Carrier Corporation

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Young Kyu Park

Tobias H Sienel

Yu Chen

Julio I Concha

Shailesh Sharad Manohar

Parmesh Verma

Jules Ricardo Munoz

Bryan A Eisenhower

Yirong Jiang

William A Rioux

Thomas M Zywiak

Harold W Hipsky

Richard A Poisson

Dilip Prasad

Henry E Beamer

Russell George Lewis

John M Maljanian

Mikhail B Gorbounov

Scott F Kaslusky

Daniel R Sabatino

Sivakumar Gopalnarayanan

Jeffrey James Nieter

Scott M MacBain

Lili Zhang

Adam M Finney

Robert Michael Runk

Gary D Winch

Clas A Jacobson

J Michael Griffin

Meade G Ferrigan

Nicolas Pondicq-Cassou

George M Bollas

Allison Mainelli

Brendon W Lewis

Cuiye Chen

Jeff J Neiter

Salvatore Macri

Kyle Palmer

Julio Concha

Nicholas Pondicq-Cassou

A computer-implemented method for designing a built-in test is described. The method includes receiving, via a processor, a subsystem model including system parameters for a heat exchanger, wherein each of the system parameters includes a sensor variance; determining, via the processor, a test design vector based on one or more of the system parameters; and designing, via the processor, the built-in test based on the test design vector.

Plate-fin heat exchanger fouling identification

Embodiments relate to adjusting cabin pressure based on ambient conditions to achieve a target aircraft inflow. An aspect includes receiving a number of occupants on an aircraft. The ambient conditions on the aircraft are monitored and an occupant threshold limit is determined for the aircraft based on the ambient conditions. If it is determined that the number of occupants exceeds the occupant threshold limit, the cabin pressure is reduced in the aircraft according to embodiments. The cabin pressure in the aircraft is reset in response to the occupant threshold limit being increased due to changing ambient conditions.

Ambient condition based adjusting of cabin pressure to achieve target aircraft inflow

An environmental control system having parallel compressors includes a first compressor driven by a first motor, the first compressor being operable for fluidly directing a first flow at a first flow rate through the first compressor. Also included is a second compressor driven by a second motor, the second compressor being operable for fluidly directing a second flow at a second flow rate through the second compressor. Further included is a monitoring component configured to compare the first flow rate to the second flow rate.

Environmental control system having parallel compressors and method of controllably operating

A cooling system includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant from a subcritical state to a supercritical state, a cooler for transferring heat from the refrigerant, an expander for expanding the refrigerant in the supercritical state, an expansion valve for expanding the refrigerant from the supercritical state to the subcritical state and an evaporator for transferring heat from a cooling fluid to the refrigerant in the subcritical state. Work extracted by the expander provides power to the compressor. A method for cooling a vehicle includes compressing a refrigerant from a subcritical state to a supercritical state, cooling the refrigerant, expanding the refrigerant in the supercritical state where work produced by expanding the refrigerant is used to compress the refrigerant, expanding the refrigerant from the supercritical state to the subcritical state, cooling a cooling fluid with the refrigerant in the subcritical state and cooling vehicle components with the cooling fluid.

Transcritical fluid cooling for aerospace applications

A multi-pass heat exchanger having a return manifold with a partition, a front wall, and a rear wall is provided. The partition separates the return manifold into a collection chamber and a distribution chamber. The front and rear walls define a fluid channel. The front wall has a plurality of perforations placing the fluid channel in separate fluid communication with the collection chamber and the distribution chamber.

Multi-pass heat exchangers having return manifolds with distributing inserts

An inlet header of a microchannel heat exchanger is provided with a first insert disposed within the inlet header and extending substantially the length thereof, and having a plurality of openings for the flow of refrigerant into the internal confines of the inlet header and then to the channels. A second insert, disposed within the first insert, extends substantially the length of the first insert and is of increasing cross sectional area toward its downstream end such that annular cavity is formed between the first and second insert. The annular cavity of decreasing cross sectional area provides for the maintenance of a substantially constant mass flux of the refrigerant along the length of the annulus so as to thereby maintain an annular flow regime of the liquid and thereby promote uniform flow distribution to the channels.

Minichannel heat exchanger header insert for distribution

A heat pump, and in particular a heat pump for heating a hot water supply is provided with an improved defrost mode. The defrost mode is actuated to remove frost from an outdoor evaporator that may accumulate during cold weather operation. An algorithm for operation of the defrost mode is developed experimentally by seeking to maximize the heat transfer provided by the refrigerant. A heating system condition is experimentally related to the heat transfer capacity. One then maximizes the average heat transfer capacity to determine the optimum initiation point for the defrost mode. Further, protections are included into the defrost mode. When the heat pump is utilized to heat hot water, methods are provided to prevent the water that remains in the heat exchanger from becoming unduly heated. In one method, the water pump may be periodically operated to move the water. In a second method, a control ensures the discharge pressure of the refrigerant leaving the compressor is reduced, and that the water pump is not stopped until that reduced temperature falls below a predetermined maximum. The temperature reduction is achieved through a dual control loop wherein a temperature that is too high results in a new desired discharge pressure. The control achieves the new desired pressure by controlling the expansion device. In another protection feature, as a control determines that the defrost mode is nearing its end, an evaporator fan is run to remove melted water from the evaporator coils, and also to ensure the refrigerant leaving the evaporator does not reach unduly high pressure or temperatures.

