Measurement apparatus and refrigeration system comprising same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12535252-B2
Application number	US-202218272039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2022
Priority date	Jan 13, 2021
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A measurement apparatus arranged on a pipe is configured to measure liquid content of a medium within the pipe. The apparatus includes a light transmission member, a light generation device, and a light reception device. The light generation device is configured to emit emission light toward the light transmission member such that it passes through an outer boundary wall of the light transmission member and has a preset emission angle. The light reception device is configured to receive reflection light after the emission light is reflected by an inner boundary wall of the light transmission member. The measurement apparatus can detect whether liquid is carried in a gaseous refrigerant exiting from an evaporator and measure the amount of carried liquid. The refrigeration system can adjust a throttling apparatus according to a measured result, and prevents the performance of the refrigeration system and a compressor from being affected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A measurement apparatus for a refrigeration system, wherein the measurement apparatus is configured to be arranged on a pipe between an evaporator and a compressor and configured to measure a liquid content of a medium in the pipe, wherein the measurement apparatus comprises:
a controller comprising a processor and a memory; a light transmission member arranged on a pipe wall of the pipe, wherein the light transmission member has a thickness and has an outer boundary wall and an inner boundary wall forming the thickness, the outer boundary wall has an outer boundary surface on a side opposite to the inner boundary wall, the inner boundary wall has an inner boundary surface on a side opposite to the outer boundary wall, and the inner boundary surface is in contact with the medium in the pipe; a light emitter arranged on the outer boundary surface of the light transmission member, wherein the light emitter is communicatively coupled to the controller, and the controller is configured to control the light emitter to emit emission light toward the light transmission member and through the outer boundary wall at a preset emission angle (α); and a light receiver arranged on the outer boundary surface of the light transmission member, wherein the light receiver is communicatively coupled to the controller, and the light receiver is configured to receive reflection light after the emission light is reflected by the inner boundary wall.

2 . The measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
a critical angle of total reflection of a light ray on the inner boundary wall is a first total reflection angle when the medium in contact with the inner boundary surface is all gas; the critical angle of total reflection of the light ray on the inner boundary wall is a second total reflection angle when the medium in contact with the inner boundary surface is all liquid; and a degree of the preset emission angle (α) is between the first total reflection angle and the second total reflection angle.

3 . The measurement apparatus of claim 1 , comprising an enclosure enclosing the light emitter and the light receiver.

4 . The measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light transmission member is a sight glass.

5 . The measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light transmission member forms a part of the pipe wall or is arranged on a connecting pipe protruding outward from the pipe wall.

6 . A refrigeration system, comprising:
a compressor, a condenser, a throttling apparatus and an evaporator, wherein the compressor, the condenser, the throttling apparatus and the evaporator are sequentially connected through a pipe to form a main circulation loop configured to direct a medium therethrough; the refrigeration system further comprising:
a measurement apparatus arranged on the pipe between an outlet of the evaporator and a suction port of the compressor, wherein the measurement apparatus comprises a light transmission member, a light emitter configured to emit emission light, and a light receiver configured to receive reflection light via the light transmission member; and
a controller communicatively connected with the measurement apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to:
control the light emitter to emit the emission light toward the light transmission member at a preset emission angle (α); and
determine a liquid content in the medium between the outlet of the evaporator and the suction port of the compressor based on an intensity of the emission light emitted by the light emitter and an intensity of the reflection light received by the light receiver.

7 . The refrigeration system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is communicatively connected with the throttling apparatus and the controller is configured to adjust an opening degree of the throttling apparatus based on the liquid content in the medium.

8 . The refrigeration system of claim 7 , wherein the refrigeration system has an operation mode and an adjustment mode, the controller is configured to control the measurement apparatus to measure the liquid content of the medium during operation of the refrigeration system in the operation mode, and the controller is configured to:
maintain operation of the refrigeration system in the operation mode when a measured liquid content of the medium is not greater than a predetermined liquid content threshold; and switch the refrigeration system from the operation mode to the adjustment mode when the measured liquid content of the medium is greater than the predetermined liquid content threshold.

9 . The refrigeration system of claim 8 , wherein, in the adjustment mode, the controller is configured to:
determine whether a suction pressure of the compressor reaches a minimum suction pressure threshold; reduce a load of the compressor when the suction pressure of the compressor reaches the minimum suction pressure threshold; and decrease the opening degree of the throttling apparatus when the suction pressure of the compressor does not reach the minimum suction pressure threshold.

10 . The refrigeration system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the liquid content in the medium based on a ratio of the intensity of the emission light emitted by the light emitter to the intensity of the reflection light received by the light receiver.

Assignees

• York Wuxi Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Co Ltd
• Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
• Tyco Fire & Security Gmbh

Inventors

• Su Xiuping
• Wang Li
• Yuan Bin
• Wu Chenggang

Classifications

• F25B2500/28

  Means for preventing liquid refrigerant entering into the compressor · CPC title

• G01N21/59

  Transmissivity (G01N21/25 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25B49/02 Primary

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title

• F25B2700/00

  Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor · CPC title

• F24F11/00

  Control or safety arrangements · CPC title