Self-powered air conditioning system

Abstract

The invention name of the present invention is "Self-powered air conditioning system". An air conditioning system includes a vapor compression circuit, the vapor compression circuit having multiple components including a compressor and at least one heat exchanger. A heat transfer fluid is configured to circulate in the vapor compression circuit. An energy storage device is selectively operable to supply power to one of the multiple components of the vapor compression circuit. A cooling system is associated with the energy storage device. The cooling system is a geothermal cooling system, and the ground near the energy storage device is a radiator configured to absorb heat from the energy storage device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments described herein relate to air conditioning systems. Background Art

[0002] Electric energy drives a large number of devices and equipment in commercial, industrial and residential applications. For example, electric energy drives lamps, motors, household appliances, medical equipment, computers, air conditioning systems, electric vehicle charging stations and many other electrical devices. In most areas, power utilities generate electricity and distribute electricity (through AC power grids). Shortages and / or increased costs associated with fossil fuels and electricity from power utilities have significantly affected consumers and businesses. In general, shortages and / or increased costs often occur during the time of peak demand. Peak demand can occur based on the time of the day, such as in the morning or in the evening. On a more random basis, peak demand (or demand greater than available supply) may occur due to natural disasters, or occur in long periods of time such as cloudy (if the power from the power grid comes from solar energy). For example, a hurricane or earthquake may damage the generator and / or power grid of the power utility, resulting in a significant loss of electric power for commercial, industrial and residential applications. The maintenance of these damaged lines and generators may take hours, days or weeks. Various places may also lose power from the power grid for other reasons. During these times of loss of power, the facility may be unable to continue operating.

[0003] Often, during times of peak demand, electrical energy from the grid is more expensive. For example, a power utility may employ low-cost generators during periods of minimum demand, and further employ high-cost generators during periods of peak demand. Unfortunately, existing infrastructure does not adequately address these different costs associated with peak demand and minimum demand. As a result, commercial, industrial, and residential applications typically draw power from the grid during times of peak demand, regardless of the higher costs associated with their generation. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to an embodiment, an air conditioning system includes a vapor compression circuit having a plurality of components including a compressor and at least one heat exchanger. A heat transfer fluid is configured to circulate within the vapor compression circuit. An energy storage device is selectively operable to supply power to one of the plurality of components of the vapor compression circuit. A cooling system is associated with the energy storage device. The cooling system is a geothermal cooling system, and the ground near the energy storage device is a radiator configured to absorb heat from the energy storage device.

[0005] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the cooling system comprises a coolant loop fluidly connected to the energy storage device. At least a portion of the coolant loop is positioned vertically below the surface level of the ground.

[0006] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the coolant loop includes at least one coolant pipe, and at least a portion of the at least one coolant pipe extends below a frost line associated with the ground.

[0007] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the cooling system includes at least one cooling channel arranged at an outer surface of the energy storage device.

[0008] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the cooling system comprises a coolant operable to circulate through the cooling system. The coolant is an internal cooling fluid of the energy storage device.

[0009] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the energy storage device has an internal cooling fluid, and the cooling system includes a coolant operable to circulate through the cooling system. The coolant is different from the internal cooling fluid.

[0010] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment the energy storage device is arranged at or above the surface level of the ground.

[0011] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, at least one of the plurality of components of the vapor compression circuit is arranged within an outdoor unit. The energy storage device is positioned directly below the outdoor unit.

[0012] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, at least one of the plurality of components of the vapor compression circuit is arranged within an outdoor unit. The energy storage device is located remotely from the outdoor unit.

[0013] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment at least a portion of the energy storage device is arranged below the surface level of the ground.

[0014] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment the entirety of the energy storage device is positioned below the surface level of the ground.

[0015] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, at least a portion of the energy storage device is positioned below a frost line associated with the ground.

[0016] According to an embodiment, an air conditioning system includes a vapor compression circuit having a plurality of components including a compressor and at least one heat exchanger. A heat transfer fluid is configured to circulate within the vapor compression circuit. An energy storage device is selectively operable to supply power to one of the plurality of components of the vapor compression circuit. A cooling system is associated with the energy storage device. The cooling system includes a heat exchanger, and the ambient atmosphere surrounding the heat exchanger is operable to remove heat from the energy storage device.

[0017] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment the heat exchanger is located at the energy storage device.

[0018] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the heat exchanger includes at least one cooling channel arranged at an outer surface of the energy storage device.

[0019] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the heat exchanger is located remotely from the energy storage device.

[0020] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment the heat exchanger is mounted to an exterior surface of a building to be conditioned by the air conditioning system.

[0021] In addition or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the cooling system comprises a coolant operable to circulate through the cooling system. The coolant is an internal cooling fluid of the energy storage device.

[0022] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, in a further embodiment, the energy storage device has an internal cooling fluid, and the cooling system includes a coolant operable to circulate through the cooling system. The coolant is different from the internal cooling fluid.

[0023] The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without being exclusive, unless otherwise expressly indicated. These features and elements and their operation will become more apparent in view of the following description and drawings. However, it should be understood that the following description and drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and are non-restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of examples and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements.

[0025] Figure 1 An air conditioning system in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0026] Figure 2 A controller for an outdoor unit in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0027] Figure 3 Depicted is the electrical architecture of an outdoor unit in an example embodiment.

