine, it warms whereupon the carbon dioxide clathrate hydrates dissociate and the H2 is released and used, for example by placement of the tube-ice small cylinders in a glass of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Inventors: Boris Altshuler, Alexander Altshuler
  • Patent number: 10921045
    Abstract: A roll-bonded evaporator is formed from a first sheet and a second sheet roll bonded together in face to face relationship with a conductive heater located between the sheets. A refrigerant passageway system is formed in unwelded areas where the first and second sheets are not roll bonded to one another thereby defining a refrigerant channel, a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet. A heater is preferably formed with a first end and a second end located between the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet at a proximate end of the evaporator. Alternatively, the conductive heater is formed in a path having the second end located at the distal end of the evaporator and passing through the first sheet at the distal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Taylor Clark, Stephen Keres, Il Chung Park
  • Patent number: 10808975
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a flash tank, a medium temperature low side heat exchanger, a low temperature low side heat exchanger, a first compressor, a second compressor, and an ejector. The flash tank stores a refrigerant. The medium temperature low side heat exchanger uses the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the medium temperature low side heat exchanger to a first temperature. The low temperature low side heat exchanger uses the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the low temperature low side heat exchanger to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the low temperature low side heat exchanger. The second compressor compresses the refrigerant from the medium temperature low side heat exchanger. The ejector directs a mixture of the refrigerant from the first compressor and the refrigerant from the second compressor to the low temperature low side heat exchanger during a defrost cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Patent number: 10787061
    Abstract: An air conditioning system of a motor vehicle with a refrigerant circuit for operation in a refrigerator mode and a heat pump mode. The refrigerant circuit includes a primary circuit with a compressor, a heat exchanger for heat transfer between the refrigerant and the surroundings, an expansion element and a heat exchanger for heat transfer from the intake air being conditioned for the passenger compartment to the refrigerant, and a first flow path. The flow path extends from a branching point between the compressor and the heat exchanger to an opening and includes a heat exchanger for heat transfer from the refrigerant to the intake air being conditioned for the passenger compartment. The heat exchanger is situated in a flow direction of intake air of the passenger compartment after the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Navid Durrani, Marc Graaf, Christoph Bara, Jörn Fröhling
  • Patent number: 10782034
    Abstract: The present disclosure involves a free cooling temperature conditioning system having an air handling assembly having a first cooling coil. The first cooling coil includes an intake port receiving coolant at a first temperature and further includes an output port for the coolant at a second temperature. The air handing assembly receives return air flow from a space being temperature conditioned, where the return air flows over the first cooling coil to condition the return air to supply air. The air handing assembly delivers the supply air into the space being temperature conditioned. The conditioning system also includes a controller configured to maintain a temperature difference between the second temperature and the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: RK Mechanical, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott K. Peck
  • Patent number: 10724750
    Abstract: Dryer for compressed air including at least one cooling unit (28), able to cool a refrigerant fluid circulating in at least one drying unit (22), provided with an air inlet (11) and an air outlet (13) and also comprising at least one circuit (18) inside which air to be treated circulates from said air inlet (11) to said air outlet (13). The dryer for compressed air comprises, along the circuit (18), at least one cooling apparatus (12), configured to cool the compressed air to positive temperatures, a few degrees above zero and near to freezing temperature, and at least one freezing apparatus (14), disposed downstream of the cooling apparatus (12) and configured to cool the compressed air to abundantly negative values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Officine Meccaniche Industriali S.R.L. Con Unico Socio
    Inventors: Paolo De Piero, Stefano Vezil, Giovanni Battista Capellari
  • Patent number: 10655888
    Abstract: A system includes a high side heat exchanger, a flash tank, a compressor, and eight metal beams. Each of the metal beams extend in a linearly vertical direction. The eight metal beams define ten planar boundaries. The first, second, third, and fourth planar boundaries define a first space. The first, fifth, sixth, and seventh planar boundaries define a second space. The fifth, eighth, ninth, and tenth planar boundaries define a third space. The high side heat exchanger is contained entirely within the third space. The flash tank is contained entirely within the first space. The compressor is contained entirely within the second space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Abdul Kader Peer Mohideen, Sandesh Ramaswamy, Vinoth Rajendran, Janakiraman Kuppuswamy, Ganesh Thokur, Omkar Usturge, Poly Joseph
  • Patent number: 10514191
