Patent Application
20210003322
This disclosure relates generally to a cooling system.
Cooling systems may cycle a refrigerant to cool various spaces. For example, a refrigeration system may cycle refrigerant to cool spaces near or around refrigeration loads. After the refrigerant absorbs heat, it can be cycled back to the refrigeration loads to defrost the refrigeration loads.
Cooling systems cycle refrigerant to cool various spaces. For example, a refrigeration system cycles refrigerant to cool spaces near or around refrigeration loads. These loads include metal components, such as coils, that carry the refrigerant. As the refrigerant passes through these metallic components, frost and/or ice may accumulate on the exterior of these metallic components. The ice and/or frost reduce the efficiency of the load. For example, as frost and/or ice accumulates on a load, it may become more difficult for the refrigerant within the load to absorb heat that is external to the load. Typically, the ice and frost accumulate on loads in a low temperature section of the system (e.g., freezer cases).
One way to address frost and/or ice accumulation on the load is to cycle refrigerant back to the load after the refrigerant has absorbed heat from the load. Usually, discharge from a low temperature compressor is cycled back to a load to defrost that load. In this manner, the heated refrigerant passes over the frost and/or ice accumulation and defrosts the load. This process of cycling hot refrigerant over frosted and/or iced loads is known as hot gas defrost. Existing cooling systems that have a hot gas defrost cycle may direct refrigerant from a low temperature load to a low temperature compressor through a suction line that is effectively a pipe or tube with a small diameter (e.g., less than or equal to ⅜ of an inch). During a regular refrigeration cycle, this small diameter allows refrigerant to be suctioned into the compressor while preventing oil in the refrigerant from flowing back to the low temperature load (e.g., when the low temperature load is installed vertically lower than the low temperature compressor). During a defrost cycle, hot gas is directed from the low temperature compressor to the low temperature load through this suction line. The small diameter of the suction line, however, restricts the flow of hot gas from the low temperature compressor to the load. As a result, it may take a long time to defrost the low temperature load.
This disclosure contemplates an unconventional cooling system that increases hot gas flow during a defrost cycle by including an additional hot gas line with a larger diameter (e.g., greater than or equal to ⅝ of an inch) between the load and the compressor. The hot gas line includes a check valve that prevents refrigerant from the load from flowing to the compressor through the hot gas line. During a refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant from the load is suctioned into the compressor through the small diameter suction line. During the defrost cycle, hot gas from the compressor is directed through the hot gas line and the check valve to the load. Because the hot gas line has a larger diameter than the suction line, the flow of hot gas to the load is increased during the defrost cycle. As a result of the increased flow of hot gas, the hot gas defrost process speeds up. Certain embodiments of the cooling system are described below.
According to an embodiment, an apparatus includes a load, a compressor, a first pipe coupled to the load, a second pipe coupled to the compressor, a third pipe coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe, a fourth pipe coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe, and a check valve coupled to the fourth pipe. During a first mode of operation: the load uses a refrigerant to cool a space proximate the load, the first, second, and third pipes direct refrigerant from the load to the compressor, the compressor compresses refrigerant from the load, and the check valve prevents refrigerant from the load from flowing to the compressor through the fourth pipe. During a second mode of operation the first, second, and fourth pipes direct a first portion of the refrigerant from the compressor to the load to defrost the load.
According to another embodiment, a method includes removing, by a high side heat exchanger, heat from a refrigerant and storing, by a flash tank, the refrigerant. The method also includes using, by a first load, the refrigerant to cool a first space proximate the first load and using, by a second load, the refrigerant to cool a second space proximate the second load. The method further includes during a first mode of operation: using, by a third load, the refrigerant to cool a third space proximate the third load, directing, by a first pipe coupled to the third load, a second pipe coupled to a first compressor, and a third pipe coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe, refrigerant from the third load to the first compressor, compressing, by the first compressor, the refrigerant from the second load and the third load, compressing, by a second compressor, the refrigerant from the first load and the first compressor, and preventing, by a check valve coupled to a fourth pipe coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe, refrigerant from the third load from flowing to the first compressor through the fourth pipe. The method also includes during a second mode of operation, directing, by the first, second, and fourth pipes, a first portion of the refrigerant from the first compressor to the third load to defrost the third load.
According to yet another embodiment, a system includes a high side heat exchanger that removes heat from a refrigerant, a flash tank that stores the refrigerant, a first load that uses the refrigerant to cool a first space proximate the first load, a second load that uses the refrigerant to cool a second space proximate the second load, a third load, a first compressor, a second compressor, a first pipe coupled to the third load, a second pipe coupled to a first compressor, a third pipe coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe, a fourth pipe coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe, and a check valve coupled to the fourth pipe. During a first mode of operation: the third load uses the refrigerant to cool a third space proximate the third load, the first, second, and third pipes direct the refrigerant from the third load to the first compressor, the first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the second load and the third load, the second compressor compresses the refrigerant from the first load and the first compressor, and the check valve prevents the refrigerant from the third load from flowing to the first compressor through the fourth pipe. During a second mode of operation, the first, second, and fourth pipe direct a first portion of the refrigerant from the first compressor to the third load to defrost the third load.
Certain embodiments provide one or more technical advantages. For example, an embodiment increases the speed of a hot gas defrost cycle by increasing the flow of hot gas to a load. Certain embodiments may include none, some, or all of the above technical advantages. One or more other technical advantages may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the figures, descriptions, and claims included herein.
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Embodiments of the present disclosure and its advantages are best understood by referring to
Cooling systems cycle refrigerant to cool various spaces. For example, a refrigeration system cycles refrigerant to cool spaces near or around refrigeration loads. These loads include metal components, such as coils, that carry the refrigerant. As the refrigerant passes through these metallic components, frost and/or ice may accumulate on the exterior of these metallic components. The ice and/or frost reduce the efficiency of the load. For example, as frost and/or ice accumulates on a load, it may become more difficult for the refrigerant within the load to absorb heat that is external to the load. Typically, the ice and frost accumulate on loads in a low temperature section of the system (e.g., freezer cases).
One way to address frost and/or ice accumulation on the load is to cycle refrigerant back to the load after the refrigerant has absorbed heat from the load. Usually, discharge from a low temperature compressor is cycled back to a load to defrost that load. In this manner, the heated refrigerant passes over the frost and/or ice accumulation and defrosts the load. This process of cycling hot refrigerant over frosted and/or iced loads is known as hot gas defrost. Existing cooling systems that have a hot gas defrost cycle may direct refrigerant from a low temperature load to a low temperature compressor through a suction line that is effectively a pipe or tube with a small diameter (e.g., less than or equal to ⅜ of an inch). During a regular refrigeration cycle, this small diameter allows refrigerant to be suctioned into the compressor while preventing oil in the refrigerant from flowing back to the low temperature load (e.g., when the low temperature load is installed vertically lower than the low temperature compressor). During a defrost cycle, hot gas is directed from the low temperature compressor to the low temperature load through this suction line. The small diameter of the suction line, however, restricts the flow of hot gas from the low temperature compressor to the load. As a result, it may take a long time to defrost the low temperature load.
This disclosure contemplates an unconventional cooling system that increases hot gas flow during a defrost cycle by including an additional hot gas line with a larger diameter (e.g., greater than or equal to ⅝ of an inch) between the load and the compressor. The hot gas line includes a check valve that prevents refrigerant from the load from flowing to the compressor through the hot gas line. During a refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant from the load is suctioned into the compressor through the small diameter suction line. During the defrost cycle, hot gas from the compressor is directed through the hot gas line and the check valve to the load. Because the hot gas line has a larger diameter than the suction line, the flow of hot gas to the load is increased during the defrost cycle. As a result of the increased flow of hot gas, the hot gas defrost process speeds up. The cooling system will be described using
High side heat exchanger 105 removes heat from a refrigerant. When heat is removed from the refrigerant, the refrigerant is cooled. This disclosure contemplates high side heat exchanger 105 being operated as a condenser and/or a gas cooler. When operating as a condenser, high side heat exchanger 105 cools the refrigerant such that the state of the refrigerant changes from a gas to a liquid. When operating as a gas cooler, high side heat exchanger 105 cools gaseous refrigerant and the refrigerant remains a gas. In certain configurations, high side heat exchanger 105 is positioned such that heat removed from the refrigerant may be discharged into the air. For example, high side heat exchanger 105 may be positioned on a rooftop so that heat removed from the refrigerant may be discharged into the air. As another example, high side heat exchanger 105 may be positioned external to a building and/or on the side of a building. This disclosure contemplates any suitable refrigerant (e.g., carbon dioxide) being used in any of the disclosed cooling systems.
Flash tank 110 stores refrigerant received from high side heat exchanger 105. This disclosure contemplates flash tank 110 storing refrigerant in any state such as, for example, a liquid state and/or a gaseous state. Refrigerant leaving flash tank 110 is fed to low temperature loads 120A and 120B and medium temperature load 115. In some embodiments, a flash gas and/or a gaseous refrigerant is released from flash tank 110. By releasing flash gas, the pressure within flash tank 110 may be reduced.
System 100 includes a low temperature portion and a medium temperature portion. The low temperature portion operates at a lower temperature than the medium temperature portion. In some refrigeration systems, the low temperature portion may be a freezer system and the medium temperature system may be a regular refrigeration system. In a grocery store setting, the low temperature portion may include freezers used to hold frozen foods, and the medium temperature portion may include refrigerated shelves used to hold produce. Refrigerant flows from flash tank 110 to both the low temperature and medium temperature portions of the refrigeration system. For example, the refrigerant flows to low temperature loads 120A and 120B and medium temperature load 115. When the refrigerant reaches low temperature loads 120A and 120B or medium temperature load 115, the refrigerant removes heat from the air around low temperature loads 120A and 120B or medium temperature load 115. As a result, the air is cooled. The cooled air may then be circulated such as, for example, by a fan to cool a space such as, for example, a freezer and/or a refrigerated shelf. As refrigerant passes through low temperature loads 120A and 120B and medium temperature load 115, the refrigerant may change from a liquid state to a gaseous state as it absorbs heat. This disclosure contemplates including any number of low temperature loads 120 and medium temperature loads 115 in any of the disclosed cooling systems.
The refrigerant cools metallic components of low temperature loads 120A and 120B and medium temperature load 115 as the refrigerant passes through low temperature loads 120A and 120B and medium temperature load 115. For example, metallic coils, plates, parts of low temperature loads 120A and 120B and medium temperature load 115 may cool as the refrigerant passes through them. These components may become so cold that vapor in the air external to these components condenses and eventually freeze or frost onto these components. As the ice or frost accumulates on these metallic components, it may become more difficult for the refrigerant in these components to absorb heat from the air external to these components. In essence, the frost and ice act as a thermal barrier. As a result, the efficiency of cooling system 100 decreases the more ice and frost that accumulates. Cooling system 100 may use heated refrigerant to defrost these metallic components.
Refrigerant flows from low temperature loads 120A and 120B and medium temperature load 115 to compressors 125 and 130. This disclosure contemplates the disclosed cooling systems including any number of low temperature compressors 130 and medium temperature compressors 125. Both the low temperature compressor 130 and medium temperature compressor 125 compress refrigerant to increase the pressure of the refrigerant. As a result, the heat in the refrigerant may become concentrated and the refrigerant may become a high-pressure gas. Low temperature compressor 130 compresses refrigerant from low temperature loads 120A and 120B and sends the compressed refrigerant to medium temperature compressor 125. Medium temperature compressor 125 compresses a mixture of the refrigerant from low temperature compressor 130 and medium temperature load 115. Medium temperature compressor 125 then sends the compressed refrigerant to high side heat exchanger 105.
Refrigerant from low temperature compressor 130 may be cycled back to low temperature load 120A to defrost low temperature load 120. The refrigerant may be heated after absorbing heat from the other low temperature loads 120 and being compressed by low temperature compressor 130. The hot refrigerant and/or hot gas is then cycled over the metallic components of the low temperature load 120A to defrost it. Afterwards, the hot gas and/or refrigerant is cycled back to flash tank 110. This process of cycling heated refrigerant over low temperature load 120A to defrost it is referred to as a defrost cycle. This disclosure contemplates directing hot refrigerant from low temperature compressor 130 to any suitable low temperature load 120. Additionally, it is contemplated that during the defrost cycle, the load 120 that is being defrosted is turned off, and the hot gas used to defrost the load 120 is supplied by another load 120 that is operating. For example, if load 120A is being defrosted, then load 120A may be turned off and the hot gas used to defrost load 120A is supplied by load 120B, which is kept operating during the defrost cycle.
Medium temperature compressor 125 directs refrigerant to high side heat exchanger 105 through oil separator 135. Oil separator 135 separates an oil from the refrigerant from medium temperature compressor 125. By separating the oil from the refrigerant, oil separator 135 prevents the oil from flowing to other components of system 100. If oil flows to these other components, the oil may damage and/or clog these other components. Thus, oil separator 135 improves the efficiency and lifespan of system 100. Particular embodiments of system 100, do not include oil separator 135.
Existing cooling systems may direct refrigerant from a low temperature load to a low temperature compressor through a suction line that is effectively a pipe or tube with a small diameter (e.g., less than or equal to ⅜ of an inch). During a regular refrigeration cycle, this small diameter allows refrigerant to be suctioned into the compressor while preventing oil in the refrigerant from flowing back to the low temperature load. During a defrost cycle, hot gas is directed from the low temperature compressor to the low temperature load through this suction line. The small diameter of the suction line, however, restricts the flow of hot gas from the low temperature compressor to the load. As a result, it may take a long time to defrost the low temperature load.
System 100 increases hot gas flow during a defrost cycle by including an additional hot gas line 132 with a larger diameter (e.g., greater than or equal to ⅝ of an inch) between the load 120A and the compressor 130. The hot gas line 132 includes a check valve 133 that prevents refrigerant from the load 120A from flowing to the compressor 130 through the hot gas line 132. During a refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant from the load 120A is suctioned into the compressor 130 through the small diameter suction line. During the defrost cycle, hot gas from the compressor 130 is directed through the hot gas line 132 and the check valve 133 to the load 120A. Because the hot gas line 132 has a larger diameter than the suction line, the flow of hot gas to the load 120A is increased during the defrost cycle. As a result of the increased flow of hot gas, the hot gas defrost process speeds up. Embodiments of the cooling system are described below using
Pipe 205 is coupled to low temperature load 120. Pipe 205 allows refrigerant to flow in and out of low temperature load 120. Pipe 210 is couple to low temperature compressor 130. Pipe 210 allows refrigerant to flow in and out of low temperature compressor 130. In certain embodiments, pipes 205 and 210 may be similarly sized. For example, both pipes 205 and 210 may have a diameter of ⅝ of an inch.
Pipe 215 is coupled to pipes 205 and 210. In certain embodiments, pipe 215 may be referred to as a suction line. Pipe 215 may take form of a rigid pipe and/or a flexible tube. In certain embodiments pipe 215 has a diameter that is smaller than the diameters of pipes 205, 210, and 220. For example, pipe 215 may have a diameter of ⅜ of an inch.
During a first mode of operation (e.g., a regular refrigeration cycle), low temperature load 120 uses refrigerant to cool a space proximate low temperature load 120. That refrigerant is then suctioned through pipes 205, 215, and 210 to low temperature compressor 130. Because pipe 215 has a smaller diameter, the refrigerant is suctioned through pipe 215 at a higher velocity than through other pipes. As a result, an oil that is mixed with the refrigerant from low temperature load 120 may be suctioned upwards through pipe 215 to low temperature compressor 130 at that higher velocity. If pipe 215 had a larger diameter, then the refrigerant and the oil may not be suctioned at a higher velocity and the oil may flow back from pipe 215 to low temperature load 120. In certain installations, low temperature compressor 130 is positioned vertically higher than low temperature load 120. In these installations, gravity may further act on the oil and the refrigerant and cause the oil to flow back down towards low temperature load 120 if the oil is not suctioned at a sufficient velocity. This disclosure contemplates that low temperature load 120 and low temperature compressor 130 being installed at any vertical position relative to each other. Even when low temperature compressor 130 is installed lower vertically than low temperature load 120, there may still be a pipe between the low temperature load 120 and the low temperature compressor that runs vertically upwards, which may result in backflow.
