Copeland Corporation

Emerson Climate Technologies Gmbh

Copeland Comfort Control LP

Andrew M Welch

Brian R Butler

David A Alfano

Winfield S Morter

Stuart K Morgan

Hung M Pham

Michael A Saunders

Natarajan Rajendran

Daniel J Rice

Rajan Rajendran

William Bradford Boggess

Nathan O Boyce

Kefan Huang

Stuart Keith Morgan

Brian Richard Butler

Kevin Patrick Hallinan

Abdulrahman Alanezi

David Alexander Alfano

A heat-pump system includes a compressor, an outdoor heating exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a supplemental heater. The outdoor heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the compressor. The indoor heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the compressor. The expansion device is in fluid communication with the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers. The supplemental heater includes a heat source and a working-fluid conduit. The heat source is in a heat-transfer relationship with the working-fluid conduit such that the heat source is configured to heat the working-fluid conduit. The working-fluid conduit is disposed fluidly between the expansion device and the indoor heat exchanger.

Hybrid heat-pump system

A method of HVAC system performance monitoring using a computing device connected to at least one thermostat of an HVAC system in a building includes receiving thermostat data from the thermostat, the thermostat data including temperature setpoint data, measured building temperature data, and HVAC operation data for a time period. Weather data is received from a weather service for the time period, and the thermostat data is synchronized with the weather data with respect to time. At least one machine learning model is trained using the synchronized thermostat and weather data, and performance of the HVAC system over time is monitored using the trained machine learning model.

Energy management and smart thermostat learning methods and control systems

A conditioning system for a conditioned interior space includes a vapor compression system, an evaporative cooling system, and a controller. The vapor compression system includes an evaporator, a condenser, a refrigerant active fluid for flowing between the evaporator and the condenser, a first fan to produce a first airflow toward the conditioned interior space, and a second fan for producing a second airflow from the condenser toward an exterior space. The evaporative cooling system includes a first tank containing a non-refrigerant active fluid, and a heat exchange device fluidically coupled to the first tank to receive the non-refrigerant active fluid. The first fan is positioned to produce the first airflow through the heat exchange device toward the conditioned interior space. The controller is programmed to control cooperative operation of the vapor compression system and the evaporative cooling system to condition the conditioned interior space.

Conditioning system including vapor compression system and evaporative cooling system

Climate control systems, like reversible heat pumps, circulate a working fluid having moderate to high glide with first and second refrigerants having a difference in boiling points ≥about 10° F. (1 atm.). The system includes a gas-liquid separation vessel, a compressor, a first heat exchanger disposed downstream of the compressor that generates a first multiphase or liquid working fluid stream, an expansion device, a second heat exchanger that receives and at least partially vaporizes a reduced pressure stream from the expansion device to generate a second multiphase or vapor working fluid stream; an ejector component disposed downstream of the first and second heat exchangers that receives and mixes the first stream and the second stream to generate a third multiphasic fluid stream that is directed to the gas-liquid separation vessel; and a fluid conduit for circulating the working fluid. Methods of operating such climate control systems are also provided.

Climate control systems having ejector cooling for use with moderate to high glide working fluids and methods for operation thereof

A heating system of a building includes: a solar heater configured to receive sunlight and to at least one of absorb heat into a refrigerant and augment heat absorbed into the refrigerant; a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant that vaporized via absorption of heat; a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the refrigerant to water; an expansion valve configured to reduce at least one of a temperature and a pressure of the refrigerant after the transfer of heat from the refrigerant to water; a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from water output from the first heat exchanger to air passing the second heat exchanger before flowing into the building; a pump configured to pump the water from the solar heater to the second heat exchanger; and a blower configured to blow air past the second heat exchanger and into the building.

Combined cooling, heating, and power system

A heating and cooling (HVAC) system that includes a compressor; a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger; a first expansion valve positioned between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; a first reversing valve that permits the system to operate in a first mode and a second mode; and a thermal battery including a phase change material therein that is configured to selectively store and release thermal energy received from a working fluid.

Thermal battery and heat exchanger assembly using phase change material

A climate-control system may include a compressor, a thermal storage device, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a first expansion device, and a second expansion device. The compressor may include an intermediate-pressure inlet, an intermediate-pressure outlet, a discharge outlet, a suction-pressure pocket, and a plurality of compression pockets. The thermal storage device may include a conduit and a phase-change material surrounding the conduit. The first expansion valve, the second expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the indoor heat exchanger, and the thermal storage device may be in fluid communication with the compressor. The climate-control system is operable in a charging mode and a discharging mode, and is operable in a cooling mode and a heating mode. The thermal storage device may be configured to absorb heat from a working fluid or to transfer heat to the working fluid.

