Apparatus for cooling the power electronics of a refrigeration compressor drive
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorMichael A. Stark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for cooling the power electronics components of a variable frequency drive for the motor of a refrigerant system compressor. The components are mounted upon a heat sink and refrigerant from the system condenser is passed through the heat sink by means of a flow line and returned to the low pressure side of the system. A control valve is mounted in the flow line which throttles refrigerant passing through the line to produce cooling of the heat sink to maintain the temperature of the components within a desired range.
Claims16
Cooling apparatus for the power electronics of a variable frequency drive used to control the motor of a compressor in a refrigeration system that includes
- a refrigeration system that further includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator connected in series by refrigerant lines and an expansion means in one of said lines for throttling refrigerant moving between the condenser and the evaporator,
- a variable frequency drive means connected to the compressor motor, said drive means containing power electronic components that require cooling,
- a circuit for shunting a portion of the refrigerant from the system condenser to the compressor inlet,
- a variable frequency drive evaporator mounted in said circuit that is in heat transfer relation with the power electronics components of the variable frequency drive;
- a control valve in said circuit for expanding the refrigerant moving through said circuit from the system condenser pressure to the compressor inlet pressure whereby said power electronic components are cooled.
A method of cooling the power electronic components of a variable frequency drive (VFD) used to control the motor of compressor in a refrigeration system that includes the steps of:
- mounting the power electronic components of the VFD in heat transfer relation with a heat sink,
- bringing refrigerant drawn from the refrigeration condenser in heat transfer relation with heat sink,
- expanding the refrigerant drawn from the condenser pressure down to a lower pressure to maintain the heat sink temperature within a desired range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.