Method and apparatus for controlling evaporator and condenser fans in a refrigeration system
AssigneeThermo King Corporation
InventorsAlan Gustafson, Dermott Crombie, Mark Freese
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling evaporator and condenser fans in a refrigeration system. The apparatus is a refrigeration system including a refrigerant circuit defined by a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator. The apparatus includes an evaporator fan and a condenser fan. The apparatus also includes a controller coupled to the fans. The controller includes a variable frequency drive unit. For the method of the invention, the speed of the fans is controlled by the controller.
Claims34
A refrigeration system comprising:
- a refrigerant circuit defined by a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator;
- at least one evaporator fan;
- and
- a controller coupled to the at least one evaporator fan, the controller including a variable frequency drive unit for providing variable frequency power to the at least one evaporator fan.
A refrigeration system comprising:
- a refrigerant circuit defined by a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator;
- at least one condenser fan;
- and
- a controller coupled to the sensor and the at least one condenser fan, the controller including a variable frequency drive unit for providing variable frequency power to the at least one condenser fan.
A method of controlling the speed of at least one evaporator fan in a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator, the method comprising:
- providing a desired temperature differential for a conditioned space;
- measuring temperature at the inlet to the evaporator;
- measuring temperature at the outlet to the evaporator;
- calculating an actual temperature differential;
- and
- adjusting an evaporator fan speed based on the desired temperature differential and the actual temperature differential.
A method of controlling the speed of at least one condenser fan in a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator, the method comprising:
- providing a condenser temperature threshold value;
- measuring an actual temperature of the condenser;
- and
- adjusting a condenser fan speed based on the condenser temperature threshold value and the actual temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.