Compressor assembly having electronics cooling system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
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 control module for controlling said expansion valve;
an electronics module externally mounted to the compressor;
a cooling apparatus mounted to the electronics module that receives said low-pressure refrigerant to cool said electronic module;
a temperature sensor located at an inlet of said cooling apparatus, said temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant entering said cooling apparatus,wherein said control module is in communication with said temperature sensor, and controls said expansion valve based on said temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant to minimize an amount of said low-pressure refrigerant in a liquid phase passing through said cooling apparatus.
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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.
249 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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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 control module for controlling said expansion valve; an electronics module externally mounted to the compressor; a cooling apparatus mounted to the electronics module that receives said low-pressure refrigerant to cool said electronic module; a temperature sensor located at an inlet of said cooling apparatus, said temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant entering said cooling apparatus, wherein said control module is in communication with said temperature sensor, and controls said expansion valve based on said temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant to minimize an amount of said low-pressure refrigerant in a liquid phase passing through said cooling apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A compressor for an air conditioning system or a heat pump system carrying a refrigerant, comprising:
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a shell including a suction line for receiving low-pressure refrigerant and a discharge line for dispensing high-pressure refrigerant; an electronics module externally mounted to said shell; a cooling apparatus mounted to said electronics module that utilizes said low-pressure refrigerant to cool said electronics module; a control module; and a temperature sensor at an inlet of said cooling apparatus for detecting a temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant entering said cooling apparatus, said temperature sensor being in communication with said control module, and said control module minimizing an amount of said low-pressure refrigerant in a liquid phase passing through said cooling apparatus to cool said electronics module based on said temperature. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. A method comprising cooling an electronics module that is externally mounted to a compressor using a cooling apparatus mounted to said electronics module with a low-pressure refrigerant that passes through said cooling apparatus, said step of cooling including monitoring a temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant with a temperature sensor located at an inlet of said cooling apparatus, said temperature sensor being in communication with a control module that minimizes a flow of said low-pressure refrigerant in a liquid phase entering said cooling apparatus based on said temperature.
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16. A system comprising:
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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; a control module for controlling said expansion valve; an electronics module externally mounted to said compressor; a cooling apparatus mounted to said electronics module for cooling said electronics module with said low-pressure refrigerant; and a temperature sensor located directly adjacent an inlet of said cooling apparatus for detecting a temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant entering said cooling apparatus to cool said electronics module, wherein if said sensor detects a decrease in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant entering said cooling apparatus, said control module causes said expansion valve to decrease an amount of low-pressure refrigerant allowed to pass therethrough; wherein if said sensor detects an increase in temperature of said low-pressure refrigerant entering said cooling apparatus, said control module causes said expansion valve to increase an amount of low-pressure refrigerant allowed to pass therethrough; and said control module minimizes said low-pressure refrigerant in a liquid phase passing through said cooling apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification