Carrier Corporation

Scroll Technologies

Larry J Burkhart

Don Alan Schuster

Hongmei Liang

Timothy J Perry

Sathish R Das

Raymond A Rust, Jr

Louis J Sullivan

Ronald G Butcher

Nathan D Wright

Larry D Burns

Frederick J Keller, Jr

Gary D Wedlake

Mark D Singer

Kenneth W Shearer

Satish R Das

Mark A Moeller

Gary L Clark

Floyd B Gant, Jr

A compressor assembly comprises a compressor, a motor protector, and a signaling device. Upon an overload condition, the motor protector activates. The signaling device also activates to serve as an alert that the compressor is not malfunctioning but instead is in an overload condition.

Overload status indicator for a refrigeration unit

A tube is provided with an indentation long enough to receive a sensor bulb and having a nominal curvature corresponding to the outer curvature of the sensor bulb whereby, when secured by a clamp, which is suitably tightened, at least one of the members will deform to the curvature of the other member thereby achieving area contact between the members.

Sensor bulb attachment

In a time and temperature controlled defrost cycle for a heat pump system, defrost cycles are controlled by two variables: elapsed time since the last defrost cycle, and the refrigerant temperature in the outdoor coil. The elapsed time variable for the first defrost cycle after power-up is set less than the elapsed time variable required for subsequent defrost cycles. Thus, the system is not vulnerable to planned cyclical power outages if the power outage cycle time is less than the elapsed time variable required between regular defrost cycles.

Defrost control method and apparatus

A method and apparatus for controlling supplemental heat added to the air stream passing from an indoor coil to an air supply duct of a heat pump system, the heat pump system being of the type that includes an indoor thermostat having a first set point for initiating heat supplied by the indoor coil and a second set point for initiating additional heat supplied by supplemental heating means. The supplemental heating elements include an adjustable output heating element for heating air passing from the indoor coil to the air supply duct. The coil discharge temperature of the air stream heated by the indoor coil is determined at a position between the indoor coil and the supplemental heating means. The adjustable output heating element is selectively energized in response to the coil discharge temperature, independent of the second set point of the indoor thermostat.

Method and apparatus for controlling supplemental heat in a heat pump

In a heat pump system designed for use with a relatively low pressure refrigerant, provision is made, by use of a vapor pressure control system, to use a higher pressure refrigerant without replacement of the indoor coil and the line set. The vapor pressure is sensed during periods of heat pump operation, and when the pressure reaches a predetermined maximum threshold level, the outdoor fan speed is reduced to thereby cause the vapor pressure to be reduced. When the vapor pressure is reduced to a predetermined minimum threshold level, then the fan speed is resumed so as thereby allow the vapor pressure to again be increased.

Vapor line pressure control

A suction accumulator for use in a heat pump or air conditioning system includes an inlet tube that has a plurality of holes therein. One hole is preferably at the end of the inlet tube while the others are preferably of decreasing size and spaced apart from near the bottom of the accumulator upward along the inlet tube. Such an arrangement ensures that a vapor/liquid mixture of refrigerant and lubricant entering the accumulator does not cause excessive foaming during normal operation while quickly destratifying a stratified mixture that frequently occurs during periods of system inactivity or floodback.

Suction accumulator destratifier

A method is described of selectively varying the speed of the indoor blower of a heat pump for heating a building or other indoor area when ambient temperature drops below a predetermined level, in order to reduce the cold blow effect of air entering the building. The operating run time fraction of a heating cycle is determined, and the speed of the indoor blower is adjusted when the run time fraction crosses a predetermined threshold value, except that the speed of the indoor blower is maintained when the run time fraction is sufficiently changed compared with a previous run time fraction.

Run time criteria to control indoor blower speed

A method for determining the optimum location for installing a muffler in a refrigerant line to reduce refrigerant line vibration caused by acoustical resonances. This method includes measuring the frequency of compressor discharge gas pulsations, ascertaining the speed of sound in the compressor discharge gas, calculating the wave length of the compressor discharge gas pulsation frequency, calculating a critical length, providing a refrigerant discharge line with a length equal to the calculated critical length to allow the formation of at least one standing wave in the discharge line, and installing a refrigerant line muffler in the refrigerant discharge line at a maximum of the standing wave.

Method for determining optimum placement of refrigerant line muffler

A method of controlling a current defrost cycle for an outdoor coil of a heat pump system, the heat pump system having a plurality of supplemental heating elements for heating an air stream passing from an indoor coil to an air supply duct during defrost operation, wherein an initial quantity of supplemental heating elements energized is a function of a most recent previous defrost cycle. The method has the steps of: energizing the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements upon initiation of a defrost cycle; determining whether the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements provided is excessive; deactivating at least one of the supplemental heating elements if the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements being provided is excessive; determining whether the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements provided is insufficient; activating, if the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements being provided is insufficient, at least one additional supplemental heating element if the element is available; and retaining information as to an initial quantity of supplemental heating elements to be activated for a following defrost cycle, wherein the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements to be activated for a following defrost cycle is equal to a number of supplemental heating elements activated upon termination of the current defrost cycle.

Method for preventing overshoot during heat pump defrost using memorized

A method of controlling a current defrost cycle for an outdoor coil of a heat pump system, the heat pump system having a plurality of supplemental heating elements for heating an air stream passing from an indoor coil to an air supply duct during defrost operation, wherein an initial quantity of supplemental heating elements energized is a function of a most recent previous defrost cycle. The initial quantity of supplemental heating elements is energized upon initiation of a defrost cycle. Whether the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements provided is insufficient or excessive is determined. At least one of the supplemental heating elements is deactivated if the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements being provided is excessive. At least one of the supplemental heating elements is activated if the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements being provided is if the initial quantity of supplemental heating elements being provided is insufficient, and at least one additional supplemental heating element is available. Information as to an initial quantity of supplemental heating elements to be activated for a following defrost cycle is retained. The initial quantity of supplemental heating elements to be activated for a following defrost cycle is equal to a number of supplemental heating elements activated upon termination of the current defrost cycle. The heat pump is kept on to complete the defrost cycle during an overshoot condition.

Managing supplementary heat during defrost on heat pumps

A coupling mechanism is provided for coupling an expansion device in a liquid refrigerant line of a refrigeration system. The coupling mechanism permits the expansion device to be removably coupled to the liquid refrigerant line, thereby permitting the expansion device to be easily decoupled and recoupled to the liquid refrigerant line.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Larry J Burkhart