Charge Port For Microchannel Heat Exchanger Systems

A low-volume vapor compression air conditioning system, comprising:

• a compressor comprising a low pressure working fluid inlet conduit and a high pressure working fluid discharge conduit connected to said system in a substantially closed circuit,
• a condenser connected to said high pressure conduit and to a condenser outlet conduit for conducting condensed working fluid therefrom,
• a pressure sensor connected to said condenser outlet conduit, the pressure sensor being configured to measure a pressure of the working fluid exiting said condenser,
• a temperature sensor connected to said condenser outlet conduit, the temperature sensor being configured to measure a temperature of the working fluid exiting said condenser, and
• a working fluid flow restrictor associated with at least one of said low pressure conduit, said high pressure conduit, and said condenser outlet conduit, the flow restrictor comprising:
• a housing;
• a first end face and a second end face within the housing;
• a plug movable within a passage in communication between the first and second end faces;
• a seat in the housing between the plug and the second end face, wherein the seat and the plug are arranged such that when the plug engages the seat, flow from the first end face to the end face is restricted;
• and
• the working fluid flow restrictor being configured to control flow of the working fluid between said circuit and a working fluid reservoir of a working fluid charging apparatus in response to said measured temperature and pressure of the working fluid within the condenser outlet conduit.

A low-volume vapor compression air conditioning system, comprising:

• a compressor;
• a condenser connected to the compressor by a low pressure working fluid conduit;
• an evaporator connected to the compressor by the low pressure working fluid conduit, wherein the compressor is between the condenser and the evaporator, wherein the condenser and the evaporator are connected via a high pressure working fluid conduit, and wherein the compressor, condenser, evaporator, low pressure working fluid conduit, and high pressure working fluid conduit together form a substantially closed circuit for conducting working fluid;
• an apparatus configured to add or subtract working fluid from the substantially closed circuit, wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a first reservoir configured to store additional working fluid;
• a second reservoir configured to recover working fluid, wherein the first and second reservoirs are connected by a working fluid conduit;
• a plurality valves connected to the working fluid conduit;
• a first connector connecting the apparatus to a second connector in the low pressure working conduit between the compressor and the evaporator;
• and
• a third connector connecting the apparatus to a fourth connector in the high pressure working conduit between the condenser and the evaporator;
• a first flow restrictor connected between the apparatus and the low pressure working fluid conduit;
• a second flow restrictor connected between the apparatus and the high pressure working fluid conduit;
• a pressure sensor connected to the high pressure working fluid conduit between the condenser and the evaporator, the pressure sensor being configured to measure a pressure of the working fluid within the high pressure working fluid conduit;
• a temperature sensor connected to the high pressure working fluid conduit between the condenser and the evaporator, the temperature sensor being configured to measure a temperature of the working fluid within the high pressure working fluid conduit;
• and
• a controller configured to change one or more of the plurality valves in the apparatus based on both a pressure sensed by the pressure sensor and a temperature measured by the temperature sensor, wherein a change in the one or more of the plurality of valves, in conjunction with the first and second flow restrictors, either causes working fluid in the first reservoir to flow into the substantially closed circuit or causes working fluid in the substantially closed circuit to flow into the second reservoir.