Simplified subcooling or superheated indicator and method for air conditioning and other refrigeration systems
AssigneeMainstream Engineering Corporation
InventorRobert P. Scaringe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A simple field installable/removable indicator is usable with a field pressure measurement to indicate the degree of subcooling or superheat of refrigerant in a vapor-compression or refrigeration system. The indicator can be attached to a pipe at an appropriate location in the system. The indicator can be used with a pressure measurement obtained at an existing service valve. Temperature-indicating liquid crystals or other chemicals, or alternatively, a conventional thermometer included on the indicator can be used with a scale which shows the superheat or subcooling without requiring saturation curves or tables.
Claims26
A method of determining superheating or subcooling in a vapor-compression system, comprising:
- (a) attaching a body to an appropriate location in the vapor-compression system;
- (b) measuring a value representative of one of low-side suction pressure, high-side pressure, evaporator or condenser saturation temperature and evaporator or condenser exit air temperature;
- (c) locating the measured value on a scale containing a range of values on the body;
- and
- (d) referencing adjacent temperature-sensitive indicia disposed along the body to indicate an amount, if any, of evaporator superheating or condenser subcooling.
A method for determining superheat, comprising the step of providing a device with a temperature indicator, an optionally corresponding scale, and temperature graduations, and using the device to determine superheat by reference to the scale and associated temperature graduation,
- wherein the corresponding scale is a pressure saturation scale in which corresponding pressures indicated on the saturation pressure scale correspond to saturation temperatures for a specific refrigerant, which saturation temperatures are the actual indicated temperatures of the temperature indicator.
A method for determining subcooling, comprising the step of providing a device that includes a temperature indicator, a corresponding scale, and temperature graduations,
- wherein the scale is a saturated pressure scale, and corresponding pressures indicated on the saturation pressure scale correspond to saturation temperatures for specific refrigerant, which saturation temperatures are actual indicated temperatures of the temperature indicator.
A method for determining subcooling, comprising the step of providing a device that includes a temperature indicator, a corresponding scale, and temperature graduations,
- wherein the device is used to measure subcooling in air conditioning, refrigeration, or vapor compression heat pump systems when combined with a pressure reading.
A vapor-compression system superheating/subcooling indicator, comprising
- a body;
- a graduated scale on the body with each of the graduations being representative of one of low-side suction pressure, high-side suction pressure, evaporator or condenser saturation temperature and evaporator or condensing exit air temperature;
- and
- temperature-sensitive indicia located adjacent the graduated scale and operative to indicate an amount, if any, of evaporator superheating or subcooling when referenced from one of the graduations on the scale.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.