[0028] Figure 4 Depicted is the electrical architecture of an outdoor unit in an example embodiment.

[0029] Figure 5 Depicted is an electrical architecture for a fixed speed outdoor unit in an example embodiment.

[0030] Figure 6 Depicted is the electrical architecture of an outdoor unit with a multi-level inverter in an example embodiment.

[0031] Figure 7 One phase leg of a five-level multiphase inverter in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0032] Figure 8 Depicted are communications between an outdoor unit controller, a thermostat, and a remote system in an example embodiment.

[0033] Fig. 9 A control process in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0034] Fig.10 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit of an air conditioning system having an external energy storage device in an example embodiment;

[0035] Fig.11is a schematic diagram of a cooling system for an energy storage device of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0036] Fig.12 is a schematic diagram of another cooling system for an energy storage device of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0037] Fig.13 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system for an energy storage device of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0038] Fig.14 is a schematic diagram of another cooling system for an energy storage device of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment; and

[0039] Fig.15 is a schematic diagram of yet another cooling system for an energy storage device of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] With the current global electrification and decarbonization efforts, there is an incentive to use efficient, optimized all-electric air conditioning systems that provide comfort while being dispatchable (on, off, or adjusted) under different pricing conditions or upon receipt of a utility signal. Embodiments described herein relate to air conditioning systems that include batteries to provide the level of dispatchability required for interconnection with an electric power grid.

[0041] Figure 1 An air conditioning system 100 in an example embodiment is depicted. The phrase "air conditioning" is intended to include one or more of heating, cooling, ventilation, humidification, dehumidification, refrigeration, hot water heating, cooling water or fluid, air filtration, and other known air handling operations, or a combination of any of the above operations. The air conditioning system 100 may include systems of known types, such as heat pumps, chillers, split systems, packaged units, etc. The air conditioning system typically includes a vapor compression circuit, which includes a compressor separated between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, at least one heat exchanger (such as, for example, a condenser and an evaporator), and an expansion valve, which will be described in more detail below. The heat transfer fluid R is configured to circulate through the vapor compression circuit to form an air flow A having a desired temperature, which can be delivered to one or more areas to be conditioned.

[0042] The air conditioning system 100 includes an outdoor unit 200. The outdoor unit 200 can be located at ground level near the building 102, on the roof of the building 102, or at any other location. As shown, the outdoor unit 200 includes a controller 220, a power converter 230, and an energy storage device (ESD) 240. Although the energy storage device 240 is illustrated as being within the outdoor unit 200, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the energy storage device 240 can be alternatively or additionally located at the indoor unit 250. The controller 220 can communicate with the HVAC controller and / or the energy storage device controller. In other embodiments, a single controller can implement all the functions of the controller 220, the HVAC controller, and the battery controller. Figure 2 A controller 220 according to an embodiment is depicted. The controller 220 includes a sensor interface 222, which can obtain operating parameters of the air conditioning system 100, such as pressure, temperature, etc. As is known in the art, the controller 220 can adjust the operation of the air conditioning system 100 based on the sensed operating parameters. The controller 220 includes a processor 224 that controls the operation of the system 100. The processor 224 can be implemented using a general-purpose microprocessor that executes a computer program stored on a storage medium to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, the processor 224 can be implemented in hardware (e.g., ASIC, FPGA) or in a combination of hardware / software. The processor 224 allows the controller 220 to perform calculations locally, also known as edge computing. The processor 224 can send commands to other components of the air conditioning system 100 based on the results of the local calculations.

[0043] The controller 220 includes a memory 226 that can store computer programs, reference data, sensor data, etc. that can be executed by the processor 224. The memory 226 can be implemented using known devices, such as random access memory. The controller 220 includes a communication unit 228 that allows the controller 220 to communicate with other components of the air conditioning system 100, such as the indoor unit 250 and the thermostat 260. The communication unit 228 can be implemented using a wired connection (e.g., LAN, Ethernet, twisted pair, etc.) and / or a wireless connection (e.g., Wi-Fi, near field communication ("NFC"), Bluetooth, etc.).

[0044] In some embodiments, the communication unit 228 can provide high-speed data communication through the existing wiring system and / or provide communication with newer equipment with a high-speed bus while maintaining communication with existing equipment (e.g., with an RS-485 communication bus). In some embodiments, the HVAC equipment may include 4 lines for data communication: power, ground, data +, and data -. Of these lines, data + and data - are used to carry low-speed standard RS-485 data. The power line is used to power the wall control and comes from the indoor unit. This same power line is carried to the outdoor unit, although it is generally not used. The ability to utilize the power and ground lines of the 4-wire system (referred to as "power line communication" (PLC) technology) allows digital / data signals to be sent through the power line. In some embodiments, PLC technology can allow data transmission at or near gigabit rates using standard 2-conductor wiring. This includes 2 lines represented by the power and ground of the HVAC equipment. It should be appreciated that other data transmission speeds are possible. In some embodiments, the communication unit 228 of the present disclosure can be configured so that while PLC high-speed communication is occurring over the power and ground lines of the 4-wire system, low-speed RS-485 communication can also be occurring on the Data+ and Data- lines. In some embodiments, the high-speed and low-speed communications can occur at approximately the same time (e.g., within a few milliseconds of each other). This can allow standard HVAC lines to communicate with both RS-485 controlled devices and HVAC devices containing additional PLC transceivers. This can be advantageous because both new high-speed HVAC equipment and existing RS-485 HVAC equipment can coexist on the existing wiring of a building.

[0045] refer to Figure 1 , power converter 230 is used to perform any necessary power conversion, including AC-AC, AC-DC, DC-AC and DC-DC. Power converter 230 can operate in a bidirectional manner so that one or all power conversions are bidirectional. Figure 1 , power converter 230 is connected to AC and / or DC power sources and / or loads. Power converter 230 can also provide power to loads in building 102, including indoor units 250, thermostats 260, and loads 270. In normal mode, loads in building 102 will receive AC power directly from the AC grid. Controller 220 can select whether power will come from the AC grid or from power converter 230. Example embodiments of power converter 230 are described herein.

[0046] The energy storage device 240 is configured to provide at least a portion of the power under certain circumstances to operate one or more of the outdoor unit 200, (one or more) indoor units 250, and (one or more) indoor loads 270. The energy storage device 240 can be implemented using a device for storing electrical energy, including, for example, one or more of a battery, a battery module, a battery cell, a supercapacitor, etc. The battery 240 can include several cells in a modular form or as an independent multi-cell array. The battery 240 can be made of a single or multiple sets of self-contained systems, battery modules, or individual cells. The battery 240 (such as a complete plug and play battery) can include a box, a line, a cell, and a module. For example, the battery 240 can include a group of cells configured as a self-contained mechanical and electrical unit. The energy storage device 240 can include other components (e.g., an ESD management system (ESDMS)), which is electrically coupled to the energy storage device 240 and can be suitable for communicating with the controller 220 directly or through the ESDMS.

[0047] The outdoor unit 200 also includes components used as part of an air conditioning unit, and includes a compressor 242, a compressor driver 244, a fan 246, and a DC load 248. These components are described in further detail herein when relevant to the embodiments.

[0048] Inside the building 102, one or more indoor units 250 are placed to condition one or more zones of the building 102. Various known indoor units can be used to employ the indoor unit 250, including a variable air volume (VAV) unit, a liquid-cooled indoor unit, etc. The thermostat 260 provides a user interface for the air conditioning system 100 and allows a user to input an operating mode of the air conditioning system 100, input set points for various zones of the system 100, etc. The indoor load 270 can be supplied with electrical power by the outdoor unit 200. The indoor load 270 includes a variety of loads, such as appliances, lighting, electric vehicle chargers, etc.

[0049] Figure 3 The electrical architecture of the outdoor unit 200 in an example embodiment is depicted. Figure 3 As shown in FIG, AC power grid 302 is connected to outdoor unit 200 through grid disconnect device 304, which is under the control of controller 220. This allows outdoor unit 200 to operate independently of AC power grid 302 under certain conditions, as described in further detail herein.

[0050] The AC power grid 302 is connected to an indoor AC load 308, such as an air handler. The AC power grid 302 is also provided to an AC / AC converter 310, which supplies conditioned AC power to the driver 244 of the compressor 242 and the fan 246. The AC / AC converter 310 can control the amplitude, frequency, and equality of the AC power provided to the driver 244 of the compressor 242 and the fan 246. The AC / AC converter 310 can be bidirectional to allow the outdoor unit 200 to feed power from the DC bus 313 to the AC power grid 302.

[0051] The AC power grid 302 is also connected to a bidirectional AC / DC converter 312, which interfaces the AC power bus 305 with the DC power bus 313. The DC power bus 313 supplies power to the DC load 248. Under certain conditions, the DC power bus 313 supplies power to the AC loads (e.g., the compressor 242 and the fan 246) through the bidirectional AC / DC converter 312 and the AC / AC converter 310. This allows the outdoor unit 200 to operate independently of the AC power grid 302. The bidirectional AC / DC converter 312 also allows the outdoor unit 200 to feed power from the DC bus 313 to the AC power grid 302.

[0052] The DC power bus 313 can be powered by the energy storage device 240. In the charging mode, the DC power bus 313 is used to charge the energy storage device 240 (charger not shown). The DC power bus 313 can also be powered by one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, such as solar DC power, wind DC power, geothermal DC power, fuel cells, etc. The DC / DC converter 316 can be used to couple the auxiliary DC source 314 to the DC power bus 313. The DC power bus 313 can provide power to the indoor DC load 318. The DC / DC converter 320 can be used to couple the indoor DC load 318 to the DC power bus 313. The AC / DC converter 347 can be used to couple the DC power bus 313 to the indoor AC load 308 (through the disconnect device 348). In some operating modes, the energy storage device 240 is used to power the indoor AC load. The AC / AC converter 310, the AC / DC converter 312, the DC / DC converter 320, the DC / DC converter 316, and the AC / DC converter 347 can be Figure 1 Implementation of the medium power converter 230 .

[0053] Figure 4 The electrical architecture of an outdoor unit 200 in another example embodiment is depicted. Figure 4 The embodiment in may be referred to as a DC architecture, and Figure 3The embodiments in may be referred to as hybrid AC-DC architectures. Figure 4 In the embodiment, the driver 244 and the fan 246 are DC powered, and therefore, there is no need for the AC / AC converter 310. Figure 3 Same, Figure 4 The architecture allows the outdoor unit 200 to operate independently of the AC power grid 302 and feed power from the DC bus 313 to the AC power grid 302 under certain conditions.

