HEAT PUMP CONTROLLER WITH USER-SELECTABLE DEFROST MODES AND REVERSING VALVE ENERGIZING MODES

• US 20150184921A1
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Vie, David L., Edwards, Timothy B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,964,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/19 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/01 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/027 by controlling pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/11 Fan speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/23 Time delays
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/193 of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2103 near a heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2117 of an evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 30/02 of the compression type
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 47/025 by reversing the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/004 Control mechanisms F25D21/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/006 with electronic control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/008 by timer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A heat pump controller for use in a heat exchange system includes a computing device and a user interface coupled to the computing device. The computing device is configured to initiate a defrost cycle based on one of a plurality of user-selectable defrost modes, and the user interface is configured to display the user-selectable defrost modes and receive a user selection corresponding to one of the user-selectable defrost modes.

Claims

1. A heat pump controller for use in a heat exchange system including an external heat exchanger, a compressor, a reversing valve, and an internal heat exchanger in fluid communication with one another, the heat pump controller comprising:

a computing device configured to initiate a defrost cycle based on one of a plurality of user-selectable defrost modes; and

a user interface coupled to the computing device, the user interface configured to display the user-selectable defrost modes and receive a user selection corresponding to one of the user-selectable defrost modes.

2. The heat pump controller of claim 1, wherein the user-selectable defrost modes include at least a first defrost mode and a second defrost mode.

3. The heat pump controller of claim 2, wherein in the first defrost mode the computing device initiates the defrost cycle based on a temperature of the external heat exchanger and a period of time, and in the second defrost mode the computing device initiates the defrost cycle based on a temperature differential between the temperature of the external heat exchanger and an ambient air temperature surrounding the external heat exchanger.

4. The heat pump controller of claim 3, wherein the period of time is a compressor run time.

5. The heat pump controller of claim 3, wherein in the second defrost mode, the computing device initiates the defrost cycle based on the temperature differential and a compressor run time.

6. The heat pump controller of claim 2 wherein the user-selectable defrost modes further include a third defrost mode different than the first and second defrost modes.

7. The heat pump controller of claim 1 wherein the user-selectable defrost modes are mutually exclusive modes.

8. The heat pump controller of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to output an energizing signal to the reversing valve while the heat exchange system is in one of a heating mode or a cooling mode based on one of a plurality of user-selectable reversing valve energizing modes.

9. The heat pump controller of claim 8, wherein the user interface is further configured to display the user-selectable reversing valve energizing modes and receive a user selection corresponding to one of the user-selectable reversing valve energizing modes.

10. The heat pump controller of claim 8, wherein the user-selectable reversing valve energizing modes include a first energizing mode and a second energizing mode, wherein in the first energizing mode the computing device outputs the energizing signal when the heat exchange system is in a heating mode, and in the second energizing mode the computing device outputs the energizing signal when the heat exchange system is in a cooling mode.

11. The heat pump controller of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to display a plurality of user-configurable settings and receive a user selection corresponding to one of the user-configurable settings, the user-configurable settings including at least one of a defrost enable temperature, a defrost termination temperature, and an auxiliary heater lockout temperature.

12. The heat pump controller of claim 1, further comprising a computer-readable storage device including a plurality of user-selectable pre-configurations, each pre-configuration corresponding to one of a plurality of heat exchange system manufacturers'"'"' default settings.

13. The heat pump controller of claim 12, wherein the user interface is configured to display the plurality of pre-configurations and receive a user selection corresponding to one of the pre-configurations.

14. A method of installing a heat pump controller in a heat exchange system including an external heat exchanger, a compressor, a reversing valve, and an internal heat exchanger in fluid communication with one another, the heat pump controller including a computing device coupled to a user interface, the method comprising:

coupling the computing device to the reversing valve; and

selecting, using the user interface, one of a plurality of user-selectable defrost modes for determining when to initiate a defrost cycle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user-selectable defrost modes include a first defrost mode and a second defrost mode, wherein in the first defrost mode the computing device initiates the defrost cycle based on a temperature of the external heat exchanger and a period of time, and in the second defrost mode the computing device initiates the defrost cycle based on a temperature differential between the temperature of the external heat exchanger and an ambient air temperature surrounding the external heat exchanger.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein in the second defrost mode, the computing device initiates the defrost cycle based on the temperature differential and a compressor run time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the user-selectable defrost modes further include a third defrost mode different from the first and second defrost modes.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting, using the user interface, one of a plurality of user-selectable reversing valve energizing modes.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the user-selectable reversing valve energizing modes include a first energizing mode and a second energizing mode, wherein in the first energizing mode the computing device outputs an energizing signal to the reversing valve when the heat exchange system is in a heating mode, and in the second energizing mode the computing device outputs an energizing signal to the reversing valve when the heat exchange system is in a cooling mode.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the heat pump controller further comprises a computer-readable storage device including a plurality of user-selectable pre-configurations, each pre-configuration corresponding to one of a plurality of heat exchange system manufacturers'"'"' default settings, and wherein selecting one of a plurality of user-selectable defrost modes includes selecting one of the plurality of pre-configurations.

21-83. -83. (canceled)