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US 2014/0230464 A1Published application
Enthalpy based control for a refrigeration appliance
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBahman Abbasi, Keith Wesley Wait
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system for a refrigeration appliance is provided. The control system uses a linear model that is designed to minimize or remove excess enthalpy from one or more compartments and/or features of the appliance. At least one variable speed compressor is operated at a speed that will remove excess enthalpy within a desired time period while also operating at an optimized speed for energy efficiency.
Claims20
A method of operating a refrigerator appliance having a variable speed compressor, the steps comprising:
- receiving a set point temperature Ti-SP for a component of the appliance;
- measuring the temperature Ti of the component;
- calculating an excess enthalpy Hi of the component from the steps of receiving and measuring;
- determining an instantaneous cooling capacity required Cap to reduce the excess enthalpy Hi substantially to zero within a selected time period Ts;
- and
- calculating a compressor speed that delivers at least the instantaneous cooling capacity required Cap while minimizing power consumption of the compressor.
3 more elements
A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
- at least one component that is configured for cooling during operation of the appliance;
- a refrigeration loop configured for providing cooling to the component during operation of the appliance, the refrigeration loop comprising
- one or more evaporators;
- one or more condensers;
- a variable speed compressor;
- one or more expansion devices;
- at least one temperature sensor configured for providing temperature measurement of the component;
- one or more controllers configured for
- receiving at least one temperature measurement from the temperature sensor;
- calculating an excess enthalpy of the component using the at least one temperature measurement and a temperature set point;
- determining an instantaneous cooling capacity required Cap to reduce the excess enthalpy substantially to a predetermined minimum value HPMV within a predetermined time period ts;
- and
- ascertaining a compressor speed Sc that delivers at least the instantaneous cooling capacity required Cap while reducing the power consumption of the compressor.
- operating the variable speed compressor substantially at compressor speed Sc.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.