System And Method Of Controlling A Variable Capacity Compressor

• US 20160341460A1
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: PHAM, Hung M., ANGLE, Shane J., TRUDEAU, Edward J. Jr., SOWANI, Chetan
• Granted Patent: US 10,436,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/85 using variable-flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/007 three pipes connecting the outdoor side to the indoor side with multiple indoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2104 of an indoor room or compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements

Abstract

A working-fluid circuit may include an indoor heat exchanger, a variable-capacity compressor and a control module. The variable-capacity compressor pumps working fluid through the indoor heat exchanger. The control module may control the compressor and operate the compressor in one of a first capacity mode and a second capacity mode based on a demand signal, outdoor-air-temperature data and a compressor runtime.

Claims

1. A working-fluid circuit comprising:

an outdoor heat exchanger;

a variable-capacity compressor pumping working fluid through the outdoor heat exchanger; and

a control module controlling the compressor and operating the compressor in one of a first capacity mode and a second capacity mode based on a demand signal, outdoor-air-temperature data and a compressor runtime.

2. The working-fluid circuit of claim 1, further comprising a single-stage thermostat in communication with the control module and configured to generate the demand signal, the demand signal being generic to operation in the first and second capacity modes.

3. The working-fluid circuit of claim 2, further comprising an indoor blower configured to force air into a convective heat transfer relationship with an indoor heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, the indoor blower having a fixed-speed motor.

4. The working-fluid circuit of claim 2, wherein the control module switches the compressor between the first and second capacity modes based on another compressor runtime.

5. The working-fluid circuit of claim 1, further comprising a comfort control interface configured to be set at one of a plurality of comfort level settings, wherein a first one of the comfort level settings corresponds to an energy-efficiency operating mode and a second one of the comfort level settings corresponds to a high-performance operating mode.

6. The working-fluid circuit of claim 5, wherein the comfort level settings are set based on one of a geographical region in which the working-fluid circuit is installed and a climate type in which the working-fluid circuit is installed.

7. The working-fluid circuit of claim 5, wherein the comfort control interface includes at least another comfort level setting between the first and second ones of the comfort level settings.

8. The working-fluid circuit of claim 5, wherein the comfort control interface is configured to be manually positioned at one of the plurality of comfort level settings.

9. The working-fluid circuit of claim 5, wherein the control module is configured to compare the compressor runtime with a first capacity runtime threshold and a second capacity runtime threshold.

10. The working-fluid circuit of claim 9, wherein the control module is configured to switch the compressor between the first and second capacity modes based on the comparison of the compressor runtime with the first capacity runtime threshold and based on the comparison of the compressor runtime with the second capacity runtime.

11. The working-fluid circuit of claim 10, wherein the first capacity runtime threshold and the second capacity runtime threshold are determined based on a selected one of the comfort level settings.

12. The working-fluid circuit of claim 11, wherein the first capacity runtime threshold is greater when the comfort control interface is set at the first one of the comfort level settings than when the comfort control interface is set at the second one of the comfort level settings.

13. A method of controlling a compressor operable in a first capacity mode and in a second capacity mode that is higher than the first capacity mode, the method comprising:

receiving a demand signal from a thermostat;

setting a low-capacity runtime threshold value based on a selected comfort level;

operating the compressor in a low-capacity mode in response to receipt of the demand signal;

comparing a runtime of the compressor to the low-capacity runtime threshold value; and

switching the compressor from the low-capacity mode to a high-capacity mode based on the comparison of the runtime and the low-capacity runtime threshold value.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising setting a high-capacity runtime threshold value based on the selected comfort level.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising switching the compressor from the high-capacity mode to the low-capacity mode based on the comparison of the runtime and the high-capacity runtime threshold value.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising setting a setpoint temperature at which the demand signal will be transmitted.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the comfort level settings are set based on one of a geographical region in which the compressor is installed and a climate type in which the compressor is installed.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the selected comfort level is set using a comfort control interface configured to be set at one of a plurality of comfort level settings, wherein a first one of the comfort level settings corresponds to an energy-efficiency operating mode and a second one of the comfort level settings corresponds to a high-performance operating mode.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the comfort control interface includes at least another comfort level setting between the first and second ones of the comfort level settings.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the comfort control interface is configured to be manually positioned at one of the plurality of comfort level settings.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the low-capacity runtime threshold value is greater when the comfort control interface is set at the first one of the comfort level settings than when the comfort control interface is set at the second one of the comfort level settings.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermostat is a single-stage thermostat.