Vapor compression system with compressor control based on temperature and humidity feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10684053-B2
Application number	US-201815902082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2018
Priority date	Jan 25, 2018
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

A vapor compression system that includes a controller. The controller includes instructions for switching between first and second modes of operation of the vapor compression system. The controller activates a first compressor and a second compressor of the vapor compression system in the first mode of operation in response to a temperature level and a humidity level exceeding a threshold temperature and a threshold humidity level, respectively. And in the second mode of operation, the controller activates the first compressor in response to only the humidity level exceeding the threshold humidity level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vapor compression system, comprising a controller having a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the controller is configured in the first mode of operation to activate a first compressor and a second compressor in response to a temperature level and a humidity level exceeding a threshold temperature and a threshold humidity level, respectively, and the controller is configured in the second mode of operation to activate only the first compressor in response to the humidity level exceeding the threshold humidity level.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a valve to control a flow of a refrigerant to a reheat coil of the vapor compression system coupled to the first compressor.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the valve comprises a solenoid valve.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate the valve to block the flow of the refrigerant to the reheat coil in a third mode of operation, and wherein the controller is configured to switch to the third mode of operation in response to the temperature level exceeding a second threshold temperature.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate the valve to block the flow of the refrigerant to the reheat coil in a third mode of operation, and wherein the controller is configured to switch to the third mode of operation in response to the temperature level exceeding a second threshold temperature and the humidity level being less than the threshold humidity level.

6. The system of claim 1 , comprising the first compressor and the second compressor.

7. The system of claim 1 , comprising a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor configured to detect the respective humidity level and the temperature level.

8. A vapor compression system, comprising:
a first vapor compression loop comprising a first compressor, a first evaporator coil, and a reheat coil fluidly coupled to the first evaporator coil;
a second vapor compression loop comprising a second compressor and a second evaporator coil;
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature in an enclosed space and to transmit a first signal indicative of the temperature;
a humidity sensor configured to detect a humidity level in the enclosed space and to transmit a second signal indicative of the humidity level; and
a controller coupled to the first compressor, the second compressor, the temperature sensor, and the humidity sensor, wherein the controller comprises a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, and wherein the controller is configured in the first mode of operation to activate the first compressor and the second compressor in response to the temperature and the humidity level exceeding a threshold temperature amount and a threshold humidity level, respectively, and wherein the controller is configured in the second mode of operation to activate the first compressor and not the second compressor in response to only the humidity level exceeding the threshold humidity level.

9. The system of claim 8 , comprising a valve configured to control a flow of a refrigerant to the reheat coil.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the valve comprises a solenoid valve.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate the valve to block the flow of the refrigerant to the reheat coil in a third mode of operation, and wherein the controller switches to the third mode of operation in response to the temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate the valve to block the flow of the refrigerant to the reheat coil in a third mode of operation, and wherein the controller is configured to switch to the third mode of operation in response to the temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature and the humidity level being less than the threshold humidity level.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second vapor compression loop comprises a second reheat coil.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to alternate between activating the first compressor and the second compressor in the second mode of operation each time the humidity level exceeds the threshold humidity level.

15. A method of controlling a vapor compression system, comprising:
receiving a first signal from a temperature sensor indicative of a temperature in an enclosed space;
receiving a second signal from a humidity sensor indicative of a humidity level in the enclosed space;
comparing the temperature to a threshold temperature amount;
comparing the humidity level to a threshold humidity level;
activating a first mode in response to the temperature exceeding a threshold temperature amount, wherein a first compressor and a second compressor of the vapor compression system are activated; and
activating a second mode in response to the humidity level exceeding the threshold humidity level and not the temperature exceeding the threshold temperature amount such that only the first compressor is activated.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising a first valve configured to control a flow of a refrigerant to a first reheat coil coupled to the first compressor.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first valve comprises a solenoid valve.

18. The method of claim 16 , comprising activating a third mode of operation of the vapor compression system wherein the third mode of operation comprises actuating the first valve to block the flow of the refrigerant to the first reheat coil, and wherein a controller is configured to activate the third mode of operation in response to the temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature.

19. The method of claim 16 , comprising activating a third mode of operation of the vapor compression system wherein the third mode of operation comprises actuating the first valve to block the flow of the refrigerant to the first reheat coil in a third mode of operation, and wherein a controller is configured to switch to the third mode of operation in response to the temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature and the humidity level being less than the threshold humidity level.

20. The method of claim 16 , comprising a second valve configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to a second reheat coil coupled to the second compressor.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the second valve comprises a solenoid valve.

22. The method of claim 20 , comprising activating a third mode of operation of the vapor compression system, wherein the third mode of operation comprises actuating the first valve or the second valve to block the flow of the refrigerant to the first reheat coil or the second reheat coil, respectively, and wherein a controller is configured to activate the third mode of operation in response to the temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature.

23. The method of claim 20 , comprising activating a third mode of operation of the vapor compression system wherein the third mode of operation comprises actuating the first valve or the second valve to block the flow of the refrigerant to the first reheat coil or the second reheat coil, respectively, in a third mode of operation, and wherein a controller is configured to switch to the third mode of operation in response to the temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature and the humidity level being less than t

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Walser Jay C

Classifications

• F25B41/26

  of fluid flow reversing valves · CPC title

• F25B49/022 Primary

  Compressor control arrangements · CPC title

• F25B49/02 Primary

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title

• F24F11/86

  by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits · CPC title

• F24F11/30

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title