Refrigeration system with leak detection
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorJason R. Kondrk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transportation refrigeration system includes a compartment to be conditioned. A refrigeration circuit is associated with an enclosure including a compressor. A condenser and an expansion valve are upstream of a first evaporator and a second evaporator. The first evaporator is in parallel with the second evaporator. A first enclosure surrounds the first evaporator. The first enclosure includes a first refrigerant detection sensor in communication with a controller. A second enclosure surrounds the second evaporator. The second enclosure includes a second refrigeration detection sensor in communication with the controller.
Claims8
A method of operating a refrigeration cycle comprising the steps of:
- conditioning a compartment with a refrigeration circuit to a first temperature, wherein the refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve upstream of a first evaporator and a second evaporator, wherein the first evaporator is in parallel with the second evaporator;
- detecting a refrigerant leak in a first enclosure including the first evaporator with a first refrigerant sensor located in the first enclosure;
- isolating the first evaporator from the refrigerant circuit by closing a first evaporator inlet shut-off valve and a first evaporator outlet shut-off valve;
- and
- conditioning the compartment with only the second evaporator to a second temperature greater than the first temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.