Maintaining superheat conditions in a compressor
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorCharles A. Cluff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illustrative example refrigerant system includes a compressor configured to pressurize a refrigerant fluid. The compressor includes a sump portion. A heater is situated to heat at least the sump portion. A controller is configured to selectively operate the heater to apply heat to at least the sump portion while the compressor is off to establish and maintain a superheat condition in the compressor.
Claims20
A refrigerant system, comprising:
- a compressor configured to pressurize a refrigerant fluid, the compressor including a sump portion;
- a heater situated to heat at least the sump portion;
- and
- a controller that is configured to selectively operate the heater to apply heat to at least the sump portion while the compressor is off to maintain a superheat condition in the compressor and determine whether the superheat condition exists in the compressor based on a temperature and a pressure associated with the compressor,
- wherein the compressor includes a shell and the pressure is inside the shell.
A method of controlling a temperature of a compressor in a refrigerant system, the method comprising:
- operating a heater for heating at least a sump portion of the compressor while the compressor is off to maintain a superheat condition in the compressor,
- determining whether the superheat condition exists in the compressor based on a temperature and a pressure associated with the compressor, and
- determining a minimum temperature to maintain the superheat condition based on the pressure.
A refrigerant system controller comprising a processor and memory including instructions that are executable by the processor to operate a heater for heating at least a sump portion of a compressor while the compressor is off to maintain a superheat condition in the compressor, the instructions including instructions that are executable by the processor to operate the heater to apply a first amount of heat when a current temperature of the compressor is below a minimum temperature needed for the superheat condition and operate the heater to apply a second amount of heat when the superheat condition exists, wherein the first amount of heat is greater than the second amount of heat.
A refrigerant system, comprising:
- a compressor configured to pressurize a refrigerant fluid, the compressor including a sump portion;
- a heater situated to heat at least the sump portion;
- and
- a controller that is configured to:
- selectively operate the heater to apply heat to at least the sump portion while the compressor is off to maintain a superheat condition in the compressor,
- operating the heater to apply a first amount of heat when a current temperature of the compressor is below a minimum temperature needed for the superheat condition, and
- operating the heater to apply a second amount of heat when the superheat condition exists, wherein the first amount of heat is greater than the second amount of heat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.