Systems and Methods to Defrost an Evaporator

A system comprising:

• a refrigerant circuit, wherein the refrigerant circuit comprises an expansion valve;
• a sensor unit configured to measure one or more parameters associated with the system;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• determine a real-time opening percentage of the expansion valve;
• compare the real-time opening percentage with a threshold opening percentage, wherein the threshold opening percentage is based on the one or more parameters;
• and
• initiate a new defrost cycle of the refrigerant circuit when the real-time opening percentage is less than the threshold opening percentage.

A method to optimally defrost an evaporator, the method comprising:

• determining, by a controller, a real-time coefficient of performance (COP) of a refrigerant circuit based on one or more parameters associated with the refrigerant circuit;
• determining, by the controller, that the real-time COP is equivalent to or less than a threshold COP value;
• and
• initiating, by the controller, a new defrost cycle of the refrigerant circuit responsive to determining that the real-time COP is equivalent to or less than the threshold COP value.