[0054] Figure 5 200 in an example embodiment. For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the outdoor unit 200 are shown. For example, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may be connected to the energy storage device 240. In the fixed speed outdoor unit 200, the compressor 242 does not operate at a variable speed, and therefore the drive 244 may be simplified. Figure 5 As shown in FIG, AC power from the AC power grid 302 is supplied to the drive 244 through the grid disconnect device 304. The drive 244 includes an AC / DC converter 370 and a DC / AC converter 372. The output of the DC / AC converter 372 is provided to the compressor 242. Both the AC / DC converter 370 and the DC / AC converter 372 operate under the control of the controller 220. Between the AC / DC converter 370 and the DC / AC converter 372 is a DC link 371 connected to the energy storage device 240. In this arrangement, the energy storage device 240 can be charged by the drive 244. Alternatively, the energy storage device 240 can provide DC power to the DC link 371 to power the DC / AC converter 372 and the compressor 242. This allows the outdoor unit 200 to operate independently of the AC power grid 302. The AC / DC converter 370 can be bidirectional to allow the outdoor unit 200 to feed power from the energy storage device 240 to the AC power grid 302.

[0055] Figure 6 The electrical architecture for an outdoor unit 200 having a variable speed drive including a multi-level inverter in an example embodiment is depicted. For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the outdoor unit 200 are shown. For example, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may be connected to the energy storage device 240. Figure 6As shown in , AC power from the AC power grid 302 is supplied to the driver 244 through the grid disconnect device 304. The driver 244 includes an AC / DC converter 380 and a multi-level inverter 382. The output of the multi-level inverter 382 is provided to the compressor 242. The output of the multi-level inverter 382 can be a multi-phase multi-level waveform configured to drive a multi-phase motor of the compressor 242. In an example embodiment, the multi-level inverter 382 is a five-level three-phase inverter. In another example embodiment, the multi-level inverter 382 is a three-level three-phase inverter.

[0056] The multi-level inverter 382 synthesizes a sinusoidal current waveform to operate and control the compressor 242. Traditionally, this is accomplished with a two-level inverter. Integration with the energy storage device 240 allows a natural progression to higher order inverters. Three-level and five-level inverters require independent power supplies to set the voltage levels. Figure 6 In an embodiment, the energy storage device 240 can set the voltage level. The energy storage device 240 can include internal battery modules connected in series. The multi-level inverter 382 directly uses the battery modules for each required voltage level, thereby enabling the benefits of a multi-level inverter. The multi-level inverter 382 benefits from lower harmonic output and lower dv / dt device stress. The multi-level inverter 382 increases reliability by the ability to reconfigure to a lower number of levels (connecting or disconnecting battery modules together through the integration of relays or back-to-back switches) after a fault has occurred.

[0057] Figure 7 A phase branch of a five-level multiphase inverter in one embodiment of a multilevel inverter 382 is shown. The energy storage device 240 includes at least four battery modules 240A, 240B, 240C and 240D connected in series. The combination of battery modules 240A, 240B, 240C and 240D and a neutral point n provides five voltage levels for creating a sinusoidal output waveform on one phase. In general, N+1 levels of output waveform are provided for each phase using N battery module voltages. Switches S1-S4 and S1'-S4' are controlled by the controller 220 to generate a sine wave as known in the art. The multilevel inverter 382 can be reconfigured into fewer levels by integrating relays or back-to-back switches to connect or disconnect the battery modules together.

[0058] refer to Figure 6, both the AC / DC converter 370 and the multi-level inverter 382 operate under the control of the controller 220. Between the AC / DC converter 370 and the multi-level inverter 382 is a DC link 381 connected to the energy storage device 240. In this arrangement, the energy storage device 240 can be charged by the drive 244. Alternatively, the energy storage device 240 can provide DC power to the DC link 381 to power the multi-level inverter 382 and the compressor 242. This allows the outdoor unit 200 to operate independently of the AC power grid 302. The AC / DC converter 380 can be bidirectional to allow the outdoor unit 200 to feed into the AC power grid 302.

[0059] Figure 8 Depicted is communication between an outdoor unit controller 220, a thermostat 260, and a remote system 410 in an example embodiment. As described above, the controller 220 can be integrated as part of an HVAC controller and / or a battery controller. The controller 220 of the outdoor unit 200 communicates with the thermostat 260 via a local link 400. The local link 400 can be a wired connection (e.g., twisted pair, four-wire, power line communication, Modbus, CAN bus, etc.) and / or a wireless connection (e.g., WiFi, radio or Bluetooth, NFC, etc.). The thermostat 260 can also be implemented using a software application operating on a user device (e.g., a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer). The thermostat 260 can also provide occupancy information to the controller 220.

[0060] One or both of the controller 220 and the thermostat 260 may communicate with the remote system 410 via a network 406. The network 406 may be a long-distance network and may be implemented via various communication protocols. The network 406 may be implemented via one or more networks, such as, but not limited to, one or more of the following: WiMax, a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a personal area network (PAN), a campus area network (CAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), or any broadband network, and further may be implemented with technologies such as (by way of example): Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Personal Communications Service (PCS), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Matter, fixed wireless data, 2G, 2.5G, 3G (e.g., 3G networks based on UMTS / WCDMA), 4G, IMT-Advanced, pre-4G, LT E-Advanced, 5G, 6G, Mobile WiMax, WiMax2, WirelessMAN Advanced Network, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced GPRS, iBurst, UMTS, HSPDA, HSUPA, HSPA, HSPA+, UMTS-TDD, 1xRTT, EV-DO, messaging protocols such as TCP / IP, SMS, MMS, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP), Real-time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP), Instant Messaging, USSD, IRC, or any other wireless data network, broadband network, or messaging protocol.

