Copeland Corporation

Emerson Climate Technologies Gmbh

Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions, Inc.

Copeland Comfort Control LP

Copeland Cold Chain LP

Emerson Digital Cold Chain, Inc.

Frank S Wallis

Norman G Beck

Kenneth J Monnier

Ernest R Bergman

Gary J Anderson

John Wallace

Jeffrey Lee Berning

Paul L Fullenkamp

Franklin Beltran

Jean-Luc M Caillat

Joseph James Rozsnaki

Walter T Grassbaugh

Kent E Logan

Jaroslav Blass

Donald W Rode

Steven C Fairbanks

Francis M Simpson

Stanley P Schumann

Timothy R Houghtby

William Christian Gates

Clyde C Verhoff

Neal G Marchal

Keith Bertie

Thomas P Buescher

John P Elson

Roger C Weatherston

Karen Richard

Diane Belinda Patrizio

Randall Joseph Velikan

Mitch M Knapke

Charles P Ketterer

Wayne R Warner

Gregory Edward Sisk

Richard Allen Miu

Jeffery D Ramsey

Kyle M Bergman

Russ M Beisner

Brian G Schroeder

Michael R Schultz Navara

Deborah L Monnin

Adam Michael Blake

Gary A Holthaus

Gregory E Sisk

Ernie Roger Bergman

Jason Patrick Beresik

Anthony L Erb

Thomas L Girvin, Ii

Joseph V Roebke

Randall Knick

The present disclosure relates to controls and related methods for mitigating liquid (e.g., compressor refrigerant, etc.) migration and/or floodback.

Mitigating compressor liquid migration and/or floodback using suction temperature sensor and/or liquid level sensor

A system and method are provided including a system controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with a compressor and a condensing unit with a condenser fan. The system controller monitors and controls operation of the refrigeration or HVAC system. A rack controller monitors and controls operation of the compressor rack and determines compressor rack power consumption data. A condensing unit controller monitors and controls operation of the condensing unit and determines condensing unit power consumption data. The system controller receives the compressor rack power consumption data and the condensing unit power consumption data, determines a total power consumption of the refrigeration or HVAC system, determines a predicted power consumption or a benchmark power consumption for the refrigeration system, compares the total power consumption with the predicted power consumption or the benchmark power consumption, and generates an alert based on the comparison.

Energy management for refrigeration systems

A compressor may include a compression mechanism and an oil pump. The compression mechanism is configured to compress a working fluid. The oil pump may be defined by a driveshaft and a bearing. The driveshaft is drivingly connected to the compression mechanism and includes a lubricant passage. The bearing receives a portion of the driveshaft and includes a bearing surface that rotatably supports the driveshaft. The bearing includes a pump cavity surface that is spaced apart from the driveshaft and cooperates with a diametrical surface of the driveshaft to define a pump cavity that extends around the diametrical surface of the driveshaft. The bearing includes an inlet passage and an outlet passage. The inlet passage receives oil from an oil sump and provides oil to the pump cavity. The outlet passage receives oil from the pump cavity and provides oil to the lubricant passage of the driveshaft.

Compressor with oil pump

Controls and related methods for mitigating liquid migration and/or floodback

A climate-control system includes a first compressor, a second compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger. The first compressor includes a first inlet and a first outlet. The second compressor is in fluid communication with the first compressor and includes a second inlet (e.g., a suction inlet), a third inlet (e.g., a vapor-injection inlet), a second compression mechanism, and a second outlet. The second and third inlets are fluidly coupled with the second compression mechanism. The second compression mechanism receives working fluid from the first compressor through the third inlet and discharges working fluid through the second outlet of the second compressor. The first and second compressors are in fluid communication with the first, second, and third heat exchangers.

Climate-control system having vapor-injection compressors

A system and a method are provided including a system controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with a compressor and a condensing unit with a condenser fan. The system controller monitors and controls operation of the refrigeration or HVAC system. A rack controller monitors and controls operation of the compressor rack. The system controller determines a flood-back discharge temperature corresponding to a flood-back condition, receives an actual discharge temperature associated with the compressor rack, compares the actual discharge temperature with the flood-back discharge temperature, and generates a notification to the rack controller based on the comparison.

