US 12,698,927 B2Granted

Methods and systems for controlling a compressor cooling system

AssigneeCopeland Corporation

InventorsMatthew J. Swallow, Michael M. Perevozchikov, Clayton Kern

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Abstract

A method includes commanding a motor coolant control valve to open at a first time to provide a supply of coolant to a motor coolant flow channel that delivers coolant to a motor of a compressor. A first detection of a coolant return temperature is received at a first time from a temperature sensor connected to a coolant return line that receives coolant from the motor coolant flow channel and returns coolant to another portion of the compressor. A second detection of the coolant return temperature from the temperature sensor is received at a second time after the first time. Based on the first detection and the second detection of the coolant return temperature, it is determined if the motor coolant control valve opened at the first time, and remedial action is taken when the motor coolant control valve is determined not to have opened at the first time.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A compressor system comprising:

a compressor comprising:
a compressor housing defining a coolant inlet located on a low-pressure side of the compressor;
a shaft rotatably supported in the compressor housing;
and
a motor operably connected to the shaft, wherein the compressor housing includes a motor coolant flow channel that delivers coolant to the motor;
a cooling circuit comprising:
a motor coolant supply line connected to the compressor housing to deliver coolant to the motor coolant flow channel, the motor coolant supply line including a motor coolant control valve to control coolant flow through the motor coolant supply line;
a coolant return line that receives coolant from the motor coolant flow channel and returns coolant to the coolant inlet or another portion of the compressor;
and
a temperature sensor connected to the coolant return line to detect a coolant return temperature, the coolant return temperature being a temperature of the coolant return line or a temperature of coolant within the coolant return line;
and
a controller having a processor and a memory, the controller connected to the temperature sensor and the motor coolant control valve, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor configure the controller to:
control the compressor to compress refrigerant delivered to the coolant inlet;
command the motor coolant control valve at a first time to open to provide a supply of coolant to the motor coolant flow channel;
receive a first detection of the coolant return temperature from the temperature sensor at the first time;
receive a second detection of the coolant return temperature from the temperature sensor at a second time after the first time;
determine, based on the first detection and the second detection of the coolant return temperature, if the motor coolant control valve opened at the first time by:
determining that the motor coolant control valve opened at the first time if the second detection of the coolant return temperature exceeds the first detection of the coolant return temperature by at least a threshold amount;
and
determining that the motor coolant control valve did not open at the first time if:
the second detection of the coolant return temperature does not exceed the first detection of the coolant return temperature by the threshold amount;
and
the second time is at least a time threshold after the first time;
and
take remedial action when the controller determines that the motor coolant control valve did not open at the first time.

22 more elements

A method of operating a compressor system including a compressor, the method comprising:

controlling the compressor to compress refrigerant delivered to a coolant inlet of the compressor;
commanding a motor coolant control valve to open at a first time to provide a supply of coolant to a motor coolant flow channel that delivers coolant to a motor of the compressor;
receiving, at the first time, a first detection of a coolant return temperature from a temperature sensor connected to a coolant return line that receives coolant from the motor coolant flow channel and returns coolant to the coolant inlet or another portion of the compressor;
receiving a second detection of the coolant return temperature from the temperature sensor at a second time after the first time;
determining, based on the first detection and the second detection of the coolant return temperature, if the motor coolant control valve opened at the first time by:
determining that the motor coolant control valve opened at the first time if the second detection of the coolant return temperature exceeds the first detection of the coolant return temperature by at least a threshold amount;
and
determining that the motor coolant control valve did not open at the first time if:
the second detection of the coolant return temperature does not exceed the first detection of the coolant return temperature by the threshold amount;
and
the second time is at least a time threshold after the first time;
and
attempting again to determine if the motor coolant control valve opened at the first time if:
the second detection of the coolant return temperature does not exceed the first detection of the coolant return temperature by the threshold amount;
and
the second time is less than the time threshold after the first time;
and
taking remedial action when the motor coolant control valve is determined not to have opened at the first time.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.