System and Method for Controlling Head Pressure in a Refrigeration System

A method of operating a refrigeration system comprising:

• compressing, using a compressor, a refrigerant;
• condensing the refrigerant using a heat rejection heat exchanger comprising a condenser;
• receiving the refrigerant exiting the condenser in a receiver tank;
• selectively directing refrigerant from the compressor toward a heat exchanger and toward the condenser using a flow control arrangement including a first valve positioned to permit flow from the compressor toward the condenser and a second valve positioned to permit flow from the compressor toward the heat exchanger;
• transferring heat in the heat exchanger between refrigerant received from the compressor and refrigerant received from the receiver tank such that at least a portion of the refrigerant received from the receiver tank transitions from liquid to vapor;
• directing vapor produced in the heat exchanger into the receiver tank to increase a pressure of the receiver tank;
• and
• directing refrigerant received from the compressor in the heat exchanger toward the condenser.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a controller of a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a heat rejection heat exchanger comprising a condenser, a receiver tank, a heat exchanger, a first valve positioned to permit flow from the compressor toward the condenser, and a second valve positioned to permit flow from the compressor toward the heat exchanger, cause the processor to:

• receive a parameter indicative of a loss of condensing pressure;
• determine that the refrigeration system should operate in a head pressure control mode of operation if the parameter is equal to or less than a threshold value stored in a memory;
• and
• during the head pressure control mode of operation, close the first valve and open the second valve such that closing the first valve and opening the second valve directs refrigerant from the compressor toward the heat exchanger and vapor produced in the heat exchanger is directable into the receiver tank to increase a pressure of the receiver tank.