Purge Unit Conditional Activation to Reduce Chiller Power Consumption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Non-condensables in vapor compression systems, such as chillers, reduce efficiency by accumulating in the condenser, and while purge units can remove them, they consume power and further reduce efficiency when active.
Innovation Solution
A purge unit is controlled to selectively activate and deactivate based on conditions like refrigerant-to-air ratios, time since last purge, and condenser conditions to minimize active time and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the purge unit is activated to remove non-condensables from the chiller, then non-condensable accumulation is prevented and chiller efficiency is maintained, but power consumption increases due to purge unit operation
Solution Approach 1:
The purge unit operation is made dynamic by continuously monitoring refrigerant-to-air ratios and adjusting purge activation accordingly. The system transitions from static continuous operation to dynamic conditional operation, activating the purge unit only when non-condensable accumulation reaches threshold levels, thereby optimizing the balance between maintaining chiller efficiency and minimizing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by monitoring refrigerant-to-air ratios in real-time and using this information to control purge unit activation. Sensors detect the concentration of non-condensables and provide feedback signals that trigger purge operations only when necessary, preventing both excessive purging (wasting energy) and insufficient purging (allowing efficiency degradation).
2Productivity
If the purge unit operates continuously to ensure complete non-condensable removal, then chiller performance is optimized, but system power consumption and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by activating the purge unit only to the extent necessary to maintain optimal performance. Rather than continuous full-capacity operation, the purge unit operates intermittently at minimal necessary levels, triggering only when refrigerant-to-air ratio thresholds indicate non-condensable accumulation that would impact chiller performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The purge operation transitions from continuous action to periodic action based on monitored conditions. The system establishes periodic monitoring cycles of refrigerant-to-air ratios and activates purge operations periodically only when measurement intervals detect threshold exceedances, creating an on-demand periodic operation pattern that reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces power consumption and maintains efficiency by minimizing purge unit activity while effectively preventing non-condensable accumulation, thus optimizing vapor compression system performance.
Implementation Method 1
The purge unit can include an independent (secondary) vapor compression system that is used to cool and condense refrigerant from a mixture of refrigerant vapor and non-condensables extracted from the chiller
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for selectively activating and deactivating the purge unit in response to one or more conditions to, for example, enable refrigerant-to-air ratios within the purge unit within certain industry standards.