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US 11,353,245 B2Granted
Cooling system with parallel compression using medium temperature compressors
AssigneeHeatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
InventorDouglas Cole
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooling system is designed to operate in two different modes. Generally, in the first mode, when parallel compression is needed, certain valves are controlled to direct gaseous refrigerant from a tank to a compressor in the system and to direct refrigerant from low side heat exchangers towards other compressors. In this manner, a compressor in the system is transitioned to be generally a parallel compressor. In the second mode, when parallel compression is not needed, the valves are controlled to return the refrigerant flow back to normal.
Claims17
A system comprising:
- a flash tank configured to store a refrigerant;
- a first low side heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the first low side heat exchanger;
- a second low side heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the second low side heat exchanger;
- a first compressor configured to compress a flow of refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger;
- a second compressor configured to compress a flow of refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger;
- a third compressor configured to compress a flow of refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger and a flow of refrigerant from the first compressor;
- a fourth compressor;
- a first valve configured to control a flow of refrigerant from the flash tank to the fourth compressor;
- a second valve configured to control a flow of refrigerant from the second compressor;
- a third valve disposed between the first valve and the second valve, configured to prevent a flow of refrigerant from the flash tank from flowing to the second compressor;
- and
- a controller comprising a memory and a hardware processor, the processor configured to:
- during a first mode of operation,
- cause the first valve to open such that the refrigerant from the flash tank flows, as a flash gas, through the first valve to the fourth compressor;
- and
- cause the second valve to close such that the flow of refrigerant from the second compressor flows to the fourth compressor through the third valve;
- and
- during a second mode of operation, cause the first valve to close such that a flow of refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger flows to the fourth compressor.
15 more elements
A method comprising:
- storing, by a flash tank, a refrigerant;
- using, by a first low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the first low side heat exchanger;
- using, by a second low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the second low side heat exchanger;
- compressing, by a first compressor, a flow of refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger;
- compressing, by a second compressor, a flow of refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger;
- compressing, by a third compressor, a flow of refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger and a flow of refrigerant from the first compressor;
- controlling, by a first valve, a flow of refrigerant from the flash tank to a fourth compressor;
- controlling, by a second valve, a flow of refrigerant from the second compressor;
- preventing, by a third valve disposed between the first valve and the second valve, a flow of refrigerant from the flash tank from flowing to the second compressor;
- during a first mode of operation:
- causing, by a hardware processor, the first valve to open such that the refrigerant from the flash tank flows, as a flash gas, through the first valve to the fourth compressor;
- and
- causing, by the hardware processor, the second valve to close such that the flow of refrigerant from the second compressor flows to the fourth compressor through the third valve;
- and
- during a second mode of operation, causing, by the processor, the first valve to close such that a flow of refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger flows to the fourth compressor.
12 more elements
A system comprising:
- a flash tank configured to store refrigerant from a high side heat exchanger;
- a first low side heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the first low side heat exchanger;
- a second low side heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the second low side heat exchanger;
- a first compressor configured to compress a flow of refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger;
- a second compressor;
- a first valve configured to control a flow of refrigerant from the flash tank to the second compressor;
- a second valve configured to control a flow of refrigerant from the first compressor;
- a third valve disposed between the first valve and the second valve, configured to prevent a flow of refrigerant from the flash tank from flowing to the first compressor;
- and
- a controller comprising a memory and a hardware processor, the processor configured to:
- during a first mode of operation,
- cause the first valve to open such that the refrigerant from the flash tank flows, as a flash gas, through the first valve to the second compressor;
- and
- cause the second valve to close such that the flow of refrigerant from the first compressor flows to the second compressor through the third valve;
- and
- during a second mode of operation, cause the first valve to close such that a flow of refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger flows to the second compressor.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.