Patent · US Expired

Control apparatus for ice rink refrigeration equipment

US4700548A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
9References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 5, 1986
Grant dateOct 20, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 5, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25D17/02
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

The present invention comprises methods and apparatus for controlling the speed of a motor for a piece of ice slab refrigeration equipment, in response to variations in thermal load on the ice slab. The control apparatus comprises thermal load sensing means and motor drive means. The thermal load sensing means detects variations in the thermal load on the ice slab and generates an output signal correlatable with such variations. The motor drive means is operatively coupled to the thermal load sensing means and is connectable to the motor and drives the motor at various speeds correlatable with the variations in ice slab thermal load. The control apparatus of the present invention is particularly adapted to control the speed of an alternating current induction motor of a centrifugal brine pump motor. The thermal load sensing means preferably comprises temperature detecting means such as a resistance temperature detector for detecting the fluctuations in the brine temperature, and drive control means such as a signal transmitter for generating a reference signal for input into the motor drive means, which preferably comprises a variable speed drive. Incorporating the control apparatu…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.