Systems and methods for capacity modulation through eutectic plates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414241-B2
Application number	US-201715635372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A refrigeration system may include a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a first working fluid flow path, and a second working fluid flow path. The first heat exchanger receives working fluid discharged from the compressor. The first working fluid flow path may receive working fluid from the first heat exchanger and may include an evaporator and an evaporator control valve that is movable between a first position allowing fluid flow through the evaporator and a second position restricting fluid flow through the evaporator. The second working fluid flow path may receive working fluid from the first heat exchanger and may include a eutectic plate and a plate control valve that is movable between a first position allowing fluid flow through the eutectic plate and a second position restricting fluid flow through the eutectic plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigeration system comprising:
a compressor;
a first heat exchanger receiving a working fluid discharged from the compressor;
a first working fluid flow path receiving the working fluid from the first heat exchanger, the first working fluid flow path including an evaporator and an evaporator control valve that is movable between a first position allowing fluid flow through the evaporator and a second position restricting fluid flow through the evaporator; and
a second working fluid flow path receiving the working fluid from the first heat exchanger, the second working fluid flow path including a eutectic plate and a plate control valve that is movable between a first position allowing fluid flow through the eutectic plate and a second position restricting fluid flow through the eutectic plate, the first and second working fluid flow paths diverging from each other at a first location downstream of the first heat exchanger; and
a control module in communication with and controlling operation of the compressor, the evaporator control valve, and the plate control valve,
wherein the eutectic plate and the evaporator are both in heat transfer relationships with a refrigerated space,
wherein the control module moves the evaporator control valve to the second position during operation of the compressor in response to the refrigerated space reaching a predetermined temperature, and
wherein the control module maintains operation of the compressor and maintains the plate control valve in the first position after the refrigerated space reaches the predetermined temperature as long as a runtime of the compressor is less than a predetermined time period.

2. The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the first working fluid flow path includes a first expansion device disposed between the evaporator control valve and the evaporator.

3. The refrigeration system of claim 2 , wherein the second working fluid flow path includes a second expansion device disposed between the plate control valve and the eutectic plate.

4. The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second working fluid flow paths merge with each other at a second location that is upstream of the compressor.

5. The refrigeration system of claim 4 , wherein the second location is fluidly coupled with a suction inlet of the compressor.

6. The refrigeration system of claim 5 , further comprising a third working fluid flow path receiving the working fluid from the first heat exchanger, the third working fluid flow path including a fluid-injection heat exchanger and a fluid-injection control valve that is movable between a first position allowing fluid flow through the fluid-injection heat exchanger and a second position restricting fluid flow through the fluid-injection heat exchanger, wherein the third working fluid flow path is fluidly coupled with a fluid-injection inlet of the compressor and provides the working fluid to an intermediate-pressure location within a compression mechanism of the compressor.

7. The refrigeration system of claim 1 , further comprising a third working fluid flow path receiving the working fluid from the first heat exchanger, the third working fluid flow path including a fluid-injection heat exchanger and a fluid-injection control valve that is movable between a first position allowing fluid flow through the fluid-injection heat exchanger and a second position restricting fluid flow through the fluid-injection heat exchanger,
wherein the second location is fluidly coupled with a suction inlet of the compressor,
wherein the third working fluid flow path is fluidly coupled with a fluid-injection inlet of the compressor and provides the working fluid to an intermediate-pressure location within a compression mechanism of the compressor, and
wherein the control module is in communication with the fluid-injection control valve and maintains the fluid-injection control valve in the first position after the refrigerated space reaches the predetermined temperature.

8. A vehicle comprising the refrigeration system of claim 1 and a cargo compartment in heat transfer relationships with the evaporator and the eutectic plate.

9. A method comprising:
directing a working fluid from a discharge port of a compressor to a first heat exchanger;
directing a first portion of the working fluid from the first heat exchanger through an evaporator;
directing a second portion of the working fluid from the first heat exchanger through a eutectic plate;
discontinuing a flow of the working fluid through the evaporator in response to a refrigerated space reaching a predetermined temperature; and
maintaining operation of the compressor and maintaining a flow of the working fluid through the eutectic plate after the refrigerated space reaches the predetermined temperature and after discontinuation of the flow through the evaporator as long as a runtime of the compressor is less than a predetermined time period.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein discontinuing the flow of the working fluid through the evaporator includes closing an evaporator control valve.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising directing the first portion of the working fluid through a first expansion device before the working fluid flows through the evaporator; and directing the second portion of the working fluid through a second expansion device before the working fluid flows through the eutectic plate.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising discontinuing operation of the compressor and discontinuing a flow of the working fluid through the eutectic plate in response to the runtime reaching the predetermined time period.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein discontinuing the flow of the working fluid through the eutectic plate includes closing a plate control valve.

14. A method comprising:
directing the working fluid from a discharge port of a compressor to a first heat exchanger;
directing a first portion of the working fluid from the first heat exchanger through a first evaporator corresponding to a first cargo compartment of a vehicle having a first setpoint temperature;
directing a second portion of the working fluid from the first heat exchanger through a second evaporator corresponding to a second cargo compartment of a vehicle having a second setpoint temperature, the second setpoint temperature is lower than the first setpoint temperature;
discontinuing a flow of the working fluid through the first evaporator in response to the first cargo compartment reaching the first setpoint temperature; and
maintaining operation of the compressor and maintaining a flow of the working fluid through the second evaporator after the first cargo compartment reaches the first setpoint temperature and after discontinuation of the flow through the first evaporator and while the second cargo compartment is at a temperature lower than the second setpoint temperature, as long as a runtime of the compressor is less than a predetermined time period.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein discontinuing the flow of the working fluid through the first evaporator includes closing a first evaporator control valve.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising directing the first portion of the working fluid through a first expansion device before the working fluid flows through the first evaporator; and directing the second portion of the working fluid through a second expansion device before the working fluid flows through the second evaporator.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising discontinuing opera

Assignees

• Emerson Climate Technologies

Inventors

• Vehr Shawn W
• Rozsnaki Joseph James
• Siefker Louis

Classifications

• B60H1/3211

  for increasing the efficiency of a vehicle refrigeration cycle · CPC title

• B60H2001/3255

  related to temperature · CPC title

• B60H2001/3272

  to control the revolving speed of a compressor · CPC title

• B60H2001/3289

  Additional cooling source · CPC title

• B60H1/3232

  particularly adapted for load transporting vehicles (B60H1/3226 takes precedence) · CPC title