Climate-control system with thermal storage

A heat-pump system is provided that includes an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, an indoor heat exchanger, a compressor, and a multiway valve. The expansion device is in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the expansion device. The compressor circulates working fluid through the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers. The multiway valve is movable between a first position corresponding to a cooling mode of the heat-pump system and a second position corresponding to a heating mode of the heat-pump system. The working fluid flows in the same direction through the outdoor heat exchanger in the cooling mode and in the heating mode, and the working fluid flows in the same direction through the indoor heat exchanger in the cooling mode and in the heating mode.

Heat-pump system with multiway valve

A compressor may include first and second scrolls and a capacity modulation assembly. The capacity modulation assembly may include a valve ring and a modulation control valve. The valve ring is movable relative to the first scroll between a first position corresponding to a first capacity mode and a second position corresponding to a second capacity mode. The modulation control valve includes a valve body and a valve member that is movable relative to the valve body to cause corresponding movement of the valve ring. The valve body includes a cavity in which the valve member is movably disposed. The valve body includes passages in fluid communication with the cavity. A first pressure differential between fluid in one of the passages and fluid in another of the passages causes movement of the valve member to cause corresponding movement of the valve ring between the first and second positions.

Heat pump systems with capacity modulation

Climate control systems and methods of operating them are provided that circulate a working fluid including a high glide refrigerant blend having first and second refrigerants with a difference in boiling points ≥about 25° F. at atmospheric pressure. The system includes a gas-liquid separation vessel that generates a vapor stream and a liquid stream. A compressor receives the vapor stream and generates a pressurized vapor stream. A liquid pump receives the liquid stream and generates a pressurized liquid stream. A condenser is disposed downstream of the compressor and liquid pump and receives and cools the pressurized mixed vapor and liquid stream. An evaporator receives and at least partially vaporizes the multiphase working fluid and directs it to the gas-liquid separating vessel. An expansion device between the condenser and the evaporator processes the multiphase working fluid stream. Lastly, a fluid conduit for circulating the working fluid through the components is provided.

Climate control systems for use with high glide working fluids and methods for operation thereof

A condenser charge module is configured to: determine a first amount of refrigerant in each condenser of one or more condensers of a refrigeration system; determine a total condenser amount of refrigerant based on the one or more first amounts. An evaporator charge module is configured to: determine a second amount of refrigerant in each evaporator of two or more evaporators of the refrigeration system; and determine a total evaporator amount of refrigerant based on the two or more second amounts. A line charge module is configured to: determine a third amount of refrigerant in each refrigerant line of multiple refrigerant lines of the refrigeration system; and determine a total line amount of refrigerant based on the multiple third amounts. A total module is configured to determine a total amount of refrigerant in the refrigeration system based on the total condenser, the total evaporator, and the total line amounts.

Refrigerant charge monitoring systems and methods for multiple evaporators

A climate-control system may include a vapor-compression circuit and an air handler assembly. The vapor-compression circuit may include a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and first and second working-fluid-fluid flow paths. The first and second working-fluid-flow paths are in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger. The first working-fluid-flow path may include a first expansion device and a first indoor heat exchanger. The second working-fluid-flow path may include a second expansion device and a second indoor heat exchanger. The first and second indoor heat exchangers are disposed within the air handler assembly. The air handler assembly includes a return-air-inlet duct, first and second airflow paths, and a supply-air-outlet duct. The first airflow path may receive air from the return-air-inlet duct and houses the first indoor heat exchanger. The second airflow path may receive air from the return-air-inlet duct. The supply-air-outlet duct receives air from the first and second airflow paths.

Climate-control system with sensible and latent cooling

A heat-pump system includes a compressor, an outdoor heating exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a supplemental heater. The outdoor heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the compressor. The indoor heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the compressor. The expansion device is in fluid communication with the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers. The supplemental heater includes a burner and a working-fluid conduit. The burner is configured to burn a fuel and heat the working-fluid conduit. When the heat-pump system is operating in a heating mode, the indoor heat exchanger receives working fluid from the working-fluid conduit such that the working fluid flows from an outlet of the working-fluid conduit to an inlet of the indoor heat exchanger.

A cooling system that may include a source of liquid natural refrigerant, a heat exchanger in communication with the source of liquid natural refrigerant that is configured to convert the liquid natural refrigerant into a gaseous natural refrigerant, a compressor in communication with the heat exchanger and configured to increase a temperature and pressure of the gaseous natural refrigerant received from the heat exchanger, and an exhaust device in communication with the compressor and configured to expel the gaseous natural refrigerant received from the compressor to air of an external ambient environment. The exhaust device includes a membrane that permits the gaseous natural refrigerant to exit the exhaust device while preventing or at least minimizing the air of the external ambient environment from entering the exhaust device.

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Sidney, OH, United States of America

Andrew M Welch