Systems and methods for active compressor control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023064418-A1
Application number	US-202217813146-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2022
Priority date	Aug 25, 2021
Publication date	Mar 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigeration system configured for controlling operation of a compressor is disclosed. The refrigeration system comprises an electronic expansion device operatively coupled with the compressor. The refrigeration system comprises a controller operatively coupled with the electronic expansion device. The controller is configured to control the electronic expansion valve based on a superheat setpoint range. The controller is further configured to adjust the superheat setpoint range in response to an operating point of the compressor being within a threshold distance from a boundary of an operational envelope for the compressor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigeration system configured for controlling operation of a compressor, the refrigeration system comprising:
an electronic expansion device operatively coupled with the compressor; and a controller operatively coupled with the electronic expansion device, wherein the controller is configured to:
control the electronic expansion valve based on a superheat setpoint range; and
adjust the superheat setpoint range in response to an operating point of the compressor being within a threshold distance from a boundary of an operational envelope for the compressor.

2 . The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the superheat setpoint range includes adjusting an upper superheat setpoint of the superheat setpoint range.

3 . The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the superheat setpoint range includes adjusting a lower superheat setpoint of the superheat setpoint range.

4 . The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
control the electronic expansion device based on a superheat setpoint threshold within the setpoint range; and adjust the superheat setpoint threshold within the setpoint range in response to the operating point of the compressor being within the threshold distance from a boundary of the operational envelope for the compressor.

5 . The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the operational envelope for the compressor define one or more compressor operating points corresponding to suction and discharge pressures of a fluid in the refrigeration system.

6 . The refrigeration system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more sensors, operatively coupled with the controller, the one or more sensors configured to generate output signals indicating one or more operating parameters of the refrigeration system, the operating parameters including temperature or pressure in the refrigeration system, wherein the controller is further configured to control the electronic expansion device based on the one or more operating parameters of the refrigeration system.

7 . The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the compressor is a fixed speed compressor.

8 . A method for actively controlling operation of a compressor of a refrigeration system with an electronic expansion device, the method comprising:
controlling the electronic expansion device based on a superheat setpoint range; and adjusting the superheat setpoint range in response to an operating point of the compressor being within a threshold distance from a boundary of an operational envelope for the compressor.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the superheat setpoint range includes adjusting an upper superheat setpoint of the superheat setpoint range.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the superheat setpoint range includes adjusting a lower superheat setpoint of the superheat setpoint range.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
controlling the electronic expansion device based on a superheat setpoint threshold within the setpoint range; and adjusting the superheat setpoint threshold within the setpoint range in response to the operating point of the compressor being within the threshold distance from a boundary of the operational envelope for the compressor.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the operational envelope for the compressor define one or more compressor operating points corresponding to suction and discharge pressures of a fluid in the refrigeration system.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
generating, with one or more sensors, output signals indicating one or more operating parameters of the refrigeration system, the operating parameters including temperature or pressure in the refrigeration system; and controlling the electronic expansion valve based on the one or more operating parameters of the refrigeration system.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the compressor is a fixed speed compressor.

15 . A controller comprising:
at least one processor; and memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions when executed cause the system to: control an electronic expansion valve based on a superheat setpoint range; and adjust the superheat setpoint range in response to an operating point of a compressor being within a threshold distance from a boundary of an operational envelope for the compressor.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Clark Matthew
• Burns Larry D
• Lee Jun Pyo
• Li Keyu
• Shi Runfu

Classifications

• F25B2700/21

  Temperatures · CPC title

• F25B2700/1933

  Suction pressures · CPC title

• F25B2600/2513

  Expansion valves · CPC title

• F25B41/34 Primary

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

• F25B49/02 Primary

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title