Defrost mode for HVAC heat pump systems

A refrigerant cycle is provided with a control for an expansion device to achieve a desired compressor discharge pressure. The system operates transcritically, such that greater freedom over compressor discharge pressure is provided. The system's efficiency is optimized by selecting an optimum discharge pressure. The optimum discharge pressure is selected based upon sensed environmental conditions, and the expansion device is adjusted to achieve the desired compressor discharge pressure. A feedback loop may be provided to sense the actual compressor discharge pressure and adjust the actual compressor discharge pressure by further refining the expansion device. The system is disclosed providing heated water based upon a demand for a particular hot water temperature. Further, the optimum discharge pressures may be determined experimentally, with an offset added to the experimentally determined value to ensure that the actual pressure is higher than the desired, or optimum pressure for the particular refrigerant cycle. In one embodiment, a formula is utilized to determine the optimum discharge pressure.

Pressure regulation in a transcritical refrigerant cycle

A heat exchanger has a first thermally conductive tube for conducting a fluid and a second thermal conductive tube for conducting a fluid. The first thermally conductive tube forms a first loop while the second thermally conductive tube forms a second loop. The first loop neighbors the second loop.

Multi-tube in spiral heat exchanger

An expander controls the expansion and flow of refrigerant between high and low pressure within a vapor compression system. The expander drives a shaft that in turn drives a friction disk within a friction heat generator. Frictional contact between the friction disk and the plate generates heat. The friction heat generator transfers heat to the water circuit to elevate the temperature of water.

Heat generating expander for heat pump systems

A method of detecting and diagnosing operating conditions for a heat pump water heating system includes the steps of monitoring system operating conditions and comparing actual operating conditions to predicted operating conditions. The predicted operating conditions are based on expected pressures and temperatures given current system inputs. A difference between the actual and expected values for refrigerant pressures and temperature outside a desired range provides indication of a fault in the system. The system controller initiates a prompt to alert of the need for maintenance and direct to potential causes.

Method of controlling a carbon dioxide heat pump water heating system

In a fuel gas burner, a reduction of NO emissions is brought about by the combined use of both a catalyst and a radiation baffle. The catalyst and baffle are located in serial flow relationship such that each contributes to the NO reduction function without the creation of undesirable conditions. The catalyst is located upstream of the flame and the amount of primary air supplied to the burner is controlled so as to bring about a reduction of NO emissions while at the same time not allowing the temperature of the catalyst to exceed a threshold limit, thereby ensuring an acceptably long life and durability of the catalyst. The radiation baffle is located in the flame to radiate heat away therefrom and lower the temperature thereof to reduce NO emissions, with the mass of the baffle being limited such that no significant levels of CO are generated.

NOx reduction with a combination of radiation baffle and catalytic device

Efficiency of a transcritical vapor compression system is increased by compressor cooling. In one embodiment, a stream of cooling fluid accepts compressor motor heat. The heated cooling fluid merges with the fluid medium which accepts heat from the refrigerant in the gas cooler and exits the system, usefully transferring the heat out of the system. Additionally, as the refrigerant in the compressor is cooled, the density and the mass flow rate of the suction gas in the compressor is increased, increasing efficiency. Alternatively, an intercooler positioned between stages of a multi-stage compressor exchanges heat with the same fluid medium which accepts heat from the refrigerant in the gas cooler. After accepting heat from the refrigerant in the intercooler, the heated fluid medium exits the system, usefully transferring heat from the system.

Method for increasing efficiency of a vapor compression system by compressor cooling

The expansion of a high pressure or intermediate pressure refrigerant in an expansion device in a transcritical vapor compression system converts the potential energy into usable kinetic energy. The kinetic energy provides work which is employed to fully or partially drive an expansion motor unit which is coupled to rotating auxiliary machinery. By providing work to the rotating auxiliary machinery, system efficiency is improved. The auxiliary rotating machinery can be an evaporator fan or a gas cooler fan to pull the refrigerant through the evaporator and gas cooler, respectively. Alternatively, the auxiliary rotating machinery can be a water pump or an oil pump.

Expander driven motor for auxiliary machinery

Growing community of inventors

Simsbury, CT, United States of America

Young Kyu Park