US 8,522,564 B2Granted

Temperature control system with refrigerant recovery arrangement

AssigneeThermo King Corporation

InventorsSrinivasa Rao Koppineedi, Vladimir Sulc, William L. Waldschmidt, Joe A. Wermager

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Abstract

A temperature control system includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a receiver, and an accumulator. A valve is positioned between the evaporator and the receiver. An evacuation line has a first end in fluid communication with heat transfer fluid between the valve and the receiver, and a second end in fluid communication with the accumulator. The evacuation line provides for flow of the heat transfer fluid from both of the first heat exchanger and the receiver to the accumulator during an evacuation mode of operation of the temperature control system. The valve can take the form of a check valve or an expansion valve without a bleed port.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A temperature control system comprising:

a compressor configured to compress a heat transfer fluid;
a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor and configured to receive the heat transfer fluid from the compressor and to cool and condense the heat transfer fluid;
a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the compressor and configured to exchange heat with a temperature-controlled space;
a receiver in fluid communication with each of the first and second heat exchangers, the receiver positioned between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and configured to receive condensed heat transfer fluid from the first heat exchanger and to direct heat transfer fluid to the second heat exchanger;
a valve positioned between the receiver and the second heat exchanger;
an accumulator in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger and the compressor and configured to receive a mixture of liquid and vapor heat transfer fluid from the second heat exchanger and direct a vapor portion of the heat transfer fluid to the compressor;
an evacuation line having a first end in fluid communication with and positioned between the valve and the receiver, and a second end in fluid communication with the accumulator, the evacuation line providing for flow of the heat transfer fluid from both of the first heat exchanger and the receiver to the accumulator during an evacuation mode of operation of the temperature control system;
a valve arrangement in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, the compressor, and the second heat exchanger, the valve arrangement operable in a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the first configuration is operable to direct the heat transfer fluid from the compressor to the first heat exchanger and the second configuration is operable to direct the heat transfer fluid from the compressor to the second heat exchanger without passing through the first heat exchanger;
and
a controller in electrical communication with the valve arrangement, the controller operable to move the valve arrangement between the first configuration and the second configuration,
wherein the valve substantially prevents the flow of heat transfer fluid from the second heat exchanger into the receiver.

8 more elements

A method of operating a temperature control system having a compressor, a first heat exchanger downstream of the compressor, a receiver downstream of the first heat exchanger, a valve downstream of the receiver, a second heat exchanger downstream of the valve, and an accumulator downstream of the second heat exchanger, the method comprising:

a) operating the system in a cooling mode by
compressing a heat transfer fluid with the compressor;
directing the heat transfer fluid from the compressor to the first heat exchanger with a valve arrangement in a first configuration;
cooling and condensing the heat transfer fluid from the compressor in the first heat exchanger;
exchanging heat between a temperature-controlled space and the heat transfer fluid with the second heat exchanger;
receiving a mixture of liquid and vapor heat transfer fluid from the second heat exchanger into the accumulator;
and
directing a vapor portion of the heat transfer fluid in the accumulator to the compressor;
b) operating the system in an evacuation mode by
opening a purge valve coupled to an evacuation line, the evacuation line having a first end in fluid communication with and positioned between the valve and the receiver, and a second end in fluid communication with the accumulator, the evacuation line providing flow of the heat transfer fluid from both of the first heat exchanger and the receiver to the accumulator without passing through the second heat exchanger;
and
substantially preventing the flow of heat transfer fluid from the second heat exchanger into the receiver with the valve;
c) operating the system in a heating mode by
moving the valve arrangement from the first configuration to a second configuration;
directing the heat transfer fluid from the compressor to the second heat exchanger without passing through the first heat exchanger;
and
maintaining the purge valve open.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/154,949Filed 7 Jun 2011
Published: US 2012/0312036 A113 Dec 2012
Granted: 3 Sep 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

F25B 1/04
Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle: with compressor of rotary type
F25B 40/00
Subcoolers, desuperheaters or superheaters
F25B 41/22
Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves: between evaporator and compressor
F25B 47/022
Defrosting cycles: hot gas defrosting