Method and apparatus for the sensing of refrigerant temperatures and the control of refrigerant loading
First Claim
1. A method for the sensing by temperature sensing means of the temperature of refrigerant exiting from a refrigeration system evaporator coil outlet and for the control in accordance with the sensed temperature of a controllable evaporator valve feeding liquid refrigerant to the evaporator coil inlet, the method comprising:
- feeding the refrigerant from the coil outlet to the interior of a turbulating and mixing device which has therein a refrigerant flow path, and which has an exterior wall having opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the exterior wall being of heat conductive material to permit sensing of the device interior flow path temperature through the exterior wall;
producing in the flow path turbulence and mixing of the refrigerant by turbulance and mixing producing means that intercept the entire refrigerant flow, that changes the direction of the entire refrigerant flow, and that directs the entire refrigerant flow by the change of direction to impinge against the interior surface of the exterior wall to ensure turbulence and mixing of all liquid and vapour refrigerant phases present in the refrigerant flow and contact of only mixed phases with the interior surface;
sensing the device interior flow path temperature at the exterior wall exterior surface by temperature sensing means applied to and in heat exchange contact with the wall exterior surface; and
controlling the evaporator valve in accordance with the sensed temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A new method and apparatus are provided for sensing refrigerant temperatures in refrigerator systems, and for preventing underloading of the coil, or of any of the coils in a plurality of refrigerator evaporator circuit coils connected in parallel. The usual thermostatically controlled refrigerant flow control valve is controlled by a thermostatic sensor to ensure a predetermined minimum amount of superheat, usually about 5.5° C. (10° F.). To avoid underloading the refrigerant is rendered thoroughly turbulent and mixed, and in the multi-coil evaporator the flows from all of the coils are similarly thoroughly turbulated and mixed, by a turbulating and/or mixing device that intercepts the entire refrigerant flow just before the sensing of the superheat, thus ensuring that the temperature is accurately measured; in the multi-circuit coil system the device averages the temperatures of all the flows. Different turbulator/mixer devices are described and two or more such devices may be used in series. The superheat can now be reduced to about 2° C. (4° F.), the efficiency is increased, and close matching between valve size and coil loading is no longer required.
45 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method for the sensing by temperature sensing means of the temperature of refrigerant exiting from a refrigeration system evaporator coil outlet and for the control in accordance with the sensed temperature of a controllable evaporator valve feeding liquid refrigerant to the evaporator coil inlet, the method comprising:
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feeding the refrigerant from the coil outlet to the interior of a turbulating and mixing device which has therein a refrigerant flow path, and which has an exterior wall having opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the exterior wall being of heat conductive material to permit sensing of the device interior flow path temperature through the exterior wall; producing in the flow path turbulence and mixing of the refrigerant by turbulance and mixing producing means that intercept the entire refrigerant flow, that changes the direction of the entire refrigerant flow, and that directs the entire refrigerant flow by the change of direction to impinge against the interior surface of the exterior wall to ensure turbulence and mixing of all liquid and vapour refrigerant phases present in the refrigerant flow and contact of only mixed phases with the interior surface; sensing the device interior flow path temperature at the exterior wall exterior surface by temperature sensing means applied to and in heat exchange contact with the wall exterior surface; and controlling the evaporator valve in accordance with the sensed temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for the sensing by temperature sensing means of the temperature of refrigerant exiting from a refrigeration system evaporator coil outlet and for the control in accordance with the sensed temperature of a controllable evaporator valve feeding liquid refrigerant to the evaporator coil inlet, the apparatus comprising:
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a turbulating and mixing device which has an inlet and an outlet for refrigerant, which has therein a refrigerant flow path, and which has an exterior wall having opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the exterior wall being of heat conductive material to permit sensing of the device interior flow path temperature through it; turbulence and mixing producing means in the flow path intercepting the entire refrigerant flow and creating turbulence and mixing of the refrigerant with change in the direction of the entire refrigerant flow, the turbulence and mixing producing means directing the entire refrigerant flow by the change in direction to impinge against the interior surface of the exterior wall to ensure turbulence and mixing of all liquid and vapour refrigerant phases present and contact of only mixed phases with the interior wall surface; the appratus having in operation the temperature sensing means in heat conductive contact with the exterior wall exterior surface for sensing the device interior temperature. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 34)
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25. A method for the control of refrigerant loading in a refrigerator evaporator coil comprising a plurality of circuit coils connected in parallel with one another and all supplied with refrigerant through a common thermostatically controlled refrigerant flow control valve and refrigerant distributor, the valve being controlled to control the refrigerant flow by a superheat temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the refrigerant from all of the circuit coils, the method comprising:
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feeding the refrigerant from all of the coil outlets together to the interior of a turbulating and mixing device which has therein a refrigerant flow path, and which has an exterior wall having opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the exterior wall being of heat conductive material to permit sensing of the device interior flow path temperature through the exterior wall; producing in the flow path turbulence and mixing of the refrigerant by turbulence and mixing producing means that intercept the entire refrigerant flow, that changes the direction of the entire refrigerant flow, and that directs the entire refrigerant flow by the change of direction to impinge against the interior surface of the exterior wall to ensure turbulence and mixing of all liquid and vapour refrigerant phases present in the refrigerant flow, to provide vapourisation of any liquid phase refrigerant present by any superheated vapour phase refrigerant present by any superheated vapour phase refrigerant also present, and contact of only mixed phases with the interior wall surface; sensing the device interior flow path temperature at the exterior wall exterior surface by temperature sensing means applied to and in heat exchange contact with the wall exterior surface; and controlling the evaporator valve in accordance with the sensed temperature. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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35. Apparatus for use in a refrigeration system which comprises:
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a refrigerant compressor; a condenser coil receiving refrigerant from the compressor to cool it; a common thermostatically controlled refrigerant flow control valve receiving the cooled refrigerant from the condenser coil; an evaporator coil comprising a plurality of circuit coils connected in parallel with one another so that all are supplied with refrigerant from the common control valve; a common member having an inlet and an outlet receiving the refrigerant from all of the circuit coils; and conduit means connecting the compressor, condenser coil, common control valve, evaporator coil, common member inlet, common member outlet and the compressor, in a closed loop in the order stated; a superheat temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the refrigerant at the common member outlet and operatively connected to the control valve for control thereof in accordance with the sensed temperature; the apparatus comprising a turbulating and mixing device which has an inlet for connection to the common member outlet and an outlet for the refrigerant, which has therein a refrigerant flow path, and which has an exterior wall having opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the exterior wall being of heat conductive material to permit sensing of the device interior flow path temperature through it; the device having turbulence and mixing producing means in the flow path intercepting the entire refrigerant flow path and creating turbulence and mixing of the refrigerant with change in the direction of the entire refrigerant flow, the turbulence and mixing producing means directing the entire refrigerant flow by the change in direction to impinge against the interior surface of the exterior wall to ensure turbulence and mixing of all liquid and vapour refrigerant phases present and contact of only mixed phases with the interior wall surface; and the apparatus in operation having the superheat temperature sensor in heat conductive contact with the exterior wall exterior surface. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification