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US 2013/0091874 A1Published application
Variable Refrigerant Flow Cooling System
AssigneeLiebert Corporation
InventorsStephen Sillato, Timothy J. Schrader, Lou Monnier, John F. Judge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable flow refrigerant system having a compressor and one or a plurality of evaporators. The suction at one or the plurality of evaporators for the input to the compressor is monitored and generally corresponds to the minimum pressure of the refrigerant. The pressure is associated with a temperature and is controlled to always be above the dew point temperature of the room.
Claims19
A variable refrigerant flow cooling system comprising:
- a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet generating a first pressure, and the outlet generating a second pressure higher than the first pressure;
- a condenser having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the condenser communicating with the outlet of the compressor, the condenser receiving fluid provided by the outlet of the compressor and removing heat from the fluid;
- an expansion valve having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the expansion valve communicating with the outlet of the condenser, the expansion valve enabling expansion of the liquid at its outlet and varying a flow of liquid between its inlet and outlet;
- an evaporator having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the evaporator communicating with the outlet of the expansion valve, the evaporator absorbing heat into the fluid as the fluid passes from its inlet to outlet;
- and
- a controller monitoring a pressure at the outlet of the evaporator and varying the output of the compressor in accordance with the monitored pressure, wherein the monitored pressure indicates a saturation temperature and the control maintains the saturation temperature above a dew point temperature.
3 more elements
A variable refrigerant flow cooling system comprising:
- a compressor generating a first pressure and a second pressure higher than the first pressure;
- a condenser communicating with the second pressure, the condenser receiving fluid provided at the second pressure and reducing the temperature of the fluid;
- a liquid line communicating with the condenser and receiving the liquid;
- an expansion valve communicating with the liquid line, the expansion valve enabling expansion of the fluid in the liquid line;
- an evaporator communicating with the fluid output by the expansion valve, the fluid absorbing heat as it passes through the evaporator;
- a vapor line communicating with the evaporator and returning fluid output from the evaporator to the compressor;
- and
- a controller monitoring a pressure in the vapor line and varying the output of the compressor in accordance with the monitored pressure, wherein the monitored pressure indicates a saturation temperature of the vapor line, and the output of the compressor is varied to maintain the saturation temperature above a dew point temperature for the vapor line.
5 more elements
A method for controlling an output of a compressor in a cooling system comprising:
- providing an evaporator;
- monitoring a suction pressure at the output of the evaporator;
- comparing the suction pressure against a predetermined threshold, wherein the predetermined threshold is determined in accordance with a saturation temperature of a fluid output by the evaporator;
- and
- decreasing the output of the compressor if the suction pressure is below the predetermined threshold.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.