Working fluid distribution systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10982870-B2
Application number	US-201816137257-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2018
Priority date	Aug 31, 2018
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A working fluid distribution system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a distributor tube composed of a flexible material and configured to supply a working fluid to a component of an HVAC circuit of the HVAC system. The fluid distribution system includes an actuator coupled to the distributor tube and configured to be actuated to adjust a geometry of the distributor tube. Additionally, the fluid distribution system includes a controller configured to instruct the actuator to adjust the geometry of the distributor tube based on an operating condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A working fluid distribution system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a distributor tube composed of a flexible material and configured to supply a working fluid to a component of an HVAC circuit of the HVAC system, wherein the distributor tube comprises corrugated walls having a plurality of circumferential ridges alternated with a plurality of circumferential valleys;
an actuator coupled to the distributor tube and configured to be actuated to adjust a geometry of the distributor tube, wherein the actuator is configured to adjust the geometry of the distributor tube by increasing or decreasing a ridge width of the plurality of circumferential ridges and a valley width of the plurality of circumferential valleys; and
a controller configured to instruct the actuator to adjust the geometry of the distributor tube based on an operating condition.

2. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a first clamp coupled to a first portion of the distributor tube, a second clamp coupled to a second portion of the distributor tube, a drive arm coupled between the first clamp and the second clamp, and a motor coupled to the drive arm, wherein the motor is configured to move the first clamp relative to the second clamp based on actuation by the controller.

3. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a motor and a pulley system, wherein the pulley system comprises:
a pulley; and
a drive link disposed on the pulley and coupled between the motor and the distributor tube, wherein the actuator is configured to adjust the geometry of the distributor tube by adjusting a length of the drive link to stretch or relax the distributor tube.

4. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the operating condition comprises a fluid operating condition of the working fluid distribution system or a circuit operating condition of the HVAC circuit, and wherein the operating condition comprises a pressure drop, a pressure, a velocity, a temperature, or a combination thereof.

5. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator to adjust the geometry of the distributor tube in response to a determination that the operating condition is outside of an operating condition threshold.

6. The working fluid distribution system of claim 5 , comprising a sensor communicatively coupled to the controller and fluidly coupled to the distributor tube, wherein the controller is configured to determine the operating condition based on feedback from the sensor.

7. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the operating condition comprises a pressure drop of the working fluid, and wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator to increase a width and decrease a length of the distributor tube in response to a determination that the pressure drop of the working fluid is above a pressure drop threshold.

8. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the operating condition comprises a pressure drop of the working fluid, and wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator to decrease a width and increase a length of the distributor tube in response to a determination that the pressure drop of the working fluid is below a pressure drop threshold.

9. The working fluid distribution system of claim 8 , wherein the distributor tube is a first distributor tube, the pressure drop comprises a first pressure drop of the working fluid within the first distributor tube, and the pressure drop threshold comprises a range defined relative to a second pressure drop of the working fluid within a second distributor tube.

10. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the distributor tube is a first distributor tube, the working fluid distribution system comprises a second distributor tube, and the controller is configured to instruct the actuator to adjust the geometry of the first distributor tube and/or adjust a geometry of the second distributor tube to equalize a first pressure drop of the working fluid within the first distributor tube with a second pressure drop of the working fluid within the second distributor tube.

11. The working fluid distribution system of claim 10 , comprising a main distributor tube, wherein the first distributor tube and the second distributor tube are fluidly coupled to the main distributor tube in parallel with one another, and wherein the main distributor tube is configured to direct a first portion of the working fluid to the first distributor tube and a second portion of the working fluid to the second distributor tube.

12. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the corrugated walls are composed of the flexible material, and wherein the actuator is configured to adjust the geometry of the distributor tube by stretching or relaxing the corrugated walls of the distributor tube to increase or decrease the ridge width of the plurality of circumferential ridges and the valley width of the plurality of circumferential valleys.

13. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circumferential ridges comprises a first diameter and the plurality of circumferential valleys comprises a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter.

14. The working fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator to modify the geometry of the distributor tube by increasing or decreasing a magnitude of a bend within the distributor tube.

15. A fluid distribution system, comprising:
a first flexible distributor tube configured to provide a first portion of a fluid receiving system with a first flow of a fluid, wherein the fluid is a refrigerant, the fluid receiving system comprises an evaporator, and the first portion of the fluid receiving system comprises a first refrigerant circuit of the evaporator;
a second flexible distributor tube configured to provide a second portion of the fluid receiving system with a second flow of the fluid, wherein the second portion of the fluid receiving system comprises a second refrigerant circuit of the evaporator;
an actuator system coupled to the first flexible distributor tube, wherein the actuator system is configured to be actuated to adjust a first geometry of the first flexible distributor tube, wherein the actuator system comprises a motor and a pulley system, and wherein the pulley system comprises:
a pulley; and
a drive link disposed on the pulley and coupled between the motor and the first flexible distributor tube, wherein the actuator system is configured to adjust the geometry of the first flexible distributor tube by adjusting a length of the drive link to stretch or relax the first flexible distributor tube; and

a controller configured to instruct the actuator system to adjust the first geometry of the first flexible distributor tube in response to a determination that an operating condition of the fluid distribution system or the fluid receiving system is beyond an operating condition threshold.

16. The fluid distribution system of claim 15 , wherein the operating condition comprises a difference in a first pressure drop of the first flow of the fluid and a second pressure drop of the second flow of the fluid.

17. The fluid distribution system of claim 15 , wherein the actuator system is configured to adjust the first geometry of the first flexible distrib

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co
• Jonhson Controls Tech Company

Inventors

• Snider Ryan L
• Mislak Nicholas P
• Kester Douglas A

Classifications

• F24F1/0067 Primary

  by the shape of the heat exchangers or of parts thereof, e.g. of their fins · CPC title

• F16K7/04

  constrictable by external radial force · CPC title

• F24F2140/20

  Heat-exchange fluid temperature · CPC title

• F25B2500/09

  Improving heat transfers · CPC title

• F24F2110/10

  Temperature · CPC title