Vapor cycle machine availability for high impact applications
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMichael L. Trent, Zachary G. Brown, Chetan B. Megchiani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A filter dryer functions bypass system in a vapor cycle machine includes a refrigerant filter/dryer receiving a flow of liquid refrigerant from an inlet line and expelling the liquid refrigerant to an outlet line. A bypass line interconnects the inlet line and the outlet line and a bypass valve is configured to divert a portion or all of the flow of liquid refrigerant from the inlet line into the bypass line. A condition sensor provides a status signal indicative of refrigerant filter dryer condition and the bypass valve is operable responsive to the status signal.
Claims20
A filter dryer functions bypass system in a vapor cycle machine, the system comprising:
- a refrigerant filter/dryer receiving a flow of liquid refrigerant from an inlet line and discharging the liquid refrigerant to an outlet line;
- a bypass line interconnecting the inlet line and the outlet line;
- a bypass valve configured to divert a portion or all of the flow of liquid refrigerant from the inlet line into the bypass line;
- and
- a condition sensor providing a condition status signal indicative of refrigerant filter dryer condition, said bypass valve operable responsive to the condition status signal.
A method for operation of a vapor cycle machine, the method comprising:
- sensing condition of a refrigerant filter/dryer with a condition sensor;
- receiving a condition status signal indicative of refrigerant filter/dryer condition from the condition sensor in a bypass controller;
- issuing a bypass condition signal from the bypass controller;
- and
- opening a bypass valve responsive to the bypass condition signal, said bypass valve configured to divert flow of liquid refrigerant from an inlet line into a bypass line, said bypass line connected from an inlet line to the refrigerant filter/dryer to an outlet line from the refrigerant filter/dryer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.