[0061] The remote system 410 may be embodied as any type of processor-based computing or computer device capable of performing the functions described herein, including but not limited to a computer, server, workstation, desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, mobile computing device, wearable computing device, network device, web device, distributed computing system (e.g., cloud computing), processor-based system, and / or consumer electronic device. The remote system 410 provides information used by the controller 220 and / or thermostat 260 to implement energy management routines that control how the outdoor unit 200, indoor unit 250, and load 270 of the air conditioning system consume power. The information provided by the remote system 410 may include utility pricing (which indicates the cost of electricity on the AC grid 302) and weather information (which can be used to predict future utility pricing and use of the outdoor unit 200). The utility pricing and weather may be pushed to or pulled by the remote system 410 using known networking technologies.

[0062] Fig. 9An energy management process in an example embodiment is depicted. The process may be performed by the controller 220 of the outdoor unit 200 and / or by the thermostat 260. At 600, the controller 220 determines whether a utility provider has requested a reduction in energy usage. A utility provider may request a reduction in energy usage to avoid a service explanation (e.g., brownout). A request to reduce energy usage may be accompanied by an incentive (e.g., $5 off the next energy bill).

[0063] If the utility has requested a reduction in energy usage, the flow proceeds to 602, where the customer may approve or deny the request to reduce energy usage. The approval or denial determination may be pre-established by the customer and pre-programmed into the controller 220 and / or thermostat 260. For example, the customer may wish to always reduce energy consumption, regardless of terms. The customer may wish to never reduce energy consumption, regardless of terms. The customer may wish to reduce energy consumption only when the utility offers an incentive. The approval or denial determination at 602 may also be real-time, where the customer enters an approval or denial of the reduction in energy consumption through the thermostat 260 or through a mobile device.

[0064] If the customer agrees to reduce energy usage at 602, the process proceeds to 604, where the outdoor unit 200 is powered by the energy storage device 240 (if necessary). This may require opening the AC disconnect device 304 (e.g., the power from the AC power grid is zero) and using the energy storage device 240 to power the outdoor unit 200. Using the energy storage device 240 to operate the outdoor unit 200 can also include limiting the amount of power used from the AC power grid to a power limit (e.g., 1 kwh). At 604, other loads can be powered by the battery 240, including one or more of the indoor unit (s) 250 and (s) indoor load (s) 270, which can include (s) indoor DC load (s) 318 and / or (s) indoor AC load (s) 308. The process returns to 600. At some point, the energy storage device 240 will lack sufficient charge so that the outdoor unit 200 will need to be powered by the AC power grid 302. The controller 220 can detect when the state of charge (SOC) of the energy storage device 240 is too low to power the outdoor unit 200. Additionally, the controller 220 may detect when the state of health (SOH) of the energy storage device 240 indicates that the outdoor unit 200 needs to be powered by the AC power grid 302 .

[0065] If the utility has not requested a reduction in energy usage at 600, the process proceeds to 606, where the controller 220 determines whether the system 100 should use power from the energy storage device 240. An example of a situation in which the system 100 should use power from the energy storage device 240 occurs when the utility power is at a peak price. Peak prices do not necessarily require that the price of electricity is at its highest value, but are generally considered in the art to be a period of time above the average cost of energy. Whether the utility is at a peak price can be determined by utility pricing obtained from the remote system 410 or current or future weather information obtained from the remote system 410. If the utility is at a peak price, the process proceeds to 604, where the outdoor unit 200 (and optionally other loads, such as the IDU 250 and loads 270, including indoor AC loads 308 and / or indoor DC loads 318) are powered by the energy storage device 240. Utility power at a peak price is not the only factor that can be relied upon when determining that the system 100 should use power from the energy storage device 240.

[0066] Another example of a situation where system 100 should use power from energy storage device 240 occurs when a customer requests a reduction in energy usage. The customer can use thermostat 260 to place system 100 in a reduced energy usage mode (e.g., an eco-friendly mode), which causes the system to use power from energy storage device 240.

[0067] If at 606, the system 100 should not use power from the energy storage device 240, the process proceeds to 608, where the energy storage device 240 is charged using the AC power grid 302. At 610, the controller 220 determines whether the battery state of charge (SOC) is greater than a limit (e.g., 90% charged). If not, the process returns to 600.

[0068] It should be noted that energy storage device 240 may be charged even when utility power is at peak prices. This may include fault modes, test modes, etc. Thus, charging energy storage device 240 is not limited to off-peak utility power price times.

[0069] If at 610, the energy storage device state of charge (SOC) is greater than the limit, then the process proceeds to 612, where the energy storage device 240 can be used to power the outdoor unit (if necessary), loads in the building 102, and / or feed power back to the AC power grid 302. The operation at 612 may also include using the battery management system to verify the state of health (SOH) of the energy storage device 240 (e.g., verify the health of the battery modules).

