US 5,628,201 AGranted

Heating and cooling system with variable capacity compressor

AssigneeCopeland Corporation

InventorsVijay Bahel, Hank Millet, Mickey Hickey, Hung Pham, Gregory P. Herroon, Gerald L. Greschl

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Abstract

Compressor discharge temperature, ambient outdoor air temperature and thermal load are used as control parameters for controlling the expansion valve setting and the indoor fan speed. In a variable capacity system the thermal load parameter also controls the compressor capacity. Thermal load is measured by an integrating procedure that increments or decrements an accumulated demand counter value used as an indication of thermal load on the system. The counter value is incremented and decremented based on the room temperature and thermostat setpoint. These same parameters are also used in the overcharge/undercharge diagnostic system.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A control system for a heat pump system of the type having a compressor for discharging refrigerant through an electrically controlled valve into a heat exchanger, comprising:

a first sensor for sensing a first parameter indicative of the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from said compressor;
a second sensor for sensing a second parameter indicative of the ambient air temperature;
a third sensor for sensing a third parameter indicative of the thermal load on said heat pump system;
at least one control system processor coupled for communication with said first, second and third sensors and with said valve for controlling the quantity of refrigerant discharged into said heat exchanger based on said first, second and third parameters.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.