Claims
- 1. A method of controlling the operation of a refrigeration system of the type that includes a compressor, a condensor, a liquid receiver, an evaporator, at least one constant speed fan associated with said condensor, and at least one refrigerant line, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring the presence of flashgas bubbles in a liquid refrigerant of the refrigeration system and creating an electrical signal upon the sensing of flashgas bubbles in said refrigerant line;
- (b) communicating said electrical signal to a system controller; and
- (c) selectively controlling the operation of said at least one constant speed fan by controlling its staging on or off, in response to said electrical signal communicated to said system controller so as to reduce or eliminate said flashgas bubbles in the liquid refrigerant, while simultaneously limiting energy consumption to an optimal or near-optimal rate.
- 2. A method of controlling the operation of a refrigeration system of the type that includes a compressor, a condensor, a liquid receiver, an evaporator, at least one variable-speed fan associated with said condensor, and at least one refrigerant line, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring the presence of flashgas bubbles in a liquid refrigerant of the refrigeration system and creating an electrical signal upon the sensing of flashgas bubbles in said refrigerant line;
- (b) communicating said electrical signal to a system controller; and
- (c) selectively controlling the operation of said at least one variable-speed fan by controlling its selective staging on or off and by controlling its speed, in response to said electrical signal communicated to said system controller so as to reduce or eliminate said flashgas bubbles in the liquid refrigerant, while simultaneously limiting energy consumption to an optimal or near-optimal rate.
- 3. A method of controlling the operation of a refrigeration system of the type that includes a compressor, a condenser, a liquid receiver an evaporator, at least one multi-speed fan associated with said condenser, and at least one refrigerant line, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring the presence of flashgas bubbles in a liquid refrigerant of the refrigeration system and creating an electrical signal upon the sensing of flashgas bubbles in said refrigerant line;
- (b) communicating said electrical signal to a system controller; and
- (c) selectively controlling the operation of said at least one multi-speed fan by controlling its selective staging on or off and by controlling its speed, in response to said electrical signal communicated to said system controller so as to reduce or eliminate said flashgas bubbles in the liquid refrigerant, while simultaneously limiting energy consumption to an optimal or near-optimal rate.
- 4. A method of controlling the operation of a refrigeration system of the type that includes a compressor, a condenser, a liquid receiver, an evaporator, at least one constant speed fan associated with said condenser and at least one variable-speed fan associated with said condenser, and at least one refrigerant line, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring the presence of flashgas bubbles in a liquid refrigerant of the refrigeration system and creating an electrical signal upon the sensing of flashgas bubbles in said refrigerant line;
- (b) communicating said electrical signal to a system controller; and
- (c) selectively controlling the operation of said at least one constant speed fan by controlling its selective staging on or off, and selectively controlling the operation of said at least one variable-speed fan by controlling its selective staging on or off and by controlling its speed, both acts of controlling in response to said electrical signal communicated to said system controller so as to reduce or eliminate said flashgas bubbles in the liquid refrigerant, while simultaneously limiting energy consumption to an optimal or near-optimal rate.
- 5. A method of controlling the operation of a refrigeration system of the type that includes a compressor, a condenser, a liquid receiver, an evaporator, at least one constant speed fan associated with said condenser and at least one multi-speed fan associated with said condenser, and at least one refrigerant line, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring the presence of flashgas bubbles in a liquid refrigerant of the refrigeration system and creating an electrical signal upon the sensing of flashgas bubbles in said refrigerant line;
- (b) communicating said electrical signal to a system controller; and
- (c) selectively controlling the operation of said at least one constant speed fan by controlling its selective staging on or off, and selectively controlling the operation of said at least one multi-speed fan by controlling its selective staging on or off and by controlling its speed, both acts of controlling in response to said electrical signal communicated to said system controller so as to reduce or eliminate said flashgas bubbles in the liquid refrigerant, while simultaneously limiting energy consumption to an optimal or near-optimal rate.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 07/855,614, filed Mar. 20, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,223.
US Referenced Citations (25)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
855614 |
Mar 1992 |
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