Cooling system and method of operating a cooling system
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorCharles A. Cluff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cooling system includes a compressor operable to compress refrigerant, an accumulator upstream from the compressor. The accumulator is operable to collect liquid from the refrigerant. A sensor is located upstream from the accumulator. The sensor is operable to detect information including a temperature and a pressure of the refrigerant. The controller is in communication with the sensor. The controller is operable to determine a rate of accumulation of liquid in the accumulator based on the information from the sensor. A method of operating a cooling system is also disclosed.
Claims16
A cooling system comprising:
- a compressor operable to compress refrigerant;
- an accumulator upstream from the compressor, the accumulator operable to collect liquid from the refrigerant;
- a sensor upstream from the accumulator, the sensor operable to detect information including a temperature and a pressure of the refrigerant;
- and
- a controller in communication with the sensor, the controller operable to determine a rate of accumulation of liquid in the accumulator based on the information from the sensor, wherein the controller includes an integrator, and wherein the controller is operable to determine an amount of time to reach a maximum liquid capacity of the accumulator via the integrator, and wherein the integrator is an asymmetrical integrator.
A method of operating a cooling system, including:
- detecting a temperature and a pressure of refrigerant upstream of an accumulator, the accumulator operable to collect liquid in the refrigerant, wherein the accumulator is upstream of a compressor;
- and
- determining a rate of accumulation of liquid in an accumulator based on the detected temperature and pressure,
- detecting a second temperature and a second pressure of the refrigerant downstream from the compressor, and
- determining whether the accumulator is empty based at least in part on the second temperature and the second pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.