    Abstract: A vapor compression heat pump (VCHP) system for an electrified vehicle and a method for de-icing the VCHP system is provided. The electrified vehicle may include a vehicle cabin, the VCHP system, and a controller. The VCHP system may be in thermal communication with the cabin and include an outside heat exchanger and a compressor. The controller may be configured to, in response to detection of a predefined ice condition associated with the outside heat exchanger, output commands to adjust a speed of the compressor to influence a temperature of refrigerant flowing through the compressor such that the refrigerant carries an amount of heat sufficient to eliminate the predefined ice condition within a preselected time period. The predefined ice condition may be a condition in which the heat exchanger has accumulated ice or is likely to accumulate ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yu Liu, Anthony David Tsakiris, Brett Allen Dunn
  • Patent number: 10465968
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes: a compressor allowing refrigerant injection thereto and compress and discharge the refrigerant at a high temperature; an indoor heat exchanger exchanging heat between air and refrigerant; a first flow rate control device adjusting and controlling a flow rate of refrigerant; and a plurality of outdoor heat exchangers being in parallel to exchange heat between outside air and refrigerant, a first defrosting pipe allowing a branched part of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to pass and flow into the outdoor heat exchanger to be defrosted; a reducing device adjusting a pressure of refrigerant passing through the first defrosting pipe to a medium pressure; a second defrosting pipe from which the refrigerant having passed through the outdoor heat exchanger to be defrosted is injected into the compressor; and a reducing device adjusting a pressure of refrigerant passing through the second defrosting pipe to an injection pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naofumi Takenaka, Shinichi Wakamoto, Kazuya Watanabe, Koji Yamashita, Takeshi Hatomura
  • Patent number: 10401067
    Abstract: An air conditioner including a hot gas line for receiving a portion of refrigerant compressed in a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor expansion device for expanding the refrigerant having exchanged heat in the indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger functioning as a condenser in a cooling mode while functioning as an evaporator in a heating mode, and a 4-way valve for receiving a remaining portion of the compressed refrigerant, to guide the refrigerant emerging from the compressor to the outdoor heat exchanger in the cooling mode and to the indoor heat exchanger in the heating mode. The outdoor heat exchanger includes a main heat exchanger section functioning as a condenser in the cooling mode while functioning as an evaporator in the heating mode, and an auxiliary heat exchanger for receiving the refrigerant from the hot gas line in a frosting prevention mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Chiwoo Song, Pilhyun Yoon, Kakjoong Kim, Jaehwa Jung
  • Patent number: 10401061
    Abstract: A heat pump system that is operable in heating and cooling modes and which maintains the direction of fluid flows through a primary heat exchanger during heating and cooling operations such that the respective fluids are directed in counter flow thermal directions during both heating and cooling operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Desert Aire Corp.
    Inventors: Craig Michael Burg, Jeremy Hogan
  • Patent number: 10252141
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a motion mechanism and a handle assembly. The motion mechanism is provided for a user to perform exercise. The handle assembly has at least one grip portion for being held by the user during exercising. Specifically, the grip portion has a temperature variable area thereon. The temperature of the temperature variable area could be controlled to rise to a suitable temperature that the hand of the user can feel warm, for example, a temperature between 38 and 50 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the temperature variable area could also be controlled to reduce to a suitable temperature that the hand of the user can feel cool, for example, a temperature between 20 and 36 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the temperature variable area could be directly controlled by the user or automatically changed according to the exercise status of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Health Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsin-Huang Chiang, Cheng-Kun Lee, Shu-Wei Chang, Joe Chen, I-Lun Chen
  • Patent number: 10253992
    Abstract: A multi-split air-conditioner and an outdoor unit system thereof are provided. The outdoor unit system includes: a compressor (1) having a gas outlet (a) and a gas inlet (b); an outdoor heat exchanger (2) having an inlet (c) and an outlet (d); a switching assembly (3) having first to sixth ports, wherein the first port (e) is connected with the gas outlet (a) of the compressor (1), the second port (f) is connected with the gas inlet (b) of the compressor (1), the third port (g) is connected with the inlet (c) of the outdoor heat exchanger (2), the fourth port (h) is connected with the outlet (d) of the outdoor heat exchanger (2), the fifth port (i) is connected with an inlet pipe (4) and the sixth port (j) is connected with an outlet pipe (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignees: GD MIDEA HEATING & VENTILATING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rui Song, Hehui Zhang, Bin Luo
  • Patent number: 10132551
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice making compartment remote from the freezer compartment, and a fresh food compartment duct riser extending upwardly along a back of the fresh food compartment. The refrigerator further includes a shroud associated with a freezer compartment evaporator, an ice compartment supply duct leading from the shroud to the ice making compartment, and an ice compartment return duct leading from the ice making compartment towards the freezer compartment evaporator. The ice compartment supply duct has a split pathway and is positioned behind the fresh food compartment duct riser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Zardo, Matthew P. Dieg, Michael Heaven
