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US 10,295,244 B2Granted
Defrost operation management in heat pumps
AssigneeLennox Industries Inc.
InventorsYi Qu, Bruce Perkins, Mark Olsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In various implementations, a heat pump may include heating operations and defrost operations. The heat pump may monitor cycle time(s) for one or more of the operations. Defrost operation(s) in the heat pump may be automatically adjusted based at least partially on cycle times.
Claims18
A controller for a heat pump, wherein the controller:
- initiates one or more operations of the heat pump, wherein the heat pump includes a heating operation and first and second defrost operations;
- determines at least one heating operation cycle time associated with at least one heating operation of the heat pump;
- determines whether to adjust a termination time of the first defrost operation based at least partially on one or more of the determined heating operation cycle times and at least partially on comparing a change in temperature over time to a predetermined change in temperature;
- determines whether to adjust a termination temperature of the second defrost operation based at least partially on one or more of the determined heating operation cycle times;
- and
- initiates at least one of the first and second defrost operations.
3 more elements
A controller for a heat pump, wherein the controller:
- initiates one or more operations of the heat pump, wherein the heat pump includes a heating operation and first and second defrost operations;
- determines at least one heating operation cycle time associated with at least one heating operation of the heat pump;
- determines whether to adjust a termination time of the first defrost operation based at least partially on one or more of the determined heating operation cycle times;
- determines whether to adjust a termination temperature of the second defrost operation based at least partially on one or more of the determined heating operation cycle times;
- and
- initiates at least one of the first and second defrost operations;
- wherein to determine whether to adjust the termination temperature of the second defrost operation, the controller:
- compares at least one of the determined heating operation cycle times to a predetermined cycle time;
- and
- adjusts the termination temperature based on the comparison of the determined heating operation cycle times to a predetermined cycle time.
7 more elements
A controller for a heat pump, wherein the controller:
- initiates one or more operations of a heat pump, wherein the heat pump includes a heating operation and first and second defrost operations;
- determines at least one heating operation cycle time associated with at least one heating operation of the heat pump;
- determines whether to adjust a termination time of the first defrost operation based at least partially on one or more of the determined heating operation cycle times;
- determines whether to adjust a termination temperature of the second defrost operation based at least partially on one or more of the determined heating operation cycle times;
- and
- initiates at least one of the first and second defrost operation;
- wherein to determine whether to adjust the termination time of the first defrost operation, the controller:
- compares at least one of the determined heating operation cycle times to a predetermined cycle time;
- and
- adjusts the termination time when at least one of the determined heating operation cycle times is less than the predetermined cycle time.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.