[0070] If the thermostat 260 is equipped with a processor 261, then Fig. 9One or more operations of the process may be performed by the thermostat 260. The processor 261 may be implemented using a general-purpose microprocessor that executes a computer program stored on a storage medium to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, the processor 261 may be implemented in hardware (e.g., ASIC, FPGA) or in a combination of hardware / software. The controller 220 and the thermostat may be implemented in conjunction or separately. Fig. 9 All or some of the operations in the operation.

[0071] In other embodiments, the controller 220 and / or the thermostat 260 perform system enhancement routines to improve the performance of the entire air conditioning system 100 based on optimization (including model predictive control) or machine learning techniques, taking into account carbon impact, energy performance, energy cost, life cycle cost, impact on the life of the equipment, reliability. The system enhancement routine can operate with or without information about weather, occupancy, historical usage, customer preferences, equipment performance maps (HVAC, battery), the possibility of energy outages, etc. Machine learning techniques about customer preferences, usage, flexibility of decisions about temperature, cost, environmental issues, etc. can be used to improve control logic and optimization. Other control strategies (such as pre-cooling and pre-heating) with advantages about cost, performance, efficiency, environment, comfort, reliability can be implemented by the controller 220 and / or the thermostat 260.

[0072] As described above, embodiments may take the form of processor-implemented processes and apparatus for practicing those processes (such as controller 220 and / or thermostat 260). Embodiments may also take the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in a tangible medium such as a network cloud storage device, SD card, flash drive, floppy disk, CD ROM, hard drive, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the embodiments. Embodiments may also take the form of computer program code, such as stored in a storage medium, loaded into and / or executed by a computer, or transmitted through a transmission medium, loaded into and / or executed by a computer, or transmitted through a transmission medium (such as by wire or cable, by optical fiber, or via electromagnetic radiation), wherein when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the embodiments. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.

[0073] Reference now Fig.10, an example of an outdoor unit 1000 of an air conditioning system is shown. As shown, the outdoor unit 1000 includes a heat exchanger 1002 having a generally square structure, such as, for example, a C-shape or a U-shape, although embodiments in which the heat exchanger 1002 is rectangular, cylindrical, V-shaped, N-shaped, or other shapes are also within the scope of the present disclosure. As shown, the outdoor unit 1000 may further include a chassis 1004, which is arranged at the bottom of the outdoor unit 1000 and is configured to hold the heat exchanger 1002 in place. The chassis 1004 may also be configured to prevent condensate from accumulating in the chassis 1004. A compressor 1006 is arranged to be in fluid communication with the heat exchanger 1002. As shown, the compressor 1006 is mounted to the chassis 1004, such as at a central position within the interior of the outdoor unit 1000 defined by the heat exchanger 1002. The compressor 1006 is operable to pump a heat transfer fluid through a vapor compression circuit. Examples of heat transfer fluids contemplated for use in the outdoor unit 1000 described herein include, but are not limited to, refrigerants, such as refrigerants with low global warming potential, CO2, oils, brine, and other suitable fluids. Disposed in communication with the surface of the heat exchanger 1002 is a fan assembly 1008 configured to draw ambient air radially inwardly through the heat exchanger 1002, after which the air is exhausted upwardly through openings 1010.

[0074] When the energy storage device 1100 is associated with one or more components of the outdoor unit 1000 and selectively used to power it, the energy storage device 1100 can be located outside the outdoor unit 1000, such as, for example, under the chassis 1004 of the outdoor unit. In such an embodiment, the energy storage device 1100 can, but need not, be within the same footprint as the outdoor unit 1000. Alternatively or additionally, the energy storage device 1100 can be located away from the outdoor unit (see Fig.10 ). Although not shown, in other embodiments, the energy storage device can be positioned within the interior of the outdoor unit 100, such as, for example, below the heat exchanger 1002, within the chassis 1004. Regardless of the location of the energy storage device, the power connection 1102 can extend between and couple the energy storage device 1100 and one or more components of the outdoor unit 1000 that are configured to receive power from the outdoor unit 1100.

[0075] like Figure 10-Figure 14 The energy storage device 1100 illustrated in and described herein will generate heat when operating and when charging. Therefore, regardless of the location of the energy storage device 1100 relative to the air conditioning system, thermal management of the energy storage device 1100 will be required to reduce the risk of a thermal runaway event. Figure 10-Figure 14, thermal management and in particular cooling of the energy storage device 1100 may be performed to keep the energy storage device 1100 within an allowable temperature range.

[0076] In an embodiment, the ground 1104 below or generally adjacent to the outdoor unit is used as a heat sink to cool the energy storage device 1100. Fig.11 and Fig.12 In the non-limiting embodiment illustrated in , a cooling system is associated with the energy storage device 1100. In an embodiment, the cooling system is configured as a geothermal cooling system, wherein the ground (such as, for example, the ground near the energy storage device) is a heat sink configured to absorb heat from the energy storage device. As shown, the cooling system includes a coolant loop 1106 having a coolant C disposed therein. A pump or other moving mechanism 1108 may be configured to circulate the coolant C within the coolant loop 1106. The coolant C is configured to absorb heat as it flows over or through the surface of the energy storage device 1100, and the heat is then discharged to the ground surrounding the coolant loop 1106. In some embodiments, such as for example Fig.11 , the coolant C configured to move through the coolant loop 1106 is a cooling fluid already present within the energy storage device 1100. However, in other embodiments, the coolant C may be fluidly separate or fluidly distinct from the internal cooling fluid of the energy storage device 1100. In such embodiments, the coolant C within the coolant loop 1106 is configured to absorb heat from at least one of the cooling fluid positioned within the energy storage device 1100 and the individual cells of the energy storage device 1100.