  • Patent number: 9726404
    Abstract: A cooling system, in particular for use on board an aircraft, includes a cooling circuit allowing circulation of a two-phase refrigerant therethrough, an evaporator disposed in the cooling circuit, and a condenser disposed in the cooling circuit. A plurality of subcoolers is arranged in series in the cooling circuit downstream of the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Piesker, Martin Sieme, Ahmet Kayihan Kiryaman
  • Patent number: 9625193
    Abstract: An ejector includes a body having a nozzle passage that depressurizes a refrigerant flowing out of a swirling space in which the refrigerant is swirled, a suction passage that draws a refrigerant from an external, and a diffuser passage that mixes an ejection refrigerant jetted from the nozzle passage and a suction refrigerant drawn from the suction passage together and pressurizes the mixed refrigerant. The body also has a gas-liquid separation space that separates the refrigerant flowing out of the diffuser passage into gas and liquid by an action of a centrifugal force, and multiple liquid-phase refrigerant outflow passages through which the liquid-phase refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separation space flows out to the multiple evaporators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yokoyama, Haruyuki Nishijima, Etsuhisa Yamada
  • Patent number: 9625190
    Abstract: A motor driving device and an air conditioner including the same are disclosed. The motor driving device includes a rectifier to rectify input AC power, a boost converter for boosting the rectified power from the rectifier, a first capacitor to store a pulsating voltage from the boost converter, a first inverter for outputting, to a compressor motor, AC power transformed using a voltage across the first capacitor, a second capacitor to store the rectified power from the rectifier, a second inverter for outputting, to a first fan motor, AC power transformed using a voltage across the second capacitor, and a voltage dropper to drop the voltage across the second capacitor, and to output the dropped voltage. In accordance with this configuration, the compressor motor and fan motor can be driven, using the same input AC power, even though the motor driving device uses a low-capacitance capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jongwan Lee, Gwigeun Park, Eungho Kim
  • Patent number: 9618245
    Abstract: A body of an ejector includes a diffuser passage, in which an ejection refrigerant jetted from a nozzle passage and a suction refrigerant drawn from a suction passage are mixed together and pressurized by arranging a passage formation member, and a gas-liquid separation space, in which the refrigerant flowing out of the diffuser passage is separated into gas and liquid by the action of a centrifugal force. An inlet part of an oil return passage that is open in the gas-liquid separation space is arranged at a position closer to an outer peripheral side than to an axis center of the passage formation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yokoyama, Haruyuki Nishijima, Etsuhisa Yamada, Daisuke Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9593869
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a cascade refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a high-temperature-side and a low-temperature-side refrigeration circuits, an inverter and a control section. The high-temperature-side refrigeration circuit includes a first compressor and a cascade heat exchanger. The low-temperature-side refrigeration circuit includes a second compressor and the cascade heat exchanger. The inverter connected to at least one of the compressors. The control section controls the inverter so that a set operating frequency for the first compressor is higher than a set operating frequency for the second compressor when an operation of the apparatus is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shun Asari, Takahiro Zushi
  • Patent number: 9303881
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes a compression mechanism, a heat source-side heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, a usage-side heat exchanger, a blower, housings and a bypass circuit. The blower feeds an air flow to the heat source-side heat exchanger. The housings is configured to accommodate the heat source-side heat exchanger and the blower in a space above the bottom plate. The bypass circuit is disposed so as to pass below the blower and the heat source-side heat exchanger. The bypass circuit is configured to bypass a third refrigerant tube on a discharge side of the compression mechanism, and at least one of a first refrigerant tube and a second refrigerant tube. The first refrigerant tube extends from the usage-side heat exchanger to the expansion mechanism. The second refrigerant tube extends from the expansion mechanism to the heat source-side heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Wakashima, Satoshi Asada
  • Patent number: 9140255
    Abstract: A pump monitoring device is configured to be connected to a case drain of a pump. The device includes a manifold having an inlet for connection to the case drain. A flow rate sensor generates a signal indicative of a flow rate of fluid in a fluid path. The flow rate sensor includes a temperature sensor, a heater, and a sensor barrel. The heater heats the sensor barrel while in fluid communication with the fluid. A pressure sensor generates a signal indicative of a pressure of the fluid. There is at least one fault indicator operatively coupled to at least one of the flow rate sensor, the temperature sensor, and the pressure sensor. The fault indicator provides a human perceptible indication that at least one of a sensed flow rate, a sensed temperature, or a sensed pressure of the fluid flowing in the fluid path exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Hydrotech, Inc.
