Automatic refrigerant charging apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for automatically adjusting the volume of refrigerant charge in an air conditioning system having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and a evaporator fluidly connected in serial refrigerant flow relationship comprising:
- a plurality of sensors for respectively sensing a plurality of selected temperature and pressure conditions of the system;
memory means for storing representative values for said sensed conditions;
memory means for storing algorithms for computing charge level indicators as a function of said stored representative values;
memory means for storing optimal charge level indicators for at least one particular system;
comparison means for comparing said computed charge level indicators with said optimal charge level indicators to obtain a difference value;
a source of refrigerant fluidly connected to said system by way of at least one valve; and
valve activating means for controlling said at least one valve in response to said difference value to change the level of refrigerant in said system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air conditioning system includes a plurality of sensors for sensing temperature and/or pressure conditions of the system which collectively indicate the actual refrigerant charge level in the system. This level is then compared with optimum level values that are stored in memory, and the difference between the two is used to indicate whether the system is properly charged. If not, the difference is applied to open a charge valve or a purge valve to automatically install additional refrigerant or to remove refrigerant so as to establish an optimum volume of refrigerant in the system.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for automatically adjusting the volume of refrigerant charge in an air conditioning system having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and a evaporator fluidly connected in serial refrigerant flow relationship comprising:
-
a plurality of sensors for respectively sensing a plurality of selected temperature and pressure conditions of the system;
memory means for storing representative values for said sensed conditions;
memory means for storing algorithms for computing charge level indicators as a function of said stored representative values;
memory means for storing optimal charge level indicators for at least one particular system;
comparison means for comparing said computed charge level indicators with said optimal charge level indicators to obtain a difference value;
a source of refrigerant fluidly connected to said system by way of at least one valve; and
valve activating means for controlling said at least one valve in response to said difference value to change the level of refrigerant in said system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 19)
-
-
11. A method of automatically adjusting the volume of refrigerant charge in an air conditioning system having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and a evaporator fluidly connected in serial refrigerant flow relationship comprising the steps of:
-
providing a plurality of sensors and respectively sensing a plurality of selected temperature and pressure conditions of the system;
storing respective values for said sensed conditions;
storing algorithms for and computing charge level indicators as a function of said stored representative values;
storing optimal charge level indicators for at least one particular system;
comparing said computed charge level indicators with said optimal charge level indicators to obtain a difference value;
providing a source of refrigerant fluidly connected to said system by way of at least one valve; and
activating said at least one valve in response to said difference value to change the level of refrigerant in said system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
-
Specification