Multi-compressor climate system
AssigneeBergstrom, Inc.
InventorsBrett S. Connell, Brett Herrmann, Aaron D. Sullivan, Terry Zeigler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are climate systems and methods for control the climate systems. A climate system includes a plurality of compressors, a first heat exchanger disposed downstream of the compressors and a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of the first heat exchanger. The compressors and heat exchangers are fluidly connected by refrigerant lines to form a refrigerant circuit. The climate system also includes a controller that controls the operation of the compressors to draw back lubricant to the compressors without use of an oil equalization system.
Claims20
A climate system for conditioning air within a compartment of a vehicle, comprising:
- a first compressor that includes a first oil sump;
- a second compressor that includes a second oil sump, independent of the first oil sump;
- a first refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the first and second compressors and thermally coupled to an exterior of the vehicle;
- a second refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the first refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger and thermally coupled to the compartment of the vehicle;
- refrigerant lines fluidly connecting the first and second compressors and the first and second heat exchangers to form a refrigerant circuit;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second compressors and including instructions that are configured to selectively draw back compressor oil from the refrigerant lines to at least one of the first and second oil sumps by adjusting an operating speed of at least one of the first and second compressors.
A method of operating a vehicular climate control system, comprising:
- a controller communicatively coupled to a first compressor and a second compressor of the vehicular climate control system;
- operating the first compressor at a first speed;
- concurrent with operating the first compressor at the first, speed, operating the second compressor at a second speed;
- and drawing compressor oil back from refrigerant lines of the vehicular climate control system to a first oil sump corresponding to the first compressor by operating the first compressor at a third speed, lower than the first speed, for a first period of time;
- wherein the first oil sump is not fluidly connected to a second oil sump, the second oil sump corresponding to the second compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.