Method of operating an evaporator assembly with a fan controller
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25D-017/04
F25B-039/02
F25B-049/02
출원번호
US-0080985
(2013-11-15)
등록번호
US-9151525
(2015-10-06)
발명자
/ 주소
Zolli, Vince
Mead, William J.
출원인 / 주소
National Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Canada Corp.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
19
초록▼
A method of operating an evaporator assembly in which a refrigerant is circulatable to transfer heat out of air in a housing. The evaporator assembly includes a thermostat that completes a solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air in the housing is above a predetermined cut-in tempera
A method of operating an evaporator assembly in which a refrigerant is circulatable to transfer heat out of air in a housing. The evaporator assembly includes a thermostat that completes a solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air in the housing is above a predetermined cut-in temperature, and opens the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air is below a predetermined cut-out temperature. The thermostat completes a fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is open, and opens the fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is completed. A fan controller detects a signal voltage when the fan control circuit is completed, and provides a first predetermined drive voltage to a fan motor drive. Upon the fan controller failing to detect the signal voltage, a second predetermined drive voltage being greater than the first predetermined drive voltage is provided to the motor drive.
대표청구항▼
1. A method of operating an evaporator assembly in which a refrigerant is circulatable to transfer heat out of air in a housing, the method comprising: (a) compressing the refrigerant in a compressor through which the refrigerant is circulatable;(b) causing the refrigerant to at least partially evap
1. A method of operating an evaporator assembly in which a refrigerant is circulatable to transfer heat out of air in a housing, the method comprising: (a) compressing the refrigerant in a compressor through which the refrigerant is circulatable;(b) causing the refrigerant to at least partially evaporate in an evaporator assembly through which the refrigerant is circulatable, the evaporator assembly comprising: an evaporator in fluid communication with the compressor;a solenoid valve subassembly configured to control circulation of the refrigerant, the solenoid valve subassembly being switchable between an open condition, in which the refrigerant is circulatable, and a closed condition, in which the refrigerant is substantially non-circulatable;a thermostat electrically connectable to the solenoid valve subassembly via a solenoid control circuit, the thermostat comprising a single pole double throw switch configured to complete the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air in the housing is above a predetermined cut-in temperature, and to open the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air is below a predetermined cut-out temperature;the solenoid valve subassembly being configured to be in the open condition when the solenoid control circuit is energized, and in the closed condition when the solenoid control circuit is open;at least one fan for circulating the air in the housing;at least one electronically commutated fan motor configured to rotate said at least one fan, said at least one fan motor being operable when a drive voltage is provided to a motor drive thereof across a first conductor and a second conductor;said at least one fan motor comprising a fan controller configured to control the drive voltage, the fan controller being electrically connected with the first and second conductors;a fan control circuit comprising a third wire and the first conductor electrically connected with the fan controller;the thermostat being configured to complete the fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is open, and to open the fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is completed;(c) with the fan controller, detecting a signal voltage present between the third wire and the first conductor when the fan control circuit is completed, and providing a first predetermined drive voltage to the motor drive when said signal voltage is detected;(d) with the fan controller, providing a second predetermined drive voltage to the motor drive upon the fan controller failing to detect the signal voltage, the second predetermined drive voltage being greater than the first predetermined drive voltage; and(e) operating said at least one fan motor when the temperature of said air in the housing is above the cut-in temperature, when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the open condition, in which the refrigerant is circulatable, and below the cut-out temperature, when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the closed condition, in which the refrigerant is substantially non-circulatable. 2. A method according to claim 1 in which the first predetermined drive voltage is selected to cause said at least one fan motor to rotate at a minimum speed to provide sufficient air circulation in the housing for maintaining a substantially uniform air temperature inside the housing. 3. A method according to claim 1 in which said at least one fan motor is configured to rotate at a first speed greater than zero when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the closed condition and at a second speed when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the open condition, the second speed set to be greater than said first speed. 4. A method of reducing energy consumption by adapting an evaporator assembly, through which a refrigerant is circulated to transfer heat out of a volume of air in a housing in which the evaporator assembly is at least partially disposed, the evaporator assembly comprising an evaporator in fluid communication with a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant and a solenoid valve subassembly configured to control circulation of the refrigerant, the solenoid valve subassembly being switchable between an open condition, in which the refrigerant is circulatable, and a closed condition, in which the refrigerant is substantially non-circulatable, the method comprising: (a) coupling into the evaporator assembly a thermostat electrically connectable to the solenoid valve subassembly via a solenoid control circuit, the thermostat comprising a single pole double throw switch configured to complete the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air in the housing is above a cut-in temperature, and to open the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air is below a cut-out temperature, the solenoid valve subassembly being configured to be in the open condition when the solenoid control circuit is energized, and in the closed condition when the solenoid control circuit is open;(b) including in the evaporator assembly at least one fan configured to circulate the air in the housing;(c) additionally including in the evaporator assembly at least one electronically commutated fan motor configured to rotate said at least one fan, said at least one fan motor being operable when a drive voltage is provided to a motor drive thereof across a first conductor and a second conductor connected thereto;(d) providing, in said at least one fan motor, a fan controller configured to control the drive voltage, the fan controller being electrically connected with the first and second conductors;(e) electrically connecting a fan control circuit comprising a third wire and the first conductor with the fan controller, the fan control circuit being configured to be completed by the single pole double throw switch when the solenoid control circuit is open, and the fan control circuit being configured to be opened by the single pole double throw switch when the solenoid control circuit is completed;(f) with the fan controller, detecting a signal voltage present between the third wire and the first conductor when the fan control circuit is completed, and providing a first predetermined drive voltage to the motor drive when said signal voltage is detected, the first predetermined drive voltage being greater than zero;(g) with the fan controller, providing a second predetermined drive voltage to the motor drive upon the fan controller failing to detect the signal voltage, the second predetermined drive voltage being greater than the first predetermined drive voltage, the second predetermined drive voltage being greater than zero; and(h) operating said at least one fan motor when the temperature of said air in the housing is above the cut-in temperature, when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the open condition, in which the refrigerant is circulatable, and below the cut-out temperature, when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the closed condition, in which the refrigerant is substantially non-circulatable. 5. A method according to claim 4 in which the first predetermined drive voltage is selected to cause said at least one fan motor to rotate at a minimum speed to provide sufficient air circulation in the housing for maintaining a substantially uniform air temperature inside the housing. 6. A method of reducing a refrigeration system's energy consumption in which the refrigeration system is retrofitted with at least a third wire, the method comprising: (a) providing a compressor through which a refrigerant is circulatable, for compressing the refrigerant;(b) providing an evaporator assembly through which the refrigerant is circulatable for heat transfer from air in a housing to the refrigerant, the evaporator assembly comprising: an evaporator in fluid communication with the compressor;a solenoid valve subassembly configured to control circulation of the refrigerant, the solenoid valve subassembly being switchable between an open condition, in which the refrigerant is circulatable, and a closed condition, in which the refrigerant is substantially non-circulatable;a thermostat electrically connectable to the solenoid valve subassembly via a solenoid control circuit, the thermostat comprising a single pole double throw switch configured to complete the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air in the housing is above a predetermined cut-in temperature, and to open the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air is below a predetermined cut-out temperature;the solenoid valve subassembly being configured to be in the open condition when the solenoid control circuit is energized, and in the closed condition when the solenoid control circuit is open;at least one fan for circulating the air in the housing;at least one electronically commutated fan motor configured to rotate said at least one fan, said at least one fan motor being operable when a drive voltage is provided to a motor drive thereof across a first conductor and a second conductor;said at least one fan motor comprising a fan controller configured to control the drive voltage, the fan controller being electrically connected with the first and second conductors;a fan control circuit comprising said third wire and the first conductor electrically connected with the fan controller;the thermostat being configured to complete the fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is open, and to open the fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is completed;(c) with the fan controller, detecting a signal voltage present between the third wire and the first conductor when the fan control circuit is completed, and providing a first predetermined drive voltage to the motor drive when said signal voltage is detected;(d) with the fan controller, providing a second predetermined drive voltage to the motor drive upon the fan controller failing to detect the signal voltage, the second predetermined drive voltage being greater than the first predetermined drive voltage; and(e) operating said at least one fan motor when the temperature of said air in the housing is above the cut-in temperature, when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the open condition, in which the refrigerant is circulatable, and below the cut-out temperature, when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the closed condition, in which the refrigerant is substantially non-circulatable. 7. A method according to claim 6 in which the first predetermined drive voltage is selected to cause said at least one fan motor to rotate at a minimum speed to provide sufficient air circulation in the housing for maintaining a substantially uniform air temperature inside the housing. 8. A method according to claim 6 in which said at least one fan motor is configured to rotate at a first speed greater than zero when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the closed condition and at a second speed when the solenoid valve subassembly is in the open condition, the second speed set to be greater than said first speed.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (19)
Freeman Edward M. (3214 Leyte Dr. San Antonio TX 78217), Air conditioner blower control.
Clanin Thomas J. (Onalaska WI) Dorman Dennis R. (La Crosse WI) Oltman Robert L. (Stoddard WI) Renaud Merle A. (Onalaska WI) Rentmeester Paul C. (La Crosse WI), Condenser fan control system for use with variable capacity compressor.
Guess Ronald W. (Scott Township ; Vanderburgh County IN) Cook Lori A. (Scott Township ; Vanderburgh County IN) Williams Stephen G. (Ohio Township ; Warrick County IN) Bradley Greg A. (Knight Township, Evaporator fan control for a refrigerator.
Hullar Gordon C. (Cincinnati OH) Justice Jerry F. (Ft. Thomas KY), Method and apparatus for efficiently controlling refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
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