[0077] The coolant loop 1106 is formed by one or more fluidly connected coolant pipes or conduits 1110, and in an embodiment, at least a portion of the coolant pipe 1110 is buried in the ground 1104 at a depth below the frost line F associated with the geographic area where the outdoor unit 1000 is located. The frost line F typically varies between 0 feet and 8 feet. At least one coolant pipe 1110 buried in the ground can have a substantially smooth outer surface. Alternatively, one or more heat transfer enhancement features (such as, for example, fins) can be arranged on a portion of its outer surface or on its entire outer surface. The total length of the coolant loop arranged in the ground 1104 or the length of the coolant loop 1106 arranged below the frost line F can be controlled, such as by adding one or more curved portions or bends to the coolant loop 1106 to achieve a length suitable for dissipating a given amount of heat under normal or extreme operating conditions.

[0078] refer to Fig.11, the energy storage device 1100 is arranged above the surface level of the ground 1104 at the exterior of the outdoor unit 1000. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the energy storage device 1100 is positioned directly below the outdoor unit 1000. However, embodiments are also contemplated herein in which the energy storage device 1100 is offset from the outdoor unit 1000, arranged at another location around the outdoor unit 1000, or even within the outdoor unit 1000. By positioning the energy storage device 1100 above the ground, the energy storage device 1100 is more easily accessible to perform maintenance thereon. However, at such a location, the energy storage device 1100 may require supplemental heating and / or protection from environmental influences, such as, for example, during cold weather conditions.

[0079] exist Fig.12 In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the energy storage device 1100 is also buried in the coolant loop 1106 below the ground surface. The energy storage device 1100 itself can be directly positioned in the ground. However, in other embodiments, the energy storage device 1100 can be arranged in a housing (not shown), and the housing may or may not be insulated. Although the energy storage device 1100 is illustrated as being positioned directly below the outdoor unit 1000, such as axially aligned with it, embodiments in which the energy storage device 1100 is buried at a position offset from the outdoor unit 1000 are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Similarly, in a non-limiting embodiment, the energy storage device 1100 is illustrated as being arranged vertically above the coolant pipe 1110. However, embodiments in which the energy storage device 1100 is positioned vertically below the coolant pipe 1110, and embodiments in which the energy storage device 1100 and the coolant pipe 1110 are generally arranged at the same vertical distance from the ground surface (i.e., in the same horizontal plane) are also within the scope of the present disclosure. As previously described, in some embodiments, at least some or a portion of the coolant conduits 1110 may be positioned at a depth below the frost line F associated with a given geographic region in which the outdoor unit 1000 is located. In embodiments, the energy storage device 1100 may also or alternatively be buried vertically below the frost line F.

[0080] Reference now Fig.13 and Fig.14In an embodiment, the cooling system includes a heat exchanger for transferring heat away from the energy storage device. In an embodiment, the heat exchanger is provided in the form of one or more cooling channels 1120 formed around the energy storage device 1100. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the energy storage device 1100 includes a plurality of cooling channels 1120 arranged at one or more outer surfaces of the energy storage device 1100, and in some embodiments, arranged at each of the plurality of outer surfaces of the energy storage device 1100. The outer surface of at least one cooling channel 1120 may be smooth, or alternatively, may include one or more heat transfer enhancement features (not shown), such as, for example, fins.

[0081] exist Fig.13 In the non-limiting embodiment illustrated in , the energy storage device 1100 is positioned above the ground 1104, such as at a position vertically below the cooling unit 1000. In such an embodiment, at least some of the one or more cooling channels 1120 may be arranged in the ambient atmosphere surrounding the energy storage device 1100. In an embodiment, the internal cooling fluid of the energy storage device 1100 is configured to flow through the energy storage device 1100 into the one or more cooling channels 1120. Within the energy storage device 1100, the internal cooling fluid absorbs heat from one or more cells therein. The resulting heated internal cooling fluid is then provided to one or more cooling channels in the cooling channels 1120. Within the cooling channels 1120, heat is configured to be transferred from the internal cooling fluid to the atmosphere, such as, for example, via convection. In other embodiments, a coolant C other than the internal cooling fluid may be arranged within the one or more cooling channels 1120 or configured to circulate through the one or more cooling channels 1120. In such an embodiment, the coolant C acts as a heat sink by absorbing heat from at least one cell within the energy storage device 1100 and / or heat from the internal cooling fluid. Within cooling channels 1120, heat is configured to transfer from coolant C to the surrounding atmosphere. In some embodiments where energy storage device 1100 is positioned above the ground, one or more of cooling channels 1120 (such as, for example, cooling channels positioned at a bottom surface of the energy storage device) may be positioned to discharge heat therefrom to the ground.

[0082] Reference now Fig.14 , the energy storage device 1100 is similar to Fig.131100, however, in the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the energy storage device 1100 is buried underground. The energy storage device 1100 may be buried within the ground, at least partially above the frost line F, or at least partially below the frost line F. In embodiments where the energy storage device 1100 is buried, at least some of the cooling channels 1120, and in some embodiments all of the cooling channels 1120, are positioned to discharge heat to the surrounding ground 1104. As previously described, the fluid within the cooling channels 1120 may be an internal cooling fluid of the energy storage device 1100, or may be a coolant that is different from and has a heat transfer relationship with at least one cell within the energy storage device 1100 and / or the internal cooling fluid of the energy storage device 1100. Heat from the fluid within the cooling channels 1120 may be transferred to the surrounding ground surface, such as, for example, via conduction.

[0083] Reference now Fig.15 In an embodiment, a cooling system of an energy storage device 1100, such as, for example, an energy storage device 1100 positioned above the ground, includes a coolant loop 1106 fluidly connected to a heat exchanger 1122. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the heat exchanger 1122 is a roll-bonded heat exchanger. The heat exchanger 1122 may be mounted on an exterior surface of a house or other building or structure 1130 conditioned by an air conditioning system. Alternatively, the heat exchanger 1122 may be integrated with the energy storage device 1100, such as, for example, by forming a channel in the housing of the energy storage device 1100. An internal cooling fluid of the energy storage device 1100 may be configured to flow from the energy storage device 1100 through the coolant loop to the channel of the heat exchanger 1122. Within the channel of the heat exchanger 1122, the internal cooling fluid is configured to transfer heat absorbed from one or more cells of the energy storage device 1100 to the surrounding atmosphere, such as, for example, via convection.

[0084] In other embodiments, a coolant C other than the internal cooling fluid may be disposed within one or more channels of coolant loop 1106 or configured to circulate through one or more channels of coolant loop 1106 to heat exchanger 1122. In such embodiments, coolant C acts as a heat sink by absorbing heat from at least one cell within energy storage device 1100 and / or heat from the internal cooling fluid. Within the channels of heat exchanger 1122, heat is configured to be transferred from coolant C to the surrounding atmosphere.

[0085] An energy storage device with a thermal management system as illustrated and described herein maintains the energy storage device at or below a desired operating temperature, thereby extending the life of the energy storage device. Using the ground as a heat sink configured to absorb some of the heat generated by the energy storage device provides an effective solution with reduced cost.

[0086] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises and / or comprising" when used in this specification specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components and / or groups thereof.

[0087] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each example embodiment having certain features in a particular embodiment, but the present disclosure is not therefore limited. On the contrary, the present disclosure may be modified to incorporate any number of changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements that have not been described heretofore but are commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be considered to be limited by the foregoing description, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, comprising: a vapor compression circuit having a plurality of components including a compressor and at least one heat exchanger, and a heat transfer fluid configured to circulate within the vapor compression circuit; an energy storage device selectively operable to supply power to one of the plurality of components of the vapor compression circuit; as well as A cooling system associated with the energy storage device, wherein the cooling system is a geothermal cooling system and the ground proximate the energy storage device is a heat sink configured to absorb heat from the energy storage device.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein: The cooling system includes a coolant loop fluidly connected to the energy storage device, wherein at least a portion of the coolant loop is positioned vertically below the surface level of the ground.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein: The coolant loop includes at least one coolant conduit, and at least a portion of the at least one coolant conduit extends below a frost line associated with the ground.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein: The cooling system includes at least one cooling channel arranged at an exterior surface of the energy storage device.

5. An air conditioning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The cooling system includes a coolant operable to circulate through the cooling system, the coolant being an internal cooling fluid for the energy storage device.

6. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The energy storage device has an internal cooling fluid, and the cooling system includes a coolant operable to circulate through the cooling system, the coolant being fluidly different from the internal cooling fluid.

7. An air conditioning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The energy storage device is arranged at or above the surface level of the ground.

8. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, wherein: At least one of the plurality of components of the vapor compression circuit is disposed within an outdoor unit, and the energy storage device is positioned directly below the outdoor unit.

9. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, wherein: At least one of the plurality of components of the vapor compression circuit is disposed within an outdoor unit, and the energy storage device is located remotely from the outdoor unit.

10. An air conditioning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein: At least a portion of the energy storage device is disposed below the surface level of the ground.

11. The air conditioning system according to claim 10, wherein: The entirety of the energy storage device is positioned below the surface level of the ground.

12. The air conditioning system according to claim 11, wherein: At least a portion of the energy storage device is positioned below a frost line associated with the ground.

13. An air conditioning system, comprising: a vapor compression circuit having a plurality of components including a compressor and at least one heat exchanger, and a heat transfer fluid configured to circulate within the vapor compression circuit; an energy storage device selectively operable to supply power to one of the plurality of components of the vapor compression circuit; as well as A cooling system associated with the energy storage device, wherein the cooling system includes a heat exchanger, ambient atmosphere surrounding the heat exchanger being operable to remove heat from the energy storage device.

14. The air conditioning system according to claim 13, wherein: The heat exchanger is positioned at the energy storage device.

15. The air conditioning system according to claim 13, wherein: The heat exchanger includes at least one cooling channel arranged at an outer surface of the energy storage device.

16. The air conditioning system according to claim 13, wherein: The heat exchanger is located remotely from the energy storage device.

17. The air conditioning system according to claim 16, wherein: The heat exchanger is mounted to an exterior surface of a building to be conditioned by the air conditioning system.

18. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein: The cooling system includes a coolant operable to circulate through the cooling system, the coolant being an internal cooling fluid for the energy storage device.

19. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein: The energy storage device has an internal cooling fluid, and the cooling system includes a coolant operable to circulate through the cooling system, the coolant being fluidly different from the internal cooling fluid.

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