Defrost control using fan data
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of distinguishing between a frost condition and a nonfrost condition in a vapor compression system, the method comprising:
- determining one or more fan properties of the vapor compression system, the one or more fan properties comprising at least time and pressure;
determining a plurality of pressure measurements at a plurality of time measurements;
determining if an event has occurred based at least partially on at least the plurality of pressure measurements and the plurality of time measurements;
determining if the event is a frost condition or a nonfrost condition based at least in part upon the one or more fan properties, wherein if a pressure change occurs over a long period of time then a determination of a nonfrost condition is made, and if the pressure change occurs over a short period of time then a determination of a frost condition is made; and
initiating a defrost cycle if the event is a frost condition.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In various implementations, frost in a vapor compression system may be controlled. A property of a fan may be determined. A determination may be made whether a frost event and/or a nonfrost event has occurred based at least partially on the determined fan property.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method of distinguishing between a frost condition and a nonfrost condition in a vapor compression system, the method comprising:
-
determining one or more fan properties of the vapor compression system, the one or more fan properties comprising at least time and pressure; determining a plurality of pressure measurements at a plurality of time measurements; determining if an event has occurred based at least partially on at least the plurality of pressure measurements and the plurality of time measurements; determining if the event is a frost condition or a nonfrost condition based at least in part upon the one or more fan properties, wherein if a pressure change occurs over a long period of time then a determination of a nonfrost condition is made, and if the pressure change occurs over a short period of time then a determination of a frost condition is made; and initiating a defrost cycle if the event is a frost condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A vapor compression system comprising:
-
a fan; a sensor that measures one or more fan properties, the one or more fan properties comprising at least time and pressure; and a management module that determines whether an event has occurred at least partially based on at least a time measurement and a pressure measurement and further determines that the event is a frost condition when a pressure change occurs over a short time period and a nonfrost condition when the pressure change occurs over a long time period. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for managing a vapor compression system, the method comprising:
-
determining, using sensors and a processor, one or more fan properties of a vapor compression system, the one or more fan properties comprising at least temperature and another property; determining, using the processor, if an event has occurred based at least partially on at least one of the determined fan properties; determining, using the processor, that the event is a frost condition if a temperature measurement is below a predetermined low temperature and another property measurement is above a predetermined fan property value; determining, using the processor, that the event is a nonfrost condition if the temperature measurement is above the predetermined low temperature and the other property measurement is not within a predetermined fan property value range; and transmitting, using the processor, a signal to allow one or more defrost operations to occur if the event is a frost event, wherein a defrost operation is configured to reduce accumulation of frost on at least a portion of the vapor compression system. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification