Trane International Inc.

Gas Research Institute

American Standard International Inc.

Daoud Ali Jandal

Brian Thomas Sullivan

Matthew Aron Witt

Damion Scott Plymesser

Reginald Loyd Berry

Raymond Scott Schafer

Steven Erwin Meloling

Ronald Allen Boldt

Stephen Anthony Kujak

Julie Ann Majurin

Paul Edmond Cieslinski

William J Plzak

Steven E Wolfgram

Dennis Lee Justin

James M McCool

Ronald E Schlicht

Robert A Harris

Raghu Kumar

Kishore Prabakaran

Bradley S Wickersham

Fred Eickstaedt

Jeffrey S Seewald

Jun Wang

Lee L Sibik

Yves Jacques Raimbault

Todd J Love

Ralph C Mullally

Kevin D Pfaff

Robin R Lee

Michael P Morse

Fred Ahlstrom

William O'Driscoll

A bolted hinge assembly is provided for a waterbox cover (a 'waterbox hinge assembly'). The waterbox hinge assembly generally does not require welding on the waterbox cover or the heat exchanger in an HVAC system ('HVAC unit' hereinafter). Further, the waterbox hinge assembly may be installable to the HVAC unit without removing the heat exchange fluids (e.g., water, refrigerant, etc.) from the HVAC unit. In some cases, the waterbox hinge assembly can be installed on an HVAC unit without removing any bolts from the waterbox cover. Once installed, the waterbox hinge assembly can be left in place so that it can be reused anytime the HVAC unit is serviced.

Hinged waterbox cover

Refrigeration systems with a purge for removing non-condensables from the refrigerant and an acid filter for remove acid from the refrigerant are provided. The acid filter can be operatively connected to the purge. Optionally, the purge can include a separating device for separating non-condensable gases from condensable refrigerant gases and an acid filter is provided to remove acid from the condensable refrigerant gases.

Refrigeration system with purge and acid filter

Methods and systems for controlling working fluid flow in a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) unit for an HVACR system are disclosed. The unit includes a compressor having a motor and a drive. The unit also includes a condenser fluidly connected to the compressor. A subcooler is located downstream of the condenser. The unit further includes an evaporator fluidly connected to the condenser. Also the unit includes a controller. The unit also includes a bypass assembly connected to the condenser. The bypass assembly includes a bypass flow control device and a bypass fluid line controlled by the bypass flow control device. When a heat recovery demand is detected by the controller, the controller is configured to open the bypass flow control device to allow a first portion of working fluid to bypass the condenser or the subcooler.

Methods and systems for controlling working fluid in HVACR systems

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

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

Embodiments described in this specification are generally directed to a bolted hinge assembly for a waterbox cover (a 'waterbox hinge assembly'). The waterbox hinge assembly generally does not require welding on the waterbox cover or the heat exchanger in an HVAC system ('HVAC unit' hereinafter). Further, the waterbox hinge assembly may be installable to the HVAC unit without removing the heat exchange fluids (e.g., water, refrigerant, etc.) from the HVAC unit. In some embodiments, the waterbox hinge assembly can be installed on an HVAC unit without removing any bolts from the waterbox cover. Once installed, the waterbox hinge assembly can be left in place so that it can be reused anytime the HVAC unit is serviced.

Hinged waterbox cover method

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 generator for an absorption chiller boils an absorption solution with steam heat by conveying the steam through a tube bundle with the steam flowing counter to the flow of solution. The tube bundle runs downhill in the direction of steam flow, while in some embodiments of the invention a bottom surface of the generator runs uphill in the direction of solution flow. The amount of solution in the generator is kept to an appropriately low level by submerging the tube bundle deeper at one end of the generator than the other.

Absorption chiller with counter flow generator

A float valve having a pair of valve plugs mounted on a single valve stem employing a flexible or pivoting couple between the float and the valve stem that allows the float to tilt and move laterally with respect to the axis of movement of the valve stem without affecting the alignment of the valve plugs in relation to their respective valve outlets. This flexible couple might also allow for some free movement of the float in the direction of the axis of movement of the valve stem. In one embodiment the valve plugs have ported sealing surfaces that allow gradual starting and stopping of the flow of fluid through the valve outlets.

Float valve

A purge apparatus and method are disclosed for automatically purging an absorption cooling system. Noncondensible gas is drawn out of the absorber of the absorption cooling system by an eductor. The eductor entrains the gas in the fluid flow to the high pressure side of the system. The gas is drawn out of the high pressure side by a separate purge refrigeration system. The evaporator of the purge refrigeration system is located in a purge tank that is in free flow communication with the condenser of the absorption cooling system. Refrigerant vapor and intermixed noncondensible gas flow into the purge tank and the refrigerant vapor condenses on the purge refrigeration system evaporator. The condensed absorption refrigerant is returned to the absorption cooling system. The noncondensible gas collects in the purge tank and blankets the evaporator of the purge refrigeration system, causing the temperature of the purge refrigerant to decrease. At a specified temperature, a temperature sensor initiates a pump out of the noncondensible gas in the purge tank.

Apparatus and method for automatically purging an absorption cooling

Growing community of inventors

La Crosse, WI, United States of America

Daoud Ali Jandal