During a second mode of operation (e.g., a defrost cycle), refrigerant from low temperature compressor 130 is directed back to low temperature load 120 to defrost low temperature load 120. If pipe 215 were the only passageway for refrigerant to flow from low temperature compressor 130 to low temperature load 120, the small diameter of pipe 215 would restrict the flow of the refrigerant. As a result, the flow of refrigerant back to low temperature load 120 is slowed, which may cause the defrost process to take a long time.
Pipe 220 allows for an increased flow of refrigerant to low temperature load 120 during the second mode of operation. Pipe 220 is coupled to pipes 205 and 210. Pipe 220 has a larger diameter than pipe 215. For example, pipe 220 may have a diameter of ⅝ of an inch. Because of the larger diameter, pipe 220 allows for an increased flow of refrigerant relative to pipe 215. This disclosure contemplates that pipe 220 may have a diameter that is equal to the diameters of pipes 205 and 210 or a diameter that is smaller than the diameters of pipes 205 and 210.
Check valve 225 is coupled to pipe 220. Check valve 225 prevents refrigerant from flowing through pipe 220 in a certain direction. As seen in
As a result, check valve 225 prevents refrigerant from flowing upwards through pipe 220 during a refrigeration cycle. As a result, oil that is mixed with the refrigerant is prevented from flowing back to low temperature load 120 due to gravity. During a defrost cycle, check valve 225 allows refrigerant to flow from low temperature compressor 130 to low temperature load 120 through pipe 220. Because pipe 220 has a larger diameter than pipe 215, pipe 220 allows for an increased flow of refrigerant back to low temperature load 120 to defrost load 120. As a result, the defrost process speeds up.
In certain instances, during a defrost cycle, a portion of the refrigerant from low temperature compressor 130 flows to low temperature load 120 through pipe 215. This portion of the refrigerant that flows through pipe 215 is smaller than the portion of the refrigerant that flows through pipe 220, because pipe 220 has a larger diameter than pipe 215. As a result, pipe 215 still allows refrigerant to flow form low temperature compressor 130 to low temperature load 120, and this refrigerant supplements the refrigerant that flows through pipe 220 to low temperature load 120. This increased flow of refrigerant from low temperature compressor 130 further speeds up the defrost process.
In step 305, a high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. A flash tank stores the refrigerant in step 310. In step 320, a load uses the refrigerant to cool a space. Pipes direct the refrigerant to a compressor in step 325. These pipes may include a suction line that has a small diameter, such as, for example, ⅜ of an inch. The compressor then compresses the refrigerant in step 330. In step 333, a determination is made whether the system 100 is in a first mode of operation. If a system is in the first mode of operation, then the system 100 is in a refrigeration cycle and the compressed refrigerant can be directed back to the high side heat exchanger.
If system 100 is not in the first mode of operation, then system 100 is in a defrost cycle. In step 335, pipes direct the refrigerant to a load to defrost the load. These pipes include a hot gas line with a check valve that allows the refrigerant to flow from the compressor to the load but not in the other direction. The hot gas line has a larger diameter than the suction line, which allows for an increased flow of refrigerant back to the load to defrost the load. As a result, the speed of the hot gas cycle is increased. The load that is defrosted in step 335 may not be the same load that used the refrigerant to cool the space in step 320, because the load that is defrosted in step 335 may be shut off during the defrost cycle.
Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to method 300 depicted in
Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems and apparatuses described herein without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated. Moreover, the operations of the systems and apparatuses may be performed by more, fewer, or other components. Additionally, operations of the systems and apparatuses may be performed using any suitable logic comprising software, hardware, and/or other logic. As used in this document, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set.
This disclosure may refer to a refrigerant being from a particular component of a system (e.g., the refrigerant from the medium temperature compressor, the refrigerant from the low temperature compressor, the refrigerant from the flash tank, etc.). When such terminology is used, this disclosure is not limiting the described refrigerant to being directly from the particular component. This disclosure contemplates refrigerant being from a particular component (e.g., the high side heat exchanger) even though there may be other intervening components between the particular component and the destination of the refrigerant.
Although the present disclosure includes several embodiments, a myriad of changes, variations, alterations, transformations, and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes, variations, alterations, transformations, and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
