Refrigeration system and throttle control method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11761695-B2
Application number	US-202217718909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2022
Priority date	Nov 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A refrigeration system, comprising a compressor, a condenser, a throttle flow path, and an evaporator connected in sequence, wherein a non-adjustable main throttle element is disposed in the throttle flow path; and further comprising a bypass flow path, wherein the bypass flow path is connected to the throttle flow path respectively at the upstream and downstream of the main throttle element, and provided with an adjustable auxiliary throttle element thereon; a liquid level sensor, disposed upstream and/or downstream of the throttle flow path, and configured to detect the liquid level; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the opening of the auxiliary throttle element according to a liquid level signal from the liquid level sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A throttle control method for a refrigeration system comprising:
a compressor, a condenser, a throttle flow path, and an evaporator connected in sequence;
wherein a non-adjustable main throttle element is disposed in the throttle flow path;
a bypass flow path, wherein the bypass flow path is connected to the throttle flow path respectively at the upstream and downstream of the main throttle element, and provided with an adjustable auxiliary throttle element thereon;
a liquid level sensor, disposed upstream and/or downstream of the throttle flow path, and configured to detect the liquid level; and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the opening of the auxiliary throttle element according to a liquid level signal from the liquid level sensor;
the method comprising:
S 100 : receiving a liquid level signal from a liquid level sensor;
S 200 : comparing the liquid level signal with a preset value of the system, and outputting a control signal; and
S 300 : controlling the opening of the adjustable auxiliary throttle element according to the control signal;
wherein controlling the opening of the adjustable auxiliary throttle element includes increasing the opening of the adjustable auxiliary throttle element when flow through the main throttle element is not sufficient to meet a current working condition.

2. The throttle control method according to claim 1 , wherein the preset value of the system comprises a first liquid level and a second liquid level, and when the liquid level sensor is arranged upstream of the throttle flow path, S 300 comprises:
S 310 : increasing the opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is above the first liquid level; or
S 320 : maintaining the current opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is between the first liquid level and the second liquid level; or
S 330 : decreasing the opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is below the second liquid level.

3. The throttle control method according to claim 2 , wherein S 310 further comprises: judging the state of opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is above the first liquid level; increasing the opening of the auxiliary throttle element if the opening of the auxiliary throttle element is less than 100%; and maintaining the current opening of the auxiliary throttle element if the opening of the auxiliary throttle element equals to 100%.

4. The throttle control method according to claim 2 , wherein S 330 further comprises: judging the state of opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is below the second liquid level; decreasing the opening of the auxiliary throttle element if the opening of the auxiliary throttle element is greater than 0; and maintaining the current opening of the auxiliary throttle element if the opening of the auxiliary throttle element equals to 0.

5. The throttle control method according to claim 1 , wherein the preset value of the system comprises a first liquid level and a second liquid level, and when the liquid level sensor is arranged downstream of the throttle flow path, S 300 comprises:
S 310 : decreasing the opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is above the first liquid level; or
S 320 : maintaining the current opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is between the first liquid level and the second liquid level; or
S 330 : increasing the opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is below the second liquid level.

6. The throttle control method according to claim 5 , wherein S 310 further comprises: judging the state of opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is above the first liquid level; decreasing the opening of the auxiliary throttle element if the opening of the auxiliary throttle element is greater than 0; and maintaining the current opening of the auxiliary throttle element if the opening of the auxiliary throttle element equals to 0.

7. The throttle control method according to claim 5 , wherein S 330 further comprises: judging the state of opening of the auxiliary throttle element when the liquid level is below the second liquid level; increasing the opening of the auxiliary throttle element if the opening of the auxiliary throttle element is less than 100%; and maintaining the current opening of the auxiliary throttle element if the opening of the auxiliary throttle element equals to 100%.

8. The throttle control method according to claim 2 , wherein the opening of the auxiliary throttle element is increased by a first opening at each time; or the opening of the auxiliary throttle element is decreased by a second opening at each time.

9. The throttle control method according to claim 8 , wherein the first opening is 3%, and/or the second opening is 3%.

10. The throttle control method according to claim 1 , after S 300 , further comprising S 400 : maintaining the step S 300 for a first period of time.

11. The throttle control method according to claim 10 , wherein the first period of time is 5 s.

12. A throttle control method for a refrigeration system comprising:
a compressor, a condenser, a throttle flow path, and an evaporator connected in sequence;
a non-adjustable main throttle element disposed in the throttle flow path;
an economizer, wherein the throttle flow path is connected between the condenser and the economizer or connected between the economizer and the evaporator;
a bypass flow path, wherein the bypass flow path is connected to the throttle flow path respectively at the upstream and downstream of the main throttle element, and provided with an adjustable auxiliary throttle element thereon;
at least one liquid level sensor, disposed upstream or downstream of the throttle flow path, and configured to detect the liquid level, wherein the least one liquid level sensor is disposed in a liquid reservoir; and
wherein the liquid reservoir is positioned at an outlet of the condenser, the throttle flow path is positioned at an outlet of the liquid reservoir and the economizer is positioned at an outlet of the throttle flow path;
the method comprising:
S 100 : receiving a liquid level signal from a liquid level sensor;
S 200 : comparing the liquid level signal with a preset value of the system, and outputting a control signal; and
S 300 : controlling the opening of an auxiliary throttle element according to the control signal.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Si Shaojuan
• Ding Haiping
• Stark Michael

Classifications

• F25B41/34 Primary

  with the valve member being actuated by electric means, e.g. by piezoelectric actuators · CPC title

• F25B49/02

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title

• F25B2400/13

  Economisers · CPC title

• F25B2600/2513

  Expansion valves · CPC title

• F25B2700/04

  Refrigerant level · CPC title