Refrigeration system with superheating, sub-cooling and refrigerant charge level control
First Claim
1. A refrigeration system, comprising:
- a refrigerant reservoir;
a compressor to compress a refrigerant;
a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor to condense the refrigerant;
an evaporator disposed downstream of the condenser to vaporize the refrigerant;
refrigerant lines fluidly connecting the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator in series to form a refrigerant circuit for circulating the refrigerant;
at least one sensor configured to measure a temperature of the refrigerant and a pressure of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to;
determine a sub-cooling level or super-heating level based on the temperature or the pressure measured by the at least one sensor;
determine a refrigerant charge level based at least in part on the sub-cooling level or the super-heating level;
determine whether the refrigerant charge level is below a predetermined refrigerant charge level; and
in accordance with a determination that the refrigerant charge level is below the predetermined refrigerant charge level, selectively inject additional refrigerant from the refrigerant reservoir to the refrigerant circuit, thereby raising the refrigerant charge level to at least the predetermined refrigerant charge level.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for determining refrigerant charge level. In one aspect, a refrigeration system includes: (1) a compressor to compress a refrigerant; (2) a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor to condense the refrigerant; (3) an evaporator disposed downstream of the condenser to vaporize the refrigerant; (4) refrigerant lines fluidly connecting the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator in series to form a refrigerant circuit for circulating the refrigerant; (5) at least one sensor configured to measure temperature and pressure of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit; and (6) a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to: (a) determine a sub-cooling level or super-heating level based on the temperature and/or pressure measured by the at least one sensor; and (b) facilitate operation of the refrigeration system based on the sub-cooling level or the super-heating level.
261 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A refrigeration system, comprising:
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a refrigerant reservoir; a compressor to compress a refrigerant; a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor to condense the refrigerant; an evaporator disposed downstream of the condenser to vaporize the refrigerant; refrigerant lines fluidly connecting the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator in series to form a refrigerant circuit for circulating the refrigerant; at least one sensor configured to measure a temperature of the refrigerant and a pressure of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit; and a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to; determine a sub-cooling level or super-heating level based on the temperature or the pressure measured by the at least one sensor; determine a refrigerant charge level based at least in part on the sub-cooling level or the super-heating level; determine whether the refrigerant charge level is below a predetermined refrigerant charge level; and in accordance with a determination that the refrigerant charge level is below the predetermined refrigerant charge level, selectively inject additional refrigerant from the refrigerant reservoir to the refrigerant circuit, thereby raising the refrigerant charge level to at least the predetermined refrigerant charge level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for controlling a refrigeration system, comprising:
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measuring, at one or more sensors, temperature and pressure of refrigerant within a refrigerant circuit of the refrigeration system; determining a refrigerant sub-cooling level or a refrigerant super-heating level based on the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant; determining a refrigerant charge level based at least in part on the refrigerant sub-cooling level or the refrigerant super-heating level; determining whether the refrigerant charge level is below a predetermined refrigerant charge level; and in accordance with a determination that the refrigerant charge level is below the predetermined refrigerant charge level, selectively injecting additional refrigerant to the refrigerant circuit, thereby raising the refrigerant charge level to at least the predetermined refrigerant charge level. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification