System and method of controlling a variable-capacity compressor

• US 10,436,490 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Pham, Hung M., Angle, Shane J., Trudeau, Jr., Edward J., Sowani, Chetan
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, Elizabeth J
• Application Number:
  US15/196,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20160341460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/85 using variable-flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/007 three pipes connecting the outdoor side to the indoor side with multiple indoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2104 of an indoor room or compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements

Abstract

A working-fluid circuit may include an indoor heat exchanger, a variable-capacity compressor and a control module. The variable-capacity compressor pumps working fluid through the indoor heat exchanger. The control module may control the compressor and operate the compressor in one of a first capacity mode and a second capacity mode based on a demand signal, outdoor-air-temperature data and a compressor runtime.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a compressor operable in a first capacity mode and in a second capacity mode that is higher than the first capacity mode, the method comprising:

receiving a demand signal from a thermostat;

selecting one of a plurality of low-capacity runtime threshold values based on a selected one of a plurality of comfort levels, wherein each of the comfort levels corresponds to a different one of the low-capacity runtime threshold values;

operating the compressor in a low-capacity mode in response to receipt of the demand signal;

comparing a runtime of the compressor to the selected one of the low-capacity runtime threshold values; and

switching the compressor from the low-capacity mode to a high-capacity mode based on the comparison of the runtime and the selected one of the low-capacity runtime threshold values.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a high-capacity runtime threshold value based on the selected one of the comfort levels.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising switching the compressor from the high-capacity mode to the low-capacity mode based on the comparison of the runtime and the high-capacity runtime threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a setpoint temperature at which the demand signal will be transmitted.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the comfort level settings are set based on one of a geographical region in which the compressor is installed and a climate type in which the compressor is installed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the comfort levels is set using a comfort control interface configured to be set at one of the plurality of comfort level settings, wherein a first one of the comfort level settings corresponds to an energy-efficiency operating mode and a second one of the comfort level settings corresponds to a high-performance operating mode.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the comfort control interface includes at least another comfort level setting between the first and second ones of the comfort level settings.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the comfort control interface is configured to be manually positioned at one of the plurality of comfort level settings.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the low-capacity runtime threshold value is greater when the comfort control interface is set at the first one of the comfort level settings than when the comfort control interface is set at the second one of the comfort level settings.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is a single-stage thermostat.