Multi-compressor climate system

• US 10,703,173 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bergstrom Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bergstrom Incorporated
• Inventors: Connell, Brett S., Herrmann, Brett, Sullivan, Aaron D., Zeigler, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): Duke, Emmanuel E
• Application Number:
  US16/133,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20190009648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00849 for selectively commanding the induction of outside or inside air B60H1/00842 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00864 Ventilators and damper doors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3214 for improving the lubrication of a refrigerant compressor in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3223 characterised by the arrangement or type of the compressor B60H1/3222 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/323 characterised by comprising auxiliary or multiple systems, e.g. plurality of evaporators, or by involving auxiliary cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3238 related to the operation of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3255 related to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3272 to control the revolving speed of a compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/01 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0251 with on-off operation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0253 with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/111 of condenser fans
• 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 31/004 oil recirculating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/027 Condenser control arrangements

Abstract

Disclosed are climate systems and methods for control the climate systems. A climate system includes a plurality of compressors, a first heat exchanger disposed downstream of the compressors and a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of the first heat exchanger. The compressors and heat exchangers are fluidly connected by refrigerant lines to form a refrigerant circuit. The climate system also includes a controller that controls the operation of the compressors to draw back lubricant to the compressors without use of an oil equalization system.

Claims

1. A climate system for conditioning air within a compartment of a vehicle, comprising:

a first compressor that includes a first oil sump;

a second compressor that includes a second oil sump, independent of the first oil sump;

a first refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the first and second compressors and thermally coupled to an exterior of the vehicle;

a second refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the first refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger and thermally coupled to the compartment of the vehicle;

refrigerant lines fluidly connecting the first and second compressors and the first and second heat exchangers to form a refrigerant circuit; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second compressors and including instructions that are configured to selectively draw back compressor oil from the refrigerant lines to at least one of the first and second oil sumps by adjusting an operating speed of at least one of the first and second compressors.

2. The climate system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

draw oil back to the first oil sump by lowering a speed of the first compressor for a first time period; and

draw oil back to the second oil sump by lowering a speed of the second compressor for a second time period.

3. The climate system of claim 1, wherein the first oil sump and the second oil sump are not connected by an oil equalizing system.

4. The climate system of claim 1, wherein:

the first compressor is configured to be driven by an internal combustion engine; and

the second compressor is an electrically driven compressor.

5. The climate system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first flow control valve disposed upstream of the first compressor and configured to selectively restrict or permit flow of the refrigerant to the first compressor; and

a second flow control valve disposed upstream of the second compressor and configured to selectively restrict or permit flow of the refrigerant to the second compressor.

6. The climate system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

disable the first or the second compressor in accordance with a thermal load of the compartment meeting one or more criteria; and

enable both the first and the second compressors in accordance with the thermal load of the compartment not meeting the one or more criteria.

7. The climate system of claim 1, further comprising a first air blower positioned proximate the second heat exchanger, and configured to do one or more of the following:

(i) blow air over the second heat exchanger, and (ii) vent interior air of the compartment to reduce the thermal load of the compartment.

8. The climate system of claim 7, further comprising:

a sensor configured to measure an atmosphere temperature; and

a thermostat configured to enable a user to set a desired temperature and to monitor an interior temperature of the compartment;

wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the sensor, the thermostat, and the first air blower; and

wherein the controller is further configured to perform one or more of the following;

in accordance with the interior temperature being higher than both of the atmosphere temperature and the desired temperature, turning on the first air blower to vent interior air from the compartment; and

in accordance with the interior temperature being below the atmosphere temperature and the desired temperature being below the atmosphere temperature;

operating at least one of the first compressor and the second compressor; and

controlling operations of the first and second compressors in accordance with the desired temperature and the atmosphere temperature.

9. The climate system of claim 7, further comprising a second air blower installed in the vehicle and configured to pull fresh air into the compartment;

wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the second air blower; and

wherein the controller is further configured to perform one or more of the following;

control the first air blower to vent the interior air of the compartment to outside; and

control the second air blower to pull fresh air into the compartment.

10. The climate system of claim 9, wherein the climate system is integrated with an existing air conditioning system of the vehicle, and wherein the first air blower and the second air blower are shared by the climate system and the existing air conditioning system.

11. The climate system of claim 1, further comprising a metering device disposed upstream of the evaporator and configured to regulate flow of the refrigerant into the evaporator.

12. The climate system of claim 11, wherein the metering device is a thermal expansion valve or a capillary tube.

13. The climate system of claim 1, further comprising a receiver/drier disposed between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and configured to perform one or more of the following:

(i) temporarily store the refrigerant, and (ii) absorb moisture from the refrigerant.

14. The climate system of claim 1, wherein the first compressor and the second compressor are coupled in parallel with one another.

15. The climate system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether to draw back compressor oil to the first oil sump or the second oil sump.

16. The climate system of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether to draw back compressor oil to the first oil sump or the second oil sump based on relative operating speeds of the first compressor and the second compressor over a prior time period.

17. The climate system of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to:

identify current speeds of the first and second compressors; and

determine whether to draw back compressor oil to the first oil sump or the second oil sump based on an amount of time the first compressor and the second compressor have been operating at the current speeds.

18. A method of operating a vehicular climate control system, comprising:

a controller communicatively coupled to a first compressor and a second compressor of the vehicular climate control system;

operating the first compressor at a first speed;

concurrent with operating the first compressor at the first, speed, operating the second compressor at a second speed; and

drawing compressor oil back from refrigerant lines of the vehicular climate control system to a first oil sump corresponding to the first compressor by operating the first compressor at a third speed, lower than the first speed, for a first period of time;

wherein the first oil sump is not fluidly connected to a second oil sump, the second oil sump corresponding to the second compressor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second speed is less than the first speed.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the third speed is less than the second speed.