    Inventors: Rex A. Wetherill, John Rasmussen, Peter R. Jones
  • Patent number: 9062900
    Abstract: A space-saving cooling system for an aircraft may include an evaporator in an enclosure with an accumulation region in the enclosure for a liquid mixture of liquid refrigerant and lubricating oil. Space saving may be achieved through a combining of evaporator functions and accumulator functions in a single enclosure. A heat exchanger may be interposed between the evaporator and the compressor for heating refrigerant emerging from the evaporator so that liquid refrigerant does not reach an inlet of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Ranjit Darke, Peter Zheng, Ricky Gov
  • Publication number: 20150114023
    Abstract: In a heat pump system according to the present invention, at least part of a plurality of outdoor heat-exchanging flow paths that pass through an outdoor heat exchanger is alternately selected as a flow path for defrosting and is used, and the other flow path is used as a flow path for evaporation so that defrosting and a heating operation can be simultaneously performed. In addition, the refrigerant in which a defrosting action is performed, while passing through the outdoor heat exchanger, is throttled and then is used for an evaporation action so that the structure of the heat pump system is simple and both heating and defrosting can be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Gil Bong Lee, Young Soo Lee, Min Sung Kim, Ki Chang Chang, Jun Hyun Cho, Ho Sang Ra
  • Patent number: 8997509
    Abstract: A heat pump system is configured to have a defrost cycle operable during a heating mode of operation. The system uses: larger than conventionally sized capillary tubes at the liquid refrigerant entry end of an exterior air-source heat exchanger; a special amount of additional refrigerant charge; a supplemental hot gas refrigerant transport line extending from the compressor; a special valve in the new supplemental hot gas refrigerant transport line; and another special valve controlling a restriction to the refrigerant flow in the common consolidated vapor refrigerant transport line exiting the exterior heat exchanger. A controller opens the valve in the new supplemental hot gas refrigerant transport line and to simultaneously engages, for a special period of time, the valve controlling the specially sized restriction to the refrigerant flow in the common consolidated vapor refrigerant transport line exiting the exterior heat exchanger at periodic intervals during potential frost conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: B. Ryland Wiggs
  • Publication number: 20140360216
    Abstract: A gas defrosting system is disclosed for efficiently defrosting refrigeration units using fluid-cooled condensers. For each refrigeration unit in refrigeration mode, a cool condenser fluid is applied to the condenser to achieve a high thermodynamic efficiency. For each refrigeration unit in defrost mode, a warm defrost fluid is applied to the condenser to expedite the defrost process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventor: James Boyko
  • Publication number: 20140352341
    Abstract: A heat pump device includes an air conditioning control device configured to switch the heat pump device among a plurality of operation modes including an air-heating operation mode in which an indoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator and an outdoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber, and an air-cooling operation mode in which the indoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator. The air conditioning control device switch a refrigerant pipe such that refrigerant is, in the air-cooling operation mode, supplied to part of the outdoor heat exchanger serving as a refrigerant inlet in the air-heating operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicants: Panasonic Corporation, JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi HAMAMOTO, Kohei FUKAWATASE, Yoshihiko OTAKE, Kou KOMORI, Subaru MATSUMOTO, Katsuyoshi WAKANO
  • Patent number: 8869545
    Abstract: Heat pumps with improved defrost cycles and methods of defrosting heat exchangers, for example, having microchannel outdoor heat exchangers. A heat exchanger has three types of connection points that are used during a defrost cycle. Two connection points are used to deliver hot refrigerant gas to the heat exchanger and one connection point is where refrigerant exits the heat exchanger. Two of the connection points are at the same header and during at least part of the defrost cycle, at least part of the hot refrigerant gas is passed through that header without passing through any cross tubes of the heat exchanger. A defrost valve in a refrigerant conduit opens during the defrost cycle to deliver hot refrigerant gas to the connection point on the header. In a number of embodiments, the defrost valve is open only during a portion of the defrost cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Nordyne LLC
    Inventors: Jie Chen, Jacob J. Rede, David L. Koesterer, Craig A. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20140196484
    Abstract: Heat pumps with improved defrost cycles and methods of defrosting heat exchangers, for example, having microchannel outdoor heat exchangers. A heat exchanger has three types of connection points that are used during a defrost cycle. Two connection points are used to deliver hot refrigerant gas to the heat exchanger and one connection point is where refrigerant exits the heat exchanger. Two of the connection points are at the same header and during at least part of the defrost cycle, at least part of the hot refrigerant gas is passed through that header without passing through any cross tubes of the heat exchanger. A defrost valve in a refrigerant conduit opens during the defrost cycle to deliver hot refrigerant gas to the connection point on the header. In a number of embodiments, the defrost valve is open only during a portion of the defrost cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Nordyne LLC
    Inventors: Jie Chen, Jacob J. Rede, David L. Koesterer, Craig A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8776543
    Abstract: A DX heating/cooling system includes an automatic hot gas by-pass valve (1) for preventing frosting of an interior heat exchanger/air handler (6) when the system is switched from the heating mode to the cooling mode, and a specially sized TXV (7) by-pass line (12), where the automatic hot gas by-pass valve (1) is positioned to provide hot gas at two optional locations, with one location before the cool liquid enters the air handler (6), and with the other location after the warmed vapor refrigerant exits the air handler (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Earth to Air Systems, LLC
    Inventor: B. Ryland Wiggs
  • Publication number: 20140182320
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes: an outdoor unit including a compressor, a first refrigerant flow path switching device, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger; a heat medium relay unit including an intermediate heat exchanger, an expansion device, a second refrigerant flow path switching device, and a pump; and at least one indoor unit including a use-side heat exchanger. The compressor, the first refrigerant flow path switching device, the expansion device, the second refrigerant flow path switching device, and the intermediate heat exchanger are connected using a refrigerant pipe, thereby making up a refrigeration cycle. The intermediate heat exchanger and the use-side heat exchanger are connected using a heat medium pipe, thereby making up a heat medium circulation circuit in which a heat medium different from the refrigerant circulates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Hatomura, Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8726539
    Abstract: A gas heater with specialized controls allows an operator to deploy a single device to heat and to dry when extracting moisture from a structure. The heater has a fan in a blow thru arrangement ahead of a burner. The burner uses either natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas. The heater has air flow, fan motor, temperature, and ignition controls and sensors. The heater delivers high temperature air to the structure that hastens evaporation as the heated air absorbs great concentrations of water vapor. Then the moisture laden heated air exits the building as the heater draws in fresh air, ducts it into a structure, and pressurizes the structure. This moisture laden air then leaks from the building through select windows using the energy imparted from the fan and then exhausts the moisture to the atmosphere, drying the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Cambridge Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary J. Potter, Marc Braun, Jeffrey A. Kieffer
  • Patent number: 8707719
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a refrigerant circuit, a switching valve, an outdoor fan and a controller. The refrigerant circuit sequentially circulates refrigerant through a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, a decompression mechanism and an outdoor heat exchanger during a heating operation. The switching valve is connected to the refrigerant circuit to switch a flow direction of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor. The controller executes a defrosting operation control in which the outdoor fan is deactivated and the switching valve directs refrigerant discharged from the compressor towards the outdoor heat exchanger during a defrosting operation. The controller further maintains the switching valve so refrigerant discharged from the compressor is directed towards the outdoor heat exchanger and executes a fan defrosting operation control in which the outdoor fan is rotated for a predetermined period of time after completion of the defrosting operation when a predetermined condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yamada, Tetsuya Ogasawara, Junichi Shimoda
  • Patent number: 8701433
    Abstract: A heat exchanger door system includes a heat exchanger and a first rotatable member, proximate to the heat exchanger, that rotates about an axis of rotation. The system includes a first door member rolled around the rotatable member and movable from a rolled position to an unrolled position in which the first door member covers more of the heat exchanger than when the door member is in the rolled position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Inventor: Michael Cyril Haseldine, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140026601
    Abstract: Heat pumps with improved defrost cycles and methods of defrosting heat exchangers, for example, having microchannel outdoor heat exchangers. A heat exchanger has three types of connection points that are used during a defrost cycle. Two connection points are used to deliver hot refrigerant gas to the heat exchanger and one connection point is where refrigerant exits the heat exchanger. Two of the connection points are at the same header and during at least part of the defrost cycle, at least part of the hot refrigerant gas is passed through that header without passing through any cross tubes of the heat exchanger. A defrost valve in a refrigerant conduit opens during the defrost cycle to deliver hot refrigerant gas to the connection point on the header. In a number of embodiments, the defrost valve is open only during a portion of the defrost cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Nordyne LLC
    Inventors: Jie Chen, Jacob J. Rede, David L. Koesterer, Craig A. Thomas