Compartmentalized transport refrigeration system having means for enhancing the capacity of a heating cycle
First Claim
1. In a compartmentalized transport refrigeration system which holds selected set point temperatures in at least first and second served spaces via heating and cooling cycles, a refrigerant circuit having high and low pressure sides, including a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, at least first and second evaporator sections respectively associated with the first and second served spaces, an accumulator, and mode selector valve means having heating and cooling positions, and control means for providing a heat signal when the need for a heating cycle in one of the served spaces is detected, with the mode selector valve means being in the cooling position thereof in the absence of a heat signal, the improvement comprising:
- first means responsive to the heat signal for connecting the receiver and low pressure side of the refrigeration system in direct fluid flow communication, with said first means including a controllable valve which is operated from a closed position to an open position in response to the heat signal,and second means responsive to the heat signal for operating said mode selector valve means from the cooling position to the heating position thereof, a predetermined period of time after initiation of the heat signal,said first means including means responsive to the termination of said predetermined period of time for returning the controllable valve of said first means to the closed position thereof,whereby a condenser flushing mode occurs prior to a heating cycle relative to a served space, which forces liquid refrigerant in the condenser to flow to the low pressure side of the refrigeration circuit via the receiver, to increase the quantity of refrigerant available during the heating cycle, while preventing high pressure refrigerant required by a cooling cycle associated with another of the served spaces from being short circuited to the low pressure side of the refrigeration circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A compartmentalized transport refrigeration system which holds selected set point temperatures in at least first and second served spaces via heating and cooling cycles. The system includes a refrigerant circuit having high and low pressure sides, including a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, at least first and second evaporator sections respectively associated with the first and second served spaces, an accumulator, and a mode selector valve having heating and cooling positions. Control provides a heat signal when the need for a heating cycle in one of the served spaces is detected. The receiver is connected to the low pressure side of the refrigerant circuit for a predetermined period of time in response to the heat signal. At the end of the period of time the mode selector valve is operated from the cooling position to the heating position, and the connection between the receiver and low pressure side is terminated.
41 Citations
7 Claims
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1. In a compartmentalized transport refrigeration system which holds selected set point temperatures in at least first and second served spaces via heating and cooling cycles, a refrigerant circuit having high and low pressure sides, including a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, at least first and second evaporator sections respectively associated with the first and second served spaces, an accumulator, and mode selector valve means having heating and cooling positions, and control means for providing a heat signal when the need for a heating cycle in one of the served spaces is detected, with the mode selector valve means being in the cooling position thereof in the absence of a heat signal, the improvement comprising:
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first means responsive to the heat signal for connecting the receiver and low pressure side of the refrigeration system in direct fluid flow communication, with said first means including a controllable valve which is operated from a closed position to an open position in response to the heat signal, and second means responsive to the heat signal for operating said mode selector valve means from the cooling position to the heating position thereof, a predetermined period of time after initiation of the heat signal, said first means including means responsive to the termination of said predetermined period of time for returning the controllable valve of said first means to the closed position thereof, whereby a condenser flushing mode occurs prior to a heating cycle relative to a served space, which forces liquid refrigerant in the condenser to flow to the low pressure side of the refrigeration circuit via the receiver, to increase the quantity of refrigerant available during the heating cycle, while preventing high pressure refrigerant required by a cooling cycle associated with another of the served spaces from being short circuited to the low pressure side of the refrigeration circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of operating a compartmentalized transport refrigeration system which holds selected set point temperatures in at least first and second served spaces via heating and cooling cycles, a refrigerant circuit having high and low pressure sides, including a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, at least first and second evaporator sections respectively associated with the first and second served spaces, an accumulator, and mode selector valve means having heating and cooling positions, comprising the steps of:
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providing a heat signal when the need for a heat cycle is detected in one of the served spaces, connecting the receiver in direct fluid flow communication with the low pressure side of the refrigerant circuit when the heat signal is provided, initiating a predetermined timing period in response to the heat signal, maintaining the mode selector valve means in a cooling cycle position during the timing period, operating the mode selector valve means to select the heating cycle at the expiration of the timing period, and terminating the direct fluid communication between the receiver and low pressure side of the refrigerant circuit at the expiration of the timing period, whereby continuing the mode selector valve means in the cooling position thereof while the receiver is directly connected to the low pressure side of the refrigerant circuit forces liquid refrigerant trapped in the condenser to become available for a heating cycle, while preventing high pressure refrigerant required by a cooling cycle associated with another of the served spaces, from being short circuited to the low pressure side of the refrigerant circuit. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification