US 11,525,612 B2Granted

Method for refrigerant charge determination in a cooling circuit

AssigneeBITZER Electronics A/S

InventorKresten Kjaer Sørensen

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method for refrigerant charge determination in a cooling circuit including a low-pressure section and a high-pressure section. At least one compressor unit generates a compression flow of refrigerant from said low-pressure section to said high-pressure section. At least one expansion device generates an expansion flow of refrigerant from said high-pressure section to said low-pressure section. A heat-releasing heat exchanger in said high-pressure section cools and condenses compressed refrigerant. A heat-absorbing heat exchanger in said low-pressure section vaporizes said expanded refrigerant. The method includes loading refrigerant from said low-pressure section into said high-pressure section. An unloading step admits the expansion flow of refrigerant loaded in said high-pressure section into said low pressure section and determines the amount of refrigerant flowing in said unloading step. The method includes calculating the refrigerant charge in said cooling circuit, based on the amount of refrigerant flowing from said high-pressure section to said low-pressure section.

Claims31

Dependent claims

Method for refrigerant charge determination in a cooling circuit, said cooling circuit comprising:

a low pressure section and a high pressure section,
at least one compressor unit for generating compression flow of refrigerant from said low pressure section to said high pressure section by compressing said refrigerant,
at least one expansion device for generating an expansion flow of refrigerant from said high pressure section to said low pressure section by expanding refrigerant present in said high pressure section,
a heat releasing heat exchanger in said high pressure section for cooling and condensing compressed refrigerant,
a heat absorbing heat exchanger in said low pressure section for vaporizing said expanded refrigerant,
said method comprising the following steps:
a loading step comprising loading essentially all refrigerant from said low pressure section into said high pressure section by reducing said expansion flow with the expansion flow being terminated,
an unloading step admitting the expansion flow of the refrigerant loaded in said high pressure section into said low pressure section and determining the amount of refrigerant flowing in said unloading step from said high pressure section to said low pressure section,
and calculating on the basis of said amount of refrigerant flowing in said unloading step from said high pressure section to said low pressure section the refrigerant charge in said cooling circuit.

6 more elements

Method for refrigerant charge determination in a cooling circuit, said cooling circuit comprising:

a low pressure section and a high pressure section,
at least one compressor unit for generating a compression flow of refrigerant from said low pressure section to said high pressure section by compressing said refrigerant,
at least one expansion device for generating an expansion flow of refrigerant from said high pressure section to said low pressure section by expanding refrigerant present in said high pressure section,
a heat releasing heat exchanger in said high pressure section for cooling and condensing compressed refrigerant,
a heat absorbing heat exchanger in said low pressure section for vaporizing said expanded refrigerant,
said method comprising the following steps:
a pressure equalizing step admitting the expansion flow of refrigerant into said low pressure section with the compression flow being terminated,
a termination step, terminating said expansion flow,
an evacuating step using the compressor unit to generate said compression flow for pumping essentially all refrigerant from said low pressure section into said high pressure section and determining the total amount of refrigerant transferred during said evacuation step from said low pressure section to said high pressure section
and calculating on the basis of said amount of refrigerant transferred during said evacuation step from said low pressure section to said high pressure section the refrigerant charge in said cooling circuit.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/879,465Filed 20 May 2020 · continuation
Priority: 21 Nov 2017
Published: US 2020/0278140 A13 Sep 2020
Granted: 13 Dec 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F25B 49/02
Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices: for compression type machines, plants or systems
F25B 49/005
Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices: of safety devices
F25B 2400/19
Component parts or details not otherwise provided for in this subclass: pumping down refrigerant from one part of the cycle to another part of the…
F25B 2500/19
Problems to be solved: calculation of parameters