Compressor crankcase heating control systems and methods

• US 9,851,135 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Pham, Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAMAY, DANIEL ELLIOT
• Application Number:
  US14/936,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20160061505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 237 2 B, 237 81, 62192
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/04 the means being electric
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/0094 crankshaft
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/06 Cooling; Heating; Prevention of freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/121 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/128 Crankcases
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/14 Pistons, piston-rods or piston-rod connections
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/81 Sensor, e.g. electronic sensor for control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/701 Cold start
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/045 of the electric motor in hermetic pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 31/002 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements

Abstract

A crankcase heating control system for a heat pump system includes a data receiving module and a power control module. The data receiving module receives data indicative of a temperature of a compressor of the heat pump system, data indicative of an ambient temperature, and data indicative of a current date and a current time. The power control module selectively applies power to a heater of a crankcase of the compressor and selectively disables the heater based on the temperature of the compressor, the ambient temperature, the current date, and the current time.

Claims

1. A crankcase heating control system for a heat pump system, the crankcase heating control system comprising:

a data receiving module that receives data indicative of a temperature of a compressor of the heat pump system, data indicative of an ambient temperature, and data indicative of a current date and a current time; and

a power control module that selectively applies power to a heater of a crankcase of the compressor and that selectively disables the heater based on the temperature of the compressor, the ambient temperature, the current date, and the current time including selectively disabling the heater when the ambient temperature is less than a predetermined temperature.

2. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module disables the heater of the crankcase when the current date is within a predetermined date range.

3. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module disables the heater of the crankcase when the current time is within a predetermined daily time range.

4. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module disables the heater of the crankcase when all of:

a period since the compressor stopped pumping is greater than a predetermined period;

the ambient temperature is less than the predetermined temperature; and

the temperature of the compressor is less than the predetermined temperature.

5. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module receives a predetermined period input by a user and disables the heater of the crankcase when the current date and time is within the predetermined period.

6. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module disables the heater of the crankcase for at least three hours following a time when the compressor stopped pumping.

7. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module disables the heater of the crankcase when the ambient temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature.

8. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the compressor is one of a discharge line temperature of the compressor, a temperature of a motor of the compressor, a temperature of lubricant within the compressor, an upper shell temperature, and a lower shell temperature.

9. A crankcase heating system comprising:

the crankcase heating control system of claim 1; and

the heater of the crankcase, wherein the heater includes one of an electric heater that encircles a shell of the compressor, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) electric heater disposed within the shell of the compressor, and a motor of the compressor.

10. A crankcase heating control method for a heat pump system, the crankcase heating control method comprising:

receiving data indicative of a temperature of a compressor of the heat pump system;

receiving data indicative of an ambient temperature;

receiving data indicative of a current date and a current time;

selectively applying power to a heater of a crankcase of the compressor; and

selectively disabling the heater based on the temperature of the compressor, the ambient temperature, the current date, and the current time including selectively disabling the heater when the ambient temperature is less than a predetermined temperature.

11. The crankcase heating control method of claim 10 wherein the selectively disabling the heater comprises disabling the heater of the crankcase when the current date is within a predetermined date range.

12. The crankcase heating control method of claim 10 wherein the selectively disabling the heater comprises disabling the heater of the crankcase when the current time is within a predetermined daily time range.

13. The crankcase heating control method of claim 10 wherein the selectively disabling the heater comprises disabling the heater of the crankcase when all of:

a period since the compressor stopped pumping is greater than a predetermined period;

the ambient temperature is less than the predetermined temperature; and

the temperature of the compressor is less than the predetermined temperature.

14. The crankcase heating control method of claim 10 wherein:

the crankcase heating control method further comprises receiving a predetermined period input by a user; and

the selectively disabling the heater comprises disabling the heater of the crankcase when the current date and time is within the predetermined period.

15. The crankcase heating control method of claim 10 wherein the selectively disabling the heater comprises disabling the heater of the crankcase for at least three hours following a time when the compressor stopped pumping.

16. The crankcase heating control method of claim 10 wherein the selectively disabling the heater comprises disabling the heater of the crankcase when the ambient temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature.

17. A crankcase heating control system for a heat pump system, the crankcase heating control system comprising:

a data receiving module that receives data indicative of a temperature of a compressor of the heat pump system, data indicative of an ambient temperature, and data indicative of a current date and a current time; and

a power control module that;

selectively applies power to a heater of a crankcase of the compressor while the compressor is off based on at least one of the temperature, the ambient temperature, the current date, and the current time;

for a predetermined period of at least 30 minutes after a time when the compressor stopped pumping, prevents the application of power to the heater of the crankcase of the compressor; and

selectively disables the heater of the crankcase when the ambient temperature is less than a predetermined temperature.

18. The crankcase heating control system of claim 17 further comprising:

a difference module that sets a temperature difference equal to the temperature of the compressor minus the ambient temperature,

wherein the power control module disables the heater of the crankcase when the temperature difference is greater than a second predetermined temperature.

19. The crankcase heating control system of claim 18 wherein the power control module applies power to the heater of the crankcase when the temperature difference is less than a third predetermined temperature that is less than the second predetermined temperature.

20. The crankcase heating control system of claim 17 wherein the power control module disables the heater of the crankcase when at least one of:

(i) the current date is within a predetermined date range;

(ii) the current time is within a predetermined daily time range;

(iii) the current date and time is within a predetermined period input by a user; and

(iv) the ambient temperature is greater than a second predetermined temperature.