COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY HAVING ELECTRONICS COOLING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090090113A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Caillat, Jean-Luc M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,950,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/56
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/10 Inlet temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/06 Cooling; Heating; Prevention of freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/10 Other safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/08 Cooling; Heating; Preventing freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/06 the pump being electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5813 Cooling the control unit
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/021 Inverters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0253 with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/21 Refrigerant outlet evaporator temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2513 Expansion valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21151 at the suction side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 31/006 Cooling of compressor or motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/34 with the valve member being actuated by electric means, e.g. by piezoelectric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A system, compressor, and method that cools an electronics module with a low-pressure refrigerant. The system, compressor, and method utilize a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the low pressure refrigerant and communicates with the electronics module. Based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the electronics module controls a liquid dry out point of the refrigerant that is used to cool the electronics module.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a compressor having a suction side for receiving low-pressure refrigerant and a discharge side for dispensing high-pressure refrigerant;

a pair of heat exchangers in communication with said compressor;

an expansion valve disposed between said heat exchangers;

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant passing through the system;

a cooling apparatus for receiving said low-pressure refrigerant; and

an electronics module adjacent said cooling apparatus, in communication with said temperature sensor, and controlling said expansion valve based on said temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant to control an amount of said low-pressure refrigerant passing through said cooling apparatus.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronics module controls a liquid dry out point (LDOP) of said low-pressure refrigerant.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronics module controls superheating of said low-pressure refrigerant.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein if said sensor detects a decrease in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant, said electronics module causes said expansion valve to decrease an amount of refrigerant allowed to reach one of said heat exchangers.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein if said sensor detects an increase in temperature of said refrigerant, said electronics module causes said expansion valve to increase an amount of refrigerant allowed to reach one of said heat exchangers.

6-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A compressor for an air conditioning system or a heat pump system carrying a refrigerant, comprising:

a shell including a suction line for receiving low-pressure refrigerant and a discharge line for dispensing high-pressure refrigerant;

an electronics module proximate said shell;

a cooling apparatus proximate said electronics that utilizes said low-pressure refrigerant to cool said electronics module; and

a temperature sensor adjacent said cooling apparatus and in communication with said electronics module, and for detecting a temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant.

14. The compressor of claim 10, wherein said electronics module controls an amount of the refrigerant passing through said cooling apparatus.

15. The compressor of claim 14, wherein if said sensor detects a decrease in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant, said electronics module decreases an amount of low-pressure refrigerant passing through said cooling apparatus.

16. The compressor of claim 14, wherein if said sensor detects an increase in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant, said electronics module increases an amount of low-pressure refrigerant passing through said cooling apparatus.

17. The compressor of claim 10, wherein said electronics module controls a liquid dry out point (LDOP) of the refrigerant.

18. The compressor of claim 10, wherein said electronics module controls superheating of said low-pressure refrigerant.

11-13. -13. (canceled)

19. A method comprising:

monitoring a temperature of a low-pressure refrigerant with a temperature sensor in communication with an electronics module;

controlling with said electronics module a flow of said low-pressure refrigerant based on said temperature; and

cooling said electronics module with said low-pressure refrigerant.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein controlling said flow controls a liquid dry out point (LDOP) of said low-pressure refrigerant.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein controlling said LDOP controls superheating of said low-pressure refrigerant.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein if said sensor detects a decrease in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant, said electronics module decreases said flow of low-pressure refrigerant.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein if said sensor detects an increase in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant, said electronics module increases said flow of low-pressure refrigerant.

24. A system comprising:

a compressor that discharges a high-pressure refrigerant;

a pair of heat exchangers in communication with said compressor;

an expansion valve disposed between said heat exchangers that converts said high-pressure refrigerant to a low-pressure refrigerant;

an electronics module for controlling said expansion valve; and

a temperature sensor in communication with said module for detecting a temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant;

a cooling apparatus adjacent said temperature sensor for cooling said module with said low-pressure refrigerant,

wherein if said sensor detects a decrease in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant, said electronics module causes said expansion valve to decrease an amount of low-pressure refrigerant allowed to pass therethrough; and

if said sensor detects an increase in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant, said electronics module causes said expansion valve to increase an amount of low-pressure refrigerant allowed to pass therethrough.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein increasing and decreasing said refrigerant with said expansion valve controls a liquid dry out point (LDOP) of said refrigerant.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein controlling said LDOP controls superheating of said low-pressure refrigerant.

34. The system of claim 24, wherein said compressor is a variable speed compressor.

35. The system of claim 24, wherein said electronics module includes an inverter.

27-33. -33. (canceled)