US 2022/0053710 A1 · REFRIGERATION SYSTEM WITH HOT GAS BY-PASS

Abstract

A refrigeration system is provided that can be used to cool a plant growth chamber. The refrigeration system can include a compressor to compress refrigerant, a condenser to condense refrigerant, a compressed refrigerant line running from the compressor to the condenser, a throttling device, a condensed refrigerant line running from the condenser to the throttling device, an evaporator to evaporate liquid refrigerant, a throttled refrigerant line running from the throttling device to the evaporator, an evaporated refrigerant line running from the evaporator to the compressor, and, a by-pass line connected to the compressed refrigerant line after the condenser and running to the evaporator. A hot gas proportional valve provided inline of the by-pass line and a liquid proportional valve provided inline of the condensed refrigerant line are used to control the flow of refrigerant through the by-pass line.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A refrigeration system comprising:

a compressor to compress refrigerant passing through the compressor;
a condenser to condense refrigerant passing through the condenser to a liquid;
a compressed refrigerant line running from the compressor to the condenser;
a throttling device to decrease the pressure of refrigerant passing through the throttling device;
a condensed refrigerant line running from the condenser to the throttling device;
an evaporator to evaporate liquid refrigerant passing through the evaporator to a vapor;
a throttled refrigerant line running from the throttling device to the evaporator;
an evaporated refrigerant line running from the evaporator to the compressor;
a by-pass line connected at a first end to the compressed refrigerant line upstream from the condenser and running to the evaporator;
a hot gas proportional valve provided inline of the by-pass line;
and
a liquid proportional valve provided inline of the condensed refrigerant line.

9 more elements

A controller for controlling the operation of a refrigerating system comprising:

a compressor;
a condenser;
a compressed refrigerant line running from the compressor to the condenser;
a throttling device;
a condensed refrigerant line running from the condenser to the throttling device;
an evaporator;
a throttled refrigerant line running from the throttling device to the evaporator;
an evaporated refrigerant line running from the evaporator to the compressor;
a by-pass line connected at a first end to the compressed refrigerant line upstream from the condenser and running to the evaporator;
a hot gas proportional valve provided inline of the by-pass line;
a liquid proportional valve provided inline of the condensed refrigerant line;
and a temperature sensor, the controller comprising:
at least one processing unit;
an input interface operatively connectable to the temperature sensor;
an output interface operatively connectable to the hot gas proportional valve and the liquid proportional valve;
and
at least one memory containing program instructions, the at least one processing unit, responsive to the program instructions, operative to:
in response to the controller obtaining a temperature measurement that varies from a temperature setpoint, adjust the hot gas proportional valve to change the pressure of the gaseous refrigerant passing through the by-pass line to the evaporator and adjust the liquid proportional valve to change the flow of liquid refrigerant passing through the condensed refrigerant line to the throttling device.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Refrigeration system with hot gas by-pass

Life of this patent

Refrigeration system with hot gas by-pass

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20