Heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration system with variable speed compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11408651-B2
Application number	US-202117184065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2021
Priority date	Dec 4, 2017
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a load, a variable speed compressor, and a three-way valve. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The second heat exchanger removes heat from the refrigerant. The load uses the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the load. The variable speed compressor compresses the refrigerant from the load and directs the compressed refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger. The three-way valve, when operating in a first mode, directs the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the load and when operating in a second mode, directs the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
a second heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the refrigerant;
a load configured to use the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the load;
a variable speed compressor configured to compress the refrigerant from the load and to direct the compressed refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger;
a three-way valve configured to:
when operating in a first mode, direct the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the load rather than the second heat exchanger such that the load:
uses the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to remove heat from the space; and
directs the refrigerant away from the second heat exchanger and towards the variable speed compressor; and

when operating in a second mode, direct the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger before the refrigerant reaches the load; and
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the refrigerant, wherein the three-way valve is further configured to switch from operating in the first mode to the second mode in response to the temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the refrigerant that exceeds a threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second heat exchanger is further configured to direct the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger through a drain line to the variable speed compressor when the three-way valve is operating in the first mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the three-way valve is further configured to switch from operating in the first mode to the second mode in response to the variable speed compressor operating at a speed that is above a threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the refrigerant, wherein the three-way valve is further configured to switch from operating in the first mode to the second mode in response to the pressure sensor detecting a pressure of the refrigerant that exceeds a threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve, both the first and second expansion valves positioned between the high side heat exchanger and the load, the high side heat exchanger is a heat pump, and the three-way valve is positioned between the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to switch the operation of the three-way valve between the first mode and the second mode.

7. A method comprising:
removing heat from a refrigerant using a high side heat exchanger;
when operating in a first mode:
directing the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to a load rather than the second heat exchanger;
using, by the load, the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to remove heat from the space; and
directing, by the load, the refrigerant away from a second heat exchanger and towards a variable speed compressor;

when operating in a second mode:
directing the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger before the refrigerant reaches the load;
removing heat from the refrigerant using the second heat exchanger;
directing the refrigerant from the second heat exchanger to the load; and
using the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the load;

compressing the refrigerant from the load using the variable speed compressor;
directing the compressed refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger;
detecting a temperature of the refrigerant; and
switching from operating in the first mode to the second mode in response to the detected temperature exceeding a threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising directing the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger through a drain line to the variable speed compressor when operating in the first mode.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising switching from operating in the first mode to the second mode when the variable speed compressor operates at a speed that is above a threshold.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
detecting a pressure of the refrigerant; and
switching from operating in the first mode to the second mode when the detected pressure exceeds a threshold.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve are positioned between the high side heat exchanger and the load, the high side heat exchanger is a heat pump, and a three-way valve is positioned between the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising switching between the first mode and the second mode using a controller.

13. A system comprising:
a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
a second heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the refrigerant;
a load configured to use the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the load;
a variable speed compressor configured to compress the refrigerant from the load and to direct the compressed refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger;
a three-way valve configured to:
when operating in a first mode, direct the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the load rather than the second heat exchanger such that the load:
uses the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to remove heat from the space; and
directs the refrigerant away from the second heat exchanger and towards the variable speed compressor; and

when operating in a second mode, direct the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger before the refrigerant reaches the load;

a controller configured to switch the operation of the three-way valve between the first mode and the second mode; and
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the refrigerant, wherein the three-way valve is further configured to switch from operating in the first mode to the second mode in response to the temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the refrigerant that exceeds a threshold.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second heat exchanger is further configured to direct the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger through a drain line to the variable speed compressor when the three-way valve is operating in the first mode.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the three-way valve is further configured to switch from operating in the first mode to the second mode in response to the variable speed compressor operating at a speed that is above a threshold.

16. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the refrigerant, wherein the three-way valve is further configured to switch from operating in the first mode to the second mode in response to the pressure sensor detecting a pressure of the refrigerant that when the detected pressure exceeds a threshold.

17. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve, both the first and second expansion valves positioned between the high side heat exchanger and the load, the high side heat exchanger is a heat pump, and the three-way valve is positioned between the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve.

Assignees

• Lennox Ind Inc

Inventors

• Berg Eric
• Styer Austin Clay
• Crawford Carl T

Classifications

• F25B2600/2501

  Bypass valves · CPC title

• F25B2313/029

  Control issues · CPC title

• F25B2300/00

  Special arrangements or features for refrigeration machines, plants or systems, combined heating and refrigeration systems or heat-pump systems · CPC title

• F25B2400/0403

  for condensers · CPC title

• F25B49/02 Primary

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title