TWO PHASE LOOP DISTRIBUTED HVAC&R SYSTEM

• US 20170191711A1
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Lord, Richard G., Luo, Dong, Grabon, Michel, Radcliff, Thomas D., Verma, Parmesh
• Granted Patent: US 10,429,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/06 Several compression cycles arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 25/005 using primary and secondary systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/13 Pump speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 40/02 Subcoolers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 43/006 Accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 9/008 the refrigerant being carbon dioxide

Abstract

An HVAC&R system including a pumping device configured to circulate a first two-phase medium, a plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, wherein at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the pumping device, and a primary HVAC&R unit operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, wherein the pumping device, a portion of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, and a portion of the primary HVAC&R unit form a primary loop.

Claims

1. An HVAC&

R system comprising;

a first pumping device configured to circulate a first two-phase medium;

a plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units, wherein at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units is operably coupled to the first pumping device; and

a primary HVAC&

R unit operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units and the first pumping device;

wherein the first pumping device, a portion of each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units, and a portion of the primary HVAC&

R unit form a primary loop.

2. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1 further comprising a first valve operably coupled to the first pumping device, the first valve configured to direct the flow of the first two-phase medium.

3. The HVAC&

R system of claim 2, further comprising a controller in electrical communication with the first pumping device, the first valve, each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units, and the primary HVAC&

R unit, the controller configured to control the operation of each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R, the first pumping device, the first valve and the primary HVAC&

R unit.

4. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensing device disposed on the primary loop, the at least one sensing device configured to determine the state of the first two-phase medium.

5. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units comprises;

a secondary compressor configured to circulate a second two-phase medium;

a first secondary heat exchanger operably coupled to the secondary compressor;

a secondary expansion device operably coupled to the first secondary heat exchanger; and

a second secondary heat exchanger operably coupled to the secondary expansion device and the secondary compressor;

wherein a portion of the primary loop is operably coupled to the first secondary heat exchanger.

6. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units is a non-vapor, compression-based heat pumping device thermally coupled to the first two-phase medium.

7. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein the primary HVAC&

R unit comprises

a primary compressor configured to circulate a third two-phase medium;

a first primary heat exchanger operably coupled to the primary compressor;

a primary expansion device operably coupled to the first primary heat exchanger; and

a second primary heat exchanger operably coupled to the primary expansion device and the primary compressor;

wherein a portion of the primary loop is operably coupled to the first primary heat exchanger.

8. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein the first two-phase medium comprises carbon dioxide.

9. The HVAC&

R system of claim 5, wherein the second two-phase medium comprises a refrigerant.

10. The HVAC&

R system of claim 7, wherein the third two-phase medium comprises a refrigerant.

11. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units comprises a heat pump.

12. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein the primary HVAC&

R unit comprises a heat pump.

13. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, further comprising an airflow device disposed on the primary loop, the airflow device configured to direct airflow onto the primary loop.

14. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, further comprising;

at least one conduit operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units; and

an airflow device operably coupled to the at least one conduit;

wherein the airflow device configured to circulate outdoor air to the at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units.

15. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units is configured to operate in at least one of a heating mode and cooling mode.

16. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein the primary HVAC unit is configured to operate in at least one of a heating mode and cooling mode.

17. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, wherein the first pumping device is configured to operate at a pumping capacity, each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units is configured to operate at a secondary capacity, and the primary HVAC unit is configured to operate at a primary capacity.

18. The HVAC&

R system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to vary at least one of the pumping capacity, the secondary capacity and the primary capacity.

19. The HVAC&

R system of claim 18, wherein varying at least one of the pumping capacity, the secondary capacity and the primary capacity provides a saturated sub-cooled first medium entering the first pumping device.

20. The HVAC&

R system of claim 19, further comprising a first storage device disposed on the primary loop and in flow communication with the first pumping device, wherein the first storage device includes a first storage volume and is configured to provide the saturated sub-cooled first medium entering the first pumping device.

21. The HVAC&

R system of claim 19, further comprising;

a second valve disposed on the primary loop and in flow communication with the first pumping device; and

a pressure container device operably coupled to the second valve;

wherein the second valve and pressure container are effective to regulate a pressure within the primary loop.

22. The HVAC&

R system of claim 5, wherein a first portion of each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units is disposed within a first interior space.

23. The HVAC&

R system of claim 22, wherein the first portion comprises the secondary compressor, the secondary expansion device, and the second secondary heat exchanger.

24. The HVAC&

R system of claim 22, wherein the first interior space comprises an occupied space.

25. The HVAC&

R system of claim 22, wherein a second portion of each of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units is disposed within a second interior space

26. The HVAC&

R system of claim 25, wherein the second portion comprises the first secondary heat exchanger.

27. The HVAC&

R system of claim 25, wherein the second interior space comprises an unoccupied space.

28. The HVAC&

R system of claim 1, further comprising a second storage device disposed on the primary loop and communication with the valve and at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units;

wherein the second storage device comprises a second storage volume therein.

29. The HVAC&

R system of claim 28, wherein the second storage volume comprises the first two-phase medium.

30. The HVAC&

R system of claim 28, further comprising a second pumping device disposed on the primary loop and communication with the second storage device and at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&

R units.

31. The HVAC&

R system of claim 30, wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of second pumping device.