Trane International Inc.

American Standard Inc.

American Standard International Inc.

Brian Thomas Sullivan

Daoud Ali Jandal

Damion Scott Plymesser

Matthew Aron Witt

Reginald Loyd Berry

Ronald Allen Boldt

Paul C Rentmeester

Steven Joseph Pitts

Robert J Roth

Richard Mason Heiden

Craig M Goshaw

Steven E Wolfgram

Lee R Cline

Henry G Lenz

Ronald Maurice Cosby, Ii

Steven Erwin Meloling

Dennis Lee Justin

Michael D Matthews

Kenneth J Schultz

Scott Joseph Smerud

H Kenneth Ring

William J Plzak

Chris Wehrenberg

Lori Ann Manning

Alan Hv Eber

Thomas Gallant

Ronald Cosby

Ronald M Cosby

Cooling systems and methods of controlling a cooling system which includes one or more pumps and one or more fans, wherein the pumps and the fans are controlled by a controller. The controller controls the cooling system by a determination of an operation of the cooling system for sequencing activations, deactivations, and/or controlling parameters of the pumps, the fans, and/or other component(s) of the cooling system based on a first sensitivity of a power input as a function of lift, and a second sensitivity of a power input as a function of lift.

System and method for controlling a cooling system

A refrigerant circuit is disclosed. The refrigerant circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, a first expansion device, an economizer, a second expansion device, and an evaporator fluidly connected. A working fluid flows through the refrigerant circuit. A bypass segment is fluidly connected to the refrigerant circuit. A portion of the working fluid is provided from the refrigerant circuit to the bypass segment from a location in the refrigerant circuit disposed between the condenser and the evaporator with respect to flow of the working fluid. The portion of the working fluid flows through the bypass segment in a flow enabled state and is provided to a location in the refrigerant circuit disposed between the economizer and the evaporator with respect to flow of the working fluid. A vortical flow is induced at the location in the refrigerant circuit disposed between the economizer and the evaporator.

Variable orifice for a chiller

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed to prime a refrigerant pump by decoupling the condenser from the refrigerant pump and the refrigerant pump line or shielding from a condenser operation prior to startup of the system, so that liquid refrigerant can be appropriately sourced from the condenser and/or the evaporator using flow control device(s) such as a source valve on a source line of the condenser and/or on a source line of the evaporator and the control of such valve(s).

Refrigerant cooling and lubrication system

Generally, apparatuses, systems, and methods are described to vent refrigerant vapor from the refrigerant pump line using a vent line, such as during priming of the pump and/or during a startup of the compressor, directed to a relatively reduced volute casing mass of the refrigerant pump, and/or directed to returning refrigerant to an economizer or chiller component other than the condenser.

Refrigerant cooling and lubrication system with refrigerant vapor vent line

A return waterbox for a heat exchanger, such as a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, is provided. The return waterbox may include an insert configured to direct a fluid flow(s) in the return waterbox. In some embodiments, such as in a two-pass heat exchanger, the insert can be configured to receive water from one portion of the heat exchanger tubes in the first pass and redirect the received water to another portion of the heat exchanger tubes in the second pass.

Return waterbox for heat exchanger

Generally, apparatuses, systems, and methods are described that are directed to accessing liquid refrigerant from an evaporator to source a refrigerant pump and pump line to cool and lubricate such moving parts that may be part of the compressor, for example the compressor motor and the compressor bearings, and/or for cooling drives such as an adjustable or variable frequency drive.

Refrigerant cooling and lubrication system with refrigerant source access from an evaporator

Generally, apparatuses, systems, and methods are described to prime a refrigerant pump by decoupling or shielding from a condenser operation, such as for example the condenser water pump, so that liquid refrigerant can be appropriately sourced from the condenser and/or the evaporator using flow control device(s) such as a source valve on a source line of the condenser and/or on a source line of the evaporator and the control of such valve(s).

A chiller includes a main condenser that has a refrigerant condensate sump with an internal weir or standpipe that maintains at least a minimum liquid seal between the outlets of the main condenser and a heat-recovery condenser. The main condenser is used for normal cooling operation, and the heat-recovery condenser is for supplying an external process with heat that would otherwise be wasted. In addition to providing a liquid seal, the sump and weir combination provides a reliable source of liquid refrigerant to cool the chiller's compressor motor and creates a trap for collecting foreign particles that might exit either of the chiller's two condensers.

Refrigerant control of a heat-recovery chiller

A shell-and-tube evaporator of a refrigerant system includes a refrigerant inlet distributor that traps a pocket of gaseous refrigerant to displace liquid refrigerant underneath the evaporator's tube bundle, thereby reducing the total charge of refrigerant in the evaporator. In some embodiments, the distributor comprises four sections interconnected by a central refrigerant feed line, which properly apportions the refrigerant to the four sections.

Gas trap distributor for an evaporator

A scroll compressor includes various features that promote a bifurcated flow pattern of gas through a compressor shell to reduce oil entrainment. After entering the shell, some gas travels upward, which reduces the volume of gas traveling downward toward an oil sump. To accomplish this, the compressor's motor can be surrounded by a sleeve having upper and lower apertures for directing the flow to the motor's upper and lower stator end turns. In some embodiments, a suction inlet is strategically positioned relative to two gas passageways that are between the stator and the compressor shell. The inlet's position is such that one passageway receives incoming gas and divides the flow in opposite directions: upward and downward. The other passageway only conveys the gas upward. In addition, a suction baffle, a diffuser, a streamlined counterweight and/or a suction line oil trap can also help promote gas/oil separation or minimize oil entrainment.

Scroll compressor with bifurcated flow pattern

A purging device for a system accumulating condensable and non-condensable gases. The purging device comprises: a purge tank; apparatus receiving the condensable and non-condensable gases from the system and directing said gases into the purge tank; apparatus condensing the non-condensable gases into a condensed form; apparatus accumulating the non-condensable gases in a header space; apparatus returning the condensed gases from the purge tank to the system; apparatus controllably removing the accumulated non-condensable gases from the header space; and apparatus generating controlled flow in the condensable and non-condensable gases.

Growing community of inventors

La Crosse, WI, United States of America

Brian Thomas Sullivan