Refrigeration arrangement and methods for reducing charge migration losses
a technology of charge migration and refrigeration arrangement, which is applied in the field of refrigeration appliances and refrigeration methods of operation, can solve the problems of system re-operation, significant reduction in refrigerant temperature, and evaporation of refrigeran
Inactive Publication Date: 2017-08-24
WHIRLPOOL CORP
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- Application Information
AI Technical Summary
Benefits of technology
This approach enhances overall system efficiency by minimizing the duration of suboptimal thermodynamic conditions, reducing efficiency losses, and ensuring the refrigerant is in an ideal state throughout the circuit more quickly, thus improving cooling performance.
Problems solved by technology
This results in evaporation of the refrigerant and a significant decrease in the temperature of the refrigerant.
Consequently, the system will need some period of time to re-distribute the refrigerant within the circuit upon start-up of the compressor when cooling of a compartment is required.
Efficiency losses on the order of 5-10% may result from the effects of refrigerant migration during compressor OFF cycles in conventional refrigeration systems.
The refrigerant is often not in an ideal state throughout the refrigerant circuit during the initial phase of a compressor ON cycle.
Moreover, when warm refrigerant has migrated from the condenser to the evaporator during a period when the compressor is not operating, efficiency is lost from heat transfer of the warmer refrigerant in the evaporator to the refrigeration compartment.
The use of heat exchanging members (e.g., suction line heat exchangers and intercoolers) in some refrigeration systems also can exacerbate the problem.
However, they tend to prolong the effects of refrigerant migration during compressor OFF cycles by inhibiting the mass flow rate of the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit upon the initiation of a compressor ON cycle.
Conventional systems are not designed to address refrigerant migration.
Indeed, many conventional systems exacerbate the problem by employing heat exchanging elements designed to only improve efficiency during steady-state operation of the compressor.
Method used
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[0030]For purposes of description herein, the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. The specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
[0031]FIGS. 1 and 2 each provide a schematic illustrating refrigerator appliance 10 with a refrigeration circuit and control components. Refrigerant circuit 20 includes a series of conduits allowing the flow of refrigerant 8 through a compressor 2, condenser 4, pressure reduction devices 32 and 34, a first evaporator 12 and then back to the compressor 2. In particular, compressor 2 supplies refrigerant 8 through compressor outlet line 30 to cond...
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A method of operating a refrigeration appliance, comprising the steps: operating a compressor and a valve system to cause refrigerant to flow through a refrigerant circuit to chill an evaporator during a compressor ON-cycle; operating the valve system to direct the refrigerant through a secondary pressure reducing device in response to the initiation of the compressor ON-cycle for a duration that lasts until a nominal operation condition has been reached; operating the valve system during the compressor ON-cycle to direct the refrigerant through a primary pressure reducing device in response to the nominal operation condition; and transferring thermal energy from the primary pressure reducing device to a suction line heat exchanger.
Description
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT[0001]This invention was made with government support under Award No. DE-EE0003910, awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention.CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0002]This Application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 400,844, filed on Feb. 21, 2012, entitled REFRIGERATION ARRANGEMENT AND METHODS FOR REDUCING CHARGE MIGRATION.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0003]The present disclosure relates to refrigeration appliances and refrigeration methods of operation. More particularly, the disclosure relates to refrigeration configurations and methods to improve system efficiency by minimizing mal-distribution of refrigerant within the sealed system.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0004]Many conventional refrigeration systems used in refrigerator appliances, for example, rely on a sealed configuration allowing refrigerant flow through a circuit with a co...
Claims
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IPC IPC(8): F25B45/00F25B5/02F25B41/06
CPCF25B45/00F25B41/06F25B5/02F25B2600/2501F25B2500/26F25B2400/0417F25B2600/2507F25B2400/052F25B2400/054F25B2341/0661F25B2600/0251F25B40/02F25D29/00F25B2600/11Y02B40/00F25B41/385F25B41/20
InventorLITCH, ANDREW D.WU, GUOLIAN
OwnerWHIRLPOOL CORP