Intelligent charge compensation in a heat pump system
AssigneeAllied Air Enterprises LLC
InventorKrishna Conjeevaram Bashyam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An HVAC system includes a first heat exchange coil with a plurality of coil circuits. For each coil circuit of the plurality of circuits, there is a manifold line fluidly coupling the coil circuit to a compressor. A first controllable valve is positioned in a first manifold line coupling a first coil circuit of the plurality of coil circuits to the compressor. A second controllable valve is located in a conduit fluidly coupling the first coil circuit to a second heat exchange coil. A controller is communicatively coupled to the first and second controllable valves and operates the valves to provide charge compensation in a heating and/or cooling mode.
Claims20
A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to regulate a temperature of a space, the HVAC system comprising:
- a first heat exchange coil comprising a plurality of coil circuits;
- for each coil circuit of the plurality of circuits, a manifold line fluidly coupling the coil circuit to a compressor of the HVAC system;
- a first controllable valve positioned in a first manifold line coupling a first coil circuit of the plurality of coil circuits to the compressor;
- a second controllable valve located in a conduit fluidly coupling the first coil circuit to a second heat exchange coil;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled to the first controllable valve and the second controllable valve, wherein the controller is configured to:
- determine that the HVAC system is operating in a cooling mode;
- determine that charge compensation is needed;
- after determining that the HVAC system is operating in the cooling mode and that charge compensation is needed:
- cause the first controllable valve to be in an open position for at least a period of time;
- and
- cause the second controllable valve to be in a closed position, such that flow of refrigerant from the first coil circuit to the second heat exchange coil is prevented.
A method of operating a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:
- determining that the HVAC system is operating in a cooling mode;
- determine that charge compensation is needed;
- after determining that the HVAC system is operating in the cooling mode and that charge compensation is needed:
- causing a first controllable valve to be in an open position for at least a period of time, wherein the first controllable valve is positioned in a first manifold line coupling a first coil circuit of a first heat exchange coil to a compressor;
- and
- causing a second controllable valve to be in a closed position, such that flow of refrigerant from the first coil circuit to a second heat exchange coil is prevented.
A controller of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to regulate a temperature of a space, the controller comprising:
- an interface communicatively coupled to:
- a first controllable valve positioned in a first manifold line coupling a first coil circuit of a first heat exchange coil to a compressor;
- a second controllable valve located in a conduit fluidly coupling the first coil circuit to a second heat exchange coil;
- and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the interface, wherein the processor is configure to:
- determine that the HVAC system is operating in a cooling mode;
- determine that charge compensation is needed;
- after determining that the HVAC system is operating in the cooling mode and that charge compensation is needed:
- cause the first controllable valve to be in an open position for at least a period of time;
- and
- cause the second controllable valve to be in a closed position, such that flow of refrigerant from the first coil circuit to the second heat exchange coil is prevented.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.