Maintenance and diagnostics for refrigeration systems

A system includes a sensor and a controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor. The sensor senses a temperature of the compressor during operation of the compressor. The controller is configured to determine a rate of change of the temperature relative to time and to perform one or more procedures to protect the compressor based on the rate of change of the temperature. The one or more procedures to protect the compressor include shutting down the compressor, throttling a pressure regulator valve of an evaporator associated with the compressor, adjusting an expansion valve associated with the evaporator, reducing speed of the compressor, and partially or wholly unloading the compressor.

Liquid slugging detection and protection

A system and a method are provided including a controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with at least one compressor. The controller communicates with a tracking module configured to diagnose health of a compressor in the compressor rack. In response to rated performance data for the compressor being unavailable, the tracking module is configured to generate baseline data for the compressor and to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing operational data of the compressor to the baseline data for the compressor. In response to the rated performance data for the compressor being available, the tracking module is configured to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing the operational data of the compressor to the rated performance data for the compressor.

A compressor assembly is provided and may include a first compression cylinder, a first compression piston disposed within the first compression cylinder that compresses a vapor disposed within the first compression cylinder, and a crankshaft that cycles the first compression piston within the first compression cylinder. The compressor assembly may additionally include a first control piston moveable between a first state restricting passage of intermediate-pressure fluid into the first compression cylinder and a second state permitting passage of intermediate-pressure fluid into the first compression cylinder.

Reciprocating compressor with vapor injection system

A compressor may include a compression cylinder, a compression piston, a crankshaft, an injection bore, a position sensor, and a valve assembly. The compression piston is disposed within the compression cylinder and is operable to compress a vapor disposed within the compression cylinder from a suction pressure to a discharge pressure. The crankshaft is operable to cycle the compression piston within the compression cylinder. The injection bore may be in fluid communication with the compression cylinder and may be operable to selectively communicate intermediate-pressure vapor at a pressure between the suction pressure and said discharge pressure to the compression cylinder. The position sensor may measure a rotational position of the crankshaft. The valve assembly may be associated with the injection bore. The valve assembly may be operable to control passage of fluid from the injection bore into the compression cylinder in response to data provided by the position sensor.

A reciprocating compressor may include a shell, a first cylinder, a plate, a second cylinder, and a piston. The first cylinder may be disposed within the shell and may include a first valve. The plate may be fixed relative to the first cylinder and may include a second valve. The second cylinder may be axially aligned with the first cylinder and may be moveable relative to the first cylinder between first and second positions. The piston may be disposed within the second cylinder and may include a third valve. The piston may reciprocate relative to the first and second cylinders. The piston and the plate may define a first compression chamber therebetween. The piston and the first cylinder may define a second compression chamber therebetween. A fluid-injection passage extending through the first cylinder selectively provides a working fluid from a source to the second compression chamber.

Variable capacity reciprocating compressor

A refrigerant compressor includes an electric motor. A current sensor measures current to the electric motor. A switching device is configured to close and open to allow and prevent current flow to the electric motor, respectively. A maximum continuous current (MCC) device generates an output that one of: (i) is an MCC for the electric motor and (ii) is a value indicative of the MCC for the electric motor. A motor protection module: is remote from the MCC device; receives the output wirelessly from the MCC device via an antenna; one of sets a first MCC to the MCC for the electric motor and determines the first MCC based on the value indicative of the MCC for the electric motor; selectively sets a predetermined MCC to the first MCC; and controls the switching device based on a comparison of the current to the electric motor and the predetermined MCC.

System and method for compressor motor protection

A refrigerant compressor includes an electric motor. A current sensor measures current flow to the electric motor. A switching device is configured to close and open to allow and prevent current flow to the electric motor, respectively. A maximum continuous current (MCC) device includes a stored digital value corresponding to a maximum continuous current for the electric motor. A motor protection module: communicates with the MCC device, the current sensor, and the switching device; determines a first MCC for the electric motor as a function of the stored digital value received from the MCC device; selectively sets a predetermined MCC to the first MCC; and controls the switching device based on a comparison of the current flow to the electric motor and the predetermined MCC.

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Sidney, OH, United States of America

Frank S Wallis